BAE Systems Integrates Microsoft Project with SAP

by Achim Schmidt-Sibeth

TPG The Project Group GmbH, leading Microsoft Premier Project and Gold Certified Partner, integrated Microsoft Enterprise Project System (EPM) with SAP system for British company BAE Systems. The result is a significant increase in efficiency through consistent and tight processes in project management, higher data quality and conclusive reports. A detailed user report for the project is now available from TPG.

The strategic reorientation of BAE Systems from a production-oriented to a project-oriented company, involved initiating the Integrated Project Management Solution (IPMS) program. Its goal was the all-round harmonizing of project management tools and processes. After evaluating different solutions, BAE Systems decided to use Microsoft Enterprise Project Management. Integrating the solution with SAP system was of particular significance. TPG The Project Group and their products TPG PSLink® and TPG ResourceLink were chosen for assisting the implementation of Microsoft EPM, the realization of the integration, and for the training of staff.

"We chose TPG for their extensive expertise, as well as because TPG PSlink® is easily configurable and it has a very good cost-benefit ratio," says Peter O'Neill, Solution Architect for the IPMS program. The entire realization of the Microsoft Project implementation and the SAP integration was carried out in only three months. It was followed by a three-month pilot phase for Microsoft EPM, TPG PSLink® and ResourceLink, which included a test run with productive data, as well as adjustments and enhancements. The solution went live July 2007.

According to BAE Systems, the notable benefits of these systems are that staff work with a main tool and that the former manual transfer between Project and SAP was eliminated. With it the time-consuming check for data consistency is no longer necessary. Importing the SAP work place list into the Enterprise Resource Pool happens automatically via TPG ResourceLink. TPG PSLink® takes care of the transition of all report-relevant data into SAP. Included in that are structure and network elements, as well as costs forecasts, actuals and residual costs, and percentage of completion. This allows for conclusive reports in SAP Business Warehouse, especially Earned Value analyses stipulated by management.

In the next phase a main resource management will be introduced and the solution will be implemented step by step throughout the company.