Not just implementing changes, but managing them successfully
cenitCONNECT
APM for Engineering Change Management
Evaluate changes reliably, manage them efficiently, and implement them without errors.
Product changes are inevitable – what matters is how well they are managed. The APM Engineering Change Management (ECM) solution package helps companies evaluate changes from a technical and business perspective, coordinate them across departments, and implement them reliably in SAP.
From the engineering change request (ECR) to the engineering change order (ECO) and the design or manufacturing implementation (ECI/MCI) to the introduction of the change (ECN), ECM provides clearly structured, automatable, and auditable processes – fully embedded in the APM process solution.
Why good change management is crucial to success
Product changes are part of everyday life in industrial companies – the real question is how well the change process works. The APM solution package "Engineering Change Management (ECM)" provides support in precisely this area: It structures the technical and business evaluation of a change and controls its implementation across all phases – from the change request (ECR) to the change order (ECO) and the design (ECI) or manufacturing implementation (MCI) to the introduction of the change (ECN).
A well-orchestrated ECM process ensures that changes are thoroughly evaluated, planned in an economically sensible manner, and implemented in a coordinated manner across departments – transparently, auditably, and without operational disruptions. This turns every change into not only a controlled process, but also a real contribution to value creation.
Without this structure, typical risks arise:
- Costs become apparent too late
- Innovations are delayed
- Downstream areas work with outdated information
- Missing parts, duplicate inventories, or scrapping occur
- Teams work alongside each other instead of with each other
A strong ECM process, on the other hand, creates:
- Clarity about impacts and effort
- Speed through coordinated processes
- Confidence in decisions
- Real value for the product, production, and company
- This means that every change is not only implemented correctly, but also makes a measurable contribution to value creation.
The biggest challenges in change management
Most problems in the change process do not arise from the change itself, but from a lack of transparency, poor coordination, or unclear responsibilities.
Typical pain points:
Changes can incur high costs – often these only become apparent at a late stage.
Changes to existing components block resources and delay new developments.
Changes affect almost every department – from engineering and logistics to service and partners.
The process is multidisciplinary, complex, and quickly becomes unmanageable without a clear structure. A consistent ECM process provides the necessary clarity and security.
The success factors of a strong change process
A professional ECM process creates operational excellence—across the entire product lifecycle.
An excellent change process enables:
- Making the right changes
- Involving the right people
- Make the right decisions
- Avoid operational disruptions
- Error-free supply to production and assembly
- Avoiding missing parts, duplicate stocks, and scrapping
- Making costs transparent at an early stage
This is how changes are transformed from a problem into a lever for added value.
The systemic approach – the DNA of successful change
Four phases – a consistent system
A successful change follows a clearly structured process – from request to implementation.
Request (ECR)
Focus on the essentials
- Facts precisely documented
- Procedure and decision clarified
- Applicant informed
Evaluation (ECO / ECI / MCI)
Comprehensive, well-founded, comprehensible
- Evaluation by all departments
- Proof of use & effects analyzed
- Waste material strategy defined
- Costs, benefits, effort, timing documented
Implementation
Fully coordinated for all areas
- Final scope of changes determined
- Parts lists, documents, drawings revised
- AV, manufacturing, procurement, service integrated
Introduction (ECN)
Improvement validated in practice
- According to the 6R rule: right part, quantity, place, time, quality, price
- Data, documents, and tools are up to date
- Old work documents removed
- Master data fully maintained
Our solution – cenitCONNECT APM ECM
The solution package for consistent, secure, and fast changes
The APM Engineering Change Management (ECM) solution package combines preconfigured best practice processes, structured workflows, intelligent advisor technology, and deep SAP integration.
This allows you to seamlessly and reliably manage change requests (ECR), change orders (ECO), and design and manufacturing implementations (ECI/MCI) right through to change notifications (ECN) – without any programming and fully embedded in the APM process solution.
"APM is not a generic IT solution, but a comprehensive solution tailored to change management with our advisor technology and integrated best practices. Our software is well thought out from start to finish – from the recording of a change idea to its implementation in production, the process is supported by powerful system capabilities. While other tools digitize processes, APM makes them better – because we combine technology with experience, consulting, and industry expertise. We don't digitize bureaucracy; we bring efficiency and intelligence to processes." – Frank Schlotter, Business Development Executive SAP Solutions, CENIT AG
The technology that truly improves ECM
Simple
Role-based interfaces
Each role sees exactly the functions it needs.
Smart
Selection Advisor
Recognize consequences, understand costs, minimize risks.
Automated
Execute Advisor
Minimize manual steps, increase quality, reduce errors.
Controlled
Monitoring
Substitutions, approvals, KPIs, logs – everything traceable.
Integrated
Interoperability
Supports SAP ECC and SAP S/4HANA on-premise & private cloud.
The APM ECM functional world – tools for a consistent change process
cenitCONNECT ECM bundles all the functions companies need to implement changes in a structured, transparent, and secure manner. The solution supports both process owners and operational users – directly in SAP and in the connected engineering environments.
For process designers and managers
Design, automate, and evaluate ECM processes
Process workbench
Model, adapt, and control workflows for change processes – completely without programming.
Integrated system capabilities:
✓Modeling of process templates
✓ Team definitions
✓ Role control
✓ Use of best practice workflows
✓ Setup of different process paths (e.g., fast track/normal track)
Highlights:
- Pre-built process, phase, and team templates
- Start parameters for varying process paths
- Dynamic control through advisor apps
- Changes can be tested without affecting operational business
Execute Advisor Apps
Automate labor-intensive steps—cleanly, repeatably, and error-free.
Integrated system capabilities:
✓ Advisor technology
✓ Selection & application of existing automations
✓ Use of existing BAPIs
✓ Template-based reuse
Highlights:
- Automatic document versions, status changes, structure checks
- Automated material & bill of materials changes
- Dynamic loading of templates
- Automatic team composition via parameters
- Integration of your own SAP programs – without programming
OData Services
Evaluate all process data – flexibly and across systems.
Integrated system capabilities:
✓ OData connection
✓ KPI creation
✓ Use in BI systems (Excel, Power BI, third-party systems)
Highlights:
- Analysis of current and historical change processes
- Custom KPI definition
- Integration into controlling/shop floor environments
For process participants & specialist departments
Process tasks clearly, comprehensibly, and efficiently
Task Desk
An intuitive Fiori app for everyday work. The central workspace for tasks in the ECM process.
Integrated system capabilities:
✓ Task-specific content
✓ Checklists
✓ Overview of participants and objects
✓ Input fields
✓ Note function
✓ Approval options (dual control principle)
Highlights:
- Task description, checklists (can/must), links
- Object list with deep links in SAP
- Comments & feedback
- Approval steps including comments
- Responsive on all devices
Selection Advisor & Object Workbench
Identify affected objects – and edit them centrally.
System capabilities integrated:
✓ Investigation of possible consequences
✓ Object Workbench
✓ Collection of all linked SAP objects
Highlights:
- Identification of documents, materials, parts lists, network plans
- Transfer to the Object Workbench
- Structured display with subfolders
- Direct jump to SAP with context menu
- Optional: Multi-SAP system support
Launchpad & personal worklist
All relevant activities at a glance – completely role-based. The entry point for all roles in the process.
Integrated system capabilities:
✓ Role-specific functions
✓ Personal worklist
✓ Overview of open & due tasks
Brief description:
All tasks, responsibilities, and relevant functions are displayed in a role-specific manner and can be opened directly.
For designers and engineering teams
Stay in CAD – and still participate fully in the ECM process
APM ECM – ECTR Integration
ECM functions directly in SAP ECTR.
Integrated system capabilities:
✓ Display/change of processes
✓ Display/change activities
✓ Editing/adding objects
✓ Lists of open tasks
Highlights:
- Access to all relevant ECM steps directly in ECTR
- Direct editing of objects in the CAD context
- Additional APM functions via direct link
- Seamless collaboration between PLM and SAP process world
Your contact person
Schlotter Contact me now
Business Development Executive SAP Solutions
CENIT AG