A leading pet care provider sought to streamline and scale its supplier catalog management, previously limited by inefficient workflows, poor visibility, and fragmented data. Partnering with iLink Digital, the client implemented a configurable, cloud-based Supplier Catalog Management (SCM) system built on Microsoft’s low-code platform, enhancing governance, data quality, and procurement efficiency across the enterprise.

Client Overview

The client is a leading North American pet care provider with a broad product portfolio and a strong supplier network. With operations across multiple business units and distributors, the organization needed a more efficient way to manage supplier catalog updates and maintain data consistency. To drive operational excellence, it sought to replace manual workflows with a scalable, automated platform that could support growth and streamline procurement.

Business Context

The client wanted a central solution to:

• Reduce turnaround time for supplier updates
• Minimize manual back-and-forth between internal teams and vendors
• Ensure strong governance over data integrity and category-based approvals
• Drive process automation while meeting compliance standards

The new platform needed to be secure, scalable, and role-based, empowering both internal users and external suppliers with a seamless, self-service experience.

Challenges

• Workflow Gaps by Category : No mechanism existed to route updates based on commodity types, creating inefficiencies in buyer workflows.
• Lack of Data Rule Enforcement: No automated controls to ensure adherence to diverse data integrity rules across the supplier base.
• Rigid Approval Process: All-or-nothing item update approvals led to delays and unnecessary supplier interactions.
• Minimal Business Value from Existing CCM: The legacy CCM process offered limited enrichment or scalability across business units.

Solution

iLink delivered a cloud-based Supplier Catalogue Management (SCM) system built on Microsoft Power Platform to streamline supplier onboarding, catalog updates, and approval workflows.

• Power Pages enabled a secure, self-service portal for suppliers to submit and track item updates.
• Model-driven Power Apps provided internal users with a configurable interface for reviewing, validating, and approving updates by category.
• Dataverse served as the central, structured database with built-in validations and audit controls.
• Power Automate and Azure Functions orchestrated workflows, file validations, and seamless integration with Coupa for procurement.
• Databricks integration supported data enrichment and analytics across business units. The architecture was built for GDPR compliance, role-based access, and continuous monitoring, with integration points to Coupa, Power Platform, and Databricks for end-to-end data management.

Business Outcome

• Rapid Throughput: 22,800+ item updates processed in just two weeks — a massive acceleration in supplier response time.

• Scalable Adoption: Rolled out across 3 business units and 2 major distributors with zero disruption.

• Supplier Empowerment: Self-service portal reduced support overhead and simplified submissions.

• Connected Ecosystem: Tight integration across Power Apps, Coupa, and Databricks for unified workflows and data control.

• Seamless Procurement: End-to-end digital flow into Coupa ensured smoother catalog onboarding and validation.

Client Testimonial

“This solution has pushed the boundaries of Power Apps capabilities and has set the benchmark for what’s possible with a ‘low code’ application. We’re now up and running with a fully integrated SCM system that gives us full control over the catalog process.”

— Client Project Director