Discussion
A number of firms I've done work for in the past few years seem to be looking at moving to SAP. Is there some kind of course or qualification that combined with my current IT experience might give me a head start or at least beef up my CV? Or is SAP so huge I need to know exactly which bit they are using to be of any use?
Austin Prefect said:
A number of firms I've done work for in the past few years seem to be looking at moving to SAP. Is there some kind of course or qualification that combined with my current IT experience might give me a head start or at least beef up my CV? Or is SAP so huge I need to know exactly which bit they are using to be of any use?
It really depends on what your job is. Administrator, accountant, buyer, engineer etc.If you want to wind up an SAP specialist, tell them "its just another application"- it is really, it has a front end, an app layer and a DB layer but they get very protective of their "special" application and make a meal of the fact they cannot estimate sizing for a specific user count.
Looks like SAP hasn't changed then regarding poor sizing!
If you are working non technical then have a look at how business process mapping etc can work to build out platform capability. I remember when we implemented and transformed to it there was a sea of consultants using a Business Modelling tool and coining it in.
Hard to see why folk are still going for SAP in 2025 but thats another discussion thread.
If you are working non technical then have a look at how business process mapping etc can work to build out platform capability. I remember when we implemented and transformed to it there was a sea of consultants using a Business Modelling tool and coining it in.
Hard to see why folk are still going for SAP in 2025 but thats another discussion thread.
It takes an army of people to negotiate with SAP. Each of the modules is licenced in a different way, some
By revenue, some by transactions, some by users, and some even SAP cannot work it out.
Modules are like any other tool but getting to grips with the licensing model requires some serious brain power.
The model may look simple but heck there is always a small print which seems to negatively affect you
Great tool if you can run common process and stay vanilla. Some modules are more mature than others so watch out.
There is plenty of free overview training out there
By revenue, some by transactions, some by users, and some even SAP cannot work it out.
Modules are like any other tool but getting to grips with the licensing model requires some serious brain power.
The model may look simple but heck there is always a small print which seems to negatively affect you
Great tool if you can run common process and stay vanilla. Some modules are more mature than others so watch out.
There is plenty of free overview training out there
Austin Prefect said:
So hanging loose and see exactly what these people are planning to use SAP for seems to be the best option. Must read up on BASIS and ABAP though.
Thanks all.
Yes there isnt a standard because much of what we know of as a "SAP application" did not start life as such and have been acquired so they all have different UI's and back ends. You need to know what it will be used for (HR, finance, supply chain etc) and even then there is often more than one choice with a SAP application so it doesnt follow for instance that HR will be running SucccessFactors if its on "SAP HR".Thanks all.
My advice would be to get an understanding of the basics of cloud computing and go from there.
From my limited experience SAP can be effective if your business processes closely follow the default processes built into SAP, particularly if you are a traditional manufacturing industry that buys raw materials or parts, processes or assembles them into a finished product that gets tested, packaged, shipped and billed.
'Our' business however is not like that - we take a finished product and overhaul it, which does not fit well into vanilla SAP. We ended up using the SAP plant maintenance module and customising it highly at vast expense to get something that works acceptably.
SAP is most effective when all the business processes work smoothly, it gets very clunky when e.g. you need to rework something, or substitute parts from another product into the one you're working on.
'Our' business however is not like that - we take a finished product and overhaul it, which does not fit well into vanilla SAP. We ended up using the SAP plant maintenance module and customising it highly at vast expense to get something that works acceptably.
SAP is most effective when all the business processes work smoothly, it gets very clunky when e.g. you need to rework something, or substitute parts from another product into the one you're working on.
Professor Barney said:
From my limited experience SAP can be effective if your business processes closely follow the default processes built into SAP, particularly if you are a traditional manufacturing industry that buys raw materials or parts, processes or assembles them into a finished product that gets tested, packaged, shipped and billed.
'Our' business however is not like that - we take a finished product and overhaul it, which does not fit well into vanilla SAP. We ended up using the SAP plant maintenance module and customising it highly at vast expense to get something that works acceptably.
SAP is most effective when all the business processes work smoothly, it gets very clunky when e.g. you need to rework something, or substitute parts from another product into the one you're working on.
SAP cloud products, same as all of the systems from competitors like oracle and workday are based on their view of how a process should work. If you can live with that process or if you can live with it after taking the required built in configuation options the systems work well. As soon as you have to customise it you have bought the wrong product. Cloud products are not designed to be customised in that way and you end up with stiff not working, poor performance and a nightmare maintenance schedule. Key take away is buy the right product in the first place. 'Our' business however is not like that - we take a finished product and overhaul it, which does not fit well into vanilla SAP. We ended up using the SAP plant maintenance module and customising it highly at vast expense to get something that works acceptably.
SAP is most effective when all the business processes work smoothly, it gets very clunky when e.g. you need to rework something, or substitute parts from another product into the one you're working on.
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