From Complexity to Clarity: No Limits’ Dynamics Transformation

Client Overview

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No Limits is a charity dedicated to supporting children and young people across Hampshire and the surrounding areas. As the organisation continues to grow, it recognised the need to review and modernise its core systems to ensure they remained cost-effective, user-friendly, and fit for the future.

No Limits engaged MPowerUp to carry out a comprehensive assessment of its existing Dynamics 365 database solution. The objective was to evaluate the current system, identify operational challenges, and develop a clear roadmap to improve user experience, streamline reporting, and—critically—reduce long-term costs.

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The Challenge

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Over time, the Dynamics 365 system had become increasingly complex. While it supported core operational needs, it presented several challenges:

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• Rising licensing and support costs

• A heavily customised solution that was difficult to adapt

• A user experience that worked for experienced users but created barriers for new or infrequent users

• Time-intensive reporting processes that relied heavily on manual effort

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No Limits wanted to understand whether their current approach was sustainable and how they could modernise without disrupting vital frontline services.

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Scope of the Assessment

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MPowerUp conducted a detailed, end-to-end review of the existing solution, including:

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• System architecture and technical design

• Dynamics 365 licensing model and cost implications

• User interface and overall usability

• Reporting processes and Power BI usage

• Dependency on the incumbent service provider

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The assessment also included interviews with staff across departments to capture first-hand feedback on how the system performed in day-to-day use and where improvements would have the greatest impact.

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Key Findings

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The assessment highlighted several important insights:

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1. Licensing and Cost Constraints. No Limits was operating on a deprecated Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement licence. MPowerUp identified Power Apps licensing as a significantly more cost-effective alternative. However, moving to this model would require redevelopment work to remove dependencies on restricted tables, such as the Case entity.

2. Customisation and Supplier Dependency. The system was heavily customised and closely tied to the original solution provider. While the technical dependency was manageable, contractual and operational constraints would need to be addressed before No Limits could confidently transition to a new partner or delivery model.

3. User Experience Challenges. User experience emerged as a major theme. Long-standing users had adapted to the system’s quirks, but newer or infrequent users found it difficult to navigate. Data entry was time-consuming, workflows were not guided, and the interface lacked role-specific experiences. There was strong demand for a more intuitive, mobile-friendly solution tailored to different user roles.

4. Reporting and Insight Limitations. Reporting was particularly resource-intensive. The data team spent many hours each quarter producing reports, often relying on manual exports and Excel-based transformations. Although Power BI had been introduced, adoption was limited due to a lack of formal training and in-house technical confidence.

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The MPowerUp Approach

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MPowerUp recommended a clear, two-phase strategy designed to deliver immediate value while laying the foundations for long-term sustainability.

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Phase One: Short-Term Improvements

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In the short term, MPowerUp focused on quick wins that would improve usability and reduce operational effort:

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• Enhancing the user interface to improve navigation and data entry

• Expanding the use of role-based access and role-specific app experiences

• Accelerating Power BI adoption through targeted, practical training

• Introducing agile development practices to enable faster iteration and improvement

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To support this, MPowerUp delivered an App in a Day session covering Power Apps and Power Automate, alongside Power BI, Power Apps, and Power Automate enablement sessions. This empowered internal teams to take ownership of future enhancements and reporting.

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Phase Two: Long-Term Sustainability

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The longer-term strategy focused on reducing licensing costs and increasing organisational control by:

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• Removing dependencies on restricted Dynamics 365 tables

• Rebuilding parts of the system to align with Power Apps licensing

• Eliminating reliance on proprietary components created by the existing solution partner

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This approach would enable No Limits to transition to a more flexible, sustainable licensing model while maintaining full ownership of their digital platform.

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The Outcome

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Through MPowerUp’s recommendations, No Limits is now well positioned to modernise its systems, improve staff engagement, and operate more efficiently. By reducing complexity and cost, the organisation can redirect more of its resources towards delivering vital services for children and young people.

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The changes are helping No Limits become a more agile, resilient organisation—better equipped to adapt, scale, and grow in the years ahead.

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