OG&E’s RISE with SAP transformation: Overcoming data security and testing challenges in Utilities

Data security and test data management in complex utility landscapes

In today’s utilities sector, handling large volumes of sensitive data, particularly in non-production environments, is a complex challenge. For OG&E, this became especially clear during their recent digital transformation initiative.

As part of its strategic modernization, OG&E migrated to RISE with SAP, implementing SAP S/4HANA alongside IS-U, Employee Central Payroll, and connected SuccessFactors systems. While the move positioned OG&E for operational efficiency and innovation, it also introduced new demands around data security and test data management in complex utility landscapes.

Managing large volumes of sensitive technical master data in non-production environments was costly and risky. They also needed to quickly resolve IS-U Production issues without disrupting live operations.

Solving Production issues with speed and precision

During their implementation, OG&E encountered issues with IS-U Installations and Business Partners – two core components of utility operations. To quickly replicate and resolve these issues without disrupting live environments, OG&E deployed EPI-USE Labs’ Object Sync, part of the Data Sync Manager (DSM) Suite.

This powerful product allowed their testing team to independently replicate specific Production problems in non-production systems. The ability to self-provision the required data, without relying on full-system copies or IT involvement, drastically reduced resolution time. More importantly, it ensured zero impact on other users or business processes.

Simplifying test data management for Utilities

For many SAP IS-U companies, including OG&E, managing test data is a constant struggle. The sheer volume of technical master data, including business partners, installations, and premises, creates significant challenges. Full copies of Production systems are costly in terms of storage and often impractical due to the sensitive nature of the data.

This is where EPI-USE Labs’ Data Sync Manager (DSM) for Utilities provides an effective solution. For OG&E, as well as other utilities companies, DSM enables the creation of a lean testing environment by replicating only the necessary data, such as business partners and related account history, significantly reducing the size of the non-production system (typically less than 10% of the Production size).

This approach not only minimizes storage requirements, but also provides the flexibility to provision data on-demand, ensuring that testers always have access to real-world data for accurate testing without the need for full-system copies. For utilities like OG&E, this helps accelerate issue resolution and enhances testing agility, all while maintaining a secure, efficient non-production environment.

Ensuring privacy in test environments

Handling sensitive data – such as customer details, vendor information, and employee records– requires a robust data privacy solution. To meet this need, OG&E implemented EPI-USE Labs’ Data Secure.

With Data Secure, OG&E was able to:

• Scramble sensitive data across IS-U, Employee Central Payroll and connected SuccessFactors systems.
• Protect Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in Employee Central and Payroll, while keeping data relationships intact.
• Maintain compliant, secure testing environments – critical in an industry subject to strict privacy regulations.

A blueprint for utilities companies moving with RISE with SAP

In their RISE with SAP journey, OG&E leveraged Object Sync and Data Secure to navigate critical data security and test data management challenges. The combination of these tools enabled OG&E to ensure a secure, agile, and efficient transformation – setting the stage for continued innovation in the energy sector.

About OG&E

Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E) is a major utilities company in the United States, serving over 850,000 customers across Oklahoma and western Arkansas. Formed in 1902, OG&E is Oklahoma’s oldest and largest investor-owned electric utility.