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All about SAP Certification & CoursesWhat is SAP?

SAP stands for Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing . It is a productof SAP AG, Walldorf, Germany. It is not easy to define SAP in a specific definition. It ismultidimensional product. It has to be viewed through various angles to understand it.SAP is a system, an ERP product, an IT Tool, an IT enabled System (ITeS), an enterpriseapplication, to execute the business process through the various department of the business in an integrated manner. Examples of business processes are such as:-

1. Procure to pay (material procurement process)

2. Order to collection (material sales process)

Integrated process means that all the subsequent activities of the process are dependenton its predecessor. If the any activity gets blocked/stopped/unfinished, subsequentowner of next step cannot do anything. It is a natural tendency of employees to flout therules of doing the process in the absence of any enforcement factor such as an ERPsystem. It ensures that employees follow the rules and predetermined set of activities tocomplete a process. It brings discipline in the employees to follow the defined process without any violation.

Integration also means that two departments are involved while executing a transactionand records for both the department has to be updated simultaneously to have accuracyand consistency in the transaction. Integration of financial accounting with all types ofgoods movement is suitable example and SAP does it automatically. In the absence ofSAP, both of these departments have to work together and two employees from thesetwo departments have to work together in tandem to complete the transaction.

SAP ERP is a transactional system while SAP BI is a reporting system (based on datafrom SAP ERP). SAP APO, BPC, TR are planning tool based on data from SAP ERP

system.

From technological advancement point of view current version of SAP is ECC 6.0 withEHP 7. ECC stands for Enterprise Central Component (i.e. ERP) and EHP stands forEnhancement Pack. Having ECC 6.0 implemented is mandatory to run the business.Putting up the enhancement pack is optional but desirable to use latest features of SAPERP system.

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Eligibility to pursue a SAP course

Eligibility to pursue SAP courses is not well defined but what the market expects isexplained below:

A fresher must have engineering degree (in mechanical, production or industrialengineering) with relevant work experience of minimum two years to take a course inSAP MM, PM and PP module.

Charted Accountancy or MBA in finance is required for FI and CO module.

For SD module any graduation with minimum four years of experience in sales anddistribution or MBA in Marketing (may be combined with finance) with minimumtwo years of experience is required.

PS, TR and BPC modules are suggested for experienced consultants in FI & CO.In spite of these specific qualifications, there are cases where engineers or commercegraduate are doing FICO and SD consulting. Formal education is one thing but workexperience in a specific domain and inclination to learn and excel in other areas drives what module can be pursued by an individual. Moreover, one has to learn other modulesduring the course of SAP to advance ones career. SAP career starts as an Analyst , andadvances as consultant, senior consultant, team lead, solution architect / principalconsultant / project manager.

Hence, one may start in a specific module as per his/her qualification, work experienceor inclination but end up learning other modules as well.

Types of SAP courses and certifications

SAP courses are done for specific modules. Hence, there are as many courses as are thenumber of modules. Duration varies from 27 working days by SAP education partnersto 60 working days by non-SAP education partners. Education partners charge heftyfees for the course and they are eligible for issuing certificates. ATOS, Lithium Genovate,

NIIT, HCL and JK Technosoft, are some authorised SAP education partners. They maycharge between Rs 3-4 lakhs per module for the course and certification exam (online).Every one or two years they keep revising the fee.

Non-SAP education partners, like several other institutes are spread across metros, tier-II cities and IT hubs like Pune, Chennai, Banglore and Hyderabad. Comparatively, they

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charge few thousands for the course but then the quality of education and learning isalso doubtful. Credibility of such institutes is very low and employers do not prefer suchcandidates.

Career relevance, i.e. scope after pursuing a SAP (IT) course One should not directly take a plunge into the field of SAP. It takes lot of planning,money and risk-taking abilities to make a career in this field.

Traditionally, SAP consultants have come from projects. Either IT organisations or theSAP client/customers groom their employees as SAP consultants. Either employees aresponsored for certified courses and exams or they are trained in-house by the trainer.Such individuals are lucky to get into the field of SAP with the support of employer withhands-on experience on implementation and support project without any risk.

But if someone does not get this opportunity by the employer, and still wants to get intothis field on their own then it involves lot of strategy, money and risk. One has to be veryenterprising to go through the learning experience and then finding a suitable job.

To pursue a full-time course in SAP, one has to leave the current job. Part-time coursesare also available. One should be ready to take jobs with less pay packages in smallcompanies to gain hands-on work experience. If the current job salary is considerablyhigh then one can opt for certified courses and exams. Certified consultants have better

credibility in the job market and can be directly employed by tier-I companies, thoughperhaps at not very high salary packages.

Starting may be tough but journey is enjoyable. It may involve lot of travelling forimplementation projects, but support projects are peaceful and do not involve frequenttravelling.