SAP is number 17 in the CW/SSP list of top IT skills
What is it?
SAP is the market-leading enterprise resource planning suite, with
a worldwide customer base that dwarfs those of competitors such as
Oracle, Peoplesoft, Baan and JD Edwards.
SAP has greatly expanded the coverage it offers from the classic
core modules (manufacturing, logistics, financial and human
resources) to include customer relationship management, business
intelligence and other applications which were formerly the domain
of best-of-breed suppliers such as Siebel.
Where did it originate?
SAP was founded in 1972 by five German IBM engineers who acquired
the rights for a real-time finance and materials management system
they had designed for ICI.
The original SAP R/2 was designed for mainframes, whereas the
current version, SAP R/3, arrived in 1992 and uses the classic
three-tier client server architecture, divided into database,
application and presentation layers.
In the past few years, SAP has extended its applications and
services to the internet under the name mySAP.
What is it for?
The different modules that make up SAP are fully integrated, so
once an order has been entered, the details flow through the
manufacturing, delivery, billing, maintenance and aftercare
processes.
What makes it special?
SAP R/3 modules are delivered in a vanilla form and have to be
configured to meet the requirements of the business they are to be
used in by turning optional processes and features on and off, and
by adjusting the parameters of thousands of tables. The software
can be customised using SAP's proprietary programming language,
Abap.
A typical SAP roll-out takes between nine and 18 months, but some
global projects are scheduled over a number of years. Project creep
is not unheard of. Abap programmers and SAP "consultants," who
specialise in the different modules have a choice of lucrative,
long-term work as contractors, or as members of in-house teams
maintaining software and implementing upgrades.
How difficult is it to master?
First, you must choose a module then decide which of the specialist
areas within that module you will focus on. Up to six weeks'
training will be needed at a cost of about £1,600 a week to become
certified. Trainees should have enough industry experience to apply
what they learn to the real world.
Where is it used?
SAP now claims to have been deployed in more than 19,000 user
organisations around the world. R/3 spread from its roots in
manufacturing long ago: the customers who have bought the latest
version, SAP R/3 Enterprise, include MGM and Sony UK.
What makes it hot?
The number of job advertisements seeking SAP skills rose by 53%
last year, according to the SSP/Computer Weekly survey. The rise is
partly due to the release of SAP R/3 Enterprise. In the first 60
days, SAP claims to have delivered it to more than 1,500 companies.
What systems does it run on?
Most kinds of Unix, NT, AS/400 and IBM mainframes using Oracle,
Adabas, DB2, SQL Server and other databases.
Not many people know that...
SAP stands for Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte in der
Datenverarbeitung (Systems, Applications, Products in Data
Processing).
What is coming up?
In March, SAP unveiled mySAP ERP, a significant step towards a web
services model which uses Microsoft .net and IBM's Websphere.
Training
A range of online SAP training courses for individuals or "virtual
classrooms" for larger groups can be found at
www.sap.com/uk/educationJobs and money
Computer Weekly recently ran an advertisement offering £1,000 a day
for a SAP consultant. More typically, an Abap programmer or SAP
human resources consultant can expect to be paid
£35,000-£45,000.
However, employers are looking for experience, usually two or three
years, or involvement in two or more complete lifecycle
implementations.