How to advance in SAP career beyond T-Codes

The Business Side of SAP: Why Consultants Must Think Beyond Configuration Early in my SAP career, I thought configuration was everything. The more I knew about document types, item categories, and pricing procedures, the better I’d be—right? Not quite. I quickly realized SAP isn’t just about settings in SPRO—it’s about solving real business problems. The best SAP consultants don’t just know the system. They understand the business impact of every decision. Here’s what separates a great consultant from just another SAP resource: -> Business Process Knowledge Matters SAP supports businesses, not the other way around. If you work in SAP SD, you need to know order-to-cash beyond the system. - How do sales teams operate? - What challenges do they face? - Where does SAP fit in? -> Always Ask "Why?" Before making a configuration change, ask yourself: - Why does the business need this? - What will change in daily operations? - Will it impact finance, inventory, or customer service? A simple pricing condition might seem like just another setting. For the business? It could mean millions in revenue impact. -> Be a Problem Solver, Not Just a Configurator SAP implementations fail when consultants focus only on system setup. Step into the business user’s shoes: - Why is the customer asking for this report? - What decision will they make with this data? - Is there a simpler way to achieve the same outcome? The best SAP consultants think beyond configuration. They become trusted advisors—the kind businesses rely on for strategic decisions. So next time you’re in a discussion, don’t just talk about tables and settings. Talk about business outcomes. That’s how you grow from a good consultant to a great one. #SAP #SAPSD #SAPConsulting #BusinessProcess #SAPCareer #SAPTips

If you’re an SAP consultant & you’re not sweating bullets after Sapphire 2024, you missed the memo. AI is coming for you. But Jonathan, you’re kidding, right? RIGHT? I wish I was: ‘Joule for Consultants’ will accelerate projects by +30% by automating many routine tasks. Whose routine tasks? Yours. Low-code/no-code development on BTP promises to make it easier for businesses to customize SAP themselves. Whose customization work? Yours. SAP’s “clean core” ERP strategy keeps S/4HANA free from excessive custom code, meaning fewer complex customizations. Whose complex customizations? Yours. But my friend, you are not going to freak out. You are going to pull yourself up by your bootstraps & prepare for the future. Here’s how you are going to turn these challenges into opportunities: 1. Embrace AI to Enhance Your Skills Joule is a game-changer, yes. But, instead of fearing it, leverage it. -Understand how Joule works & integrate it into your workflow to enhance productivity. -With Joule handling routine tasks, focus on higher-value activities like strategic planning.  -Take courses in AI & ML so you can stay ahead & offer new AI-driven services to your clients. 2. Master Low-Code/No-Code Platforms LCND development on BTP is revolutionizing customization. So you need to get ahead by mastering it. -Obtain certifications in SAP’s low-code/no-code platforms to help clients build & customize applications efficiently.  -Position yourself as an expert who can train client teams to use these platforms effectively.  -Create & market pre-built solutions that clients can easily customize, adding value to your consulting services. 3. Adapt to the Clean Core ERP Strategy With over 6k customers adopting RISE with SAP, the clean core ERP strategy is here to stay. Adapt & thrive. -Shift your focus from heavy customization to mastering configuration within the clean core framework.  -Advise clients on best practices for maintaining a clean core ERP system, ensuring they get the most out of their S/4HANA investment.  -Keep abreast of the latest updates & features in S/4HANA to provide the most current & relevant advice. 4. Evolve with the Industry The traditional SAP consulting model is evolving. So should you. -Commit to lifelong learning & stay updated with the latest SAP technologies & industry trends.  -Expand your expertise to include emerging technologies like blockchain, IoT, & advanced analytics. -Join SAP communities, attend conferences, & collaborate with other professionals to stay connected & informed. Sapphire 2024 was a wake-up call. The old way of doing SAP consulting is being profoundly reshaped. If you’re not adapting, you’re falling behind. The future is… LITERALLY  RIGHT  NOW It is time to pivot & find your new niche before it’s too late. If you don’t embrace these changes & you don’t take proactive steps, you may find yourself wishing that you had.

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐀𝐏 𝐅𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢/𝐔𝐈5 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐏 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭’𝐬 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬—𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥, 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫-𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞. It helps you grow multi-dimensionally: 1️⃣ 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞 Most ABAPers are backend-heavy. Learning Fiori/UI5 makes you full-stack in the SAP world: You don’t just write logic—you build complete user experiences. You can design, build, and troubleshoot end-to-end SAP applications. You become indispensable in S/4HANA, where Fiori is the new UX standard. 2️⃣ 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 UI5 skills are in high demand with a limited pool of experts. Clients moving to S/4HANA need Fiori-savvy developers. You're no longer just a traditional ABAPer—you're a modern SAP developer. 3️⃣ 𝐄𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 You get to work with: 1. OData services (ABAP + Fiori) 2. SAP BTP / CAP / RAP 3. JavaScript, XML, HTML, CSS This cross-skill fusion lets you work in: ↳ Mobile-first apps ↳ Side-by-side BTP extensions ↳ Embedded analytics with smart controls 4️⃣ 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬 You understand design thinking, UX principles, and agile delivery. This sets you up for solution architect, team lead, or tech lead roles. You contribute to the user-centric future of SAP instead of just code delivery. 5️⃣ 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 Fiori lets you visualize problems and design better workflows. You can simplify clunky SAP screens into intuitive apps. This means you don’t just develop—you innovate. 6️⃣ 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞-𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 SAP is shifting fully to Fiori-first strategy. ECC is phasing out. Classic screens are dying. Staying backend-only = career risk. Fiori/UI5 = relevance in the S/4HANA + BTP era. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞: A traditional ABAPer writes a module pool for material updates. A Fiori-powered ABAPer builds: ↳ OData backend ↳ UI5 app with material search, filter, mass update ↳ Deploys on Launchpad with BTP integration Outcome: Faster adoption, better UX, more business impact. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐈5 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐈𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐏—𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭. ********** Want to learn UI5/ Fiori : https://lnkd.in/gtBh6bPf