The Journey of SAP

SAP is a German company that is known for its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. The company has gone through several developments and is the largest non-American software company by revenue. Lets take a look at how SAP has developed and grown since its inception.

1972 – 1980, The Early Days

SAP with their HQ in Walldorf, Germany was founded in the nearby town of Heidelberg in 1972 by five ex-IBM engineers with a vision of creating a standard application software for real-time business processing.

At the end of its first year in business, SAP employed nine people and generated Deutsche Mark 620,000 in revenue. Taking the initial form of a private partnership under the German Civil Code, the company established its headquarters in Weinheim, Germany, and opened an office in nearby Mannheim.

1981 – 1990, The SAP R/2 Era

Real-time touched more of the business: SAP R/2 packaged mainframe software application processes in real-time and integrated all an enterprise’s business functions.

1991 – 2000, The SAP R/3 Era

Real-time reached the desktop: A client-server version of the standard application software allowed businesses to run more efficiently around the world.

2001 – 2010, Real-Time Data Where and When You Need It

Real-time moved to the web and beyond: Cloud computing, mobile, and in-memory computing opened new horizons for real-time data access – anywhere.

2011 – Present, Achieving Record Results in In-Memory, Cloud Computing, and Business Network Support

Continued company growth is driven by the SAP HANA in-memory platform that makes lightning-fast data analytics a reality. Strategic acquisitions coupled with continued innovation make SAP a leader in cloud computing and e-commerce business networks. With the launch of SAP S/4HANA and SAP C/4HANA, SAP unveiled the next generation of enterprise software to help customers become Intelligent Enterprises.

How to become a SAP Consultant

Becoming an SAP Consultant can be your ticket to a great career. If you have the required technical and interpersonal skills, you are sure to excel in this role.

Your route into SAP will also vary depending on whether you go for a Technical or Functional role. Technical roles will be more suited to those interested in programming, whereas functional roles are more for people who enjoy managing relationships and configuring systems to suit client requirements.

Various SAP Career Paths to Choose From:

Functional:

• SAP Business Consultants have more understanding of business needs than the software. They deal with 90% of customer interactions.
• SAP Functional Consultants do the actual customisation of the software as per the unique requirements of the organisation. SAP FICO, SAP PP, SAP SD, SAP MM, SAP QM, SAP HR/HCM, etc. all are important SAP functional modules.

Technical:

• SAP Technical Consultants are responsible for ABAP, JAVA coding, and programming required for the development of the required system.
• SAP Basis Consultants are responsible for SAP software installation, upgrading, application of support packages, patches, and fixes.

Prerequisites of becoming a SAP Consultant 

• University/College degree is a minimum requirement; however, a post-graduate degree will improve chances of getting a first job.
• A degree in Computer Science or exposure to data/programming related jobs is essential for Technical Modules.
• SAP Certification of the respective module is necessary and extremely important. There are many different SAP Certifications available and you can find out all about them in more detail here.
• Functional modules ideally require you to have domain knowledge. Although this isn’t necessary prior experience/knowledge in a related area will give you an extra edge. For example: if you have MBA in Finance you can opt for an SAP FICO Module; if you have an MBA in Operations you can easily opt for SAP PP / SAP MM module and Sales and Marketing Professionals normally would go for SAP SD.
• Industry and business knowledge (e.g. Telecom, Banking, etc.) will also win you extra points and will help you land your dream job.

Once you have finished your education, start looking for work experience and apply for roles such as System User or Junior SAP Consultant. These roles will enable you to learn how to configure a system and may give you a chance to work alongside a Senior Consultant, which is a valuable learning experience.

Additionally, it is very important to regularly update your skills and knowledge by attending courses on new technologies or teaching yourself by reading technology literature and manuals. There are a number of learning providers that give you access to professional training videos enabling you to watch them as many times as you like, which makes learning from home easier than in the classroom setting. It is crucial to keep up to speed with the rapidly changing IT industry. You’ll find that many employers are likely to arrange and pay for necessary training.

Here at Cavendish Professionals, we recruit for a variety of SAP consultants on behalf of our clients internationally. If you are looking for somebody to help with your SAP recruitment requirements or you are a candidate and looking for a rewarding SAP position, get in touch with us today via our technology website.