NetConnect Germany uses inubit as central communication and process platform
Networked Communication
at the Market Partner Level
Software Innovations
Requirements
checks during data transfer
▶ Human workflows for selective staff integration
To handle the market communication in the context
of market area cooperation, a universal communica-
Results
tion and process platform that enables all persons
By choosing inubit, NCG has decided for a supplier that
involved to collaborate across teams was to be intro-
combines powerful technology with the flexibility required
duced:
for implementing projects for the energy market:
▶System connection of all partners spread across
▶ Handling the entire market communication of approx.
the country, consolidation of their activities using
40,000 data records per day and roughly 520 distribu-
workflows
tion network operators on one platform
▶Standard software that can be adjusted to rapidly
changing BNetzA (German Federal Network
Agency) requirements and market conditions even
after operation has commenced
▶ Easy extensibility for data volume increases of 10 percent per month and new BNetzA requirements
▶ Accelerated check processes and decreasing error rates
during data transfer thanks to check routines and automatic error logs
Approach
For NCG, inubit offered a universal platform for handling all
market communication that serves both the perspective of
the person responsible for the market area as well as the
market partners:
▶ All relevant market information available on one platform
▶ Automatic, qualified error logs that include relevance
and schema checks as well as logical and semantic
2 | NetConnect Germany – Networked communication at the market partner level
NetConnect Germany has chosen inubit as the central
Flexible adaptability of the software
process platform for communication and data exchange
Short implementation times, powerful integration and data
with the market partners of its market area. The universal
processing performance: These were the requirements
platform connects all systems and consolidates the work
according to which NCG chose inubit, which was the only
processes of distributed teams. Automated error checks
comprehensive process platform on the market that met all
have significantly reduced the amount of manual work
the requirements.
and minimized the general error rate in data transfers.
However, NCG and Bosch Software Innovations staff also
The founding of NCG as the company responsible for facili-
quickly got along on a personal level: Right from the start,
tating extended market area cooperation has produced the
there was a lively exchange to determine the requirements,
by far largest natural gas market area in Germany. Together,
prioritize them and implement them as quickly as possible.
the transmission networks of all cooperation partners have
NCG staff were also trained in the use of inubit to enable
an overall length of about 14,800 kilometers and cover a
them to modify the system themselves. “These days we
market area extending from the North Sea to the Alps and
make most adjustments ourselves. For larger scale projects,
from the Oder river to the Rhine river. When the cooperati-
however, we still stick to the process of elaborating and
on started in 2008, about 10,000 data records were recei-
implementing requirements together with Bosch Software
ved from approx. 350 distribution network operators. The
Innovations, which has turned out to be very pleasant and
data volume has now increased to approximately 40,000
efficient for NCG staff,” reflects Barbara Schröder, who has
data records from 520 distribution network operators,
become an expert user of inubit.
increasing by approximately 10 percent per month.
Distributed information displayed in bundled form
Powerful integration. Short implementation times.
By using inubit as the central process platform, NCG staff
In light of the growing market area, the correspondingly
profit from the fact that they no longer have to search a
rising data volume at NCG‘s virtual trading point and the
number of sources for the required information. All the
increasing complexity of communication relationships
information is now formatted uniformly and can be found
between the partners, the requirements for the commu-
at one point. All relevant information for market partner
nication platform to be introduced were clear: What was
communication has been stored so that responses can be
needed was a solution that integrates all the systems of
generated directly from the platform whenever questions
the cooperation partners spread across the whole country,
arise in the context of routine monitoring. It is also pos-
uses workflows to consolidate their activities on one plat-
sible to branch directly from the application interface to
form and thus enables collaboration between teams.
sent and received messages and visualize their content on
monitors. inubit thus provides NCG staff with the answer
Such a communication platform should integrate all exis-
to the question: Who has sent me what, with what content
ting applications (for example, MTS.CM, GAS-X-Portal,
and when?
smarttech), be open for the integration of further systems,
enable the exchange of all communication messages from
Automatic qualified error logs
distribution network operators to those responsible for
Beyond consolidating the market partners on one platform,
market areas as well as those responsible for settlement
the BPM software also functions as a central monitoring
area billing while controlling the entire process flow.
portal to ensure smooth process flows and reduce the
relatively high error rates in the transfer of data from the
The special challenge in this project was the late implemen-
market partners to NCG. To do so, automatically genera-
tation of the regulatory requirements while under time
ted, qualified error logs were introduced, which take into
pressure due to the statutorily defined implementation
account a relevance and schema check, a logical check and
deadlines. Under these conditions it was absolutely neces-
a semantic check.
sary to introduce tried and tested standard software that is
flexible enough to be adapted to quickly changing require-
Such an error log has the advantage that incorrect messa-
ments and market conditions. Since BNetzA requirements
ges are highlighted in an automatically generated PDF file
change constantly, NCG has to be able to adapt the soluti-
and returned to the market partner, with the effect that
on in use without too much effort even after operation has
error-prone and time-consuming manual checks are no lon-
commenced.
ger required. Especially the checking of the grammar and
content of messages proved to be a particular challenge
that NCG and Bosch Software Innovations tackled together.
NetConnect Germany – Networked communication at the market partner level | 3
Barbara Schröder,
NetConnect Germany:
“Workflow control makes work
much easier for the users because they no longer have to
collect the information required
for processing the processes
from a number of different sources. To achieve the highest level
of automation possible, validation and plausibility check workflows have also been implemented. In addition, escalation
mechanisms support punctual
processing, especially for critical
processes.
They produced a set of rules that enables a high level of
automation and significantly reduces NCG‘s work required
of the contexts and responsibilities as well as the market
area and to quickly familiarize themselves with the use of
for verification in data management.
the software.
In the context of automatic processing, staff can actively in-
Last but not least, the portal allows NCG to present itself
tervene by using human workflows when necessary. Thanks
to exact information about the source of the error, market
partners can quickly track down specific errors in their own
system and make appropriate changes. Most of the errors
that occur during data transfer are thus eliminated step-by-
as a competent entity responsible for the market area. In
particular in presentations for visitors, the system interface
enables a clear visualization of the process environment of
the entity responsible for the market area.
step.
What‘s next? A look at future projects shows that NCG can
Partner communication in one place
are planning to make the monitoring function available for
NCG has achieved a lot since cooperation started in 2008.
The market area is growing continuously, the data volume
is increasing by 10 percent a month, and there are always
imagine many scenarios for using inubit: For example, they
mobile devices such as the iPhone. In the context of a joint
workshop in initial ideas and requirements for that were
defined.
new BNetzA requirements that must be met.
“The creation of check routines in the context of daily data
“With Bosch Software Innovations, we‘ve chosen a
communication, the high level of automation and the possi-
provider that combines powerful technology with the
bility of quickly adapting the system are the main benefits
flexibility in the implementation of projects that is
of using inubit for NCG,” sums Andreas Manderfeld, Head
required in the energy market.”
of Data Management, Settlement Area Management and
Quality Assurance, up. “By introducing the automatic error
Andreas Manderfeld, Head of Data Management,
log, we not only managed to reduce the amount of manual
Settlement Area Management and Quality Assurance at
work required, but also lowered the overall error rate to
NetConnect Germany
one percent – a level that enables an almost error-free data
exchange.”
In addition, inubit has facilitated the daily work of key
users: Visualized workflows enable them to get an overview
4 | NetConnect Germany – Networked communication at the market partner level
About NetConnect Germany
NetConnect Germany is the company for executing the
energy management and online provision of data, including
extended market area cooperation between the grid com-
billing and control energy data) are designed for grid opera-
panies bayernets GmbH, Eni Gas Transport Deutschland
tors as well as those responsible for settlement areas.
S.p.A., Open Grid Europe GmbH, GRTgaz Deutschland
GmbH, GVS Netz GmbH and Thyssengas GmbH for the
entire market area of NetConnect Germany (NCG).
The business areas of the company (settlement area
management, operation of a virtual trading point, control
Europe
Americas
Asia
Bosch Software Innovations GmbH
Bosch Software Innovations Corp.
Bosch Software Innovations
Schöneberger Ufer 89-91
161 N. Clark Street
10785 Berlin
Suite 355010785 Berlin
11 Bishan Street 21
Germany
Chicago, Illinois 60601/USA
Singapore 573943
Tel. +49 30 72 61 12-0
Tel. +1 312 368-2500
Tel. +65 6571 2220
Fax +49 30 72 61 12-100
Fax +1 312 268-6286
Fax +65 6258 4671
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.bosch-si.de
www.bosch-si.com
www.bosch-si.sg
c/o Robert Bosch (SEA) Pte Ltd.
Bosch Software Innovations GmbH, the Bosch Group’s software and systems house, designs,
develops, and operates innovative software and system solutions that help our customers
around the world both in the traditional enterprise environment and in the Internet of Things
and Services. We place particular focus in this field on the topics of mobility, energy and
building, manufacturing, and financial services. Whether in its special, targeted BPM+ and
IoTS editions or as flexible standalone products, our software suite is the perfect foundation
not only for projects relating to the Internet of Things and Services but also for projects in
the fields of Business Process Management (BPM) and Business Rules Management (BRM).
With some 550 associates worldwide, Bosch Software Innovations has locations in Germany
(Immenstaad, Waiblingen, and Berlin), Singapore, China (Shanghai), Australia (Melbourne),
and the United States (Chicago, Palo Alto, and Vienna).
Additional information is avaiable online at www.bosch-si.com
Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com and www.bosch-press.com
04/2013 RE
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services, active in the fields of
automotive technology, energy and building technology, industrial technology, and consumer
goods. According to preliminary figures, more than 306,000 associates generated sales of
52.3 billion euros in 2012. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its more
than 350 subsidiaries and regional companies in some 60 countries. If its sales and service
partners are included, then Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide
development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. Bosch
spent some 4.5 billion euros for research and development in 2012, and applied for over
4,700 patents worldwide. The Bosch Group’s products and services are designed to fascinate,
and to improve the quality of life by providing solutions which are both innovative and
beneficial. In this way, the company offers technology worldwide that is “Invented for life.”