SAP Learning Insights

Focus topic: Career as an SAP Enterprise Architect consultant

In this episode of SAP Learning Insights, David Chaviano speaks with Chris Simon for a career spotlight episode on enterprise architecture. Chris has a background in physics and management, and he moved from consulting and database-related work into SAP, premium engagement delivery, and finally came to enterprise architecture.

Chris explains what an enterprise architect does, describing the role as aligning business capabilities, processes, applications, and underlying platforms so an organization can operate and evolve in a structured way. David and Simon also cover change management and customer engagement and Simon describes a hybrid working model that combines on-site visits with remote work, depending on the customer’s maturity and the stage of the engagement.

At the end, Chris of course shares with you his final words of wisdom.

Chris Simon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-simon-3209b210/

Visit SAP Learning: https://learning.sap.com/

The SAP Learning group: https://community.sap.com/t5/sap-learning/gh-p/learning

Visit the SAP Community: https://community.sap.com/

In this episode, David Chaviano met with Senthamarai Kannan to speak about how many SAP customers underuse the systems they have implemented. Kannan shares examples of common gaps such as manual work, spreadsheets, and limited use of standard SAP features like Fiori and automation.

They also discuss SAP Process Assessment and Recommendation, along with resources for people who want to learn SAP on their own. In closing with some final words of wisdom, Kannan says strong business knowledge and product understanding remain important, even as AI changes the work of consultants.

Senthamarai Kannan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/senthamaraikannan/

KANNANWARE: https://www.kannanware.com/

Visit SAP Learning: https://learning.sap.com/

The SAP Learning group: https://community.sap.com/t5/sap-learning/gh-p/learning

Visit the SAP Community: https://community.sap.com/

In this episode of the SAP Learning Insights Podcast, David Chaviano speaks with Anna-Lena Zhou about LeanIX as an enterprise architecture tool for mapping and managing application and technology landscapes.  She explains how it helps to create transparency across business and IT, supports target-state planning and roadmaps, and provides a single source of truth through reporting, diagrams, and dashboards. Anna Lena and David also cover how LeanIX differs from andcomplements SAP Signavio, with LeanIX focused on enterprise architecture and Signavio on process transformation, modeling, and mining. Anna-Lena also gives some insights on how LeanIX collects information through integrations, supports collaboration and decision-making, and is used by enterprise architects, CIOs, business users, application owners, and solution architects.Finally, the conversation turns to AI governance, including the discovery and management of AI agents through integrations with major AI studios and the use of an MCP server for custom agents and automations. She closes with some words of wisdom by encouraging an AI-first or agent-first approach when exploring new topics.

SAP LeanIX - https://www.leanix.net/en/

Course - Stay Certified – Enterprise Architecture with SAP LeanIX:  https://learning.sap.com/courses/enterprise-architecture-with-sap-leanix

Visit SAP Learning: https://learning.sap.com/ 

The SAP Learning group: https://community.sap.com/t5/sap-learning/gh-p/learning

Visit the SAP Community:  https://community.sap.com/

In this episode of SAP Learning Insights, our host David Chaviano welcomes Claudia Kischa. Claudia is an expert for SAP partner certification and learning adoption from the SAP Headquarters in Walldorf, Germany. The conversation dives deep into the transformative changes that SAP certification has undergone recently, transitioning to a more practical and engaging model that reflects real-world scenarios, ultimately benefiting learners and partners alike. The goal is finally to have more capable, job-ready individuals who can navigate the details of SAP systems with confidence.

Claudia highlights annual recertification, AI assessments toreduce anxiety, and the importance of SAP Learning resources for success. At the end, Claudia of course shares her final words of wisdom with you!

SAP Certification reimagined:  https://learning.sap.com/get-certified/reimagining-certification

SAP Certification:  https://www.sap.com/training-certification/sap-certification.html

SAP Certifications:  https://learning.sap.com/certifications?page=1

Partner Learning Managers: https://community.sap.com/t5/partner-learning-managers/gh-p/partnerlearningmanagers

Visit SAP Learning: https://learning.sap.com/ 

The SAP Learning group: https://community.sap.com/t5/sap-learning/gh-p/learning

Visit the SAP Community:  https://community.sap.com/

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In this episode of SAP Learning Insights, David Chaviano hosts Bob Szymanski, a university professor from Georgia Southern University and a prominent voice in integrating SAP into academic curricula. The conversation is about the fundamental question: What is SAP? David reveals his desire to present SAP in a beginner-friendly manner, and Bob takes this opportunity toshare his insights, experiences and easy to understand examples. Bob presents a clear, straightforward definition of SAP, describing it not merely as software, but as an enterprise information system that enables business processes.  He shares sources for getting more knowledge and insights and at the end, he of course provides his final words of wisdom.

Bob Szymanski on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-szymanski-599b8ab/

SAP - https://www.sap.com/

Bob's book on Enterprise Systems: https://www.amazon.com/Enterprise-Systems-Cornerstone-Integrating-Organizational/dp/1777204992

Student Zone on learning.sap.com: https://learning.sap.com/students

SAP University Alliances (SAP Community): https://pages.community.sap.com/topics/university-alliances

Learn how students can certify in SAP for free with SAPLearning Hub, student edition.
(https://community.sap.com/t5/beginner-corner-blog-posts/free-sap-certification-and-practice-systems-for-students-amp-lecturers/ba-p/14052493)

Visit SAP Learning: https://learning.sap.com/ 

The SAP Learning group: https://community.sap.com/t5/sap-learning/gh-p/learning

Visit the SAP Community:  https://community.sap.com/

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In this episode, David Chaviano met again with StefanosPougkas from SAP to talk about the evolution of SAP's financial offerings. They explore the core functions of SAP Financials, the shift to SAP Public Cloud solutions, and the importance of foundational accounting knowledge for newcomers. Stefanos highlights the impact of AI on automating financial processes and encourages embracing a fit-to-standard philosophy in cloud environments. We conclude by discussing the future of finance consultants amidst evolving market demands, offering valuable insights for anyone looking to excel in SAP finance. And of course, at the end of the episode, Stefanos shares some words of wisdom.

Exploring Accounting & Financial Close:https://learning.sap.com/learning-journeys/exploring-accounting-financial-close

Applying End-to-End Business Processes inSAP Business Suite: https://learning.sap.com/learning-journeys/applying-end-to-end-business-processes-in-sap-business-suite

SAP Certified - Implementation Consultant- End-to-End Business Processes for SAP Business Suite: https://learning.sap.com/certifications/sap-certified-associate-implementation-consultant-end-to-end-business-processes-for-the-intelligent-enterprise

SAP Learning site – Performance-basedCertification: https://learning.sap.com/get-certified/reimagining-certification

SAP Community Blog: ReimaginingCertification: https://community.sap.com/t5/sap-learning-blog-posts/reimagining-certification-for-the-way-we-work-today/ba-p/14261141

Financial Management | SAP Learning:  https://learning.sap.com/products/financial-management

Visit SAP Learning: https://learning.sap.com/ 

The SAP Learning group: https://community.sap.com/t5/sap-learning/gh-p/learning

Visit the SAP Community:  https://community.sap.com/

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In this episode, David Chaviano discusses Akshay Patel's journeyfrom electrical engineering to becoming a junior SAP consultant at Syntax,Canada. Akshay shares how his diverse experiences sparked an interest in SAPconsulting, leading to formal training and certifications in sourcing andprocurement. He highlights the challenges of entering the job market and thepersistence needed to secure his position at Syntax. He reflects on his growththrough hands-on projects and client engagement, while also addressing the roleof artificial intelligence in the future of consulting. Akshay concludes with hiswords of wisdom for aspiring SAP professionals, emphasizing the importance offoundational knowledge, practical experience, and determination.

Learn how students can certify in SAP for free with SAPLearning Hub, student edition.
(https://community.sap.com/t5/beginner-corner-blog-posts/free-sap-certification-and-practice-systems-for-students-amp-lecturers/ba-p/14052493
Syntax: https://www.syntax.com/

Visit SAP Learning: https://learning.sap.com/ 

The SAP Learning group: https://community.sap.com/t5/sap-learning/gh-p/learning

Visit the SAP Community:  https://community.sap.com/

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SAP BTP expert Sebastiano Marchesini shares his story of a near-perfect SAP S/4HANA go-live. Working with a famous food and beverage company, his team built a BTP extension to automate invoice processing using AI. Sebastiano credits theproject's success to high customer involvement, where constant collaboration and consistent testing ensured a smooth rollout. He emphasizes the "Clean Core" philosophy—using frameworks like CAP (SAP Cloud Application Programming Model) to build future-proof solutions that won't break with system updates. Learn about the unique go-live atmosphere fueled by snacks, Lego, and freshly baked cakes from the client’s test kitchen! And at the end of the episode, Sebastiano shares his words of wisdom.

Sebastiano on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastiano-marchesini/
SAP BTP: https://www.sap.com/products/technology-platform.html

Learnhow students can certify in SAP for free with SAPLearning Hub, student edition.
(https://community.sap.com/t5/beginner-corner-blog-posts/free-sap-certification-and-practice-systems-for-students-amp-lecturers/ba-p/14052493

Visit SAP Learning: https://learning.sap.com/

Visit the SAP Community:  https://community.sap.com/

In this episode of our InternView mini-series, host Eden met with Domenic Glass, HR Senior Recruitment Consultant at SAP, to explore the world of recruiting for early talents. Dominic shares his journey from sociology studies to becoming a recruitment expert, offering invaluable insights into what makes SAP unique for early-career professionals. He emphasizes SAP’s collaborative ethos “We rise by lifting others” and provides actionable tips for students looking to move into the tech industry. Whether you’re preparing for your first interview or exploring career opportunities, this episode offers insider perspectives on what recruiters really look for in early talent candidates. It’s perfect for students, recent graduates, and anyone interested in understanding the modern recruitment landscape at one of the world’s leading technology companies.

Learn more about the SAP Internship Experience Program (iXp): Internships & Internship Experience Program (iXp) | SAP Careers
Explore the various student opportunities at SAP: Students Jobs & Internships | SAP Careers
Learn how students can certify in SAP for free with SAP Learning Hub, student edition. 
(https://community.sap.com/t5/beginner-corner-blog-posts/free-sap-certification-and-practice-systems-for-students-amp-lecturers/ba-p/14052493
Visit SAP Learning: https://learning.sap.com/
Visit the SAP Community:  https://community.sap.com/

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In this special Halloween episode of SAP Learning Insights, Rebecca Murray from Syntax returns to share the scary side of SAP implementations. Unlike her previous success stories, Rebecca reveals what might happen when a go-live doesn’t go according to plan. Rebecca walks us through a particularly haunting weekend cutover and other scenarios where many things that could go wrong seemed to happen. From loading two-week-old data files during a critical system migration to team members sleeping through 2 AM alarms, she illustrates how even well-orchestrated go-lives can quickly become a “comedy of errors.” In addition to her first story, Rebecca shares a rapid-fire list of other go-live mishaps she’s witnessed: stolen laptops, power outages, missing configuration files, team members leaving projects just before go-live, and even panic attacks during go/no-go decisions. But Rebecca emphasizes that while hiccups are common, major issues are typically caught before GoLive through proper planning and mock exercises. And in the end, she shares some encouraging final words of wisdom.

Rebecca Murray on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccamurrayhcm/
Syntax: https://www.syntax.com/

Learn how students can certify in SAP for free with SAP Learning Hub, student edition.
(https://community.sap.com/t5/beginner-corner-blog-posts/free-sap-certification-and-practice-systems-for-students-amp-lecturers/ba-p/14052493
Visit SAP Learning: https://learning.sap.com/
Visit the SAP Community:  https://community.sap.com/