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Map-driven user experiences are ubiquitous and enabled through mobile devices with built-in GPS receivers. Whereas consumers are quite satisfied by easily locating places and checking directions, requirements in asset intensive industries such as Utilities, Oil & Gas, Mining, Public Services, and Transportation (Rail) go far beyond simple use cases. Existing GIS solutions that maintain multiple layers of map information, visualize linear assets, and represent objects with polygons (e.g. a certain area of land) need to be merged with related business processes and reflected in SAP solutions.

The SAP Geographical Enablement Framework provides a development foundation to enhance SAP Business Suite data with spatial content, but the framework itself does not provide any content out-of-box, except for an example geo-enablement of the Business Partner object. The spatial enhancements may be provided as content extensions by the SAP Business Suite function development, by SAP partners, or by the customers themselves. Content extensions may address a variety of use cases depending on the industry or line of business. Below are some example use cases:

  • A back office agent gets an overview of a commercial business partner including all its geometries on a map. This business partner is a utility company. It has a point geometry which represents the location of the company headquarter. It also has a polygon geometry which represents its service area.

  • A call center agent receives a complaint about a noisy transformer. The agent now needs to find the equipment and create a notification for further processing on a map.

  • A maintenance planner sees the notification previously created, and generates an order from the notification (the geometry and some information from the notification are copied to the order). The planner then dispatches the order to a technician.

  • The technician receives the order, and then reviews details of the order including the geometries on a map. The technician then goes to the location to execute the repair work. Once the work is completed, the technician updates the order status and enters additional comments before completing it.

Benefits
The key benefits of using the framework are:
  • Extend the value of your existing Enterprise GIS data into a SAP business process context

  • Spatially enable your SAP Business Suite functions using content extensions

  • Contextualized understanding of location and spatial relationships of SAP objects

  • Streamline operations with easy and intuitive navigation using maps

  • Increase the quality, integrity, and spatial accuracy of business data

  • Eliminates the need for costly, time-intensive data reconciliation efforts

  • Better and faster decision making, greater efficiency, and increased employee performance