Why is SAP Integration so hard to learn? Top 3 hurdles explained by Integration Mentor

Navigating the SAP Ecosystem: Overcoming the 3 Biggest Hurdles in Learning SAP Integration

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Learning SAP integration can often feel like navigating a complex and shifting universe. Mareike Walther, an expert who has worked in SAP integration since 2016 with middleware like SAP Process Orchestration (SAPO) and Integration Suite, aims to help newcomers conquer this challenging landscape. Through her organization, Integration Mentor, she works to “bridge the gap between standard training and real life application”.

So, why is SAP integration so hard to learn? Mareike Walther identifies three primary hurdles facing new integrators and developers.

If you prefer to hear these insights directly from the source, the content summarized here originated from a video featuring Mareike Walther on the Integration-Mentor-Global YouTube channel. Mareike’s mission is to “bring power to the people”. If you would rather watch her explain these three hurdles and discuss how Integration Mentor aims to “bridge the gap between standard training and real life application”, you can find the full discussion below:

Hurdle 1: The Vastness of System Types

The SAP ecosystem comprises highly diverse systems that are “broad and deep with regards to functionality and technology”.

The core SAP technology is currently known as S4, which evolved from the older Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP). This digital core handles a vast array of business necessities:

  • Sales and invoicing.
  • Material management and production.
  • Informing customers about deliveries.
  • Managing taxes and legal requirements.
  • Handling Human Resources (HR) functions.

Each of these SAP system types is associated with specific functions, technological layers, and frameworks. To succeed as an integrator, you must first understand the particular business process, language, and corner of the universe the business person you are talking to comes from.

Hurdle 2: The Abbreviation Abyss

A frequently cited difficulty within the SAP world is the overwhelming use and constant change of abbreviations.

It is common in SAP to assign new abbreviations to already abbreviated systems. Examples include:

  • ERP: This stands for a specific product version of the core SAP back end.
  • Two-Digit Abbreviations: These often depict features, functions, business logic, or business units, such as SD, MM, or PP.
  • Middleware Abbreviations: Even the names of core integration platforms are volatile. The current Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS), the Integration Suite, has undergone multiple naming changes, starting as HCI, then HANA cloud platform (with HCI), then CPI (Cloud Platform Integration). The speaker noted that the middleware service of the Integration Suite might even be abbreviated simply as CI.

This abundance of abbreviations makes the learning process especially difficult for those new to the SAP ecosystem.

Hurdle 3: Semantic and Language Misunderstandings

The final hurdle is communication, where people use the same words but intend different meanings. In German, this phenomenon is referred to as Teekessel.

This language barrier frequently manifests when business units write technical requirement specifications. For example, a business person might request an SAP integration using a “flat file,” intending to describe a certain type of data exchange. However, “files” and “flat files” are specific technical terms and protocols in the integration world. The business user may not realize they are misusing specific terms from the integration domain.

Therefore, a crucial part of learning integration—whether as a developer or architect—involves establishing common ground regarding technical semantics and business process understanding.

Your Learning Journey Begins Here

If these hurdles sound familiar, Mareike Walther and Integration Mentor offer dedicated help. Her mission is to assist people specifically with their “first steps in this new universe”.

Integration Mentor offers tailored support, including a trainee program and ad hoc workshops. Mareike emphasizes providing easy explanations, necessary repetition, and individual help rather than working with big groups. By filling out a contact form, individuals can work with Mareike to define their personal learning path—or “learning journey,” as SAP would call it—defining topics and timeframes for live, hands-on, and customized assistance.

Let’s chart your path together