Executive Summary
We partnered with a statewide nonprofit legal organization to modernize and automate its employee onboarding process using a secure, serverless AWS architecture. By replacing manual account provisioning workflows with an automated backend system, the organization reduced administrative overhead, improved accuracy, enhanced security controls, and enabled seamless user account creation with real-time notifications—all without disrupting daily operations.
Impact
- Reduced onboarding time from multiple hours to automated execution within minutes
- Eliminated repetitive manual account provisioning tasks
- Improved permission accuracy and policy alignment
- Enabled real-time automated notifications for users and administrators
- Increased operational transparency through centralized logging and tracking
- Strengthened security posture with encrypted processing and IAM-based access controls
- Reduced administrative workload and internal IT dependency
Key Services
- Serverless Workflow Automation
- Secure User Provisioning & Role-Based Access Implementation
- Web-Based Onboarding Portal Deployment
- Email Notification Automation
- Access Governance & Policy Enforcement
- Monitoring & Operational Visibility Enablement
- Managed Cloud Operations & Continuous Optimization
Industry
- Public Interest Law
- Nonprofit Organization
Key Technologies
- Amazon S3
- AWS Lambda
- Amazon DynamoDB
- Amazon SES
- AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)
- Amazon CloudWatch
- AWS Key Management Service (KMS)
- Amazon VPC
The Challenge: Manual Onboarding Bottlenecks
The organization operates with a lean administrative structure while supporting mission-critical legal services across the state. As new employees and volunteers were onboarded, internal teams followed a multi-step manual process to create user accounts, assign permissions, configure access controls, and notify relevant stakeholders.
This workflow typically involved: Multiple manual touchpoints across departments, Repetitive data entry into internal systems, Delays in provisioning system access, Inconsistent permission assignments, Email notification gaps, Limited visibility into onboarding status. Although manageable at smaller scale, the process became increasingly inefficient as staffing activity grew. Manual provisioning created delays for new hires, introduced avoidable human error, and required IT administrators to repeatedly execute the same tasks.
The organization needed a solution that would: Eliminate repetitive manual onboarding steps, Ensure consistent and policy-aligned permission assignment, Provide secure access controls and auditability, Automatically notify both administrators and new users, Reduce turnaround time from request to access. Importantly, the solution had to integrate smoothly into existing workflows and avoid introducing complexity for non-technical staff.
This workflow typically involved: Multiple manual touchpoints across departments, Repetitive data entry into internal systems, Delays in provisioning system access, Inconsistent permission assignments, Email notification gaps, Limited visibility into onboarding status. Although manageable at smaller scale, the process became increasingly inefficient as staffing activity grew. Manual provisioning created delays for new hires, introduced avoidable human error, and required IT administrators to repeatedly execute the same tasks.
The organization needed a solution that would: Eliminate repetitive manual onboarding steps, Ensure consistent and policy-aligned permission assignment, Provide secure access controls and auditability, Automatically notify both administrators and new users, Reduce turnaround time from request to access. Importantly, the solution had to integrate smoothly into existing workflows and avoid introducing complexity for non-technical staff.
BeCloud designed and implemented a secure, automated onboarding platform built using a serverless architecture on Amazon Web Services (AWS). Rather than relying on traditional infrastructure-heavy deployments, we leveraged a lightweight web interface hosted securely via Amazon S3 static website hosting, protected with secure access controls. Authorized personnel can log in, provide new hire details through a structured form, and initiate the onboarding process with a single action.
Once submitted, the backend automation engine executes a predefined onboarding workflow. The process includes: User account creation, Role-based permission assignment, Access policy configuration, Internal system updates, Automated email notifications to stakeholders, Confirmation emails to the new user
AWS Lambda functions orchestrate the workflow logic, executing backend operations without requiring dedicated servers. This serverless model ensures scalability, resilience, and minimal operational overhead. The entire process runs securely within a controlled AWS environment, with encrypted communications and tightly scoped permissions.
Once submitted, the backend automation engine executes a predefined onboarding workflow. The process includes: User account creation, Role-based permission assignment, Access policy configuration, Internal system updates, Automated email notifications to stakeholders, Confirmation emails to the new user
AWS Lambda functions orchestrate the workflow logic, executing backend operations without requiring dedicated servers. This serverless model ensures scalability, resilience, and minimal operational overhead. The entire process runs securely within a controlled AWS environment, with encrypted communications and tightly scoped permissions.
The Solution: Secure Serverless Automation on AWS
Strengthening Security, Consistency & Operational Efficiency
By transitioning from a manual onboarding model to a structured automated workflow, the organization significantly improved operational efficiency and governance.
The new solution ensures that: Every new account follows standardized provisioning logic, Permissions are assigned consistently according to role definitions, Notifications are delivered automatically and reliably, Administrative oversight is maintained through logging and tracking, Sensitive information is processed within secure AWS services
Automation reduced dependency on individual administrators, minimized risk of configuration errors, and improved compliance posture through centralized monitoring and audit logs. The result is a faster, more secure onboarding experience that allows new team members to begin contributing immediately—without waiting for manual provisioning steps.
The new solution ensures that: Every new account follows standardized provisioning logic, Permissions are assigned consistently according to role definitions, Notifications are delivered automatically and reliably, Administrative oversight is maintained through logging and tracking, Sensitive information is processed within secure AWS services
Automation reduced dependency on individual administrators, minimized risk of configuration errors, and improved compliance posture through centralized monitoring and audit logs. The result is a faster, more secure onboarding experience that allows new team members to begin contributing immediately—without waiting for manual provisioning steps.
As the organization continues expanding its impact and volunteer network, the automated onboarding platform provides a scalable foundation for future growth.
The architecture supports predictable scaling, allowing the organization to handle increasing onboarding activity without infrastructure expansion or additional IT staffing. The serverless model also ensures cost-efficiency, as resources are utilized only when workflows are triggered.
Beyond onboarding, the framework is extensible—enabling potential future enhancements such as automated offboarding workflows, audit dashboards, integration with document management systems, and advanced reporting.
The architecture supports predictable scaling, allowing the organization to handle increasing onboarding activity without infrastructure expansion or additional IT staffing. The serverless model also ensures cost-efficiency, as resources are utilized only when workflows are triggered.
Beyond onboarding, the framework is extensible—enabling potential future enhancements such as automated offboarding workflows, audit dashboards, integration with document management systems, and advanced reporting.
A Foundation for Scalable Administrative Operations
Ongoing Managed Services & Operational Excellence
Beyond implementation, BeCloud continues to serve as the managed services provider for the automation environment.
Our ongoing engagement includes proactive monitoring, workflow optimization, permission reviews, security posture assessments, and cost analysis. We ensure that automation processes remain reliable, secure, and aligned with AWS Well-Architected best practices.
Through continuous oversight and operational tuning, we help the organization maintain a streamlined administrative process—allowing leadership and staff to focus on advancing access to justice rather than managing internal IT workflows.
This partnership ensures that technology remains an operational accelerator—not a bottleneck—in fulfilling the organization’s mission.
Our ongoing engagement includes proactive monitoring, workflow optimization, permission reviews, security posture assessments, and cost analysis. We ensure that automation processes remain reliable, secure, and aligned with AWS Well-Architected best practices.
Through continuous oversight and operational tuning, we help the organization maintain a streamlined administrative process—allowing leadership and staff to focus on advancing access to justice rather than managing internal IT workflows.
This partnership ensures that technology remains an operational accelerator—not a bottleneck—in fulfilling the organization’s mission.