Preparation of data for the bill of materials 
When generating a bill of materials, the data is prepared according to the specific structure required for the SAP system. The interface program scans all the devices in the current project. If corresponding component data has been entered for a given device, the component list of that device will likewise be scanned. For each device, the component number, quantity and part type is logged and the component is inserted into the bill of materials with the device data. To this end, the interface program scans the principal items on the previous bill of materials. Users also have the option of searching and selecting material data using matchcodes, an SAP-specific code.
At the same time, master material data can be displayed and edited in the EPLAN environment in a simplified view containing the principal key data. An automatic synchronisation procedure for master material data enables the master data held in the SAP system to be supplemented with additional information such as code letter, type number or manufacturer. "This data is then stored in the EPLAN component database synchronously to the SAP master material record", adds Andreas Laquai. The technical information can also be used as search criteria when selecting components.

Exchange of data strings
The actual data exchange is based on the exchange of data strings transmitted to the SAP system, where they are processed via the corresponding transactions. The outcome of processing, a message or data string generated by the R/3 system, is then sent back to the interfacing program. "Data sent via the interfacing program is subject to the same plausibility checks as inputs via the SAP graphical user interface (GUI)", stresses system specialist Laquai. The data strings are exchanged between the interfacing program and SAP without the SAP GUI - the user works in the EPLAN environment as usual, and has no actual contact with SAP R/3. In addition to this background communication, the interfacing program also offers the option of displaying or editing a specific master material record directly via the SAP GUI. In such cases, the interface presents the retrieved dialog in exactly the same way as if it had been activated via the SAP interface.
In the past, component data for electrical project management would often be stored several times in different systems. The major benefit of the EPLAN SAP interface lies in the fact that it eliminates multiple data records and the associated potential for error: Developers, pre-production staff and sales staff all work with exactly the same data. Any changes to a component are immediately visible to all parties, and there is no need for time-consuming updates.

Gradual transition to new solutions
"The dual conversion to SAP R/3 and the automatic generation of bills of materials posed a challenge for our staff", recalls Herbert Metternich, "and this makes the current high level of acceptance all the more pleasing". The transition was effected "gently" in stages, so that any problems could be resolved without major disruption.
Elotherm's control expert outlines the concrete benefits of the EPLAN SAP interface succinctly: "In the past, an accurate design did not necessarily lead to a perfect bill of materials. Today, we work much faster and errors have been eliminated, leading to a tangible improvement in our value-added chain". Prior to the introduction of the interface, bills of materials were generated manually. For a plant of medium complexity, it was necessary to process some 270 items "by hand". Additionally, depending on the level of repetition within the system, between 20 and 30 new items would also be entered. "In the past, this cost an employee a full day's work, not to mention the risk of error. If a typing mistake was made, and a 10 kW engine was ordered instead of a contactor, we would be faced with a commercial and logistical problem", illustrates Herbert Metternich. This extra day's work has now been eliminated, thanks to the fault-free generation of bills of materials - which the Remscheid engineer sees as an "enormous advantage". He adds, "We believe that this information network gives us a pioneering role amongst SAP users in the specialist mechanical engineering sector. Other companies are also likely to find this jointly developed solution very useful".

Clearly defined requirements catalogue
However, Metternich believes that potential users need to be completely clear about their own in-house data flows first: "They must know precisely which information is needed when, how and where. Only then can a solution of this kind be implemented successfully". If the requirements are not precisely formulated, he explains, the bills of materials cannot be properly integrated into SAP. Additionally, the input parameters must be coordinated with the IT department. "Otherwise, any savings achieved on the design side will be cancelled out by the cost of errors incurred in the SAP sector. The automation effect will be lost", warns Herbert Metternich. 
There is still one requirement of the EPLAN SAP interface which remains unfulfilled. Originally, the components were to be combined into categories, such as motors or contactors. This classification and the related criteria were intended to aid the selection of components or materials. However, it proved impossible to replicate the required search criteria, because the interface does not have corresponding access at the SAP end. In spite of this, development work is continuing. "There is a growing demand amongst customers for class structures and information", admits Andreas Laquai, "and with this in mind, we are working on a new interface which will offer precisely these functions".

Last edited: 2002-07-16 14:46