Switching from one module to other, how will it impact on career

[Former Member]

Hi mentors,

I have 3 years support experience in SAP APO SNP.  hav SCM background as my qualification I want to switch from APO to MM. I would like to know how it will affect my career path in terms of learning, job, money, location. Should I go for certification? Will changing to a new module be treated as a fresher?

Regards,

Sachin

[Lakshmipathi]

Normally, the employer will give some basic training for those who evinced interest in new areas and put you in some new projects.  Having said that, I am not sure, whether your employer is offering such trainings in your current employment.  If so, you can approach the concerned team, get trained in MM, do lot of self learning so that at one stage, you can handle MM projects also.  No doubt, MM is a vast module and it would be very difficult to grasp even the basic functionalities.

G. Lakshmipathi

[former_member182378]

Sachin,

Interesting question! Thanks!

Switching modules is not same as a fresher trying to enter in to SAP market. But many of the same challenges will be there is switching too!

In this case, you know SAP but you are no more an expert in the new module you choose. That will bring with it difficulty to find a job, low salary, effort, hard word you have to put will be much higher - as you will be in a learning phase.

If you have a love for that domain and domain experience, then go for the new module. Or else it don't make much sense!

added: I love warehousing and I have a strong experience is working in warehouses. I am thinking of moving from SD to EWM. But this process will require time off from job, to learn, to practice etc. etc. Time away from my family and friends, possibility a change in company, location...decrease in seniority, so I have been postponing this decision

TW

Message was edited by: TW Typewriter

[Former Member]

Hello Sachin,

I did not switch modules. But I started with SAP CRM, then also did SAP Analytical CRM and then did more and more in SAP BW until I finally worked as a SAP BW consultant in SAP BW projects. At the beginning I tried to do that with CRM- and SD-data (the second is related to CRM) and later with other source data as well. This helped me as a consultant and my employer as well when projects in my main area CRM were scarce as I could do SAP BW projects too if necessary. Especially as I also develop in ABAP (OO) and this is done in both systems. So I think a (careful) move to a second module w/o losing the contact with your 1st and especially when the two modules have things in common will benefit your career as among others it provides you with more flexibility. But I also think it should be better done when you are really expert in your main component, as you should always be expert in at least on area, so I think it should be best done after maybe 3-5 years of SAP work. Sometimes the official job description for senior consultant or architects requires you to be expert in 2 modules but such job descriptions are not always taken seriously.

I also think SAP APO/SCM and SAP MM work both with materials/products and both use ABAP of course, so there might be synergy effects. For inhouse people a switch should be easier then for consultants as the know-how requirements for consultants are higher. And I think that you should not be treated as a complete fresher as you already have general SAP knowledge. To learn a 2nd module should always be easier and quicker than to learn the 1st.

Best regards,

Thomas Wagner