SAP in 24 Hours, Sams Teach Yourself, Fifth Edition

Book description

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

    1. About This eBook
    2. Title Page
    3. Copyright Page
    4. Contents at a Glance
    5. Table of Contents
    6. About the Authors
    7. Acknowledgments
    8. We Want to Hear from You!
    9. Reader Services
    10. Introduction
      1. What’s Covered
      2. What’s Really New
      3. Who Should Read This Book
      4. Conventions Used in This Book
    11. Part I: Introduction to SAP
      1. Hour 1. SAP Explained
        1. Overview of SAP: The Company
        2. SAP Business Applications
          1. Components, Modules, and Transactions
          2. Cross-Application Business Processes
          3. SAP Industry Solutions
        3. Connecting the Dots
          1. The SAP Client Concept
        4. Summary
        5. Case Study: Hour 1
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      2. Hour 2. SAP Business Basics
        1. The SAP Business Roadmap
          1. Business Architecture
          2. Traditional Business Concerns
        2. SAP’s Purpose: To Run the Business
          1. Managing Business Risk
          2. Business Agility: Keeping the Future in Mind
          3. Business Blueprinting
          4. The Business Perspective
          5. How SAP Technologies Support Business Needs
          6. Working with Stakeholders
        3. Other Perspectives: Mapping Business Needs to SAP Applications
          1. The Functional Perspective
          2. The Technical Perspective
          3. The Project Implementation Perspective
          4. Combining the Four Perspectives
        4. A Sampling of SAP Business Processes
          1. Performing Employee Self-Service Functions
          2. Balancing the Books
          3. Selling from Stock
        5. Summary
        6. Case Study: Hour 2
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      3. Hour 3. SAP Technology Basics
        1. SAP Technology
          1. Hardware Basics
          2. Servers
          3. SAP System Performance
          4. SAPS: The Horsepower of an SAP System
        2. What Is the Best Platform for SAP?
          1. Two-Tier Versus Three-Tier
          2. “Big Iron” Versus Blades
        3. Memory: Fast but Volatile
        4. Storage: Hard Disks and Other Disks
          1. Storage Networks
          2. Cloud Storage
        5. SAP System Landscapes
          1. SAP Work Processes
          2. SAP OS-Level Profiles
        6. Database Basics for SAP
          1. A Quick Database Primer
        7. Future Developments
        8. Summary
        9. Case Study: Hour 3
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      4. Hour 4. SAP Project Basics
        1. Running an SAP Project: The Basics
        2. First Steps in Pursuing an SAP Project
        3. The SAP Project Lifecycle
          1. Step 1: Project Initiation
          2. Step 2: Matching and Prototyping
          3. Step 3: Design and Construction
          4. Step 4: System Integration Testing
          5. Step 5: Business Acceptance Testing
          6. Step 6: Preparation for Production Cut-Over
          7. Step 7: Operational Stabilization (Run)
        4. Organizing a Project by Tasks
        5. Organizing a Project by Roles
          1. Leadership Roles
          2. Business or Functional Roles
          3. Technical Roles
          4. General Support Roles
        6. Summary
        7. Case Study: Hour 4
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
    12. Part II: SAP Applications and Components
      1. Hour 5. Overview of SAP Applications and Components
        1. A Real-Time Vision
          1. SAP NetWeaver
          2. Simplification: Real-Time Again
          3. Into the Cloud
        2. SAP Business Suite Components
          1. SAP Enterprise Resource Planning
          2. SAP Customer Relationship Management
          3. SAP Supply Chain Management
          4. SAP Supplier Relationship Management
        3. SAP NetWeaver Components
        4. Small and Medium Enterprises
        5. SAP Business One
          1. B1 Implementation
          2. B1 Functionality and Features
          3. B1 Development
        6. SAP Business ByDesign
          1. BBD Implementation and Adaptability
          2. BBD Functionality and Features
          3. Advantages of BBD’s SaaS Approach
          4. BBD Challenges
        7. SAP All-in-One
          1. SAP All-in-One Functionality
          2. All-in-One Partners and Solution Centers
          3. All-in-One Features and Functionality
        8. Selecting the “Best” SME Solution
          1. Cost
          2. Functionality
          3. Features
          4. Hosted Versus On-Premise
          5. Number of Employees
          6. Business Process Complexity
        9. Choosing SAP SME Offerings over Business Suite
        10. Summary
        11. Case Study: Hour 5
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      2. Hour 6. SAP NetWeaver and HANA
        1. The Foundation for SAP
        2. The SAP NetWeaver Umbrella: Six Areas
          1. Foundation Management
          2. Middleware
          3. Information Management
          4. Team Productivity
          5. Composition
          6. Business Process Management
          7. SAP System Landscape Management
        3. Bringing It All Together
          1. From SAPGUI and WebGUI to Fiori and Lumira
          2. SAP Mobile Platform
          3. SAP NetWeaver BW
        4. The Business Case for HANA
          1. The Speed of Thought
          2. A Sidecar for ERP
        5. HANA Cloud Offerings
          1. Business Cases for HANA
        6. Summary
        7. Case Study: Hour 6
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      3. Hour 7. SAP ERP and Business Suite
        1. SAP ERP Business Scenarios
          1. SAP ERP Financials
          2. SAP Manufacturing
          3. SAP ERP Operations
          4. SAP ERP Corporate Services
          5. SAP ERP Human Capital Management
          6. SAP Customer Relationship Management
          7. SAP Product Lifecycle Management
          8. SAP Supply Chain Management
          9. SAP Supplier Relationship Management
          10. Governance, Risk, and Compliance
        2. Summary
        3. Case Study: Hour 7
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      4. Hour 8. SAP on the Cloud and New SAP Solutions
        1. What Kind of Cloud?
        2. SAP’s Way to the Cloud
          1. Classic SAP Solutions on the Cloud
          2. HEC Versus HCP
        3. Newly Acquired SAP Solutions
          1. SuccessFactors
          2. Ariba
          3. Fieldglass
          4. Concur
          5. hybris
        4. Summary
        5. Case Study: Hour 8
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
    13. Part III: SAP for Business Users
      1. Hour 9. A Business User’s Perspective on Using SAP
        1. Before SAP Is Deployed: The Business User’s Role
          1. Row Leaders: The Functional Business Experts
          2. Functional Configuration Specialists
          3. The Role of the Power User
        2. A Sampling of SAP Business Transactions
          1. Logging On Using the SAP Logon Pad
          2. Creating a New Sales Order
          3. Displaying an Existing Sales Order
          4. Displaying a List of Orders
          5. Changing Outbound Delivery
        3. Summary
        4. Case Study: Hour 9
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      2. Hour 10. Using SAP’s Traditional and New User Interfaces
        1. The SAPGUI
          1. SAP User IDs and Sessions
          2. Using the SAP Logon Pad
          3. Understanding SAPGUI Session Basics
          4. Ending a Session and Logging Off
        2. SAPGUI Elements and Other Basics
        3. SAPGUI Navigation Basics
          1. Performing Tasks Using Menu Paths
          2. Navigating Using the Mouse and Keyboard
          3. Stopping Runaway Transactions
          4. Understanding and Using Fields
          5. Using Replace and Insert Modes
          6. Displaying Possible Entries for an Input Field
          7. Editing the Data in an Input Field
          8. Understanding Required Input Fields
          9. Understanding SAPGUI Display Fields
        4. SAPGUI Screen Objects
          1. SAP Trees
          2. Radio Buttons
          3. Dialog Boxes
          4. Table Controls
        5. Using the Windows Clipboard
        6. Additional Legacy Interfaces
          1. The WebGUI and JavaGUI
          2. The SAP NetWeaver Business Client
        7. SAP’s New User Interfaces and Tools
          1. SAP Fiori Launchpad
          2. SAP Screen Personas
          3. SAP Web IDE
          4. SAP UI Theme Designer
          5. SAPUI5 and Other User Interface Frameworks
        8. Summary
        9. Case Study: Hour 10
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      3. Hour 11. Using SAP ERP to Do Your Job
        1. The Four SAP Business Scenarios
          1. SAP ERP Financials
          2. SAP ERP Operations
          3. SAP ERP Human Capital Management
          4. SAP ERP Corporate Services
        2. Other Popular Business Transactions
          1. Cross-Application Components Module
          2. Environment, Health, and Safety Module
        3. Summary
        4. Case Study: Hour 11
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      4. Hour 12. Using Other SAP Business Suite Applications
        1. Using SAP SRM
        2. Using SAP CRM
        3. Using SAP SCM
        4. Using SAP PLM
        5. Summary
        6. Case Study: Hour 12
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      5. Hour 13. Using SAP for Reporting
        1. Types of SAP Reporting Users
        2. SAP Business Objects
          1. SAP BO Explorer
          2. SAP BO Crystal Reports
          3. SAP BO Xcelcius Enterprise
          4. SAP BO Web Intelligence
        3. SAP NetWeaver BW Family
          1. SAP NetWeaver BWA
          2. SAP BW Powered by SAP HANA
          3. SAP Business Explorer
        4. SAP ERP Operational Reporting Tools
          1. SAP Report Painter
          2. ABAP List Processing
        5. Legacy SAP Reporting Options
          1. Structural Graphics
          2. Executive Information System
          3. SAP Information System (Report Trees)
          4. General Report Selection
          5. SAP’s Earliest Reporting Tools
          6. SAP Query
          7. InfoSet (Ad Hoc) Query
          8. SAP QuickViewer
        6. Summary
        7. Case Study: Hour 13
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      6. Hour 14. Using Simplified Finance and Office Integration
        1. SAP Simple Finance Add-On
          1. The Old ERP World
          2. The Ideal World
          3. sFin: The Hybrid Approach
          4. Reduce Reconciliation Efforts
          5. Eliminating Financial Closings Bottlenecks
          6. Next-Generation User Experience
          7. sFin as a Central Ledger
          8. From Business Suite to sFin Add-in
        2. Integrating SAP with Desktop Applications
          1. The SAP Assistant
        3. Using %pc to Download Data
          1. Exporting SAP Data to Microsoft Excel
          2. Creating SAP Form Letters in Microsoft Word
          3. Importing SAP Data into Microsoft Access
          4. Microsoft Access Report Wizard
          5. Integrating SAP with Microsoft SharePoint
          6. Integrating Microsoft Directory with SAP
        4. OpenText Archiving for SAP
        5. SAP and Adobe Forms
        6. Summary
        7. Case Study: Hour 14
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
    14. Part IV: SAP for IT Professionals
      1. Hour 15. An SAP Project Manager’s Perspective
        1. The SAP Implementation Methodology
        2. Introduction to ASAP
          1. Phase 1: Project Preparation
          2. Phase 2: Business Blueprint
          3. Phase 3: Realization
          4. Phase 4: Final Preparation
          5. Phase 5: Go-Live Support
          6. Phase 6: Operate (Run)
        3. SAP Program and Project Leadership
          1. The Executive Steering Committee
          2. Project Sponsor
          3. The Overall SAP Program or Project Manager
          4. The Project Management Office
        4. The Project Team’s Subteams
          1. The Business Configuration Teams
          2. The Development and Customization Teams
          3. The Integration Team
          4. The Test Teams
          5. The Data Team
          6. The Application and Platform Security Teams
          7. The Technical Teams
        5. Project Team Member Characteristics
        6. Project Tools and Other Methodologies
        7. Project Closeout
        8. Summary
        9. Case Study: Hour 15
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      2. Hour 16. A Technology Professional’s Perspective on SAP
        1. Shifting Focus: From Business to Technology
          1. Installation Master Guides and SAP Notes
          2. Setting the Stage: The SAP Landscape
          3. Understanding SAP Sizing
          4. Predicting an SAP System’s Load
        2. Understanding the SAP Quicksizer
        3. Beyond the Quicksizer: Measurement-Based Sizing
        4. Can Performance Be Guaranteed?
        5. Understanding SAP Availability
          1. How to Define Availability?
          2. How Much Stability Is Required?
          3. Planning for Downtime
          4. Considering Disaster Recoverability
          5. How Many Resources in Case of a Disaster?
        6. Security Considerations
          1. Hardening the SAP Environment
          2. Never Touch a Running System?
        7. Network Considerations
        8. Operational Considerations
          1. SAP Basis Team Staffing
          2. Operations, Administration, and Management
        9. Summary
        10. Case Study: Hour 16
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      3. Hour 17. An SAP Developer’s Perspective
        1. Programming Tools
          1. SAP Business Process Management
          2. SAP Mobile Application Development Platform
          3. ABAP and SE80
          4. Java and NWDS
          5. Composition Environment
        2. Developer and SAP Methodologies
          1. Implementation Development Phases
        3. Configuration and the SAP IMG
        4. Different Views of the IMG
          1. SAP Reference IMG
          2. SAP Enterprise IMG
          3. SAP Project IMGs
          4. SAP Upgrade Customizing IMGs
          5. Integration with Solution Manager
        5. Additional IMG Fundamentals
          1. IMG Help
          2. IMG Documentation
          3. Status Information
          4. Release Notes
        6. Summary
        7. Case Study: Hour 17
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      4. Hour 18. SAP Installation and Implementation
        1. First Steps
        2. SAP Installation Preparation
          1. Locating and Downloading the Installation Guide
        3. Locating and Downloading SAP Software
        4. Infrastructure Readiness
          1. Server
          2. Network
          3. Operating System
          4. Database Server Installation
          5. SAP Software Installation
          6. Post-Installation Tasks
        5. Installing the SAP Trial Version
        6. HANA on Public Cloud Platforms
          1. HANA Database Size and Timing Limitations
          2. The HANA Four-Step Deployment Process
          3. Accessing Your New HANA System
        7. The SAP Cloud Appliance Library
        8. Introducing SAP Single Sign-on
          1. Enabling SSO Using SPNego
          2. Enabling SSO Through SAML
        9. Summary
        10. Case Study: Hour 18
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      5. Hour 19. SAP and the Cloud
        1. Forecast: Fairly Cloudy
          1. Private Cloud
          2. Public Cloud
          3. Hybrid Cloud
        2. Bringing Together SAP and the Cloud
          1. SAP’s Web Application Server
          2. SAP and SaaS
          3. SAP and PaaS
          4. SAP and IaaS
          5. Virtualization Is Not Cloud Computing
        3. Moving SAP Systems to the Cloud
        4. SAP as a Service?
          1. Nonproduction SAP Systems in the Cloud
          2. Tomorrow: Completely Cloudy, No Chance of Sun
          3. Cloud Transition and Exit Strategies
        5. Project Monsoon
          1. DevOps
          2. Open Source
          3. OpenStack
          4. The Risks of OpenStack
        6. Integrating SAP SaaS Solutions
          1. SuccessFactors
          2. Ariba
          3. hybris
        7. Summary
        8. Case Study: Hour 19
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      6. Hour 20. SAP System Administration and Management
        1. Management Tools
          1. Computing Center Management System
          2. SAP Solution Manager
          3. SAP Landscape Virtualization Manager
          4. Using Your Database for Monitoring
          5. Nagios
        2. Day-to-Day SAP Monitoring
          1. System Status
          2. System Recommendations
          3. Configuration Validation Check
          4. Solution Manager Self-Services
        3. Summary
        4. Case Study: Hour 20
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      7. Hour 21. SAP Enhancements, Upgrades, and More
        1. Setting the Stage: Making Changes to SAP
        2. Enhancement and Upgrade Terminology
          1. Enhancements Explained
          2. Upgrade Terminology
          3. Upgrades Are Not Migrations
          4. SAP OS/DB Migrations
          5. Migrating to SAP HANA During an Upgrade
          6. More on SAP Upgrades
        3. High-Level Project Planning
          1. Project Planning for Enhancements
          2. Project Planning for SAP Upgrades
        4. Summary
        5. Case Study: Hour 21
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
    15. Part V: SAP Careers
      1. Hour 22. SAP Careers for the Business User
        1. Types of Business Jobs
        2. First Steps: Experience, Training, Networking, and Certifications
          1. Right Where You Are
          2. SAP SE
          3. SAP Partners
          4. SAP Customers
        3. Other Ideas
          1. Business and Functional Positions
          2. Functional Project and Program Management
          3. Functional Trainers and Testers
        4. Preparing for a Business Career in SAP
          1. Again, Right Where You Are
          2. Leverage Existing Business Experience
          3. Focus on the Fringe
          4. Work On the Intangibles
        5. Summary
        6. Case Study: Hour 22
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      2. Hour 23. SAP Careers for the IT Professional
        1. SAP, Its Partners, and Its Customers
          1. SAP SE
          2. SAP Partners
          3. SAP Customers
        2. Types of Available Opportunities
          1. Technical Positions
          2. Technical Project Management
          3. Technical Trainers
          4. SAP Testers
        3. Preparing for a Career in SAP
          1. Right Where You Are
          2. Leverage Existing Technical Experience
        4. Using Your Existing Technical Expertise
          1. Hardware and Infrastructure Specialists
          2. Platform Administrators
          3. Developers and Programmers
        5. Working on the Intangibles
        6. Summary
        7. Case Study: Hour 23
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
      3. Hour 24. Other Resources and Closing Thoughts
        1. Professional Resources
          1. SAP’s Service and Support Resources
          2. SAP User Groups
          3. SAP Professional Journal
          4. SAPinsider
          5. InsiderPROFILES
          6. Traditional and Online Books
          7. Technical Newsletters
        2. Internet Resources
          1. SAP ITtoolbox
          2. SAP Fans
          3. SAP FAQ
          4. TechTarget and SearchSAP.com
        3. SAP Conferences and Events
          1. SAPPHIRE NOW
          2. SAP TechEd
          3. Managing Your SAP Projects
          4. Other WIS-Sponsored Seminars and Conferences
        4. Employment and Career Opportunities
          1. Softwarejobs.com
          2. ITtoolbox for Careers
          3. Up and Coming
        5. Summary
        6. Case Study: Hour 24
          1. Situation
          2. Questions
    16. Appendix A. Case Study Answers
      1. Case Study: Hour 1 Answers
      2. Case Study: Hour 2 Answers
      3. Case Study: Hour 3 Answers
      4. Case Study: Hour 4 Answers
      5. Case Study: Hour 5 Answers
      6. Case Study: Hour 6 Answers
      7. Case Study: Hour 7 Answers
      8. Case Study: Hour 8 Answers
      9. Case Study: Hour 9 Answers
      10. Case Study: Hour 10 Answers
      11. Case Study: Hour 11 Answers
      12. Case Study: Hour 12 Answers
      13. Case Study: Hour 13 Answers
      14. Case Study: Hour 14 Answers
      15. Case Study: Hour 15 Answers
      16. Case Study: Hour 16 Answers
      17. Case Study: Hour 17 Answers
      18. Case Study: Hour 18 Answers
      19. Case Study: Hour 19 Answers
      20. Case Study: Hour 20 Answers
      21. Case Study: Hour 21 Answers
      22. Case Study: Hour 22 Answers
      23. Case Study: Hour 23 Answers
      24. Case Study: Hour 24 Answers
    17. Index
    18. Code Snippets

    Product information

    • Title: SAP in 24 Hours, Sams Teach Yourself, Fifth Edition
    • Author(s):
    • Release date: September 2015
    • Publisher(s): Sams
    • ISBN: 9780134178394