Our solution is a fix to all those award conversations you might have with friends, family or employees. The howler is a message delivery service sending what you wish to send, in the desired tone of voice straight to the physical howler on their desk.
Technical Architecture
Our flow is pretty simple, yet elegant, if we might say so ourselves:
Flow starts with the input from your chosen Wizard/Witch. Input whatever you want, to who you want, in the tone of voice you want. In one of two possible ways:
Into our seamless React Static Web Application. The app fetches secrets from Github secrets to ensure that no messages get out of hand
Use our public API directly if you are more of a hacker-witch
The message is posted to our Power Automate flow and stored for archivation in Dataverse
A Python Flask app accepts the incoming letter. Processes it to add a magical touch tone of voice and transforms it to text-to-speech though Azure Speech Services and OpenAI APIs.
Audio file is played on a Bluetooth speaker and the Arduino makes the letter physically move.
{ “sender”: “Bellatrix”, “recipient”: “Sirius”, “sentiment”: “Angry but polite”, “subject”: “The end”, “body”: “You’re definitely fired.” }
Fabric Fera Verto
Set up of a Fabric instance, but sadly we ran into region problems
For the future we would like to add the data from Dataverse through a Fabric Link to prepare our data for our analyst department
The data platform team can use Howler data to gain valuable insights combining it with other business data
Low-Code Charms
Half of our solution is built on low-code.
Power Automate is the skeleton of the solution, and Dataverse is the brain and blood. The rest of the body is made in Python and React.
Without low-code, it would have been impossible to deliver such a good solution in such a short time. This helps us greatly to shorten the distance from design to finished product.
We also have a Model-driven app for Howler support that helps our magical advisors if something goes wrong during message delivery
Pro-Code Potions
For the frontend, we’ve created a React Router app, with hot-reloading for DX, sass for styling and react-scripts providing the necessary scripts for running, building, and testing the project
For the backend, we are using Flask, written in Python (aka. Parselmouth). We’re doing the following:
Use Azure Cognitive services to enchant the input message in the form of a letter appropriate for reading aloud, and adjusting the tone of voice etc.
We use the same service to create a audio file with the enchanted-message
Send commands to the Arduino in order to start and stop the physical motor in the howler-letter while the audio is playing.
Digital transformation
Our solution provides value to any business that wants to shorten the time it takes for awkward conversations or long messages.
We streamline everyday life by allowing users to enter a short message, which is read out to the recipient as a longer, more appropriate text. This will save everyone a lot of time and awkward moments.
ALM Magic
Using GitHub actions for CI/CD; we are building the application, and then deploying the build/image to our Azure Static Web app.
We were planning to set up Github security for code scanning and dependabot to ensure updated dependancies; but did’nt have the budget for GitHub Advanced Security.
Magic Matrix
As this is primarily designed for the Hogwarts school, we also were planning to archive the messages and audio-files in Sharepoint, with proper access control and governance; done through Power Automate.
As well as SMS notifications, we were planning to send teams notifications as an additional service.
A Low-code App to help Wizards with their mental health, after so many attacks and traumatic experiences, there is no doubt many of them need to keep check on their working hours and mental well-being.
First they must register when the enter or leave Hogwartz.
Then a report will be create for each of them:
Then a score will be provided:
In case they receive a bad score they will be prompted to take a mental health quiz:
We went out on a mission to elevate the businesses of Diagon Alley by improving the customer experience and creating a solution to help the business automate their day-to-day tasks and improve their efficiency and revenue. As a way of simplifying the development, we have chosen to focus on the local pet store as proof of concept solution, but always with plans of expanding in the back of our heads
In our attempt to move the store lines to the cloud, we have a given the customers a Power Portal website where they can sign in to order pets, food and cages, select a preferred estimated delivery time in addition to the cost of individual items and in total. To help the customers use this site, we have also developed a “magic” mirror that gives recommendation for a pet and provides a QR-link to the registration form with the suggestion automatically set.
The customers can also get an easy access to the website using our “magical” smart mirror known as “Mirror of Noitceles”. While standing in front of this mirror, a camera will take their picture and, using Azure Open AI, will recognize facial features and come up with a suggestion for a pet. They will also be given a QR-code they can scan that provides them a link to the registration website with the recommended pet already set in the registration form.
By using the Power Platform to create the solution, we have created an easily accessible solution that could be implemented into Teams and therefore by available for business owners that works on the floor all day. This way, we also can provide an integrated connection with SharePoint and their documents handling and simplify communication by implementing textmessage, phonecalls and pre-made Power App components.
This also gives an easily maintained database in the shape of Dataverse, and by synchronizing this to Fabric we also have solid foundation for adding future modules that can improve the experience by sharing data between different businesses and develop complex AI-solutions that will improve their experience and return of interest further.
As the business using our solution, and their customers, are registering data into Dataverse, we are synching this into Fabric in the backend part of the solution. To maximize the value of Fabric, we also have connected an Power BI report that displays the data we need to improve the solution in the best way possible.
By doing this we are creating a massive data collection that can be used to improve the solution between business and train AI-models to create an even better solution and modules to add on in the future.
Category: Low-Code Charms
Our solution is mainly taking advantage of the magical powers within the low-code Power platform. We are using Power Pages to maintain a website for customers where they can register their order to the store. This is also connected to our smart mirror that recognized customers, suggest a pet based on their appearance and provides them an QR-link to this website with the suggested pet already selected.
We are also using a model-driven Power App to maintain the data within the Dataverse, and allows the employees to handle the customers order. They are able to see all orders, pets, and type of food in a entity-view (tables) – as well as an Admin-form with a kanban-board (thank you Resco) for updating Order-statuses and see the sales-stream, and a PowerBi-report (connected to Fabric). The store owners also have an “Admin”-page set up with an overview of available pets, their aisle location and more, with the possibility to register new Pets as they become available.
The solution is further improved by using Power Automate to automate tasks that that usually takes unnecessary time, like sending and receiving text message or generate supplier agreements in SharePoint and sending supply orders.
Category: Pro-Code Potions
As a lot the customer functionality is handled by low-code solutions, the heavier aspects of the solution is handled in the backend using more traditionally coded functionality.
We have a Raspberry Pi configurated with the “Magic mirror” node.js solution (https://magicmirror.builders/), and have improved this by adding and adjusting modules, including a list view of a Dataverse table and the generation of QR-code that send customers to the ordering website. We also have adjusted the Power Pages website by using jQuery to implement URL parameters so the suggested pet shows up automatically.
We have set up a scraping solution to the Harry Potter Wiki-page to integrate data from this universe, and are using the external python package “Cv2” to handle API’s for facial recognition. Oth er technologies we have used are msal, axios, Flask and Websockets.
Category: Digital transformation
As a lot the customer functionality is handled by low-code solutions, the heavier aspects of the solution is handled in the backend using more traditionally coded functionality.
We have a Raspberry Pi configurated with the “Magic mirror” node.js solution (https://magicmirror.builders/), and have improved this by adding and adjusting modules, including a list view of a Dataverse table and the generation of QR-code that send customers to the ordering website. We also have adjusted the Power Pages website by using jQuery to implement URL parameters so the suggested pet shows up automatically.
We have set up a scraping solution to the Harry Potter Wiki-page to integrate data from this universe, and are using the external python package “Cv2” to handle API’s for facial recognition. Oth er technologies we have used are msal, axios, Flask and Websockets.
Category: Magic Matrix
We are using a combination of Teams and Power Platform to create a magical solution for businesses and customers. We have document handling in SharePoint, Customer communication with phone calling and text messages in Teams as well as a good integration with Power platform
The examination’s potion brewing system implements an intuitive yet powerful interaction model that seamlessly combines inventory management with skill assessment. Students select ingredients previously earned in earlier examination categories, carefully pairing them according to the cryptic guidance provided in the medieval-themed web resource interface.
The brewing process begins when a student selects two ingredients from their inventory and activates the “Brew Potion” command, meticulously crafted through Ribbon Workbench. Upon activation, the system evaluates the combination against known potion recipes. Successful combinations reward students with examination points and academic recognition, while incorrect pairings result in ineffective concoctions that yield no assessment value.
The system maintains inventory integrity through real-time quantity management. Each brewing attempt decrements the available quantities of selected ingredients, with items automatically removing themselves from the inventory when depleted. This resource management aspect adds strategic depth to the examination, encouraging students to carefully consider each combination before proceeding. When ingredients are exhausted or insufficient quantities remain for further brewing attempts, the system automatically concludes the examination category and directs students to their results.
The technical implementation leverages modern JavaScript frameworks in conjunction with Dynamics 365’s Crm.WebApi capabilities, ensuring reliable data operations and seamless integration with the CRM infrastructure. This architecture provides a robust foundation for managing complex interactions between student choices and examination outcomes.
The Arctic Cloud Developer Challenge has been an exhilarating ride, pushing our creativity and technical prowess to new heights. For our final solution, we created a Sorting Hat Quiz app together with a Physical Talking Hat, merging the best of the digital and physical worlds. In this blog post, we’ll break down how we approached the challenge and highlight how each category shaped the final product.
Inspired by the magic of the Harry Potter universe, we decided to build a Sorting Hat Quiz app that not only sorts users into their Hogwarts houses but also has a real-world interactive element. Student can choose how he would like to be sorted, digitally or physically.
Now, let’s see how our solution corresponds to each category:
Fabric Vera Verto
We have created a dashboard in PowerBI showing us deep magical insights and statistics about distribution of student’s answers.
The hat interface uses python to orchestrate TTS STT and backend communication.
We use Terraform to deploy the entire backend, package the backend web app, and update the code.
The backend code is java script that can handle multiple conversations at once.
One backend to rule them all
We are also customizing the low code Web app with our pro code
following our journey, and we hope you feel as much magic in our solution as we do!
Digital transformation
By offloading the work from the old Sorting hat to the digital version it enables seamless logging and analytics.
It enables multiple students to be sorted at the same time from all types of locations.
We can pull statistics from the sorting giving an insight in the details of the sorting process
ALM Magic
Environment variables in bot
Terraform automatically updates the backend to the newest code
We have a sign in using phone number and username.
The app is automatically deployed to Teams users that is in the tenant.
We make pretty code
The question pools are stored in Dataverse making it easy to manipulate the quiz
We are using ALM (CI/CD) pipeline and releases the CRM solution form development to , UAT and production environment’s
Magic Matrix
We are using the magic of Teams
Accessibility: Backend is API compatible making it possible to integrate with anything; Speech to text with whisper, and text to speech with Eleven labs making it accessible as long as you can talk
Privacy: LLM does not train on user conversation; Voice input is not stored
By leveraging the strengths of each category—Fabric Fera Verto, Low-Code Charms, Pro-Code Potions, Digital Transformation, ALM Magic, and the Magic Matrix—we were able to create a Sorting Hat Quiz app and a physical talking Sorting Hat that deliver a magical, interactive experience. Our solution pushed the boundaries of what’s possible, seamlessly blending digital and physical technologies to engage users in an unforgettable way.
We are incredibly proud of our final product, and we believe it not only meets the requirements of the Arctic Cloud Developer Challenge but also sets a new standard for how apps can bridge the gap between the virtual and physical worlds.
The order came to us from the Department of Magical Games and Sports, with the following requests: “Create an app that can increase engagement around Quidditch and our British and Irish players. We especially want this to become popular among the muggle-born students in order to save them from the muggle sport Football. We would also like an app for administrators here at the ministry, preferably with some reporting included.”
The Quidditch Captains League(QCL) is a great addition to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, bringing together students’ love for the magical sport and their natural competitive spirit. With this game both muggle-born and children growing up in the wizarding world can engage in friendly rivalry within the app.
The purpose of the QCL app is to promote house unity and some friendly rivalry at Hogwarts, and to encourage inter-house cooperation and appreciation for individual talents. While traditional Quidditch matches pit houses against one another, the QCL allows students to draft players from any house or team, encouraging inter-house cooperation and appreciation for individual talents. By rooting for players across houses, students could build friendships and camaraderie beyond their own house.
In addition, the QCL provides a unique platform to teach valuable life skills. Participants can analyze player statistics, study team performances, and strategize to optimize their rosters. These activities encourage critical thinking, numerical literacy, and decision-making. Professors could even incorporate the game into lessons on Divination (predicting player performance), Arithmancy (using numerical data for predictions), and teamwork dynamics.
Not every student at Hogwarts has the opportunity to play Quidditch due to limited team spots or varying skill levels. The QCL allows everyone to engage with the sport, regardless of physical ability or flying skills. Students who might not feel confident on a broomstick can still demonstrate their passion for Quidditch through strategic gameplay.
Fabric Fera Verto
In order to improve the business productivity of our solution we opted for creating a workflow using Dataflows. Instead of manual data entry and import, we created several dataflows to enrich our solution as a whole. The workflows were set to automatically refresh at a scheduled interval, making sure that our database always would stay up to date both in terms of new and existing data. The source used in our dataflows were utilizing a Web API, which would enable us to build a dynamic solution including near real-time data.
Below is a snippet of the public API that we utilized to populate our respective tables in our Dataverse database.
Dataflows offered an effective and low code approach of integrating external data into our system. The API consisted of multiple tables and columns which gave us the flexibility to cherry pick the statistics that were of most interest for our solution. We following a simple three step process for managing each data flow:
Select table
Filter and transform data
Remove unnecessary columns
Once the data processing had been completed, we mapped the columns to the respective columns in our dataverse table.
Lastly, for the import method we opted for the merge option in order to be able to update our existing data automatically. This option was also essential in order to avoid duplicate data and manually configuring bulk deletion rules.
By using this external API https://hp-api.onrender.com/api/spells we got some spells professor Snape had hidden in the restricted section of the library! By this we add business value to our existing data by enriching our dataset with Publicly available sources that consist of spells in the Harry Potter universe and therefore adding business value to our solution. And by that claiming the Dataminer Badge.
This is the magical world, where managing Quidditch teams, tracking player stats, and keeping an eye on team standings feels as easy as casting spells. That’s right, we have embedded a Power BI dashboard in our model driven admin app. Because even in the wizarding world, data visualization is essential. The reason for this is for the administrators of the app to have the opportunity of sending out news and stats to the app users.
It’s like having the Marauder’s Map, but for data – every player, team, and stat laid out in beautiful charts and graphs. And the best part? I don’t even have to say “Alohomora” to unlock the insights. They’re just… there.
Low-Code Charms:
NB: All these Low-Code Charms will be shown in more detail in the video! Stay tuned 😉
Our solution has mainly relied on using low-code charms. From the user interface, to the logic behind the app, and everything in between. We consider our app functional, scalable, and easy to use keeping it efficient and low on complexity. We’ve achieved this in only three days and using only the power of low-code tools in Microsoft’s Power Platform.
From start to finish, we’ve built a comprehensive app using a carefully selected stack of Canvas apps, Model-driven apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Power FX, and Copilot Studio. The beauty of this setup? We’ve crafted a complete, fully functional solution without writing a single line of traditional code. It’s the epitome of “low-code charm,” and here’s how it all fits together.
Low-code Canvas App:
The Canvas app is where the magic happens on the front end. This is the user-facing part of the app, designed to be intuitive and user-friendly. It’s where players interact with the game—selecting teams, viewing player stats, and getting immersed in the experience.
Low-code Customization: We used PowerFX to customize the app’s logic. Simple formulas handle everything from navigation to displaying dynamic data, giving us full control over the interface without writing any traditional code.
User Experience: Whether it’s selecting a wizard for a Quidditch team or viewing a leaderboard of top players, users can easily navigate the app and get the info they need. It’s all built using drag-and-drop functionality and interactive buttons.
2. Model-Driven App: Streamlined Admin Management
Behind the scenes, the Model-driven app handles all the data administration, especially for managing players, teams, spells, duels and player types as well as a PowerBI dashboard with data visualization of relevant player and team data for potential future use.
Dataverse Integration: The model-driven app pulls in data directly from Dataverse. With no-code setup, we were able to structure the database tables and build relationships between them seamlessly.
Admin Controls: Admins can easily manage data like player rankings, guild creation and administration, and stats, thanks to the built-in Microsoft Dataverse tables, views and forms.
3. Power Automate: Workflow Automation for Efficiency
Power Automate ties everything together by automating several processes in the app. Examples are sending notifications when a player is added to a team or communicating with external providers such as LINK Mobility.
4. Power BI: Real-Time Data Visualization
To keep things even more engaging, we incorporated Power BI for real-time data visualization. For now, it is just integrated in the model driven app providing the chance of creating newsletters and keeping the admins of the app to track.
In the future, the dashboard couøld be embedded and get personalized for each user of the app, but that is a task for the next hackathon :’)
5. Copilot Studio: Helping Newbies Learn the Game
To make the game accessible to everyone, even beginners, we integrated a Copilot Studio chatbot into the app. This is a low-code, AI-powered solution that acts as a personal assistant for players, helping them understand the game’s various features.
Chatbot Interactions: Players can ask the bot about player stats, guild rankings, and even the best spells to use during the matches. The bot is powered by data from Dataverse, ensuring it provides accurate, up-to-date information.
6. Power FX: The Glue That Holds Everything Together
Power FX was our secret weapon throughout the app, handling all the logic from page navigation to real-time data filtering. With its simple formula syntax, we could easily define interactions, calculations, and data display rules.
What we’ve achieved with this app is a fully functional, data-driven, interactive experience using only low-code tools. Every aspect of the app—from the user interface in the Canvas app to the admin management in the Model-driven app, to the real-time data insights in Power BI has been built with simplicity, it is after all, what we can do best in team Sopranova 😉
Digital transformation:
When a new player goes to the app and try to register we authorize the person using Link-Mobility`s SMS technology. In the backend there is a Link open API connector that handles the information, and from there send a security code to the new player. The new player then makes an registration and is now a part of the game as a game_player.
We also made it easy for players to follow up on results. By making a Power Automate to fetch data in dataverse (end_date of game and game_player). The player will now get a email with the score and the opportunity to go directly in to the game page in the canvas app.
Pro-Code Potions
This application is designed with robust connectivity in mind, integrating multiple API connectors to ensure seamless communication and functionality. Each integration is achieved through public custom connectors in Power Automate or precise HTTP calls, allowing for smooth data exchange and interaction with external services. By leveraging these advanced techniques, we ensure that our application remains flexible, scalable, and capable of adapting to various external systems with ease.
ALM Magic:
Throughout this process, we adhered to several best practices for ALM in Power Platform:
Environment Strategy: We used separate environments for development and production, ensuring that changes were tested before deployment.
Solutions: We utilized managed solutions for production environments and unmanaged solutions for development, aligning with industry guidelines.
Source Control: Our integration with Git and the implementation of a branching strategy ensured effective version control and collaboration.
Automation: By configuring Power Platform Pipelines, we automated our deployment processes, reducing manual errors and ensuring consistency.
Governance and Security: We implemented role-based access control and ensured compliance with security protocols, protecting our data and applications.
Look at the ACDC Craftman blog post
Magic Matrix:
We’ve used Copilot Studio, we created a personalized chatbot and embedded it directly into our Canvas app. The goal? To provide players with quick, accessible info about the game, so they can jump in without needing to spend hours figuring out all the details.
The chatbot is designed to help players learn about key game elements, including: Wizards, Spells and Guilds. Players can get to know the strengths and roles of different wizards, quick details on which spells and pull data from the game’s leaderboards, helping them make better decisions when assembling their Quidditch teams.
We’ve integrated the game’s Dataverse tables to power the chatbot’s responses. This means that all the information the bot provides is pulled in real-time from our database, ensuring that the advice and stats are always up-to-date.
PS: We think that our solution is best explained with visuals! Wait for the video. Stay tuned
🎯 Goal: To equip Hogwarts to seize opportunities in the future.
🛠️ Method: Implement the wide range of Microsoft Technology, from low-code apps and automations to pro-code portals and AI-models.
💡 Solution:
Fabric Fera Verto
Workspaces Setup with Dev: Room of Requirement, Test: Restricted Section, Prod: Great Hall. We utilized deployment pipelines to manage seamless transitions between workspaces.
Medallion Architecture Implementation with Bronze, Silver and Gold data.
Data Ingestion: Used Dataflows Gen2 to retrieve data from another Dataverse tenant, leveraging a service principal for authentication. Utilized Data Pipelines to fetch data from Harry Potter APIs (spells, potions) and store it in the Bronze Lakehouse.
Semantic Model and Reporting – Built a semantic model on the Gold Layer for reporting. Aimed for a star schema for optimal reporting but noted incomplete implementation. Generated reports showcasing aggregated data and transformed columns.
Utilized Azure DevOps for boards, repos, pipelines, and Service Principal setup with Workload Identity Federation for ADO Connection . And in depth overview of all code
Team Collaboration – Ensured seamless teamwork across CRM environments, Fabric pipelines, and GitHub collaboration for the Svelte project.
Code and Solution Management – Maintained an organized approach with naming conventions, solution strategies, and in-depth code overviews.
Streamlined Deployment – Automated pipelines supported structured deployments across Dev, Test, and Prod, with detailed diagrams for clarity.
Issue Resolution – Tracked and resolved challenges transparently through DevOps boards and GitHub issues.
A turning point in Hogwarts’ history came when the Sorting Hat was temporarily stolen during a sorting ceremony, leaving the school in disarray.
This incident underscored the need for a robust, adaptable system that could provide an alternative for sorting and student reassignment. Therefore we have redefined the digital transformation in education through the Wayfinder Academy and its Logiquill portal.
Our platform seamlessly integrates intelligent automation, AI-driven insights, and personalized experiences to help magical students discover and thrive in the environments best suited to their unique talents and aspirations. More detailed elaboration on the why we truly believe we our solution show cases how the educational organizations can do more with less, and at the same time meets and exceeds the expectations of the dynamic and challenging environment, can be found in this DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION article Digital transformation | Arctic Cloud Developer Challenge Submissions
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
We got inspired by Education accelerator based on Dynamics 365, but scoped it down to the first step in a similar educational solution:
So for our story, we will be focusing on the application process for a typical educational solution that should cover both application process but also post application support for their students.
WHY are we doing it?
In addition to providing an alternative for when the Sorting Hat is not available, the Wayfinder Academy is guided by the belief that every magical student thrives best in an environment tailored to their unique talents, temperament, and aspirations. While the Hogwarts Sorting Hat is known for its wisdom, it acknowledges that circumstances change, and students may feel drawn to a different path. The Wayfinder Academy exists to facilitate such transitions with fairness, discretion, and a deep respect for each student’s magical potential.
With its further educational and mentorship support, our portal aims meet the evolving expectations of modern students and institutions, we aim to provide a robust, adaptable system that ensures every student finds their ideal path. By enhancing personalization, streamlining processes, and ensuring continuity even in unforeseen circumstances, we empower magical education to deliver unparalleled experiences.
HOW are we doing it?
As highlighted earlier we will be zooming into the application process. We took our starting point from above mentioned education accelerator and enhanced and infused this solution with AI, IOT components etc but also keeping in mind building a solid ground floor for our solution which consists of multiple technologies we are working with in our day to day life, including Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Power Pages, Power Automate, Power Apps, Microsoft Fabric and more.
Our solution consists of:
Front-end application based on Power Pages that provides a front-end experience for applicants
Back End based on model driven app called Owl management that will provide back office stuff with all needed functionality to follow up the application process
We used number of IOT devices connected to our back end system using Microsoft Fabric to streamline and personalize the interview process and give the back office more detailed overview of students performance during the interview(add pictures we used for pulsometer and diagrams etc
We created our own AI Agents using several services to enhance and personalize our agents and end-user experience (Interface with Johan as interviewer)
Finally we applied some advanced data gathering and analytics using Microsoft Fabrics which could be connected to relevant LLM models related to how translate pulse, facial etc reactions and other data that is processed during the interview process.
Through a combination of cutting-edge technology and magical precision:
Intelligent automation manages applications, data collection, and analysis.
AI-driven interviews, paired with emotional and physiological insights, create comprehensive student profiles.
Personalized coaching, interactive tools, and social engagement analytics ensure ongoing guidance and support. By reducing manual effort and delivering tailored solutions, we bridge the gap between expectations and capabilities, setting a new standard in magical education.
Fabric Fera Verto
We believe we deserve to win the Fabric category as we have designed and implemented the following CREATED PIPELINES, MEDALION STRUCTURE, POWER BI ALERTS, DATA ACTIVATOR and POWER Automate AI builder We developed a solution to import data from external source, transform it using bronze, silver, gold model, create a report for gold data. We also created alerts for kpi inside powerbi report and created a data activator to trigger a power automate flow. Inside the flow we use ai to process data and send results to sharepoint.
We created deployment pipeline inside the fabric workspace. Used fabric api and devOps to create a schedule for this pipeline for alm process.
We created a yaml in devOps that calls fabric api to trigger fabric pipeline to schedule our deployments.
Using gold data provided by fabric we created a powerbi report and embedded it to our Model driven app to view student metrics.
Using data activator from fabric we trigger a power automate flow to get uploaded data and use ai builder to process them. AI give us category for the data and we send this data to sharepoint.
We were developing the Portal for the students, and while we used a lot of low code features, we have customised the Power Pages a lot with html, css and javascript.
We started with preparation of the javascript namespace that will contain common functions, like api calls:
Also we have an Azure function App that creates an Identities for the students and invites them to the corresponding Faculty Portal. The Azure function also tracks the documents provided by students for onboarding. For these purposes we created a timer triggered function that crawls the student documents. Also Azure function has functionality that notifies students about missing documents by SMS. More details you can find in our blog:
We are using all available technologies on the market to bring more insightful sources to decision-makers. One of them is health data. We integrated the Pulse Oximeter device via Bluetooth using client-side HTML 5 Web Bluetooth API. This allows us to receive real-time heart rates and Oxygen Saturation data.
Our platform uses most of the cutting-edge technologies available on the market, not only copilot or chat GPT for AI. In this article, I want to add more details about one of our approaches to mining extra insight from the student’s interview by analyzing the emotions.
So, we are using a video stream capture to record an interview session and extract the emotional dataset.
It allows us to receive one more dimension that will extend standard datasets of the student, such as feedback, historical data from previous schools, etc.
We use the imentiv.ai API to analyze the video and grab the final report. We then make the final dashboard in Power BI and embed it into OneLake.
The app consists of two parts: a PoC to recognize the emotions in a photo from a webcam and an example of an emotion recognition report.
To build that PoC application, we decided to use the NodeJS stack. The engine is based on Bun, which is a modern and highly effective alternative to NodeJs. Compared to NodeJs, Bun was written with Rust.
Hypercare
After the student is allocated to the new Faculty, the Wayfinder Academy provides a hyper care by allowing students to verbally communicate with the voice digital twin of their mentor.
From the technology part, we are using: 1. LiveKit – to handle real-time audio communication. Students join room via the LiveKit SDK embedded in the Next.js frontend.
2. ChatGPT Voice Assistant – to process voice inputs using a pipeline: – ASR (speech-to-text)
LLM (GPT-4) to generate intelligent responses
TTS text-to-speech
STT to process audio streams and convert them to text
3.Next.js application – serves as the frontend:
SSR ensures fast loading and API integration
connects students to LiveKit rooms and the assistant, displaying responses or playing them as audio
We have utilized modern technologies for the integrations and customizations of the Portal for students and the back office, including react, next.js, HTML5, Bluetooth integration for HR, ChatGPT integration, Live Kit for live communication, Azure Durable Function, and live socket connections.
ALM Magic
WE believe we can win in this category or get high points due to the following implementations
We have three environments, DEV, TEST, and PROD, with different approval flows.
So, the production environment can be deployed only after the release manager has approved it.
We implemented an Export pipeline to simplify the contribution process.
Users can decide which solution to export and place in the GIT to track the change’s history.
For the functional consultants, we implemented the following flow:
The export procedure includes exporting the managed and unmanaged solution packages. All changes from the selected solution will be included in the PR, and the Solution Checker will start the validation process. A clean report from the Solution Checker is a prerequisite for the next step of the PR review, which requires the real human review step.
In the case of pro code customization, each component type has its steps for the PR validation, such as:
Run build to produce the artifacts:
Run unit test
Scan the code base with SonarQube (Quality Gate)
The Import pipeline will deploy the package with a specific type based on the environment, so deployment to PROD will always include only the managed version of the packages.
The import pipeline also includes extra steps to activate the flows after deployment, including calling the custom Power Shell script to activate the disabled flows in specific solutions.
We also use a custom version that reflects the build date and the build number at the end: 2025.01.25.13; from our previous experience, it looks more meaningful to the users.
Branching strategy:
We are using a trunk-based branching strategy. Short-lived branches contain as small changes as possible to make the review and validation process simple.
We implemented ALM for all the components in our platform:
We believe we can get high scores in this category due to the following execution
To streamline the onboarding process of our students, we introduced four dedicated faculty sites:
🏛 Gryffindor 🏛 Hufflepuff 🏛 Ravenclaw 🏛 Slytherin
Each site acts as a collaborative space for students and teachers to upload, share, and manage documents efficiently.
To fully automate the onboarding workflow, we use an Azure Function App that: ✅ Invites students to their respective faculty sites after completing a survey. ✅ Provides a checklist for required documents (e.g., photos, transcripts). ✅ Automatically verifies documents and tracks missing files. ✅ Sends SMS notifications to students if required documents are missing.
More details of how we achieved that can be found in our posts:
We trust we deserve high points in Low code, as we have built a portal for students using Power Pages.
We were utilising the best no-code features available.
On a landing page, we did a quick and easy set up of the header with a logo of our academy, added the links to the pages.
The student first opens it and clicks a button “Find me a school” to start the process of finding a better school for them. The student is redirected to the Submit Request page:
The submit request page contains a form of the student that they should fill in:
On submit the student will be redirected to the My Requests page:
On the backend, the managers see the request:
And the activities are assigned to the Student using Power automate (trigger on student request update/create
Student will see all the activities on the My Activities page in Power Pages in the List:
When the Survey is assigned to the Student – user navigates to the Survey tab and the first question appears on the screen:
For back-office administration, we created an app called Owl Management:
This is a low-code, model-driven app where all functions for Wayfined Academy’s back office are handled, including student, faculty, application, inquiry, and survey management. And off course analytics to provide a helicopter view:
From the low-code perspective, we created a sitemap using both OOB sitemap and app editor.
We also highlighted how this was done previously with XRMToolBox’s Sitemap Editor which saved us, low code experts, from editing the sitemap directly in XML:
We paid tribute to a famous blog post that made waves in the community. Megan shared a clever hack on how to add some color to the system by using emojis, which really took the community by storm! Today, of course, we would prefer to implement this using JavaScript Web Resources attached to views, but we wanted to give a nod to this iconic hack! Here’s the link: Using Emojis in OptionSet Fields.
and the result;D
The app also includes Business Process Flows, Staging, Branching, and more—all done with low-code:
And the activities are assigned to the Student using Power automate (trigger on student request update/create
Student will see all the activities on the My Activities page in Power Pages in the List:
When the Survey is assigned to the Student – user navigates to the Survey tab and the first question appears on the screen:
At the intersection of business needs and technology, we’ve crafted a spellbinding solution designed to empower users and elevate experiences, all while embracing the magical potential of low-code platforms. This blog post details our final delivery that demonstrates how businesses can leverage Microsoft 365 and intelligent automation to achieve more with less, creating remarkable, operationally efficient solutions. Our journey in creating this solution involved a mixture of low-code charm and pro-code spells, ensuring the magic was real and impactful, from the student halls of Hogwarts to the highest business standards.
1. Low-Code Charms: Empowering the User with Simplicity
In our solution, we’ve harnessed the power of low-code platforms to create a seamless user experience that requires minimal coding knowledge but delivers maximum impact. Low-code charms are akin to spells that enable business users to perform tasks effortlessly with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality, significantly reducing development time.
Our Hub Site: Hogwarts is the heart of the solution, offering a simple yet powerful user interface. Here, users can interact with several low code charms that do everything from providing academic calendar details to weather updates. With a few clicks, users can access:
Power App: Our Main application: Here you can get access to several features bundled together: DobbAI, train schedule departing from Hogwarts (fetched from Ruters API), the weather conditions, Room of Requirements, Great Hall canteen menu and more!
The “Next Departure” feature fetches data from the Ruter API, to inform the user of the next departure leaving Hogwarts (Holmenkollen).
In the Room of Requirements students can register to borrow equipment they might be missing such as Cauldrons, Quill and Ink, Broomsticks etc.
The user gets a notification once their booking has been accepted!
Copilot AI: DobbAI — A chat interface that answers general queries and provides information on the academic calendar, food menu, information from the spell book and much more.
Power BI Dashboard — Displaying house points and other relevant academic data in real-time, allowing users to track the progress of their school year.
These intuitive, low-code tools help users get their tasks done quickly, without needing specialized skills. The flexibility of Microsoft 365 allows us to create applications that bridge gaps between operational efficiency and user satisfaction. And with tools like Power Apps, Power BI, and CopilotStudio we blend simple yet effective low-code spellsto meet varied user needs.
PowerFlow
This process creates a calendar invite that includes both you and the resource. Each item in the Room of Requirement is a registered Exchange resource that you can interact with to make appointments. Simply go to the Room of Requirement, select the resource, and wait for it to be added to your calendar.
2. Weaving a Spell: Bridging Customer Expectations with Operational Efficiency
The magic behind our solution lies in its ability to address the gap between user expectations and real-world business capabilities. We’ve crafted a solution that provides Hogwarts with the power to deliver exceptional user experiences while keeping costs low and operational burdens light.
Through intelligent automation and seamless integrations within Microsoft 365, we’ve created an experience that allows both students and staff to perform daily tasks faster, with less manual effort, and with better outcomes. DobbAI (powered by CopilotStudio) answers user questions around the clock, helping students find the information they need quickly, from lunch menus to train and class schedules.
Additionally, integrating with Viva Engage fosters an open communication platform where recent conversations are always visible, ensuring that everyone stays informed about the latest developments within the community.
3. Solving Real Business Problems with Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365, from SharePoint and Teams to Viva Engage, and Power BI, offers a powerful toolkit to tackle real-world challenges, particularly when you need to connect people, streamline processes, and enhance the overall user experience. In our solution, we’ve used SharePoint and Teams to create customized, collaborative environments for each “house” within Hogwarts.
SharePoint Sites for Each House: Every house has its own dedicated SharePoint site and Teams space, allowing students to collaborate, share resources, and track their house’s progress in real-time. These house sites are connected to the Hub Site: Hogwarts, providing a central portal where global resources live, such as the academic calendar and house point tracker.
Class Material Channels: Within each house’s Teams channel, students have access to their own class-specific resources. These channels include a personalized class schedule calendar (distinct from the global academic calendar on SharePoint), detailing house-specific events and lessons. Additionally, students can find relevant documents such as their OneNote spellbook (a digital textbook), along with other class materials. These tailored channels foster collaboration, helping students stay organized and engaged with their house-specific curriculum.
Real-Time Tracking with Power BI: A key component of our solution is the Power BI dashboard, which consolidates house points, attendance, academic performance, and other key metrics in a real-time, visually appealing dashboard. This empowers students and staff to monitor progress and make data-driven decisions.
Viva Engage: The integration of Viva Engage adds a social layer to the entire system, encouraging students and staff to interact with the latest announcements, feedback, and community-driven conversations. This brings an extra dimension of engagement, which is essential for creating a strong community vibe in a school setting.
4. Governance and ALM Lumos: Ensuring a Healthy Application Lifecycle
In any large-scale project, governance and application lifecycle management (ALM) are crucial to maintaining consistency, security, and overall project success. Even as budding wizards, we know that creating magic isn’t enough—it requires the right framework to support it long-term.
Our ALM Lumos spell focuses on the application’s health, from the development stage to ongoing operations. Here are the key principles and practices we’ve followed to ensure a successful and sustainable delivery:
Power Platform ALM
In our organization, we leverage Power Platform Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) to streamline and automate our development processes. By utilizing environment variables, we ensure that our applications can adapt to different environments seamlessly. This approach allows us to manage configurations such as connection strings and API keys efficiently, ensuring consistency and reducing manual errors.
We have set up multiple environments, including development, testing, and production, to facilitate a smooth transition from development to deployment. Each environment is tailored to meet specific needs, ensuring that our applications are thoroughly tested before reaching the end-users.
Our pipelines play a crucial role in this process. We use build and release pipelines in DevOps to manage source control and automate deployments. The build pipeline imports the source code into our repository and creates an artifact drop, while the release pipeline allows us to deploy previous versions if needed and target different environments. This setup ensures that our applications are always up-to-date and stable across all environments.
By integrating these elements, we have created a robust and efficient ALM process that enhances our development workflow and ensures the reliability of our applications.
Naming Standards: From SharePoint site names to document libraries, we’ve adhered to strict naming conventions, making it easier for users to navigate and manage resources.
Security and Privacy: With Microsoft 365’s built-in security and compliance features, we’ve ensured that user data, documents, and communications are protected at every level, offering peace of mind to all users.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Risk Analytics: To safeguard sensitive information, we’ve implemented Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies to ensure that confidential data is not shared inappropriately. Along with this, we’ve activated analytics for risk detection, helping us identify potential vulnerabilities or areas where additional policies may be needed to protect the data and ensure compliance. Microsoft Purview also plays a key role in offering a comprehensive view of our data governance strategy, ensuring that data is handled responsibly and that potential risks are detected in real-time. This integration provides us with powerful tools for policy refinement and continuous improvement of our security and compliance practices.
Application Monitoring: We’ve incorporated monitoring tools to track application performance, ensuring the seamless operation of our solution, whether it’s a Power App, SharePoint site, or the Copilot AI interface.
OneFlow for Contracts: For our special integration with OneFlow, we’ve utilized it to enable contract signing for students wishing to enter the Triwizard Tournament. Using OneFlow ensures that all contracts are legally binding and securely handled within the solution.
Example of a DLP flow:
Our OneFlow for handling contract:
While much of the solution leverages low-code platforms, we’ve also included several pro-code elements to enhance functionality and customization.
5. Pro Code Elements: React SPFx Web Parts and Customizations
React in SPFx Web Parts: Our Academic Calendar Web Part, built with React within SharePoint Framework (SPFx), is a perfect example of leveraging pro-code capabilities for a custom, interactive user experience. The calendar integrates seamlessly with SharePoint, displaying important school events and deadlines in a highly customizable format.
Copilot AI: Powered by React and Microsoft Copilot, the DobbAI copilot allows students to interact with the system in a conversational way, providing real-time answers to questions and enhancing the overall user experience.
These pro-code parts elevate the solution’s functionality, giving us the flexibility to offer custom user interfaces, integrate with external systems, and deliver precise control over the user experience.
6. Fabric Fera Verto
To further enhance our solution, we incorporated additional data and objects, ensuring a comprehensive and immersive experience. One of the highlights of this project is the PowerBI dashboard we developed, which visualizes the statistics of the house points. This allows us to present metadata in a visually appealing format, moving beyond mere text and bringing the data to life.
At Hogwarts, we’ve revolutionized the administration of social events and classes, and student attendance tracking through a seamless integration of Dynamics Customer Insights Journeys, Pro-Code, Power Automate, Liquid, custom pages and Power pages.
By combining these technologies we have made both classes and social events easier to administer for the system users. The system users only have to create the events and there is no need for the users to create segments, emails or journeys. By combining technology from MappedIn, Power Automate and Power pages the status of the event registrations are handled by the system and removing a burden from the users since they no longer have to delete data (to cancel an event registration) or manually check in an event registration in a other table.
Navigating the vast and magical halls of Hogwarts can be quite the adventure. To make it easier for students and professors to find their way around, we’ve integrated Mappedin’s innovative search bar and routing functionality. Whether you’re looking for a specific classroom, common room, or office, Mappedin provides multiple ways to find your destination quickly and efficiently.
In addition to searching for rooms, Mappedin allows users to set routes to their desired destinations. Once a room is selected, the system provides step-by-step directions, ensuring that students and professors can navigate the castle efficiently. This routing functionality is particularly useful in a large and complex building like Hogwarts, where finding the shortest path can be a challenge. Whether you’re heading to the Great Hall for a feast or the Astronomy Tower for a late-night class, Mappedin has you covered.
By using MappedIn we’re able to send out real time communication as students approach classrooms, by using the Customer Insights Journey functionality. We’re using customer insights journeys to send communication that contains a link with utm parameters. When the students open up the link a customer journey using the trigger “When Marketing Site Visited”. We’re then able to get the link they open which also have the contact ID and The event Registration ID. By using a power automate and a custom trigger we can get the event registration and change the status to “Attended”.
Image of the process for classes:
Image of the process for Social Event:
User interface and landing zones
Students and professors are presented with a model-driven application where they open a landing page (custom page). From there students have a separate landing zone from the professors andhere they can navigate to other areas of the application. The custom page has three navigation points, the social events, the active classes for today and the Marauders map for getting a guide to show you around the school. The navigation points are connected to views, forms and other custom pages in the Model-driven app using PowerFx Navigation() function. From the Student landing zone, there is a PCF with a gamification aspect. Students can compete in fetching the Golden Snitch and score House Points and level up. Each time they level up the snitch moves faster.
See your classes and get guidance from the map. When approaching the class room you get a message that is based on location, registrating you for the class automatically.
Category Alignment
Fabric Fera Verto Our solution creates deep magical insights through:
POWER BI
In our Hogwarts App, we’ve conjured up some magical tools to make life even more exciting for our students and teachers. These enchanting features are designed to inspire, motivate, and bring a touch of wonder to everyday activities. Here is a list over our Magical Insights:
House Points Tracker The battle for house glory just got more thrilling! We’ve introduced a House Points Chart, where students can keep track of the current standings and see which house is leading the charge. The bars shimmer in the house colors—scarlet for Gryffindor, emerald for Slytherin, sapphire for Ravenclaw, and gold for Hufflepuff—bringing the spirit of friendly competition to life.
Golden Snitch Leaderboard Catch the Snitch, and claim your glory! The Golden Snitch Leaderboard highlights the top players in the beloved Snitch-chasing game. The rankings sparkle with magical hues: gold for first place, silver for second, and bronze for third. Will you be the next Seeker extraordinaire?
Class Attendance Tile At Hogwarts, striving for 100% class attendance is a noble goal! To aid in this quest, we’ve added an Attendance Tile to the report. It reveals how each class fares in attendance, with fascinating insights. However, beware—the data shows a troublingly low turnout in Defense Against the Dark Arts! Could a bit of extra encouragement—or perhaps a strong Patronus—be the solution?
Students by House Chart Curious about the balance of Hogwarts houses? The Students by House Pie Chart offers a delightful overview, showing the distribution of students across the four houses. Each slice of the pie is enchanted with its house color, providing a clear and colorful glimpse into Hogwarts’ magical diversity. This tool fosters greater understanding and unity among the houses.
With these mystical updates, we’re ensuring that every student and professor can dive deeper into the wonders of Hogwarts life. Keep exploring, keep competing, and most importantly—keep the magic alive!
Low-Code Charms We’ve woven powerful low-code spells through: Power Pages for event registration Power Automate flows for attendance tracking Custom pages with responsive design to enhance users’ experience Enhanced date handling through PCF Model-driven app to help teachers administrate the school
Marketing Events automation To ease the task of creating new Subjects every Semester, we have decided to use some Power Automate automation 😊
This flow will run at the beginning of each year, and for every semester contained, it will iterate through all the subjects that take place during it and will create an event for every occurrence of the subject.
Finally, for every student that enrolled into the subject, it will create an event registration for every event.
Teachers can: Assign points to the different houses.
Handle emails sent to the customer and check the events and event registrations created through our different automation processes.
Define the different rooms in which subjects can take place and link them to the interactive app
Power Pages
We used Power Pages to customize our event registrations and upcoming sessions – responsive and user friendly.
Through our Power Pages portal, where they can browse and sign up for both classes and social events. Upon registration, a Power Automate flow checks event capacity and automatically assigns the appropriate status, followed by a confirmation email containing event details, a QR code, and a cancellation link (Generated by power automate). Students receive timely reminders as the event approaches. Should plans change, students can easily cancel their registration through a personalized link, triggering another Power Automate flow that updates their status to “Cancelled”.
When a student is created in Dataverse a power automate triggers generating a unique url to an overview of their upcoming classes. The url is sent out with marketing emails to student as the semester start is approaching to all of the students. When a event is created a unique url to that event is created. The url is then connected to the buttons on each event card presented in the event gallery.
We used FetchXML to fetch data from Microsoft Dataverse. It allowed The Golden Snitches to query for complex queries with filtering, sorting, and aggregation, making it ideal for creating dynamic and interactive content in our Power Pages Portal for the students and Professors.
Because we are getting the form dynamically trough fetch xml we can remove another burden from the user that would need to copy a script and add it to a page. But now we can display the form by using liquid:
Custom page – Responsive design
Using containers, horizontal and vertical, to structure the layout and have proper responsiveness to resize and adjust the layout according to user screen size. Utilizing the dynamic values of Parent to set the width and height of controls within the screen
HTMLtext, syntax and code principles:
Use of $ to reference dynamic values within a string.
Seamless navigation: Utilizing the custom page within model driven apps makes it possible for us to easily navigate to other areas of the model-driven app.
We developed a PowerApps Component Framework (PCF) using MappedIn’s React-based SDK documentation. This allowed us to embed their robust mapping and navigation functionality directly into Dynamics 365. The solution enables users to visualize spaces, navigate between rooms, and even calculate optimal routes within buildings. Custom PCF for semester date management.
Map in action
PCf’s react fragment example.
Custom PCF with an animated catchable golden snitch
Azure AI implementation for voice recognition (Ask Cathrine)
Powershell for advanced pipeline deployment
To ease the deployment of our PCFs, we made a short Powershell scripts that updates the version of both the solution and the PCF automatically before its compilation.
Specialized field customizations: Integration with Resco components
We used DateRangeBuilder PCF from Resco to enhance the creation of new Semesters in our App.
Oneflow: • Auto-dispatches contracts faster than a Nimbus 2000 • Tracks signatures with the precision of the Marauder’s Map • Sends confirmation owls (emails) that would make Hedwig proud
Now Muggle parents can sign from their “mobile devices” (fascinating contraptions), while Professor McGonagall tracks everything from her enchanted dashboard. The whole system runs smoother than a well-brewed Felix Felicis!
Digital Transformation We’ve bridged operational gaps through: Maximum event capacity field:
Power automate that updates the event registration status based on the maximum capacity of the event.
We are then using generic journeys to send out the event registration with a QR code. And reminders for the event. Point Taken also use Power Automate to generate a cancellation URL on the event registration that will be sent out with the emails in the generic journey.
Cancel url on the event registration:
Power automate that generate the cancel url for sending out with the marketing emails:
The students will then be able to click the link and be navigated to a site on the power page where they can cancel their event registration.
When the students click the button they trigger a power automate that changes the event registration to status “Canceled”:
Since the social events also is only for students and employees at the school we will be able to track when the students is getting near the room of the event. We will then again use generic journeys with emails to track the attendance. The administration will then be able to send out communication after the event like surveys or other content.
ALM Magic Our ALM strategy includes:
Git Connect integration
We used Power Platform’s new Git Connect functionality to automate the commit process for solution changes.
This feature allows changes made in Power Platform to be committed directly to an Azure DevOps repository, with the user who made the changes reflected as the commit author. This integration not only saved time but also ensured proper traceability and alignment with our team’s Git workflows.
1. Components contained in the solution separated by name 2. Authors of the commits.
DevOps pipelines for building PCFs
To handle the custom PowerApps Component Framework (PCF) components, we reused and adapted an existing pipeline. This pipeline automates:
Version Updates: Using a PowerShell script, we increment version numbers to maintain proper versioning.
2. Solution Packaging: The pipeline packs the updated PCF into a deployable solution.
3. Deployment: The final step deploys the solution directly to our environments. This automation reduced manual effort, minimized errors, and ensured smooth delivery of components across environments.
Solution segmentation
Entra ID security implementation
Microsoft Entra ID Security Groups To simplify user administration and have better control of user access to the environments, we have created teams of type Microsoft Entra ID security groups.
We created a security group in Entra ID where we add the users we want to give access to the environment.
We then created a team of type Microsoft Entra ID Security Group in Power Platform where we assigned the Entra Group to the team. We then assigned the team the desired security roles:
We now only have to add users to the Group in Entra ID to give access and assign the users security roles.
Power automate – Force Sync users from Entra ID Groups Now that we have automated and gotten more control of the granting access to users to the environment apps and automations, we need to force sync the users.
The users will not appear in Dataverse unless they have logged into the environment. But building a power automate flow we can solve this issue:
The flow will be triggered once a day and then it will get the members of the Entra ID group. The flow then uses the force sync action to sync the users.
Solution Strategy The team have created a solution strategy that separates the different types of components in different solutions for easy deploy and a better development process.
Power Platform Pipelines We have used Power Platform Pipelines to automate the deployment process between environments.
Power Automate Connectors – Service Principal:
A service principal is specific to Microsoft Azure and is used to grant applications access to Azure resources. We have used a Service Principal for our Power Automate connectors to make sure that the governance of the flows is exceptional.
Magic Matrix We’ve created an enchanting experience using: If another pandemic hits or a troll attacks the school, teachers will be able to stream the classes to teams. With Dynamics Customer Insights Journeys and Microsoft Teams, the professor can easily plan, host, and follow up on live-streamed events, so that the students never miss a class.
