Greetings, wizards, witches, and tech sorcerers! Team PowerPotters of House Slytherin is no stranger to the allure of old magic—or, in this case, old technology. While others shy away from dusty artifacts of the past, we see an opportunity to wield their power in new and innovative ways. This is the story of how we bridged the decades, connecting Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations (FO) to a legacy ETON packaging machine that speaks the language of yesteryear: ASCII.
Here’s how we brought this retro challenge to life and why we believe we deserve the Retro badge.
🕰️ The Challenge: A Journey into the Past
Working with legacy systems is like deciphering the spellbook of an ancient wizard. The ETON packaging machine, a relic of older IT architectures, required us to:
- Deliver files in a specific ASCII format—a far cry from modern data outputs.
- Operate within an on-premise environment, delivering files directly to a server the machine could access.
- Transform data from Microsoft Dynamics 365 FO, which isn’t designed to natively output ASCII files.
This formidable challenge was the perfect playground for a Slytherin team armed with ambition and cunning.
🪄 The Solution: Crafting a Magical Bridge Between Eras
We designed a solution using Power Automate that seamlessly connects our modern ERP system with the legacy ETON machine, transforming workflows and breathing new life into an older technology. Here’s how we did it:
- Trigger from FO:
- The flow begins in FO, where a trigger fires upon production completion, signaling that goods are ready for packaging.
- Data Collection and Transformation:
- FO data is gathered and formatted to meet the ETON machine’s strict ASCII requirements.Using concat and substring operations (such as the example below), we transformed raw data into neatly formatted lines, ensuring compliance with the machine’s constraints:
- File Creation:
- After processing all production lines, the transformed data is written to an ASCII file.
- The file is delivered to an on-premise server through a Power Automate File System connector using an on-premise gateway—like casting an ancient spell to bridge two worlds.
- Delivery to the ETON Machine:
- The ASCII file is deposited into the required server folder, where the ETON machine can access it immediately for packaging operations.
🐍 Why This Solution is Retro—and Why Slytherins Love It
Legacy Integration: The ETON machine’s reliance on ASCII files is a classic throwback to the days when ASCII reigned supreme, requiring a creative approach to bring it into the modern workflow.
On-Premise Connectivity: Employing an on-premise gateway harks back to older IT setups, blending nostalgia with cutting-edge automation.
ASCII File Format: Converting FO data into ASCII is a challenge that required precision, ingenuity, and a touch of retro magic to master.
Slytherins thrive on challenges like these, where cleverness and adaptability transform obstacles into triumphs.
🧙♂️ Why This Deserves the Retro Badge
This solution bridges the gap between the past and the future, showcasing the power of integration and automation:
- Seamless Transformation: We automated the complex process of formatting and delivering ASCII files, eliminating manual errors and inefficiencies.
- Legacy Meets Modern: By integrating FO with the ETON machine via Power Automate and a gateway, we proved that even the oldest systems can thrive in a cloud-connected world.
- Slytherin Cunning: With resourcefulness and ambition, we turned a retro constraint into an opportunity to demonstrate the power of combining legacy systems with modern platforms.
🪄 Closing the Loop
House Slytherin knows that true magic lies in adaptability and resourcefulness. Our solution is a testament to the fact that the tools of the past, when used creatively, can still deliver value in a modern setting.
We humbly submit our case for the Retro badge and invite the judges to celebrate this triumph of cleverness, ambition, and integration. Follow our journey as we continue to bring the best of old and new technologies together: acdc.blog/category/cepheo25.
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