| 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
Based on our comprehensive evaluation using the decision matrix provided, BlueWorx emerges as the recommended mobile solution for Syensqo. Operating on the Neptune platform, BlueWorx combines the strengths of a specialized Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) application with enhanced flexibility.
This platform supports a wide range of maintenance tasks including work order management and inspections, and its flexibility allows for easy adaptation to deliver functionality tailored to your specific business needs. With robust offline support, advanced synchronization features, and a user-friendly interface across both mobile and desktop platforms, BlueWorx ensures seamless integration and efficient maintenance operations. These capabilities make BlueWorx an ideal choice for enhancing mobile capabilities within plant maintenance scenarios at Syensqo.
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
Required Fiori application will be available on the mobile device whilst online
Constraints
The latest BlueWorx support pack that is associated to S/4HANA FPS01 requires Neptune platform to be upgraded to DXP23.
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 is an innovative and comprehensive solution designed to mobilize SAP Plant Maintenance, offering seamless usability on both mobile devices and desktop browsers. Its core functionality includes:
- Work and service orders
- Notifications
- Comprehensive asset inspections
- Functional location details
- Equipment details
- Material balances, issues, reservations and exchange
- Measurement reading list
- Measurement points
- Measurement documents
- Bills of materials
- Documents
BlueWorx features a responsive SAP user interface that mirrors the intuitive design of next-generation SAP Fiori applications. It supports offline operations without additional servers or complex setups, ensuring consistent performance across various screen sizes. Unlike competitors, BlueWorx maintains a unified codebase for mobile and desktop platforms, eliminating the need for separate versions and providing consistent functionality across all devices.
BlueWorx Landscape
BlueWorx operates within your existing S4 Hana system without requiring SAP SMP, SAP Gateway, or proprietary servers. It leverages SAP-certified Neptune Software and is developed within its own namespace in SAP, ensuring independence from customer-specific developments. This integration approach simplifies deployment and enhances compatibility with your ERP infrastructure, supported by recommended security measures like SAP Web Dispatchers for securing ERP access.
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 | PRO: Provides synchronization capabilities suitable for typical maintenance tasks CON: Customization required for complex synchronization | PRO: Provides strong and integrated synchronization functionality with SAP backend, ensuring real-time updates and data consistency across mobile and desktop platforms | PRO: 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 | PRO: Provides online and offline capabilities with advanced offline mode features. Supports seamless synchronization of data |
| Application | CON: A customized application tailored to current business needs, which would necessitate extensive redesign to align with an upgrade to S/4HANA and new business processes. | PRO: A structured and process-driven application that encompasses a wide range of functionalities, enhancing the overall user experience. Standard Fiori apps are also accessible while online on the Syensqo network. | PRO: Delivers a SAPUI5 user experience that closely mirrors SAP Fiori. A major strength of this solution, powered by the Neptune Software development framework, is its flexibility to effortlessly adapt to meet specific customer requirements and validated return on investment (ROI) criteria. |
| Technical Objects | PRO: Provides functionality for managing technical objects, including Function Locations and equipment. | PRO: Provides comprehensive functionality for managing technical objects, also supports detailed management, real-time updates. | PRO: Provides functionality for managing Function Location & Equipment, also supports complex hierarchies, detailed tracking, and integration capabilities. |
| Notification | |||
| Create and Manage | PRO: 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 | PRO: 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. | PRO: 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 | PRO: Supports functionality for attaching files to notifications, such as images or documents. Also supports the ability to "markup" the photo, drawing with additional information | PRO: Robust attachment support, allowing various file types to be attached to notifications | PRO: Advanced attachment capabilities, supporting multiple file types and integration, with easy access to view and manage attachments. |
| Status Updates & Tracking | PRO: Provides functionality to update/change Notification Status. Supports real-time updates but may occasionally require manual refresh. Limited details on status history | PRO: 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 | PRO: 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 | PRO: Provides standard functionality for creating and managing work orders. Users can generate and update work orders based on their authorizations | PRO: Offers robust and integrated work order management, with comprehensive features and seamless SAP backend integration, ideal for EAM processes. | PRO: Excels in work order functionality with advanced features, extensive customization options, and strong support for EAM processes, suitable for large environments |
| Attachments | PRO: 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 | PRO: Robust attachment support, allowing various file types to be attached to work orders and integrated within the SAP system. | PRO: Advanced attachment capabilities, supporting multiple file types and integration, with easy access to view and manage attachments. |
| Status Tracking | PRO: Standard Work Order statuses, based on the status profile of the Work Order type, are updated in real-time when online. | PRO: 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. | PRO: Configurable work order statuses in which 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 | PRO: Providing robust tools for creating, managing, and tracking maintenance tasks that covers all requirements including choosing an operation from a predefined "standard list". Offers a user-friendly interface that supports seamless navigation and real-time updates | PRO: 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. | PRO: 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 | PRO: Provides the ability to search, view and assign Task List associated to the Function Location or Equipment | 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. |
| Spare Parts | PRO: Enables users to manually enter, search, or scan materials needed for Work Order Operations. Additionally, it supports viewing and assigning spare parts linked to a Bill of Materials (BOM) associated with Function Locations or Equipment. | PRO: Enables users to manually enter, search, or scan materials needed for Work Order Operations. Additionally, it supports viewing and assigning spare parts linked to a Bill of Materials (BOM) associated with Function Locations or Equipment. | PRO: Enables users to manually enter, search, or scan materials needed for Work Order Operations. Additionally, it supports viewing and assigning spare parts linked to a Bill of Materials (BOM) associated with Function Locations or Equipment. |
| 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 Permit to Work functionality integrated with SAP backend, supporting creation, approval, and compliance checks for permits. | CON: Whilst BlueWorx supports WCM functionality, it does not support the creation, approval and issuing of permits. |
| Time Confirmation | PRO: Allows standard time confirmation entry with flexibility for various types of time entries. | PRO: Offers extensive functionality for time confirmation, including the ability to enter time for single or multiple operations simultaneously, operations spanning multiple days, clock in/clock out capabilities, and confirmation of notification activities. | PRO: Offers intuitive functionality for capturing time confirmations, allowing users to confirm time for specific operations and add confirmations to multiple operations. Crew managers also have the capability to add time to orders on behalf of their crew, enhancing operational efficiency. |
| Scanning | PRO: Supports QR and RF scanning capabilities for materials and equipment, enabling real-time asset tracking and efficient management. | PRO: Supports QR and RF scanning capabilities for materials and equipment, enabling real-time asset tracking and efficient management. | PRO: Supports QR and RF scanning capabilities for materials and equipment, enabling real-time asset tracking and efficient management. |
Evaluation
When evaluating EAM mobility solutions, Option A (Neptune PM Apps), Option B (SAP Service and Asset Manager), and Option C (BlueWorx) all offer robust capabilities but slightly differ in key areas. Neptune PM Apps provides strong online and offline support with flexibility for customer-specific requirements, making it suitable for current business needs, though it requires significant customization to align with new S/4HANA functionalities and business processes. SAP Service and Asset Manager excels in integration with SAP systems, offering comprehensive asset management functionalities and real-time data synchronization, making it ideal for organizations seeking a seamless, integrated solution with robust process-driven capabilities.
Among the three, BlueWorx stands out for its advanced synchronization features, strong offline capabilities, and flexibility to adapt to specific customer requirements. It offers a consistent user experience across mobile and desktop platforms and supports a wide range of maintenance tasks, including work order management, notifications, and complex inspection rounds. Additionally, BlueWorx is more cost-effective compared to SAP Service and Asset Manager, making it an attractive option for Syensqo looking to enhance their maintenance operations. BlueWorx is recommended for its ability to be easily adopted and configured to align with business processes, ensuring efficient maintenance operations with minimal disruption and maximum efficiency.
*The evaluation scoring system ranges from Low to Very High. In this system, a low score indicates a negative attribute, such as high costs.
| Criteria | Weight | Option A Neptune PM App | Option B SAP Service & Asset Manager | Option C BlueWorx |
| Synchronization | Weight | High | Very High | Very High |
| Online & Offline Capabilities | H | High | Very High | Very High |
| Function Location | M | High | High | High |
| Equipment | M | High | High | High |
| Notification | VH | High | High | High |
| Work Order | VH | High | High | High |
| Work Order Operation | VH | High | Medium | Very High |
| Task Lists | H | High | Low | High |
| BOMs | H | Very High | Medium | High |
| Inspection Round & Checklist | VH | Low | High | High |
| Permit to Work | M | Low | High | Low |
| Time Confirmation | H | Medium | High | High |
| Scanning | M | High | High | High |
| Spare Parts | H | High | High | High |
| Application | M | Medium | High | High |
| Technical Complexity | M | Medium | High | High |
| Interface | L | Medium | High | Medium |
| Licenses & Cost | M | High | Low | Medium |
| User Experience | VH | Medium | High | High |
| Scalability | H | High | High | High |
| Future Roadmap | M | Low | High | Medium |
| Overall | Medium | High | High |
See also
The following section describes relevant documentation:
Document Name | Description |
Summary outline of the BlueWorx product capabilities from a ‘SAP functional’ perspective | |
Product overview, Functional & Technical Information | |
Business Definitions (Glossary)
Acronym / Term | Definition |
KDD | Key Design Document |
SAM | SAP Service and Asset Manager |
| VH | Very High |
| H | High |
| M | Medium |
| L | Low |
