Inland Tarp & Cover Modernizes Field Service with Encore, Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations, and Microsoft Power Platform

Encore Business Solutions partnered with Inland Tarp & Cover to modernize field operations and connect inventory, invoicing, and finance through Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations and a custom Field Service Application built on the Microsoft Power Platform.

Using Dataverse, Power Apps, and an integration with Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations, Encore helped Inland Tarp & Cover replace paper-based workflows with a connected digital process built around the realities of their field work.

The result was a scalable Microsoft platform that improved visibility across operations, reduced manual processing, and moved invoicing from a process that typically took about five days to same-day or next-day processing.

Key outcomes included:

• Reduced invoicing timelines by approximately 80%
• Replaced paper-based field processes with a connected digital workflow
• Built a custom Field Service Application using Microsoft Dataverse and Power Apps
• Connected field activity directly to Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations
• Improved visibility across jobs, inventory, customers, and operations
• Established a scalable Microsoft platform that supports ongoing modernization and future AI initiatives

The Client: Inland Tarp & Cover

Inland Tarp & Cover serves agricultural, industrial, and energy-sector customers across the United States through a combination of manufacturing and field installation services. The organization includes Inland Tarp & Liner, which manufactures geomembrane liners and agricultural tarp products, and ITC Services, which provides field installation services. Inland Tarp & Cover serves as the shared services organization, supporting the group through IT, finance, HR, marketing, and leadership functions.

Field crews serve multiple states to install hay tarps, silage covers, and other specialized agriculture products, often working in rural locations with limited connectivity.

Paper-Based Processes Limited Visibility and Speed

Before implementing Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations and the Field Service Application, Inland Tarp & Cover’s field operations relied heavily on paper-based processes.

Crews recorded labor hours, materials used, installation details, and job records by hand while working at customer sites. At the end of the day, those forms were compiled into daily packets and passed through several layers of review before inventory, invoicing, and financial processes could move forward.

The process created delays, duplicate data entry, and limited visibility across the business. Operational data remained disconnected from the systems and people that needed it, forcing managers to rely on spreadsheets, phone calls, notes, and institutional knowledge to understand what was happening across jobs and customers. Customer billing was also delayed because completed paperwork had to move through several stages of review before invoices could be generated.

“The field managers may not see the paperwork for two or three days. Then the admin staff may not see it for another day or two. The timeframe to invoice customers was very lengthy.” — Todd Hoffer, IT Manager, Inland Tarp & Cover

Leadership knew the organization needed a more connected approach, as Todd explained:

“The grand vision was that we wanted to go 100% digital. We wanted to process all of these jobs and all the information through an electronic process so that we could reduce as much of the human element of error as possible.”

Selecting a Microsoft Platform with Encore

Inland Tarp & Cover needed more than a mobile field application. Leadership wanted a platform that could support field operations while also creating a more connected foundation for inventory, invoicing, reporting, and finance. As part of that modernization effort, the organization selected Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations as its central ERP platform.

Mobile accessibility and integration were key requirements from the start. Field crews needed a solution they could use on tablets in the field, and the organization needed data to move between field activity and back-office processes without relying on manual handoffs.

Todd noted that Microsoft’s broader ecosystem and integration capabilities played an important role in the decision.

Architecting a Custom Field Service Application

Through discovery and architectural review, Encore determined that Inland Tarp & Cover did not need a full field service application with additional functionality that the business would not use. Instead, the better fit was a custom Power Platform solution focused on the specific field processes, job management needs, inventory activity, approval workflows, and invoicing requirements that mattered most to Inland Tarp & Cover.

The result was a custom Field Service Application, built with Microsoft Dataverse and Power Apps. The application serves as Inland Tarp & Cover’s job management platform, while Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations serves as the organization’s ERP system. Together, the solutions connect customer records, job activity, inventory transactions, approvals, reporting, and financial processes within a Microsoft environment.

Dataverse became an important part of the architecture because it provided the operational data layer for the custom application. Dual-write was used where it made sense for direct data synchronization, while other connectors supported more complex business processes such as derived integrations, invoicing, and inventory transfers.

This architecture allowed Encore to design a solution around Inland Tarp & Cover’s actual processes instead of forcing the business into a standard application. It also preserved flexibility for future growth, giving the organization a path to expand its Microsoft capabilities as requirements evolve.

Designing a Solution Field Crews Would Actually Use

User adoption was a major consideration throughout the project. Field crews spend their days in the field installing products, so any solution needed to support the way they already work while remaining simple enough to encourage adoption.

“Our crews are experts in the field. The technology needed to support the way they work every day, not create another layer of complexity. The app needed to mimic what we were doing on paper so that the change management was easier.” — Todd Hoffer, IT Manager, Inland Tarp & Cover

Before designing the solution, Encore conducted a detailed discovery process to understand Inland Tarp & Cover’s workflows, business requirements, job sequencing, field processes, and downstream operational needs.

Todd noted that Encore’s discovery process went beyond surface-level information gathering:

“Encore went through a deep dive of our business, really trying to understand it and building a requirement list based on what they found.”

The custom application guided field users through the job process while calculations, approvals, inventory movements, and downstream processes occur automatically behind the scenes.

Built for Offline Work in Rural Environments

Offline capability was essential. Inland Tarp & Cover crews work in rural environments where cellular coverage can be limited or unavailable. The Field Service Application needed to remain functional regardless of network coverage.

“If we go into an underground bunker and we have zero cell phone reception, the app still needs to operate efficiently and effectively. Then, when they resurface and have connectivity again, everything should flow into our system as designed.” — Todd Hoffer, IT Manager, Inland Tarp & Cover

Encore designed the application with an offline-first approach. Crews can download the data they need before heading into the field, continue recording job activity throughout the day without connectivity, and synchronize updates once a connection becomes available.

By removing connectivity as a barrier, Inland Tarp & Cover was able to digitize field data capture without creating new barriers for crews working in remote locations.

From Paper Packets to Real-Time Visibility

Today, field crews capture job activity directly through the custom application on tablets and mobile devices. Managers review and approve work electronically while job, inventory, and operational data flows into Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations.

Managers now have access to customer records, inventory information, job history, approvals, reporting, and tarp serial numbers in near real time.

Todd described the shift as a meaningful change for operational leaders:

“They can see the tarps, the serial numbers on those tarps, where they’re installed. They have access to their customer database. They’re able to pull that information up and put notes and details on it. They wouldn’t have been able to do that before.”

The platform has also changed how managers answer questions. Instead of relying on spreadsheets, paperwork, or administrative support, they can access data directly, create reports, and investigate issues themselves.

“I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback. People have that instant gratification of, ‘I had a question, I was able to get into the system, and I was able to answer it.’”
— Todd Hoffer, IT Manager, Inland Tarp & Cover

Reducing Invoicing Timelines by Approximately 80%

One of the most significant outcomes came from improving how completed work moved from the field into Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations. Previously, jobs moved through multiple stages of review before invoices could be generated, often resulting in delays of several days.

Today, managers can review labor hours, inventory usage, tarp serial numbers, and other job details in real time, allowing approvals and invoicing to happen much sooner.

Todd explained how much faster review and approval can now happen:

“As a job is completed, they can actually look at it. Are all the crew members on? Are the times correct? Did we get all the tarps on? They can approve it and process it right then and there.”

Inland Tarp & Cover estimates that invoicing has improved from approximately five days after job completion to same-day or next-day processing, representing roughly an 80% reduction in invoicing timelines.

“I would say that, on average, it probably took us about five days to invoice customers prior to this. Now I would say it’s either same day or next day.” — Todd Hoffer, IT Manager, Inland Tarp & Cover

By connecting field activity directly to Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations, Inland Tarp & Cover has significantly improved cash flow while reducing billing delays.

“That immediate ability to invoice has significantly improved the cash flow position. We’re invoicing sooner. That means we’re collecting sooner.” — Todd Hoffer, IT Manager, Inland Tarp & Cover

Creating a Stronger Foundation for Reporting and Financial Visibility

The benefits extend beyond field operations. Before standardizing Dynamics 365, Todd described scenarios in which reporting often required teams to pull data from multiple ERP systems, manually consolidate information, and create reports using spreadsheets.

With Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations serving as the central ERP platform, the organization now has a stronger foundation for consolidated reporting and financial management.

Todd noted that reporting processes have become significantly more straightforward because information is managed within a connected Microsoft environment, making it easier to work with data, create reports, and leverage familiar tools such as Excel.

“Our finance team can create reports, export to Excel, make a few changes, and upload them back in. We weren’t able to do that before.”

This connected architecture reduces manual effort, improves data accessibility, and gives leadership a stronger foundation for financial and operational visibility.

Building a Foundation for Future Innovation

While the project delivered immediate operational benefits, Inland Tarp & Cover views the platform as a long-term investment.

The organization continues to work with Encore on enhancements, refinements, and continuous improvement. Rather than treating the implementation as a one-time project, Inland Tarp & Cover sees the platform as something that can evolve alongside the business.

The low-code capabilities of the Power Platform also provide greater flexibility, allowing the organization to make certain improvements internally while relying on Encore for larger strategic initiatives.

“The ability to have some ownership and control over that platform is really powerful for us.” — Todd Hoffer, IT Manager, Inland Tarp & Cover

Looking ahead, Inland Tarp & Cover is exploring additional Microsoft modernization initiatives, including SharePoint and Microsoft Copilot, as part of its broader strategy to create a more connected digital environment.

For Todd, Copilot’s future value depends on having the right digital foundation in place first:

“I want to get fully vested in the Microsoft ecosystem with our files before we do anything with Copilot because that’s where I think the force multiplier is going to come from. Being able to have Copilot within our Microsoft ecosystem and knowing it’s going to honor the permissions and security that’s already in place is really important.”

Reflecting on the broader impact of the project, Todd summarized the transformation this way:

Photos from ITC Services.