What about SAP?

Hi Ali,

If I am not mistaken it is Server Application Programming
related to IT people.

If you are a IT related planner then it is applicable to you otherwise you do not have to worry about that

Regards

D.Dinesh Kumar

SAP/R3 is the most popular ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system.

Yes I aggree w/ vladimir, SAP - is one kind of ERP - This is a kind of Database. So if your familliar with how database works you can easily learn SAP.

Ok is just a database, but SAP is very important not only for a planner but also for a project manager.

For exmaple from the material status report (add-in), You can see the status of all your order, the value, the appointed vendor, his class and so on.

In an EPC contract, let consider the procurement phase, instead of producting various excel docs (Vendor list by work package and value, procurement reports, expedition report, etc ...) you use sap.
It is available from the Company server, so dosn’t matter if You are in America or in the equatorial Africa, You have access to the same latest information!

Is something just more for only IT people.

Hi Loca

thanks for your reply.It seems that you have good knowledge about SAP..could you pls advice us how to enhance our knowledge & expereince about SAP..I mean the part of SAP THAT RELATED TO Consturction Planning & Scheduling.

how could we start with SAP.

thanks in advance

ALI HAMOUDA
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Is not just a software that You can install on Your machine.

It should be adopted by the Company, as is not cheap at all,
and must set up all the procedure how to insert the info.

As Your Company will decide to use it, it should provide the necessary trainning to all the users they need it.

hi luca,

there is no demo..or training course about the program.

Is it only a database software?not as Primavera or ms-project?

Regards

Ali Hamouda
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I do not know if is possible to find a demo.
It sound difficult as is a server based application.

In any case, You can try to find out with a serch in internet (google, ...).
May be if You find the nearest supplier You can ask them
to organise a demo for Your company.

You can also try JD Edwards - ERP system I think it’s more cheaper

About SAP. It is a relational database containing all data used in a company. Resources, costs, schedules, but also financial data like salaries, purchases, prices, stock etc. SAP is custom made for the customer, it is build up from modules the client requires. The user interface is also custom made by SAP. It is possible to directly link SAP with Primavera to exchange data relevant for setting up a planning. So if you want experience in SAP you need to start working for a firm using SAP, and with every firm it looks different. If SAP experience is required in general you should know why it is used and how you can enter data, it means you have to work in a disciplined way. SAP also claims to contain a planning module but it is very expensive in maintenance and consulting and therefore it would be more beneficial to purchase SAP without a planningmodule and link P3E with SAP to have the best of both software applications. They can work on the same database structure.

Regards Alphons

Dear All
I am not a ture SAP specialist, I do have lots of experience with the DB.
You can look a SAP as a puzzle where it have sereval components Financial, Assets Management, Plant Maintainance, Project, HR, ...
Each company setup differently and I found that it is just a DB where it is very difficult to setup. (I mean correctly)and very hard to use to manage projects & that’s why other Entreprise (PM) System can help. P3e is one of them where you can link it with SAP (CO,PS,PM,IM) components.

Sound too complicated...

In principle I am agree with You.
The problem is if teh Company use SAP, You have to adapt yourself, as they spent a lot of money to "set-up" it.
For what I saw of P3e is a valid alternative as you said.

Guys,I got it now..you know what?

My Question?

Why should the Planner be Expereinced in SAP system..inspite it is not an Important PART from PLANNING function..

My Idea some agencies ,,thy advertise for there Products...(I am not meaning SAP them self..but might be any)....

Ya..what I mean that thy advertise for there products by annoucing about a Job..and thy enter their NEW system inside a great Job Like Planning...so as to force the people that thy Read the Add.to run and try to learn there System........and tht is wht I did actually.

Or if the system is already in the company..then some one from the company doesn’t have much expereince about PLANNING job description ..and he put in the Add, for the PLANNING ENGINEER job..that the Planning Engineer should have expereince with SAP..

any way..we are discussing a related point to planning..even if it is not with that necessity for Us (planning planet members)..but to know some thing so as to exclude it from your mind , and not to wory about it any more .....and not to waste your time and engauge your mind by it...at least.

Finally I would like to thank all the particpants in this discussion..that Clear for me and othere members about SAP..and what it is about...

thanks
Ali Hamouda
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It is of the utter most importance that we planners do grow up from just Msft Project, Primavera, etc to the ERP (enterprise resource planning) software such as SAP, PeopleSoft, Oracle, etc.

Of this 3 leaders, by far PeopleSoft is the best. They just recently bought JD Edwards a manufacture software so now they are just great for development, construction, engineering, etc.

You dont have to learn all the modules such as CRM (Costumer relationship mgt), SCM (Supply chain mgt), etc just stick to the overall architecture and their plug ins to Msft Project or Primavera and the way the whole interacts as one. With all cash flow in real time and ROI - return over investment- at your fingertips.

Best Regards,
Claudio
claudio@techassoc.com

Thanks Mr.Claudio de Heredia

there is another Difficulty.Is there at least a Demo by what you have said in your message"the overall archetecture of the modules linked to Primavera and how to use it".

My question "What about SAP?" wouldn’t come up if I find it easy to know about SAP as you can be able to know about ordinary software such as say winword or excel or even Primavera..SAP it is stell something not clear, they are telling that I can’t learn SAP unless I am employed in a company that use SAP and Install the whole SYSTEM...! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ............

Ali Hamouda
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Hi there!

Yes, SAP is quite different from what we know. It is not difficult at all. As a matter of fact all you have to learn is to read and follow the next or back arrows of Internet.

The problem is that it is very extensive and it takes time to get familiar with the whole capabilities.

At this point you would have to be very precise as to why do you want SAP?..is it just a job opportunity?,,or do you have something else in mind?..depending on this there are several differents paths to follow up.

Regards

Hi

actually it is to increase my chances for Job Opporutnities.
If you observe I mention that in my first Message about SAP.

THANKS FOR YOU VALUABLE ADVICES.
ALI
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