Product category:
Information Services, Databases
News Release from: BASF IT Services | Subject: SAP survey platform
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 21 July 2006
World wide survey system and analysis
For the worldwide exchange of information throughout the entire BASF Group, BASF IT Services and the BASF company have developed a communication platform in the Intranet
For the worldwide exchange of information throughout the entire BASF Group, BASF IT Services and the BASF company have developed a communication platform in the Intranet Through this new SAP-based application, information can be collected for surveys from more than 100 BASF group companies, which is then evaluated and saved in another integrated SAP system
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 14 Sep 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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For every survey, an individual questionnaire.
The new system makes it easier to extract required information, for instance, for reporting on the BASF Group.
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Data on the subject of education and further training in the entire BASF Group, amongst others, is researched and compiled for this purpose.
Previously, most surveys were made with the use of Excel and questionnaires were distributed via e-mail to the appropriate staff members in the BASF Group who then, after completing the questions, returned them to the person responsible.
Whilst previously, staff had to consolidate the different answers and transfer them into other applications, nowadays the new platform fulfils these functions.
"Through the use of a sustainable and multi-level software architecture an SAP application has been created, which can be modified at any time to suit customer requirements and also added to," says Wolfgang Erny, Managing Director of BASF IT Services.
The application contains a component suitable for the design and implementation of surveys and another, which can save and analyse the collected data, so-called 'Survey and Reporting Components'.
The survey system possesses a databank, where staff members enter questions, guidelines and calculation formulae, which can then be selected, reviewed and compiled into a questionnaire, accordingly.
In the Intranet, the questionnaire always keeps to a predefined structure, is divided into sections and in addition, represents the Corporate Design of BASF.
With just a few clicks, the survey participant can open the appropriate chapter and answer the questions on the topic contained therein.
Steering function ensures prompt support.
Both parts of the application contain a role concept, which defines which person in the different subsidiaries is responsible for the respective questionnaires.
Concurrently, those responsible for the survey have a clear overview of the colleagues currently involved in a campaign, making it possible to contact and support them.
"Naturally, there were solutions hereto already on the market, however, they were not entirely suitable for our specific requirements," says Steve Hatton, Director of Human Resources Policies and Systems on behalf of the BASF Group.
"Through the solution we developed together with BASF IT Services, we have created a SAP application fitting to our professional requirements." Consistent data saves both time and money.
When putting a questionnaire together, the questions in the databank can be linked into many different compilations.
In the next years this will reduce the level of work quite considerably for those responsible for the survey, as long as the questions do not change.
The participants' responses are also saved and can be reviewed again for the same information in the following year's survey.
For security reasons, every participant must actively confirm his details from the previous year.
Whilst until recently the survey results used to be gathered together out of Excel charts, nowadays all the data can be found in one system.
This system compares the different answers automatically to the individual questions and shows any discrepancies.
For instance, the system automatically compiles numbers as well as 'yes - no' responses in both German and English.
When the survey is finalised, the data does not remain in the company's central HQ in Ludwigshafen but can be integrated via the SAP application 'Business Warehouse system' newly integrated functions, which make it decentrally available to participants, according to their level of authorisation.
"To continue developing the SAP systems and adjust them to customer requirements, is one of our core competencies," says Wolfgang Erny.
"We deliver, from conception through to implementation and support, everything from one source.
Of course our SAP competence is also open to customers outside of the BASF Group.".
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