When it comes to maintenance and service operations, many companies are still reliant on paper-based processes or isolated, non-integrated systems. However, the combination of integrated digital resource planning and mobile applications offers significant potential for improvement. No matter the task, it all begins with personnel scheduling before a technician even takes action.
The maintenance planner assesses the necessary resources – such as tools or vehicles – and defines the required employee qualifications. A similar approach is used when dispatching a service technician for customer assignments.
Challenges in resource planning
In both scenarios, dispatchers must identify and assign available personnel while considering a wide range of parameters. Many companies still rely on paper-based lists or standalone programs such as Microsoft Excel or Access. The drawback: This approach results in high maintenance effort, frequent data redundancy, and a lack of integration with existing HR information.
Other companies depend solely on the standard tools provided by their ERP systems – mainly SAP Plant Maintenance (PM) and the Customer Service (CS) module. Even in these cases, the effort remains substantial: Dispatchers have to manually compile and reconcile fragmented data to create a coherent overview for resource planning.
Advantages of integrated solutions for digital resource planning
Nowadays, companies can take advantage of deeply integrated solutions that (partially) automate workforce scheduling by utilizing all relevant data. These systems help detect potential issues – such as staffing shortages – at an early stage, enabling proactive responses. As a result, planning efforts are reduced, minimizing overtime, avoiding costly idle times, and increasing overall value creation.
To fully unlock the potential of your workforce, optimizing your maintenance operations with SAP Multiresource Scheduling (MRS) is key. MRS goes beyond traditional personnel scheduling by integrating all resources needed to complete the tasks. This powerful solution is available for both SAP ERP 6.0 and SAP S/4HANA environments.
Functions and benefits of SAP Multiresource Scheduling (MRS):
- Comprehensive overview: A digital planning board replaces manual card-and-magnet systems. A graphical interface provides dispatchers with insights into open requirements, resource utilization, and potential conflicts, simplifying manual assignment planning. The resource planning board illustrates the link between the task and material availability and shows qualifications and tool requirements. Resources – both personnel and equipment – can be allocated directly via drag and drop. Job planning can be fixed or dynamic, allowing flexible adjustments within defined time frames. Time-consuming manual status updates are obsolete as ERP and HR information now converge on the planning board automatically.
- Automation: Regardless of how a requirement is communicated (e.g., CRM ticket system, service portal, or automated machine message), MRS schedules the right person at the right time following defined specifications. The assignment is timely, location-specific, and resource-compliant, boosting first-time fix rates and reducing deployments. Initially, with MRS, dispatchers receive planning suggestions. The automation level can gradually be increased.
- Route planning: During service assignments, map integration aids dispatchers in planning routes. Integrated time forecasts based on current traffic data help decide travel order, markedly cutting journey times.
- Integration of subcontractors: Data on subcontractor employees can seamlessly be integrated into the MRS system, enhancing the reliability of “available-to-promise” commitments to customers.
- Material management: Holistic resource planning with forecasting elements facilitates effective spare parts management, reducing capital commitments.
Resource planning with SAP S/4HANA – enhanced by RSH
Note for SAP S/4HANA users: An integrated resource planning solution, SAP S/4HANA Asset Management for Resource Scheduling (RSH), is available. This Fiori app enhances resource planning with a streamlined, user-friendly web interface.
While MRS focuses on short-term employee scheduling, RSH is designed for medium- and long-term planning, emphasizing workstation utilization. To fully manage the resource planning timeline, it is recommended to operate both applications in parallel.
Mobile maintenance as an add-on to digital resource planning
Digital resource planning reaches its full potential when complemented by mobile solutions, enabling maintenance and service employees to connect with the MRS system in real time.
Seven examples highlight the advantages of this approach:
- Task assignment: In addition to direct task allocation, the MRS system offers a task pool from which technicians can independently select suitable tasks via their mobile app.
- Route planning: MRS provides intelligent route suggestions for daily assignments, optimizing travel based on real-time traffic and minimizing distances.
- Collaboration: Equipped with tablets or smartphones, technicians can locate the last service employee deployed, contact them via call, chat, or video chat, and even leverage augmented reality. Using a tablet’s camera, colleagues can overlay live video feeds with instructions and documents, significantly increasing first-time fix rates.
- Effective spare parts management: Mobile devices streamline spare parts identification through image recognition, EAN scanning, exploded views, or part numbers. Technicians can immediately check availability and trigger location-to-location deliveries in the ERP system.
- Accounting: After completing a task, service technicians can send invoices directly to the back office, capturing the service recipient’s signature digitally via tablet.
- End of assignment: Upon completing service tasks, technicians report their availability through the service app, enabling rapid reassignment. They can also create follow-up tasks if necessary.
- Online and offline capabilities: A mobile solution needs to support both online and offline functionality. It’s essential to determine which information should be accessible offline. Since full machine documentation requires significant storage, only essential data should be offline-capable. For instance, order documents and measuring points with direct task relevance can also be “offline-capable”. Spare part availability checks must remain online to ensure data reliability.
What you should know about the introduction of new tools
When planning for the future, consider the requirements your company will likely face by 2027. What functions and capabilities will be important? Your focus should be precisely aligned with these expectations. Following the principle of “Think big, start small, scale fast,” start with manageable initiatives – such as a time recording app to replace manual entries – allowing you to boost efficiency with measurable results.
Although full digitization of all processes is technically feasible, it is rarely advisable. Large-scale changes can significantly disrupt employees’ workflows, necessitating intensive change management and posing risks of operational disruptions or even shutdowns.
Our tip: Take the time to explore your options and create a strategic roadmap with a holistic perspective. Choose an efficient architecture now that can grow with your needs in the future. Professional support can be invaluable for both planning and implementation.
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