What does a SAP-HR Consultant Do?

A functional consultant evaluates the demands of the customer's representatives, transforms the essence into an abstract and algorithmic business model. Hence, he identifies the use cases and transforms them into logical and technical views.

Then the main task starts: customizing the respective business area and making sure the system reacts in the manner according to the constraints of the requested use case.

The consultant documents the settings and prepares proper guidelines that allow other consultants to do further changes or repairs with due efforts.
The consultant takes care that proper training is given to the users and that the system is usable, performing appropriately and the business flow is complete and correct.

During go live he assists the technical staff by testing the behavior of the system.

After go live he guarantees that the procedures remain usable and consistent in real live situation and proposes enhancements.

The main duty of a consultant is to transfer external know-how to the client. It is not manpower that counts but intelligence, understanding of processes, a feeling for defects and general a common sense. 

Role of a Functional Consultant in an End To End Implementation 

When you talk about the role of a Functional consultant in an end to end implementation, I think it won't be possible for me or anybody to define everything but I will try to summarize it:

1. Functional consultant is expected to generate knowledge about the current business process, design current business flows, study current business processes and its complication, in all we can say getting through with current business setup. Flow diagrams and DFD are prepared, most of the time in Vision format; all this forms the part of AS IS document.

2. Everything configured has to be documented as per their categories in the form of predefined templates; these have to be then approved by the team leads or who ever the consultant is reporting to.

3. Mapping and GAP analysis is done for each module, I have seen people defining integration after mapping, gap analysis and configuration is done, but as per my experience in implementation, it is a simultaneous process.

4. Before starting configuring future business processes in SAP, the DFD/ERD are prepared, this documentation is called TO BE, which can be also said as the result of mapping and gap analysis.


5. Sometimes Functional consultants are also expected to prepare test scripts for testing the configured scenarios.

6. End user manual and End user training is also expected from F.Consultants.

The project normally starts off with a Kick off meeting in which the team size, team members, reporting system, responsibilities, duties, methodology, dates and schedules, working hours which have been predicated are formally defined.


ASAP, it won't be possible for me to explain it here, but all I can tell you about it is that it is SAP standard implementation methodology, which SAP prescribes but is not mandatory for any company to follow, such as IBM follow some Blue Methodology, some companies follow typical SDLC steps, ASAP stands for Accelerated SAP, you can find all the steps on SAP site, through Google, reading it from there won't give you a great knowledge about ASAP but will obviously get you to know the definitions of various term. 

Role of SAP Consultant In Testing


1. What is the role of Consultant in Testing while implementing the project?

Testing : the core team members along with end-users will test whether the postings done in SAP is resulting as per the requirements of the organization. They will test whether the output documents such as purchase order, invoice document are printed in the required format and showing the correct data.

2. What is Unit testing and Integration Testing?

Unit testing is referred to the module which is going to be implemented. SD, MM, FICO etc. there will be test script based on that testing will be performed.
Integration testing will be cross the modules. MM-SD-FICO for example. Integration testing is also called SIT (System integration testing)

Testing mathologies and types: there are 6 types of testing:



1. Unit Testing
2. System Testing
3. System Integration security Testing
4. Performance Testing
5. User Acceptance testing
6. Regression Testing 

Unit testing is done in bits and pieces. Like e.g. in SD standard order cycle; we do have 1-create order, then 2-delivery, then 3-transfer order, then 4-PGI and then 5-Invoice. So we will be testing 1,2,3,4 and 5 separately alone one by one using test cases and test data. We will not be looking and checking/testing any integration between order and delivery; delivery and TO; TO and PGI and then invoice.

Whereas System testing you will be testing the full cycle with it's integration, and you will be testing using test cases which give a full cyclic test from order to invoice.

Security testing you will be testing different roles and functionalities and will check and signoff.

Performance testing is refered to as how much time / second will take to perform some actions, like e.g. PGI. If BPP definition says 5 seconds for PGI then it should be 5 and not 6 second. Usually it is done using software.

Regression testing is referred to a test which verifies that some new configuration doesn’t adversely impact existing functionality. This will be done on each phase of testing.

User Acceptance Testing: Refers to Customer testing. The UAT will be performed through the execution of predefined business scenarios, which combine various business processes. The user test model is comprised of a sub-set of system integration test cases.

Different  software are used during testing. Most commonly used is

Test Director: which is used to record requirement, preparing test plan and then recording the progress. We will be incorporating defects that are coming during these testings using different test cases.
Mercury Load Runner: is used for performance testing. This is an automatic tool.

 

 

What does the following terms means:

- Technical Unit Testing
- Functional Unit Testing
- IntegrationTesting
- Volume Testing
- Parallel Testing?

Technical Unit Testing= Test of some technical development such as a user exit, custom program, or interface. the test usually consists of a test data set that is processed according to the new program. A successful test only proves the developed code works and that it performed the process as designed.

Functional Unit Testing= Test of configuration, system settings or a custom development (it may follow the technical unit testing) These usually use actual data or data that is masked but essentially the same as a real data set. A successful test shows that the development or configuration works as designed and the data is accurate as a result.

IntegrationTesting= Testing a process, development or configuration within the context of any other functions that the process, development or functionality will touch or integrate . The test should examine all data involved across all modules and any data indirectly affected. A successful test indicates that the processes work as designed and integrate with other functions without causing any problems in any integrated areas.

Volume Testing= testing a full data set that is either actual or masked to insure that the entire volume does cause system problems such as network transmission problems, system resources issues, or any systemic problem, A successful test indicates that the processes will not slow or crash the system due to a full data set being utilized.

Parallel Testing= Testing the new system or processes with a complete data set while running the same processes in the legacy system. A successful test will show identical results when both the legacy system and new system results are compared.


What kind of testing is carried out in testing server?

1. Individual Testing (Individually which we've created)
2. Regressive Testing (Entire Process)
3. Integration Testing (Along with other integrated modules)

The 3 types of testing is as follows:-
1. Unit testing (where an individual process relevant to a SD or MM etc is tested)
2. Integration testing (where a process is tested that cuts across all areas of SAP).
3. Stress testing (where lots of transactions are run to see if the system can handle the data) 

Roles and Responsibilities of End Users


What is the Difference between Consultant & End users?

SAP consultant role is to build the system, changes & modification/updating currently installed SAP system for the end users.

SAP End users only use the SAP system just to fetch some info, or to create new information. So an end user is just using the final product which it is meant for and consultant design the product/updating it and modifying it.

The roles and responsibilities of end users is working in easy access menu they will not have authorizations of using IMG settings .

Roles and Responsibilities of End User:

Using the software at the end or after the implementation is an End User.
In sap HR, we do come across entire Org Management creation by an end user after the Personnel structure is created. An OM object like creation of Org Unit means functional area or department, creation Job and Position and its occupancy is with in the limits of an end-user.



Initially the OM is created by sap consultant. In course of time if a new department is created at the client, this has to be created by the end-user rather than depending up on the implementer... similarly new job and position are created by the end-user. The entire gamut OM depends upon the end-user.

End user runs periodical payroll and Ensures the validity of the Time schedules (Work Schedules) of each employee, in the easy access menu.

Any problems that the end-user comes across during the utilization of sap ...that will reach as ticket to the support team

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