New Download: Optimizing Complex Schedules in SAP Project System

Our latest download explores how the four variables of activity duration, cost, resources, and risk can be best optimized when working with complex schedules in SAP Project System (PS).

Optimizing a Project’s Moving Parts

In large projects (those which contain anything from 2,000 activities to 200,000 or more), there are a myriad of variables involved, all of which need balancing to ensure successful delivery. These variables are usually in a constant state of flux, so complex schedules need to be optimized quickly and frequently, to ensure change can be managed successfully and enable decisions.

While SAP PS manages the basics of projects well, and ties them into the overall supply chain, it can be difficult and time consuming to use the system to optimize complex schedules. We look at this problem in the context of the four variables:

• Duration: We examine a major technique of ensuring the most accurate duration forecasting – Three Point Estimates and the Monte Carlo simulation.
• Costs and Resources: These should be optimized concurrently with activity durations – we explore how this can be done using methods such as resource leveling, status histograms, and bull’s eye charts.
• Risk: In addition to managing duration forecasts with risk-based simulations, we also look at applying the impact of risk events.

Integrating with SAP Project System

The beating heart of this new whitepaper is a thorough look at the following question:

How can SAP users unlock the full value of their investment when optimizing duration, cost, resources, and risk?

Many companies look to use complimentary applications to extend the capabilities of PS, but this can only be a viable business option when there’s fast and comprehensive integration. To achieve this, we built the SAP Integrator, which provides a bridge for data to flow seamlessly between SAP and Safran Project.

In the whitepaper, we explain how it works and outline the new techniques that suddenly become part of a project’s manager’s tool belt when integrating with Safran Project.

What’s more, all claims and concepts are related to a real-life example – at the end of the document, we provide a SAP integration use case, summarizing our recent SAP project work with a global shipbuilding company.

Download our new whitepaper to learn how you can uncover further value in SAP Project System and best optimize complex schedules.