Leveraging SAP Service and Asset Manager

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to describe the key capabilities of SAP Service and Asset Manager for mobile asset management.

SAP Service and Asset Manager

Introduction

Imagine you're managing a large fleet of vehicles or a complex network of machinery. Keeping track of maintenance schedules, repairs, and asset conditions can be overwhelming, especially when your technicians are spread across various locations. SAP Service and Asset Manager provides a mobile solution to streamline these processes, ensuring your assets are always in optimal condition.

SAP Service and Asset Manager is a native mobile application designed to transform field service and asset management. It empowers field technicians with the tools they need to access, capture, and work with asset and operational data directly on their mobile devices. This leads to increased productivity, improved data accuracy, and reduced downtime.

Addressing Business Challenges

Traditional asset and service management often faces challenges such as:

Knowledge retention: A retiring workforce can lead to a loss of valuable institutional knowledge.
Remote asset management: Managing and localizing remote assets, especially in global operations, can be complex.
Inefficient processes: Manual and paper-based processes can slow down operations and increase the risk of errors.

SAP Service and Asset Manager directly addresses these challenges by providing a digital, mobile-first solution.

Key Benefits

Real-time access to data: Technicians gain immediate access to asset data, work orders, and documentation, enabling faster and more accurate task completion.
Improved data accuracy: Mobile workflows guide technicians step-by-step through required procedures, reducing paperwork and administrative tasks.
Proactive maintenance: Remote diagnostics allow for addressing maintenance needs before they escalate into costly downtime.
Enhanced collaboration: Seamless communication and collaboration between technicians, supervisors, and back-office teams is facilitated.

Key Capabilities

SAP Service and Asset Manager offers several key capabilities:

Tailored mobile user personas: The app supports various supply chain management processes through mobile user personas, including maintenance, inventory, work clearance, and field service management. This persona-centric approach ensures that users have access to the features and information most relevant to their roles.
Seamless integration: Native integration with SAP ERP and SAP S/4HANA systems ensures efficient task execution and communication between the field and the back office.
Easy configuration: The application can be configured in a cloud-based editor using SAP Business Technology Platform Mobile Services and Mobile Development Kit. It is available for iOS, Android, and Windows.
Dynamic forms: SAP Dynamic Forms are integrated into the workflow, allowing technicians to eliminate paper forms, create and manage forms effortlessly, and access and submit forms online and offline.

technician holding a tablet showing 3d model of device parts

Mobile Personas

SAP Service and Asset Manager utilizes a persona-centric approach to deliver key capabilities to mobile end users:

Maintenance Technician/Supervisor: Executes proactive and reactive maintenance activities on plant assets.
Logistic Clerk: Manages parts and materials used in the maintenance or service execution process.
Field Service Technician: Executes service orders for customers at different locations.
Safety Technician: Isolates equipment to create a safe zone for maintenance activities.

Each persona has a specific set of features and a unique user experience tailored to their business processes.

Maintenance Technician

The maintenance technician can review assigned work orders and view all needed data, like required spare parts, production resources, and tools, or step-by-step operations during the physical maintenance task. After completing the job, the technician records data such as time spent and material consumption. The data is sent back from the mobile device to the ERP backend for back-office activities, such as further analysis.

Review Work Orders	Start Work Order	Execute Work Order	Complete Work Order	Finish and Synchronize
Use quick filters to prioritize orders execution Select work order and review its details (description, status, equipment readings, parts, assembly information, related notifications, attachments, and object lists)	Review and update the operations details if needed Assess the initial condition of the asset and share it with the supervisor Issue parts assigned to the work order/operations	Take equipment readings. Record inspection points and characteristics. Complete digital forms attached to operations or orders. Update notification details. Add attachments and notes. Perform individual or mass completion of operations. Prepare equipment Lock Out/Tag Out (LOTO) to ensure safe operations	Return unused parts Create a follow-up notification Add confirmation times, consumed parts, expenses, and notes Confirm tasks with signature Submit work order for supervisor review	View updated KPIs in mobile Automatic or manual synchronization with the backend Review of the next order

Logistic Clerk

As part of the logistic clerk persona, you can conduct inbound processing, such as Purchase or Production orders, and outbound activities, like reservations and ad hoc goods issues, on a mobile device. Additionally, you can perform tasks like physical inventory counts and stock transfers.

Create a Purchase Requisition	Receive Materials	Return Damaged Items to Vendor	Stock Look-up, Transfers, and Physical Inventory Count	Issue Materials
Order materials to replenish stock or an urgent order Add purchasing information (purchasing group, material number, quantity, price information, and desired supplier) Add additional items to the purchase requisition	Use quick filters to view inbound documents or scan the barcode on the incoming delivery to download the document if not already in your device Review material document details (item IDs, vendor, date, document type, and status) Enter quantity and serial number details, number of labels to print for each item, and get details on previously delivered items if a partial shipment	Select the items that are damaged and need to be returned Choose between goods receipt for Purchase Order reversal or return to vendor with the reason for return	Move stock from one place to another Scan the QR code on the bin and check availability in other storage locations Initiate a transfer and record movement type Count inventory in storage	Use quick filters to view outbound documents or scan the barcode on the outbound delivery and download the document if not already in your device Review material document details (material ID, items, date, document type, and status) Issue all material at once. For batch and serialized materials, issue them individually

Field Service Technician

The field service technician persona offers functionality similar to that of the maintenance technician but focuses on customer-centric service operations. Therefore, the UI is different to accomplish the business flow. For example, this persona can create a service check-out report at the end, including mileage and other costs, and have it signed by the customer on the mobile device.

Review Service Orders	Accept Service Order	Execute Service Order	Complete Service Order	Finish and Synchronize
Get a daily overview of the work assigned from the calendar view. Select service order/operation and review its details (equipment, service item, product ID, customer contact information, service requests, contract, warranty, and attachments) Transfer parts in stock to the vehicle	Accept, transfer, or reject the service Share location with the scheduler when travelling to the customer location Start the order and get to work	Follow 3D guided work instructions to execute service activities Complete service items Capture forms data for safety, procedures, and inspections Update service request details Add attachments and notes	Return unused parts to vehicle stock Add confirmation items and service contract, and warranty information. Add times, consumed parts, expenses (mileage, travel time), and notes Generate a service report and send it to the customer Add customer signature and sign off the order	View updated KPIs in mobile Automatic or manual synchronization with the backend. Service order gets the service report attached. Review the next order assigned

Safety Technician

The safety technician issues work permits, reviews safety certificates, and isolates equipment to create a safe working environment. After the maintenance technician completes the maintenance work order, the safety technicians untag the isolated item.

Issue work permit approvals	Review Safety Certificates	Tag Isolation Points	Complete Work Order*	Untag Isolation Items
Access work permits awaiting approval Review permit activity progress and details Issue all pending approvals	Review certificates associated with my assigned operations View work permit and certificate approval Review catalogs for PPE and Safety Job Analysis Review tagging sequence and operational items prerequisites Add isolation points missing in the operational items list	Scan tags at isolation points Enter lock number, attach a photo of the isolation point, and set operational item as tagged Add signature if required Continue to the next operational item in sequence	Return unused parts Create a follow-up notification Add confirmation times, consumed parts, expenses, and notes Confirm tasks with signature Submit work order for supervisor review	Scan tags at the isolation point Remove the lock and tag to de-isolate the item Set the isolation point as untagged Attach a photo and add a signature if required Automatic or manual synchronization with the backend

*Performed by a maintenance persona.

Architecture and Integration

The application integrates with SAP ERP backend systems via the Cloud Connector and the Mobile Application Integration Framework. This framework, an ABAP add-on component, provides the business logic for data synchronization. SAP Service and Asset Manager leverages the Mobile Development Kit on Mobile Services for customization using SAP Business Application Studio.

SAP Service and Asset Manager - high level integration architecture

Enhanced Productivity with Digital Forms

SAP Dynamic Forms enables business users to create and manage forms digitally, streamlining data capture and providing offline mobile access. This eliminates the need for paper-based forms, simplifies data capture, and reduces the risk of human error. SAP Dynamic Forms is an application running on SAP BTP and natively integrates with SAP Service and Asset Manager mobile app.

Summary

SAP Service and Asset Manager is a cloud-based mobile app that transforms field service and asset management by providing real-time access to data and streamlining workflows.
The app offers tailored mobile user personas for maintenance technicians, logistic clerks, field service technicians, and safety technicians, each with specific features and user experiences.
Seamless integration with SAP ERP and SAP S/4HANA systems ensures efficient task execution and communication between the field and the back office.