As a non-programmer Operator in a power plant, I am responsible for reviewing and organizing the weekly schedule generated by our planners. The current numeric sorting of orders makes it challenging to prioritize tasks that have significant operational impacts. I manually sort through the list to identify jobs that require equipment lockout or operational reconfigurations. Once I compile a sub-list of critical tasks, I input them into a WORD document for the operational shifts to ensure timely shutdowns and equipment lockouts. For example, I exclude routine lubrication route jobs that do not affect operations but prioritize tasks like the annual maintenance of Feedwater Pumps that necessitate equipment lockouts and operational adjustments. However, the numeric series sorting may not reflect the actual priority of tasks, leading to potential oversights. I am open to exploring alternative methods for generating SAP reports or transferring data to WORD or Excel to streamline this process. While time is not a constraint, budget constraints limit our ability to invest in software solutions. My programming skills are basic, but I can provide examples of the current SAP schedule and my manual WORD document to illustrate our current workflow. Any guidance or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Wayne.
Wayne, when generating reports from SAP, consider including the start dates in an additional column sorted in ascending order for easier data manipulation. Alternatively, opt to have the report sent in Excel format for increased convenience. - Greg
The reports are currently being printed in-house using an SAP report. I am looking for guidance on how to export these reports to Excel or Word. Converting the reports to Excel format may help resolve any issues I am experiencing. Where can I find instructions on exporting SAP reports to Excel or Word formats?
Wayne, a helpful feature in SAP for identifying orders and operations requiring special preparation is the System Condition field. This field can be set on the order header or on each operation, offering options like Full operation, Isolated, Limited operation, and Shutdown. Customizing the display layout is also possible, allowing you to show preferred fields and sort them as desired. Multiple layouts can be defined and switched between effortlessly. To export data to Excel, simply locate the download icon on the list. In the Order or Operation List Display, there is an icon resembling a calculator that enables downloading the list to Excel.
Wayne, I agree with David's suggestion regarding how planners currently identify the need for production support or setup on work orders. Are there standard parameters on work orders indicating when a job requires a process or subsystem to be offline? If so, and if you have access to display functions in SAP, you should be able to query, filter, and export necessary lists to Excel. For example, we use the system condition field with options for Running (work can be done anytime), Down (work only during scheduled maintenance), and Outage (work during extended process downtime). This field can be used to group work items and further segregate using parameters such as planning group, plant section, and work center. We have also used the revision functionality to organize work scheduled during maintenance (Down), work that can be done anytime (Running), and next major outage/shutdown. As David mentioned, look for an icon for exporting or try the key combination (Shift + F4). - Steven
It is evident that there is a significant improvement needed in our current planning process. Our planners are currently utilizing a report titled "ZNE1146_PRINTWEEK", which they manually mark with a highlighter to indicate jobs that may require shutdown and lockout procedures. Upon reviewing SAP, I see the "System Condition" field you mentioned, with the options "In Operation" and "Not In Operation". To enhance efficiency, it seems beneficial to potentially expand these options to include "Isolated, Limited Operation" and "Shutdown". The report is currently inundated with unnecessary PMs and standing orders, causing clutter. By filtering the list based on the mentioned codes and sorting by day of the week, a more streamlined list can be generated. Is there a resource, guide, or tutorial available that can provide a step-by-step walkthrough of this process? While I grasp the concept, a detailed guide would be immensely helpful. Although I can view the system condition field on individual orders, it disappears when exporting to Excel, hindering my ability to sort effectively. It is clear that I am navigating this process alone, as evident from my reliance on a magic marker for highlights. Thank you, Wayne.
Hi Wayne, it sounds like you're stuck in quite the predicament! Instead of a fully featured software solution, how about using custom macros in Excel? If you can extract your data into an Excel sheet, you can create macros that allow you to sort and highlight tasks based on your criteria. Excel's built in VBA programming allows for a highly customizable user experience and, with a little time invested in learning how to write macros, you could have a fast, inexpensive solution to streamline your workforce scheduling. There's a vast array of online tutorials and guides that can offer you a step-by-step process of how to achieve this. I hope this helps!
Hey Wayne, I understand the predicament you're in. One simple solution could be using Excel's 'Conditional Formatting' feature. What you can do is import data from your SAP schedule into Excel and assign color codes automatically based on the 'impact level' of each task. This will help you prioritize jobs at a glance, eliminating manual sorting. Additionally, you can sort your tasks based on different parameters right within Excel. If you're interested, let me know, and I can guide you through the process step by step. And remember, it doesn't require advanced programming skills. So, hang in there; we'll find a way around budget constraints.
Hey Wayne, it's great to see you taking initiative to streamline your task management processes at work. Given your basic programming skills and budget constraints, I suggest you should look into Microsoft Excel advanced sorting and filtering features. They could be an effective solution to your problem. To start, you can export your SAP data to an Excel spreadsheet. From there, you can utilize the filtering capabilities to isolate tasks that require lockouts or operational adjustments. This way, you can also categorize tasks based on priority. The built-in Excel functions are quite user-friendly once you get the hang of it, and there're a plethora of online tutorials just a Google search away to help you master them. Hope this helps!
โ Work Order Management
โ Asset Tracking
โ Preventive Maintenance
โ Inspection Report
We have received your information. We will share Schedule Demo details on your Mail Id.
Answer: To enhance the prioritization process, you can consider creating a customized sorting method based on the operational impact of tasks rather than relying solely on numeric sequencing.
Answer: Critical tasks may include those that involve equipment lockouts, operational reconfigurations, or maintenance activities that directly impact plant operations, such as the annual maintenance of Feedwater Pumps.
Answer: You can explore manual data transfer methods or seek guidance on optimizing the transfer process to streamline your workflow within budget constraints.
Answer: Providing examples of your current SAP schedule and the manual WORD document you create can help in understanding your workflow and identifying areas for improvement or automation.
Join hundreds of satisfied customers who have transformed their maintenance processes.
Sign up today and start optimizing your workflow.