All about SAP Certification & Courses

By Mukesh Shukla

What is SAP?

SAP stands for Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing. It is a product of SAP AG, Walldorf, Germany. It is not easy to define SAP in a specific definition. It is multidimensional 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 enterprise application, 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 dependent on its predecessor. If the any activity gets blocked/stopped/unfinished, subsequent owner of next step cannot do anything. It is a natural tendency of employees to flout the rules of doing the process in the absence of any enforcement factor such as an ERP system. It ensures that employees follow the rules and predetermined set of activities to complete 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 transaction and records for both the department has to be updated simultaneously to have accuracy and consistency in the transaction. Integration of financial accounting with all types of goods movement is suitable example and SAP does it automatically. In the absence of SAP, both of these departments have to work together and two employees from these two 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 data from 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 with EP 7. ECC stands for Enterprise Central Component (i.e. ERP) and EP stands for Enhancement 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 SAP ERP system.

What are its various applications across domains?

SAP an ERP product, consists of various modules, as given below:-

1. Materials Management (MM)
2. Sales and Distribution (SD)
3. Plant Maintenance (PM)
4. Production Planning (PP)
5. Production Planning for Process Industry (PP-PI)
6. Financial Accounting (FI)
7. Controlling (CO)

There are other ways of defining the modules from business or process perspective:-

1. Manage Financial Operation (MFO) – FI
2. Manage Operation (MOP) – CO
3. Manage Supply Sourcing (MSS) – MM
4. Manage Logistic (MLO) – MM
5. Fulfil Order (FOR) – SD
6. Production Order (PRO) – PP
7. Build and Maintain Infrastructure (BMI) – (it includes both PM and PS)
8. Quality Management (MTQ) – QM

Advance modules of SAP (add on components) which sits on the ECC (ERP) are as follows)

1. BI-Business Intelligence (MIS reporting system)
2. APO – Advance Planning and optimizer (supply chain planning)
3. TR – Treasury Module
4. BPC – Business Planning and Consolidation

Eligibility to pursue a SAP course

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

• A fresher must have engineering degree (in mechanical, production or industrial engineering) with relevant work experience of minimum two years to take a course in SAP 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 and distribution or MBA in Marketing (may be combined with finance) with minimum two 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 commerce graduate are doing FICO and SD consulting. Formal education is one thing but work
experience 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 modules during the course of SAP to advance one’s career. SAP career starts as an Analyst, and advances as consultant, senior consultant, team lead, solution architect / principal consultant / project manager.

Hence, one may start in a specific module as per his/her qualification, work experience or 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 the number of modules. Duration varies from 27 working days by SAP education partners
to 60 working days by non-SAP education partners. Education partners charge hefty fees 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 may charge 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 charge few thousands for the course but then the quality of education and learning is also doubtful. Credibility of such institutes is very low and employers do not prefer such candidates.

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 the SAP client/customers groom their employees as SAP consultants. Either employees are sponsored 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 with hands-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 into this field on their own then it involves lot of strategy, money and risk. One has to be very enterprising 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 courses are also available. One should be ready to take jobs with less pay packages in small companies to gain hands-on work experience. If the current job salary is considerably high 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, though perhaps at not very high salary packages.

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

About the author:

Mukush Shukla is a shiksha expert and the author of a book entitled SAP Materials
Management : Managing Sourcing, Supply and Inventory which was published
by Tata McGraw Hill.