BMW Group | Connected supply chain cockpit
for cross-plant and cross-system material planning
Implementation Highlights
- Further development of the Supply Chain Cockpit and addition of new features
- Presentation of consolidated data in a single view via numerous SAP and other system interfaces
- Connection of additional areas and plants to existing cloud applications
- Enabling parallel operation of S/4HANA and SAP ECC
- Exploration of new application areas for supply control and material management
- Replacement of Z transactions in the SAP environment with cloud applications
Starting point
To get closer to the goal of cross-plant material control, dispatchers need a tool that also displays the material planning data outside their own plant. However, since the different plants are not in the same SAP system, the BMW Group started developing a cross-plant cockpit some time ago, which is now called the Supply Chain Cockpit.
This is a web-based solution with a user interface that uses apps to provide a cross-system and cross-plant view of the supply situation. This allows the dispatcher to view information on the demand and inventory situation of all relevant plants in a consolidated view.
The project team successfully manages and develops a variety of technologies in a complex system infrastructure.
To achieve this, employees from five companies work together in a scrum team via daily coordination rounds and short communication channels.
Challenges
Estimating the effort required for software projects is a challenging task. As the Supply Chain Cockpit was being further developed, users presented new requirements in regular workshops. In addition, changes to improve the application were derived on the basis of the support tickets that had been received. All requirements were collected, documented in user stories and verified both functionally and technically. After an effort estimation and complexity evaluation, they were scheduled in sprints and implemented in a three-week cycle. The challenge here was combining T-shirt Sizing and the complexity matrix.
As mentioned at the beginning, the company has numerous SAP ERP systems in operation. A long-term conversion to SAP S/4HANA requires, among other things, a reimplementation or redesign of the interfaces. This has led to the requirement to enable parallel operation of S/4HANA and the ERP system using the functions of the Supply Chain Cockpit.
On the user side, the switch from the familiar, daily-used SAP system to a web-based cockpit solution often poses a challenge.
Project goals
A dispatcher must ensure that all components and sufficient stock for all plants and dispatching areas for which he is responsible are available at the right time and that the ordered quantities arrive on time. One of the major challenges here is to react adequately to unexpected events. Examples of this are late orders, delayed deliveries or spontaneously increased demand. The aim of supply control in such a case is to quickly find and implement a solution. For CONSILIO, the project goal was a continuous further development of the Supply Chain Cockpit.
Key benefits for the customer
As part of the further development of the Supply Chain Cockpit, new high-performance features have been added that have both improved the interface and simplified the technical process. This has made it possible to connect further business areas and plants to existing cloud applications. The Supply Chain Cockpit makes it possible to operate S/4HANA and the ERP system in parallel.
Newly developed, integrated tools have made it possible, for example, to stop using Excel or sending fax messages. Existing Z-transactions in the SAP environment have been replaced by cloud applications. The CSC's wide range of sorting and filtering options has boosted user acceptance.
BMW Group
- Industry: Automotive
- Business sector: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft is a publicly listed automobile and motorcycle manufacturer that also operates as BMW Group. Its product range includes the automobile and motorcycle brands BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce, as well as the BMW sub-brands BMW M and BMW i.
- Web: www.bmwgroup.com
