diff --git a/Meeting Brief - SR Automation.md b/Meeting Brief - SR Automation.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f5148a8 --- /dev/null +++ b/Meeting Brief - SR Automation.md @@ -0,0 +1,86 @@ +# SR Automation — Meeting Brief + +## What is this tool? + +SR Automation is an Excel VBA macro running on a Windows VM. It is used by the Argentina team to process monthly subscriber reports from ~80 Polish cable/IPTV operators for Disney. + +**How it works today:** +1. Polish operators send their monthly subscriber data via email (Excel/ODS/PDF attachment, subject: `RAPORTY`) +2. The macro connects to a generic Outlook mailbox, downloads attachments, and parses the data +3. Parsed data is compared against the Disney AIS historical data to detect discrepancies +4. Output files are generated per operator and saved locally +5. **Manual step:** results are uploaded to Disney's AIS system by a team member (Disney has not agreed to direct API write access — this step stays) + +--- + +## Known Issues + +### Tool / Technical Bugs + +| # | Issue | Impact | +|---|---|---| +| 1 | Macro skips items during processing | Missing data in output, requires re-run | +| 2 | No crash recovery — re-running after a crash produces corrupted output | Team must know to close and reopen the file; if they re-run without doing so, garbage data is generated | +| 5 | Two clients sharing one email address — identification logic fails | Incorrect subscriber values assigned to wrong operator | + +### Configuration & Process (Human Error) + +| # | Issue | Impact | +|---|---|---| +| 3 | Mapping is maintained manually in an Excel sheet — additions, deletions, misconfigurations happen; some contracts have non-standard rules (e.g. client billed for only 80% of subscribers) | Wrong output values, requires manual correction | +| 6 | Team selects wrong reporting period | Entire run processes wrong month | + +### Client Behavior (Outside Tool's Control) + +| # | Issue | Impact | +|---|---|---| +| 7 | Some clients return the Excel template filled in as a scanned image or PDF instead of the original Excel file | Cannot be parsed automatically; requires manual handling | + +### Already Resolved +- Rounding errors — fixed in current version + +--- + +## VM Performance Problem + +The macro runs on an Azure Virtual Desktop. Processing time for the **same dataset** varies significantly: +- Normal: ~10–15 minutes +- Bad days: 1–2 hours + +The root cause is VM-level (Azure resource contention, CPU throttling) — not the macro logic itself. This has been getting worse over recent months and is the most visible pain point for the Argentina team. + +**This cannot be reliably fixed within the current Excel/VM architecture.** + +--- + +## Future Vision + +Replace the Excel VBA macro + VM with a background service. The Argentina team would see ready data at the end of the month — no manual import, no waiting. + +**Proposed stack:** +- **n8n** — workflow automation platform to orchestrate the end-to-end pipeline +- **Database** — store monthly extracts persistently; enables month-over-month history and audit trail +- **Microsoft Graph API** — connect to generic mailboxes via API, replacing the Outlook COM dependency + +**What this solves:** +| Current problem | How new architecture addresses it | +|---|---| +| VM performance unpredictable | Service runs in cloud, no VM dependency | +| Re-run after crash corrupts data | Database-backed processing is idempotent — safe to re-run | +| Manual mapping in Excel prone to errors | Mapping stored in database, manageable via UI | +| Team selects wrong reporting period | Period auto-detected from email date | +| No history between months | Database retains all extracts by period | + +**What stays the same:** +- Manual upload to Disney AIS (Disney requirement — no direct API access) +- Client-side issue with PDF/image submissions (process enforcement needed on operator side) + +--- + +## Open Questions for This Meeting + +1. **RPA vs n8n** — Argentina team was exploring RPA as an alternative. How does that align with the n8n direction? Is there a preference or constraint on tooling? +2. **Ownership model** — Jan has the domain knowledge; transformation team has the engineering capacity. What does collaboration look like? +3. **MVP scope** — what must work in v1 to replace the current tool for the Argentina team? +4. **Timeline** — when can the team realistically start? Are there dependencies (Azure AD app registration for Microsoft Graph, infrastructure provisioning)? +5. **Quick wins** — are there issues from the list above that can be patched in the current tool while the new service is being built?