What is ASAP methodology?

In this post, I will try to explain what is ASAP methodology. It is very useful for SAP functional consultants but an ABAP programmer should also know the terminology. If you say that you have worked in an SAP Implementation project then you may face questions like "What is a Blue Print?".

What ASAP stands for ?
ASAP: Accelerated Systems Application and Products in Data Processing
All implementation projects have the following phases:

Scoping - What is to be implemented i.e. which sub modules are to be implemented some clients may not require credit management for example. Look at the project scope document carefully it will tell you what SAP sub-modules in SAP you should be prepared for. Usually the sales people along with project manager do it.
As is - Here you understand the existing business processes of the client. Your BPO collect all the ISO-documentation (if client is ISO certified), reports and forms at this stage and you analyze how and when the reports/forms are generated, where the data is coming from. You also do a Level -2 training for your BPO so he is made aware of all the required transactions in SAP.
Once this is over BPO can start learning with the consultants help more about SAP. This is crucial because if you miss out any transactions the BPO may forget about some of his Business processes which may come up later. It is a good practice to ask the BPO to make flow charts to explain business processes.
To-Be - In Parallel you map these processes to SAP. Processes that you are not sure of as to whether they are present in SAP or not you try to do a configuration of those processes, and along with the BPO(Business process owner he is the clients employee who knows about the clients business processes probably a middle management guy, there can more than one), BPO involvement is required as he may be able to tell you his requirements better. Once you do the business modeling you will also be made aware of the gaps between as-is and to-be, here decisions have to be made as to whether an ABAP development/system modification is required or not and so on. Involve the BPO as much as possible and document everything it is good practice do not be lazy about it.
Business blueprint: Here the as-is and to-be and gap analysis is explained. This is the document that you will be using to do your configuration in the realization phase.
Realization phase: Here you do the configuration in the development server (there are three clients -development, quality, production). You also decide on the master data format, so that BPO can go collect the master data. You also give ABAP specifications for forms, reports etc, system modifications etc. Unit testing: Your BPOs and a few key users sit down and test your configuration in your module only. It is good to test the BDCs that you need for uploading data at this stage so you have more realistic data and your BDCs are tested.
Integration testing: Once all modules unit testing is over then the configuration is transported to the Quality server, where testing for all the modules is done by BPOs and end user, this is to check if any problems are there in integration between various modules. Once all is okay from the QA server configuration is transported to the production server.
Go live preparations Data uploading: The collected master data is checked and the uploaded into production server (sever and client I have used interchangeably). Now you are ready for go live i.e. users can now use the production server.
Read ASAP methodology for more details you will understand better.

ASAP methodology means nothing but standard process for implementation of SAP, It consists of 5 phases.
1. Project preparation - consists of identifying team members and developing strategy as how to go.
2. Business Blue print - consists of identifying the client current process, requirement and how SAP provides solution. Consists of detailed documentation
3. Realization -The purpose of this phase is to implement all the business and process requirements based on the Business Blueprint.
4 Final Preparation - The purpose of this phase is to complete testing, end-user training,
5 Go Live and Support

Connecting to the Server

How do you connect to the server in real time? Where is the server located? You might have faced these questions. Please find the explanation below. Friends at any time if you get any doubts or if you need clarifications, please feel free to post your comments. Sure your questions will be answered. No Doubt, we do connect to SAP servers through SAP GUI (Graphical User Interface) Front end.
In coaching labs, the server may be located in any corner of the building. Imagine you are working for a client who is in London; you are working from Hyderabad offshore development center. Then certainly you should use internet lines. Then is it secure to use internet which is having access to public?
Then how do you connect to the server located in the London?
Well, you will connect through the internet lines only, but you will be using VPN connection. VPN Stands for Virtual Private Network. It is a secure connection.
How do you connect to VPN? In real time clients use any one of the VPN software available in market. For example Citrix is VPN software.
You will be provided with VPN User ID and Password. You can connect to the VPN using that user id and pwd.
Once you are connected to VPN, then you can use your SAP GUI to connect to SAP Server. The SAP Log on screen will be the same as you see in coaching centers. You will be having your SAP User id and password.
next time when the interviewer asks you, how do you connect to SAP server, you can say that you will use VPN connection. You can name any of the VPN software in the market. To know more about the VPN, search the sites listed in the top of this page.
Where the server is located?
It is simple to answer. Always the server will be located at client place only. If you are working for a client who is having head office in United States, then the SAP server may also be located there. Best thing is , find out the details of the client you put in your resume. Don’t say that server is located in my company like infosys, TCS or HP.
SO far we have discussed System landscape, two essential documents in a project and Connecting to the server. Friends feel free to post your comments if you need any clarifications.
In coming postings, you will find how to create transport requests, how to transport them to TEST server? How to debug a program? What are all the options you have in debugging tool?
Keep watching this blog daily for lots of real time ABAP knowledge.
To know more you can search the sites listed in the top of this web page. Use the internet to gain and collect the information which you need.

Two Essential documents in a Project- Doc 2

We have seen the ABAP programming standards document in the earlier post. Today in this post we will see how the naming conventions document will look like.
Remember you need not by heart the document. But in the real time scenario, one should strictly adhere to the naming conventions document. You can not name the programs as you wish in the Real time scenario.
For every object, whether it is a report, Module pool program, Function module or an user exit, you have to refer the naming conventions document given to you, and you should name the object as per the standards defined.
The naming conventions differ from one SAP Project to another.

Two Essential documents in a Project-Doc1

In any project we do find two main documents. They are
1) ABAP programming standards
2) Naming conventions document.
You will be provided with these two documents as soon as you join a project. The project may be an implementation or support project.
The ABAP programming standards document will look alike in all projects. But the naming convention document differs from one project to another.
1) ABAP Programming standards document contains the standards which you should follow while writing ABAP code.

All the SAP defined programming standards are included in the client specific ABAP programming standards. In addition to them you will find the standards like below-
1) Your code should not exceed 10 lines in Form - End Form routine.
2) Should not use Tables declaration in report programming.
3) Do not use internal tables with header lines, use explicit work areas for the internal tables.

and so on...

Keep watching this space for more useful information in coming days...
You can view the past web posts in archive link of this web page.

System Landscape/Application Landscape

In the above diagram, you can see three scenarios. In the first scenario, there are three different servers for three environments (Dev, Test and Production).
In the second scenario, both development and Test systems are placed in one server. Production is different server.
In the third scenario, we will find SAND BOX, Let me explain what SAND BOX is, it is also a server that you can use for development activities. In the system landscape SAND BOX is placed before Development system/server. I.e. SAND BOX can be used roughly.
In real time, you can find any one of the above scenario in the Project, and it may be something different also.
Next time when you face the question, explain the system landscape in your current project? Don’t worry; you can explain any one of the above scenarios.

Lets Start

Hi Guys,
Welcome!!! Let me introduce. This is Mr. Reddy. I am working as SAP consultant. This is a small attempt from my side to help the guys, who has chosen SAP ABAP as their destination. This is just started, keep watching this blog for lots of information that you do not get in coaching centers.
As we are just started, you will be finding only job opportunities in this blog for few days. You will find useful information soon.

Opportunities (TOI, wednesday)
1) ACS Systech Integrators
Description: SAP ABAP Leads, Job Code ABAP-01
With 3+ years of SAP-ABAP experience. Should have performed a lead role and have experience in managing teams of at least 4-6 consultants.
2) Helios&Matheson
Description: SAP Technical, Job Code 308/30-‘X’.
Description: ABAP, ALE, IDOC and basis administrator


SAP- Facts
SAP is the fourth largest software company in the world. It ranks after Microsoft,IBM and Oracle in terms of market capitalization. SAP is the largest Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution software provider.SAP's products focus on ERP, which it helped to pioneer. The company's main product is SAP R/3;the "R" stands for real time data processing and the number 3 relates to a three-tier application architecture: database, application server and client SAPgui.Other major product offerings include Advanced Planner and Optimizer (APO),Business Information Warehouse(BW),Customer Relationship Management(CRM),Supplier Relationship Management(SRM), Human Resource Management Systems(HRMS),Product Lifecycle Management(PLM), Exchange Infrastructure(XI) and Knowledge Warehouse(KW).Reportedly, there are over 91,500 SAP installations at more than 28,000 companies. SAP products are used by over 12 million people in more than 120 countries.

System Landscape.
Can you explain the system landscape in your current project? How many times have you cringed on being asked above question? Find the answer below.

In any project, we find three environments.
1) Development Environment
2) Test Environment
3) Production Environment (where the end users and customers will work actually)

The system landscape can be defined, if you know how the above environments are implemented.

Scenario 1.

Development Server
Client 000- Golden client, for customization
Client 120 - Code Development
Client 130 - used for unit testing

Test Server
Client 120 - For Testing

Production Server
Client 010- Live Production

in this scenario, three environments are deployed on three different servers. we have three servers altogether. One for development, one for Test and another for Production.
Development server is again having three clients. Client 000 is used by SAP functional consultants for configuration changes. 120 are used by ABAP consultants to develop the code.
Client 130 is used for unit testing in development server.

The TEST and PRODUCTION servers are having one client each.
Remember you don't find client 800 in any project, as we can see it only in IDES SAP learning implementation.

We will see few other scenarios in coming days, I will try to explain with diagrams.