· SAP Development & Modules
SAP Development & Modules

SAP Development & Modules

SAP development encompasses building enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions on the world's leading business software platform, representing a highly specialized and lucrative niche within enterprise software engineering. ABAP remains the core programming language, appearing in >10% of Enterprise Systems Development positions, enabling custom business logic and data processing on SAP systems. ABAP for SAP HANA (>10% prevalence) represents modern in-memory computing development. SAP Fiori and UI5 enable modern user experiences (>5% combined). The platform shows deep functional specialization: SAP SD (Sales and Distribution), MM (Materials Management), and FI (Financial Accounting) represent core modules requiring both technical and domain expertise (>5% combined prevalence). Advanced modules like EWM (Extended Warehouse Management), Ariba (procurement), and MDG (Master Data Governance) serve specialized business processes. Entry-level accessibility is moderate for ABAP and core modules (>10% in entry-level enterprise roles), with SAP providing extensive training and certification paths. This ecosystem represents one of the highest-paying specializations in enterprise software, with certified SAP consultants commanding premium rates. Skills span traditional ABAP programming, modern HANA development, Fiori/UI5 frontend development, module configuration, integration technologies (IDocs, BAPIs, OData), and S/4HANA migration expertise. SAP knowledge enables careers in enterprise consulting, system integration firms, and large corporations running SAP ERP—often requiring understanding of business processes alongside technical implementation.

SAP Development Technologies

Programming languages and frameworks for developing on SAP platforms. ABAP provides traditional ERP development, ABAP for SAP HANA enables in-memory computing, and Fiori/UI5 deliver modern user interfaces. Moderate entry-level opportunities exist, though SAP development requires platform-specific training and often business process understanding.

ABAP

Moderate Demand
Rank: #1
Entry-Level: Moderate
SAP's programming language in Enterprise Systems Development (>10%). Moderate entry-level demand with >10% prevalence. Business application language. Used for developing SAP business applications, custom reports, data processing, workflow automation, interface development, batch processing, enhancements to standard SAP, and core language for SAP development requiring both programming skills and business process knowledge.

ABAP for SAP HANA

Moderate Demand
Rank: #2
Entry-Level: Low
Modern ABAP for in-memory database in Enterprise Systems Development (>10%). Lower entry-level accessibility requiring SAP HANA expertise. HANA-optimized development. Used for developing on SAP HANA platform, leveraging in-memory computing, CDS views, AMDP (ABAP Managed Database Procedures), optimizing performance with HANA, S/4HANA development, and modern SAP development requiring both ABAP and HANA database knowledge.

SAP Fiori

Low Demand
Rank: #3
Entry-Level: Low
SAP's UX design system in Enterprise Systems Development (>5%). Lower prevalence. Modern SAP user experience. Used for building modern SAP interfaces, responsive design, role-based apps, SAP UI5 applications, Launchpad configuration, improving SAP usability, and SAP's design language for consistent user experiences across SAP applications.

SAP HANA

Low Demand
Rank: #4
Entry-Level: Low
SAP's in-memory database platform in Enterprise Systems Development (>5%), Database Administration (<5%). Limited explicit demand. In-memory computing platform. Used for real-time analytics on SAP data, S/4HANA foundation, combining OLTP and OLAP, high-performance queries, advanced analytics, embedded analytics in business processes, and foundational platform for modern SAP requiring database and SAP ecosystem knowledge.

UI5

Low Demand
Rank: #5
Entry-Level: Low
SAP UI5 JavaScript framework in Enterprise Systems Development (>5%). Lower entry-level demand. HTML5-based SAP framework. Used for building SAP Fiori applications, responsive web apps, OData consumption, SAPUI5 controls, extending SAP standard apps, custom SAP frontends, and JavaScript framework for modern SAP user interfaces requiring web development skills within SAP context.

SAP Functional Modules

Business process modules representing specific functional areas within SAP ERP. These modules require deep business domain knowledge alongside technical skills, with consultants often specializing in one or two modules. Represents highly specialized expertise combining technical implementation with business process understanding—typically requiring years of experience.

SAP SD

Low Demand
Rank: #1
Entry-Level: Low
Sales and Distribution module in Enterprise Systems Development (>5%). Lower entry-level accessibility requiring business process knowledge. Sales and order management. Used for sales order processing, pricing, shipping, billing, credit management, sales analytics, customer master data, and core SAP module requiring understanding of order-to-cash processes alongside technical configuration and development.

SAP MM

Low Demand
Rank: #2
Entry-Level: Low
Materials Management module in Enterprise Systems Development (>5%). Limited entry-level opportunities. Procurement and inventory. Used for purchasing, inventory management, vendor management, material master data, goods movement, invoice verification, and core SAP module requiring understanding of procure-to-pay processes and supply chain concepts.

SAP FI

Low Demand
Rank: #3
Entry-Level: Low
Financial Accounting module in Enterprise Systems Development (<5% prevalence). Minimal entry-level demand requiring accounting knowledge. Financial accounting processes. Used for general ledger, accounts payable/receivable, asset accounting, bank accounting, financial closing, financial reporting, and core SAP module requiring understanding of accounting principles and financial processes.

SAP EWM

Low Demand
Rank: #4
Entry-Level: Low
Extended Warehouse Management with minimal presence (<5% prevalence). Specialized logistics module. Used for warehouse management, inventory tracking, wave management, labor management, value-added services, yard management, and advanced warehouse operations requiring deep logistics domain expertise alongside SAP technical skills.

SAP Ariba

Low Demand
Rank: #5
Entry-Level: Low
Cloud-based procurement platform in Enterprise Systems Development (<5% prevalence). Specialized procurement solution. Used for procurement automation, supplier management, contract management, sourcing events, spend analysis, supplier collaboration, and SAP's cloud procurement requiring both SAP and Ariba-specific platform knowledge.

SAP MDG

Low Demand
Rank: #6
Entry-Level: Low
Master Data Governance with minimal explicit presence (<5% prevalence). Data governance specialization. Used for master data management, data quality, workflow approval, data replication, central governance, customer/vendor/material master consolidation, and specialized SAP module requiring data architecture understanding alongside business process and SAP technical knowledge.