Today’s utility companies are looking for ways to improve business and technology efficiencies across the enterprise. Many of them are finding it with Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure’s SAP integration module. The integration module connects Intergraph G/Technology to SAP applications, which improve the integration and management of core IT processes and business functions such as network asset and mobile workforce management.
Unlike costly point-to-point interfaces between IT systems, our SAP integration module uses web services to enable enterprise application integration. Because it’s web services-based, the integration module improves the flexibility of a utility provider’s IT processes and systems while lowering the total cost of ownership. It also supports a wide range of different integration points with SAP.
Here’s a look at how our SAP integration module improves business and technology efficiencies within the utility enterprise.
Removing Disconnected and Redundant Systems
Many utility companies have multiple, disconnected business process management systems across their organization. The integration module enables dynamic connections between core systems and information, which helps to consolidated IT resources onto a single enterprise platform. It’s the real-time connectivity and consolidation of systems that eliminates inefficiencies like having to manually enter the same data on multiples systems. Because the integration module creates a single enterprise platform, having and maintaining multiple systems is unnecessary.
Accessing and Updating Network Data in Real-time
Another big benefit to the integration module is updating and accessing utility network and enterprise business data in real-time. For example, if a utility network asset is added to or updated in the Intergraph G/Technology database, it is also automatically modified in the SAP database, and vice versa, saving time and creating business efficiencies. Consider this, an assessor using a tablet out in the field can update and feed network asset information into an outage management system, customer service system and work management system simultaneously. This increases efficiency and leads to the next benefit: improving network data currency and quality.
Improving Network Data Currency and Quality
The result of combining a single enterprise platform with real-time data is more current and higher-quality information. The integration module enables utility network and other enterprise data to be updated automatically available across multiple systems, which reduces data availability times and human error. Data currency and quality are critical to supporting business operations, coordinating work processes, analyzing data across platforms, and making informed decisions.
Optimizing Mobile Workforce Management
With the latest network data in real time, dispatchers and supervisors can schedule planned work and, in the case of outages, determine which crews have the right equipment and skills to fix damaged lines during outage events. When paired with a tablet or other smart devices, the integration gives field crews the ability to quickly update work orders and respond to new ones. Crews can indicate they’ve just finished one job, ask what needs to be done next, and see what crews are available. The collected network data is not only helpful for storm assessment and outage restoration purposes, it’s also helpful for normal maintenance work that utilities must perform. With the integration module, utility companies can easily access historic network outage data and schedule field crews accordingly.
If you would like learn more about how Snohomish Public Utility District is leveraging our SAP integration module and web services with Intergraph G/Technology, check out this article on Electric Energy Online.
