QMS Teams Forms

Introducing BPA Teams Forms

Conversations are the human way to work. With BPA Teams Forms users register events in the QMS while discussing in Teams and transform discussions into productive teamwork.

BPA Teams Forms 2min introduction video.

Microsoft Teams allows cross-functional teamworking. From a real-time discussion, team members can log a QMS event, like a non-conformance, a document request or any other form, without losing context and continue the productive discussion flow.

Once registered, the form data is sent to the QMS and automated workflows start to alert the concerned persons.

With AI, we have added a new way to get a form by asking common questions to a chatbot, for example “new doc” or synonyms to request for a new document.

Once the form is submitted, an approval workflow starts. If the request is approved a new draft document will be added in the QMS, ready to be completed by authors and published for end users.

Any form can be created in minutes by power users, including all type of fields, like text, dates, numeric, choice, lookups and more. With Teams Forms, users retrieve contextual data from the QMS, like products, processes, etc.

Make sure all events are logged in your QMS providing more data to analyze and contributing to continuous process improvement. With Teams Forms and AI, end users register events easily while chatting, enabling productive discussions and smart quality.

>> Ask us for a free trial

Document App

Announcing New Document Power Apps

The user experience when accessing documents with a mobile device is not always the best, until you are familiar with SharePoint options and apps.

The Document Power Apps is a generic app for employees to access compliance documents easily on any mobile device, like phones, tablets. The app was developed for frontline workers who need access to procedures and work instructions on the field or on production lines.

Document Power Apps

Viewing documents in the Power Apps is a great user experience.

In the BPA software, approval workflows make sure compliance documents are approved prior being published in the Doc Power Apps, together with a unique barcode.

The Doc Power Apps includes a barcode reader to preview a document by scanning a barcode. The barcode can be appended on any document, equipment or workplace referring to a specific document. For example, the incoming inspection procedure would be directly accessible from the entrance control workplace, or the verification procedure would open by scanning a barcode on the equipment. This makes sure the last published version of the document displays and not an older copy.

Process View in Document Power Apps

Browse documents easily by process and sub process in the Document Power Apps.

Users browse the app to access documents by process and sub process, and preview documents directly in the application. Documents can be downloaded on your device to be available while offline.

The favorite option lets users pinning important documents for a quick access.

Favorites in Document Power Apps

Access favorite documents in one touch.

Clients can configure the app home page with their logo and photo.

Two modes are available for end users, dark or clear mode.

>> Ask us for a free trial

BPA is hiring a Junior Quality Technician

ASQ WCQI Conference 2023

As a sponsor at the WCQI conference in Philadelphia (PA) on May 7-10, we will present innovative QMS software solutions for everyone to improve the quality of the delivered products and services across different devices (phones, tablets..) and platforms (AI, productive discussions, Microsoft 365) to shift to smart quality and the future of work..

Visit us on our « QMS on Microsoft 365 » booth to have an interactive live presentation of our solutions, and learn how the latest technologies can simplify quality management and enable productive teamworking.

See you soon in Philadelphia.

Artificial Intelligence

Announcing BPA Cognitive Search

Great news for our clients! BPA Cognitive Search is announced to be released soon.

BPA Cognitive Search is an AI-driven tool for finding pertinent documents by asking natural questions to a chatbot. End users will love using it with Microsoft Teams on their preferred device, or in the BPA App interface.

AI chatbot to search for documents

Example of natural question asked and received answer in the AI chatbot.

The tool is intended to instantly retrieve compliance documents, technical files or other documents stored in BPA Apps. Documents similar to another document can be instantly listed, opened or shared with your colleagues. This will drastically boost productivity when working with documents!

Start using the chatbot directly in Teams and write some keywords about documents you’re looking for. Pertinent documents will be listed by decreasing matching score. Refine your search by finding similar documents to a specific document.

In the daily business, it’s great to be able to search and share documents while chatting. BPA Cognitive Search can be started from any Teams, channel, activity or chat. When selecting a listed document, a document card displays in the discussion flow, ready to be shared with your colleagues.

AI chatbot to search for documents

Sharing a document card with a colleague in Teams.

While on the move or on the shop floor, using the chatbot with your mobile device is the best way to quickly find relevant documents. Simply open the Teams mobile app and start typing a few characters to instantly get matching documents.

AI chatbot on mobile device

Get matching documents easily on your mobile device.

With BPA Apps, the AI chatbot can be displayed in the home page or any other page.

BPA Cognitive Search will be available as an optional extension to BPA modern apps. BPA will provide the chatbot and needed shared Azure services, ready to be used with your apps.

>> Contact us for a free demo

Make Sure Important Documents are Understood by Collaborators

With BPA Apps, we propose two ways to make sure collaborators are skilled to do their jobs. Both scenarios can be used together or separately.

The common approach is to define the required skills to accomplish a job and periodically assess collaborator skills for their jobs. In BPA app, the process outcome is an interactive Power BI skill matrix which can be filtered by collaborator, job or department for easy decision making.

Skill Matrix

Power BI collaborator skill matrix in BPAQuality365.

The second approach can be easily configured with your BPA modern Apps.

To accomplish their jobs, collaborators need to be aware of job-related compliance documents, like important procedures (SOP) or work instructions.

When publishing compliance documents, an automated workflow ensures the right collaborators are alerted based on related jobs with regards to these documents. Collaborators get an email alert or approval in Teams to view, read and understand these documents.

Distribution Alert

Example of a document distribution alert sent to collaborators.

Collaborator decisions on whether help is needed to understand documents or documents are understood are logged in the App.

As ideal reporting tool, the document training matrix is a Power BI dashboard to view documents by collaborators with their decision status (need help/understood). The interactive document training matrix can be used to instantly check who needs training on which documents, or the required training by job.

Document Training Matrix

Document training matrix in Power BI.

With BPA modern Apps, you make sure collaborators are skilled to do their jobs.

>> Ask us for a free trial

Simplify the Supplier Deviation Request Process with BPA Apps

It’s very surprising to discover that a lot of companies publish their Supplier Deviation Request (SDR) form on the web for their suppliers to download it. These forms are visible to everyone.

In this context, the entire SDR process is cumbersome, it requires a lot of manual work and the risk of error is high. Completed forms are emailed back to the client for internal approval. From the received email, a manual approval process starts at the client (email or paper-based). Once a decision is taken, it’s most likely communicated to the supplier per email, including attachments.

Make it easy and automated with BPA Apps and Office 365!

In this simple scenario, a Microsoft Forms is used to build a digital SDR form. The form can be embedded in your extranet portal, or the link to the form can be shared with suppliers.

Supplier Deviation Request Form

Example of a SDR Form built with MS Forms.

Once the form is sent, an automated Power Automate workflow starts and links the request with the right supplier in the BPA app. A PDF version of the SDR form is automatically created and emailed back to the supplier as a confirmation.

Your internal team is alerted (in Teams or per email) and an approval workflow starts. Selected team members are notified to review the request and complete it with engineering disposition and special instructions. In the last step, approval notifications are sent to the specified users and decisions are tracked in the BPA app.

Supplier Deviation Request Review

SDR internal review and approval process in the BPA app.

Optionally, the SDR process could automatically start a supplier nonconformity process in the BPA app.

Another scenario would be to include the supplier as a guest in a shared Teams and work jointly in an automated cross-organizational SDR/nonconformity process.

The benefits of automating the SDR process are obvious:

  • Reduce the lifecycle time for the whole process
  • Reduce manual work by automating alerts and reminders
  • Reduce risk of errors
  • Develop a modern image

Contact us if you’re interested to implement this scenario for your organization.

>> Ask us for a free trial

multilingual apps

BPA Modern Apps Go Multilingual

Great news for our multilingual clients, we have released new modern multilingual templates for our Quality, Medical and CRM Apps.

By installing a multilingual app template, clients will be able to use their app in 3 languages – English, French, German – with no need of any manual translation work. Users will access the app in their preferred language, as defined in their Office 365 profile.

French Version Example of BPAQuality365 multilingual version with French as a preferred language.

Other languages will come later, meanwhile any language can be added easily by translating the needed BPA or SharePoint resources.

For clients using our modern apps in one specific language, specific tags can be added to make resources multilingual, e.g. navigation links, buttons visible in pages or any BPA resource.

A migration tool has been developed to migrate existing localized resources from BPA classic to modern apps.

>> Ask us for a free trial

document jam

Easy Document Access for Everyone, on any Device

Document preview

Easy document access and preview on any device with the new BPA hierarchy/preview component.

Accessing work instructions and procedures by collaborators on the field is challenging for most organizations, but not BPA customers.

The new document hierarchy (tree view) + document preview component is now available at no additional cost for BPA customers using our modern apps with Office 365.

End users access their relevant documents in a few clicks by drilling down the same folder structure they are used to with a file server. The document preview instantly opens on the right side. “This tool brings ultimate experience to end users when accessing their relevant documents on any device, anywhere, without changing their habits”, claims Dr. Boris Lutz, CEO at BPA Solutions.

The component is flexible to be used with any document library e.g. compliance documents, technical files, etc. and extends SharePoint capabilities. The document preview add-in can be used with Microsoft Teams together with instant discussions and video conferencing, boosting productivity.

In addition, BPA apps bring other tools for end users to easily access documents starting from a graphical process map or a multi-level organization chart. These tools are 100% agile and can be combined to provide the best user experience when accessing documents, for any organization.

BPA apps leverage the powerful SharePoint search engine to find the right documents, based on content and attributes. BPA components include additional features to search in document attributes by typing free text.

The whole document management lifecycle is fully automated and completely transparent for end users. Prebuilt eSignature workflows make sure documents are approved prior being published, and end users trained.

BPA apps bring powerful features for end users to easily access their documents on any device, leveraging your existing Office 365 tools.

Ask Us for a Free Modern App Trial Now !

BPAMedical365 vs BPAQuality365 – Gap Analysis

BPAMedical365 has been recently released for regulated industries to comply with medical compliance standards like ISO 13485 or part 11 CFR 21. The app was built for any industry looking for a more secure approach when taking decisions, by using eSignatures with multi factor authentication.

Office365-eSignature

From a feature perspective, most modules included in BPAMedical365 are the same like in BPAQuality365. However, some differences exist which are highlighted in the table below.

BPAMedical365 BPAQuality365
Prebuilt cloud app for medical compliance. Prebuilt cloud app for quality & compliance.
Ready to be used in your secure Office 365 environment and leveraging all Office 365 technologies. Ready to be used in your secure Office 365 environment and leveraging all Office 365 technologies.
Compatible with any device. Compatible with any device.
Prebuilt modules for managing:

  • Stakeholders
  • Processes
  • Compliance documents
  • Improvement (PDCA)
  • Equipment
  • Information assets
Prebuilt modules for managing:

  • Stakeholders
  • Processes
  • Compliance documents
  • Improvement (PDCA)
  • Equipment
  • Information assets
Prebuilt modules for managing:

  • Hazards
  • Incidents
  • FMEA
Prebuilt modules for managing:

  • Risks/Opportunities
  • Incidents
  • Health/Safety hazards
  • Environmental aspects
Prebuilt modules for managing:

  • Products and product versions
  • Technical files
  • Changes
Prebuilt module for managing:

  • Changes
Prebuilt intelligent forms including preconfigured eSignature fields. Prebuilt intelligent forms (eSignature fields can be configured if needed).
Set of powerful webparts and components to improve user experience, including:

  • Navigation
  • Forms
  • Document and data viewers
  • eSignature component, including preconfigured eSignatures
  • Productivity tools
  • Settings
Set of powerful webparts and components to improve user experience, including:

  • Navigation
  • Forms
  • Document and data viewers
  • eSignature component
  • Productivity tools
  • Settings
Prebuilt Power Automate document management workflow set, preconfigured to include eSignature approvals (available as an option). Prebuilt Power Automate document management workflow, including standard Office 365 approvals (available as an option).
Prebuilt Power Automate workflow sets for the main BPAMedical365 modules, preconfigured to include eSignatures (available as options). Prebuilt Power Automate workflow sets for the main BPAQuality365 modules (available as options).
Prebuilt nonconformity Power Apps (available as an option). Prebuilt nonconformity Power Apps (available as an option).
Prebuilt audit Power Apps (available as an option). Prebuilt audit Power Apps (available as an option).
Prebuilt Power BI reports (available as options). Prebuilt Power BI reports (available as options).

Both apps can be tested on our discovery platform.

Ask us for a free trial.

Office 365 eSignature Video

eSignature for Everyone, on Any Device, with SharePoint and Office 365

Modern eSignature component to be used in your Office 365 environment.

For regulated industries, electronic signature is required for a QMS software to be compliant with FDA and ISO 13485 regulations. For any organization, eSignature makes sure only authorized users approve documents or records.

BPA has developed an innovative eSignature component to be used with our apps on any device, directly within SharePoint and Teams.

eSignatures can be used internally to sign compliance documents, technical files, investigate incidents, or replace any paper signature. It can also be used with external suppliers to sign nonconformities or any other usage.

In this video we demonstrate how easy you can sign a compliance document, and a nonconformity form with multi factor authentication.

eSignatures can be added on any form by a simple drag and drop and protect document content or selected attributes.

BPA eSignature component gives the extra security needed when approving items in compliance with medical regulations. It makes SharePoint a more secure platform when signing documents or records, with no need to manage complex item-level permissions. It’s perfectly integrated with Microsoft 365 and multi factor authentication.

BPA eSignature is available at no additional cost with our modern Quality-Medical-CRM apps on Microsoft 365.

Ask us for a free trial