Expert Talk: Inspection Checklist in Maintenance M...

Gerhard_Welker · ‎2024 Aug 09

Discover the power of the Inspection Checklist solution in Maintenance Management with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition. This Expert Talk video provides a comprehensive walkthrough of the solution, demonstrating its seamless integration into the maintenance management process including maintenance order planning, checklist creation, transfer to technicians, recording checklists, closing checklists, and maintenance order completion based on the 2023 FPS01 release with lab previews for FPS02. Learn how the solution simplifies recurring inspections, triggers follow-up actions, and offers benefits such as increased efficiency, improved quality, and compliance with legal requirements.

Our Expert Talk video features Joerg Medack, responsible SAP Product Owner for the Inspection Checklist solution, Siu Loon Khuu, responsible for the plant maintenance application at Swiss railway company BLS AG plus speaker of DSAG topic group for Inspection Checklist, and Gerhard Welker, Product Expert at SAP.

In this insightful discussion hosted by Fernanda Rodrigues, the experts will take you on a deep dive into the concept, applications, and benefits. The video also brings a customer’s experience, with the company BLS AG sharing its experience on using the Inspection Checklist solution.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIK1GERmgx8

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Details

Introduction

Initialy, the inspection checklist process was introduced with the SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition 2021 FPS0. It was constantly enhanced so that the following content is based on the SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition 2023 FPS01 with lab previews for FPS02.

You can use checklists to inspect and check assets. They are legally binding documents.
The inspection checklist process is an integrated end-to-end maintenance process in SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition. Besides the system customizing and configuration master data needs to be set up. The recurring process cycle starts with the maintenance order planning and then checklists get created and transfered for example to the technician. After the results recording the checklists get closed closed which can trigger automated follow-up actions like creating measuring documents. In the end the maintenance order gets completed and the inspection checklist cycle can start again. You can create inspection checklist templates (Quality Management inspection plans) for combinations of technical object attributes and recurring maintenance tasks such as monthly electrical check-ups. The Quality Management inspection lots are created by the system with reference to maintenance order operations and a technical object, such as a piece of equipment or functional location. You use a lean master data model by defining one inspection plan for a type of checklist for an object type used in the inspection process for all similar technical objects. This solution offers you reporting and analysis tools for checklist results regarding technical objects or inspection characteristics.
Is the inspection checklist process set up in your system, you'll benefit from a digitalized visual and functional inspection process. It will reduced efforts for operational execution and increases the transparency of the technical object condition.

The figure below provides a simplified overview of the end-to-end process. It can be used during the phase-based maintenance or the non-phase-based maintenance flow.

Figure 1: Inspection Checklist Process in Maintenance Management - Overview

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DSAG Handout

The German SAP User Group DSAG offers a guide that provides lessons learned and best practices about the Inspection Checklist solution. The details are based on customizing, configuration and process flow.

You can download the German Version of the handbook here:
SAP Leitfaden – Checklisten in der Instandhaltung

The international english version of the handbook is currently in the translation process and it is planned to be published.

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Master Data

From the standard solution enablement perspective the technical object must use the classification functionality with characteristics to determine the also classified inspection plan. The inspection plan is the inspection checklist template which contains all the inspection characteristics. These characteristics are relevant for the inspection process and can also be master data objects.

The master data figure below gives an impression how the technical object classification and an inspection plan with inspection characteristics can look like.

Figure 2: Master Data for Inspection Checklist Process

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Maintenance Order Planning

Let's assume that the order type and planning plant combination is activated for the checklist solution, then you can plan the inspection process. During the maintenance order creation a header reference object will be used and the operation will be planned with details like description or work and the checklist type. Depending on the customizing, the technical objects below the header reference object can be derived and placed in the object list while the order is initially saved. The new maintenance order system status OLGE (Object list generated) is set after the object list is derived.

The planned maintenance order below shows the operation with the description, a planned work and the checklist type on the left hand site. On the right hand site you see the automated derived technical objects from maintenance order header technical object and the system status OLGE.

Figure 3: 'Create/Change Maintenance Order' apps

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Creating Checklists

After the planning and approval of the maintenance order it can be released. If the automated checklist generation is activated during maintenance order release, then the checklists gets created. The technical objects from the object list and the operation-based checklist type will determine the inspection plan which creates the inspection lot for the inspection checklist process. The checklists are associated against the maintenance order operation. The new system status CLGE (Checklists generated) will be set to the maintenance order and the cross-app navigation function "Manage Inspection Lot" gets activated. This functions allows to review all generated checklists against the maintenance order.

If afterwards additional checklists should be generated, then a dedicated program or transaction can be used for it.

The following figure shows on the left hand site the new system status CLGE and the active cross-app navigation to the "Manage Inspection Lots" app. The righ hand site lists the associated inspection lots from the order and the technical object for the inspection. In the footer area there is the program displayed that can be used for the after maintenance oder release checklist generation.

Figure 4: 'Change Maintenance Order' and 'Manage Inspection Lots' apps

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Transfer to Technician

After the checklists are beeing created there are some ways to transfer them to the technician.
In the figure below you can see two ways. On the left hand site, during the maintenance order processing the operation can be passed to the execution phase so that the checklists are available in perform maintenance jobs app as a backlog for the technician. Alternatively, you can send a checklist report with the work pack functionality by email. You can group job packs by the new introduced work pack grouping attribute operation checklist type. An example of a checklist report is shown on right hand site below which will be delivered with the 2023 FPS02 release.

Figure 5: 'Change Maintenance Order' and 'Perform Maintenance Jobs' apps

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Recording Checklists

The results recording of checklists and the time confirmation can be done in the perform maintenance jobs app. In the demo below you will see the assignment of a job to a technician, the results recording of three checklists and the time confirmation. Each checklist has his own inspection characteristics and a variety of specialized codes and numbers which are recorded.

Video: Recording Inspection Checklists

In addition, with the 2023 FPS02 release a new system check can be activated so that a final time confirmation is only possible if all required or processed inspection characteristics are valuated.

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Closing Checklists

After the results recording of checklists they can now be closed. By using a predefined code and assigned follow-up actions the usage decision can take place. In the figure below you see the new Fiori app "Manage Inspection Checklists" that provides insides and actions. The usage decision will accept or reject an inspection lot. The rejected inspection lot has triggered a new follow-up action for setting a new system status on the technical object. The new app and the new system status FLCO (Faulty Condition) will be delivered with the 2023 FPS02 release.

Figure 6: 'Manage Inspection Checklists' and 'Asset Viewer' apps

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Maintenance Order Completion

The maintenance planner can review the maintenance order to validate if open main work still exists and if attachments from the checklist process are assigned. This can be triggered by a follow-up action from the usage decision code. When everthing is valid for the maintenance order then it can be technical completed. You can configure the combination of maintenance order type and planning plant in that way, that the technical completion is only possible if all assigned checklists are having an usage decision.

The figure below shows a review activity from a maintenance planner perspective. The maintenance order has no open main work and all checklists are closed, because one consolidated attachment is assigned.

Figure 7: 'Maintenance Order' object page with 'Operations' and 'Attachments' sections

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Short Cut with Emergency Work

With the 2023 FPS02 release it will be possible to assign a task list in the create maintenance request app. This task list assignment in combination with the Emergency Work processing context enables the enduser directly of maintenance order creation with an exploded task list. The system generates the relevant checklists automatically if the customizing is set up accordingly. This feature enables the user to move directly to the execution phase after the initiation is done with the relevant planned task list information.

The figure below shows on the left hand site the used task list during the maintenance request creation and on the right hand site it shows the enhanced checklists appearance in the perform maintenance jobs app.

Figure 8: Short Cut with Emergency Work

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Links and SAP Notes

SAP Notes

Roadmap Items

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