Hi All,
I am looking for some guidance regarding how to develop our planned maintenance system within SAP PM.
We have been using SAP for an embarrassingly long time without ever really getting the best from it. Indeed we have even struggled to get decent training. Any stories of how you guys developed and use your systems would be gratefully received.
We use notifications to log failures and work required but have yet to get to grips with which type of notification is most suitable. Also we use work orders to initiate repairs and services and to record times and history etc. We have a set of schedules which are being developed but need a lot of work.
We are a cement factory in the UK and are open to suggestions and recommendations with regard to training and development. There may even be a job going for the right person

What version of SAP are you using now? How to contact you?

Greetings,

SAP Planning and Scheduling is not the simplest thing to perform to achieve with Vanilla SAP. There are certified solutions available, and my company actually sells one called eMESA.

You should check out http://www.dts-global.com/ and the product eMESA with is essentially a web front-end for SAP that includes planning and scheduling. Check out the Voice Narrated video demos and screenshots. It could be worth your time and make your use of SAP much easier!

I am going to be in the UK from June 20th, 2008 to June 30th, 2008 (speaking at a Maintenance Conference for SAP Users) an would be glad to meet up if you have any interest.

Please let me know your thoughts.

Bart Lorang - DTS

Thanks Bart,
Hi Josh,
Not sure of the version, I will check and post it. You can reach me at:-
camrat@live.com

Camrat,

It sounds like your company, and they are not alone, believe that implementing SAP PM will instantly give them world best maintenance processes.

Remember, SAP is just another tool. Your company needs to work out what their business processes are, how SAP fits in to these and then communicate them to the users. I have seen many instances when SAP is blamed as being too complicated when in fact the problem was the company did not know what there business process was and users were being left to their own devices.
I recommend you start by sitting down and documenting what your current processes are. Identify areas of confusion, e.g. when to create a notification and of what type. Once the process has been agreed, then communicate this to your people and how to use SAP in context of this agreed process. I am sure all will then find SAP a much easier tool to use and understand.

Hi Camrat,

I agree with David on this. While trying to implement an optimal solution in SAP there are things you need to put in place first.

You need to clearly state the Maintenance Execution process that you want to implement using SAP, it simply will manage what you have already agreed to do.

I'll suggest as a first step if you are really not clear about the desired SAP requirements by your Maintenance Team, you engage a Maintenance Execution process Consultant whose Unique Service Proposition is centered around this service in other to bring out your desired corporate objectives. These are the things that'll inform your SAP configurations.

I am presently in Nigeria and may not be of physical help, but really ou could look out for any standard Work Preparation, Scheduling and Execution approach, that'll help you tidy that bit and I bet you what you have already configured in SAP may even be good enough as long as your SAP-PM module is configured at all in the first place.

Hi Camrat,

I agree with David on this. While trying to implement an optimal solution in SAP there are things you need to put in place first.

You need to clearly state the Maintenance Execution process that you want to implement using SAP, it simply will manage what you have already agreed to do.

I'll suggest as a first step if you are really not clear about the desired SAP requirements by your Maintenance Team, you engage a Maintenance Execution process Consultant whose Unique Service Proposition is centered around this service in other to bring out your desired corporate objectives. These are the things that'll inform your SAP configurations.

I am presently in Nigeria and may not be of physical help, but really you could look out for any standard Work Preparation, Scheduling and Execution approach, that'll help you tidy that bit and I bet you what you have already configured in SAP may even be good enough as long as your SAP-PM module is configured at all in the first place.

Hi David,

Part of what you say is not the case, SAP has been in place in our organisation for a very long time. However, the part about treating SAP as a tool and organising everyone to use it correctly is exactly what needs to happen. The trouble is nobody at the company really knows how to utilise the system to its best.
SAP MM is used right across our company to good effect. Its SAP PM where we lack direction and understanding.
The version we have is R/3

maybe you could start by capturing your business processes (current and to-be), and see what phases could be improved. once agreed upon across departments, then your configuration could start

tools like "5 whys" could help you map out problems.

I do hope i made some sense.

hans

There is a company in the UK that offers Planning and Scheduling training in SAP. As well, they are putting a workshop on at the TA Cook conference in Nov 2008 in Birmingham. Contact is Rick Taylor at +44 147 235 6035 with Prometheus Group.