Back to Basis - The Evolution

[JPReyes]

I wanted to follow-up on my original Back to Basis Blog I posted almost 6 years ago, but instead of adding to the list of never ending tasks and products I will like to focus on the evolution of the role itself.

Traditionally your regular SAP Basis was a trusted workhorse that spent his days mainly working in the background (also known as the grumpy fellow in the corner that most people were afraid to talk to), as any other IT job Basis was almost invisible in a business as usual scenario, as long as the system was running the business had little interaction with us.

In the last few years as SAP products evolved and integrated with almost everything the SAP Basis role also evolved drastically, raising from a necessary evil into a core position to the point that now a days most of the SAP Technical Architects come from a SAP Basis background.

But Why?... The answer is simple: No-one knows your SAP Landscape as SAP Basis does!

Let me explain:

To begin with we gather the business data required for the systems sizing, which goes all the way from the number of users and their projected activity levels to the number of invoices produced at peak hours.

We analyze the output of the sizing and choose the architecture (Liaising with business, infrastructure, partner’s influences, etc…. I can go on and on about how Basis can increase the ROI with basic choices but I won’t, that’s a different subject)

We build the systems from scratch.

We integrate the systems with each other and with other 3^rd party systems covered by a particular project which is a big advantage from the understanding of the SAP Landscape as a whole, meaning:

- We know WHAT integrates with WHAT.

- We know the WHY.

- We know HOW.

We understand the business processes and translate them into technical solutions. We are well suited to tell the business what are the options available and list the best practices.

No other consultant can tell you how your BW infocubes are filled and at the same time tell you how products and stock are CIF’ed between ERP and SCM, how the SRM workflow works, or how the different PI Channels handle the messages.

To conclude,

Our role gives us a unique perspective that let us understand the intrinsic relation in between people and system. That knowledge makes us the right choice when searching for a SAP Technical Architect.

So, the next time you find yourself in a pickle, talk to your Basis… If we don’t have the answer we know where to find it.

Love to hear your comments.