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Case study · fireplace and stove retail

Order processing for a stove retailer with Power Apps and SharePoint

For almost five years, I developed the central order processing system for a fireplace and stove retailer with several companies and locations, based on SharePoint, Power Automate, and Power Apps, and I still support it today. Quotes with digital signatures, invoices and payment reminders via sevDesk, Planner tasks, customer surveys with Forms, Power BI, and a mobile installation report on tablets all work together. The solution gave rise to the industry platform FLAMOX365.

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  • since 02/2022
  • more than 50 employees
  • Implementation
Industry
Specialist retailer of fireplaces and stoves with delivery and installation
Company size
more than 50 employees
Scope
Group of companies with several entities and locations in Germany
Period
since 02/2022
My role
Design, architecture, implementation, and ongoing support
Type
Implementation

18

screens in the central canvas app with more than 8,000 controls

32

SharePoint lists and libraries as data sources for the app

12.000+

orders in the central SharePoint list (as of 05/2026)

57

peak monthly app users (2025)

20

tablets equipped for the mobile installation report

460+

backed-up app versions since 2023

01The situation

Where the project started.

A specialist fireplace and stove retailer sells, delivers, and installs through several companies and locations. Each order passes through many hands: sales, management, bookkeeping or accounting, warehouse and logistics, installation planning, and in-house installation teams. The process also includes down payment, partial, and final invoices, acceptance by the chimney sweep, and complaints.

It started with a central SharePoint list for orders with separate views for sales and for warehouse and logistics. Many steps between departments were still done manually: statuses and dates were partly maintained manually, and information for chimney sweeps, customers, or salespeople was sent individually by email. The accounting software and the industry CRM were not yet connected to the order data.

Goals

  • Manage all orders of all companies and locations in one central application
  • Derive the order status for accounting and logistics automatically from the recorded data
  • Reconcile customers, invoices, incoming payments, and overdue payment notices with the accounting software
  • Generate quotes, order confirmations, and installation instructions from the order data and have them signed digitally
  • Document installations on site on mobile devices, including photos and the customer's signature
  • Automatically notify prospects, customers, salespeople, and chimney sweeps with information relevant to the transaction

02Solution

What I designed and built.

Canvas app for central order management

At the heart of it is a canvas app that sales, accounting, logistics, and management use to process all transactions. Over the years, it has grown from a first version with two screens (2023) to 18 screens with more than 8,000 controls. The app draws on 32 SharePoint lists and libraries.

  • Order overview with filters by company, location, salesperson, and status
  • Creation and editing of main orders, additional orders, and sub-orders
  • Forms for customers, prospects, billing and delivery addresses, chimney sweeps, and products
  • Field visibility and editing permissions for each role, configured through two SharePoint lists rather than hard-coded
  • Open a specific order directly using an app parameter, for example from a notification
  • Maintenance mode via a settings list and a support mode in which I can check the app from a user's perspective
  • Calling Power Automate flows directly from the app, for example for documents, images, creating customers in accounting, and inventory

Status models, approvals, and automation in the background

Each order has two parallel statuses: one for bookkeeping and accounting and one for warehouse and logistics. Together with the client, I documented the rules as sets of conditions and implemented them in Power Automate. The central flow responds whenever an order is created or changed and includes more than 400 actions in 40 scopes.

  • Accounting status model with 24 statuses, from customer acquisition through down payment, partial payment, and final payment to payment reminders and collections
  • Warehouse and logistics status model with goods ordering, goods receipt, installation date, installation report, and complaint
  • Three-step order approval by sales, management, and accounting
  • Separate processing for sub-orders with clearly defined trigger conditions
  • More than 20 scheduled overnight runs, staggered between 1 and 7 a.m. (UTC), for example for incoming payments, invoice retrieval, and status updates
  • Planner tasks for installation planning per location, payment management, and a daily discrepancy log for conflicting data

Invoices, payments, and payment reminders and collections via the sevDesk API

I connected the accounting software via its REST API with HTTP actions in Power Automate. This way, customers, invoices, and payments are reconciled between order management and accounting, separately for each company.

  • Create or update a customer in accounting from within the app, including address, communication channels, and accounts receivable account
  • Generate down payment, partial, and final invoices from the order data, with number ranges, service periods, and individual payment splits
  • Retrieve invoice PDFs nightly for each company and store them in SharePoint
  • Process incoming payments daily and write back invoice numbers or IDs
  • Generate payment reminders and dunning levels via the API, accompanied by Planner tasks
  • Email notification for errors in the invoice run

Quotes, order confirmations, and installation instructions with digital signatures

Quotes, order confirmations, installation instructions, and installation reports are created from Word templates that Power Automate fills with the order data and converts to PDF. The templates exist for each company and variant, with up to 112 data fields, line items, and embedded images. Adobe Acrobat Sign is connected for signatures.

  • Quote and order confirmation with or without a digital signature, valid for one to 28 days
  • Sending for signature via parent and child flows that encapsulate company-specific variants
  • Signature events via webhook: signed, declined, and expired, each triggering a status change in SharePoint
  • Cancellation of ongoing signature processes from the app
  • Conditional contract text based on a questionnaire about the property, for example installation location, stairs, chimney, and ceiling penetrations
  • Storage of all documents in SharePoint libraries linked to the order

Mobile installation report on tablets

For the installation teams, I built a separate canvas app for tablets. It shows the installation orders and installation instructions, records the report on site, and lets the customer sign directly on the device. A flow creates the PDF from this and stores it with the order. For deployment, I provided 20 LTE tablets with protective cases, SIM cards, and device management.

  • Several installation reports per order
  • Working hours, start and end, days required, comments, and completion or the reason for an incomplete installation
  • Photos directly from the tablet camera, stored in a picture library with the order
  • Customer signature with a stylus in the app
  • PDF generation from a Word template with up to 24 image slots
  • Automatic notification when an installation was completed with additional effort or deviations

Notifications and email funnel

Many emails that used to be written by hand are now sent by Power Automate, with sender, signature, and booking link matching the company, location, and salesperson. Every message is recorded in the process log.

  • Notification of the installation and a request for acceptance sent to the responsible chimney sweep
  • Customer information on delivery dates, date changes, and incoming payments, as well as review requests with an approval step
  • Reminders to salespeople about missing order data or missing feedback
  • Prospect funnel with five scheduled emails, a consent check, and an automatic stop as soon as the prospect has become a customer
  • Follow-up emails for quotes and order confirmations in three variants with six emails each, aligned with validity and signature status
  • Customer surveys with Microsoft Forms

Analytics with Power BI

Based on the order data, I built Power BI reports for management and sales management, covering revenue, salespeople, manufacturers and suppliers, year-over-year comparison, and a map view, among other things. A separate report calculates the salespeople's commissions.

  • Main report with nine pages and more than 40 visuals (as of 2023)
  • Separate reports and workspaces for each sales manager with the data of their team
  • Commission statement per salesperson and month

Operations, ongoing development, and plans for FLAMOX365

I developed the solution step by step over almost five years and still support it in day-to-day operation. In addition to further development, my tasks include support, backups, and performance.

The processes, data fields, and experience from almost five years of operation are the functional foundation of the industry platform FLAMOX365, which I co-founded. FLAMOX365 grew out of this solution and is intended to replace it. Until then, I continue to develop and support the existing Power Platform solution.

  • Regular backups of the app, flows, and SharePoint lists, more than 460 app versions since 2023
  • Onboarding of additional companies and locations, for example with their own templates, senders, and number ranges
  • Performance optimization of the app as data volumes grow, and analysis of the effects of the network and browser
  • Retrieval of customer data from the industry CRM via SOAP API and of inventory levels from the inventory management system via REST API
  • User management via a dedicated user list with roles, locations, and signature data
  • Handover documentation on data fields, processes, and decisions still to be made as the basis for the transition
  • Continued operation and support of the existing solution until it is replaced

03In detail

Apps, processes, and data at a glance.

Names and content are described in neutral terms - I never name clients.

Apps2

  • Central order managementCanvas app · 18 screensDesktop app for sales, accounting, logistics, and management: orders, sub-orders, customers, prospects, addresses, chimney sweeps, products, documents, images, approvals, and a log. More than 8,000 controls, 32 SharePoint data sources, and 22 directly connected flows.
  • Mobile installation reportCanvas app · 4 screensTablet app for the installation teams with an order list, installation instructions, photos, working hours, a customer signature, and a PDF report. Around 1,000 controls.

Cloud flows14

  • Order created or changedTrigger: SharePoint - when an item is created or modifiedCentral flow for main and additional orders with more than 400 actions: determines both statuses, sets dates, creates Planner tasks, and triggers notifications.
  • Sub-order created or changedTrigger: SharePoint - when an item is created or modifiedSeparate status logic for sub-orders with around 300 actions.
  • Create quote or order confirmationTrigger: Power AppsFills the Word template of the respective company with more than 200 actions, generates the PDF, and stores it in SharePoint.
  • Create installation instructionsTrigger: Power AppsGenerates the installation instructions with order data and images as a PDF.
  • Send document for digital signatureTrigger: Power Apps (parent) and HTTP (child)Starts the signature process in Adobe Acrobat Sign, depending on the company and document type.
  • Process signature statusTrigger: Adobe Acrobat Sign - webhookResponds when a document is signed, declined, or expires, downloads the signed PDF, and updates the record and log.
  • Create invoice in accountingTrigger: HTTPCreates down payment, partial, or final invoices via the sevDesk API, with more than 400 actions and error notification.
  • Process incoming paymentsTrigger: schedule, dailyReconciles outstanding invoices with accounting and writes payment data back to the order.
  • Payment reminders and collectionsTrigger: HTTP and PlannerGenerates payment reminders and dunning levels via the API and manages the associated Planner tasks.
  • Installation planning per locationTrigger: schedule, dailyCreates and updates Planner tasks for upcoming installations.
  • Create installation reportTrigger: Power Apps (parent) and HTTP (child)Generates the PDF report with photos and signature from the entries on the tablet.
  • Prospect funnel emails 1 to 5Trigger: scheduleFive flows that use an OData filter to identify prospects due for an email, check whether they have become customers and whether consent is in place, send personalized messages, and log them.
  • Follow-up funnel for quotes and order confirmationsTrigger: schedule18 flows in three variants with six emails each, depending on validity and signature status.
  • Retrieve customer data from the CRMTrigger: HTTPAuthentication and retrieval of a record via a SOAP API.

Data model14

  • OrdersSharePoint listMain record with order type, company, location, salesperson, purchase price, payment terms, approvals, and logistics, installation, and invoice data (more than 12,000 items)
  • CustomersSharePoint listCustomer master data with references to the CRM and accounting (around 11,000 items)
  • ProspectsSharePoint listProspects with consent and control fields for the email funnel
  • Sales stagesSharePoint listQuotes and order confirmations with validity, status, and signature reference
  • Order line items and productsSharePoint listDocument line items and product master data
  • Property dataSharePoint listQuestionnaire on the installation location and chimney as the basis for contract text
  • Billing and delivery addresses, chimney sweepsSharePoint listDifferent addresses and responsible chimney sweeps per order
  • Companies, locations, regions, manufacturers, and countriesSharePoint listMaster data for variants, senders, templates, and analytics
  • Users and app settingsSharePoint listRoles, locations, signature data, maintenance mode, and usage log
  • Field visibility and editabilitySharePoint listTwo configuration matrices that control per role which fields are visible or editable
  • LogSharePoint listProcess and communication history (more than 19,000 items)
  • Installation reportsSharePoint listReports from the tablet app linked to the order
  • DocumentsSharePoint libraryQuotes, order confirmations, installation instructions, installation reports, and templates
  • ImagesSharePoint libraryOrder, prospect, and installation images

Integrations8

  • sevDesk REST API: contacts, invoices, number ranges, payment status, overdue payment notices, and PDF retrieval
  • Industry CRM via SOAP API: token-based authentication and retrieval of customer records
  • Inventory management via REST API: stock level per product from the app
  • Adobe Acrobat Sign: sending, webhooks for status changes, retrieval of signed documents, and cancellation
  • Encodian: filling Word templates, PDF conversion, and merging
  • Microsoft Planner: tasks for installation planning, accounting, and payment management
  • Microsoft Outlook, Teams, and Entra ID: notifications, mailboxes, and user data
  • Power BI: reports based on the SharePoint data

04Tricky parts

Challenges and how I solved them.

Two status models from one data source

Accounting and logistics need different views of the same order. I agreed on sets of conditions for both status models with the client and implemented them in a central flow that recalculates both statuses with every change. Trigger conditions and processing flags prevent infinite loops and separate main orders from sub-orders.

SharePoint beyond 5,000 items

Several lists are well above the list view threshold, the order list at more than 12,000 and the log at more than 19,000 items. Indexed numeric helper columns, delegable filters, targeted column selection, and parallel loading with Concurrent still keep the app and flows usable.

Field control without a new app version

Which role may see or edit which field is stored as a matrix in two SharePoint lists. The app reads these rules at startup, so field-level permissions can be adjusted without changing the code.

Encapsulating company-specific variants

Companies differ in templates, senders, signatures, and number ranges. Parent flows called from the app hand over to HTTP-triggered child flows that process the respective variant. This makes it possible to add new companies and locations without rebuilding the app.

Accounting without a ready-made connector

There is no suitable standard connector for the accounting software. I called the required REST API endpoints directly with HTTP actions, including creating customers and invoices, number ranges, partial payment checks, overdue payment notices, and writing the results back to SharePoint.

Signature on the tablet

The installation report uses the Power Apps pen input for the customer signature. Photos, working hours, and the signature are placed into a Word template with image slots via a flow and stored as a PDF with the order.

05Approach

Step by step to the result.

  1. 1

    2022: SharePoint foundation and first automations

    Central order list with views for sales and for warehouse and logistics, permission groups per department, first notifications, correction runs, CRM integration, and import of contacts into accounting.

  2. 2

    2022 to 2023: accounting and analytics

    Invoice automation via the sevDesk API, payment management with Planner, automatic emails to customers and chimney sweeps, a redesign of the status determination, and Power BI reports including commission calculation.

  3. 3

    2023 to 2024: canvas app

    Design of the canvas app from early 2023, step-by-step expansion into the central interface with a log function, role-based field control, and an on-site workshop with management and the business departments.

  4. 4

    2024 to 2025: sales and documents

    Prospects, sales stages, quotes and order confirmations with digital signatures, installation instructions, conditional contract text, onboarding of additional companies and locations, and performance optimization.

  5. 5

    2025: mobile installation report

    Tablet app for the installation teams, PDF reports with photos and signature, equipping 20 devices including mobile data and device management.

  6. 6

    Since 2026: communication, support, and the next generation

    Email funnels for prospects and for quotes and order confirmations, data exports, data quality checks, and ongoing support. In parallel, the industry platform FLAMOX365 emerged from the business logic and is intended to replace the solution.

06Result

What works differently today.

  • I developed the solution over almost five years; it is in daily use and I support it on an ongoing basis. In 2025, between 36 and 57 app users were billed per month.
  • SharePoint holds more than 12,000 orders, around 11,000 customers, and more than 19,000 log entries, as well as quote and order confirmation documents, with more than 5,000 in each category (as of 05/2026).
  • Quotes, order confirmations, installation instructions, and installation reports are generated from the order data, with a digital signature if required.
  • Invoices, incoming payments, and overdue payment notices are connected to the accounting software.
  • The installation teams document their jobs on 20 tablets directly at the customer's site.
  • The prospect funnel has been active for new prospects since the end of May 2026.
  • Outlook: the industry platform FLAMOX365 grew out of this solution and is intended to replace it.

Technologies

  • Microsoft SharePoint Online (lists and libraries)
  • Microsoft Power Automate (cloud flows)
  • Power Automate approvals
  • Microsoft Power Apps (canvas apps)
  • Microsoft Forms (customer surveys)
  • Microsoft Power BI
  • Microsoft Planner
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Microsoft Outlook / Office 365
  • Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD)
  • Microsoft Excel Online
  • Encodian (Word templates and PDF)
  • Adobe Acrobat Sign
  • sevDesk REST API
  • SOAP API (industry CRM)
  • REST API (inventory management)
  • Microsoft Word (templates)
  • Mobile device management for tablets

Demonstrated skills

  • Design and development of large canvas apps with Power Fx
  • Data modeling with SharePoint lists and libraries for large data volumes
  • State machines and complex cloud flows with trigger conditions and error handling
  • REST and SOAP APIs with HTTP actions in Power Automate
  • Document generation from Word templates and digital signatures with Adobe Acrobat Sign
  • Mobile data capture with photos and signatures on tablets
  • Task management with Microsoft Planner
  • Customer surveys with Microsoft Forms
  • Power BI reports with team-specific analytics and commission calculation
  • Support for multiple companies and locations in one solution
  • Long-term support, performance analysis, and further development in day-to-day operations

07Outlook

This solution is becoming FLAMOX365.

The solution described here gave rise to FLAMOX365, the industry platform for fireplace and stove construction that I co-founded. It is intended to replace the Power Platform solution in the future.

View FLAMOX365 My role at FLAMOX365

08Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions

Is SharePoint sufficient as the data source for a Power Apps order management solution with more than 10,000 items?
Yes, if the data model is designed for it. What matters are indexed columns for all filters, delegable queries in Power Apps, and a deliberate selection of columns. The 5,000-item threshold mainly affects non-indexed queries. With a very large number of users or complex relationships, it is worth considering Dataverse.
How can quotes from Power Apps be signed digitally?
A flow fills a Word template with data from the app, converts it to PDF, and passes the document to a signature service such as Adobe Acrobat Sign. Through webhooks, the service reports whether the document has been signed or declined, or the deadline has expired. The flow then updates the status and stores the signed PDF.
Can Power Automate connect to accounting software without a ready-made connector?
Yes, the HTTP action can call REST and even SOAP APIs directly. You need the API documentation, secure storage for the credentials, and proper error handling. The HTTP action is a premium connector and requires a suitable license.
How does an installation report with Power Apps on a tablet work?
The installation teams open their orders in a dedicated canvas app, record times, materials, photos, and special circumstances, and have the customer sign with a stylus. A flow creates a PDF from this and stores it with the order. Device management helps to set up and secure the tablets centrally.

09More case studies

More projects in detail.

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