CREATING A CUSTOM CRM WITH GRANT REPORTING CAPABABILITIES

A business support organisation in the Bolsover District helps local start-ups and established businesses through one-to-one coaching, events, and workshops. However, their operations were hampered by disconnected systems. Data about clients, events, and outcomes were stored across spreadsheets, paper files, and cloud platforms, making reporting time-consuming and error-prone.

Meeting government grant reporting requirements was particularly challenging. Accurate tracking of business engagement and milestones was critical, but the team often struggled with duplicate data, missing records, and inconsistent reporting formats. Off-the-shelf CRMs had been trialled but proved too rigid for their needs.

The organisation approached us to develop a flexible, custom-built solution. We delivered a system built on Microsoft Power Apps, using Dataverse for the database and Power Automate to streamline workflows. This setup allowed coaches to record client interactions, track event attendance, log milestones, and manage documents—all in one place.

Key features include:

• A centralised customer database

• Integrated event and milestone tracking

• Automated grant reporting

• Standardised data entry

• Secure document storage

Since implementation, the organisation has seen a dramatic improvement in efficiency. The new system acts as a single source of truth, reducing duplication and improving collaboration across the team. Reporting is now faster, more accurate, and aligned with funder requirements.

Conclusion

With this tailored system in place, the organisation can spend less time on admin and more time supporting local businesses—ensuring their impact continues to grow in the community.