Fair Work Commission

From Complexity to Clarity: Digitising Australia’s Wage System with MARS 

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) replaced its outdated Modern Awards Pay Database (MAPD) with a new system called Modern Awards and Rates System (MARS). Developed by Exco Partners using Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Azure, MARS is a low-code, scalable platform designed to streamline award management, reduce operational risk, and enable business users to manage complex pay data independently. The transformation significantly enhanced processing speed, data accuracy, and user autonomy, supporting FWC’s broader digital strategy and improving compliance and efficiency in managing over 70,000 pay rates across 155 modern awards.

The engagement

What we did. 

Rules EngineData FactoryDataversePower AutomatePower PlatformAzure Function AppsProject ManagementVisual/Web DesignDevOpsData IntegrationBusiness AnalysisTesting & QACloud EngineeringPower Apps / Power PlatformMicrosoft Dynamics 365Solution ArchitectureData Migration

Background

The Fair Work Commission (FWC), Australia’s national workplace relations tribunal, faced growing challenges managing over 70,000 pay rates across 155 modern awards. Its legacy system, the Modern Awards Pay Database (MAPD), was outdated, heavily manual, and dependent on IT support—posing significant risks during the Annual Wage Review (AWR), a time-critical process that must be completed by 30 June each year.

To address these challenges, FWC partnered with Exco Partners to deliver a modern, scalable solution that would streamline operations, reduce risk, and empower business users. The result was the Modern Awards and Rates System (MARS)—a low-code platform built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Azure.

The Challenge

MAPD had become a bottleneck. Business users couldn’t make direct updates, edge cases required manual workarounds, and the system lacked visibility and auditability. These limitations increased the risk of delays and errors, especially during the AWR. FWC needed a future-ready platform that could handle complex compliance requirements while reducing IT dependency.

The Approach

Exco Partners adopted a phased, agile delivery model. The project began with stakeholder engagement to define requirements and identify pain points. Rapid prototyping and iterative development enabled early feedback and continuous refinement. A secure data migration process ensured the accurate transfer of over 70,000 pay rates, while the solution was designed to align with FWC’s Microsoft Azure strategy.

Outcome

What changed. 

The Solution

MARS is a modern, low-code platform that empowers business users to manage complex award formulas, pay rates, and document templates independently. Built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Azure, it integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365, SharePoint, internal systems, and the public website - ensuring real-time access to accurate award data. Key capabilities include:

  • Low-code/no-code architecture for rapid delivery and reduced development costs
  • Configuration-based design to lower long-term maintenance overhead
  • API-enabled integration with internal and external systems
  • Secure deployment within FWC’s Azure environment
  • User-friendly interface supporting self-service data management
  • Scalable foundation for future automation and enhancements

This alignment with FWC’s broader digital strategy ensures long-term sustainability and innovation across its digital ecosystem.

The results:

MARS was successfully used for a dual run of the FY25 Annual Wage Review, delivering identical results to the previous manual process on time and with reduced effort. Key achievements include:

  • User empowerment: Business users now manage pay rates and templates without IT support
  • Automation of edge cases: Previously manual workarounds are now handled by built-in logic
  • Real-time data availability ensures the public always has access to the most current pay rates and award conditions.
  • Scalable structure: Positioned for future automation and improvements

Outcomes

  • Faster document template creation
  • Reduced IT dependency, freeing technical teams for strategic work
  • Scalable architecture, ready for future enhancements
  • Decommissioning of legacy platforms
  • Significant drop in ICT support tickets

More work

Related cases. 

Fair Work Commission: Delivering Fairness FasterFair Work Commission

Fair Work Commission: Delivering Fairness Faster

The FWC aimed to modernise its unfair dismissal conciliation services, which were hindered by outdated systems and manual processes. Partnering with Exco Partners, they adopted a human-centred design approach to build a seamless, secure, and scalable digital platform using Microsoft technologies. The solution included AI-powered case routing, a customer portal and automated workforce management tools. These innovations significantly improved case handling efficiency, agent productivity, and public engagement. The transformation continues, with future enhancements focused on expanding AI capabilities and refining service delivery.

Read the case

Get in touch

Let’s build something difficult. 

If you would like to know more, we would love to hear from you. Tell us about the change you’re planning and we’ll bring the people who’ve delivered it before.

Contact usFollow on LinkedIn