Overview of the Certification
SAP stands for ‘Systems Applications and Products’ and was originally aimed to provide customers with the ability to interact upon a common database along a comprehensive application range. Gradually more applications began to be assembled and today, SAP is being used by leading companies like Microsoft and IBM. SAP applications have gone through various changes and modifications and the latest R/3 (business applications from SAP) provides immense capabilities to manage financial assets, production operations, plants, personnel, materials, archived documents and cost accounting. The latest R/3 framework runs on several platforms that include Windows 2000 and use client/server models. It also includes internet enabled packages for better information exchange.
SAP has been continuously adding onto its product offerings with new e-business applications, web interfaces, tools for supply chain management, customer relationship management and much more. SAP systems comprise various fully integrated modules covering almost every aspect of business management.
The Certification
SAP constitutes a lot of courses and modules. The eligibility depends on which particular SAP course one is interested in and the skill he/she possesses. It is recommended that the candidate has a relevant academic background in subjects including Computer Science, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Human Resource, Information Systems, Operations Management and Systems Engineering.
SAP certification is divided into two types of courses – one being more functional and the other being more technical. However, both the courses present similar authorization and transaction codes related to your educational background. Further, the course content can be greatly varied as per the nature of the course.
The Technical SAP certification focuses more on programming and module customization. There aren’t any particular courses or sets of courses that need to be taken before sitting for the certification exam. However, if you are applying for a higher level Professional Certification, you must hold an Associate level Certification. SAP certifications help validate the expertise and experience of SAP partners, software users, customers and professionals who are looking to be placed in a SAP environment. The certification is recognized globally and is a standardized criterion for several roles and responsibilities.
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Eligibility Criteria
To appear for the associate level certification without attending any SAP course you need a minimum of 1 (one) year of SAP implementation experience or 2 (two) years of support experience with a minimum of 6 (six) months experience in the module and version of SAP in which you are going to get certified. The last year of your work experience should be with your present employer. Your present employer should be either a customer or a partner of SAP. SAP will evaluate your profile and will approve/reject based on their review. If approved, you need to provide HR consent/approval from your existing organisation. Please note you have 60 days (as per my info) of time to appear for the exam after the approval mail.
Associate level certification is mostly useful to those who are new to sap, whereas professional is for consultants who have more project experience as well as theoretical knowledge.
Finally the cutoff percentage for certification of both is 57%.professional-level certifications also require several years of practical on-the-job experience and address real-life scenarios.
| Types of SAP certification | Types of questions | Requirement | Exam Duration |
| Associate certification | 80 multiple choice, multiple response and matching questions and answers | _______ | 3 hours |
| NEW- Speciality Certification | 40 multiple choice, multiple response and matching question and answers | Comes along in addition to associate exams | 90 minutes |
| Professional certification | of 80 multiple choice, multiple response, scenario based and matching questions and answers | Requires project experience, business process knowledge and understanding of SAP solutions | 3 hours |
Since 2014 SAP certification vouchers are only available for purchase directly from SAP education. Pearson Vue is no longer accepting payment for SAP certification.The list of valid certifications are these.
Advantages of SAP certification
- SAP is one of the most sought after certifications in the current business environment. IT professionals acquainted with SAP platforms are demanded in every part of the world and it has been one of the most successful IT certifications recently.
- SAP implementation is a complicated process and demands adequate knowledge and training for the same. For professionals it takes years of experience to gain adequate expertise. This is also the reason that modern businesses look for SAP certified professionals.
- You can gain greater efficiency, productivity, and performance
- The program enables individuals to stay up-to-date and relevant by becoming skilled in the latest SAP technologies and solutions. Certification provides personal and company recognition, and supports career progression from proficiency to mastery.
- SAP Global Certification is also verifiable. Certified professionals can access digital badges for earned certifications to showcase certification accomplishments. Available online, digital badges enable companies to more easily verify the credentials of SAP-certified professionals.
- Assure customers and clients that you have certified practitioners in a range of roles and responsibilities with the knowledge and skills needed to work on SAP solutions
- Meet the demand for certified SAP experts; globally, 87% of Fortune 2000 companies and 98% of the 100 most valued brands use SAP solutions
For Organizations
- Studies have shown that individuals are happier working for organizations that recognize their commitment to continuous learning, value their contributions, and are committed to helping them with their career path.
- Leverage a staff of trustworthy, knowledgeable experts with proven SAP capabilities
- Build your organization’s credibility and increase confidence in successful business outcomes with trained staff proven to meet professional standards
- Improve the overall productivity of your employees which can translate into greater retention rates for the organization. As the talent builds, the value that the organization can provide to the clients will also improve making it easier for companies to tailor value according to the customer needs and requirements. All of this starts from employee learning.
Where to Get Online Resources for SAP Certification
SAP has a lot of resources and study guides for the certification. In addition to that, platforms like Simpli Learn, Guru and others also offer the resources for the exam.
