Technical Articles
Next-Generation Support: Ask an Expert Peer is coming soon (limited feature trial for select products)
As part of our ongoing efforts to meet your changing needs, SAP Support is exploring additional options for delivering support. This month, SAP will launch Ask an Expert Peer, a new support channel option, in a limited feature trial for select products. Because the free feature trial will be available for a limited time, your feedback is invaluable. We’ll use your input to help us decide if we will expand or discontinue this new support channel.
With Ask an Expert Peer, you can work on your technical, product-related questions, one-on-one, with a certified expert outside of SAP. This way, you benefit from industry insights, along with an experienced perspective about your question. Read the FAQ to learn more.
How to participate in the free feature trial program
This new channel option is available for no additional charge. So, instead of using the support channels that you already know, join the free feature trial program soon and submit your questions through Ask an Expert Peer.
If you are licensed to one of the participating products, you will have special access from the SAP Support Portal. Watch out for the green button on the home page of SAP Support Portal or simply start this channel from the “Ask an Expert Peer” landing page.
Easily access Ask an Expert Peer from SAP Support Portal (soon available)
What kinds of questions can I ask in Ask an Expert Peer?
This new channel is designed to deliver fast issue resolution for your basic inquiries and how-to questions. Example questions that can be answered through this new channel:
- Can portlets be added to either the Employment Information screen or the Personal Information screen?
- Can we mass import admins from admin management (add new) with roles and other relevant fields? Do we have templates for this or can this be performed only through admin connectors? For those who don’t have access to the servers.
- How do we utilize revision dates in LMS to drive retraining requirement?
- Why is the vertical scroll bar missing from some route map steps in requisitions?
For select products only!
Please note that this feature trial will only be available to you if you are licensed to one of the following products:
SAP IQ
SAP IQ
SAP Adaptive Server Enterprise
SAP Adaptive Server Enterprise
SAP Replication Server
SAP Replication Server
SAP NetWeaver Databases
- SAP NetWeaver Databases – Oracle Database
- SAP ASE, ERP enablement
SAP SuccessFactors
- SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central
- SAP SuccessFactors Learning (LMS) Module
- SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding
- SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting
Join SAP’s free feature trial program Ask an Expert Peer. Read the FAQ to learn more.
UPDATE: Ask an Expert Peer is now available. Visit the SAP Support Portal or the landing page today to access this channel.
So the difference between this and the SCN site is that you are interacting with the person via chat or Skype so you would get a conversation more than just a typed answer.. Is that correct? You also will know that the expert is in fact an expert.
Interesting,
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
Yes. Ask an Expert Peer is a new support channel that lets you have private conversations with certified experts about your topic. If you have a how-to type question and you submit your question to Ask an Expert Peer, only you and the experts who are certified in your topic area can see the question. Interaction is through email or chat.
Best regards
Theresa
I suspect the "Expert Peers" will also be compensated somehow. Otherwise they'd have to be either extremely generous people or out of their mind.
TBH I feel a bit skeptical about this idea. But I guess the time will tell and SAP will have some findings after the trial run.
I say it's a lot better than submitting an issue. Waiting, talking or e-mailing back and forth until you get the right person to help. And then e-mailing some more because they aren't in the same time zone. Finally - if you are very lucky - you can talk with someone.
This sounds like it is more. I don't need to have a problem with the system. It could be something I'm working on that I need some more information. It will be interesting to see how they weed out those people that abuse the system. IE want the entire solution and not really help. Once may be OK, twice as well. But by the tenth time....
I have no idea how they are finding the experts. But it's a great idea. It said people from the community AND drum-roll SAP Mentors - that's you. 🙂 I don't think you fall into any of the categories though.
There is no doubt chat is effective. That's why SAP already has it with their own experts. I'm just a bit skeptical about the "peer" part here. If SAP Support involves them as subcontractors/consultants, essentially, then I guess it'd be OK. But we'll see. Product list is very limited at the moment, anyway.
There is also a risk of violating your current contract - I have seen examples where you sign an agreement that while you work for company A you cannot provide consulting services to potential competitors and you need to obtain permission from the employer if you wish to sign any additional contracts with third-parties.