SAP Consultants / Analyst Advice
Discussion
Looking for some help into this field. I'm currently an ERP analyst for a different german system 'Oxaion Frida' with additional skills in SQL server. I am also trying to get some training from our in-house SAP FI analyst but it's proving to be difficult. I have access to a SAP test environment which my company uses for financial.
I have so far completed the SAP01 module. I could obviously continue with the SAP training route to become certified in a field which interests me...
What do you think would be the best way to becoming an employable SAP consultant? and how have you got there?
Thanks for your help.
I have so far completed the SAP01 module. I could obviously continue with the SAP training route to become certified in a field which interests me...
What do you think would be the best way to becoming an employable SAP consultant? and how have you got there?
Thanks for your help.
Hi Manners, heres my 2 p worth.
For a "fresher" you are already in quite a good position as you have already got ERP experience which counts for a lot. I've not come across the Oxaion product before but I assume you have different areas of functionality/modules etc - what area is your experience in? This can really make a difference if you are trying to get into the market.
The market is saturated with new joiners at the moment. Lots of people have gone on the courses, got the certs and think they can "do" SAP with no process or industry experience or work experience. You could go through the route of paying for the courses (lots of £££
but imo that's a bit of a risk.
I got into SAP 6 years ago through a grad scheme & have gone from there, problem is that the market has now changed & the consultancy houses are not training up the legions like they used to.
My normal advice to people trying to get in is to get into a company running SAP, show interest in getting involved and do whatever you can to get hands on experience of the product in a live environment. Beg, bribe, cajole your incumbent SAPper/s into showing you the ropes. Once you have your foot in the door, it makes lots of sense for a company to use interested resource for any upgrade projects or functional rollouts.
If your company can't do it, see if you can do some detective work, find out companies running your existing product who are looking at switching to SAP (easier to say than do) and try & get in there.
Your test environment will give you access to SAP with a fair bit of data which is good - In the short term it could be useful to get hold of your business proc docs & training material & run through the FI stuff there. SAP business processes are usually pretty vanilla so getting to see how they run could be useful. You won't be able to touch the config but that can come later. If you want to have a play, there is likely to be a sandbox somewhere. If you are serious about it, go & find your Basis team & give them a box of biscuits or doughnuts. Then get them to set you up on the sandbox (they will have one stashed away somewhere) with lots of access. That way you can much about without trashing anything important.
If you have any q's about anything I have written here or any SAP questions in general, PM me & I'll see what I can do to help. Whatever you choose - good luck!
For a "fresher" you are already in quite a good position as you have already got ERP experience which counts for a lot. I've not come across the Oxaion product before but I assume you have different areas of functionality/modules etc - what area is your experience in? This can really make a difference if you are trying to get into the market.
The market is saturated with new joiners at the moment. Lots of people have gone on the courses, got the certs and think they can "do" SAP with no process or industry experience or work experience. You could go through the route of paying for the courses (lots of £££
but imo that's a bit of a risk. I got into SAP 6 years ago through a grad scheme & have gone from there, problem is that the market has now changed & the consultancy houses are not training up the legions like they used to.
My normal advice to people trying to get in is to get into a company running SAP, show interest in getting involved and do whatever you can to get hands on experience of the product in a live environment. Beg, bribe, cajole your incumbent SAPper/s into showing you the ropes. Once you have your foot in the door, it makes lots of sense for a company to use interested resource for any upgrade projects or functional rollouts.
If your company can't do it, see if you can do some detective work, find out companies running your existing product who are looking at switching to SAP (easier to say than do) and try & get in there.
Your test environment will give you access to SAP with a fair bit of data which is good - In the short term it could be useful to get hold of your business proc docs & training material & run through the FI stuff there. SAP business processes are usually pretty vanilla so getting to see how they run could be useful. You won't be able to touch the config but that can come later. If you want to have a play, there is likely to be a sandbox somewhere. If you are serious about it, go & find your Basis team & give them a box of biscuits or doughnuts. Then get them to set you up on the sandbox (they will have one stashed away somewhere) with lots of access. That way you can much about without trashing anything important.
If you have any q's about anything I have written here or any SAP questions in general, PM me & I'll see what I can do to help. Whatever you choose - good luck!
I had to laugh when I was chatting with some Dutch customers , a huge multinational running SAP, and we were discussing its limitations and problems that it can cause.......
"Do you know what we call SAP in Holland" asked one of the Dutch guys,
I shook my head........
" Hitlers Revenge "...........
Cheers,
Tony
"Do you know what we call SAP in Holland" asked one of the Dutch guys,
I shook my head........
" Hitlers Revenge "...........
Cheers,
Tony
Thanks for the advice bga, my employer has been debating going over to SAP for a few years now. Most of our non-German team and PMs are in favor of it but it is down to the business to decide.
We are currently acquiring many businesses and integrating them into the company which is far easier with SAP then our existing ERP system. I guess and hope it's a just a matter of time.
The management is all in favor of the rest of the ERP team supporting level 1 SAP work. I have tried to get some training from the SAP guys but they do not like to share the knowledge.
My exposure in the existing system are in the following fields Admin, SD, MM & BI all following SOX governance.
We are currently acquiring many businesses and integrating them into the company which is far easier with SAP then our existing ERP system. I guess and hope it's a just a matter of time.
The management is all in favor of the rest of the ERP team supporting level 1 SAP work. I have tried to get some training from the SAP guys but they do not like to share the knowledge.
My exposure in the existing system are in the following fields Admin, SD, MM & BI all following SOX governance.
manners said:
Thanks for the advice bga, my employer has been debating going over to SAP for a few years now. Most of our non-German team and PMs are in favor of it but it is down to the business to decide.
We are currently acquiring many businesses and integrating them into the company which is far easier with SAP then our existing ERP system. I guess and hope it's a just a matter of time.
The management is all in favor of the rest of the ERP team supporting level 1 SAP work. I have tried to get some training from the SAP guys but they do not like to share the knowledge.
My exposure in the existing system are in the following fields Admin, SD, MM & BI all following SOX governance.
Your process knowledge should map across pretty well, it looks like actually getting your hands on the system is proving to eb the hard bit. If your management is keen for you to help out would they pay for any more SAP delivered training? (not necessarily certification).
As you have BI experience it may be worth keeping an eye out to see if your company will be pulling in BW (Business Data Warehouse) at any stage. It's not known as Better Wages for nothing & is a really hot skill at the moment.
SoX is also useful to have in the SAP world. My current client is listed in the US but only a small % of their revenue comes from there. Unfortunately all of the other SAP instances are having to be compliant & there are very few people with SoX & SAP experience to help with the pain.
Good luck whatever you choose to do & feel free to PM me with any q's on SAP or indeed SoX & SAP (the security stuff is a nightmare!)
I agree with BGA - Get SOX as well.
I have found that you can do the whole SAP cerfification route cheaper out in somewhere like Singapore (including flights/hotels/food etc) than it is over here.
I can do some BASIS work as thats what I did at Kelloggs but now I am getting jobs through (cos I have SAP work on my CV) for CRM stuff. Hmmmm could I really sit there all day doing SAP..?
Claire
I have found that you can do the whole SAP cerfification route cheaper out in somewhere like Singapore (including flights/hotels/food etc) than it is over here.
I can do some BASIS work as thats what I did at Kelloggs but now I am getting jobs through (cos I have SAP work on my CV) for CRM stuff. Hmmmm could I really sit there all day doing SAP..?
Claire
bga said:
Thanks for the advice bga, my employer has been debating going over to SAP for a few years now. Most of our non-German team and PMs are in favor of it but it is down to the business to decide.
We are currently acquiring many businesses and integrating them into the company which is far easier with SAP then our existing ERP system. I guess and hope it's a just a matter of time.
The management is all in favor of the rest of the ERP team supporting level 1 SAP work. I have tried to get some training from the SAP guys but they do not like to share the knowledge.
My exposure in the existing system are in the following fields Admin, SD, MM & BI all following SOX governance.
Your process knowledge should map across pretty well, it looks like actually getting your hands on the system is proving to eb the hard bit. If your management is keen for you to help out would they pay for any more SAP delivered training? (not necessarily certification).
As you have BI experience it may be worth keeping an eye out to see if your company will be pulling in BW (Business Data Warehouse) at any stage. It's not known as Better Wages for nothing & is a really hot skill at the moment.
SoX is also useful to have in the SAP world. My current client is listed in the US but only a small % of their revenue comes from there. Unfortunately all of the other SAP instances are having to be compliant & there are very few people with SoX & SAP experience to help with the pain.
Good luck whatever you choose to do & feel free to PM me with any q's on SAP or indeed SoX & SAP (the security stuff is a nightmare!)
If you need any short term contract expertise around SAP specifically the security aspects or SOX compliance just shout, been working the Risk/Sox area for the last 18 months and have got some good guys with Oracle/SAP/chunkyERP backgrounds.
jo strummer said:
If you need any short term contract expertise around SAP specifically the security aspects or SOX compliance just shout, been working the Risk/Sox area for the last 18 months and have got some good guys with Oracle/SAP/chunkyERP backgrounds.
I'll be doing myself out of a job
(6yr SAP Security & 3 yr SoX w/big4) We've already got a team here that I resource onto jobs but will bear this in mind if a situation comes up
Cheers,
bga
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