Case study: Microsoft Fabric Implementation for Equifinance

Customer overview

Equifinance provides mortgage solutions for individuals who may not meet the criteria for traditional high street lending. This often includes customers with non-standard credit histories, complex financial circumstances or a need for alternative financing options.

 

As the organisation continued to grow, access to accurate, timely and trusted data became increasingly important for operational efficiency, regulatory compliance and informed decision-making.

 

Equifinance's existing data platform had become increasingly difficult to support as business requirements evolved. The underlying technology and design principles no longer provided the flexibility, scalability or governance needed to support future growth.

 

The organisation required a modern data architecture that would:

• Replace the legacy data management solution
• Bring together data from multiple sources into a single, governed platform
• Establish a single source of truth for reporting and analytics
• Improve data reliability and consistency across the business
• Support enhanced reporting and business intelligence capabilities
• Provide a scalable foundation for future data initiatives
• Strengthen security, governance and regulatory compliance

Equifinance also wanted a solution that could support ongoing business-as-usual operations without creating unnecessary complexity for internal teams.

 

Solution

Ultima designed and implemented a modern data platform built on Microsoft Fabric, providing Equifinance with a scalable and secure foundation for data management and analytics.

 

The solution consolidated data from multiple business systems into a unified platform, making it easier to manage, govern and analyse information across the organisation. By centralising data and standardising processing, Equifinance gained greater visibility and confidence in its reporting.

 

Key components of the solution included:

 

• Microsoft Fabric medallion architecture

  A layered medallion architecture was implemented to organise and manage data throughout its lifecycle. This approach improved data quality, governance and traceability while providing a structured pathway from raw data ingestion through to business-ready reporting datasets.

• Microsoft Azure SQL Managed Instance

  Azure SQL Managed Instances provided a secure and highly available data storage layer. This enabled Equifinance to modernise its database environment while benefiting from a managed service that reduced operational overheads.

• Data pipelines and dataflows

  Automated pipelines and dataflows were introduced to streamline data ingestion, transformation and movement between systems. This reduced manual effort, improved consistency and helped ensure data was available when needed.

• Power BI integration

  Power BI was integrated as the reporting and analytics layer, enabling business users to access trusted data through interactive dashboards and reports. This provided clearer visibility into business performance and supported more informed decision-making across the organisation.

Customer perspective

“We chose to work with Ultima on this project as not only did they bring the necessary expertise to deliver the solution required, but they are also leaders in their field for working collaboratively with a client to ensure that not only the solution is appropriate but also that the transition to live and BAU is well managed.” Kieran Park, CTO, Equifinance

 

Outcomes

The new Microsoft Fabric platform has provided Equifinance with a modern data foundation that supports both current operational needs and future growth.

 

• Improved data reliability

  By consolidating data into a single governed platform, Equifinance has greater confidence in the accuracy and consistency of its reporting.

• Enhanced decision-making

  Access to trusted, business-ready data enables teams to make more informed decisions and respond more effectively to changing business requirements.

• Greater cost efficiency

  The modernised architecture reduces the overhead associated with maintaining legacy systems and supports a more efficient approach to data management.

• Strengthened regulatory compliance

  Improved governance, security and data controls help Equifinance meet regulatory requirements while providing greater transparency across its data estate.

 

Business impact

By modernising its data platform with Microsoft Fabric, Equifinance has established a scalable and secure environment that supports reporting, analytics and future innovation. The organisation now benefits from a unified view of its data, enabling more confident decision-making while creating a strong foundation for continued growth.