The Challenge 
The creation of a globally harmonized system that combines technical data from different modules and enables simple data maintenance. Heretofore different IT systems have been used that had to be combined. The solution should be both user-friendly as well as comprehensive.

The Solution: SAP PLM in optimal coordination with Covestro processes
The module SAP PLM offers a uniform solution for these problems. Recipes are used for product development, change management is carried out via specifically adapted, automated workflows. The core task is to establish SAP PLM as single source of truth. Intelligent logic supports users in their most common processes with suggested values and abbreviations to allow for a most intuitive use.

SAP PLM Embedded Analytics 
Different side panel segments were created for a quick overview of different modules. Thereby data from the QM environment, such as inspections plans, inspection lots or quality info records, are displayed in a Webdynpro ALV table. Furthermore, the option of jumping into the respective transactions is also a possibility. The side panel of the recipe, for example, offers to compare the recipe formula with the bill of material, so as to the user can see directly if any data does not match.

Integration into Third-Party-Systems
XML interfaces were implemented for various PLM objects to enable data export to third-party systems. Furthermore, based on these interfaces, overview pages of the relevant objects were designed to enable a flat [not intricate] view of all relevant data in real time as well as easy storage as PDF.

SAP PLM as a Single Source of Truth
Covestro uses different applications, including non-SAP systems, as an entry point for data collection. An interface was programmed that creates PLM objects such as specifications, recipes and engineering records with the use of RFC-capable function modules from other systems in order to manage all data centrally in SAP PLM and at the same time avoid double maintenance.

Compliance Checks and Requirement Tests
In the course of the project, SAP‘s own Compliance Checks were set up to support the user in complying with a wide variety of regulations and internal standards. A separate specification type was designed to drive a wide range of check criteria for an even more finely adjustable check, which was also integrated into the recipe status check. Displaying these check results in the side panel is an additional synergy effect.