Paras Dodhia (ITIL, MOS, MCT – Microsoft Certified Trainer , Microsoft 365 Certified)

Paras Dodhia is the Founder and CEO at Mindlab Systems, Inc.
In this role Paras leads a team of experts who deliver innovative SharePoint platform based knowledge and collaboration solutions for clients globally. Over the years Paras has architected, and implemented hundreds of business and technology solutions globally that have helped organizations transform both digitally and organizationally.
You can read Paras’s blog at https://blog.dodhia.co and you can follow his tweets at @parasvdodhia.

Clients: Canadian Mental Health Association (CAMH), North York General Hospital, Kinark Child and Family Services
Solution Environment: Microsoft 365 – Power Apps, Power Automate, Microsoft Teams

• Architected, deployed, configured, and tested a new Office365 and Microsoft Teams instance for over 2000 users
• Planned, deployed, and managed Teams chat, apps, channels, meetings, audio conferencing, live events, and calling
• Planned for Microsoft Teams bandwidth capacity for remote users with the Network Planner tool
• Turned on external sharing and configured guest users for Microsoft Teams, guest permissions for a team, meeting, messaging, and calling options for guests, removed guests, managed Azure AD access review for guests, and configured guest access from Azure AD portal
• Created an extranet portal for patients with Microsoft Bookings, SharePoint Online, and Power Automate
• Designed and created Power BI reports. Utilized the Power BI desktop tool to connect to the common data service to create various reports. Integrated these reports in dashboards for various stakeholders, sponsors, and end-users
• Deployed the Microsoft Healthcare Virtual Agent bot for North York General Hospital
• Involved in the deployment of the Crisis Communications Power Apps template and integrated it with Microsoft Teams. Built a strategy around the common data service to build rich applications on the Power Platform
• Migrated Covid19 related information to a SharePoint Online subsite with ShareGate and linked this document library to the Crisis Communication Power App
• Deployed Microsoft Teams clients to devices, including Windows, VDI (Virtual Desktop), macOS, and mobile devices
• Managed configuration profiles, device settings, and firmware, configured Microsoft Teams Rooms and integrated Microsoft Teams with Microsoft Surface, Dell laptops
• Developed and delivered a Microsoft Teams training program for internal users applying specific business use cases and provided Microsoft Teams end-user support and training to end-users and executives

Solution Environment: Microsoft 365 – Power Apps, Power Automate

• Developed a new product request multilevel workflow with Power App and Power Automate
• Transitioned a manual process to a digital format saving on administrative cost and commercialization time of new products to market
• Developed several Power BI dashboard reports and connected to the common data service to create various reports using Power BI tool. Deployed the Microsoft Virtual Agent bot for Norbord Industries
• Worked with the business end users in the development, UAT, and production phase
• Integrated the Power App with Microsoft Teams

Solution Environment: Microsoft 365 – Power Apps, Power Automate

• Architected and solutioned a real estate investment management system with Power Apps and Power Automate
• Developed various responsive forms for the solution with Power Apps
• Developed a multi-level approval workflow with Power Automate and used Power BI desktop tool to connect to common data service
• Developed various Power BI reports for REIT Income, Payables by Account, Vendor History, Tenant Sales Reports; integrated these reports on SharePoint Online pages. Deployed Virtual Agent bot for the organization.
• Automated complex distributions to functional leaders and non-finance users with the Power Automate workflows
• Involved in the content Migration of archived confidential parent transactions records and child supporting documents from Lotus Notes to SharePoint Online
• Created a Power Automate solution to migrate documents to SharePoint Online
• Provided best practices, guidance, and training to the internal IT team

Solution Environment: SharePoint 2016, InfoPath, SharePoint Designer Workflow

• Involved in the development of a security vulnerability tracker which was hosted on the bank’s SharePoint 2016 platform. The solution consisted of a Client-based InfoPath form which submitted to a form library
• Developed a Power BI dashboard to measure Service Now tickets intake for the Enterprise Infrastructure security team
• Migrated a legacy bank application (based on InfoPath) to the Power Platform. The solution consisted using the common data service, responsive desktop/mobile form with Power App, and achieved workflow automation with Power Automate.
• Created a help desk solution using the Virtual Agent bot for Bank of Montreal
• Created Custom views, rules, and roles which facilitated the business process
• Utilized the SharePoint API/Rest service and CSOM to extract information from the InfoPath Form Library for archival purposes. The form library had a SharePoint designer workflow running in the background which performed the business processes
• Managed user requests and workload in Jira

Solution Environment: SharePoint Online, Office 365

• Developed a SharePoint Online Project Management Office site
• Configured document libraries with metadata, uploaded PMO templates for easy access
• Migrated content from file shares to SharePoint with Sharegate and developed custom web parts
• Automated the project intake process by developing a Power Automate and Power Apps solution
• Created Power BI reports and used Power BI desktop tool to connect to the common data service

Solution Environment: SharePoint Online, Office 365

• Architected, deployed, and configured the SharePoint Online/Office 365 tenant
• Migrated content from file share to SharePoint Online using SharePoint and reengineered Permissions
• Introduced the Power Platform – Power Apps and Power Automate (Flow) to the organization
• Utilized BI desktop tool to connect to the common data service and created Power BI reports
• Converted InfoPath forms, SharePoint Designer workflows, and deployed Virtual Agent bot
• Extracted information using the SharePoint Rest API and CSOM

Solution Environment: SharePoint Online, Office 365

• Architected, deployed, and configured the SharePoint Online/Office 365 tenant
• Migrated 300 Operational policies from Lotus Notes to SharePoint Online – Implemented a custom site collection with TSA branding, color theme, created landing pages, page layouts, implemented PointFire 365 in the tenant for the English and French multilingual requirements
• Developed several web parts using the SPFx framework. Deployed and configured Nintex on the Salvation Army’s tenant
• Educated and trained IT and business units on various SharePoint/Office365 functionality and improved their business processes and end-user experience
• Involved in creating Power BI reports and used the Power BI desktop tool to connect with the common data service
• Created several PowerApps forms and workflows for core business processes at The Salvation Army including Employee onboarding and Vacation Request. Developed a vacation approval solution utilizing Logic Apps and the Workday HCM Logic App connector to expose data from the Workday Human Capital Management system
• Created a Nintex governance document with the SharePoint committee
• Prepared a best practices and governance document for SharePoint Online
• Created an implementation strategy for Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams

Solution Environment: SharePoint 2016 migration, installation on the Azure platform

• Architected and solutioned the migration of the on-premise SharePoint farm from 2013 to 2016 farm. The Intranet/Extranet was used to collaborate with internal corporate employees and Mazda car dealerships
• Evaluated the SharePoint 2013 farms including current patch state of each farm and content databases, orphaned items in content databases and managed necessary updates and upgrades
• Created the Dev, QA, and Production SharePoint 2016 farms in Microsoft Azure and deployed Virtual Agent bot
• Provisioned servers in the farms in the following sequence: SQL Servers, Application Servers, Distributed cache servers, Search Servers, Front end servers. Deployed SharePoint 2016 servers on Microsoft Azure
• Created the web applications for each web application that existed in 2013 in 2016, configured the AAM (URLs – Dev, QA, and Prod), developed and migrated existing InfoPath forms
• Installed French language packs utilizing a third-party product Point Fire for translation and reapplied customizations including Site definitions, Style sheets, Features and Solutions, Web.config changes such as security, etc
• Established a SharePoint backup schedule, planned for farm configuration, service application, and Content recovery
• Developed and executed PowerShell Scripts, provided support to the Office365 environment, resolved SharePoint 2016 configuration and architecture defects

Solution Environment: SharePoint 2013 and 2016, SharePoint Online, Office365

• Responsible for overseeing the planning and operational management of the SharePoint based advisory and tax document management system (SharePoint 2013 on-premise SharePoint environment hosted the custom Document Management System used by tax and advisory professionals across Canada)
• Developed custom solutions for SharePoint with C#, HTML, JQuery, JSON, and CSS; developed PowerShell scrips
• Worked directly with functional and shared service business units to ensure KPMG’s SharePoint know-how, information and experience is shared nationally and globally
• Developed and executed KPMG’s knowledge strategy and corporate strategies in change and content management for improved productivity and profitability. Established and monitored enterprise-wide knowledge KPIs
• Oversaw the adoption and up-take of KM SharePoint based tools, including campaign management, contests, communication, messaging, and developed feedback mechanisms
• Established and maintained relationships with key stakeholders including KPMG functions (Audit, Tax, Advisory) KPMG enterprise, HR, Markets, KPMG global KM organization and various other stakeholders
• Managed the Canadian SharePoint support team of 4 fulltime resources and performed their code reviews
• Turned on the new Microsoft Office365 instant and deployed a Microsoft Teams POC

Solution Environment: SharePoint 2016 Enterprise – SharePoint on-premise and O365 / Yammer to design and deploy large scale Intranet and Extranet enterprise applications

• Conceptualized the user experience of the Intranet. Defined with the project owners the look/feel and flow of the Intranet for internal collaboration and communication tool utilized by internal corporate employees and external field hydro workers. Invovled in the migration of the Intranet to Sharepoint 2016
• The Intranet webpartx solutions consisted of the following: People Search, IT Helpdesk, Dynamic Organizational Charts data populated from active directory, internal InfoPath Forms, and automated workflows
• Developed and executed PowerShell scripts to administer the farms
• Utilized ShareGate to migrate content from file share and SharePoint
• Developed custom master pages and page layouts with SharePoint Designer. Languages used HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• Managed end-user tickets, incidents, and change requests using Jira

• Integrated ITIL best practices, utilized agile and SDLC project management methodology in the deployment and delivery of Google Apps for Work for both Canada and US business units. Provided technical leadership to the team
• Gained understanding of requirements and scope of projects through interaction with technical and business teams
• Delivered multiple Google Apps for Work solutions including Project Management Office, Marketing commercialization, and Marketing commercialization executive dashboard
• Drove change management between IT and the project teams at the business level and mitigated risks
• Collaborated with Enterprise Project Management Office to forecast and allocate internal and external resources
• Created custom user interfaces and backend processes with the Google Scripts platform using JavaScript, JQuery, HTML, and CSS. Provided G Suite training to the end user community

• Architected and integrated SAP with SharePoint Online. Integrated an Azure middleware server between SAP and SharePoint Online. Layer 2 was configured on the Azure Server to integrate between the SAP database and SharePoint Online. Selected and managed a Microsoft partner for this project
• Designed and developed an external document and records management supplier portal based on the SharePoint Online/Office 365 platform. Developed InfoPath forms for SharePoint Online sites
• Traveled to Chile, Sweden, and UK Corporate office to define project scope, gathered end-user functional requirements, and attended top-level stakeholder meetings. Managed end-user tickets and SLA with ServiceNow

• Architected a SharePoint 2013 farm to host the new Tervita.com public website for the rebranding of CCS Corporation to Tervita
• Implemented a content replication tool from AvePoint to migrate published approved content from DEV, UAT, and PROD
• Created custom master pages, page layouts, web parts, for the Tervita.com public website with SharePoint Designer 2013
• Automated business processes with InfoPath forms, SharePoint custom lists, and SharePoint Designer workflow approvals
• Integrated the PeopleSoft ERP HRIS with SharePoint to achieve single sign-on for end-users
• Served as a leader in developing SharePoint use business cases, proofs-of-concept, and presentations to scale user adoption
• Managed the entire development process from initiation, planning, design, development, testing, and completion process using SDLC methodologies. Actively involved in managing relationships with vendors (vendor management)
• Coordinated and facilitated Agile/Scrum process – Daily Scrum, Spring Planning, Review and Retrospective meetings
• Mentored junior resources as a SharePoint Subject Matter Expert and technology consultant. Involved in the interviewing and hiring process of the technical team. Managed end-user tickets and SLA time with ServiceNow

• Architected, deployed, and managed the on-premise SharePoint 2010 environment (the farm consisted of WFE, Application/Index, and SQL Server Database servers)
• Deployed the Nintex workflow to automate various business processes with InfoPath Forms
• Integrated SharePoint with the SAP ERP system
• Implemented Cosign (now known as DocuSign) to sign InfoPath forms for approval processes
• Migrated legacy SharePoint 2001 and SharePoint 2003 content to SharePoint 2010 with ShareGate

• Architected and deployed the SharePoint 2010 farm and led the migration from SharePoint 2007 to SharePoint 2010
• Participated in the change management committee by writing change request documentation and presented the plan in committee calls. Scheduled deployment outage with the business and IT resources
• Migrated the SharePoint 2007 artifacts to the new environment by performing an attachment of the content databases
• Configured SharePoint 2010 site collection features which included InfoPath Form Services, SharePoint 2010 central administration settings, and SQL server backup/restore
• Automated Windows Server and SharePoint 2010 administrative tasks with PowerShell

• Architected, deployed, and managed the on-premise SharePoint 2007 environment
• Oversaw site collection backup and restore with SharePoint out of tools; managed backup and restored at the MS SQL server level in collaboration with the DBA team
• Developed and deployed a custom Dynamics CRM solution. Utilized out of box configuration and custom solutions with C# .NET development techniques
• Created HRIS Dynamic drill-down dashboards built on SSRS and integrated with Oracle back end as the data source
• Worked with the IT PMO Project Management Site for the CIO to facilitate project intake and management
• Managed end-user tickets and worked with the entire IT team to not overrun set SLA times with the business. Established an offshore support team in Hyderabad, India to support users globally

• Architected, deployed, and managed the on-premise SharePoint 2003 environment
• Developed and configured several client-based InfoPath forms to automate project requests
• Designed user interfaces using .NET – C#, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Oracle database