A Template for 60 Employees Worldwide
Standardization, User-Friendliness, Transparency, and Clarity Thanks to Allevo
The Weidmüller Group is a globally leading provider in the field of electrical connection technology with approximately 5,000 employees. The experts offer solutions and services in the industrial environment from energy to signals to data. Coordinated by the Controlling department, the responsible parties regularly plan a multitude of cost centers - since 2019, Weidmüller has been preparing these almost 2,000 cost centers worldwide securely, quickly, and clearly with the Excel integration of Allevo into SAP.
Integrated Cost Center Planning
The Weidmüller Group has been using SAP for many years but previously employed its own macro programming for cost center planning. This method required data planned there to be uploaded into SAP through a self-developed upload program. Thanks to Allevo, cost center planning can now be carried out directly in SAP using the Excel interface. This enables secure, integrated, standardized, and user-friendly planning across all legal entities.
A Template for 60 Employees Worldwide
"We are completely flexible," explains Michael Schnepel - in terms of the adaptability of the Allevo interface, also known as Allevo-Master. Here, not only can consultants from Kern AG make adjustments, but also selected Weidmüller employees. This allows Weidmüller to create an individual interface tailored to the company itself and enables Kern-independent work with Allevo. This creates a "standardization effect" that is dictated by the headquarters. And if problems arise, "the consultant is always ready to find a solution in a Skype or other online session."
Test First, Then Buy
Before implementation, Weidmüller was provided with a free Allevo sandbox solution for the first few weeks. Combined with two days of consultancy, an Allevo-Master in Excel was quickly built, which was "very close to the final version and our requirements," says Mr. Schnepel from Weidmüller. This allowed users, i.e., controllers and planning managers, to test and provide feedback on whether Allevo could meet their needs. "They expressed themselves very positively, which significantly contributed to the purchase decision."
Collaborate Together & Use Flexibly
Comments are added when something has been changed or needs adjustment - The comment function of Allevo on the Excel interface provides "real added value that Weidmüller did not have before," reports Mr. Schnepel. The flexibility of the Allevo-Master is also an excellent opportunity for Weidmüller to build various views, load personnel costs from the previous system, or extract comments and data for further processing. "By using Excel as a template within SAP, endless possibilities are offered," says Mr. Schnepel, Global SAP CO Key User at Weidmüller.