Controls such as forecasting, scheduling, and risk analysis are integral aspects of successful project planning.
By using control processes, project managers gain early insight of project scope, giving them better understanding and visibility of key variables both before and during a project's timeline. This enables educated decision-making, alongside greater efficiency and timekeeping.
However, the benefits of these insights are often weakened when control processes are performed in isolation. When projects overlap, gain multiple users/contractors, or become subject to frequent change, disjointed project forecasting or scheduling can lead to inaccurate results and reduced visibility of critical project outcomes.
In fact, industry experts cite poor scheduling as a key mistake to avoid, as it can cause unintended breaks in the scheduled path of a project, misuse of constraints, and leave businesses with inappropriate and unmanageable levels of detail. 
For Navantia, one of Europe’s leading defense manufacturers and contractors, greater project control is a priority.
In this case study, we explore how Navantia uses Safran Project and Safran Integrator for SAP to accommodate their project forecasting, scheduling, and monitoring needs.
Rogelio Alonso, Project Structure Specialist & Scheduling Coordinator, and Cristina Berlanga, Planning Manager Submarine Division, provide insight into the benefits of combining Safran Project and SAP Project System to unlock accuracy and flexibility for Navantia's change-prone and innovative projects. Watch the video below to learn more.
Improving the Usability of SAP
Navantia regularly designs and executes complex production schedules, however they required a deeper level of control and visibility of data across operations, including high-technology military and civilian vessel projects.
Although traditional project management tools such as SAP project system combine data for accurate operational planning, Navantia found the need for greater flexibility when forecasting, reporting, or monitoring their new, innovative, and changeable projects. Rogelio Alonso discusses one of these examples, saying:
"When you have to develop and control a plan for something brand new, SAP can be difficult to use stand-alone. You can't make changes if (another user) is already there (on the project system), locking you out. The integration means everyone can consult at the same time."
When projects are likely to change direction at any moment due to high levels of innovation, then planning, scheduling, and predicting risk outcomes becomes an immediate priority. What's more, when multiple users/contractors need to view this data at the same time, SAP's interface can be a productivity barrier.
By using Safran Integrator for SAP, Navantia were able to overcome these issues and master data management by ensuring data flows seamlessly between projects and headquarters, while enabling multiple users to view vital information at the same time.
Additionally, when Safran and SAP project management software are linked, organizations benefit from greater reporting insights, such as what-if scenario analysis and schedule risk analysis, enabling them to mitigate obstacles before they come to fruition.
Get Greater Insights From SAP
SAP project system alone is a powerful and popular portfolio and project management tool, but its scheduling power can be significantly boosted by implementing the right integrator. If you'd like to learn more, read our in-depth insight into how a global shipbuilding company used an integrated approach to regain better project controls. Or, take a look at our SAP integration software.
