My consulting focus – even though external and internal accounting are moving closer together in SAP S/4 HANA – is clearly on the Controlling module of the SAP system. Due to my preferences during my studies on the one hand and the first years of my professional life on the other hand, this is mainly based on historical reasons, but apart from that also due to a certain affinity for technology.

The certification as “Application Consultant Controlling” that I acquired at the beginning of my work as an SAP consultant was largely system satisfaction. After all, nothing beats practical experience gained over many long years in various projects, industries and environments and in working with a wide variety of people.

Humility and modesty are essential consultant qualifications for me, because in every new project you start from scratch and have to earn the trust of the customer.

Technically, my consulting services are primarily focused on (consulting in the context of) concept development, the resulting system configuration (“Customizing”), the definition of test cases (of which there are far too few in every project!) and training in the Controlling module.

Furthermore, I have – in my opinion almost indispensable when working with an integrated system – profound knowledge of the interfaces and interactions of the controlling module with the other modules of the SAP system. In addition to the interaction between external and internal accounting, this includes, above all, the integrative relationships between the accounting and logistics modules, for example in the areas of account determination in Materials Management or linking sales conditions to value fields in (costing-based) Profitability Analysis.

Technical know-how complements these content aspects. For example, knowledge of the relevant reporting tools (Report Painter, Report Writer, Drilldown Reporting, SAP Query), basic ABAP knowledge, and experience in using the Legacy System Migration Workbench (LSMW) are examples of this.

Last, but not least, from a methodological point of view, you can expect a professional approach based on strong analytical skills and a systematic way of working, usually supported by mind mapping. I regard perseverance, lateral thinking and flexibility as essential personal contributions to successful projects.