Workday Prism - An Expert View
22 Oct, 2024
S/4HANA has been around since 2015, with the cloud version being released in 2017. Despite being over 5 years old it is still one of the hottest careers in the SAP ecosystem and experts are in high demand.
Since its release it has gone from strength to strength. At the end of Q4 2021, SAP revealed that over 18,000 customers were on S/4HANA with over 13,000 of those customers being live. It was reported that the uptake of S/4HANA increased 18% in that year.
So, how do you get into S/4HANA and what is the best way to go about it?
Ideally, you should have experience in reporting, analytics and data modelling as well as a basic understanding of SQL and business system landscapes.
Do your research and learn about S/4HANA as SAP have introduced lots of new features in recent releases. Reach out to your network and see what they recommend, if you have connections that already work within it, they will be your best source of information. Check out this page for the most recent S/4HANA blogs by SAP.
There are 4 main types of consultants working with the platform, let’s dive a bit deeper to see what each one does to find the perfect one for you:
Sales/Business Consultant
The Sales/Business Consultant purely focuses on winning the sales on the client side. The consultant doesn’t really need much SAP experience; however, it would be beneficial if they did.
Developer Consultant
Exactly what it says on the tin! The Developer Consultant is responsible for developing the JAVA/ABAP programs.
SAP Basis Consultant
The Basis Consultant is responsible for installing, performance tuning and maintenance of the SAP databases and servers.
SAP Functional Consultant
The Functional Consultant is responsible for tending to the clients' needs. They work closely with the Developer to develop ABAP programs as per the requirements of the client.
Depending on the size and nature of the project there are also opportunities to get into other consultant roles, such as SAP Techno Functional and SAP Security.
Once you have chosen your career path it’s time to start learning. There are plenty of courses online you can take to get a step in to S/4HANA, but I would recommend looking on the SAP website first to see what they have to offer. Afterall, you want to learn from the masters!
As well as online courses, YouTube could become your new best friend! With channels covering all aspects of different subjects, you are bound to find what you are looking for!
Here are just a few to get you started:
- https://www.youtube.com/user/sapschool/videos
- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYhvHUq8iZRzkg_zEmvrWyQ
- https://www.youtube.com/c/AmarpreetSingh25
- https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSmartHands
- https://www.youtube.com/c/SAPTrainingAdoption
How long does it take to learn S/4HANA? It will take approximately 5 months to get fully up to speed with the platform if you are part of the Consultant Academy.
Get yourself certified - there are three main types of certifications you can do:
Associate Certifications
If you are new to SAP and the solution, these certifications are an introduction to the SAP ecosystem, but help show your knowledge. In order to carry out the Associate Certification, no qualifications or training are required.
Specialist Certifications
These certifications are based on certificates at the Associate Level - you must have previously achieved the Associate Level to obtain the Specialist Certification.
Professional Certifications
These are the highest level of certification in the SAP ecosystem and demonstrate deep knowledge and practical experience.
Make sure your certificates and skills are up to date. SAP monitors your credentials and informs you if / when your skills need to be updated.
Once you've got yourself up and running, it's time to get out into the world of S / 4HANA! Contact one of our consultants today to see what possibilities await!
