Case Study: Purdue University achieves real-time research visibility and faster decision-making with Microsoft Power Apps

Purdue closely monitors research impact, makes informed decisions during COVID-19 using Power Apps

Purdue University faced sudden disruption to nearly $700 million in research activity when COVID-19 paused lab work and projects, and lacked a consolidated way to assess impacts across thousands of faculty and grants. Purdue partnered with Mazik Global and Microsoft lead Jason Morales to build the COVID-19 Sponsored Program Impact Application using Microsoft Power Apps and Power BI to collect faculty-reported payroll and project-impact data and quickly aggregate visibility for leaders.

Built on Microsoft Power Apps (with Power BI), the app was delivered in weeks and adopted by more than 1,100 faculty—representing the vast majority of Purdue’s research dollars—giving real-time dashboards that rolled up payroll, project, and non-salary impacts. Microsoft Power Apps enabled Purdue to catch payroll and distribution errors immediately, identify costly equipment losses, inform federal testimony, and make faster, data-driven funding and budget decisions, saving time and improving allocation accuracy.

Purdue University

Ken Sandel

Senior Director of Sponsored Program Services