what is SAP software and where it can be used for?

Question

And how long does it take to become familiar with this software?

Answer 1

SAP Introduction
SAP means Systemanalyse und Programmentwicklung. This is german for System analysis and program development.
The name was later changed into Systeme, Anwendungen und Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung: Systems, application and products in the data processing.

The company is specialized in large application supporting large corporations.
SAP is well known for its ERP solution R/3. The modularity of the product allows a certain fexibility in the implementation and use.

The major components within R/3 are

Financial system (FI-Co)
Project system (PS)
Logistic system (LO)
Human ressource (HR)
Customer Relation Management (CRM)
Developpment system (ABAP)

The major components outside R/3 are :
Netweaver
SAP Business Warehouse and Strategic Entreprise Management
Others

A Lot of people wonder whether they should follow a SAP training in order to start their SAP career as a consultant.

The key question is to get experienced in SAP and not if you have followed a SAP training.
When you follow a SAP training you get a lot of concepts about the structure of SAP and functions of SAP.
However a SAP training is not giving you any information about what you should do as a consultant. That is why it is better to get experienced on SAP as a key user before you start any SAP training on your own. If you already know the SAP system as a user, then what you need to know is the customizing of the functions. The SAP training will really help you in becoming a SAP consultant.

Answer 2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAP