| Status | |
| Owner | Dean Leighton |
| Stakeholders | The persons consulted or otherwise involved in making this decision. Type @ to mention people by name |
Issue
This Key Decision Document (KDD) serves as a comprehensive guide outlining critical decisions, considerations, and recommendations essential to the implementation and management of a EAM Mobility solution to best support business process and incorporate the new functionalities S/4HANA will bring to Syensqo. It aims to clarify the rationale behind exploring and evaluating the following mobile applications SAP Service and Asset Manager and BlueWorx applications in comparison to the existing Neptune solution.
Key areas covered in this document include:
- Benefits and drawbacks of each solution, including factors such as efficiency, accuracy, safety, and compliance.
- Overview & Background
- Design Options
- Evaluation
- Recommendation
- Business & Project Impacts
Overall, the purpose and structure of the KDD ensure clarity, transparency, and accountability throughout the process of adopting and utilising mobile devices for Work Management and execution within Syensqo.
Recommendation
Summarise the recommendation being made for the reader, leaving the pro/con evaluation and exact decision-making process to the subsequent sections.
Background & Context
The Mobility solution plays a crucial role in the Work Management process, facilitating the effective and efficient management of maintenance activities, including the oversight of material spares. It streamlines work management by providing real-time access to critical data and functionalities, empowering field personnel to efficiently execute maintenance tasks.
Syensqo is in the process of implementing the Neptune Mobile Solution across its global plants. Presently, 46 plants worldwide have successfully adopted and are actively utilizing the Neptune Mobile Solution for their work management processes.
This document aims to compare the Neptune PM Apps with SAP Service and Asset Manager, and BlueWorx as the EAM (Enterprise Asset Management) mobility solutions as Syensqo transitions from SAP ECC to S/4HANA.
The below high-level requirements have been collated from current mobility functionality, discussion with Symax team representatives and future requirements based on the ERP Rebuild Conceptual design:
- Synchronization
- Online & Offline Capabilities
- Technical Objects (Functional Location & Equipment)
- Notification
- Work Order
- Work Order Operation
- Task Lists
- BOM’s
- Inspection Round & Checklist
- Permit to Work
- Work Execution
- Time Confirmation
- Bar Code Scanning
- Spare Parts
- Asset Performance
Assumptions
Clearly describe the underlying assumptions which informed or limited the choices available, or impacted the decision: cost, schedule, regulatory requirements, business drivers, country footprint, technology, etc. Include links as necessary. This section is important because a future change in circumstances might invalidate some key assumptions, which then prompts a decision to be revisited.
Business requirements based on As-Is discovery, these may/will be refined further in detail design.
The current Neptune DX Platform will remain and be utilised for BlueWorx application software if selected
Constraints
Capture any additional constraints that the chosen alternative (i.e. the decision made) might impose on other parts of the overall design, solution, or processes.
Impacts
Describe the impact of the decision on processes, infrastructure, other SAP modules or systems, data cleansing and migration, developments, automations, interfaces, in-flight projects, etc.
Business Rules
The decision may translate into business rules which enforce the decision and will require configuration. List these business rules here. For example, "An Outline Agreement cannot be created via the RFQ process. An awarded RFQ can only result in a Purchase Order".
Options considered
Option A: Neptune
Neptune PM Apps software sits on Neptune DX Platform Planet 8 module (formerly known as Neptune UX Platform) is an SAP-certified application development platform that sits on top of an existing ABAP system. It enables you to design, build, deploy and maintain SAP Fiori apps in a fraction of the time it takes with other platforms—accelerating the delivery of desktop, mobile and offline solutions.
Syensqo Neptune PM currently supports the below applications which are represented as individual “tiles” on the mobile device
PM Notification – Create
PM Notification – List
PM Work Order - Pending
PM Work Order – List
My Operations
PM Operations – Display
Operation Scan – Status & Time Confirmation
PM Operations – Time Confirmations
Inspection Rounds
Maintenance Checklist
Generic Job List
PM Task List
Material – Display
Material Reservation
Equipment Exchange – Install/Dismantle
Equipment Status – Update
Scan – Func loc./Equi
Some plant maintenance applications can be accessed from another application. The following schema shows which application has a remote access point. Some functionalities can only be accessed through those points (ex: creating a Work order is only possible from Notification list).
Option B: SAP Service and Asset Manager
SAP Service and Asset Manager is designed for managing enterprise assets and maintenance activities, forming a key part of SAP's comprehensive suite of asset management solutions. It offers robust functionalities for asset tracking, maintenance planning, work order management, inspection management, safety compliance, and asset performance monitoring.
Maintenance technicians, supervisors, and asset managers use SAP Service and Asset Manager to streamline maintenance workflows, perform asset inspections, execute work orders, and track asset health and performance indicators.
As an SAP solution, it is optimized for seamless integration with S/4HANA, ensuring real-time data synchronization and streamlined workflows between the mobile app and the core ERP system. Furthermore, integration with IoT devices enables real-time monitoring and data collection, enhancing maintenance efficiency and asset performance.
SAM Landscape
SAP Business Technology Platform Mobile Services, or SAP BTP services, provides services to mobile applications, such as application analytics, app resources, onboarding, and HTTP/HTTPS configuration.
Option C
BlueWorx
The table below provides a detailed breakdown of the functionalities of the options discussed above.
| Option A - Neptune PM App | Option B - S/4HANA Service & Asset Manager | Option C - ZAG BlueWorx | |
| Synchronization | Provides synchronization capabilities suitable for typical maintenance tasks CON: customization required for complex synchronization | Provides strong and integrated synchronization functionality with SAP backend, ensuring real-time updates and data consistency across mobile and desktop platforms | Provides synchronization functionality with advanced features, ensuring seamless data integration and synchronization across various operational scenarios. |
| Online & Offline Capabilities | PRO: Provides strong support for both online and offline modes, allowing users to perform tasks without constant connectivity. | PRO: Robust online and offline capabilities, leveraging SAP's technology stack for reliable data synchronization and real-time updates | Provides online and offline capabilities with advanced offline mode features. Supports seamless synchronization of data |
| Application | Multiple Apps are required to cover required functionality, both standard and customized | Single App holds a large range of functionality, lending to a better user experience. Standard Fiori apps will also be available whilst online on the Syensqo network | |
| Technical Objects | Provides functionality for managing technical objects, including Function Locations and equipment. | Provides comprehensive functionality for managing technical objects, also supports detailed management, real-time updates. | Provides functionality for managing Function Location & Equipment, also supports complex hierarchies, detailed tracking, and integration capabilities. |
| Notification | |||
| Create and Manage | Provides functionality to create and update notification with a view of all fields including item codes and previous equipment history. Separate applications used for creating and list of Notifications | Offers comprehensive tools for creating detailed notifications, including templates and predefined fields. Allows for detailed updates to notifications, with seamless integration to reflect changes immediately in the SAP backend. | Offer functionality for Users to view, create and update Notifications. Only when connected, users can see previous Notifications specifically for an Equipment or Functional |
| Attachments | Supports functionality for attaching files to notifications, such as images or documents. Also supports the ability to "markup" the photo, drawing with additional information | Robust attachment support, allowing various file types to be attached to notifications | Advanced attachment capabilities, supporting multiple file types and integration, with easy access to view and manage attachments. |
| Status Updates & Tracking | Provides functionality to update/change Notification Status. Supports real-time updates but may occasionally require manual refresh. Limited details on status history | Ability to update status real-time updates with immediate reflection of status changes across the system (when online). Status history tracking, with detailed logs of all status changes and timestamps | Allows status updates with seamless real-time status updates, ensuring all changes are instantly visible (when online). Status tracking capabilities with detailed status information and history |
| Work Order | |||
| Create and Manage | Provides standard functionality for creating and managing work orders. Users can generate and update work orders based on their authorizations | Offers robust and integrated work order management, with comprehensive features and seamless SAP backend integration, ideal for EAM processes. | Excels in work order functionality with advanced features, extensive customization options, and strong support for EAM processes, suitable for large environments |
| Attachments | Supports functionality for attaching files to Work Order, such as images or documents. Also supports the ability to "markup" the photo, drawing with additional information | Robust attachment support, allowing various file types to be attached to work orders and integrated within the SAP system. | Advanced attachment capabilities, supporting multiple file types and integration, with easy access to view and manage attachments. |
| Status Tracking | Standard Work Order statuses, based on the status profile of the Work Order type, are updated in real-time when online. | Work orders in SAP Service and Asset Manager can have standard statuses such as Start, On Hold, and Completed. These statuses are updated in real time when online and follow a predefined Status Profile workflow that integrates directly with the Work Order. | Configurable work order statuses in BlueWorx can be unique to each user unless linked to SAP User Statuses. For example, one user might have the order marked as "In Progress," while another might have it marked as "Paused." Statuses can either operate independently of or be linked to SAP standard Order and Order Operational User Statuses. Optionally, these statuses can trigger updates to the corresponding SAP Order and Operations User statuses. |
| Work Order Operation | |||
| Operation Details | Providing robust tools for creating, managing, and tracking maintenance tasks that covers all requirements. Offers a user-friendly interface that supports seamless navigation and real-time updates | Offers a user-friendly and intuitive interface that ensures effortless access and management of work order operations. Provides streamlined functionality for executing maintenance tasks efficiently, aligned with business processes. | Offers advanced capabilities encompassing all required Work Order operation functionalities, with easy access to view and manage requirements based on processes. Design for efficient task management and enhanced user experience |
| Task Lists | CON: No standard functionality available to view or import a task List into a Work Order | PRO: Offers the capability for users to assign selected Task Lists to their profiles. These Task Lists can be viewed and imported into new or existing work orders. Users also have the option to refine their selected Task Lists before importing them. | |
| Create and Manage | |||
| Execution Tracking | |||
| BOMs | |||
| View and Manage | |||
| Spare Parts Association | |||
| Inspection Round & Checklists | CON: Enhancement required, limited offline capabilities. suitable for routine inspections but lacks advanced features. | PRO - comprehensive and integrated functionality for setting up and managing inspection rounds, checklists, and associated tasks. Integration with SAP backend ensures real-time updates and compliance. | PRO: Provides functionality with extensive features for creating and managing complex inspection rounds, checklists, and tasks. Supports detailed compliance checks and reporting. |
| WCM - Permit to Work | CON - Requires customization for complex workflows and integrations | PRO - Provides comprehensive WCM functionality integrated with SAP backend, supporting creation, approval, and compliance checks for permits. | CON - Excels in WCM functionality with robust features for creating, approving, and managing permits, ideal for industries requiring stringent permit management processes. |
| Work Execution | |||
| Real-time Execution | |||
| Offline Execution | |||
| Time Confirmation | |||
| Log Work Hours | |||
| Approval | |||
| Scanning | |||
| Barcode/QR Code Scanning | |||
| RFID Scanning | |||
| Spare Parts | |||
| Inventory Management | |||
| Spare Parts Request |
Evaluation
Outline why you selected a position. The best format could be a pro/con table (sample below), but is up to you as the author. You must consider complexity, feasibility, cost/effort to implement, but also ongoing operational impact and cost. You must consider the program principles and explain any deviations in detail. This is probably as important as the decision itself.
A key benefit Asset Manager and BlueWorx brings the functionality is held within a single application,
moving to S/4HANA also always access to Fiori app directly on the mobile device (online only for the Fiori apps) if required
| Synchronization | High | High | High | |
| Online & Offline Capabilities | High | High | High | |
| Function Location | High | High | High | |
| Equipment | High | High | High | |
| Notification | Medium | Medium | High | |
| Work Order | Medium | High | High | |
| Work Order Operation | Medium | High | High | |
| Task Lists | Medium | Medium | High | |
| BOMs | Medium | Medium | High | |
| Inspection Round & Checklist | Medium | Medium | High | |
| Permit to Work | Medium | High | High | |
| Execution | Medium | Medium | High | |
| Time Confirmation | Medium | High | High | |
| Scanning | Medium | Medium | High | |
| Spare Parts | Medium | Medium | High | |
| Technical Complexity | Medium | High | High | |
| Interface | High | High | Medium | |
| Licenses | Medium | Low | Medium | |
| Cost | Medium | Low | Medium | |
| User Experience | High | High | Medium | |
| Scalability | Medium | High | High | |
| Future Roadmap | High | High | Medium |
See also
The following section describes relevant documentation:
Document Name | Description |
Summary outline of the BlueWorx product capabilities from a ‘SAP functional’ perspective | |
Business Definitions (Glossary)
Acronym / Term | Definition |
KDD | Key Design Document |
| VH | Very High |
| H | High |
| M | Medium |
| L | Low |
