In Illinois, mine subsidence is more than a geological curiosity—it’s a real threat to homes and businesses built atop historic coal mining tunnels. Since 1979, the Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund (IMSIF) has been a lifeline for property owners, ensuring financial support when the ground literally shifts beneath them. But while IMSIF was protecting others from instability, its own operations were built on shaky technological ground.
That changed when Covenant Technology Partners, a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP), stepped in to help IMSIF modernize its systems, connect its data, and build a resilient digital foundation using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Power BI, and Microsoft Fabric.
The Problem Beneath the Surface
IMSIF’s legacy system was a custom-built solution maintained by a single developer for nearly two decades. When that developer retired, IMSIF was left with a fragile infrastructure, siloed data, and manual processes that slowed down everything from claims to reimbursements.
“Claims, payments, reimbursements, and surveying were all managed in parallel systems,” said Lynn Glatt, Microsoft Dynamics ERP Solution Architect at Covenant. “They were entering the same data three to four times.”
The risk wasn’t just operational—it was existential. Without a clear understanding of how the legacy system worked, IMSIF faced the possibility of losing critical functionality.
Agile Transformation with Covenant
Covenant didn’t just bring technical expertise—they brought a human-centered approach. Instead of a traditional waterfall rollout, Covenant introduced agile methodology, allowing IMSIF to participate in weekly sprints and iterative feedback loops.
This approach helped IMSIF see results faster and feel more ownership over the new system. Even small changes—like renaming “project” to “claim” in Business Central—made a big difference in user adoption.
“The agile process allowed us to be grounded in a good methodology,” Glatt explained. “They had the ability to see and embrace a solution sooner.”
From Manual to Modern
As IMSIF embraced the new system, they began rethinking their workflows. Covenant introduced Power BI and Microsoft Fabric to unify data across claims, premiums, financials, and vendor management. The results were dramatic:
- 100% reduction in duplicate work for claims and premiums
- 300% reduction in administrative burden for the surveying team
- Real-time analytics via dashboards updated every 15 minutes using Azure Data Lake
At the core of the transformation was Azure DevOps, which provided a transparent, collaborative space for tracking progress and sharing updates. IMSIF could set priorities, monitor development, and communicate seamlessly across Microsoft Teams and Outlook.
A Partnership Built to Last
With the successful implementation of Business Central, Power BI, and Fabric, Covenant’s role evolved from solution provider to strategic partner. IMSIF signed a yearly managed services agreement to continue improving their systems, manage security, and stay aligned with Microsoft’s latest innovations.
“They were willing to listen and see through that iterative process,” Glatt said. “All the kudos in the world go to the leadership of that IMSIF team.”
Conclusion: A Stronger Foundation for Illinois
IMSIF now operates on a modern, secure, and scalable platform—ready to serve Illinois property owners with greater speed, insight, and confidence. Thanks to Covenant Technology Partners and Microsoft, the organization has not only future-proofed its operations but also embraced a culture of continuous improvement.
While mine subsidence remains a risk, IMSIF’s digital foundation is stronger than ever.