A System Application Product (SAP) consultant is generally an independent consultant or employee of a software company, this professional is a specialist in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) designed by the German firm SAP. This tool enables corporate customers to manage all of their activities through modular applications sharing a common database. Functional or technical profile, the SAP consultant temporarily joined the headquarters of its customers to ensure the implementation of the SAP tool from A to Z. Let’s give a little background information about SAP per se. SAP is a system in which the different business functions (accounting, finance, production, supply, marketing, human resources, quality, maintenance, etc.) are interconnected through the use of an information system centralized based on a client / server configuration. Consultants are the key team members on Project Team for deliverables. Functional Consultants are normally having a 3 to 5 years of Domain/Business Process knowledge experience in their area. This is followed by formal training in SAP in the relevant module and SAP Certification. The Consultant will be working as a team member under the guidance of Senior Consultants.
The implementation of a fully integrated system can respond accurately and in real time questions such as: “What will happen if I decide to do this?”.
For example, if a company receives an order for goods, you can almost instantly know the consequences of this demand on production capacity, the supply needs of the staff required to accomplish this task, the required deadlines to satisfy this request, on the funding needs, the profitability of the operation, etc.
SAP AG is the largest European software designer, and the fourth in the world. It provides management and maintenance systems to companies of all sizes worldwide.
It is headquartered in Walldorf, Germany, and it has regional offices on five continents.
1. Main missions of a SAP consultant:
- Analyze the processes and the customer’s business.
- Listening to key users to assess their needs.
- Determine the features that come with a standard utilization of SAP and those within a specific development.
- Set existing features based on customer processes.
- Develop specific features.
- Perform tests to validate their operation.
- Write progress reports.
- Place the operationally software and train users.
- Provide technical support.
2. Professional skills
- Mastering a business problem (logistics, maintenance, accounting… ).
- Have excellent technical and functional knowledge of SAP tool.
- Knowing conduct complex projects.
3. Profile
- Good interpersonal skills and ability to listen
- Interest in technical solutions
- Organization
- Rigor
- Analysis capabilities
- Ability to adapt
4. Professional evolution
The classical evolution is to be entrusted with integration tasks increasingly important and even coach a team of consultants.