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Innovative Data Visualisation Tool Transforms Microsoft Tax Department’s Complex Internal Processes

Client Snapshot

Profile

This client is a U.S.-based, leading producer of clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy.

 

Situation

The company had invested in several thousand Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses and had only rolled out 30% of what had been purchased. They were looking for a trusted partner to help successfully introduce the remaining licenses and increase the number of satisfied Copilot users.

 

Work Performed

Protiviti partnered with the client to develop a strategic plan to roll out the new technology and increase adoption. Simultaneously, we introduced change management principles to encourage support for Microsoft Copilot across the organisation’s pilot user groups.

 

Outcome/Benefits

Leveraging the Copilot dashboard to monitor usage and new user adoption support resulted in an 82% adoption rate and an increase of 161% in Copilot actions. Specific application use was driven by training and outreach – for example, creating a 690% increase in Word document drafting.

 
This tool enhances how we visualise our corporate structure, intercompany agreements and more. It will provide lasting benefits for Microsoft tax practitioners.
-Kirk Muzzy, VP, –Chief Tax Counsel

Accelerators and a multi-phased approach

Given the specific challenges the client faced with legacy technologies, we identified how we would deliver effective solutions:

ChallengesSolutions provided 
Two redundant encryption technologies causing conflicts and poor user experienceCustom solutions developed to decrypt files in bulk while preserving metadata
Need for a streamlined technology strategy to embrace AI and reduce technical debtFour-part project focusing on file decryption, sensitivity labels, DLP policies, and AI governance
 

Leveraging proprietary technology developed through years of data migration and protection work, we built a solution capable of scanning, decrypting, re-encrypting, and restoring files at scale, preserving metadata and chain of custody. This tool, uniquely customised for the client’s requirements, formed the foundation for a transformative multi-workstream engagement.

The work was divided into four major phases:

  • Deploying the encryption remediation utility to identify and decrypt files impacted by legacy tools.
  • Rolling out Microsoft Purview Information Protection (MIP) sensitivity labels to over 98,000 users, ensuring a seamless and policy-aligned transition to Microsoft-native encryption.
  • Analysing and consolidating over 350 legacy DLP policies down to 65 streamlined policies deployed within Microsoft Purview DLP—simplifying policy management and enhancing control.
  • Implementing AI governance and security controls to prepare the organisation for safe, secure, and compliant Copilot adoption.

Change is good … but requires training

Recognising the importance of user adoption, we also developed and conducted extensive administrator and end-user training sessions for the client’s staff. These sessions covered best practices for data handling and security, how to effectively use new tools and a session dedicated to understanding and adhering to newly implemented data governance policies. We also provided change management support to ensure a smooth transition to the new system and foster a culture of data security and compliance within the organisation.

Long-standing partnership yields results

The migration of legacy encrypted files to Microsoft Purview, a unified classification and encryption platform, improved and simplified the overall end-user experience for over 98,000 users, and generated immediate savings to the client of $1 million+ in third-party license costs. Modernising the client’s data loss prevention policies, we consolidated and streamlined over 350 data loss prevention policies to a more manageable 65.

This engagement exemplifies how Protiviti brings together deep technical expertise, agile IP development, and robust organisational change management to deliver enterprise-grade digital transformation while meeting complex regulatory and operational requirements typical of global financial institutions.

As one of Microsoft’s most trusted partners, Protiviti continues to build solutions that are not only innovative and utilise A-enabled capabilities, but sustainable and scalable—meeting clients exactly where they are and helping them lead the way forward. 

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