The Ultimate SAP S/4HANA 2026: Business Processes & Modules

Discover SAP’s origins and key milestones, and how it evolved into today’s S/4HANA platform.

Learn what SAP S/4HANA is, its role in the ERP landscape, and how it differs from earlier SAP systems

Learn the concept of ERP and why integrated enterprise systems are critical for modern businesses.

Identify the roles of FI/CO, MM, SD, PP, HCM, and other SAP modules within an integrated enterprise.

See how SAP ERP integrates all departments, enabling seamless end-to-end business processes across the value chain.

Use this module reference to identify major SAP ERP components and the business processes supported by each one.

Understand the major strengths of SAP S/4HANA as well as its limitations to get a balanced view of its capabilities.

Learn the key phases and best practices for running a successful SAP implementation project from start to finish.

Learn to navigate SAP’s modern Fiori Launchpad interface, including how to find apps and use the tile-based dashboard.

Get a step-by-step walkthrough of the SAP logon process and see what to expect when you first log into an SAP system.

Learn how to navigate the classic SAP GUI interface, understand the menu paths, and use common toolbar functions effectively.

Discover handy SAP GUI keyboard shortcuts and tips to work faster and more efficiently in the SAP interface.

Follow the setup demonstrated in this lecture to explore an SAP practice environment on Google Cloud. Trial credits, quotas, regional availability, and charges may vary, so review the current provider terms before creating resources.

Review the Azure-based setup demonstrated in this lecture and the prerequisites for creating an SAP practice environment. Trial eligibility, credits, available services, and charges vary by account and region.

Review how SAP Learning Hub systems can provide guided access to an SAP practice environment, including the access requirements and learning options shown in the lecture.

Learn about SAP’s IDES (Internet Demo and Evaluation System), a model company environment used for learning and practice.

Learn about the SAP S/4HANA Cloud edition and how it differs from on-premise S/4HANA in deployment and features.

Understand the three core cloud service models and how they relate to SAP’s cloud offerings.

Discover how cloud computing transforms IT from a support function into a strategic driver of business growth.

Find out how SAP pricing works and what factors influence the cost of purchasing and implementing SAP software.

Explore SAP’s licensing models (traditional ECC vs. S/4HANA) and understand how licensing impacts costs and usage.

Review an industry study on the economic benefits of moving SAP systems to the cloud (optional enrichment).

Get an overview of SAP’s broad product portfolio beyond ERP (analytics, cloud platforms, etc.) and how these products complement S/4HANA.

Understand the difference between SAP’s standard ERP software and its industry-specific solutions, and why industry templates exist.

Explain how SAP S/4HANA release cycles, feature updates, maintenance periods, and support planning affect upgrade decisions and change management.

Understand the different types of S/4HANA upgrades (technical vs. functional) and learn what new changes or features each release can bring.

Compare the classic SAP GUI experience in ECC with the role-based SAP Fiori experience in S/4HANA, focusing on navigation, task design, personalization, and user productivity.

Get a high-level comparison between SAP S/4HANA and Oracle’s ERP solutions to understand their key differences, strengths, and market positioning.

Explore SAP software offerings tailored for small and mid-sized businesses (SAP Business One, Business ByDesign, etc.) and their key benefits.

Learn the difference between working as an SAP end-user and as an SAP consultant, including roles, responsibilities, and how to decide which career path fits you.

Discover how you can start a career in SAP even if you don’t have a technical IT background, including tips on transferable skills and learning paths.

Review how SAP roles are changing as cloud, automation, and AI become more widely used, and identify the business-process, data, and system skills that remain valuable. Career demand varies by role, region, and experience.

Compare SAP career paths by business background, module focus, technical depth, and typical role requirements. Use current market and certification information to choose a learning direction rather than relying on salary alone.

Review how to identify current SAP certification options, locate official exam information, and build a preparation plan. Confirm the current exam code, format, and availability on SAP’s official certification platform.

Explore SAP’s organizational hierarchy (client, company code, plant, etc.) and understand how these elements represent a company’s structure in the system.

Get a big-picture view of SAP’s hierarchy from the top (client) down to the smallest units, and see how data rolls up through the levels.

Understand the organization units specific to MM (like purchasing organization, plant, storage location) and how they fit into SAP’s overall org structure.

Learn about the financial org units in SAP (company code, controlling area, business area) and their roles in structuring financial data.

Discover the key sales org elements (sales organization, distribution channel, division) used in SAP SD to manage sales operations.

Identify the organizational units in SAP PP (production plant, planning plant, etc.) and understand how production is structured within the enterprise.

Explore SAP HCM’s organizational elements (personnel area, personnel subarea, etc.) and how they map to a company’s HR structure.

Learn what master data is and why it’s the foundation of all processes in SAP. Understand how to create/maintain master data and its importance for transactions.

Differentiate between master data (static business reference data) and transactional data (day-to-day business records) with examples of each in SAP.

Learn about the Business Partner model in SAP S/4HANA, which unifies customer, vendor, and other partner data into one central master record.

See how to search for and display a Business Partner in SAP, and understand the key information shown (addresses, roles, etc.).

Learn how to find and view a Material Master in SAP, and interpret its key data (material description, stock levels, procurement info, etc.).

Get introduced to the fundamental concepts in SAP’s Logistics modules and understand how materials flow through procurement, inventory, and sales processes.

Understand typical end-to-end logistics processes (like procure-to-pay and order-to-cash) and see how SAP supports each step of these processes.

Explore the full scope of SAP’s logistics components (MM, SD, PP, WM, etc.) and learn how they interrelate to manage the supply chain within SAP.

Understand the scope of the Sales and Distribution module and how it manages the order-to-cash process, from customer orders to billing.

Learn about the sales organization elements (sales org, distribution channel, division) and how they are structured to represent a company’s sales hierarchy.

Examine a real-world example (AAPM company) of a sales organization setup, to see how a sales org, channels, and divisions are configured in practice.

Learn about the key master data in SD (customer master, material master, pricing conditions) and why they are crucial for processing sales orders.

Display the customer master data shown in the training system and review key commercial fields such as address, payment terms, and contact information. The lecture also explains how customer data relates to the S/4HANA Business Partner model.

Follow the standard sales process in SAP S/4HANA SD from sales order creation to goods delivery and customer payment (high-level overview of each step).

Understand how the delivery process is handled in SAP – converting a sales order to an outbound delivery, picking and packing goods, and posting goods issue.

Learn how SAP supports transportation and shipping: from creating deliveries and shipments to tracking freight and controlling transportation costs.

Learn how billing documents (invoices) are created in SAP and how to process returns or credit memos when customers send products back.

Understand how SD integrates with MM (for stock checks), FI/CO (for billing and revenue recognition), and other modules to complete the order-to-cash cycle.

Understand how different sales document types (quotes, orders, contracts) and item categories (standard item, service item, etc.) control the behavior of sales processes in SAP.

See how SAP performs an availability check on inventory during order entry to confirm product stock and delivery dates for customer orders.

Watch a step-by-step demonstration of creating a sales order in SAP S/4HANA, and learn the key fields and data needed to book a customer order.

Learn how to create an outbound delivery for a sales order, including confirming picked quantities and preparing the delivery for shipment.

See how to create a billing document (invoice) for delivered goods in SAP, turning delivery information into an invoice to send to the customer.

Learn how to handle customer complaints in SAP SD, such as creating return orders, processing refunds or replacements, and issuing credit/debit memos.

Use this quick reference to identify common SAP SD reports for open orders, deliveries, billing, and sales analysis.

Consolidate your understanding of the SAP S/4HANA sales process with best practices and tips to efficiently manage the entire cycle from order entry to cash collection.

Familiarize yourself with essential transaction codes in SD (such as VA01, VL01N, VF01, etc.) to navigate directly to sales, delivery, and billing screens with ease.

Get an overview of the Materials Management module and its role in managing procurement, purchasing, and inventory in SAP.

Explore the organization structure for procurement: purchasing organizations, purchasing groups, plants, and storage locations, and how they relate in SAP MM.

Analyze an example of a centralized purchasing organizational structure and understand how having a central purchasing org impacts procurement processes.

Learn about key MM master data such as material masters, vendor masters, and purchasing info records, and why accurate master data is critical for procurement and inventory management.

Identify the most important master data records (material, vendor, etc.) in MM and see how they interact (e.g., how a purchasing info record links vendors and materials).

Follow a step-by-step demonstration of how to create a new Material Master in SAP, including selecting material type and filling in basic data fields.

Follow the supplier master-data process demonstrated in the training system and review the purchasing and accounting fields required for procurement. In S/4HANA, supplier data may be maintained through the Business Partner model.

Get an introduction to the procurement cycle in SAP MM, from purchase requisition to purchase order to goods receipt and invoice – and the purpose of each step.

Dive deeper into the procure-to-pay process: create a requisition, convert to purchase order, receive goods, and verify the invoice, understanding each step in SAP.

Learn how SAP manages inventory movements. Understand goods receipts, goods issues, stock transfers, and how inventory quantities and values are updated in real time.

Watch how to create a Purchase Order in SAP MM to buy materials or services, and learn about important fields like vendor, material, quantity, price, and delivery date.

Learn how to post a Goods Receipt in SAP for the delivered items in a purchase order, and see how this updates stock levels and creates accounting entries.

See how to perform invoice verification by entering a vendor’s invoice in SAP and matching it against the purchase order and goods receipt (three-way match process).

Learn how to create a Purchasing Info Record which links a material with a vendor, capturing info like prices and lead times for future purchases.

Understand how MM interacts with other SAP modules: e.g., how a goods receipt in MM affects FI (accounting entries) and CO (cost management), and how MM provides stock data to SD and PP.

Use this quick reference to identify common SAP MM reports for purchasing, stock, inventory valuation, and purchase-order analysis.

Get introduced to SAP Ariba, the cloud-based procurement network, and learn how it extends SAP’s procurement capabilities for supplier collaboration and sourcing.

Explain how SAP Fieldglass supports contingent workforce and services procurement, including worker profiles, statements of work, approvals, spend visibility, and external workforce controls.

Learn the key SAP transaction codes for Inventory Management (e.g., MIGO for goods movements, MB52 for stock overview) to quickly access inventory functions.

Review a list of important transaction codes in MM for purchasing and material management (like ME21N for PO, ME51N for PR, etc.) to speed up navigation during procurement tasks.

Download six process maps covering goods receipt, goods issue, stock transfer, goods returns, inventory write-offs, and physical inventory. Use them as visual references for training, process reviews, and workshop discussions.

Download eight Procure-to-Pay process maps covering material and supplier master data, requisitions, quotations, purchase orders, contracts, service entry, and purchasing information records.