GIS, WMS, and ERP Integration – The Right Touch Points
Douglas L. Laslo
Autodesk, Inc
111 McInnins Pkwy
San Rafael, CA 94952
Abstract
Utilities are focusing more each year on the value of integration of IT systems. As GIS, WMS, and ERP solutions become more prevalent and mature within utilities, the push is to increase integration between them to capture more benefits. Proper integration between these solutions can mean significant benefits and improvements in the business process. What is “proper” integration and how is it achieved? The appropriate touch points between GIS, WMS, and ERP will be explored.
Introduction
In utility business, there is a significant amount of information and data involved in the process of adjusting and managing the distribution system infrastructure. This information and data is important to the corporation, but the management and updating of it should not be allowed to get in the way of the workforce’s ability to satisfy customer requirements as efficiently and effectively as possible. Unfortunately, in most utilities, far too much effort is spent writing or typing information and often re-writing or re-typing the same information into multiple systems or logging mechanisms. The tendency is for the workforce to cut corners and either not capture necessary information, or report incorrect information so long as the jobs can be completed as quickly as possible.
Inserting digital systems and automation into the utility process can have benefits. However, it often aggravates and adds to the problems and can cause the productivity of the workforce to diminish. Only when the automation is inserted into the workforce carefully with the ultimate goals focusing on the processes, are productivity gains likely.
Utility Business Drivers and Processes
As we look into the right places for WMS, GIS and ERP to be interfaced to share information, we will do this from the perspective of minimizing the effort required by the workforce to complete all of the information requirements in as transparent a manor as possible. Minimization of the work required to accomplish the business processes is a major factor for utilities in today’s economic climate. We will also look from the perspective of the activities associated with requests for new service which makes up 60-80 % of the activities pertaining to the distribution (wires) business.
