Xcel Energy: SAP Fiori Mobile Transformation

The Challenge: Inefficient Field Time Entry Holding Workers Back

An industry leader, Xcel Energy provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is a leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing clean energy solutions.

Xcel employs thousands of field workers charged with keeping power safely flowing. By 2019, Xcel’s Operations team had identified Field Employee Experience as a top initiative after identifying a critical pain point:

The existing time entry system required desktop access, forcing field workers to wait until they returned to the office or got home to enter their hours. This created inefficiency, delayed payroll processing, and frustrated employees who wanted to complete administrative tasks while still in the field.

The Approach: Human-Centered Design Meets SAP BTP

Mindset had been helping Xcel since 2016 and was tapped to transform this critical process. As a member of the SAP AppHaus Network, Mindset brought proven innovation methodologies to the challenge.

Our Process:

• Design Thinking Workshops – Conducted collaborative sessions directly with field teams to understand their daily workflows, pain points, and mobile needs
• User Research – Gathered input from workers across different locations and scenarios to ensure the solution worked for everyone
• Rapid Prototyping – Created mockups and tested concepts with actual users before development
• Agile Development – Built the solution iteratively with continuous feedback from the field

The Solution: Mobile-First SAP Fiori on Business Technology Platform

Based on direct input from field workers, Mindset created a custom SAP Fiori application hosted on SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP).

Key Features:

• Mobile-optimized interface designed specifically for field use
• Real-time access to time cards from any mobile device
• Offline capability for areas with poor connectivity
• Intuitive UX requiring minimal training
• Seamless SAP integration with existing HR and payroll systems

The solution leveraged SAP BTP’s cloud capabilities, ensuring scalability, security, and seamless integration with Xcel’s SAP S/4HANA environment.

The Results: Transformative Impact on Employee Experience

“This is a BIG win – for our field crews, the employee experience overall – and this team for showing how a small focused team can deliver some pretty cool new capabilities!”

The Mindset Difference: AppHaus Methodology + SAP BTP Expertise

This success story demonstrates Mindset’s unique approach as an SAP AppHaus Network member:

✓ Human-Centered Innovation – We start with people, not technology
✓ SAP BTP Mastery – Deep expertise in Business Technology Platform, Fiori, and cloud development
✓ Design Thinking at Scale – Proven methodologies that uncover real user needs
✓ Rapid Time-to-Value – Agile delivery that gets solutions into users’ hands fast

Looking Forward: The Foundation for AI-Powered Operations

This SAP BTP implementation laid the groundwork for Xcel’s continued digital transformation journey. As Xcel explores next-generation capabilities like SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) and AI-powered workforce optimization, the mobile-first, user-centered foundation Mindset built positions them for success.

Future Opportunities:

• AI-driven predictive scheduling with Joule agents
• Intelligent time recommendations based on historical patterns
• Real-time analytics with SAP Business Data Cloud
• Voice-enabled time entry for hands-free operation

Technologies & Methodologies Used:

• SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP)
• SAP Fiori / SAPUI5
• SAP AppHaus Design Thinking
• Human-Centered Design
• Mobile-First Development
• Agile Delivery

Industry: Energy & Utilities

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota