Targeted low-code Power Apps helped IPA streamline everyday admin, reduce manual errors and give staff a faster, simpler way to manage events and programmes.
Small Change, Big Difference
Sometimes, it’s not the big, headline-grabbing projects that make the biggest difference - it’s the small, purposeful fixes that quietly transform how teams work.
One of our recent projects for a leading professional membership body in the advertising industry - Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) - shows how introducing a handful of targeted low-code apps on the Microsoft Power Platform can remove friction from everyday workflows and free people to focus on what really matters.
Challenge:
Slow & Manual Admin
For teams handling event bookings and programme participation, even simple changes - like moving a delegate to a different date or updating participant details during a phone call - involved jumping between multiple screens and repeating the same steps.
This manual approach slowed down service, created room for error, and made it harder to maintain clean, accurate data.
Approach:
Embedded Power Apps
Rather than attempting a full system overhaul, we built a pair of lightweight canvas apps using Power Apps on the Microsoft Power Platform, embedded inside Microsoft Dataverse and Dynamics 365. Each app focuses on one high-volume admin task, guiding users through a single, simple flow that enforces business rules, updates related records automatically, and eliminates re-keying.
Because the apps are embedded directly where staff already work, there’s no context-switching - just a clear, reliable way to get things done faster.
How we delivered it
Start small, aim high: We identified the most time-consuming tasks first, designing focused canvas apps that could be launched via contextual buttons within existing systems.
Prioritise adoption: Simple, embedded experiences meant staff needed minimal training and could start using the apps straight away.
Build for growth: Following Power Platform best practices means new admin tasks can be added easily in future.
Event bookings
Quickly swap or transfer an attendee without breaking data relationships or missing a status update.
Programme Scheduling
Move a participant between intakes while automatically checking capacity and updating records.
Big Impact
Faster processes
One guided flow replaces multiple manual edits.
Cleaner data
Automated updates and validation reduce errors.
Happier team
IPA staff can complete calls and back-office tasks without leaving their core system.
Why this matters
Fixing the small but frequent tasks that consume disproportionate time can unlock major productivity gains - without the risk of a disruptive system rewrite.
For the IPA, these low-code Power Apps have not only sped up everyday operations but also paved the way for a smoother, more modern events and programme journey in the future.