Microsoft 365 Production Scheduling & Gantt Automation Specialist with Pipedrive Integration

Upwork Job Posting: Microsoft 365 Production Scheduling & Gantt Automation Specialist Overview Laslo Custom Kitchens is seeking an experienced Microsoft 365 / Power Platform consultant to design and implement a production scheduling system that automatically generates and maintains project timelines based on installation dates. Our current process relies heavily on an Outlook Group Calendar to manage installation schedules. We want to evolve this into a more robust, automated scheduling platform that includes Gantt chart visualization, dependency-based scheduling, automated calendar updates, change tracking, notifications, and integration with our CRM (Pipedrive). The ideal candidate will have strong experience with Microsoft Power Platform, SharePoint, Dataverse, Outlook integrations, workflow automation, and business process design. Project Objectives Build a production scheduling system that: Uses installation dates as the primary scheduling anchor. Automatically calculates all predecessor milestones based on configurable business rules. Displays jobs in a dynamic Gantt chart. Automatically updates schedules when milestones change. Syncs approved installation dates to an Outlook Group Calendar. Creates a full audit trail of schedule changes. Sends Teams notifications when meaningful schedule changes occur. Integrates with Pipedrive to eliminate duplicate data entry. Is scalable and maintainable for future AI and automation enhancements. Desired Solution Architecture We are open to recommendations but currently envision: Data Layer SharePoint Lists or Dataverse Structured project scheduling database User Interface Power Apps Custom scheduling dashboard Editable Gantt chart view Workflow Engine Power Automate Date calculations Dependency management Calendar synchronization Approval workflows Calendar Integration Outlook Group Calendar Automatic creation and updating of installation events Notifications & Logging Microsoft Teams notifications Change history log Audit trail of schedule modifications Reporting Power BI dashboards (optional but preferred) Core Functional Requirements Backward Scheduling Logic Example: Task RuleInstallation Fixed Date Load/Staging Install - 2 business days Finish Complete Install - 5 business days Production Start Install - 15 business days Engineering Complete Install - 25 business days Final Selections Due Install - 35 business days Field Measure Install - 45 business days The system must automatically recalculate milestone dates when installation dates change. Change Management The solution should: Recalculate schedules automatically Identify schedule conflicts Support approval workflows before customer-facing installation dates move Track old and new values Record who made each change Maintain a complete history of schedule revisions Calendar Synchronization The scheduling database should be the "source of truth." The workflow should: Update project schedule Recalculate dependencies Update Gantt chart Update Outlook Group Calendar Log changes Notify stakeholders in Teams We want to avoid circular updates and synchronization issues. Pipedrive Integration We currently use Pipedrive and would like: New sold projects automatically imported into the scheduling system Customer and project data populated automatically Milestones generated based on scheduling rules Minimal or no duplicate data entry Experience with: Pipedrive APIs Power Automate integrations Webhooks Microsoft Graph is highly desirable. AI & Future Enhancements (Phase 2) We are interested in exploring AI-assisted capabilities such as: Extracting information from Pipedrive notes Identifying schedule risks Flagging missing approvals Explaining why project dates changed Summarizing project status However, scheduling calculations themselves should remain rule-based and deterministic. Ideal Candidate We are looking for someone with experience in: Microsoft Power Apps Power Automate SharePoint Lists Dataverse Microsoft Graph API Outlook Calendar integrations Power BI Pipedrive API integrations Workflow automation Project scheduling systems Gantt chart development Bonus experience: Copilot Studio AI Agents Production scheduling Manufacturing or construction project management Deliverables Discovery and requirements review Recommended architecture Production scheduling database Gantt chart interface Power Automate workflows Outlook calendar synchronization Teams notifications Change log/audit system Pipedrive integration Documentation and knowledge transfer Proposal Requirements Please include: Examples of similar Power Platform or scheduling projects Experience integrating Microsoft 365 with third-party CRMs Recommended technology stack for this project Estimated implementation approach and phases Any concerns or risks you see with the proposed architecture Budget Open to fixed-price or hourly proposals. We are looking for an experienced consultant who can not only build the solution but also help us design the right long-term architecture. Goal: Create a scalable production scheduling platform that automatically generates, manages, and communicates project timelines while keeping Outlook, Teams, and Pipedrive synchronized.