CHAP is an independent, non-profit accrediting body for home and community-based health care organizations in the US. CHAP wanted to get more out of its Microsoft 365 license, in particular Microsoft Dynamics, and migrate from custom-built, on-premises solutions to the cloud, as well as reduce its reliance on costly additional third-party solutions.
With 14,000 clients, CHAP was looking for an automated email solution that would support workflows for its four key areas of business: Accreditation Determination, Critical Regulatory Communications, Action Plan Notifications and Renewals.
Each day, CHAP sends out between 40 to 60 individual and personalized emails with document attachments, each with specific wording based on hundreds of differing criteria.
The emails contain customers names and account information. Additionally, they include status updates such as providing information about prior site visits or confirmation of accreditation, or payment reminder. Typically, each email also has included at least one PDF document which is dynamically generated with document templates including conditional information.
CHAP wanted to move away from its reliance on an internally developed custom-built portal to Microsoft 365 Dynamics and Microsoft Power Platform, where it could automate workflows and make better use of its data to enhance customer engagement and customer satisfaction.
Although CHAP was utilizing various commercial and internally developed applications, as well as Azure resources for various accreditation-related technology functions, its IT team wanted to explore other options for document generation automation that integrated into the Microsoft 365 suite.
Having worked in the accreditation space for many years, Cloudwell deployed its custom-built document generation automation API in Azure which enabled CHAP to automatically generate Word, Excel and PDF documents using a combination of templates and data inputs.
Utilizing model-driven apps in Microsoft Dynamics 365, as well as a data flow and custom API for templated document and email generation, Cloudwell’s email letter automation solution was built using no-code or low-code serverless applications native to the Microsoft 365 suite.
Using the dataflow, each email and document template synchronizes to accounts, contacts, and other entities from the internal system to the tables in Dataverse. With a built-in SQL connector to an on-premises or Azure database, the dataflow can be utilized to create the connection to various tables, views or queries as needed.
Additionally, using Dynamics 365’s built-in security handling, the solution permits specified users to view specified records, or access specified functions and to segregate permissions based on user roles.
Cloudwell utilized the Microsoft 365’s enterprise workflow engine Power Automate to create workflows that run based on automated triggers like schedules or other events. For recurring emails, flows were created to query for records matching specific filter criteria, then utilized the built-in document and email template capabilities of Dynamics 365 to stage emails into a queue for sending.
Once sent, all documents are stored in SharePoint Online in a library with subfolders for accounts. Also, document templates can be stored in SharePoint Online which supports granular permission and versioning.
To improve customer engagement and garner customer satisfaction, Cloudwell used Dynamics 365’s “Customer Voice” survey solution that CHAP is now using to deploy customer satisfaction surveys.
No-code modern app that seamlessly integrates with Microsoft 365 and more!
By leveraging Dynamics 365, CHAP could immediately take advantage of Azure AD single-sign-on as well as a no-code modern app that seamlessly integrates with Power Automate, PowerApps, SharePoint, Teams, and Outlook.
"I like the Cloudwell team and find everyone knowledgeable. Chris Alechko is very organized, knowledgeable, direct, innovative, and is always confident about his solutions. He is also responsive and flexible with changes or unanticipated issues. I can’t think of anything negative to say, which is unusual for me!"
Easy management of email and document templates
The no-code/low-code document generation automation web app, with its simple interface, makes it easy to manage all of the email templates, document templates and accounts, contacts, and additional entities which are synced from CHAP’s internally developed CRM system SQL databases. By utilizing dataflows, CHAP can surface various records to Dynamics 365 which will be used by the workflows and email/document templating app.
Automated emails appear to be sent by a CHAP team member
Since Dynamics 365 uses native Exchange connections to user mailboxes to send letters, they appear to the receiver as if they were sent personally by a CHAP employee. Its prior system used SMTP, which may list the senders correct email address, but it did not show up in the senders sent email, some of which also get stopped by SPAM filters.
Better insights
The new letters system in Dynamics allows CHAP’s accreditation team to have more insight into the letters that are automatically generated on their behalf. They can also collect user metrics such as who has opened the document and at what time. Additionally, other team members get to see emails that have gone out to customers regardless of sender, which in turn helps them address any issues customers are experiencing without having to reach out to someone else.
No need for costly third-party applications
Because of the deep integration built into the Microsoft 365 suite of applications, CHAP can now utilize the Dynamics 365 app for Outlook, or other capabilities within Teams and SharePoint to handle various processes and functions without needing to use a 3rd party server-based application.
Power Automate Workflows offer flexibility
Thanks to Power Automate, depending on the workflow, CHAP can send emails either automatically by the system or they can be added to a queue for review and manual processing. Plus, as the Power Automate workflows have been tied directly to tables and records in Dynamics this allow CHAP’s staff to trigger emails without having to navigate between multiple applications.
"Since installing Cloudwell’s document generation automation API, not only can our accreditation team see all the emails sent on their behalf, but they have reported a significant increase in the number of customers who reply to those emails since implementing Dynamics."
Documents are now easy to find
Now documents are stored in SharePoint online and linked into Dynamics using document locations so that staff members can easily search and find documents associated to accounts, contacts, or other entities.
Customer engagement levels improved
Customer engagement and communications with the customer have been improved using “Customer Voice”. Surveys are now automatically sent out to customers when a site visit occurs. Responses from those surveys are now collected and aggregated into a user-friendly dashboard married up to or associated with existing records. Net promoter scores were used to identify negative sentiment and rules were set up to auto-assign certain responses are automatically routed to customer engagement team members to follow up with providers as needed.
