Arcadia Integration Plan

## Architectural Integration and Scalability The meeting centered on the urgent need to establish a cohesive architectural framework for integrating Arcadia across the organization's applications, such as Navigator, DSS, and UVM. The current piecemeal approach, relying on manual processes to connect with Arcadia and download customer invoices, is unsustainable and creates conflicts, especially with shared clients. A long-term, scalable solution is required to manage customer IDs, send uniform notifications, and maintain a consistent data structure. - **Establishing a Unified Data Architecture:** The core proposal is to develop a shared Navigator database or user base. This system would pull data from Arcadia once and distribute it intelligently across all relevant applications, ensuring all teams operate from a single source of truth and can communicate effectively to avoid future conflicts and duplication of effort. ## Immediate Operational Goals with Arcadia The primary immediate objective is to leverage Arcadia to solve the most pressing operational bottleneck: the time it takes to download and process customer invoices, which currently averages around seven days. The strategy is to implement a phased approach, starting with a manual but faster process, while building the foundations for full automation in parallel. - **Phase 1: Manual PDF Download and Distribution:** The first milestone is to use Arcadia simply as a fast download source. Invoices will be pulled and placed into pre-defined, customer-specific folders on a shared directory. A manual cleanup process for this folder will be established (e.g., data purged every two weeks) to manage the influx. This step alone is expected to dramatically reduce the initial 7-day delay. - **Phase 2: Laying the Groundwork for Automation:** Concurrently, the team will work on the technical prerequisites for automation. This includes implementing clean credential logging to track Arcadia API calls and errors, and establishing a reliable webhook system from Arcadia to receive real-time notifications when new bills are available, which is critical for eliminating guesswork and assumptions in the billing cycle. - **Parallel Operational Streams:** It was emphasized that work on non-Arcadia-related processes (like template builds and ICDB cleanups) must continue. The goal is to fold Arcadia into the organization's optimized workflow rather than creating a separate, permanent "Arcadia work stream." ## Credential Management and Data Mapping A significant immediate blocker is the inconsistency in customer credentials stored across different systems (DSS and UVM). Cleaning and unifying these credentials is a prerequisite for successful and accurate automated data pulls from Arcadia. - **Credential Cleanup Process:** A dedicated operational resource is needed to review and correct credential mismatches. A new tool has been developed to highlight discrepancies-such as usernames/passwords that differ between systems or accounts that exist in one system but not the other. For a sample customer, mismatches numbered in the dozens, indicating a manageable but critical cleanup task. - **Data and Vendor Mapping:** Beyond credentials, there is a need to resolve vendor name mismatches between internal records and Arcadia's listings (e.g., "First Energy" might be listed under a different name in Arcadia). A separate list of approximately 30 such vendors requires review and mapping to ensure complete coverage. ## Team Structure and Resource Requirements To execute the plan, specific roles and resources were identified as necessary for both immediate tasks and long-term architectural success. - **Immediate Operational Support:** Two key roles are needed urgently: - A credentials specialist to systematically clean up the credential mismatches using the new tool. - An operations team (potentially leveraging an existing overseas team) to manage the manual process of downloading invoices from the new Arcadia-sourced folders and handling them through the existing workflow. - **Long-term Architectural Support:** The team identified a gap in solution architecture expertise. A dedicated solution architect is required to design the sustainable, high-level data flow and integration patterns that will allow Arcadia data to be used seamlessly across the entire Navigator platform (UBM, Carbon Accounting, etc.), ensuring the solution is built correctly for future scale. ## Preparation for Leadership Presentation The conversation shifted to preparing for an upcoming presentation to key business leaders, including Jim, Dan, and George. The goal is to showcase the platform's capabilities and its strategic role in feeding multiple business units. - **Presentation Structure and Key Messages:** The presentation will start by positioning the platform as the central "engine" that feeds critical services like Corporate Sustainability, Navigator Rebates, and retail commodity offerings. It must highlight collaboration with other teams and demonstrate how the platform adds value across the organization. - **Content Guidance and Cautions:** Specific advice was given to tailor the message for the audience: emphasize the retail/SaaS application first, as it aligns directly with sales strategy, and be prepared to discuss applicability to gas customers. A caution was raised to avoid mentioning a specific reference customer (Core Weave) due to its recent public financial difficulties.