Interviewee: Wilvert Blaauwendraad, ICT manager
Employees: 300+
Connected systems: AFAS, Active Directory, Entra ID
Category: Identity and access management (IAM)
Quotes translated from Dutch.
Introduction
DAEL Groep is a diverse group of installation companies active in fields such as climate systems, telecom, security and inspection. Through the acquisition of specialist companies and bringing them together under one roof, DAEL has grown into a strong player in the installation sector.
Each of these companies brings its own expertise, from solar panel installation to inspections and complex network infrastructure.
The challenge: growth calls for control over IT processes
As ICT manager, Wilvert Blaauwendraad works on bringing all DAEL companies together into one streamlined IT organisation. By centralising systems and processes, DAEL aims for standardisation, simplification and phasing out applications it no longer needs.
How did the need for an IAM solution arise?
"We have grown fast as an organisation, but many processes were still manual," says Wilvert. "Especially in user management we felt we lacked control. Accounts were not always created on time, procedures were not consistent and the data in AFAS and Microsoft 365 did not match."
To make further automation possible, reliable source data was essential.
"If the foundation is not right, you only get more problems. That is why we first wanted to set up the joiner, mover and leaver process properly, from a single version of the truth."
Wilvert Blaauwendraad, ICT manager
The solution: the IAM process automated
Together with KoppelHet, DAEL automated the joiner, mover and leaver process. With AFAS connected as the trusted source for Active Directory and Entra ID, user accounts are now created, updated or deactivated automatically based on HR changes. This provides:
- Timely and correct user accounts
- Automatic creation of email addresses and assignment to groups
- Consistent source data for further automation
- Insight into licences, access rights and provisioning
- Better security through standardisation, such as 2FA for everyone
"Thanks to KoppelHet's user comparison between the HR system and our AD, we quickly saw where AFAS and Microsoft differed. That gave us a lot of insight and control," says Wilvert.
What the integration does
- Joiners, movers and leavers. A new employee in AFAS has an account in Active Directory and Entra ID in time. Changes follow, and after the leave date the account is deactivated.
- Per DAEL company. Each company in the group gets accounts with its own email domain and a recognisable display name.
- Data. Job title, manager, department, company, office location, contract type, hire and leave date go along, so groups and access rights can be based on them.
- Back to AFAS. The email address goes back to AFAS, so HR can see which address someone uses.
How did the collaboration with KoppelHet go?
We experienced the collaboration with KoppelHet as pleasant and direct. "Things could be arranged quickly and the flexibility within the IAM process was a real plus for us. You can take it in many directions, and what is there now simply works well. From here we can take further steps to automate our IAM process and, as a next step, look at connecting various target systems."
From a strong foundation towards the future
With KoppelHet IAM as a solid foundation, DAEL is now building a mature IT landscape. "Before, there was hardly an IT department. Now we are building one. Because the source data is now correct, we can start working on job profiles, dynamic groups per company and further security."
There is certainly a wish to connect more target systems over time, but according to Wilvert it is important to get the foundation right first, and many other projects are running at the same time. "We want to be in control ourselves. Right now, with the number of groups, we sometimes cannot see the wood for the trees. Thanks to KoppelHet IAM, we can now build on a good foundation."
