SAP Professional Fundamentals

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/sap-professional-fundamentals

Introduction

### Course Review: SAP Professional Fundamentals on Coursera In today's fast-paced digital landscape, where technology is at the forefront of business innovation, having a foundational grasp of systems like SAP is not just advantageous; it's imperative for aspiring consultants. The course **SAP Professional Fundamentals** serves as a gateway into the SAP ecosystem and equips learners with the essential skills and knowledge they need to excel in SAP consulting roles. #### Course Overview The **SAP Professional Fundamentals** course is the introductory module in the broader SAP Technology Consultant Professional Certificate program, designed to immerse learners in the world of SAP consulting. Over several meticulously structured modules, the course covers everything from the SAP ecosystem itself and the critical roles involved in consulting, to essential professional skills, project management, and even an introduction to the implementation lifecycle. #### Syllabus Breakdown 1. **Introduction to the SAP Ecosystem**: This module lays the groundwork by familiarizing you with the SAP ecosystem. You’ll learn how SAP leverages software to facilitate the flow of data and support organizational intelligence and sustainability. It sets a robust context for understanding how various SAP professionals collaborate to solve real-world business challenges. 2. **SAP Professional Skills Part 1**: Essential soft skills are the focus here. From strategic and analytical thinking to effective communication, you’ll gain insights into how to articulate and document project requirements clearly. This is crucial for anyone looking to thrive in client-facing roles. 3. **SAP Professional Skills Part 2**: Building on previous skills, this module emphasizes project planning and management methodologies, such as Agile and Waterfall. You'll learn the importance of interpersonal relationships and cultural sensitivity, reflecting a holistic approach to consulting that acknowledges the human element in business. 4. **Introduction to the SAP Implementation Lifecycle**: Understanding the implementation lifecycle is pivotal. This module guides you through customer engagement, solution design, and deployment phases, equipping you with practical frameworks and insights that can speed up your project execution. 5. **Understanding SAP Professional Roles and Functional Knowledge**: Delving into specific roles within SAP, this module helps you decipher whether you want to be a functional or technical consultant. You'll discover various specialties, such as supply chain management or coding, thus tailoring your career path based on your interests. 6. **Hands-on Project: Professional Skills for Successful SAP Implementations**: The course culminates in a hands-on project where you apply what you've learned. This real-life scenario simulates an SAP implementation, allowing you to research, analyze, and present findings. Peer review fosters a collaborative learning environment, adding depth to your experience. #### Why You Should Take This Course - **Comprehensive Foundation**: This course serves as an excellent stepping stone into SAP consulting, providing everything from theoretical knowledge to practical skills. - **Skill Development**: Gain vital professional skills such as strategic thinking, project management, and communication, which are essential in any consulting role. - **Networking Opportunities**: Engaging with peers and SAP professionals during the course can create valuable networking opportunities within the SAP community. - **Career Path Guidance**: The course not only educates but also helps you identify your interests within the vast field of SAP consulting, guiding you towards your career specialization. #### Final Thoughts The **SAP Professional Fundamentals** course on Coursera is a well-structured program that effectively balances theoretical knowledge with practical application. Whether you are a recent graduate or a professional looking to pivot into the consulting domain, this course opens up a wealth of opportunities in the technologically driven business world. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in pursuing a career in SAP consulting or those looking to enhance their existing skills in the field. Enroll today and take the first step towards being a part of the dynamic SAP ecosystem!

Syllabus

Introduction to the SAP Ecosystem

In Module 1 you will be introduced to the SAP ecosystem and explain how it helps businesses solve problems and achieve their goals. The SAP ecosystem includes SAP products, people, partners customers, and many others who work with us to build the SAP platform. SAP software is at the heart of the SAP ecosystem. You’ll learn how SAP software is used to drive the flow of data and information across organizations. SAP is all about helping organizations become intelligent and sustainable. You’ll find out more about our customers and see how SAP puts these goals into action for them. You will meet SAP professionals from across the ecosystem and get a flavor of what it is like to work with SAP. You will come to understand the skills required to operate as an SAP professional in a business environment and how these key skills are used.

Module 2 covers the first group of skills you’ll need to be successful as an SAP professional in a business environment. These key skills include how to conduct research and how to think! Thinking strategically helps you focus effectively on problems the customer hopes to solve. You will learn the difference between conceptual and strategic skills through design thinking and systems thinking. You’ll also learn how to apply an analytical tool kit to fully understand the customer’s organization, processes, and technology – and help the customer bring about the right changes to their business. Communication with the customer is key. Communication and presentation skills will help you create concise, clear, and easy-to-comprehend written documents on SAP projects. At the end of the module, you will learn how Microsoft suite tools can be used to enhance your communication and professional writing skills.

Module 3 is designed to give you specific skills related to SAP planning, project management, and collaboration. We start with personal planning and project planning. You will learn to first determine your goals, then your tasks, then prioritize them. You’ll also cover project management basics such as the implementation life cycle, work breakdown structure, baselines, and statement of work. We will also explore different methodologies like Waterfall, Agile, DevOps, and Cloud-based. Managing relationships between team members is one of the most vital skills you can develop as a consultant. You will see how building relationships at work is directly related to reaching goals. You will also learn how developing business acumen, political sensitivity, and cultural awareness play a part in building teams and consulting. Finally, you will explore functional skills and domain skills and how they apply to working with customers.

Module 4 is an introduction to the SAP implementation lifecycle. You will learn when customers engage with SAP and why. The phases in the implementation lifecycle will take you from engaging with the customer to deploying a solution in the customer’s environment. You will see how to engage with the customer, discover their challenges and goals, prepare for and kick off the project, explore and analyze the customer’s business and technology landscape, design a solution, then deploy, test, and run the solution. We will introduce you to templates and tools to help accelerate your project work. Finally, you will learn more about how to apply your consulting skills at each stage of the lifecycle.

Module 5 focuses on the roles of the functional consultant and the technical consultant. What kind of work will you do if you become a functional consultant? You will focus on the customer’s industry and their processes and operations. You will discuss their pain points and design a solution using SAP software. What kind of work will you do if you become a technical consultant? You will translate the design into technical specifications and ensure that the solution runs effectively in the customer’s environment. You may decide to focus on a particular functional area such as supply chain management. Or you may decide to focus on an aspect of technology such as writing code. We’ll help you understand what is possible as you start on the journey toward becoming an SAP professional. You will wrap up this module by examining key elements of the SAP product strategy and how it helps customers transform their core business processes.

Module 6 is where you will apply what you have learned in this course. This will help you assess your understanding and perhaps get a feel for where you would like to direct your own career. You will choose a customer story about a real-life SAP implementation. Then you’ll prepare to join the project depicted in the customer story as an SAP professional on the initial team. You’ll research the customer’s organization, industry, and technology environment using the customer story materials and other creditable sources. You will present your findings to the customer either by writing a short summary or via a short video, explaining what you have discovered. Finally, you will review submissions from other learners, providing them feedback and receiving feedback on your work.