Curious About SAP? Seeking Advice on Training and Its Value for HR Pros in India

Hi, To All Cite HR Members,

I want to clear my doubts about SAP.

What is SAP?

Which are the best institutes that provide training in SAP in India?

Is it worth for HR professionals to do a course in SAP and what are its future prospects after completion?

Waiting for a reply.

Regards,
dsv

I have been looking for the same thing that you requested. As far as I know, it is a computer software on HRM. In my country, a workshop on SAP was held a few months back. I contacted them and wanted to enroll, but they informed me that it was completed for the CEO. So, I didn't get a chance to know. If by any chance you come to know, please provide me with the opportunity to learn it. I am also seeking the same information from other members.

Best wishes,
Anju

Hi,

SAP is basically an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software product from SAP, the world's No. 1 enterprise software manufacturing company. SAP has a number of modules with various versions. It includes modules like Financials, Manufacturing, Purchasing and Procurement, Inventory Management, Service Management, Order Management, Project System, Sales & Distribution, HR, Investment Management, System Management, Retail, etc.

As an HR professional, if you would like to shift your focus from functional HR to techno-functional HR, then only knowledge of SAP helps. From the basket of offerings from SAP, you need to choose the SAP-HR module only. To continue with the functional HR domain, learning SAP HR will not be of much worth.

Regarding institutes, reliable SAP certified institutes will be worth the investment. Please check out www.sap.com.

Regards,
Chandril

Hi Chandril,

What is the difference between functional HR and techno-functional HR?

Regards,
Manju

Can anyone give some more information about this topic? My doubts are still not clear.

Regards,
dsv

Hi DSV, Manju,

HR is looked upon as a functional domain of expertise. In short, HRM or HRD is a function in an organization/industry.

People involved in HR or people in HR departments usually manage (role-wise, not designation-wise) the various activities like recruitment, performance management, compensation & benefits, etc., and hence they are called functional experts.

In software product development organizations, products are developed using the domain knowledge or functional expertise of a niche domain. For example, in financial management software, functional experts in finance would provide inputs/basic framework on how the software should work. Similarly, an HR functional expert can provide inputs on how an HR software product should work.

People with software development/technology knowledge are seen as technical/technology experts, who design and construct the software based on the inputs given by functional experts. A person from a technical/engineering background, with good knowledge of technology along with a good understanding of a functional domain (Finance, HR, Sales & Distribution), can serve the dual function and be termed as a Techno-functional domain expert. As a simple example, an engineering graduate pursuing an MBA in Finance can emerge as a techno-functional expert in the software industry.

Hope this clarifies.

Hi!

There are many different systems in an organization which includes planning, manufacturing, sales & distribution, shipping, financial accounting and HR etc. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a system that integrates all of these functions into a single system, designed to serve the needs of each different department within the enterprise. ERP is more of a methodology than a piece of software, although it does incorporate several software applications, brought together under a single, integrated interface.

For three decades, SAP (an ERP application) has developed best business practices for different-different processes. SAP is the world's market and technology leader in business application software. SAP is the world's most used standard business software. The software is highly customizable to meet industry specific requirements.

In SAP, the various applications called as modules and comprise related processes like purchasing, materials, manufacturing, warehousing, quality, plant maintenance and sales & distribution etc. All applications access a shared consistent database. The integration capability of these applications increases the benefits derived for any company.

The initial SAP implementation cost might look large, but the gains through SAP are tremendous.

SAP - Human Resource Modules

HR module provides solutions in planning and managing company's human resources, using integrated applications that cover all personnel management tasks and help simplify and speed the process.

Personnel Management

PM is a complete solution for personnel administration, recruitment mgmt, travel mgmt, benefits administration and salary administration.

Organizational Management

OM assists in maintaining an accurate picture of organization's structure, no matter how fast it changes.

Payroll Accounting

PA addresses payroll functions from a global point of view and gives the capability to centralize payroll processing or decentralize the data based on country or legal entities.

Time Management

TM is integrated with payroll accounting, controlling, production planning, plant maintenance, project system, external services and shift planning. It provides with a variety of standard reports that will assist in tracking and analyzing employee time with completeness and accuracy.

Personnel Development

PD assists with planning, monitoring and analyzing scheduled seminars, training courses, business events, registration and booking price determination.

Regards,

RK Awasthi

Hi Chandril and Kishore Ji,

Your explanations were quite to the point and fruitful. Thanks, Kishore Ji, for your immediate response. I would also like to know about the cost aspect of this course.

Thanks in advance,
Dips

Thank you, Chandril and Kishore Ji, for your quick response that cleared my doubts. However, one question still remains: Should a course in SAP be useful to HR professionals? If yes, then which are the best institutes for these courses?

Thank you once more for the prompt reply. I am eagerly awaiting your response.

Regards,
DSV

Hi Dsv,

If you are working in an organization that has implemented SAP, the course will be useful. Even if you want to learn SAP and join an organization that has implemented SAP, the course will be of help. However, companies that use Oracle HRMS or Peoplesoft HRMS, knowledge of SAP HR will not be of much use.

I'm sorry, I do not have any idea about the institutes that offer courses on SAP. I believe Kishore can give some hints on the same.

Your question is very relevant. It has not been answered. Even I have been looking for an answer. Let someone clarify what SAP stands for or the expansion of SAP.

Cyril

Hello dsv,

You've already received nice explanations about SAP as an HRM system development software platform. I don't understand why HR professionals need to do a course in SAP. An SAP course is required for those who want to develop HRM systems and is relevant to software professionals.

Thank you.

Hello DSV,

A person with a technical inclination and functional expertise could benefit from taking an SAP course.

With warm regards

SAP, as you know, is the product of SAP Labs in Germany, and it is an ERP package. There is an HR module within it known as SAP HR. An HR professional who is keen on handling issues like recruitment, training, appraisals, etc., need not take this course if they are working in a company without SAP. However, if one is interested in the software side, such as implementing HR systems, customizing software to align with the practices of a specific establishment, then this would be a valuable addition. Qualified SAP professionals have good prospects as many companies are looking for them, and the pay packages are excellent. However, there are some glitches, such as the requirement for implementation experience, and the course being a bit expensive, around Rs. 250,000 if done in India. For more details about the course, one can reach out to SAP Labs Bangalore, which organizes regular batches, or Siemens centers across the country.

I would appreciate any additional comments on this issue.

Dear DSV,

SAP stands for Simple Application Protocol.

Software-based applications are integrated in the simplest way to provide you feedback on the module on which your requirement is based.

For example, if you are looking for the HR module of SAP, it provides you with complete/customized data being used in HRM. This data may include:

- Employment details: Name, Father's Name, Date of Joining (DOJ), Date of Birth (DOB), Qualification, Grade at Joining, Designation, and Promotion details of every individual working with or for the organization.

- Compensation Details: Complete salary details including various components such as Basic, DA, VDA, HRA, Lease, Conveyance, Transport, Medical, Special Pay, and all other allowances defined by the organization. Salary at joining and all other change details till date. Salary paid details, etc.

- Leave Master Details: Details relating to Leave, Available leaves, entitlement of various leave, details of leaves availed during the period(s), leaves encashed, leave encashable, etc.

- Performance details: Appraisal methods/reports detailing the requirements of individual appraisal.

All the above with various other data are integrated in such a way that the data is available in minimum time.

Regards,

Anil Anand