Streamlining Project Creation in Oil & Gas with SAP

EasyStepIn helped a global oil and gas company automate project creation in SAP PS, addressing challenges like manual effort and data inconsistencies. By integrating SAP BTP, EasyStepIn enhanced SAP EPPM and implemented a scalable automation solution. The results included a 15% reduction in operational expenses, improved data integrity, and increased efficiency. This transformation optimized portfolio and project management processes. The client is now positioned for sustained success in the energy sector.

Client Background & Overview

This global oil and gas exploration and production company is committed to efficiently extracting and delivering energy products to meet the world's growing demand. Their operations leverage advanced technology and innovative solutions to ensure effective and sustainable energy production. By fostering collaboration, they aim to enhance operational efficiency and maintain a competitive edge in the global energy market.

Business Challenges

Manual Project Creation

The client faced challenges creating project structures in SAP PS, needing manual effort due to complex data elements.

Inefficiencies in Project Setup

Manual entry and lack of automation caused long processing times and inconsistent data, increasing error risks.

Lack of Scalability

The existing solution could not scale efficiently as the company expanded, complicating project demands.

Data Integrity Issues

Reliance on manual processes and disconnected systems led to data inconsistencies, reducing project data reliability.

Client Goals

Ensure Consistency
Automate Generation
Improve Efficiency
Maintain Core Cleanliness

Adherence to Enterprise Project Standards

A key objective for the client was to ensure that all project structures adhered to consistent enterprise-wide standards. Customizations and complex data elements in the previous solution led to inconsistencies across projects, causing potential misalignments and inefficiencies.
By automating the project structure creation, the client aimed to standardize processes, ensuring that all projects, regardless of size or complexity, met company-wide compliance requirements.

Reducing Manual Effort through Automation

The client aimed to eliminate manual intervention in project structure generation by automating the process in SAP PS. By replacing manual efforts with automated workflows, the goal was to significantly reduce time spent on repetitive tasks, minimize human error, and improve overall efficiency.
Automation would enable the creation of complex project structures, including Project Definitions, WBS Element Hierarchies, and Network Activities, without the need for constant manual oversight.

Accelerating the Capital Project Creation

The client recognized the need to enhance the overall efficiency of the capital project creation process. The previous manual processes were slow, requiring a considerable amount of time for the completion of even basic project structures.
With the introduction of automation and process optimization, the client sought to significantly cut down the time it took to initiate projects.

Optimizing SAP Functionality with Minimal Disruption

The client aimed to enhance SAP EPPM functionality without compromising SAP’s core integrity. The solution had to be scalable, flexible, and adhere to SAP’s clean core principles, avoiding heavy customizations that could lead to system complexity or instability.
By leveraging SAP BTP and introducing a streamlined automation process, the goal was to improve the platform’s capabilities while maintaining its core cleanliness.

EasyStepIn's Solution Approach

EasyStepIn developed a comprehensive and automated solution to address the inefficiencies in the client's existing project creation process. By replacing the legacy SAP ECC custom solution, EasyStepIn eliminated the need for manual intervention in generating project structures. The integration with SAP BTP played a pivotal role in optimizing the entire process, ensuring a seamless flow of data across systems. This integration allowed for automation of key project elements like Project Definitions, WBS Element Hierarchies, and Network Activities, significantly reducing time and minimizing errors. Additionally, EasyStepIn's solution improved data consistency, ensuring uniformity across project structures and enhancing overall project management efficiency.

Project Structure Automation

Automated the generation of Project Definitions, WBS Hierarchies, and Network Activities, reducing manual input and minimizing errors.

Integration with Cloud Platform

Leveraged cloud technologies to enhance project management, ensuring seamless data flow and optimizing integration for operational efficiency.

Future-Ready Scalability

Designed a scalable solution to handle increasing project complexities, ensuring adaptability to the client’s evolving needs and growth.

Compliance with Standards

Automated enforcement of enterprise-wide project standards to ensure consistency and compliance, reducing inconsistencies and improving quality.

Time Reduction in Project Creation

Automated manual processes, cutting project setup time by eliminating repetitive tasks, allowing for faster launches and efficient resource management.

Enhanced Data Consistency

Improved data integrity by automating data entry, reducing human error, and ensuring uniformity across project structures for better reporting.

Business Outcomes

15% Reduction in Operational Expenses

Automation of project creation reduced manual effort, enabling a 15% cut in operational expenses and optimizing resource use.

Improved Efficiency & Reliability

Streamlining project creation sped up timelines and enhanced data consistency, leading to more reliable execution with fewer errors.

Greater Scalability

The solution’s design allows easy scalability for growing project demands, handling larger data volumes and complex structures.

Simplified Execution

Automating project setup and structure generation improved speed and reduced human error, resulting in faster project kick-offs.

Enhanced Data Integrity

Automation of project structures eliminated manual data entry, greatly reducing errors and ensuring integrity for accurate reporting.

Increased Compliance & Consistency

The solution ensured compliance with project standards, generating structures per enterprise guidelines and improving consistency across projects.

Client Feedback

The automation of project structure creation has transformed our operations. EasyStepIn’s solution significantly reduced processing times, allowing us to manage projects more efficiently. The improved data accuracy and consistency across all projects has had a positive impact on our decision-making and reporting.

With the new system, we’ve seen a dramatic reduction in errors, and the scalability of the solution has ensured we are prepared for future growth. EasyStepIn's approach to integrating SAP BTP was seamless and has made project management more reliable than ever. This solution has truly optimized our processes and positioned us for long-term success.