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Not sure where to begin

Former Member
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I've been dealing with SAP ERP for about 8 years now as an end user in my organization.  All I know about SAP I learned from Google, lurking around sites like this, and hacking my way around the system.  I’m learning what SAP is capable of doing, but there is a language barrier between our "SAP guy" and the end users in describing our needs and wants from the system.  I'm very interested in the system, and think I can turn it into a career, but I don't know how to get from where I am to there.  I don't even know how to ask the right questions! 


Any help will be greatly appreciated.

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former_member183424
Active Contributor
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Hi

11 REPLIES 11

Former Member
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I think your best options for right now, with your experience, are either becoming a key user (and thus staying on the operational side of business) or a business analyst (taking a step away from actual performing the operational side of business and taking more care of process/system improvements).

In both roles you'll be working closer with the functional analysts that know how to set up the system.

By working together with the functional analysts, you may get to know the more technical side of SAP and maybe the door to a functional analyst role can open up for you.

former_member187748
Active Contributor
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Hi Michael,

as per as your relation with concern to ERP, you can make a switch towards SAP world, not only it becomes fruitful to you but also become a passion for it. Please understand onething whenever a person starts new things, it requires some foot steps to go ahead and in between this he finds himself some disturbing moments too (as you say language is a barrier).

No matter how tough the road is, once you start keeping your foot ahead it always your goal will be nearer to you, so depending on your interest, you may choose either a functional module, or go with CRM, if you have enthuasism regarding it.

Best Of Luck

Former Member
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Hi Michael,

You are at the right place , asking right question & probably started your career in a right manner....

Also you have opted right tool "Google" to explore more knowledge on SAP world......

Yes you should move to next level by opting SAP consulting role.......

As you have end  user experience under your belt you should have an edge in getting SAP Consulting role.....

My suggestion

Just approach a Local institute & learn SAP Configurations first ....(It may take 2 to 3 months) ... This will make you understand what exactly happens behind the screen....

Finally, once you are confident & prepared enough .....look out for SAP consulting role...

All the best!!!!!

Regards,

Veeram

former_member183424
Active Contributor
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Hi

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Management throws the term superuser out from time to time, but the role never seems to materialize.  Is there a specific skillset that the superuser is expected to have?

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Michael Shaw wrote:

  • basic consumption/goods reciept using MB1A and COR6
  • completion of work orders using IW32, IW37N, IW38, and IW41
  • creation of TRs and TOs, using the LB series and LT series
  • lookup of materials using transactions from the LS series and MSC3N

I hope you have worked with PP module..

The all above are end users activity...

you need to know about the configuration settings..

Its a chain for the designation.

End User - Super User - Core User - Associate Consultant - Consultant.

Read the thread

srinu_s1
Active Contributor
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Please let us know what are your roles in your day to day activity so that we may advise you the correct module to be learnt?

AS as you already gathered some required information through Google you can easily learn SAP course with out any difficulty and even you can better understand the module because from the business side you would have seen many real requirement and at the time of learning the module you can easily map the scenarios.

As already advised you can purchase the relevant module book if you had already decided that which module to be learnt and also better to join either online or class room training course for better understanding of the configuration.

All the best

Thanks,

Srinu.

Former Member
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My roles (and everyone on the our production floor) include:

  • basic consumption/goods reciept using MB1A and COR6
  • completion of work orders using IW32, IW37N, IW38, and IW41
  • creation of TRs and TOs, using the LB series and LT series
  • lookup of materials using transactions from the LS series and MSC3N

In addition to the above, I am called a system matter expert (that's debatable ) and am often the go-to guy for troubleshooting issues using transactions including the ones listed above and:

  • the LX series
  • the MB series
  • the MM series
  • other assorted transactions at my disposal, such as C203, LL01, COOISPI, COIO, etc... I have an impressive array of tcodes that I have gathered over the years

I have been part of training program to try and bring technicians up to speed with our system.  Finally, I have recently been asked to verify scrap transactions and variance reports because of the issues we are having with between manufacturing and our finance dept.

Hopefully this helps narrow it down, the more reading I do the more questions I have!

Colleen
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert
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Hi Michael

End user experience as input to projects is critical for project success. Your comment

but there is a language barrier between our "SAP guy" and the end users in describing our needs and wants from the system.

is sadly too true. the "SAP guys" come in a deliver this techy solution that doesn't meet end user requirements.

Without knowing how big your company is, a way to transition from "end user" to "SAP guy who appreciates end users" is to get involved with implementations or upgrades as the business subject matter expert. It gives you the chance to work alongside the skilled SAP guys and learn their language and how the system works.

Search communities like SCN is fantastic but as an end user you may miss the opportunity of a non-production playpen environment or you security people (sorry guilty here) will have your access locked down preventing you from seeing the system

I guess any further advise may come down to what your end user background is - finance, warehouse, materials, procurement, hr, etc?

Good luck with the transition and learning the beast that is SAP. I was very lucky to study SAP at university and stumble into a SAP service desk role.

Cheers

Colleen

Former Member
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We are part of Astrazeneca, and huge.  Trying to get any change at all is a Herculean task.  I have been closely involved with the implementation of our new system.  I was grandfathered in as an "SME" when we went from our old system to the AZ system when we were bought out.  We do have a sandbox system to play with, in fact coupled with Google that's where I learned most of what I know.

See my response to Srinu for my background.  I'm in manufacturing/production and I've worked very closely with our finance and supply chain departments (warehouse/materials/procurement) many times to fix our issues.

The root cause is that turnaround is high in manufacturing, and our current SAP interface (I believe it's just the vanilla) has a steep learning curve and users are given too many tcodes.  What we need is an intuitive front end.  I saw the screen personas and got really excited about it, but was told it would take "an act from God" to implement it due to the size of our business.

So, I need to take the bull by the horns and learn more about the system so I can present management with informed, intelligent solutions to our SAP woes.  While I'm good at troubleshooting issues in our specific area there are large gaps in my knowledge.  For instance:

How do I tell what module we're running?  I'm pretty sure it's MM, but there could be aspects of PP in there too.

Colleen
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert
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Hi

Sounds like you are already an unofficial Super User. Basically the Super User is where Service Desk/Support Areas and Training get direct an inexperienced user for assistance. You become the go to person for your area and may be consulted if changes are going to be introduced to better understand business impacts

This is a good position to be in as a step up. Having access to a playpen system is even better


How do I tell what module we're running?  I'm pretty sure it's MM, but there could be aspects of PP in there too.

It's not only module but integration points between the modules. As you step up, it's not a bad thing to be across a few modules. A trick is to search for the transaction codes in the role menu and see where it appears. It does sound like you have a mixture of PM (Plant Maintenance); PP (Production Planning); WM (Warehouse Management) and MM (Materials Management) - but I'm not a functional person so not best to comment


So, I need to take the bull by the horns and learn more about the system so I can present management with informed, intelligent solutions to our SAP woes.

In this case, don't focus on the module but start up at the business issue. You know what you have to do day to day on the job. Ask yourself what is the system lacking and then research from that point of view. You may find yourself jumping into different communities but if solving a business problem it's better to keep an open mind and not fixate on a specific module until you have the options. From here you can then learn more about the specifics and then prototype your solution in sandpit. Do this enough and you have stepped up from Super User to Functional person

As part of this step up (and one you find the specific area you want to excel in), ask management for training.

Good luck with it all

Cheers

Colleen