what is SAP ?

This may be overly simple for some, but I figured we should start at the top.  If this topic is too light for your taste, feel free to browse some of the other material on the site, or subscribe to be informed when newer articles are posted.

Following our introductory article in our introductory series of “What is…”, and as we wade into the weeds of SAP Workflow it’s good to know about SAP in general.  SAP SE is a software company that builds the SAP ERP software.  Included in the suite of applications is functionality for most businesses to plan and manage most business processes.  The focus is on Human Resources, Financials, and Manufacturing, but SAP offers industry solutions for many industries.  

SAP is a massive company with offices on six continents, they have 88,543 employees and receive regular awards for employee engagement, they regularly make over €20B in revenue each year and have 378,000 customers around the world.  SAP also has a large independent consulting base of which I am but one.

SAP (“Systeme, Anwendungen und Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung” or “Systems, Applications and Products in data processing”) released their first product in 1973 called R/1 – the R for Real Time, and they have launched several iterations since, each coinciding with a major change in technology.

SAP is now currently led by CEO Bill McDermott, and the current iteration of the core software is S/4 HANA available on premises or in the cloud.  The core software is modularized, each module handling a different subject area, and there are several peripheral systems available to handle deeper requirements, such as Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) for procurement or Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) for product management.  Several cloud-based services also exist, such as Concur for travel and expenses or Ariba for procurement.

Although most of my experience with SAP has been with multinationals and government entities, SAP also offers some solutions for small businesses, notably SAP Business by Design.

As there’s not a lot I can say about the company or the software that isn’t available on the internet, I’ll cut this one short, and move on to the next installment in the “What is …” series … What is SAP Workflow?

N.B. I would like to note my personal bias, here.  I have been an independent consultant for SAP products for 20 years, and if the product can’t do what you need it to do, I can make it do what you need it to do.  I have made my living using this software, and although nothing is perfect, SAP is a great product to start with.  I’m not about to give them a bad rap on my website.