As the Army continues to field multiple enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, one of its primary requirements is to educate and train a workforce to support these new systems.
At Fort Lee, Virginia, this effort has led to a partnership among the Combined Arms Support Command, the Army Logistics University, and Virginia State University (VSU).
In 2012, this partnership resulted in the creation of a certificate in ERP systems. (See "Developing an SAP Certification Course for the Army Logistics University," in the July-September 2013 issue of Army Sustainment magazine.) The pilot program was launched in January 2013. Since then, more than 100 students have gone through the program, including active duty Soldiers, Department of the Army civilians, and Army contractors.
Most of the students have taken the SAP TERP10 certification exam, which leads to an SAP-certified associate and business process integration certification. The current pass rate for the exam is about 70 percent.
Since the 2013 pilot, demand for the course has increased so much that several semesters had two groups. The first three courses of the program moved completely online in the fall of 2014 to allow Army personnel across the world to participate.
PROGRAM OUTLINE
The current program contains three courses and one workshop. Students who successfully complete the three courses receive an SAP University Alliance certificate of recognition. Those who complete the three courses and the workshop receive the VSU enterprise systems certificate.
INTRODUCTION TO ERP. The Introduction to ERP course includes ERP approaches to designing, planning, and controlling logistics management. It also covers the core aspects of ERP infrastructure and applications and includes extensive hands-on practice.
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING AND ERP. The Financial Accounting and ERP course addresses the need for integration and the challenge of managing the complex interface of business functional areas and financial accounting. Instructors cover activities that lead to the integration of information, funding, and materiel across multiple processes. Hands-on exercises in a live ERP system are included in the course.
ERP CONFIGURATION. The ERP Configuration course covers configuring an ERP systems from the bottom up based on business rules, best practices, and testing with realistic transactions. Specific topics include business process modeling, ERP solutions for industry, creating an organizational structure, and creating master data and transactional data.
The class provides Soldiers with the skills needed to understand ERP and, more importantly, to identify SAP out-of-the-box functionality that they can use in future Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-Army) applications.
SAP TERP10 WORKSHOP. The SAP TERP10 Workshop prepares students to take the SAP TERP10 certification exam. Topics include organizational structures, key master data, ERP transactions, and the key integration points between the different business disciplines supporting each business process.
Students can now take the SAP TERP10 Work-shop online through SAP Education. This option is available through VSU because of its membership in the SAP University Alliance.
ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS CERTIFICATE
The enterprise systems certificate program involves a significant amount of time on the SAP ERP system. Students use a full production version of the software that is as up-to-date as any SAP system in use today.
This certificate program does not replace GCSS-Army, Logistics Modernization Program, General Fund Enterprise Business System, or Army Enterprise Systems Integration Program training. It complements the training for those specific Army SAP ERP systems.
The goal is to educate Army personnel on the foundational SAP architecture so that they can lead future development and enhancement efforts. This is accomplished through an education program that provides an overview and a detailed level of understanding of both SAP ERP functionality and configuration.
Adding a distance learning component and several other course innovations have enabled the university to offer the course to more personnel. The course is continually updated to remain cur-rent with the emerging concepts of SAP.
To learn more about this program visit http://www.cet.vsu.edu/departments/technology/programs/certificate-programs/enterprise-resource-planning.php.
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Dr. Raymond Boykin is a research professor of in-formation logistics technology in the Department of Technology at the College of Engineering and Technology at Virginia State University. He is also a SAP-certified consultant and SAP fellow.
Rossie Johnson is the director of military affairs at Virginia State University and a retired Army logistics lieutenant colonel.
Romulo P. Santos Jr. is the chief of the Quarter-master Automated Logistics and Supply Branch in the Combined Arms Support Command's G-3 Training Directorate at Fort Lee, Virginia. He is also a retired chief warrant officer 3 and an SAP-certified consultant.
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