How to influence SAP
Over
the years SAP developed a few channels of how outside world can reach out to
SAP. Through these channels we can potentially influence the SAP world. Here's one
example. Imagine that you have a great idea of how to improve particular
functionality in SAP's software. You'd like to let the SAP know about it. And surprisingly
there are chances how to do it – how to pass the message. Below I list and
briefly describe those channels. The motivation for this blog is to basically gather
basic information on those channels into one place.
1. IdeaPlace ideas.sap.com
introduced in 2010 enables you to post idea for new feature or product
enhancement of SAP software, solution etc. You can also browser already posted
ideas by others, vote for ideas which promote them and subscribe to the ideas
to be updated about its further developments. See ideaplace site and following
SAP Note for more details. To use the site you need you Service Marketplace
(SMP) account although you can browse ideas without login.
For more information follow this SAP Note:
1515837 - How To:
Enhancement Request Process - "Idea Place" - BI solutions
Also
notice that while posting new ideas you need to assign it to existing
directory. The directory represents area of SAP software/product. At the moment
all Business Analytics (BA) – covering BI as well, Enterprise Performance
Management (EPM), Data Warehousing, Human Capital Management (HCM), Mobility,
on-demand, NetWeaver solutions are now available in Idea Place.
2. SAP Influence
Program service.sap.com/influence and influence.sap.com (SMP login required). Apart
of IdeaPlace there is a program called Customer Influence. In general you need
to be really SAP customer to participate in SAP influence. This means you need
to have either license or support contract from SAP. Generally speaking via SAP
Influence you can participate with SAP on development of products. There are
two flavors of this program:
- Customer
Connection
- Customer
Engagement Initiative and get involved
Below I
describe those two plus the others.
3. Customer Connection service.sap.com/customer-connection
(SMP login required) or sap.com/cc - SAP customer
with maintenance contracts and SAP User Groups can suggest improvement of SAP software.
These so called Improvement Requests are gathered into so called Focus Topic cycles.
Once particular request scores by significant customers it is being review by
SAP development teams. Once developed by them customer can implement it in form
of either SAP Notes or SAP Support Packages (SP).
There is
actually more within Customer Connection initiative. All improvements which
were delivered can be found on dedicated sites:
sapimprovementfinder.com –
public access
service.sap.com/findinnovation
- SMP login required
You
can search for improvements and get to know how to implement them.
As
my background is mostly Data Warehousing I'm very glad to see improvements from
this area like:
BI Content
Migration of BW 3.x based data flows - SAP Note 1601140
Customer
Connection: (NW 730SP11): Complete deletion of data - SAP Note 1864773
To learn
more details of Customer Connection following links:
For both
above links SMP login required.
4. Customer Engagement
Initiative (CEI) -
Within this initiative again you as SAP customer or partner can get hands on
early development and by this to influence innovations in SAP planned products
releases.
To
learn more about CEI go to following link:
cw.sdn.sap.com/cw/community/influence/cei
- SMP login required
5. SAP Mentors group - Mentors are selected individuals
from community of the SAP Ecosystem. To become member of mentors you need to be
nominated by community like SCN. Basically it is extra league of experts into variety
of SAP topics.
For more
info on Mentors follow links:
1559276 - What are
the SAP Mentors, what is Mentoring?
6. SAP customer/user
groups - SAP is
exchanging knowledge in technical and functional areas within its user groups.
Also within this channel user can share experience of SAP products, knowledge
and ideas. There are regional SAP user groups across all continents. Just to
name few biggest: ASUG — Americas' SAP Users' Group - www.asug.com, DSAG — German-Speaking SAP User
Group – Germany www.dsag.de. There are several types
of membership available. You can basically join as individual or as a company. Check
particular user group sire for details. Above regional groups there is also SAP
User Group Executive Network (SUGEN). The SUGEN consists of leaders from multiple
regional groups. By this all regional groups are united within dialog with SAP.
To
learn more about customer/user group use following link:
service.sap.com/usergroups (SMP
login required)
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