When to Update SAP Master Data

Do you understand the rationale and rules for keeping your plant’s SAP master data up to date?

By Kristina Gordon, DuPont

From an overall perspective, SAP master data should reflect the assets installed at the plant. When and how to change the master data is not always clear, however. As a guide, it should be changed/updated whenever you perform the following activities:

• either facilities or technology management-of-change (MOC-F, MOC-T) procedures are activated
• a subtle process change is implemented
• any correction of field-identified discrepancies is required
• implementation of any desired maintenance or organizational strategy changes.

Each of these events should trigger an SAP data update, followed by a change-management process to ensure that the update was accurate and complete.

SAP master data should be updated—consistently—whenever any process that requires MOC documentation is altered. It also should be done whenever changes are made to maintenance plans. Doing so will help confirm that the equipment condition is within parameters set by the equipment-design basis in the documented-technology processes. There should always be a well-defined approval process at your site to make such changes. Here are three questions that frequently arise when change is in the wind.

Do we update SAP as a result of a subtle change?

A subtle change is one in the documented-technology process. For example, does your PSSR (pre-startup safety review) ensure SAP was updated appropriately, and do you have an approval process in place to address changes?

Another example involves a valve that’s no longer available and is substituted with one from another manufacturer. In that instance, changes should be made to the equipment master, possibly the maintenance plan, and the BOM (Bill of Material).

Should SAP be updated if there are any field-identified discrepancies?

To answer that, ask these types of questions:

• Was equipment found in an inspection that doesn’t exist in SAP?

• Did a vendor change the model of a light bulb to one that’s not electrically classified?

• Does your CMMS match what’s in the field?

• Is your material-master information up to date?

We update SAP for many field-identified differences, such as found equipment not entered into SAP, or if an order is placed for a new model of any material that’s not classified the same as the existing model. With these updates, make sure critical databases/programs are updated, if needed, and that material masters hold the appropriate information.

Should SAP be changed if our maintenance strategy changes?

The following examples will help answer this question:

• If, based on reliability analysis, an inspection frequency changes, you must update the SAP maintenance plan.

• When a root-cause failure analysis identifies problems, multiple SAP changes will likely be required.

• A shift in strategy, i.e, from run-to-failure to annual inspections, requires creation of a new maintenance plan in SAP.

Maintenance-strategy changes can also initiate system changes. You may need to update the frequency of a maintenance plan, based on reliability data. Failure analyses, too, could necessitate system changes, including the equipment master, task list, and maintenance plan. EP

Kristina Gordon is SAP PM Leader, DuPont Protective Solutions Business., and SAP WMP Champion, Spruance Site, Richmond, VA. If you have SAP questions, send them to editors@efficientplantmag.com and we’ll forward them to Kristina.