Low-Code Apps: Mobilizing Field Technicians via Fiori

Fieldwork is still largely reliant on paper and patchy networks.

Oil & gas field technicians work in harsh, low-connectivity environments. Work orders print on paper. Photos and meter readings are stored on devices until someone receives the signal. Supervisors don’t see progress until the end of the shift. Safety checks are double-entered. The result? Delays, rework, and hidden downtime compound across rigs, well pads, pipelines, and refineries.

The cost is reflected in increased wrench time, first-time-fix rates, and safety exposure.

Every minute not spent “on the tools” erodes margins, slips SLAs, and increases risk. Industry data and vendor studies consistently link mobile field enablement to higher first-time-fix rates and fewer truck rolls, resulting in productivity gains and lower emissions due to reduced revisits. For example, one widely cited field service benchmark report shows double-digit improvements in first-time-fix rates and mobile worker productivity when modern mobile workflows replace legacy tools.

Strategically, energy leaders are pushing hard on digital field operations because AI-ready data starts at the edge. Chevron’s leadership has publicly tied AI’s impact to Permian Basin operations and power demand, underscoring how production efficiency and data-driven workflows will fuel the next decade.

Low-code SAP field Fiori apps on BTP — built for offline-first work

The fastest path to mobilizing field technicians without months of custom code is low-code SAP Fiori on SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP):

• SAP Build Apps enables you to compose enterprise-grade web and native mobile apps with visual logic, data bindings, and enterprise backends — ideal for creating quick, compliant Fiori experiences that technicians can use. The current Feature Scope (2025) confirms the integration of mobile and backend capabilities on a single platform.
• Mobile Development Kit (MDK) gives you a low-code-to-pro-code path for multi-channel apps that run natively on iOS/Android and as web apps — perfect when you need deeper device access or complex offline behavior.
• SAP Mobile Services on BTP adds offline OData so crews work in airplane mode all day, then sync deltas in a controlled window (rules, phases, and throttling from the cockpit).
• SAP Mobile Start provides the native entry point on phones/tablets: single sign-on, push notifications, deep links, and a mobile launchpad that surfaces your Fiori and low-code apps together.
• Out-of-the-box apps like SAP Service and Asset Manager and SAP Field Service Management already ship with the heavy lifting, including work orders, checklists, parts, time, signatures, barcode/QR, and native offline-first capabilities, plus AI-assisted scheduling in FSM. Recent releases incorporate UX and AI enhancements tailored to field personas.

Why this matters for oil & gas specifically

• Asset Performance & Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM): Energy majors are adopting SAP’s APM/CBM stack to move from reactive to predictive maintenance. Equinor has publicly described how SAP Asset Performance Management streamlined maintenance and enabled proactive strategies — exactly the data foundation mobile apps should feed.
• Maps & Linears (pipelines): Field crews often need GIS in their pocket. SAP Service & Asset Manager supports Esri ArcGIS and SAP’s Geographical Enablement Framework (GEF) out of the box for map-driven work and linear assets.

What success looks like (benchmarks & signals)

• First-time-fix up, revisits down. Modern field service programs report ~30% improvements in first-time-fix rates and significant reductions in truck rolls when mobile apps, optimized scheduling, and digitized checklists replace manual steps. (Vendor benchmark, but directional and consistent across studies.)
• Wrench time and OEE. McKinsey’s operations research ties digital maintenance to higher OEE and improved value-added time — the exact levers a connected, offline-capable mobile stack pulls.
• Platform validation. SAP was recognized by IDC and in Gartner’s low-code analyses, signaling maturity for enterprise low-code at scale (significant for CIO risk).
• Industry momentum. Executives across the sector (e.g., at CERAWeek) continue to report acceleration from AI and digital operations, fueled by good field data.

Expert voice: “AI’s advance will depend not only on the design labs of Silicon Valley, but also on the gas fields of the Permian Basin.” — Chevron CEO Mike Wirth (Gastech 2024).

Your blueprint for low-code SAP Fiori field mobility for oil & gas

1. Reference architecture (what to deploy)

• Core: SAP S/4HANA or SAP ERP for EAM/PM, plus SAP AIN/APM if you run CBM.
• Experience: SAP Build Apps + MDK for SAP field Fiori apps (approval, work permit, isolation, work orders, materials).
• Mobile services: BTP SAP Mobile Services with offline OData, usage analytics, push, and fine-grained sync windows.
• Launch: SAP Mobile Start (native, SSO, notifications, deep links to any Fiori/low-code app)
• Ready-made apps: Service & Asset Manager for maintenance techs; Field Service Management for scheduling/dispatch, native offline-first mobile, and AI policy designer.
• GIS: Esri ArcGIS or SAP GEF integration for map-driven workflows and linear referencing.

2. Design the “offline-first” experience

• Prioritize zero dead-end flows: all critical steps must be able to work offline. Keep optional actions (such as attachments sync and heavy analytics) in scheduled windows.
• Define defining queries and sync phases so that devices download only what crews need for the shift, controlling schedule/priority in the cockpit.
• Use delta uploads on save/complete and quiet hours for significant refreshes. Log sync stats to catch bottlenecks early.

3. Security & device capabilities

• Enforce SSO + OAuth on BTP; encrypt data at rest on devices; push only required master data. SAP’s guidance covers SSL-only comms and native encryption for offline stores.
• Leverage cameras, barcode/QR, GPS, and signatures through MDK/native features or SAP’s mobile apps.

4. Data for AI & APM

• Structure checklists, readings, and failure codes to feed APM/CBM — the payoff is fewer critical failures and optimized intervals (as seen in Equinor’s CBM journey).

5. 90-Day pilot plan (tight and pragmatic)

Weeks 1–2: Value framing & scope
Pick one site and two high-volume workflows (e.g., corrective WO + safety checklist). Define success metrics: first-time-fix% %, wrench time sample, average close time, and rework rate.

Weeks 3–6: Build the minimum lovable product

• Configure SAP Service & Asset Manager (or compose with Build Apps/MDK) for the two workflows.
• Model offline defining queries and sync cadence.
• Add a GIS layer for work order location context.

Weeks 7–10: Field trial

• Onboard 30–50 technicians via SAP Mobile Start; monitor adoption and sync KPIs in Mobile Services.
• Run an A/B test on digital vs. legacy paper in parallel shifts for a clean comparison.

Weeks 11–13: Scale-out plan

• Lock standards (naming, status codes, defect taxonomy).
• Prepare integration to scheduling (FSM) and APM (CBM rules).

How Splisys helps (oil & gas focus)

• Discovery & value mapping: Identify the fastest path to measured gains (first-time-fix, rework, travel time).
• Low-code build factory: Compose low-code SAP Fiori apps in Build Apps/MDK; harden with pro-code where needed.
• Field-ready offline: Engineer sync windows, defining queries, and cockpit policies to fit shift patterns and bandwidth constraints.
• Out-of-the-box accelerators: Rapid configuration of SAP Service & Asset Manager and SAP Field Service Management, including persona setups and AI scheduling policies.
• GIS & linears: Esri/GEF integration for map-driven work and linear referencing (pipelines).
• Adoption & change: Technician-first UX, guardrail governance, and KPI instrumentation from day one.

Want a 90-minute value workshop tailored to your assets and crews? Splisys can map your top use-cases, pick a pilot workflow, and propose a 90-day plan with measurable targets.

FAQs

Q1. Build Apps vs. MDK — which should we choose?
Build Apps is excellent for quickly and visually composing Fiori-style apps and handling simple logic. MDK adds deeper device features, extensibility, and multi-channel runs (native + web) — helpful for complex offline and hardware integration. Many programs use both: Build Apps for quick forms/approvals, and MDK for heavy field workflows.

Q2. Can technicians work all day offline?
Yes. Mobile Services supports full CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) offline OData, with cockpit-controlled synchronization policies. Pair it with Mobile Start and you have an offline-first, secure entry point.

Q3. We already own SAP Service & Asset Manager. Why low-code?
Use SAM for core maintenance personas. Add low-code SAP Fiori apps to close gaps — such as permit-to-work, contractor sign-in, pipeline-specific checks, or site-specific forms — without lengthy custom projects. Recent SAM releases also introduce new persona features, allowing you to configure overbuilding.

Q4. How do we justify the business case?
Anchor on first-time-fix, rework, travel time, and safety deviations. Benchmarks show mobile field programs improve these KPIs; your pilot should confirm the local baseline and uplift before scaling.

Q5. What about maps and linear assets in the field?
Enable Esri/GEF in Service & Asset Manager for map-driven work, linear referencing, and spatial context on orders and inspections.