Introduction
This page provides information on spatial layer functionality delivered in BlueWorx. It's intended to provide an introduction to the concepts and highlight how this innovative functionality may provide benefit to our customers and their users.
Business and SAP Context
Prior to the introduction of the Geo Capture functionality, BlueWorx could render geo-spatial coordinates from latitude and longitude characteristics maintained against Functional Locations and Equipment as defined in BlueWorx settings. By its nature this allowed for the recognition of assets based on a point represented as single latitude/longitude pair. So assets that were linear in nature (roads, rail, tracks, etc), or polygons (factory site, building, etc) were generally represented by their start point or mid-polygon point.
BlueWorx Integration with ESRI ARC GIS
In addition to the characteristic based asset locations, BlueWorx administrators can define layers to display information from ESRI ArcGIS systems. This can be associated with SAP assets through the use of shared keys being held in ESRI (for example the Equipment or FL reference, Technical ID or Inventory fields).
SAP Geo Spatial Enablement
In terms of locating work, beyond SAP linear asset management and long text, SAP does not as standard support geo-spatial enablement in SAP asset management until S4 HANA and even then with some third party requirements.
BlueWorx Functionality Evolution
As of BlueWorx Support Pack 7 we have moved from being restricted to being only able to display point asset information based on FL and Equipment Lat/ Long characteristics, to allowing the capture of spatial information related to the asset location, asset fault and work locations and and asset spatial annotations. As of Support Pack 13 we have further extended this functionality to allow users to capture the location of SAP Measurement Points, as spatial points. This functionality optionally allows users to locate the Measurement Points along a linear asset within a polygon asset.
Contents
- Workflow and Concepts
- Frequently asked questions
- What are some examples of the configuration and operational use of this functionality?
- Spatial data can be big, will this impact performance?
- How do I upgrade from pre SP7 release?
- Which options is right for my organisation?
- What about ESRI ArcGIS?
- What about S/4HANA spatial data and functions
- What more are you looking to do in this area?
Workflow and Concepts
Workflow
Here's an example workflow:
| Role | Physical World | BlueWorx | SAP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planner | Work Planning | Release routine Inspection Work Order for Power-line | |
| Linesman Inspector | Work Execution - Work Order | Work Order for Power-line Inspection | |
| a. Inspect Power-line | |||
| b. Find Trees that are close | Raise new Notification | ||
| c. Continue Inspection | |||
| d. Find Trees that are close | Raise new Notification or add to existing. Include an Action showing where the Trees need trimming | ||
| e. Work Completion | Finish Inspection and Sync | Order Updates, Notification/s Created, Inspection Results | |
| Planner | Work Planning - Review Notifications | Potentially review the locations of all Tree Trimming Actions and combine into logical work units (Work Orders) | Assign Notification/s to Order and Release |
| Contractor | Work Execution | Review assigned Work and locations for Tree Trimming | |
| a. Trim trees | Update status of Actions and Work | ||
| b. Work Completion | Complete Order and Sync | Order and Work updated | |
| Planner | Work Review | Reviews Order and Techos |
Layer Functions
There are four available layer functions available (prior to SP13 there were just the first three). They are:
- FL and Equipment asset Locations. Previously this was the lat/ long points derived from classification data . The types of spatial information has now been expanded - see Feature Types below for more on this
- FL and Equipment Annotations. This allows you to make notes about an asset. For example you could break a site down to denote special areas, add geographical features, etc
- FL and Equipment Actions (work) against either Notifications or Orders. This optionally allows you to mark exactly where work is required to be done, against a Notification and Asset (FL or Equip) or an Order and Asset (FL and Equip). Importantly any action you capture in a Notification is automatically carried into the Work Order for remedy.
- Measurement Point. This allows to to locate a Measurement Point, set up is restricted to a Point feature type.
Feature Types
Each Layer has an assigned type:
- Point - a single latitude/ longitude pair (for example a power pole)
- Line - is series of latitude/ longitude pairs (for example a road). Measured by a distance.
- Polygon - an included area that has the same start and end point latitude/ longitude pair with 2 or more other point pairs (for example a building). Measured by an area. Note that BlueWorx does not support maintaining polygons within polygons - i.e. donut shapes, nor polygons that intersect themselves - i.e. figure 8.
In addition to these single features you can also configure multipart features. That is a number of Points or Polygons or Lines within a single Feature. There is only one description, comments, set of property values (if configured) for multipart features. If you require these per item then consider using multiple location layers.
Definitions
Having outlined the Feature Types the following provides a more specific description of each:
- Feature - Is an entity that consists of a Description, Comments, calculated length or area (where appropriate), potentially some Properties and one Location. Example: The representation for electricity feeder line
- Location - Holds the spatial data for a Feature and consists of a collection of spatial Parts. From a data perspective it is a multipart array. Example: The geometry for an electricity feeder line
- Part - Is an individual spatial Part. From a data point it is an array of co-ordinate pairs (latitude/ longitude). Example: An electrical line down one street which together with other street parts equates to the feeder line
- Point - Is a single pair of coordinates within a Part (latitude/ longitude). Example: The electricity line has a start Point, change of directions Point and and end Point
The following diagrams can assist in understanding these terms. They have been sourced from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeoJSON and is Wikipedia Copyright:
Frequently asked questions
What are some examples of the configuration and operational use of this functionality?
For several examples of the use of this functionality see: Maintain Map Settings
Spatial data can be big, will this impact performance?
Warning: Data and performance boundaries on mobile and desktop exist. For this reason any movement to the use of large volumes of spatial data to BlueWorx and from other spatial systems should be carefully evaluated and tested. This is particularly evident on IE desktops where there are hard limits to the data we can store locally.
How do I upgrade from pre SP7 release?
Existing SAP Classification Characteristic data will be automatically converted during the SP7+ migration. Details of this conversion are documented here: SAP Classification Map Data on Conversion to SP7 Plus. That means on upgrade no specific technical or administrative work is required to retain the existing classification based functionality.
The location of the map screens, previously in the Objects tab, has changed to its own tab. This is both to accommodate the new functionality and resolve the issue where many objects in an order pushed the map details so far down the screen that it wasn't apparent it was available/ hard to locate. So, as with all functional changes customer Testing and User Change Management is required.
Which options is right for my organisation?
In addition to broadening spatial location capabilities, this new layer functionality is about providing a single tool (BlueWorx) for work related information and enabling work related spatial information to be captured and tracked through to completion.
Not all customers have a need for this functionality or even any spatial capabilities. So it makes sense to evaluate how to gain business benefits from the functionality and test this against real use cases, prior to moving to adoption. For example, if you're an ESRI ARC GIS customer, you may continue to use layer data from its services for the asset locations and use the Work Action functionality to record the location of work.
What about ESRI ArcGIS?
For organisations with existing ESRI ArcGIS capabilities, it remains the best option for sophisticated spatial asset location data, with the potential use of work spatial information being captured and overlaid in BlueWorx. For organisations with smaller asset numbers, the use of BlueWorx for location data, as has been done using classification values previously, may continue.
What about S/4HANA spatial data and functions
The exciting evolution of S/4HANA to support spatial functions, provides options for interrogation of SAP for this purpose from BlueWorx on sync or on demand (online). Accenture has successfully done this with multiple customers, outside of the core BlueWorx product.