Metro replaces SAP CATS

Metro Digital had been using SAP CATS (Cross Application Time Sheet) since 2008 for project time recording. Over time, the system became a burden: 

• Employees had to enter working time and project time separately — a redundant and frustrating experience. 
• Data lacked transparency and precision for project controlling. 
• Management requested a solution that was more intuitive, modern, and trusted. 

As Sascha Kleinohl recalls, employees regularly questioned the need to input data twice, and management demanded a solution that would deliver both financial accuracy and employee simplicity. In short, the organization faced a form of technical debt — legacy tools and processes no longer fit for agile IT and financial transparency.

Metro Digital partnered with Serviceware to reinvent project time recording and integrate it seamlessly into IT financial management and Corporate Performance Management. The goal: 

“It needs to be as easy as brushing your teeth in the morning.” – Former Metro Digital CFO

With Serviceware, Metro Digital integrated project time recording seamlessly into Microsoft Teams, making processes feel as natural as a daily routine. Employees can now record and approve project hours with one click inside Teams, while reminders ensure compliance and reduce errors.

Metro Digital had finished a major upgrade with the Serviceware platform and is preparing for an even more ambitious IT target operating model. The next step: extending project time recording beyond core IT into business functions, broadening transparency into how investments and hours align across the entire enterprise.

By partnering with Serviceware, Metro Digital successfully transformed a legacy process into a strategic advantage. The journey reduced tech debt, improved IT Financial Management, and humanized project time recording — turning a once-frustrating exercise into something “as easy as brushing your teeth.”

The benefits of the new solution were numerous:

• Employee Satisfaction: Recording and approving project hours is simple, fast, and no longer a complaint topic. Teams appreciate transparent, easy-to-use tooling.
• Financial Transparency: With over 1,200 time recording elements and 150+ services integrated, Metro Digital now has a single source of truth for project time and IT cost allocation. Finance teams and project planners gain detailed insights into who worked when, for how long, and at what cost.
• Efficiency in Closing: Month-end processes are faster, with clear audit trails on approvals.
• Process Automation: Automated reminders in Teams help ensure project hours, staff allocations, and external cost postings are completed on time, reducing manual follow-ups.