AbleLight, a nonprofit that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, sought a solution that would allow employees to publish links once and have those links available everywhere on AbleLight’s intranet. AbleLight obtained a free trial of My Links from Microsoft partner Dalikoo through the Microsoft commercial marketplace, then later expressed interest in buying a subscription. Dalikoo learned about AbleLight’s inspirational work and created a not-for-profit subscription tier for My Links within the marketplace. My Links enabled AbleLight’s frontline employees, who work in clients’ homes, to easily find and use organizational applications and links via the intranet.
Helping clients live their best life
AbleLight, formerly known as Bethesda Lutheran Communities, provides services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Founded in 1904 as a Christian mission, the Wisconsin-based nonprofit carefully designs its services to provide clients the support they need to live their best life.
AbleLight wanted to ensure access to applications, tools, and resources, whether its frontline employees were working from a desk or remotely with a mobile phone or tablet. To complicate matters, many of AbleLight’s support professionals spoke English as a second language, so AbleLight valued simplicity.
While searching online, AbleLight discovered My Links from Dalikoo.
Simple solutions that mesh with Microsoft platforms
Based in Ontario, Canada, Dalikoo is a leading vendor in the Microsoft 365 and Azure space. Dalikoo creates high-impact business applications that run on Microsoft 365 and are simple to use. In addition, Dalikoo offers consulting services for general cloud adoption and customization. By combining years of experience in the public and private sectors, Dalikoo is able to offer expert advice and a proven approach for enabling modern workplace practices through Modern SharePoint and Microsoft Teams.
Dalikoo’s My Links app serves as a central link repository that’s available through SharePoint and Microsoft Teams. Links can point to locations across a customer’s Microsoft 365 environment, as well as to any website. Users add and manage their links through an intuitive interface. After installing My Links in a SharePoint page and adding links, users can install the My Links web part in another location and the original links will be available at the new location. My Links can be installed in multiple SharePoint locations, always providing quick access to the original links list.
A frictionless try-and-buy experience
AbleLight obtained a free trial of Dalikoo’s My Links from the Microsoft SharePoint store on Microsoft AppSource. At the end of the trial, AbleLight contacted Dalikoo and asked for terms and pricing information for My Links. Over the course of several meetings, Dalikoo learned about AbleLight’s inspirational work with people with disabilities.
“AbleLight is pioneering life-changing services that empower people to thrive,” said Arik Kalininsky, Dalikoo CEO. “It’s important work, and we wanted to help in any way we could.”
The team at Dalikoo proceeded with creating a special not-for-profit subscription tier for My Links within the Microsoft commercial marketplace. Dalikoo then provided support and advice throughout deployment and beyond. The deployment was seamless and fully integrated within the SharePoint application add-on process.
Accessible links for all
When supporting clients, AbleLight employees often work in their homes instead of in an office. They spend the day and night focused on their activities, transportation, meals, personal care, and well-being, so technology tools need to be accessible at a moment’s notice.
Adding My Links to the AbleLight intranet put links to necessary tools within reach for all team members, being easily accessible from a browser or a SharePoint app via a laptop, a tablet, or a mobile phone. Team members were able to access tools for quality care, training, communication and collaboration, workforce management, and more with just a click or a tap.
“Utilizing Dalikoo My Links within our Microsoft 365 SharePoint intranet has made it possible for all of our end users to have access to our organizational links no matter where they go,” said Beth Harned, AbleLight Help Desk Manager.
The ability to include application icons with My Links made it easy to spot a needed app without reading through a long list. As an added bonus, savvy team members determined that they could customize and add their own personal links.
“My Links was an incredible addition to our intranet and turned out to be the perfect match,” Harned said. “My Links has supported AbleLight in ensuring people with developmental disabilities achieve their full potential, which makes the world shine brighter for all of us.”
“Seeing our My Links app having a positive impact within AbleLight is very rewarding,” Kalininsky said.
