Tag: SAP

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ERP & SAP Job Descriptions

SAP Best Practices: How to Implement and Optimize Your SAP System

SAP best practices
SAP best practices

SAP is a complex software system that can be challenging to implement and optimize. However, with the right approach and best practices, you can ensure a successful SAP implementation and get the most out of your investment. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best practices for implementing and optimizing your SAP system.

To help companies achieve a successful SAP implementation, this whitepaper explains SAP implementation best practices. It also presents a case study from the global leader sportwear company ADIDAS as an example of successful SAP implementation.

Whether you are a business leader, IT professional, or project manager, this whitepaper will help you understand how to plan, execute, and manage a successful SAP implementation that delivers tangible benefits and ROI.

What is SAP

Firstly, let’s specify what is SAP. SAP (Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing) is a software system that enables businesses to manage their operations and resources efficiently.

Companies use SAP to integrate different business functions. For example, they can integrate finance, logistics, human resources, and procurement, into a single system. Thus allowing them to streamline their processes and optimize their resources.

Moreover, businesses can tailor SAP to meet their specific needs because the system is highly customizable. Thousands of organizations worldwide use SAP as is provides real-time insights and data analytics that can help businesses make better decisions.

SAP history

SAP (Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing) has come a long way since its inception in 1972.

Founded by five former IBM employees in Germany, SAP started as a small company with a big vision. This vision being: to create software that could streamline business processes and help organizations operate more efficiently.

Over the years, SAP has grown into a global leader in enterprise software, serving customers in more than 180 countries.

Today, SAP offers a wide range of solutions that enable businesses to manage their operations, from cloud-based applications to analytics and database technologies.

Despite its growth and success, SAP remains committed to its original mission, to help businesses run better and more efficiently through the power of technology.

Best practices to implement and optimize your SAP system

Knowing the best practices for implementing and optimizing your SAP system is essential for any organization that wants to leverage the full potential of the software.

SAP is a complex system that can have a significant impact on a business’s operations, resources, and overall performance.

Implementing SAP in the wrong way or failing to optimize it can lead to costly mistakes, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities. On the other hand, following best practices can help organizations ensure a successful implementation. This by minimizing risks, and achieving maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

By knowing the best practices for implementing and optimizing SAP, businesses can save time, reduce costs, and make the most of their investment in the software.

Learn more about SAP careers from this SAP project management expert.

1 Define Your Business Processes

Before implementing SAP, it’s essential to understand your business processes and how SAP can support them. This includes defining your business requirements, mapping out your processes, and identifying any gaps or areas for improvement. By taking a process-centric approach, you can ensure that your SAP implementation is aligned with your business goals and objectives.

Taking a process-centric approach to SAP implementation involves examining and understanding your business processes in detail. This means identifying the activities, resources, and information flows involved in each process, as well as the inputs and outputs. It’s also essential to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of each process, including identifying any bottlenecks or areas where productivity could be improved.

Once you have a clear understanding of your business processes, you can begin mapping them to SAP modules and functionalities. This involves identifying which SAP modules can support each process and configuring the system accordingly. It may also involve customizing SAP functionalities to meet your specific business requirements.

In addition to mapping your processes to SAP, it’s also important to identify any gaps or areas for improvement. This may involve identifying processes that are not currently supported by SAP or processes that could be optimized using SAP functionalities. It’s also essential to ensure that your SAP implementation aligns with your overall business goals and objectives. It could be increasing productivity, improving customer satisfaction, or reducing costs.

Overall, a process-centric approach to SAP implementation help ensure that the system is aligned with your business requirements. It also helps ensure that your SAP implementation is scalable and can adapt to changes in your business processes and requirements over time.

Discover more about what is ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)

2 Choose the Right SAP Modules

Once you have a clear understanding of your business processes, it’s important to select the right SAP modules that align with your requirements. SAP offers a wide range of modules and applications, each designed to address specific business needs. When selecting SAP modules, it’s important to choose the ones that are most relevant to your business processes and requirements. For example, if you’re a manufacturing company, you’ll likely need modules for production planning and control, materials management, and plant maintenance.

In addition, there are several other SAP modules that may be relevant to different types of businesses. For instance, finance and accounting modules, such as SAP FI and CO, can help companies manage their financial operations. Including accounts payable and receivable, general ledger, and financial reporting. Human resources modules, such as SAP HCM, can assist in managing employee data, payroll, and benefits administration.

Learn more about SAP FICO Consultant

Moreover, supply chain management modules, such as SAP SCM, can help companies streamline their supply chain operations. Also including procurement, inventory management, and logistics. Sales and distribution modules, such as SAP SD, can help companies manage their sales processes. For example order processing, pricing, and delivery.

It’s essential to note that selecting the right SAP modules is critical for a company’s success, and it requires careful evaluation of the organization’s business processes and needs. Companies must also consider the complexity and cost of implementing and maintaining the SAP modules they choose. Therefore, it’s crucial to work with experienced SAP consultants who can provide guidance and support throughout the selection and implementation process.

Discover What is SAP Integration Solutions

3 Plan and execute data migration

Data migration is also a crucial aspect of SAP implementation. It involves transferring data from legacy systems to the new SAP system. This process can be complex, particularly when dealing with large volumes of data or when the data is of poor quality. Therefore, it’s essential to plan data migration carefully to ensure that the data is accurate, complete, and consistent.

The first step in data migration is to identify the data that needs to be migrated. Then, to determine the best approach for migrating it. This may involve developing a data migration strategy, mapping the data from the legacy system to SAP, and developing a plan for cleaning and validating the data.

Once the data has been migrated, it’s crucial to carry out testing to ensure that the system is functioning correctly. This may involve testing individual transactions, testing end-to-end business processes, and performing load and performance testing. The goal of testing is to identify any issues or errors in the system before going live. Also to ensure that the system is functioning correctly and meeting the business requirements.

In addition to testing, it’s essential to provide adequate training and support to end-users to ensure that they can use the SAP system effectively. This may involve developing training materials, conducting training sessions, and providing ongoing support to end-users.

Overall, data migration and testing are critical components of SAP implementation. By planning and executing data migration and testing carefully, companies can ensure that their SAP implementation is successful and that the system is aligned with their business requirements.

Here you can get an overview of SAP S/4HANAand its differences with ECC6 here.

4 Develop a Customization Strategy

SAP is a highly configurable system that can be customized to meet specific business needs. However, customization can also be time-consuming and costly if not done properly. To minimize the risks associated with customization, it’s essential to develop a customization strategy that balances your business requirements with SAP’s standard functionality. This can involve:

  • Identifying any gaps or areas for improvement: Before customizing SAP, it’s crucial to analyze your current processes and compare them with SAP’s standard processes. This analysis will help you identify areas where the standard functionality doesn’t meet your business requirements and determine what kind of customization is necessary to fill those gaps.
  • Evaluating the cost and benefits of customization: Customizing SAP can be expensive and time-consuming, so it’s important to evaluate the cost and benefits of any customization before making changes to the system. Consider factors such as the impact of customization on system performance, maintenance costs, and the potential benefits it offers, such as improved productivity, better data quality, and enhanced user experience. By doing so, you can ensure that any customization is justified and aligned with your business goals.
  • Establishing a governance framework to manage changes to the system: To manage changes to the SAP system, it’s essential to establish a governance framework. This framework should define the process for making changes, including who can make changes, how changes are approved, tested, and deployed. It should also establish guidelines for documenting changes and maintaining system integrity. By establishing a governance framework, you can properly manage and control any customization, reducing the risk of errors and system instability.

Learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of SAP

5 Ensure Data Quality and Integrity

Data quality and integrity are critical for any SAP implementation. To ensure accurate and reliable data, it’s important to establish data standards, validate data quality, and implement data governance processes. This includes identifying any data dependencies or integration points, establishing data validation rules, and ensuring that data is entered consistently across the system.

In addition, organizations should also consider implementing a data management strategy for SAP. This includes identifying data owners and stewards, defining data policies and procedures, and establishing a data quality management framework.

Data management is critical for ensuring that data is consistent, accurate, and reliable across the entire organization. It also helps organizations to comply with regulatory requirements and maintain data privacy and security. By implementing a data management strategy for SAP, organizations can ensure that their data is of high quality and integrity, which is essential for making informed business decisions.

Furthermore, organizations should regularly monitor and analyze their data to identify any data quality issues or inconsistencies. This includes performing data audits, data profiling, and data cleansing activities. By proactively monitoring data quality, organizations can identify and correct data issues before they become more significant problems.

You can also read : Why an ERP implementation needs a Project Manager

6 Train Your Users

Finally, user adoption and training are crucial to the success of SAP implementation. End-users need to understand how to use SAP effectively. This to perform their daily tasks and make the most of the software’s features and functionalities. Providing comprehensive training and support can help to increase user adoption and ensure that the implementation is successful.

SAP is a complex system that requires specialized skills and knowledge. To ensure that your users can effectively use the system, it’s important to provide comprehensive training and support. This can involve developing training materials, providing hands-on training, and establishing a help desk or support system.

In summary, implementing SAP requires a process-centric approach, selecting the right modules, careful planning and execution of data migration, thorough testing, and comprehensive user adoption and training.

By following these best practices, you can ensure a successful SAP implementation and optimize your system for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. With the right approach and support, SAP can be a powerful tool for driving business growth and success.

Also read our article about how to implement and efficient ERP in 6 steps

Conclusion

In conclusion, SAP is a powerful software system that can help businesses operate more efficiently. In fact they can streamline their processes, and achieve their goals.

However, to truly harness the power of SAP, it’s essential to know the best practices for implementing and optimizing the system. By doing so, organizations can avoid costly mistakes, minimize risks, and achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

The history of SAP is a testament to the value of innovation and continuous improvement. As the software continues to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of businesses, it’s essential to stay up-to-date with the latest best practices and technologies. By embracing the potential of SAP and following best practices, organizations can unlock new levels of success and growth.

Need advice on how to start or develop your freelance consulting business in tech or IT? Need to start a new permanent or freelance assignment? Join Mindquest and get support from our team of experts.

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ERP & SAP Job Descriptions

How to implement an efficient ERP in 6 steps

implement an efficient ERP
implement an efficient ERP

Certainly, to implement an efficient ERP is a crucial task; choosing a cloud-based solution can make the process faster. However, since an ERP covers the entire range of business functions, it is important to perform all the necessary steps carefully and methodically.

Switching to a new system, or activating it from scratch, requires a major preliminary analysis, a careful migration and testing process, scrupulous staff training, and fine-tuning of the system.

For this reason, we at Mindquest have summarized the various phases of this process in the following 6 steps.

Flowchart of ERP implementation steps

Flowchart of ERP implementation steps

Also read the advantages and disadvantages of SAP

1. Discovery and planning

Firstly, discovery and planning is perhaps the most important phase: if done methodically, it helps reduce time, cost, and risk. This phase consists of researching and selecting a system, establishing a project team, and defining detailed system requirements.

2. Design

Then, by analyzing the hardware and software infrastructure in place, new and more efficient workflows and other business processes can be designed to take advantage of the system.

In particular, if the choice falls to a cloud-based ERP, it is critical to check the quality, stability, and security of Internet access. Systematic analysis of information flows is critical here. Single systems may, in fact, perform less well than industry-specific products.

At this stage, it is also critical to define a team responsible for the process. Since the implementation is a complex task, dedicating resources makes it easier to interface with the support team.

3. Development

In addition of having performed the audit and mapped the information flows, assigned functions and responsibilities, and identified the most suitable solution, the actual implementation phase begins.

This step consists of the configuration of access and permissions. The ERP is used by several users and in different capacities. It is therefore important to set permissions and roles for access according to one’s user profile.

It also includes the preparation of the data and processes to be migrated. Preliminary analysis helps to resolve any format incompatibilities in time. Centralized data management eliminates redundancies and duplicates

4. Testing

During this phase, it is valuable to continuously test the functions of the system and refine the development to solve any emerging problems.

Fine-tuning, it is to say, testing the system to gradually verify the results of the migration process and adjust any discrepancies in use and access.

5. Deployment

Once this phase is also completed, we move on to the actual operational verification of the new ERP. This is accompanied by staff usability testing.

With the new ERP fully operational, it is possible to observe its actual operation. Preliminary analysis and partial testing are useful, but the go-live is the real litmus test.

6. Support

In the initial break-in period, the work of the support and service team is critical. This is also the reason for choosing not only the ERP, but also the company that provides it.

Maintaining the ERP implementation after deployment helps keep users satisfied and ensures that the company achieves the desired benefits.

Last but not leas, the project team may remain responsible for the ERP system during this phase, but will focus on listening to user feedback and adjusting the system accordingly.

Further development and configuration may be needed as new features are added to the system. It is also critical to train new staff on the system to implement an efficient ERP.

Are you looking for freelance or permanent assignments in the ERP field? You can now apply for our Tech & IT job opportunities on our freelance and permanent recruitment platform.

You can also explore the role of the SAP FICO Consultant

Need advice on how to start or develop your freelance consulting business in tech or IT? Need to start a new permanent or freelance assignment? Join Mindquest and get support from our team of experts.

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ERP & SAP Job Descriptions

What is ERP, the advantages and disadvantages of SAP

What is ERP SAP
What is ERP SAP

ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning. ERP is software that allows companies to integrate different operations within a single program. While ERP is a generic name to refer to enterprise resource planning, SAP is the best-known ERP software.

In this article, we will explain what is ERP, why it is important, and also the advantages and disadvantages of SAP.

Need advice on how to start or develop your freelance consulting business in tech or IT? Need to start a new permanent or freelance assignment? Join Mindquest and get support from our team of experts.

1. What exactly is ERP

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is a software that allows combining production, logistics, inventory, accounting, and human resources operations in the same program.

One of the advantages of ERP systems is their ability to automate processes, resulting in time and cost savings for companies. This is because the implementation of an ERP within the company can bring a large amount of important information on business performance onto the same platform, thus giving order and consistency to all the data generated day by day in the project. 

When talking about ERP, it is impossible not to mention SAP.  And the difference between the two concepts is very simple.

ERP is the generic name used to refer to an enterprise resource planning system, any system, regardless of brand or function; SAP is a specific ERP, and one of the best known.

1.1 Why is ERP crucial for a business

There are certainly many good reasons why ERP is critical to a company’s success. Below are the most relevant ones, let us analyze them together considering the various areas of business management.

  • Firstly, a good ERP implementation helps companies better manage financial activities, from payroll administration to sales reports.
  • ERP also helps provide a clearer picture of the company as a whole.
  • ERP helps improve customer relations and accompanies the company in the technological adaptation that is so much in vogue in recent years.
  • As a unified system, ERP promotes data compatibility in all its areas.

Also read how to implement an efficient ERP in 6 steps

2. Systems, Applications, Product (SAP) in Data Processing

Systems, Applications, Product (SAP) in Data Processing

The name SAP comes from a German multinational company founded in 1972 by former IBM employees. Since then, in the name of this world-renowned company, SAP services or “Systems, Applications, Products in Data Processing” have been used in almost all areas of business administration.

The company’s development has been so rapid that it has become the leader in ERP software. Its services stand out for covering both administrative and customer needs and providing the necessary tools.

Particularsly, there are three basic characteristics of the SAP system: Tailor-made, Canned, and Open Source.

2.1 SAP: a Tailor-made system

Firstly, when one speaks of a system as tailor-made, it means that it has a high degree of personalization. And this, in system terms, refers to a large number of modules that SAP offers. These modules allow each company, small, medium, or large, to adapt it to its own objectives and use only the functionalities that are of interest to it.

Although they have some disadvantages such as unforeseen events and the cost of the process, they meet the needs of the client in a more positive way when dealing with small or medium-sized businesses.

2.2 SAP: a canned system

Then, a canned system means that it includes the systems of companies that produce software to meet the needs of the market on a broader level. The canned system is marketed through software licenses.

The experts’ conclusion on this feature is that it is very difficult to develop a system that encompasses all business functions. For this reason, they say, companies buy a canned ERP that is tailor-made to their needs.

2.3 SAP: an open-source system

Last but not least, as a group of programs, SAP system handles large amounts of data, analyses it, and allows for faster and more compliant processes.

SAP is an open-source system that can be modified by the client, and in the specific area of SAP the programming language is ABAP. The fact that the programs are open provides excellent benefits to the companies that use them.

2.4 Characteristics of the ABAP language

  • Goal-oriented programming
  • Simple language
  • Event-driven
  • Ready for multi-language environments

Moreover, the ABAP language has elements to declare data, internal control elements, operational elements, and database access.

3. The advantages and disadvantages of SAP

SAP systems have their pros and cons. We will detail the main advantages and disadvantages of SAP.

3.1 Advantages of SAP

Simplicity

Firstly, one of the advantages of SAP is its ease of use. The interface is very intuitive and, although its use can become more complex with the addition of modules and new functions, it is not necessary to have the in-depth technical knowledge to understand and enjoy the tool.

Flexibility

Another advantage is that the flexibility offered by this system allows companies to create rules in the SAP system. This will make it possible to channel possible errors and mistakes. In companies, it is possible to decide which employees have access to the data handled by the SAP system.

3.2 Disadvantages of SAP

Periodic system update

Among the disadvantages of the SAP system, we could say that it needs a periodic system update every few years. And this entails an economic cost that may be difficult to assume for some. In addition, with each upgrade there are changes in functions, some disappear, others are added, and it can be confusing.

High Costs

Besides the aforementioned disadvantage in terms of the unexpected or disproportionate costs that the SAP system can generate, it must be taken into account that in order to apply this system it is necessary to acquire the software and hardware to run the programs in the company and, in addition, the cost of hiring employees who are responsible for using this technology.

4. What are the SAP solutions?

SAP offers solutions in a wide range of areas, such as Finance, CRM, Network and Expense Management, Digital Supply, Human Resources, Business Technology, Industry and more.

Below are the features of each of them.

Discover What is SAP Integration Solutions

4.1 ERP and Finance

SAP ERP and Finance

Firstly, Enterprise Resource Planning offers various financial reports. For example, the reports include cash flow projections based on inventory management and order status.

These types of reports also provide the possibility of duplicate entries, as this is done automatically.

SAP FICO is a functional component of SAP ERP. Many large companies use it to generate and manage financial statements. For example, it is useful to create reports, but also for analyzing the decision-making process.


Explore the role of the SAP FICO Consultant

4.2 CRM and customer experience

SAP CRM and Customer experience

Then, a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a tool that helps companies to understand customer needs and to respond to those needs.

In turn, an SAP CRM system allows companies to optimize workflow and create knowledge sharing. It also improves account management, and all this helps companies to effectively address customer needs.

A CRM (customer relationship management) consultant, otherwise known as a CRM expert, is a specialist in customer relationship management software and the relationships themselves.
Usually, a CRM expert works for an ESN or a BtoB agency. He/she may work in a large group or in small structures and must mainly work with customer service, marketing, and web marketing.

If you what to know more about this expert, read also the entire job description of the CRM Consultant.

On the other hand, the role of e-CRM occupies an important place in the field of customer relations on the web; since it coordinates the implementation of digital campaigns across all of the digital platforms of a company.

Salesforce is a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platform that enables companies to simplify and optimize customer interactions. The Salesforce consultant deals with the IT side of customer relationships and specializes in the Salesforce ecosystem. His role consists of advising companies on implementation strategy and conducting studies to meet all customer needs.

Also discover the role of the Salesforce Consultant

4.3 Network and expense management

SAP Network and expense management

Spending management refers to the practice of managing supplier relationships and company purchases. It helps to identify the money spent and make the most of it. In this sense, SAP leads to greater efficiency by automating the entire process. It also reduces supply costs and risks by keeping track of what is brought in, from whom, and for how much.

4.4 Digital supply chain

SAP Digital supply chain

In addition, the Digital supply is the result of the application of digital technologies. With its end-to-end connectivity, SAP eliminates the use of paper. It also eliminates manual data entry and makes everything reliable and easy.

The IoT is undoubtedly a rapidly expanding sector. Consequently, the role of IoT consultants is growing. They can also help a company in transforming its existing products into connected objects as part of a global innovation process.

Discover the job description of the IoT Consultant

4.5 HR and staff interaction

SAP HR and staff interaction

On the HR side, SAP helps in organizational management and tracks attendance. It also helps to accurately verify payroll and ensure overall HR compliance. Moreover, it improves employees’ feelings and attachment to the company and productivity.

4.6 Experience Management

SAP Experience Management

Moreover, SAP Experience Management helps monitor the interaction of people and the company. In other words, it enhances the experience of interacting with a company to uncover opportunities for improvement. It also reduces the gap between companies and customers.

Jira is a multifunctional platform developed by Atlassian that facilitates the management of development and Agile projects. It is a tracking software that allows teams to define activities, identify blockages and share information.

Also discover the role of the Jira Administrator

4.7 Business Technology Platform

SAP Business Technology Platform

SAP Business Technology Platform has data and database management and analytics, and also intelligent technologies which helps simplify any company’s adaptation to instantaneous market changes.

4.8 Digital Transformation

SAP Digital Transformation

SAP provides leading intelligent applications and technologies such as AI and machine learning. It helps companies and organizations reinvent themselves, and become more customer-focused and profit-driven.

4.9 Small and midsize businesses

Certainly, small and midsize businesses face a number of challenges. These include cash flow management, supply chain operations, and employee engagement. SAP helps these companies understand the latest industry trends. It also helps them reinvent product branding and embrace leadership change.

4.10 Industry solutions

SAP Industry solutions

Finally, SAP also offers more than 25 industry-specific ERP solutions to help companies. With that, organizations get an overview of industry-specific business processes. Some of these industries are aerospace and defense, banking, defense and security, insurance, and high-tech.

To conclude this discussion about what is ERP and the advantages and disadvantages of SAP, it is important to mention S/4HANA. This is because it represents one of the most vibrant areas of enterprise IT. Investing time in developing one’s skills in S/4 can lead to a successful and reliable career. But what is this new iteration of SAP’s ERP all about? 

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About us Featured Podcast Interviews

The Career Path of a SAP Consultant

Martin Fischer, SAP Portfolio Manager at BridgingIT, SAP Mentor and a host of the SAP Coffee Corner podcast discusses the career path of an SAP consultant.
Martin Fischer, SAP Portfolio Manager at BridgingIT, SAP Mentor and a host of the SAP Coffee Corner podcast discusses the career path of an SAP consultant.

German ABAP expert Martin Fischer is a Business and SAP Portfolio Manager at BridgingIT, SAP Mentor and a host of the SAP Coffee Corner Radio podcast. He recently sat down with us to talk about how he got started with SAP and discuss the career path of an SAP consultant.

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Check out more of our interviews from our podcast episodes.

What is the SAP consultant career path: How did you get started in the SAP ecosystem?

I started to become interested in computers and technology when I was 16 or 17. At that time, I was about to start an apprenticeship in business administration at a wholesaler for tires and other technical products. I had had some Visual Basic for applications lessons in school before, so I started supporting the financial department by writing a macro in Excel or Access, I don’t remember for sure.

The head of the department got interested in my skills at that time, and they were about to start an SAP project to implement SAP FI in SAP 4.6c. That was the coincidence that got me started in the whole SAP ecosystem, and it’s been 20 years since.

Of all the career paths available within SAP, why did you choose ABAP?

I worked on that project for one and a half years and took over the responsibility for running that system. A year after, I decided to study computer sciences and business and, during my studies, I became more interested in software development. So, I thought, OK, I have a background in SAP, and there is a need for ABAP developers: why not look for a job in that area? And so, I did.

And what has been your career path as an SAP consultant since then?

I joined a consultancy in Zurich after my studies and was there for about a year. Then I moved over to Capgemini and was there for three years. Now I have been with BridgingIT for almost 10 years. I left the development space and moved over to more architectural stuff, as well as team leading responsibilities. I am not programming for the whole day anymore. Actually, I seldom program now. But it’s still in my roots, and I like to dig into the technological details.

Join our community and find your next job in IT

What were the biggest challenges you faced when transitioning into a more managerial role?

Becoming the team lead of my former colleagues. There are a few of them who have much more experience than I do, so it was a bit of a challenge for me. I guess it wasn’t that much of an issue with them, pr at least I had that feeling. But for me, it was different.

The second one was having to care about more people and things in many aspects. So, consulting, finding the right project assignments for my team, etc. It was a bit hard because the role involves some pre-sales and that part was hard in the beginning to learn. Also having to accept that I don’t have that much time anymore to focus on my technology topics. Now I have multiple other topics to devote time to during the day, and I had to accept that I will, over time, lose the deep knowledge of the latest technologies.

But now, after more than four years, I have accepted it and I’m fine with it.

What do you enjoy the most about your new role?

The possibility to drive things in the direction I want to, or which I think is the correct one. Of course, I don’t decide that all by myself, but I have a bit more influence than I did before.

I also enjoy very much the interaction with customers, so the pre-sales part that was so challenging in the beginning turned out to be something I really like. I’m much more confident in these discussions now. The first times, you are very nervous. At least I was. Nowadays it has become more of a routine, and I really like it.

What do you value more, certifications or experience?

There are many things you have to learn for the certification exam that you don’t ever use again. That’s actually one reason why I’m not really convinced that getting many certifications is real proof of qualification or knowledge. I’m quite sure you can get the certifications if you do a proper preparation for them and learn the stuff they will ask you for. But you will not really be able to work with the technology you are certified for. I rate experience higher than certifications.

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When does pursuing certifications make sense?

I would say at the point in time I did my certification, as a junior, it was a good thing to have it because, especially if you work for a consultancy, it helps you to get better project assignments. Some customers are still looking for it. But, in the development area, I don’t see the need to do all the certifications that come with the technology. I don’t see the value in that.

Sometimes you have to do it as a partner to maintain your partner status. That’s another reason why sometimes you have to get certified.

But, from a career perspective, I’m not a big fan of certifications. I think there are better ways of getting a deeper understanding of what you are doing. Get involved in small projects, do a POC, get your hands on the latest technology somehow.

You are an SAP Mentor. What is the Mentors program like?

The program has changed a lot over the last 3-4 years. I’m now almost at the end of my 4th year in the program.

There’s a new program called SAP Champions which took over the community focus and the focus on the outside community, which was also part of the Mentors program. The program now focuses more on providing feedback to SAP on certain topics.

It’s an honour to work with all other mentors in the team because they are all very experienced. The international aspect is also very valuable for me because you get to hear things going on in the United States, Australia, or Asia, and things are different in different countries, so it’s also something you have to learn.

What career advice would you give to other SAP and IT experts in general?

Stay curious and never stop learning. That is very important. And work in something that you like to do. I am lucky to have a job I really like. I cannot imagine investing so much time in something I don’t really want to do.

I think that’s very important. More important than more money, etc. If you have passion for your job, money, at least in technology, comes along.

For more tips on how to navigate the career path of an SAP consultant, make sure to follow Martin on Twitter and LinkedIn and through SAP Coffee Corner Radio.

Want to make the most of your career in SAP with S/4HANA? Check out our definitive S/4HANA Careers Guide.

Interested in DevOps too? Find out more about career opportunities in this promising field through this expert’s DevOps career story.

Need advice on how to start or develop your freelance consulting business in tech or IT? Need to start a new permanent or freelance assignment? Join Mindquest and get support from our team of experts.

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About us Featured Podcast Interviews

From Mastering SAP to Controlling Cars with a Phone: Interview with Denise Nepraunig, iOS Dev

We interview Denise Nepraunig, a Berlin-based iOS developer who decided to pursue her passion for Apple after 13 years in the SAP ecosystem.

Interview with Denise Nepraunig, a Berlin-based iOS developer who decided to pursue her passion for Apple after 13 years in the SAP ecosystem. She’s now a Swift and iOS dev at CARIAD, the Volkswagen Group’s automotive software development division. This is what she did, why she did it, and how you can do it too.

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Interview with Denise Nepraunig

You worked with SAP for many years. Why the change in career focus?

I started out within the SAP ecosystem about 13 years ago, working for an SAP customer, then I had a short stop at an SAP consultancy and, finally, I ended up at SAP itself. The thing was that SAP is really great to work with, and it also pays very well to have SAP skills. But they are really specialised, so it can be hard to transfer them to another company or environment. It’s also hard in terms of resources. Then. things like blog posts or stack overflow questions, they are hard to get by.

Plus, after doing SAP stuff for so long, I really wanted to break free from all of it and diversify my skillset so that I could work anywhere. The last two or three years at the company, I had the chance to get started with some iOS development, and I found it really exciting, I loved it.

So, I’m an Apple fangirl, and I thought writing your own apps for the platform was really cool. Swift makes it a lot easier than Objective-C, with which I had failed in the past. But at SAP we were still using our own frameworks within iOS and stuff like that, so I felt a bit stuck inside this ecosystem.

Then I had the opportunity to interview at Volkswagen, and I saw that they hadn’t created too much stuff for iOS yet. And It was a really good opportunity for me. I joined last December, so I’m a few months in. To be honest, it was quite scary to leave my extensive SAP experience and network behind, but so far I don’t regret it a single bit.

Now I am working on apps with which you can remotely control car features like climatization. It’s also really fascinating to have hardware involved. At SAP you just controlled software or business processes and now you can control a car. It’s like being a kid with a remote-controlled car, but with a real car instead.

So, you basically went from writing code for B2B applications to doing it in the B2C space? What are the biggest differences you have noticed?

For one thing, and in my case, you’re much more closely connected to the customer, and your sprint and your tasks inside the sprint can change very quickly depending on what problems arise or the feedback on the App Store.

Also, I feel more connected to my work. You directly know the end-users, everybody in your everyday life has experience with cars, but hardly anyone else has experience with ERP systems. Volkswagen also has a lot more customers. It has a whole different scale than SAP. Some projects I worked on, yeah – it’s really exciting. I was looking exactly for this.

What’s the best career advice you have ever been given?

The best piece of advice has definitely been that I should network a lot. And that was really important when joining a big company like SAP. There are just so many different things which you are dependent on, whether it is a cloud platform, or a web framework, or stuff inside SAP itself… You need to know people, and it helps tremendously if you know the right person. And that’s also true in terms of careers. For example, if you know someone in another department, you can easily get a job there just because you know the person.

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There are also some cool events that SAP had, where I got the chance to be a speaker at and so on. So this was a tremendous experience inside the SAP family. My first manager at SAP actively supported me in this process, encouraging me to travel to conferences and speak there. I had the opportunity to travel to different countries and experience different cultures.

What’s the biggest challenge you have faced in your career?

Before I was in the IT business, I was a secretary. I had no formal IT education and was coding as a hobby. I used automation in Microsoft Excel a lot and very basic stuff like that, and it made me decide I wanted to be a developer.

But trying to get the right education and my first job without having any experience was very, very hard. It was the biggest challenge, and overcoming it involved a bit of luck too. I heard about a job from a former university professor of mine. It was SAP-related, but not in development. I was first a project assistant and then kind of worked my way up to developer. I knew I had to do other stuff to end up where I wanted. I had also studied communications engineering, so I had all those skills in my CV already. But work experience is so important in this field, and getting the first job was super hard.

Is that something you would recommend to newcomers who are struggling to get into the field, starting with something related and moving up?

Yeah, I think so. You can do this in a big company in particular, but also in small companies. There one wears many hats, and it’s also easier to look over the shoulder of other people, because it’s smaller. I think that, if you can’t directly get a developer job, try to sneak in through somewhere and work your way up.

Hos was your particular experience in larger companies?

Well, for me, my developer career really took off in terms of knowledge when I joined SAP. Before, I worked in teams that were rather small. There were one or two developers who most of the time did a plethora of things. So, I was writing code, but I did not feel that I was able to get better at it. I wrote the same things, again and again.

But, when you join SAP, there are eight people working on the same problem all together. And a lot of people are smarter than you, obviously. It was the first time I ever heard about unit tests and other things I now take for granted. You don’t do this on your own if you’ve never been exposed to it. So that was tremendously helpful. And, also, in a big company, if something else interests you, it’s easier to move to another department instead of looking for a whole new job entirely. It was really a great experience. I mean, big companies sometimes move slowly and can be frustrating when it comes to some processes, but you learn a lot.

Check out more of our interviews from our podcast episodes.

Follow Denise Nepraunig on Twitter, LinkedIn and through her website.

Also discover ou special guide: The Ultimate S/4HANA Careers Guide

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The Value of SAP and SAP S/4HANA Certifications

The Value of SAP and SAP S/4HANA Certifications
Why and how should you pursue SAP and SAP S/4HANA certifications? Hear it from Denys van Kempen,Technology Expert at SAP focusing on SAP HANA and Analytics.

Why and how should you pursue SAP and SAP S/4HANA certifications?

Denys van Kempen is Technology Expert at SAP focusing on SAP HANA and Analytics. He has been at SAP for more than 10 years, where he helps SAP’s Global Partner Organisation support and educate partners about the company’s technology. Denys is a true SAP advocate, blogging extensively and managing content for the SAP HANA Academy.

Learn more about SAP careers from this SAP project management expert.

How did you get started in your career, what do you do at SAP?

It’s funny that you ask, because, out of curiosity, I recently picked up a starter certification for Azure fundamentals. I just did the exam and was happy to pass. And it was curious, because, when I looked at the transcript where it lists all the certifications that you’ve done in the past, I saw how I had started out in IT almost 25 years, and my first certificate was in Windows 95, doing the networking.

One of the most fun parts of the whole software industry and the whole community around it, is that it is constantly changing, and the only thing required is a willingness to learn. If you are interested in studying, you can work in IT. That’s the main qualification you need, as far as I am concerned.

I am now in my early 50s, I speak to a lot of people, and people have very, very different backgrounds. But I would say that is the most essential qualification. Today we are looking at the cloud platforms, yesterday it was blockchain and then it was big data. The only thing you know is next year it’s going to be something different, and we have to take out our books and study the topic.

Why should SAP experts pursue certifications?

I think there are basically two camps. There are people who enjoy learning new things, who maybe even enjoy the challenge of sitting an exam and hopefully pass. And then there is the group who thinks they have a lot of experience already and don’t really need to answer silly questions. I think there’s value in both arguments.

I’ve seen very good exams. But there are also examples of exams where you have to provide answers to questions nobody would know by heart. The certifications that aim for experience and how you solve things are better examples than just those who ask you to memorise things. And I think most vendors try to get that.

Getting a certification is a great way to make sure you study all the aspects of a certain technology, because typically you work with the most common things, but, if you study the topic, you have an opportunity to learn things that are more obscure, less well-known. For your own benefit, getting certified gives you the confidence that you know the product inside out. It’s a great way to solidify your knowledge.

Are you seeing a particular branch of SAP and SAP S/4HANA certifications that is on the rise these days?

Two years ago, SAP made the strategic decision to go cloud-first in all the development. More recently, that decision was accelerated. Everything is going cloud these days.

I think you have that same effect on certifications. There are not really that many people today who pursue a certification for only on-premise software. It doesn’t matter which vendor, everything is going cloud. That would be my advice: if you learn something new, make sure it runs on the cloud. That’s where the future is.

When it comes to cloud, you can work on software that runs on the cloud, or you can help set up and maintain the infrastructure, the internal plumbing. Would that be a good career move for someone that’s just starting within the cloud ecosystem?  

That’s a good question. SAP systems can be very complex, and you have these very large companies, like big food manufacturers or big banks, whose SAP landscapes are huge. There are a lot of functional people, of course, involved in making sure everything works, but also technical people, doing the networking, the backups, etc. And moving all those landscapes onto the cloud is a major shift of focus.

A question I get from time to time is one from people who have been working as Basis Administrators. They wonder what their role will become with everything going to the cloud. If you’ve been working with backups and things like that, that’s no longer a concern for the customer, because it’s being taken care of by the cloud provider. So, you see that shift.

A lot of the technology is now on the cloud, and no longer on the side of the software vendor. So that would definitely be something to look at. If you have a strong technical interest, you’ll have to study how to work with those cloud providers. Configuration and security, for example, they remain very important, but it’s a different role from the traditional one.

How people make their certification journey easier for themselves?

I would try to stick as close as possible to the information the vendor provides. Most of it is freely available or at a very low cost. The thing is that there are just so many materials out there that you end up going from one rabbit hole to another and lose focus. If you just stick with the course manual, you’ll be able to have a quick preparation for the exam, but if you get side-tracked, you search for exam dumps and study the wrong answers… well, I would certainly not recommend that.

Also, don’t make it a project that lasts too long. It’s either going to be 6 or 8 weeks, but make it something for which you are going to study frequently, even if it’s half an hour every day. Just come half an hour earlier to work and spend that half-hour when you are still fresh working on that. That’s far more reachable than if it’s going to be a 5-month project and every weekend once in a while you try to cram it all in.

How about the books you publish through the SAP Press?

Well, that’s a bit of a different story. For example, if you look at Azure or Google Cloud, they provide a lot of information for free or at a relatively low cost. It’s up on Coursera or EdX, and for 50 euros you can study for a month and that’s all you need. That’s a very reasonable amount of money to invest in your career.

Unfortunately, for some SAP and SAP S/4HANA certifications, you have to go through training, and that training can be quite pricey. If you’re self-employed, you might not have the budget. In those situations, an exam guide might be of help. In addition, the course manuals are written to support the course, so they are always challenging. We write these books specifically to help you pass the exam.

Want to make the most of S/4HANA’s career potential? Check out our comprehensive S/4HANA Careers Guide.

SAP’s Learning Hub, for which you can request a free trial, should be your go-to place for official learning resources and documentation.

You can complement these with SAP PRESS Certification Success Guides, one of which Denys has authored. If it’s motivation you are looking for, he also has a lot to say.

You can follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Weekly News: Uber Faces Reality

Weekly News: Uber Faces Reality
Weekly news. Discover last news about IT: Uber faces reality and news about SAP that shared a few significant announcements...

Weekly news. Discover last news about IT: Uber faces reality and news about SAP that shared a few significant announcements.

Uber Faces Reality

One of the biggest heralds of the mobility revolution, Uber is known for making bold statements about the near future and the company’s role in making it possible.

Flying taxis crossing the city’s skyline, fleets of driverless cars optimising traffic flow across entire countries. The full picture. 

Well, it’s time to face reality. The reality of public traded companies, that is.

In an effort to turn a profit next year, the company is abandoning both its loss-making flying taxi division and the development of its own driverless car. 

Uber is selling the two businesses to two different start-ups, hoping to pursue its futuristic ambitions through partnerships moving forward.

The Guardian

SAP News

German software giant SAP used its yearly TechEd event to share a few significant announcements. 

Discover our special guide: The Ultimate S/4HANA Careers Guide

The company is the latest big player to jump on the low-code bandwagon with its new Cloud Platform Workflow Management tool. The solution lets employees with little to no knowledge of coding create their own operational workflows. 

The tool also includes predefined workflows for processes like employee onboarding and can be integrated with Qualtrics data.

SAP also announced its first-ever RPA solution. Named SAP Ruum, the tool complements the company’s new low-code strategy by allowing businesses to integrate easily deployable automation into departmental processes.

TechCrunch

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Also discover our interview From ABAP Developer to SAP Portfolio Manager: The Career Path of an SAP Consultant and our article 4 Things Sci-Fi Might Still Get Right by 2029.

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Weekly News: Bot Friday

Weekly News: Bot Friday
Black Friday long ago escaped the confines of its native United States to become a global shopping phenomenon. Now, another trend is joining this spread: bot.

Also discover our article: The IT Jobs Market of Today

Bot Friday

Black Friday long ago escaped the confines of its native United States to become a global shopping phenomenon. Now, another trend is joining this spread: bot.

If you are looking to catch a sweet deal this year, be advised: you’ll have to compete with more than a swarm of people lining up at the store’s gates. 

For some time now, retail bots have been out there scouting the Internet for the best deals. The exact second an item goes on sale, the bots flag the deal to their owner, who then makes a profit by selling a bot at a higher price. 

The item on sale is sold out? Chances are bots are to blame and it’s on eBay now.

BBC

Fighting cyberattacks with deception

With cyberattacks getting increasingly sophisticated, organisations have to deploy comprehensive cybersec solutions that address multiple fronts. 

Enter deception.

Deception technology is easy to deploy and manage, being to attackers what a honey trap is to fruit flies. Whereas traditional deception was solely focused on this honeypot approach, today’s solutions are way more powerful and have become one of the most effective ways to detect and stop attackers early on.  

However, persistent myths about the technology are keeping companies from leveraging its full potential. 

eWeek

SAP skills shortage threatens UK businesses

We have discussed the issue of SAP skills shortages before, but new research insights keep coming in reinforcing this trend.

In the last two weeks, two surveys conducted in the UK have put a number to the SAP talent gap. A study by Ensono revealed how 80% of SAP customers have postponed cloud migrations due to skills shortages. 

According to the UK & Ireland SAP User Group, 35% of organisations cite the cost of salaries as the main roadblock for recruiting SAP roles, while the overall lack of skills in the market is the main cause for concern for 24% of companies.

The SAP skills gap is further accentuated with the industry’s imminent migration to S/4HANA, which has businesses competing for the scarce number of professionals with this set of skills.  

Diginomica

With S/4HANA migration in full throttle, becoming an S/4 expert is more than a smart move.

 Download our S/4HANA career guide to find out how.

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Top 10 SAP Experts from the Netherlands to Follow on Twitter

Top 10 SAP Experts from the Netherlands to Follow on Twitter
Discover SAP experts from the Netherlands. If you are or want to become an SAP pro, these are the people you should include in your Twitter feed.

Discover SAP experts from the Netherlands. If you are an SAP pro in the Netherlands or would like to become one, these are the people you should include in your Twitter feed. Some are SAP insiders, while others are independent experts and consultants. All of them are worth a follow.

Discover our Ultimate S/4HANA Careers Guide

10 experts SAP from the Netherlands to follow on Twitter

As the IT environment is constantly evolving, it is crucial, if not necessary, to connect with the brightest minds to keep up with innovation. In other words, the more contacts you get, the more likely you are to solve IT challenges. Therefore, we at Mindquest are pleased to provide you with a list of the best SAP Experts from the Netherlands to follow.

Fred Verheul

@fredverheul

Firstly, Fred is an SAP Developer and Consultant at strategic SAP integrator SOA People, where he is helping grow the firm’s SAP HANA and Big Data practices. Fred is also a certified Scrum Master and was recognised with the 2017 SAP Community Citizenship Award for his many contributions to the SAP community.

Twan van den Broek

@tbroek

Twan is a Customer Innovation Architect at SAP, where he leads the SAP Experience Center in the Netherlands to help customers and partners develop personalised SAP experiences that benefit both the business and the end-user. Moreover, Twan has an extensive track record as a blogger and can often be found sharing his experiences and insight at seminars and industry events.

Robin van het Hof

@Qualiture

Robin is an SAP experience specialist with more than 13 years behind his back helping organisations develop and implement environments on the SAP NetWeaver platform. His expertise also covers the newer SAP Cloud Platform and SAPUI5/OpenUI5. In addition, Robin has his own company, Qualiture, and is an SAP Mentor and SAP HANA Distinguished Engineer.

Marleen Verhaag

@marleen_verhaag

Then, Marleen is SAP’s Senior Director Industries & Value Advisory for North EMEA, where she mainly focuses on helping financial services companies with strategic software solutions. She is also the Global Head of SAP’s Global Business Women’s Network, the largest SAP employee-driven network (75 chapters, 13,000+ members) helping women advance their careers and the company’s business.

Wim Snoep

@wsnoep

Wim is a Senior SAP Expert at INNOV8iON, a consultancy specialised in SAP technologies. He focuses on the SAP Cloud Platform, designing and developing innovative solutions by leveraging a mix of Machine Learning, IoT and SAP Fiori. Wim is also heavily involved in the Dutch SAP community and the country’s chapter of SAP Inside Track.

Jan Penninkhof   

@jpenninkhof

Jan is an Enterprise Architect at SAP, where he works together with businesses to co-develop next-gen enterprise architectures for SAP customers and partners. Jan describes himself as an SAP Cloud Platform addict and SAP Technology Ambassador. He often tweets about upcoming workshops and webinars and has been blogging for years.

Xavier Hacking

@xjhacking

Xavier is an SAP BI and SAP Analytics Cloud specialist working at consulting firm Interdobs. He is also a book author at SAP PRESS and an avid blogger. In addition to the educational content he regularly shares on Twitter, you can find his expert tips on his blog HackingSAP.com.

Wouter van Heddeghem

@SAP_Financials

Wouter is the SAP S/4HANA Finance Managing consultant at Capgemini. He has over two decades of experience working with SAP FICO in 15 countries, where he has helped leading multinational companies with a wide variety of SAP projects. Wouter helps customers define and implement the roadmap to S/4HANA Finance and transform processes accordingly.

Martijn van Foeken

@mfoeken

Martijn is SAP BI Consultant at Interdobs. He specialises in SAP BusinessObjects solutions, as well as in SAP Analytics Cloud and SAP HANA. Martijn regularly shares educational content on these platforms and contributes to their continuous improvement by submitting improvement requests.

Denys van Kempen

@dvankempen

Denys is Technology Expert at SAP focusing on SAP HANA and Analytics. He has been at SAP for more than 10 years, where he helps SAP’s Global Partner Organisation support partners with the company’s technologies. Denys is a true SAP advocate, blogging extensively and managing content for the SAP HANA Academy.

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10 of the Best SAP Experts in Germany to Follow Online

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Weekly News: Apple’s Siri is the new Google

Apple's Siri is the new Google
Apple's Siri is the new Google

According to a report by the Financial Times, Apple Siri may be the new Google. In other words, Apple might be working on their own search engine in a move to make Siri a one-stop shop. 

The rumours emerged at a time when big tech is under growing scrutiny for its monopolistic practices. 

Besides trying to capitalise on the current media agenda to appear more pro-competition, Apple Siri intends to eliminate the need for its popular assistant to resort to Google searches whenever a query is made. 

Experts, however, believe the move might be a stepping stone towards a full-fledged search engine that eliminates the Google factor altogether.

TechCrunch

Will Apple Siri be the new Google? Edge computing in 2021

In addition, a new Forrester report points at 5 predictions about how technological transformation will impact edge computing in 2021. 

Spending on edge computing is expected to grow at the detriment of the public cloud. Orchestration and 5G will also keep on spreading.

Edge hosting is likely to become its own marketplace, with content delivery companies reaching out to colocation partners to build a widely distributed network of data centres that can host applications closer to where they are used.

AI will also move towards the edge, making machine learning happen closer to the source rather than within the data centre. 

TechRepublic

An update on cloud

Microsoft is celebrating a record quarter, fuelled by the growth in cloud adoption brought about by the epidemic. 

The company’s core cloud business grew 31% over the last quarter, with Azure’s revenue jumping up by 47%.

Enterprise software giant SAP had a few cloud updates as well this week. The firm announced a new roadmap to shift to a co-innovation, one-data model that prioritises cloud-based subscriptions over traditional upfront licensing.    

Financial Times / ZDNet

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