SAP systems are used by organizations as an enterprise software solution in order to manage their customer relations and business operations departments. SAP security work is generally carried out by a SAP security administrator who is assigned the task of administration of user profiles and granting appropriate access rights to them. Ensuring integrity and security of the entire system is a SAP security administrator's chief objective. As SAP has begun gaining acceptance in numerous industries, the role of SAP security work is of utmost importance to an organization's functioning.
Functions
SAP security administrators have to create and audit user profiles on the SAP system. Monitoring the changes made in the user configuration is another important task carried out by them. They have to use master records of the system and work with the various roles of a profile generator such as composite, derived and customizing. A number of different reviews such as BW, CRM, SCM, XI security and Enterprise Portals review have to be carried out by a SAP security administrator.
They also may have to train and help other SAP professionals in defining new security procedures and policies. Authorizing specific users a recommended level of authorization and changing these levels as per the requirement is also executed by them. They have to maintain separate documentation, which contains information about the user profiles and the various access rights associated with them. Periodical security audits on the user profiles and other security aspects of the SAP system are carried out by SAP security administrators.
Skills
SAP security work has high importance and value in an enterprise resource planning system and those working in this field should have excellent knowledge about the various technicalities and functions associated with SAP systems. They should have the ability to quickly troubleshoot a problem and find effective solutions for the same. As they usually work in a team, SAP security professionals should have excellent team building skills. Besides these qualities, having good communication, interpersonal, organizational and analytical skills are essential traits that should be a part of any individual in this line of work.
Requirements
A bachelor's degree in computer science is the minimum educational requirement for this job position. Many organizations prefer those who have a master's degree in the same field. Following this graduation program, individuals seeking jobs in this field should undertake a specialization course in SAP security systems. One can opt for this training from various institutes or an online environment conducted by SAP itself. A certification is received at the end of these courses, which can be of great value in the world of SAP related jobs. Prior experience in the field or knowledge about SAP user profiles can be crucial in securing the job.
Work Conditions
SAP security administrators work in an office based environment with a good amount of ventilation and lighting. They generally work for 40 hours in a week along with occasional overtime whenever required by the company. In order to meet deadlines, they may have to work under severe pressure at times. In some cases, companies hire these professionals on a contractual basis during the initial setup of the system when the user profiles are created and assigned to different personnel.
Career Advancement
For those working in full time positions, career advancement may be gained in the form of promotion to senior roles. Some of them may branch out to other avenues in enterprise software applications, while others may start their own firms related to SAP work based on the experience they gain from working in this field. A high number of job opportunities are available in this work with good salary packages.
Salary and Benefits
As this is a lucrative line of work, SAP security administrators earn between $70,000 and $120,000 on an average. Various factors such as skill level, experience, specific job profile and organization play an important part in the determination of these salary figures. Those who work in full time positions also receive fringe benefits in the form of pension plans, health insurance plans, sick leaves and paid vacations.
Thus, SAP security work is a viable career option owing to the several job opportunities and lucrative packages offered by organizations that employ professionals in this field.