The SAP S/4HANA related certificate can be an ace in the sleeve of an SAP consultant. It shows that you have the knowledge base upon which you can built added value for your clients. Regarding SAP it is also a proof of being familiar with the newest SAP technology, which by the way isn’t always the easiest thing to do.
So how should one approach certification in the field of the SAP S/4HANA? Personally, I like to use this 4-step approach:
1) Research
2) Investigate
3) Learn
4) Verify
I was able to pass two SAP FI certificates (ERP and S/4HANA 1709) this way with an average score of 88%. Let’s go through the steps together.
1. Research
First of all you need specify the area of certification that you want to tackle (SAP module/technology/product). I will use my own example here, for me it’s Finance, S/4HANA Financial Accounting to be precise (SAP FI module in another words). Now just type ‘SAP learning journey’ in your search engine, this website should pop-up. Here you can see the learning paths neatly arranged by SAP. We will explore "SAP S/4HANA Finance - Financial Accounting" path:
Here we can see clear learning path and our goal, C_TS4FI certificate. We can click this tile to get more details:
1. Key data
All SAP Associate (basic) level exams last 180 minutes (3 hours) and have 80 closed questions (multiple choice). The cut score differs but it is in the 60-70% range, for C_TS4FI_1809 it is 63%. Sample Questions will be used by us in step 2 - Investigate.
2. Learning material range
The most important section, focus on topics which are more than 12%. You can expand those sections to get the material codes names, it’s essential:
To be able to pass you need to master the required material. How to get the needed material? The best way is to get it via SAP Learning Hub. It’s a subscription based online learning center. The cost is around 3000 EUR per year for Professional Edition. Most of big SAP consulting companies have access to it, so if you are working for one of those it shouldn’t be a problem for you. The alternative is to use the power of the Internet to find those materials by your own.
2. Investigate
Let’s assume that you have gathered all the required material via Learning Hub (search it by using material codes on Hub’s home page). What should you do now? Study all of it? No. The required material for C_TS4FI_1809 exam is around 1000 pages, it’s a lot. Most people make the mistake of rushing though it not knowing what to look for. Start with a little investigation. How questions are formulated? What is the scheme for them?
On the https://training.sap.com/certification/c_ts4fi_1809-sap-certified-application-associate website we had seen "Sample Questions", click on the “View more”:
Yep, that's exactly the view that you will see during your exam, get familiar with it. Here you will get 12 sample questions for free. It should give you some knowledge of the general scheme. With the power of the Internet you will be able to find way more sample questions (ERPprep for example). I urge to check them out but try not to learn all of them by heart without any context. Use them more for learning the pattern of the questions. With this knowledge NOW you can start to study the 1000 pages of required material.
3. Learn
The best way to master the required material is to constantly measure the progress. In my case I just used simple Excel file with progression based on the material that I've mastered:
As you see it took me 43 days (1.5 months) to process the material. At the end of the each chapter you will find Learning Assessments. You won’t get the exact same questions at the exam, but the core of the question may be useful, so study those carefully.
4. Verify
The final step is simply to verify your knowledge. In other words it's time to schedule an exam and take the shot. The standard cost of associate level SAP exam is 400 EUR and it can be taken both on-site and remotely. The whole process for online option is presented in this video. You can purchase voucher for 6 attempts here. You can maximally have 3 attempts per 1 exam. So it is possible to pass 6 different exams using only one voucher. The voucher is valid for a year.
You can manage the whole certification process in the Certification Hub website. From there you can set suitable date for your exam, track you progress and see the results:
In order to take the exam online, you will need to have:
That’s all what you need, it’s really convenient. I fully recommend this approach.
After passing the exam you will get an email with confirmation and link to Acclaim:
Tips & Tricks
Finally, a set of tips that should help you pass the first time.
1) No speeding
3 hours for 80 questions is enough, don't rush trough, read the questions carefully. If you have a big problem with a question, leave it for later. You can go back to the previous questions at any time.
2) Check the numbers
If a question has more than one correct answer, the description of the question will indicate how many answers are correct. You can use assessment navigator to check if you have answered all of the questions.
3) Check the tech
Check the webcam and microphone before the exam. Also make sure you have a strong Internet connection. Connect the power supply. Keep your ID on you.
That's all, now go and get your S/4HANA certificate! 🙂
So how should one approach certification in the field of the SAP S/4HANA? Personally, I like to use this 4-step approach:
1) Research
2) Investigate
3) Learn
4) Verify
I was able to pass two SAP FI certificates (ERP and S/4HANA 1709) this way with an average score of 88%. Let’s go through the steps together.
1. Research
First of all you need specify the area of certification that you want to tackle (SAP module/technology/product). I will use my own example here, for me it’s Finance, S/4HANA Financial Accounting to be precise (SAP FI module in another words). Now just type ‘SAP learning journey’ in your search engine, this website should pop-up. Here you can see the learning paths neatly arranged by SAP. We will explore "SAP S/4HANA Finance - Financial Accounting" path:
Here we can see clear learning path and our goal, C_TS4FI certificate. We can click this tile to get more details:
1. Key data
All SAP Associate (basic) level exams last 180 minutes (3 hours) and have 80 closed questions (multiple choice). The cut score differs but it is in the 60-70% range, for C_TS4FI_1809 it is 63%. Sample Questions will be used by us in step 2 - Investigate.
2. Learning material range
The most important section, focus on topics which are more than 12%. You can expand those sections to get the material codes names, it’s essential:
To be able to pass you need to master the required material. How to get the needed material? The best way is to get it via SAP Learning Hub. It’s a subscription based online learning center. The cost is around 3000 EUR per year for Professional Edition. Most of big SAP consulting companies have access to it, so if you are working for one of those it shouldn’t be a problem for you. The alternative is to use the power of the Internet to find those materials by your own.
2. Investigate
Let’s assume that you have gathered all the required material via Learning Hub (search it by using material codes on Hub’s home page). What should you do now? Study all of it? No. The required material for C_TS4FI_1809 exam is around 1000 pages, it’s a lot. Most people make the mistake of rushing though it not knowing what to look for. Start with a little investigation. How questions are formulated? What is the scheme for them?
On the https://training.sap.com/certification/c_ts4fi_1809-sap-certified-application-associate website we had seen "Sample Questions", click on the “View more”:
Yep, that's exactly the view that you will see during your exam, get familiar with it. Here you will get 12 sample questions for free. It should give you some knowledge of the general scheme. With the power of the Internet you will be able to find way more sample questions (ERPprep for example). I urge to check them out but try not to learn all of them by heart without any context. Use them more for learning the pattern of the questions. With this knowledge NOW you can start to study the 1000 pages of required material.
3. Learn
The best way to master the required material is to constantly measure the progress. In my case I just used simple Excel file with progression based on the material that I've mastered:
As you see it took me 43 days (1.5 months) to process the material. At the end of the each chapter you will find Learning Assessments. You won’t get the exact same questions at the exam, but the core of the question may be useful, so study those carefully.
4. Verify
The final step is simply to verify your knowledge. In other words it's time to schedule an exam and take the shot. The standard cost of associate level SAP exam is 400 EUR and it can be taken both on-site and remotely. The whole process for online option is presented in this video. You can purchase voucher for 6 attempts here. You can maximally have 3 attempts per 1 exam. So it is possible to pass 6 different exams using only one voucher. The voucher is valid for a year.
You can manage the whole certification process in the Certification Hub website. From there you can set suitable date for your exam, track you progress and see the results:
In order to take the exam online, you will need to have:
- computer with working webcam and microphone/headset
- Questionmark Secure software installed
- broadband Internet connection
- empty room
- a bit of free time
That’s all what you need, it’s really convenient. I fully recommend this approach.
After passing the exam you will get an email with confirmation and link to Acclaim:
Tips & Tricks
Finally, a set of tips that should help you pass the first time.
1) No speeding
3 hours for 80 questions is enough, don't rush trough, read the questions carefully. If you have a big problem with a question, leave it for later. You can go back to the previous questions at any time.
2) Check the numbers
If a question has more than one correct answer, the description of the question will indicate how many answers are correct. You can use assessment navigator to check if you have answered all of the questions.
3) Check the tech
Check the webcam and microphone before the exam. Also make sure you have a strong Internet connection. Connect the power supply. Keep your ID on you.
That's all, now go and get your S/4HANA certificate! 🙂
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