The Requirements

To address the challenges, the client was looking at immediate stabilization of the system and long-term sustainability. With this in mind, the following key requirements were identified:

• • Core Workflow Stabilization: Eliminate existing bugs in key workflow processes, including registration, email system, reporting, and commerce systems. Ensure that the stabilized system aligns seamlessly with the client's specific business requirements.
  • Long-Term Maintainability and Scalability: Develop a system architecture that is not only bug-free but also maintainable for the long run, including a seamless migration from Drupal 8 to Drupal 10 to ensure future scalability and compatibility.

The Solution

Streamlining registration & subscription workflows:

• Designed custom workflows for all subscription types, enabling users to save the subscription as draft and opt for checkout/payment at their convenience.
• As subscription payment is part of the registration, our solution streamlined tax-exempt checkouts using intelligent metadata flags without disrupting user journey.
• Developed a seamless renewal workflow for both the users/subscribers of the website  (frontend) and the  platform’s administrators (backend).
• In case of backend renewals, we set up a secure payment link with a choice of payment options, so that users can complete the renewal process.
• Ensured better security and easy access across all connected apps by enabling SSO login.

Resolving email system discrepancies:

• Enabled flexibility in email notification systems by enabling admins to configure desired notification types without developer dependency.
• We modernized the email system by leveraging Drupal Plugin APIs, making it flexible. The new architecture is designed to adapt - whether it's adding a new type of email alert or integrating with other communication channels like SMS or social media messaging in the future, the system is extensible and easily manageable by both developers & admins.
• Activated Drupal API-Enabled Plugins:
  • Action Plugin: Simplifies the task of linking specific events like ’subscription status’ to email the corresponding email template.
  • Channel Plugin: Manage channel specific notification, which supports sending automated emails with or without attachments. In future, it can be extended to support processing notifications from other channels like SMS and social messaging apps like Whatsapp.
  • Recipient Plugin: Customizes recipient lists for targeted communication. 

Streamlining reporting & analytics:

Developed a reporting framework to streamline data management and enable easy data retrieval. It includes:

• API integration to Microsoft SharePoint directory to easily access reports via the Azure cloud 
• PowerBi integration to automate workflows, simplify processes, visualize and analyze data better
• Access to multiple reports via bulk report download to simplify data retrieval
• Advanced filtering capabilities that ensures users access specific data they require and make it readily available for download

Re-configuring recurring pricing calculations & coupon issues:

• Implemented custom code that allows differential pricing depending on user subscription type
• Fixed issues with promotions and coupons that were present in the system due to a previous faulty version

Upgraded from Drupal 8 to Drupal 10:

To stabilize the platform and leverage the latest features, we opted for a direct migration from Drupal 8 to Drupal 10, bypassing the Drupal 9 upgrade to save time. Our strategic approach included: 

• Custom Module Review: We thoroughly reviewed and updated the custom modules from Drupal 8, refactoring any deprecated code to ensure compatibility with the new functionalities of Drupal 10.
• Building Custom Upgrade Module: We developed a specialized upgrade module to apply all essential database and schema updates, securing a complete and efficient transition directly to Drupal 10.

Tech Stack

Business Benefits

• Efficient subscription management contributed to operational efficiency, reduced administrative costs, and better user experience.
• Developed a robust and manageable email system that empowered developers and administrators.
• Delivered an event-driven notification system for better collaboration between marketing, development, and administrative teams. 
• A more intuitive and user-friendly backend interface made administrative tasks more straightforward and less time-consuming.