SAP User Group launches Business One Academy

The UK & Ireland SAP User Group has launched an SAP Business One Academy to address the shortage of people with the skills needed to implement, manage and use SAP Business One. 

Business One is  an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system designed for small and medium-size businesses, originally developed by TopManage Financial Systems, an Israeli company acquired by SAP in 2002.

The academy will provide customers and resellers with classroom-based and online training to help achieve SAP Business One Associate Certification.

Craig Dale, chief executive at the user group, said: “Our members have frequently highlighted that there is a shortage of appropriate SAP Business One training for customers. User organisations require people with end-user or expert-level skillsets, while VARs [value added resellers] require their consultants to be certified and knowledgeable to implement the software for their customers.”

Dale said there are about 3,000 Business One customers in the UK. “Many don’t have IT resource,” he added. “It is sold 100% through the channel. Let’s say three to four of the reseller partners own about 80% of the market. Now, they will do a bit of training at customer days, but that still leaves a lot of companies without training or education.”

The user group set up a Business One special interest group in 2006, and has, said Dale, “run training days that always go very well”. There are about 50 members who are Business One customers, but this is an opportunity to pull in non-members and consultants from SAP partner companies, he said. “We will aim to build more of a Business One community through the training.”

The plan with the new academy programme is to run two to three modules in 2020, training 50-70 people.

The academy will deliver specific subject disciplines, such as customer relationship management (CRM), basic finance, logistics, administration and setup through to expert-level training.

Dale added: “If you are a small 10-15-employee business, having someone away two to three days at a time is a big loss and often there will be aspects of training that aren’t relevant to that person’s job role.  We have worked really closely with SAP to ensure that users are provided with a short and affordable course, which delivers the training they need.”

Matt Sinclair, head of Business One and BusinessByDesign, SAP UK & Ireland, said: “We are delighted to be working closely with the SAP User Group on the launch and development of the SAP Business One Academy. We will work collaboratively to ensure our Business One customers have an improved understanding of the software they are using, and the power it can bring to their business.”

The user group will host its first SAP Business One Academy basic finance module on Tuesday 11 February.