In conversation: "EPPM needs exchange, impetus and openness to new ideas"
Whether SAP Roadmap, Joule or Agentic AI: the latest meeting of the DSAG EPPM working group offered exciting insights and in-depth discussions about SAP project management. Milliarum was not only on site, but also played an active role in shaping the meeting. In this interview, Freya Wester-Ebbinghaus, SAP Consultant at Milliarum and member of the DSAG Partner Advisory Board, talks about goals, insights and next steps.
Dear Freya, before we go into detail: What is the DSAG EPPM working group and what is its goal?
Freya Wester-Ebbinghaus: The EPPM working group, which stands for "Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management", is DSAG's central exchange platform for all those who work with SAP project and portfolio management. The aim is to prepare product information and user knowledge in such a way that it really helps in day-to-day work. This can only be achieved together: with SAP itself, with user companies, consultants and solution providers such as Milliarum. Anyone who would like to get involved can do so via the DSAGNet forum, by attending the meetings or with their own presentations. The working group thrives on dialog, and not just selectively, but throughout the year.
What topics were the main focus of the most recent meeting?
Freya Wester-Ebbinghaus: The focus was clearly on current roadmap updates and further developments relating to SAP EPPM. The information about Joule and the first productive applications of Agentic AI was particularly exciting: from intelligent navigation aids to automated project summaries, a lot is happening right now. However, it will still take some time before widespread implementation - which is why we at Milliarum have not waited. We have already launched a solution that enables our customers to use AI in their day-to-day project work. There were also contributions on UX and customizing, two perennial issues in everyday project work, as well as on the deeper integration of analytics and AI in SAP project processes.
How does Milliarum contribute to the content of the working group?
Freya Wester-Ebbinghaus: We are very pleased that, as an active member, we were also able to provide our own impetus last year. Together with my colleague Dirk Ott, I presented our Milliarum Overview Pages and our latest AI applications with a clear goal: to relieve project teams, create transparency and noticeably improve usability in SAP project management. The feedback was very encouraging.
Were there any tangible results in addition to exciting presentations?
Freya Wester-Ebbinghaus: Absolutely, and for me this is one of the greatest added values of the DSAG EPPM working group. On the one hand, SAP product management presented a whole series of concrete innovations that will soon be put into practice. In addition to the first productive application scenarios with Joule and extensive API enhancements, new enhancements in SAP S/4HANA FPS2 & FPS3 (2023/2024) were also presented, including for authorization management, data archiving, milestone handling and new BAdIs in the project environment. The announced integration with the SAP Business Data Cloud and the Analytics Cloud is particularly exciting: a promising step towards better reporting and analysis capabilities. Work is also underway on Agentic AI scenarios, such as "Intelligent Project Completion", which are intended to automate project completion and make it smarter in the long term. In addition to the technological innovations, the output from the SAP Continuous Influence Program was also impressive. Several community suggestions have already been implemented by SAP: a clear signal that feedback from the working group is being taken seriously. These results show: The DSAG community is actively shaping SAP product development and this is paying off for everyone involved.
What do you think are the most important next steps?
Freya Wester-Ebbinghaus: The focus is clearly on transfer: we now need to observe how the technologies and ideas presented are received in practice and where there may still be gaps. At the same time, it is important to continue working with SAP on use cases for Agentic AI that are not only technically exciting, but also well thought out in terms of processes. The closer integration of project management and asset accounting is also a topic that we should continue to pursue, not least through cooperation with other DSAG project groups.
Looking ahead: What can we expect at the DSAG Annual Congress 2025?
Freya Wester-Ebbinghaus: The DSAG Annual Congress 2025 will take place from 16 to 18 September at the Messe und Congress Centrum Bremen and we from Milliarum will once again be there with our own stand and several program items. We have three fixed sessions on September 17, 2025: a partner presentation, an espresso session on "Generative AI in SAP On-Premise" and a "Women in Tech" session with me on "Between structural resistance and human limits - time for a new way of thinking about capacities, role logic and resource planning with SAP." In terms of content, we are clearly focusing on what moves the community: AI, sustainable process innovations and the focus on people in project management. I am particularly looking forward to discussing these topics live on site.
Thank you very much for the interview, Freya, and for your commitment to the DSAG EPPM working group!
Freya Wester-Ebbinghaus: With pleasure! I would like to thank all my colleagues from the DSAG community, the SAP representatives and, of course, the great team at Milliarum. The working group is a real community project and that's what makes it so strong.
Our program at the DSAG Annual Congress 2025:
- Partner lecture
17:45-18:30
Client, speakers and topic to be announced.
- Espresso session with Dirk Ott: "Generative AI in SAP On-Premise"
18:00-18:20
With insights into the connection of LLMs to existing SAP landscapes, including our no-code chatbot and the AI Construction Kit. - "Women in Tech" session with Freya Wester-Ebbinghaus: "Between structural resistance and human limits - time for a new way of thinking about capacities, role logic and resource planning with SAP."
16:45-17:30
