Replacing Excel-Based Forecasting with Power Apps at a Manufacturing Group

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Replacing Excel-Based Forecasting with Power Apps at a Manufacturing Group

Key Concepts

Power Apps, Power BI, Budgeting, Forecasting,

Overview

A large manufacturing group relied on a fragmented, Excel-based approach to manage their budgeting and forecasting processes. This involved multiple stakeholders working in separate files for Sales Planning, Capacity Planning, Resources, CAPEX, Material Forecasting, and OPEX. This created a disjointed process, leading to inefficiencies, lost time, version control issues, and unreliable data for strategic financial decisions.

Objective and Approach

To streamline the entire budgeting and forecasting process using Power Apps and Dataverse, creating a unified, intuitive, and structured application framework with integrated Power BI reporting capabilities.

Our team followed this approach:

We began by conducting a full process discovery workshop to understand the end-to-end flow of the client’s budgeting and forecasting activities. This was captured in a comprehensive diagram showing how each component—Sales Planning, Capacity Planning, CAPEX, Material, and OPEX—interconnected.

This process mapping enabled:

Clarity on all functional areas involved.
Identification of dependencies between forecast types.
Fixed scope definition for application development.
Clear definition of inputs, outputs, and data flows.

With the scope locked, we designed the full technical architecture:

Power Apps

For user-friendly data entry and review interfaces across planning areas.

Dataverse

For user-friendly data entry and review interfaces across planning areas.

Power BI

For real-time insights, audit, and deep dives into financial inputs and outputs.

Each forecast module was connected in a logical flow to preserve data integrity across stages and provide a holistic view of the budget.

We adopted a phased implementation strategy:

Identified and delivered the lowest-hanging fruit—the module with the highest immediate impact and minimal complexity
Used existing Excel sheets as foundational templates to replicate required logic and structure
Engaged business stakeholders in weekly review sessions to gather feedback and iterate on new features and UX enhancements

After successful prototyping and testing, the Power Apps were rolled out across the business:

1.

We adopted a phased implementation strategy:

2.

Introduced intuitive, role-based access with built-in validations and contextual help.

3.

Enabled secure and central access to data—removing the need for email/file sharing.

4.

Standardized the process across the group companies

A dedicated Power BI report was built for the finance team:

Single source of truth for all forecasting data across the group
Direct integration with Dataverse.
Allowed drill-down into entries by department, timeframe, or forecast type.
Provided real-time oversight and simplified audit processes.

Key Benefits

Time Saved

Automations replaced manual file creation and emailing

No More File Chaos

Eliminated confusion caused by multiple versions and scattered file storage

Single Source of Truth

Everyone worked on the same data, improving collaboration and accuracy

Intuitive Interface

Minimal training required, reducing onboarding and support time

Fewer Errors

Built-in validations and dropdowns reduced human mistakes

Structured Data

Clean, normalized data in Dataverse enabled more robust and flexible Power BI reporting

Long-Term Success & Future Outlook

This project successfully transformed a legacy budgeting process into a modern, app-driven experience. By leveraging Power Apps and Dataverse, we not only improved operational efficiency but also laid the groundwork for smarter, real-time financial decision-making. The solution has since been extended to other departments and planning cycles—demonstrating scalability and long-term value.

Ready to dip into your data?

Whether you are looking for help with a project, a long-term dedicated data team, or just want to find out more, we got you covered.

Let's talk

contact@brigitalgroup.com

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