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Future-oriented utility company leverages VertiGIS technology to improve end-to-end business processes
Stadtwerke Karlsruhe GmbH is an integrated energy supply company headquartered in Karlsruhe. With around 1,200 employees, Stadtwerke Karlsruhe supplies 400,000 customers with water and 140,000 customers with electricity as a regional energy provider. 50,000 customers receive gas from the utility. More than 45,000 residential and commercial units already receive climate-friendly district heating. In addition, Stadtwerke offers extensive telecommunications services. The company is also responsible for street lighting and urban communication. Stadtwerke Karlsruhe thus makes an important contribution to the local economy in Karlsruhe and the surrounding region and provides high-quality, reliable services for the people who live and work there.
The Challenge:
Stadtwerke Karlsruhe wanted to integrate data from its SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system with the Geographic Information System (GIS) provided by Esri. The ERP system controls commercial processes, while the GIS is used to manage spatial processes. Both systems overlap in their areas of application. A flexible and adaptable integration solution was therefore needed—one that creates synergies without compromising the individual strengths of each system. Stadtwerke Karlsruhe was looking for a dynamic and customized solution that demonstrably enables seamless synchronization of enterprise and geospatial/map data in order to avoid duplicate and redundant data storage. At the same time, processes and workflows across both platforms were to be automated.
The Solution:
As a long-time user of VertiGIS Utility software, Stadtwerke Karlsruhe has been using VertiGIS Integrator since 2009 to manage user sessions within its GIS. Starting in 2012, the company continued to develop its applications for VertiGIS Integrator by using the software to integrate maintenance-related components into its SAP system. In 2016, the company expanded the connection between GIS and SAP with SAP-HA integration; network construction management was introduced in 2021. In order to address the challenges of synchronizing, digitizing, and linking enterprise data, the company once again chose to implement VertiGIS Integrator, formerly known as UT Integrator.
The Results:
The implementation of VertiGIS Integrator has significantly transformed operations at Stadtwerke Karlsruhe. Synchronizing GIS and ERP systems simplified the management of both systems, increased efficiency, and reduced data redundancies. The integration also created a solid foundation for the bidirectional use of GIS data in SAP and SAP data in GIS. The benefits include:
• Reduced data entry: Automating the data transfer between systems enabled Stadtwerke Karlsruhe to minimize the need for manual data entry, which not only saves time but also significantly reduces the risk of human error. This ensures data is more accurate and reliable—crucial for sound decision-making.
• Improved data quality: Synchronizing the GIS and ERP systems eliminates the need to duplicate databases, ensuring that both systems remain up to date and do not require redundant data entry mechanisms. This not only reduces the risk of data inconsistencies and errors, but also streamlines data management processes.
• Efficient network construction management: Detailed spatial data combined with ERP systems has improved the planning and design phases of network construction. The integration enables more accurate mapping of existing infrastructure, better visualization of new service connections, more precise project planning, and more effective collaboration between teams.
• Optimized business processes: Data integration has led to more effective system mapping, which in turn has optimized a number of business processes, including:
- Asset management: Linking GIS spatial data with ERP asset management functions has enabled Stadtwerke Karlsruhe to track the location, condition, and usage of its physical assets even more precisely. This helps the company reduce downtime and extend asset lifespans.
- Maintenance: Detailed maps and spatial analysis have further improved the planning and execution of maintenance tasks, as the GIS can pinpoint exact locations of infrastructure in need of repair, while the ERP system manages the necessary resources and workflows for those tasks.
- Inspections: Thanks to GIS and ERP integration, field inspectors can quickly locate inspection sites and enter data directly into the ERP system. This approach improves the accuracy and timeliness of inspection reports and facilitates faster decision-making.
- Customer service: Improvements have been achieved by enabling customer service staff to access comprehensive, location-based information that allows them to identify service outages, maintenance schedules, and asset locations even more quickly, ensuring that all customers receive accurate and timely information.
- Financial reporting: The integration supports even more precise financial reporting by linking spatial data with financial metrics, including tracking costs associated with specific locations, analyzing the financial impact of geographic factors, and improving budget forecasts and allocations.
Through the integration of VertiGIS Integrator, Stadtwerke Karlsruhe has not only further optimized its operational processes but also reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging advanced technologies for the benefit of local citizens.
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