Let me introduce my guest
Isabel Sanchez comes from Madrid and has more than 15 years of work experience in finance departments. Nevertheless, during the last years, she has been working as an SAP trainer and as a consultant (in the business processes part). Isabel is certified in SAP CO ERP and SAP FI S/4HANA 1809. So it’s not surprising that she’s focusing on finance modules FI and CO, as well as logistic ones, MM and SD.
About the broadly understood education in the world of SAP, as well as the future of this system – Isabel Sanchez is interviewed by Jarosław JZ Ziółkowski.
Reading time: 5 minutes
1. You’re an SAP trainer. I know from experience that it’s challenging to learn those things. How do you try to get across to your students?
My work is oriented to end-users, public workers, whose usual practice is not related to any ERP, so I have to be very patient to explain processes and how to navigate from the start. They usually don’t know how to navigate, and they are lost. And we know that SAP is not an easy system.
On the other side, I am in charge of some communities, in which pupils ask questions about the course already done. They usually ask the same kind of problems related to navigation, to processes. They don’t understand some concepts, basic concepts, and I am here for their help!
2. Which SAP modules do you like to teach the most?
This question is easy; having a finance background. My favorite modules are related to finance: FI, CO. Although I am into logistic ones: MM, SD. in fact, the last courses I did were related to logistic modules, they use lots of stock movement, different kinds of materials stocked, etc.
3. You also have SAP certificates. Which one was the hardest to get?
I only have two that are enough for me right now. The hardest, of course, and without doubt, was the SAP CO one. I remember crying when I passed the exam.
The one of financial accounting, having a financial background, was even more natural.
Any certification is quite complex.
4. Back to the topic of courses, where can we check out your classes?
My courses are posted on a private platform, not for everyone. That is why I started my website, to offer courses related to standard processes, that are also important. Needless to say that the courses I do at work are in Spanish and my idea is providing education in English so that I can get more pupils interested in them.
Regarding the website, after several tests with Wix, it didn’t convince me at all, so I will let everybody know another website soon, with my own domain name.
5. Thus, I have to ask, what do you enjoy more – teaching about SAP or doing SAP consulting? Of course, tell me why.
I enjoy when people understand me. Do you know how difficult it is, without technical terms, trying to explain concepts, processes?
That requires time, concentration and repeating those processes in the system – a great work of interiorizing words.
6. So I wonder which project, you’ll remember for the rest of your life and why?
My current project. I have been here for a year and almost a half. It’s a plan called “Plan of Digital Learning”, which involves all the intelligent systems used in hospitals, in libraries, schools, etc. all the public institutions have their own system. For the economic, logistic, contracting and purchasing system they use an adaptation, whose base is SAP. They use either standard and customized SAP.
Needless to say that apart from the educational tasks, I collaborate with consultants and, in fact, sometimes I asked for corrections in the manuals provided. Sometimes the processes don’t suit the ones described. That is my consultant part.
7. Slightly changing the subject, I see you’re very active on LinkedIn. How does this platform help in your daily tasks?
It helps me because I am interested in news, in new applications, in technology in general. I think I have an awesome net built there. But I find inconveniences: people that don’t respect others under a social net, people that only come to sell, people that only like me for a book, etc.
8. In conclusion, I would like to ask, how do you see the future of SAP education as well as all SAP industry? Do you think it has been changing very dynamically lately?
I think that education is needed, it’s a crucial task. If users don’t know how to navigate, don’t know how to use the system, any company can have a problem. Of course, managers can understand, but users are important roles.
I think that education will continue. Consulting is also exciting for me. This pandemic will change the perception of work, as well as technology itself. If companies adapt quickly to change (resilience), SAP will continue its way, probably promoting the cloud platforms.
Read also
1. ABAP stronger than chemical bonds! Amazing way from the lab to the SAP world with Daniel Mateo – interview with Daniel Mateo.
2. “A toolbox instead of a Swiss army knife” SAP integration world through Pontus eyes – interview with Pontus Borgstrom.
