SAP Service and Asset Manager, enhanced with Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities and the Geographical Enablement Framework (GEF), makes a real difference in how businesses manage assets and field operations.
SAP recently hosted a webcast to address critical questions and provide insights into this powerful integration. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the benefits and requirements of integrating GIS capabilities into SAP Service and Asset Manager. It also offers insights into why enterprises from industries such as Utilities, Oil and Gas, Transportation and Logistics, the Public Sector, and Government should consider integrating GIS and GEF into their SAP Service and Asset Manager.
Enhancing SAP Asset Management with GIS & GEF
Improved Asset Visualization: GIS provides a visual representation of assets on maps, making it easier for asset managers to locate, monitor, and manage assets geographically. This can be particularly useful for companies managing large-scale infrastructure or dispersed assets.
Better Decision-Making: Integrating SAP Asset Management with GIS enhances decision-making by providing spatial context. Asset managers can analyse geographical patterns, optimise maintenance schedules, and plan resource allocation more effectively.
Increased Operational Efficiency: GIS data integrated with SAP Asset Management helps streamline field operations. Field technicians can access real-time geospatial data, plan efficient routes, and update asset information on-site, reducing downtime and operational costs.
Enhanced Data Integration: SAP GEF facilitates geospatial data integration with SAP systems. This ensures that asset management data is enriched with geographic information, providing a more comprehensive view of asset performance and condition.
Scalability and Future-Proofing: As asset management evolves, incorporating geospatial data becomes increasingly important. Even if a company doesn’t need GIS now, understanding and leveraging these capabilities can future-proof their operations and provide a competitive edge.
Practical Use Cases
Maintenance and Inspections: GIS integration allows for precise location-based maintenance scheduling and inspections. Assets that require attention can be easily identified on a map, and work orders can be generated based on geographic data.
Risk Management: Geospatial data helps identify risk-prone areas, such as those susceptible to natural disasters. This allows asset managers to implement preventive measures and allocate resources strategically.
Emergency Response: In emergencies, geospatial data integrated with asset management systems enables quick response by providing accurate asset locations and optimal routes for field personnel.
Grid and Network Management: Geospatial data is crucial for managing vast and complex networks of transmission and distribution lines, substations, and other infrastructure.
Field Operations: Geospatial data helps maintenance and repair crews locate assets, plan routes, and optimise workflows.
Outage Management: Identifying and responding efficiently to outages relies on geospatial analysis.
By integrating GIS data into your SAP Service & Asset Management, your enterprise can accomplish improved visualisation, better decision-making capabilities, and more efficient field operations, providing a comprehensive and advanced asset management solution.
Q&A – SAP Service and Asset Manager GIS & GEF
Source: “SAP Service and Asset Manager GIS & GEF” Webcast by SAP
| Question | Answer |
| Only data from GEF (within S/4HANA) is shown as GEF or business layers. There’s no relation to the GEF UI? | That’s correct. |
| In SAP S/4HANA, Equipment, Fl, Notification, and Order will have geo codes populated as part of master data. Visualisation is through ArcGIS base maps. Is this correct? | Yes, geo data will reside in GEF or ArcGIS and visualisation is carried out using ArcGIS base maps. |
| If we want to use GEF data, it will be overlaid on ArcGIS base maps. Do we need licenses for both ArcGIS and S/4HANA GEF? | Yes, that’s correct. The mobile app uses ArcGIS runtime SDK to display the maps. |
| Does the integration of Google Maps require an additional license? | Yes, an additional license key is needed. |
| From a mobile perspective, are there any benefits to using GEF vs using Esri directly? | The main benefits are performance and sync, as GEF is co-located with the S/4 system, so no querying ArcGIS for geo-data is needed. |
| We have no ESRI and use only GEF for maps in our Fiori apps. Can we use the map feature in SSAM? | For SSAM, you will require a basic free-tier license to use the runtime SDK. |
| Is there any plan to integrate Google Maps like the FMS mobile app? | Yes, it is on the roadmap. |
| When you create a notification from the map, where are X/Y coordinates stored in the SAP notification? | Geo-coordinates are always saved in Esri ArcGIS or GEF, depending on the integration setup. |
| If maps are available offline, did mobile device requirements change from previous releases to allow for more storage space? | No new requirements. It depends on the available space on the mobile device. |
If you want to learn more about how SAP Service and Asset Manager GIS & GEF integration can enhance your operations, please contact us here for a no-obligation discussion on how we can help. On Device Solutions (ODS) is an SAP Gold Partner and a specialist IT consultancy for SAP enterprise mobile solutions.
As a dedicated partner, we share in SAP’s continued dedication to growth and innovation, providing businesses with advanced tools to streamline operations and increase productivity.
