Product Description

It is a book for

SAP Users SAP Project Managers SAP Consultants Business managers End users Recruitment agencies In fact anyone wanting to know how NOT to get SAP wrong.

The book is entitled "SAP - A map of the minefield" and this is a very appropriate title, especially as it is so easy to make really basic errors without realising it until it is too late. It explains the "do's and don'ts" but more importantly it explains the logic behind the suggestions rather than just making statements and laying down rules.

It is not a technical book and can be read from cover to cover or you can read individual sections that are relevant to your current involvement.

There are sections that explain the many reasons why there are so many horror stories about failed or poor implementations with ways to avoid this happening.

There are sections that describe basically what SAP is and why it is so different, particularly to those who are working indirectly in the SAP world or are possibly about to be.

The latter sections of the book deals with specific areas of SAP that are frequently misunderstood and cause most of the problems. By explaining the intended use of certain specialist functions in SAP it helps you to understand if they are going to be appropriate and if so how to get the most out of the functionality.

There are sections that cover the problems of training end users during an implementation, show them too little and they will feel totally lost in the power and complexity that is involved in an SAP system, show them too much and they will feel swamped and confused. There is a way to find the ideal level and this is explained in detail.

If you are involved in recruiting staff, either as a recruitment agency or as part of the HR department of a company that use SAP, then there is a section that should help you understand more about SAP in relation to filling positions with the right people.

The author has been implementing integrated business systems for over 25 years and SAP systems for 15 years

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #413823 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 252 pages

From the Author
If you have experienced an SAP implementation or are about to then you know how scary it can be. This book should help reduce some of your fears and help you to get more out of the whole experience. If your organization is about to have SAP implemented or if you are thinking of implementing SAP then by reading this book first you can potentially save a huge amount of time and money and obtain maximum ROI.

About the Author
About the Author Stephen Birchall is 52 years old and has been involved in the design and implementation of integrated business system solutions for over 25 years. He has assisted many major organisations in their use of computer systems to give them that all important "edge" over their competitors. Initially this was designing systems from scratch and then using SAP systems for the last 15 years.

He has also taught several hundred consultants how to implement SAP at SAP’s premises in the UK and throughout Europe. Stephen was also asked to write some of the consultant certification exam questions for SAP AG and identify and correct any existing questions that were in error.

Stephen has implemented systems in many industries including chemical, utilities, home electronics, car manufacturers, pharmaceutical, FMCG, heavy building materials, food producers, computer manufacturers, confectionery producers, kitchen and bedroom furniture producers, personal hygiene products, Fork lift truck manufacturers, Aerospace, etc. etc.

Stephen is known for his common-sense approach mixed with the ability to use radical methods that result in simple solutions. He is also known for his sense of humour and many of his colleagues will remember just how bad the jokes were. He is also remembered for his love of unusual vehicles including his 8.2 litre V8 Chevvy powered London Taxi that was often seen outside the SAP UK training centre while he was teaching there.

In all, Stephen is highly respected by the clients he has served and his fellow colleagues and many of his engagements are as a result of him being known by someone at the client.

He is a member of Mensa with an IQ of 158.

Customer Reviews

Sound Advice from a veteran SAP Consultant
Independent advice from an independent SAP consultant. Years of experience translate into sound advice, some common sense but most based upon field experience. Highly recommended reading for those doing a SAP project for the first time.Sap - a Map of the Minefield

A great Book, thoughtfully written and full of fantastic information!
This book is definitely up there as one of the best books I have ever read on SAP. As an SAP Consultant by practice, I always recommend this book to anyone involved with SAP in any manner. I think the author has written this book straight from his heart. His insightful comments, his rich experience, his proven expertise on the subject, his style of writing - plain and simple, and his passion for the product all come through while reading this book. While the author maintains that this is not a technical book, some of the technical sections relating to quite critical and 'hard to explain' MM functionality have been written with amazing precision and clarity. My only regret about the book - I wish I could get more and the author would just go on and on! Hoping for more books from Steve regarding the SAP Logistics functionality!

Excellent!
This is an excellent book for the functional consultant, project manager or business professional seeking to implement SAP in their organization. I found the information invaluable and YES I GET it, use the STANDARD SAP software! It was not hard to read (even though the book could use some serious editing) and I simply could not put it down! I wished he would have given more direct information on how to break into SAP as career, for obvious and understandable reasons there's so much bias against junior consultants. In either case I got great information from it and I recommend it highly.