How Watco leverages EPPM in SAP S/4HANA
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Key Takeaways
⇨ Tailored project management tools can optimize operations, enhance communication and collaboration, and improve customer satisfaction, ultimately leading to better decision-making and optimized workflows.
⇨ Watco faced challenges in managing large-scale construction projects, highlighting the need for a centralized system for project information and efficient tracking of project status.
⇨ The implementation of SAP EPPM by Platinum DB Consulting has provided Watco with enhanced project management capabilities, including improved portfolio management, project forecasting, and integration of engineering operations.
Organizations looking to optimize their project management operations can leverage tailored tools to enhance outcomes as well as save time and money. Streamlined project management systems lead to better communication, improved collaboration and enhanced customer satisfaction, while enabling better decision making and optimizing workflows.
Platinum DB Consulting, an SAP consulting and services partner, can help organizations across the globe streamline their business operations by leveraging SAP solutions to make the most of their processes and deliver better results to bolster future business growth.
Watco, a transportation services company, which owns and operates a diverse network of short line railroads, terminals, ports and repair terminals sought to improve its project management. Founded in 1983, Watco is a single-source transportation and supply chain services company with locations throughout North America and Australia. With over 40 years in the industry and around 5,000 team members across the globe, Watco’s services span over 6,500 track miles.
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Pain points
As Watco continued to grow, the company committed to larger construction projects. Soon, it was apparent that the transportation firm needed a better solution for managing these larger-scale construction projects.
The challenges it faced included the need for a centralized location for storing and managing project information such as project approval, project status, purchasing, and spending. The transportation firm also needed a more efficient way for its project managers to view the status of ongoing projects and be able to maintain a daily diary.
The solution
As part of a larger SAP project, Watco chose Platinum DBÂ to implement SAP EPPM for finance and project engineering.
SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management (EPPM) is a solution that aims to help organizations plan, analyze, manage and maintain capital projects. SAP EPPM provides organizations with the tools to help with portfolio management, portfolio alignment, project investment, manage schedules, manage documents, project management, project identification and cost reporting among others. The solution includes SAP PPM, CPM, Open Text ECM, and SAP PS, which provide the tools to support organizations optimize portfolio management and project execution, respectively.
Working with Platinum DB, Watco implemented an integration to the EPPM Field App to enhance the Engineering business operations.  Platinum DB developed workflow processes for managing the lifecycle of construction projects. In addition, Finance and Engineering  implemented project forecasting solutions using Analysis for Office Excel add-in. Lastly, Executive Management reporting was supported using SAC Analytics.
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