What is SAP Field Service Management?

SAP Field Service Management (SAP FSM) supports planning, scheduling and communication with field service technicians. Companies are supported by clear dashboards and AI.

The solution significantly improves processes in technical customer service.

SAP Field Service Management (SAP FSM for short) is a cloud-based field service solution from SAP. The software includes functions for deployment planning (scheduling), dispatching and real-time tracking of service technicians.

AI-supported algorithms help to automatically find technicians with the right qualifications and availability. The aim of the solution is to realise high-quality and efficient customer service.

Field Service Management has been part of the SAP portfolio since 2018. It entered the SAP product world through the acquisition of Coresystems and its Coresystems FSM solution. It is often used in conjunction with SAP S/4HANA or SAP ERP (ECC 6.0).

SAP Field Service Management provides numerous functions that cover all aspects of field service management. The main features are

• Digital field service management
• Staff scheduling with AI support
• Long-term resource planning
• Mobile solutions for field service employees
• Crowd services
• Customer self-service
• Analyses and reports
• Knowledge management

SAP Field Service Management provides a range of specialised tools for deployment planning and scheduling. Dispatchers use a graphical planning board (Dispatcher Board) on which they can enter and postpone assignments according to the qualifications and availability of the technicians.

Algorithms take into account information such as traffic data, the importance of the work and operating times (e.g. public holidays) in order to optimally schedule assignments and minimise empty runs.

Appointments can be assigned automatically by the software or defined and changed manually using drag-and-drop. FSM also takes customer priorities and SLAs (Service Level Agreements) into account.

External systems can also be connected via an appointment scheduling API. For example, bookable appointment calendars or customer portals can be synchronised directly. This ensures smooth coordination between SAP Field Service Management and other appointment systems.

SAP Field Service Management contains several AI and machine learning functions.

For example, the software automates the deployment sequence of technicians by analysing urgency, planned duration and live traffic data. It also selects the most suitable employee for each task by comparing qualifications, location and availability.

An integrated no-code tool can also be used to define company-specific scheduling rules (e.g. priorities or buffer times), which are automatically applied during planning.

SAP FSM provides a mobile app (iOS/Android) for service technicians that has been specially designed for use in the field.

The application is designed to be "offline first": It therefore also works without a continuous internet connection and synchronises data automatically as soon as there is reception again.

Service technicians are immediately informed of new orders or order changes via push notifications. On site, they have direct access to all relevant information via the app. This includes, for example:

• Customer data and contact persons
• Device types
• Spare parts lists
• Step-by-step instructions
• Previous service processes (history)

In the app, technicians can also record working times, book material withdrawals and create service reports. Practical additional functions complement the mobile solution: among other things, photos can be taken of the work site, barcodes or QR codes can be scanned from devices and digital signatures can be obtained.

The app also supports real-time GPS tracking, which allows dispatchers in the control centre to see the technicians' locations on a map. All changes (e.g. completion status) are recorded directly and transmitted to the scheduling department.

Crowd service refers to the targeted use of external technicians (e.g. self-employed specialists or partner companies) for field service assignments.

SAP Field Service Management includes its own platform for this purpose. Companies can use this digital marketplace to request crowd technicians and integrate them into their scheduling.

The crowd pool contains certified and trained service technicians who can respond to service requests at short notice. Technically, the crowd employees are managed like internal technicians: They receive job information and report back their completed work via the mobile app.

FSM ensures that only qualified technicians are assigned suitable tasks and that all specifications (e.g. warranty requirements, safety standards) are adhered to. This allows the company to cushion order peaks or serve remote regions without having to build up its own resources.

SAP Field Service Management improves customer communication in several ways. Firstly, the software sends automated notifications (email/SMS) to customers - for example, when appointments are announced, delays occur or the assignment is completed.

Customers can also use a self-service portal to independently create service requests, book appointments and view the status of their order in real time. This transparency leads to shorter waiting times and fewer enquiries.

By using SAP Field Service Management, companies achieve a wide range of benefits. These are summarised as follows:

• Greater efficiency in field service thanks to structured processes and digital support
• Lower costs thanks to optimised planning and better use of resources
• Reduced effort and high adherence to deadlines thanks to automated deployment and route planning
• Better service quality thanks to skill matching and AI-supported scheduling
• Higher first-time fix rate thanks to more targeted preparation and suitable technicians
• Lower CO₂ emissions thanks to shorter routes and fewer follow-up visits
• Mobile access to all important information for the technician
• More efficient work thanks to digital support directly on site
• Faster response times thanks to end-to-end digitalisation of processes
• Stronger customer loyalty thanks to reliable and competent service
• Greater competitiveness thanks to professional and modern field service

In principle, SAP Field Service Management is suitable across all industries for all companies that regularly send field service employees to their customers. This applies in particular to the following sectors:

• Utilities (electricity, gas, water)
• Industrial manufacturing
• Telecommunications
• High-tech industry
• Construction
• Plant engineering

In these and similar industries, maintenance, installation or repair tasks are typically carried out where efficient deployment control is important. But other sectors also use SAP FSM - for example medical technology, energy service providers, facility managers and manufacturers of large appliances.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems such as SAP Customer Experience (SAP CX) focus on the holistic maintenance and management of customer relationships across the entire life cycle.

This includes the following functional areas:

• Sales: Customer acquisition, quotation and order management, pipeline control
• Marketing: target group segmentation, campaign management, lead nurturing
• Service: ticket management, customer enquiries, omnichannel communication, knowledge databases
• Self-service: customer portals, chatbots, community forums

CRM systems are therefore primarily used for the central organisation of customer interactions and data.

Field Service Management - for example SAP Field Service Management - on the other hand, specialises in practical field service operations. It supplements the service function of CRM where physical customer service is required.

Accordingly, it addresses additional topics such as deployment planning, scheduling, route planning and work reports that traditional CRM does not cover.

SAP FSM can be easily connected to SAP S/4HANA and the solutions of the Customer Experience Suite (SAP CX). In a typical scenario, the process with regard to the interaction of the systems is as follows:

1. Service case entry with SAP CX: A customer concern is entered as a ticket in the SAP Service Cloud. If required, a field service assignment is generated from this.
2. Service order in SAP S/4HANA: The Service Cloud automatically creates a service order in the ERP system (S/4HANA).
3. Data integration via SAP Integration Suite: Order data, master data and status information are synchronised between Service Cloud, SAP S/4HANA and FSM via predefined interfaces.
4. Planning and execution in SAP FSM: The order is transferred to SAP FSM. There, resource planning, resource allocation and mobile execution take place via the FSM app.
5. Confirmation and completion: After the assignment, the technician reports working times, material consumption and results back to FSM. These are transferred to the ERP system, where they are billed and recalculated.

In addition to FSM, SAP also offers other solutions for field service management. These include SAP Multiresource Scheduling (SAP MRS) and SAP Service & Asset Manager (SSAM).

SAP Multiresource Scheduling is primarily aimed at maintenance service providers, utilities and large industrial companies. It is widely used in areas such as plant maintenance and the management of large facilities.

The main difference to FSM is the pronounced project focus. MRS allows resources to be planned on a project basis, among other things, while integration with SAP project management ensures smooth processes.

SAP Service and Asset Manager is a mobile app that gives field staff access to plant and operating data. Users can also record plant-related data while on the move.

Compared to FSM, the range of functions is essentially limited to this form of field service communication. Features such as deployment and route planning are not available in SSAM.