Duke of Edinburgh – eDofE Integration

Discover how the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards achieved seamless integration between their custom eDofE platform and Microsoft Dataverse, enabling real-time data synchronisation, enhanced reporting and optimised operations, through bespoke Azure Function Apps and innovative automation.

The Duke of Edinburgh Awards (DofE) identified the need for all their data to be accessible in a central repository to have one “source of truth” that would then let them report across the whole organisation. Microsoft Dataverse was decided as the best option. To achieve this, automated processes needed to be developed to gather the data that was scattered across multiple third-party systems, including their custom eDofE software. Since users could update records in either system, a near-seamless integration between the two was required.

A two-way integration between eDofE and Dataverse carries messages in both directions via Azure Function apps and Azure Service Buses. Updates reach the other system within a matter of seconds giving users the confidence that both systems contain matching data.

A plugin running on update or creation of a relevant record in Dataverse triggers the second function app that pushes updates to eDofE. The fine level of control over when the plugin is triggered further enhances the speed and accuracy of the integration.

Fully custom code provides detailed logging along with having complex in built logic to handle data sanitisation and control over the precise action required. This allows the Function Apps to create or update a record depending on if they already exist and to filter irrelevant updates from crossing systems.

Company Information

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a NonProfit awards programme for young people aged 14 to 24 focusing on volunteering, physical activity, developing skills, and planning and carrying out expeditions. The DofE is run in schools, youth clubs, hospitals, fostering agencies, prisons and sports clubs in more than 100 countries. Nearly 30% of 14-year-olds in the UK started the Bronze award in 2022-3 They operate a franchising model, providing support and funding to licenced organisations to operate the Awards. They also monitor and accredit a national network of approved activity providers twice a year. Through their Access Without Limits funding programme, they provide free access to the DofE for young people living in difficult circumstances and to train a network of adult volunteers providing an estimated £17 million worth of volunteering hours each year.

What Was Delivered

Two bespoke Azure Function Apps process messages from a Service Buses and post relevant updates to their target systems. Then with some custom code we:

· Validated incoming messages and discarded irrelevant updates

· Optimised processes to run in near real-time

· Performed complex logic around related records to maintain the data structure across systems

· Decided the correct database action to take e.g. Create, Update, Deactivate

· Provided detailed logging regarding which actions were taken and why for both information and audit purposes

· Alerted administrators when certain conditions are met

· Altered logic when requirements change by deploying code updates

· Provided return messages to the downstream system so both Dataverse and eDofE know what the other is doing

· Code is now modularised so target or source systems can be swapped with minimal changes to the codebase.

What The Client Said

“As our charity is 100% cloud-based, predominately built around the Dynamics and Office 365 family; we had to ensure seamless integration between Dynamics CRM and our bespoke eDofE platform. FormusPro have really helped us achieve our aims and objectives at every step of the project.”

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Duke of Edinburgh – eDofE Integration

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