Maximizing Efficiency in SAP Project System (PS): When to Choose Custom Solutions

Picture of Göktürk Vercan
Göktürk Vercan

SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management (EPPM) Solution Expert

October 27, 2024

As companies transition to S/4HANA, they often find themselves overwhelmed by the wide range of solutions SAP offers. One critical decision teams face is choosing between using SAP’s standard tools or developing custom applications. This choice is not just a technical one—it involves balancing cost, flexibility, speed of implementation, and long-term maintenance.

With SAP’s Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management (EPPM) suite, the decision becomes even more complex. Teams may lose valuable time navigating through SAP’s offerings, trying to determine which tools fit their needs. One area that often presents challenges is the SAP Project System (PS). SAP PS plays a pivotal role in managing project lifecycles, resources, and financials, but determining when to stick with its standard functionality and when to build custom applications is crucial for ensuring efficiency.

This decision can mean the difference between implementing a solution quickly and cost-effectively or facing delays and costly development. In this article, we will focus on how to make informed decisions about when to rely on SAP’s standard tools and when investing in custom applications might better serve your unique business needs.


A Harmonized Approach: Balancing Standard Solutions and Custom Applications

When aiming for maximum efficiency, the focus shouldn’t solely be on whether to adopt a standard solution or a custom-made application—but rather on achieving a harmonized approach that leverages the strengths of both. Custom solutions, though often seen as the magic wand for addressing specific business needs, come with their own set of challenges. While they can greatly improve efficiency, they also place additional maintenance and support responsibilities on IT departments.

Moreover, depending on the technology used for the custom application, a company’s internal resources may not be sufficient to maintain or further develop the solution. This can overshadow the initial efficiency gains by creating dependencies on external vendors or experts, which introduces long-term risks and potentially higher costs.

In our experience, the most crucial aspect of this decision-making process is requirements engineering. It’s essential to adopt a systematic approach that evaluates both standard and custom options through the lens of reliable data. Factors such as the number of projects per year, the variety of project profiles, the number of project managers, and the average number of WBS elements per project are all key metrics that provide the foundation for a well-informed decision. Only by thoroughly analyzing these metrics can companies determine when a standard solution is sufficient and when a custom application is truly necessary.


Practical Examples of Streamlining SAP PS

SAP PS offers many standard solutions, but users often face inefficiencies when handling core project tasks. Below are two practical examples where common challenges arise, particularly in creating WBS elements and entering plan values and during project creation.

Creating WBS Elements and Entering Plan Values

One common scenario where users face frustration is in the Project Builder (CJ20N) transaction in SAP PS. While it allows users to create new WBS Elements, it doesn’t allow them to enter plan costs at the same time. To continue planning, they need to switch to a different transaction, CJ40, to input the cost details. This constant switching not only interrupts workflow but also adds unnecessary complexity to an already detailed process. For users managing multiple projects, these extra steps compound over time, leading to frustration and inefficiency.

A custom solution that consolidates these tasks into a single interface can drastically reduce the time and effort involved. However, the benefits of a custom solution become especially clear when a company manages a large number of projects each year. In such cases, the cumulative time saved from eliminating unnecessary steps and reducing errors justifies the investment in a tailored application.

Project Creation

Another common challenge for users arises during the project creation phase. Although SAP PS provides standard tools that allow users to copy existing projects or utilize standard project templates, many businesses require more complex configurations. For instance, companies may need to set multiple user statuses based on various parameters, automatically assign WBS Elements to Investment Programs, or add long text entries to multiple fields.

While these tasks are technically possible using standard SAP transactions, such as the Project Builder (CJ20N), the process can become extremely cumbersome and error-prone, even for experienced users. Navigating between different screens, ensuring the correct parameters are set, and avoiding mistakes in the manual data entry process adds a layer of complexity that can slow down project setup and lead to inefficiencies.

This is where a custom application can make a significant difference. By automating these complex configurations, a custom-built solution can simplify the project creation process, reduce human error, and increase overall project accuracy and speed.


Conclusion: Making the Right Choice for Your SAP EPPM Solution

Deciding between SAP’s standard solutions and custom applications is not a one-size-fits-all decision. The choice depends on your company’s specific needs, the complexity of your projects, and the resources available for long-term maintenance. By taking a harmonized approach and carefully evaluating your unique requirements, you can strike the right balance between leveraging SAP’s out-of-the-box functionality and developing custom solutions to enhance efficiency.

Best Practices for a Harmonized Approach

To maximize efficiency and ensure sustainable solutions, here are some best practices to guide your decision-making:

  1. Start by Addressing Pain Points and Low-Hanging Fruit Focus on areas where small improvements will have the greatest impact. For instance, consolidating tasks like those found in CJ20N and CJ40 can yield quick wins and save time for users.
  2. Leverage Standard APIs via SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) When developing custom applications through BTP, always check the standard APIs available on api.sap.com. These APIs can speed up development while maintaining compatibility with SAP’s ecosystem.
  3. Utilize Standard Offerings for Validations and Substitutions Use SAP’s validations and substitutions for projects and WBS elements wherever possible. These built-in functionalities can simplify workflows and reduce the need for custom development.
  4. Keep Custom Solutions Simple for Better Maintainability Simplicity is key. Over-engineering custom solutions can lead to high maintenance costs and IT dependency. Focus on essential features and avoid unnecessary complexity to ensure your solution remains sustainable.

Navigating the complexities of SAP EPPM can be challenging, but you don’t have to go it alone. Our team of SAP experts is here to help you find the right balance between standard solutions and custom applications that fit your business needs.

Whether you’re looking to streamline your processes, enhance project management, or explore tailored solutions, we’re ready to collaborate with you. Reach out to us today, and let’s explore how we can optimize your SAP system and drive long-term success for your organization.

Picture of Göktürk Vercan
Göktürk Vercan

SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management (EPPM) Solution Expert