Catch up

Got a lot of catching up to do.   We have been involved in the ​largest, that we know of, facility upgrade for the past 10 years.  I don't think that I will see another one like it and will share how we successfully managed to deliver a huge amount of asset data on time, on budget with a level of accuracy and quality that exceeded expectations.  We will be leaving a legacy of quality as the facility moves to it's operational phase.

Who are we ... names cannot be named but a combination of SAP Savants, client personnel, experienced IT/SAP contractors,  site retirees who can read P&IDs and know the facility.

This is somewhat retrospective so will be a bit revisionist ... I have my emails, meeting notices and status reports that I can refer to so the timeline is accurate as is the scope and execution.  I'll post the blogs in the timeline that the work was executed, starting Feb 2012, and will generally be in line with the every two week status reports.  

Shouldn't be too long before we are current ..

Assembling the team

​Had a resourcing meeting  where we were finalising the SAP data team.  Had a few meetings in late December '11 prior to the holidays but at the time, although needed, the project wasn't a go.  The facility leadership have been pulling out the stops to make sure that the necessary people are available.  Now the POs are being cut for the tagged people and the workspace being prepared.  We will have:

• ​Program lead - client
• Project/Team lead - moi
• Four data builders - three I&E, one mechanical
• One BoM builder
• One material master builder
• One IT / data person

All of the team members worked on the SAP project so know the target environment and what is expected to be built.  At the moment we have two of the I&E team members onsite making updates to the production data that was converted in August, everyone else will be starting in February.

Your mission ... should you wish to accept it

Just completed an ​SAP implementation at the facility (18 months hard labor) and have spent the last five months helping to embed the system.  We implemented PM & MM into an existing SAP FI/CO/PS/MM system, I worked master data cleanse and conversion.  Currently I am helping to clear the invoice backlog and have been rotating around a number of departments helping out.  Personally I like the direct work at the sites, from executing projects to sitting down one on one explaining how specific things work.  Makes for a busy day but you have to stay in touch with the work that you are doing otherwise you can get detached from why you are there in the first place.

It's January 2012 and I have been told that my next assignment will be to manage/direct a team to build the SAP master data for new production units that are being commissioned late 2012 and through 2013.  The capital investment is massive; four major units and five not so major units being built, two major units being demolished, lots of utilities and tie ins.  Need to be finished by the end of 2012 and time is already running out.