SAP Digital Manufacturing: from shop floor to top floor
SAP Digital Manufacturing supports manufacturing companies manage production execution, monitor processes in real time, and connect the shop floor with SAP S/4HANA. msg supports companies with the design, implementation, integration and optimization of SAP Digital Manufacturing for scalable and reliable manufacturing processes.
Typical challenges that SAP Digital Manufacturing addresses
Manufacturing companies often face the challenge that planning, ERP, machines and shop floor execution systems are not aligned with each other. These gaps lead to delays, manual workarounds, inconsistent data, and reduced operational control. SAP Digital Manufacturing addresses these problems with a networked execution layer that provides operational transparency.
- Production teams lack real-time visibility into order process and execution status
- Manual reporting results in delays, data gaps, less trust in the shop floor information
- Quality and traceability processes are inconsistent and fragmented across plants and production lines
- Legacy MES environments are expensive to operate and difficult to scale
- Operational variances and rescheduling at the shop floor level are not reflected quickly in the planning at the top floor level.
Advantages of SAP Digital Manufacturing
SAP Digital Manufacturing (SAP DM) optimizes the production through a networked cloud environment, in which production teams can seamlessly coordinate and manage their resources, data and quality processes.
- Central orchestration: SAP DM acts as an intelligent link that seamlessly connects the shop floor, SAP S/4HANA and external systems (like AI models or subsystems) with each other.
- Bi-directional data flows: Enables the real team information exchange between the company level (ERP) and the production level (machines/sensors) without any change in connectivity mediums.
- End-to-end traceability: Complete traceability throughout the entire manufacturing value chain.
- Process standardization: Replacing isolated silos with unified digital workflows that synchronize people, machines and ERP logic.
- AI readiness: Structured availability of production data for AI applications to enable predictive analytics, automated quality control, and process optimization.
Business Values – Tangible Outcome
SAP Digital Manufacturing improves execution quality and decision-making speed by providing a consistent database for management and the production teams.
Strategic transparency (C-Level):
Informed decision-making through comprehensive, 360-degree view of production performance in real-time
Operative agility (Production Manager):
Immediate identification of bottlenecks and quality trends for proactive intervention rather than reactive problem-solving
Productivity increase (Shop floor teams):
Greater efficiency and fewer errors through guided, user-centric processes directly at the workplace
Single source of truth:
Maximal decision-making speed through an unified, consistent knowledge base across all hierarchical levels
Our SAP Digital Manufacturing services and solution portfolio
msg designs your operating model and target architecture for SAP Digital Manufacturing. We align manufacturing strategies, standard requirements, and SAP system designs to ensure a seamless digital transformation.
- SAP DM Strategy & Value Assessment: Development of digital transformation roadmaps and cost-benefit analyses
- Process Consulting & Target Operating Model Design: Analysis of manufacturing processes (end-to-end) and design of best-practice scenarios (industry and customer-specific)
- Plant Readiness Assessment: Assessment of sites for digital transformation
- SAP Architecture Design: Design of the system architecture and integration with SAP S/4HANA/ECC
- Transition Scenarios: Planning the transition from SAP ME/MII to SAP Digital Manufacturing
- Fit-Gap Analysis & PoC Workshops: Validation of requirements based on proof of concepts
- Reporting & KPI Concepts: Design of manufacturing metrics and real-time analytics
- Global Template Design: Development of standards for efficient, multi-site rollouts
- Tool-Agnostic Consulting: Support for vendor-neutral MES selection and IoT/IIoT concepts
msg implements SAP Digital Manufacturing using a structured rollout approach — from designing and configuring execution processes and data flows to seamless shop floor integration and go-live enablement.
- End-to-End-Implementation: Comprehensive implementation of SAP DM (msg.Fast Lane & Full Blown), including training
- Project & Program Management: Project management using the agile approach
- Production Configuration: Setup of order execution, resources, work schedules, and data collection
- Shop Floor & System Integration: Seamless integration of plants, plant systems, and SAP EWM
- SAP BTP Development: Development of SAP DM extensions, cloud apps, and modern UI5/Fiori interfaces
- Implementation of SAP S/4HANA PEO: Implementation of Production Engineering and Operations
- Asset Performance Management (SAP APM): Implementation of plant optimization solutions
- Rollout services: Support from the pilot project through to a full-scale global rollout
msg provides custom extensions when standard functionality needs to be adapted to plant, process, or industry specific requirements.
- Custom user interfaces for specific production roles
- Industry-specific process extensions for regulated or complex manufacturing
- Extensions for integrating machines, devices or middleware
- Custom reporting and manufacturing dashboards
- Specialized workflows for quality, exceptions and approvals
- Extensions for site-specific compliance and operational requirements
msg supports the transition by preparing business units, plant teams, and IT teams for new operational processes and system responsibilities.
- Subject-matter and technical user training
- Planning of change management initiatives and support with onboarding
- Documentation and knowledge transfer
- Train-the-trainer concepts for plant rollout programs and training sessions
- Hypercare following go-live
msg provides lifecycle support to ensure that SAP Digital Manufacturing remains stable, secure, and aligned with business changes.
- Full service Application Management Services (AMS) for SAP DM and SAP ME/MII environments
- Application management support based on defined SLAs
- Incident resolution and root cause analysis
- Preventive maintenance and release planning
- Regular upgrades and release management
- Monitoring of critical manufacturing processes
- Continuous improvement and implementation of change requests
- Integration support for evolving SAP and plant system landscapes
Why msg is the right partner for you
msg combines SAP expertise, supply chain and manufacturing process know-how, and structured delivery capabilities for complex transformation programs.
- SAP Gold Partner with a proven track record of implementing SAP logistics solutions across regions on a global scale
- SAP Supply Chain and SAP Digital Manufacturing experts with deep domain and technical expertise
- End-to-end SAP expertise for complete supply chain integration
- Deep understanding of SAP-based planning, manufacturing, and integration architectures
- Ability to link business process design with implementation
- Robust delivery model for global, cross-site, and business-critical SAP programs
- Proven approach based on SAP methods, templates, and accelerators like msg.Fast Lane
- Lifecycle support from strategy and implementation through to optimization and managed services
SAP Digital Manufacturing Features
SAP Digital Manufacturing transforms traditional manufacturing into an intelligent, connected production environment that delivers maximum agility through real-time insights and seamless ERP integration.
- Manage and execute production orders within a digital workflow
- Guide operators through structured work steps and feedback
- Capture production data directly from the shop floor
- Improve consistency in execution across shifts, lines, and plants
- Monitor order progress and operational status in real time
- Identify bottlenecks, deviations, and disruptions more quickly
- Provide context to enable faster decision-making by managers
- Improve operational transparency through manufacturing dashboards and KPIs
- Support genealogy, quality, and traceability requirements
- A digital competency matrix ensures that personnel with the right skills are assigned to each work step
- Demand-driven workforce planning aligns availability with production targets
- Automated monitoring of certifications and certificates ensures compliance in critical areas
- Precise last-mile planning and monitoring guarantees a seamless flow of materials all the way to the assembly station
- Predictive tool planning minimizes setup times and prevents downtime due to missing equipment
- SAP EWM: Synchronizes warehouse logistics and manufacturing for seamless material supply on the shop floor
- SAP SuccessFactors: Integrates qualification profiles and employee data directly into operational workforce planning
- SAP S/4HANA: Serves as the digital hub for real-time synchronization of business orders and production
- Plant & external systems: Close the gaps between the machine level and the IT system landscape through direct connectivity
Turn production data into a competitive advantage. With SAP Digital Manufacturing and msg’s proven implementation expertise, you can optimize production, improve quality, and scale smart manufacturing more quickly.
- Assess the maturity level of your manufacturing operations
- Define a realistic SAP Digital Manufacturing roadmap
- Identify integration, migration, and rollout priorities
Contact our experts and discover your options
Daniel Hirtreiter
Lead Business Consultant