Discover how Stoen Operator gained a single, reliable source of truth for its network assets through automated data synchronization using the FME platform.
Industry: Energy
Country: Poland
Solution: FME
Category: Effective Data Processing
About our client
Stoen Operator has been an active power grid operator since 2007. The company manages the transmission infrastructure in Warsaw and neighboring municipalities, ensuring a continuous and secure power supply for hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses.
The Challenge: Connecting Smallworld GIS with SAP Without Overloading the Systems
The project was driven by mandatory internal requirements from the E.ON group. The primary goal was to integrate the GIS and SAP systems, specifically by mapping technical assets from maps (the EL.GIS system) into SAP S/4HANA. To achieve this, the SAP PM (Plant Maintenance) module was utilized, which supports network asset management and maintenance operations at Stoen Operator.
According to the business assumptions, the EL.GIS system was meant to serve as the master data source for the infrastructure, covering technical assets across the power and telecommunications networks.
However, the solution’s architecture presented a significant technical challenge. EL.GIS operates as an object database rather than a standard relational one. This means it doesn’t process standard SQL queries like table joins or result grouping, making it quite difficult to connect with other systems.
Stoen Operator needed a tool that could efficiently extract spatial data from EL.GIS, transform it into a format compatible with SAP, and identify the records that had been modified (calculating the delta).
Furthermore, network asset data synchronization had to run in the background, outside of regular business hours, to avoid disrupting the workflow of users who rely on the maps daily.
The Solution: FME Form and PostgreSQL as a Bridge for Effective Data Integration
To establish a stable connection between EL.GIS and SAP S/4HANA, we leveraged the FME data integration platform alongside a PostgreSQL database.
Data was transferred using the SAP PI/PO integration bus. Additionally, E.ON headquarters provided a dedicated ADI (Assets Data Interface) module, which was responsible for securely ingesting the information into SAP Plant Maintenance.
How does the GIS and SAP integration work?
We built the synchronization process between the GIS and SAP systems using custom FME scripts that operate on a nightly schedule.
In the evening, an FME script is triggered to detect any changes made to network assets within the GIS system during the day. All modified records are processed in FME and then loaded into a dedicated PostgreSQL table. From there, an integration tool other than FME (the SAP PI/PO integration bus) takes over to transfer the data into the SAP system.
Processing only the data that has changed since the last synchronization significantly reduces the computing load on both EL.GIS and SAP.
In the morning, before Stoen’s staff begins their workday, a return FME script is executed. It reconnects to the PostgreSQL database to retrieve network asset data sent back from SAP HANA (in the form of unique equipment identifiers, known as SAP IDs) and forwards them to the GIS system.
As a result of this synchronization, both systems contain an identical, up-to-date set of information regarding the network assets.
We integrated a total of seven asset groups: connectors, poles, overhead line sections, linear routes, disconnectors, metering devices (MDE), and telecommunications infrastructure.
The GIS system is now the primary and sole environment for modifying network information. Staff no longer have to duplicate their work by entering network data separately into the GIS and SAP systems.
Results: Process Automation, Time Savings, and Consistent Spatial Data
The implementation brought Stoen Operator a number of tangible operational and technical benefits, including:
A technological leap
For the first time, Stoen Operator successfully launched a direct connection between its GIS and SAP systems.
Daily data updates
Data on all network equipment is updated daily outside of working hours. This ensures that employees start every day with up-to-date information on network assets.
Workflow optimization and time savings
The tool has significantly lightened the employees’ workload. The GIS system is now the main and only place for modifying network information. Staff no longer need to duplicate their work by entering network data separately into the GIS and SAP systems.
High data quality
The team responsible for maintaining network data manages information exclusively within the GIS system. Working in a single system minimizes the risk of errors. It also eliminates the need to build additional data cleansing processes.
No additional headcount required
The asset management team can operate in a “Business As Usual” mode without the need to expand their department, as all editing takes place in a mapping system they already know well.
Why is the FME Platform the Best Choice for Spatial Data Transformation?
The integration project for the EL.GIS and SAP EAM systems required us to find a truly flexible tool for data transformation. The biggest technical challenge was the specific nature of the Smallworld GIS database, which is an object-oriented rather than a relational solution, typically making any external connections quite difficult. The FME platform handled this problem perfectly. It allowed us to easily extract spatial data, transform it, and calculate the differences required for export.
Thanks to our collaboration, we launched the integration of GIS and SAP systems for the very first time, and the production go-live took place exactly on schedule. The newly created interface significantly saves our employees’ time. The EL.GIS system remained the main and only environment for editing, meaning our people no longer have to enter the same data in two different places simultaneously.
Asset Data Team, Stoen Operator
Future Development: Expanding the Interface with New Network Assets
This is not the end of the project. The implemented interface is being successfully developed and expanded. Future plans involve integrating more key network elements. According to the roadmap, the synchronization of asset data will cover all cable assets and transformer substations for medium and low voltage (MV/LV).
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