Thoroughly updated and expanded! Includes new coverage on HANA, the cloud, and using SAP’s applications!
In just 24 sessions of one hour or less, you’ll get up and running with the latest SAP technologies, applications, and solutions. Using a straightforward, step-by-step approach, each lesson strengthens your understanding of SAP from both a business and technical perspective, helping you gain practical mastery from the ground up on topics such as security, governance, validations, release management, SLA, and legal issues.
Step-by-step instructions carefully walk you through the most common questions, issues, and tasks.
Quizzes and exercises help you build and test your knowledge.
Notes present interesting pieces of information.
Tips offer advice or teach an easier way to do something.
Cautions advise you about potential problems and help you steer clear of disaster.
Learn how to…
- Understand SAP terminology, concepts, and solutions
- Install SAP on premises or in the cloud
- Master SAP’s revamped user interface
- Discover how and when to use in-memory HANA databases
- Integrate SAP Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions such as Ariba, Successfactors, Fieldglass, and hybris
- Find resources at SAP’s Service Marketplace, Developer Network, and Help Portal
- Avoid pitfalls in SAP project implementation, migration, and upgrades
- Discover how SAP fits with mobile devices, social media, big data, and the Internet of Things
- Start or accelerate your career working with SAP technologies
Table of Contents:
Introduction 1
Part I: Introduction to SAP
HOUR 1: SAP Explained 7
Overview of SAP: The Company 7
SAP Business Applications 9
Connecting the Dots 11
Summary 14
Case Study: Hour 1 14
HOUR 2: SAP Business Basics 17
The SAP Business Roadmap 17
SAP’s Purpose: To Run the Business 19
Other Perspectives: Mapping Business Needs to SAP Applications 23
A Sampling of SAP Business Processes 26
Summary 28
Case Study: Hour 2 29
HOUR 3: SAP Technology Basics 31
SAP Technology 31
What Is the Best Platform for SAP? 37
Memory: Fast but Volatile 40
Storage: Hard Disks and Other Disks 40
SAP System Landscapes 42
Database Basics for SAP 45
Future Developments 47
Summary 48
Case Study: Hour 3 48
HOUR 4: SAP Project Basics 51
Running an SAP Project: The Basics 51
First Steps in Pursuing an SAP Project 52
The SAP Project Lifecycle 54
Organizing a Project by Tasks 59
Organizing a Project by Roles 61
Summary 65
Case Study: Hour 4 65
Part II: SAP Applications and Components
HOUR 5: Overview of SAP Applications and Components 69
A Real-Time Vision 69
SAP Business Suite Components 72
SAP NetWeaver Components 75
Small and Medium Enterprises 76
SAP Business One 78
SAP Business ByDesign 79
SAP All-in-One 81
Selecting the “Best” SME Solution 83
Choosing SAP SME Offerings over Business Suite 85
Summary 86
Case Study: Hour 5 86
HOUR 6: SAP NetWeaver and HANA 87
The Foundation for SAP 87
The SAP NetWeaver Umbrella: Six Areas 88
Bringing It All Together 93
The Business Case for HANA 97
HANA Cloud Offerings 104
Summary 107
Case Study: Hour 6 107
HOUR 7: SAP ERP and Business Suite 109
SAP ERP Business Scenarios 110
Summary 126
Case Study: Hour 7 127
HOUR 8: SAP on the Cloud and New SAP Solutions 129
What Kind of Cloud? 129
SAP’s Way to the Cloud 133
Newly Acquired SAP Solutions 136
Summary 145
Case Study: Hour 8 145
Part III: SAP for Business Users
HOUR 9: A Business User’s Perspective on Using SAP 149
Before SAP Is Deployed: The Business User’s Role 150
A Sampling of SAP Business Transactions 153
Summary 159
Case Study: Hour 9 160
HOUR 10: Using SAP’s Traditional and New User Interfaces 161
The SAPGUI 161
SAPGUI Elements and Other Basics 165
SAPGUI Navigation Basics 166
SAPGUI Screen Objects 170
Using the Windows Clipboard 172
Additional Legacy Interfaces 172
SAP’s New User Interfaces and Tools 174
Summary 178
Case Study: Hour 10 178
HOUR 11: Using SAP ERP to Do Your Job 179
The Four SAP Business Scenarios 179
Other Popular Business Transactions 193
Summary 196
Case Study: Hour 11 196
HOUR 12: Using Other SAP Business Suite Applications 197
Using SAP SRM 197
Using SAP CRM 199
Using SAP SCM 200
Using SAP PLM 202
Summary 203
Case Study: Hour 12 203
HOUR 13: Using SAP for Reporting 205
Types of SAP Reporting Users 205
SAP Business Objects 208
SAP NetWeaver BW Family 211
SAP ERP Operational Reporting Tools 212
Legacy SAP Reporting Options 213
Summary 219
Case Study: Hour 13 220
HOUR 14: Using Simplified Finance and Office Integration 221
SAP Simple Finance Add-On 221
Integrating SAP with Desktop Applications 230
Using %pc to Download Data 231
OpenText Archiving for SAP 239
SAP and Adobe Forms 240
Summary 241
Case Study: Hour 14 241
Part IV: SAP for IT Professionals
HOUR 15: An SAP Project Manager’s Perspective 245
The SAP Implementation Methodology 245
Introduction to ASAP 246
SAP Program and Project Leadership 251
The Project Team’s Subteams 256
Project Team Member Characteristics 260
Project Tools and Other Methodologies 260
Project Closeout 261
Summary 262
Case Study: Hour 15 262
HOUR 16: A Technology Professional’s Perspective on SAP 265
Shifting Focus: From Business to Technology 265
Understanding the SAP Quicksizer 270
Beyond the Quicksizer: Measurement-Based Sizing 272
Can Performance Be Guaranteed? 273
Understanding SAP Availability 274
Security Considerations 278
Network Considerations 282
Operational Considerations 284
Summary 286
Case Study: Hour 16 286
HOUR 17: An SAP Developer’s Perspective 287
Programming Tools 287
Developer and SAP Methodologies 290
Configuration and the SAP IMG 293
Different Views of the IMG 294
Additional IMG Fundamentals 297
Summary 300
Case Study: Hour 17 301
HOUR 18: SAP Installation and Implementation 303
First Steps 303
SAP Installation Preparation 304
Locating and Downloading SAP Software 306
Infrastructure Readiness 311
Installing the SAP Trial Version 314
HANA on Public Cloud Platforms 316
The SAP Cloud Appliance Library 320
Introducing SAP Single Sign-on 322
Summary 323
Case Study: Hour 18 323
HOUR 19: SAP and the Cloud 325
Forecast: Fairly Cloudy 325
Bringing Together SAP and the Cloud 328
Moving SAP Systems to the Cloud 330
SAP as a Service? 331
Project Monsoon 334
Integrating SAP SaaS Solutions 337
Summary 342
Case Study: Hour 19 342
HOUR 20: SAP System Administration and Management 345
Management Tools 345
Day-to-Day SAP Monitoring 354
Summary 358
Case Study: Hour 20 358
HOUR 21: SAP Enhancements, Upgrades, and More 359
Setting the Stage: Making Changes to SAP 359
Enhancement and Upgrade Terminology 360
High-Level Project Planning 366
Summary 369
Case Study: Hour 21 369
Part V: SAP Careers
HOUR 22: SAP Careers for the Business User 373
Types of Business Jobs 373
First Steps: Experience, Training, Networking, and Certifications 374
Other Ideas 379
Preparing for a Business Career in SAP 381
Summary 386
Case Study: Hour 22 386
HOUR 23: SAP Careers for the IT Professional 389
SAP, Its Partners, and Its Customers 389
Types of Available Opportunities 391
Preparing for a Career in SAP 393
Using Your Existing Technical Expertise 394
Working on the Intangibles 396
Summary 396
Case Study: Hour 23 397
HOUR 24: Other Resources and Closing Thoughts 399
Professional Resources 399
Internet Resources 405
SAP Conferences and Events 406
Employment and Career Opportunities 408
Summary 409
Case Study: Hour 24 410
APPENDIX A: Case Study Answers 411
Case Study: Hour 1 Answers 411
Case Study: Hour 2 Answers 412
Case Study: Hour 3 Answers 412
Case Study: Hour 4 Answers 413
Case Study: Hour 5 Answers 413
Case Study: Hour 6 Answers 414
Case Study: Hour 7 Answers 414
Case Study: Hour 8 Answers 415
Case Study: Hour 9 Answers 416
Case Study: Hour 10 Answers 417
Case Study: Hour 11 Answers 417
Case Study: Hour 12 Answers 418
Case Study: Hour 13 Answers 418
Case Study: Hour 14 Answers 419
Case Study: Hour 15 Answers 419
Case Study: Hour 16 Answers 420
Case Study: Hour 17 Answers 420
Case Study: Hour 18 Answers 420
Case Study: Hour 19 Answers 421
Case Study: Hour 20 Answers 421
Case Study: Hour 21 Answers 422
Case Study: Hour 22 Answers 422
Case Study: Hour 23 Answers 423
Case Study: Hour 24 Answers 423
Index 425
About the Author :
Dr. Michael Missbach, Manager of the Cisco SAP Competence Center, focuses on best practices for SAP HANA and other mission-critical applications in public and private cloud scenarios. Earlier, he worked as IT Superintendent for ALCOA. He has also written books on SAP hardware, SAP system operation, adaptive SAP infrastructures, SAP on Windows, and SAP on the cloud.
Dr. George Anderson, senior architect and program manager for Microsoft Services, specializes in designing and deploying mission-critical SAP and Microsoft Dynamics solutions. A certified SAP technical consultant, PMI PMP, and Six Sigma black belt, he has also written books on SAP implementation, performance testing, and project management.
