[RESOLVED] SAP Development Questions

[Mark Gambo]

I been seeing a lot of jobs lately regarding SAP. How hard is it to learn coming from a VB6.0 environment? Can anyone recommend a good book on the subject?


Thanks!

[si_the_geek]

Moved to General Developer forum

[RhinoBull]

SAP is a real monster...
It has a built-in language called ABAP/4 and language itself is simple to learn. The real problem isn't that but learning functional modules and this may take a lifetime. I haven't done it in about 4 years so don't know about most recent versions but it used to be very awkward and cumbersome environment.
If you want to change your career then SAP isn't something that you can learn in a month or so, you can't even have it at home so you can do more practice. It's an enterprize product that cost astronomical amount of money.
When I was involved in just a period of two years or so we had to take somewhere between 6-12 classes (most of then were 5 days) and that was only the beginning... Also, there is a big chance that you won't like it and that means that you've just wasted lot of time.
ABAP/4 was an excellent opportunity for COBOL programmers to finally do something different ... but many couldn't take the challenge.
I may continue on and on but info above should give an idea.

[Mark Gambo]

Thanks, now I know why I have been seeing a lot of jobs for SAP programers.

[RhinoBull]

Also, besides the technical and functional aspects you'll need to consider the fact that SAP is mostly used by manufacturers. And since you live in the financial district there little or no use for it so the job most likely to be outside the city somewhere in the tri state (Northern NJ, Conn) area and that means TRAVEL ... hours sometimes - especially going home ...

[Mark Gambo]

Quite true, most of the job seem to be in the southern US, but I am looking to relocate anyway. Thanks again.