Suresh Kumar Sambasiva

Sapphire 2025: Some Musings This year’s Sapphire was a more enriching and yet a little bit more tantalizing experience. Enriching because we at Mars could share minds with a lot of peers and also a vast portion of SAP vendor ecosystem. What we could learn was very much in line with our current model, methodology and set up. We in fact found ourselves at the frontier of a number of SAP integrated toolchain components especially for the size and complexity of our organization. SAP is looking to weave a future-ready (I won’t dare challenge the future by saying future proof 😜) tool chain to help their customers navigate the developing journey of intelligent enterprise transformations. Critical dev-ops tools such as Signavio, LeanIX, Cloud ALM, WalkMe along with a strong foundation of Business Technology Platform (BTP) have already proven to be a set of steps in the right direction. We have been fortunate to have access to wall-to-wall tools from SAP augmented by other vendor tools to create a clear framework for our transformation. These help bring focus on integration, automation while paving the foundation for adopting SAP Joule AI and its army of agents. More on Joule and AI later. We see a clear focus from SAP to bring together the TRUE Enterprise Architecture principles: Process (Signavio), Data (BDC and DataSphere), applications and technology (LeanIX, BTP) orchestrated by Cloud ALM. One of the biggest focus areas for SAP has been Clean Core commitment. While this is a long (and arduous) journey, we do see SAP working hard to enhance the scope of technical objects, tools, methods of development and capabilities of its applications. Effectively a Transformation mindset is by definition a Clean Core mindset. We also see a significant effort from the edge applications vendors to align with the Clean Core principles, practices and applications. Now for the tantalizing part. Surely a better coordination and collaboration between SAP and these edge vendors is needed but we see both the partners moving in the right direction. It’s just a matter of pace at which they can deliver. As many of our Keynote speakers said during Sapphire, there’s no time better time than now- so SAP, our edge systems partners and integration services provides, here’s a call for all of us to synergize our efforts to build a sustainable, clean core and future-ready SAP ecosystem!! Cheers!!

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STOP using fancy libraries for your LLM and start building them from scratch. In this quick video, I break down the concept of Masked Fill—a critical component of building an LLM's architecture. It's how you control what the model sees and prevent it from "cheating" by looking ahead in a sentence. This is a sneak peek from my upcoming course where I'll teach you how to build a large language model from scratch, completely for free. No obscure libraries, just pure fundamentals. Stay tuned for more updates. #LLMs #LargeLanguageModels #MachineLearning #AI #DeepLearning #ArtificialIntelligence

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✨ Google just dropped Veo2 on Vertex AI! Check out this quick video to see how super easy it is to create cool images and turn them into videos - right from the console or through code. I'll show you both ways using a Colab Notebook example. 🎬 No complex stuff, just the fun parts!

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A Transport Request (TR) is a container used to move changes (configuration or code) from one SAP system to another in a system landscape. Typical landscape: DEV → QAS → PRD SAP uses CTS (Change and Transport System) to manage this flow. 🔹 Types of Transport Requests 1️⃣ Customizing Transport Request Created when you change SPRO configuration Client-dependent Examples: MRP parameters Production order types Work center settings 2️⃣ Workbench Transport Request For ABAP objects Cross-client Examples: Reports Enhancements User exits 🔹 Transport Request Structure Every TR has two layers: Tasks must be released first, then the TR. 🔹 Transport Request Lifecycle (Step-by-Step) 1. Create / Assign TR System prompts for TR during change User assigned a task automatically 2. Save Changes Objects stored in the TR Objects are locked to avoid conflicts 3. Release Transport Task Finalizes user changes Prevents further modification 4. Release Transport Request Exports data files Ready for import 5. Import to Target System Imported to QAS After testing → imported to PRD SE09/SE10 STMS_IMPORT

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SAP Landscape: DEV → QAS → PROD 1. DEV (Development System) This is where all your: → Configurations → ABAP developments → Customizations …are done. ↳ A Transport Request (TR) is created here to capture the changes. You test it internally →Once unit testing is done… 2. QAS (Quality System) The TR is imported here for: Integration Testing User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Error checks across modules ↳ Real business/key users simulate processes. If everything works fine → Sign-off received 3. PROD (Production System) This is the live environment where: ↳ Real transactions happen ↳ Financial impact is recorded ↳ End users operate daily TR is moved via SE01/SE09 (by Basis team), often during: ↳ Maintenance windows ↳ Scheduled release cycles Note:No config/development is done directly in PRODUCTION.

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🚀 New Video Uploaded: Real-Time SOAP to SOAP Integration using WSDL I’ve just uploaded a new video where I explain a real-time SOAP to SOAP integration scenario using a WSDL file, demonstrated step-by-step with Postman. 👉 What this video covers: Real-time SOAP web service integration Understanding and using a WSDL Testing SOAP services using Postman SOAP request & response structure A practical enterprise scenario commonly used in SAP CPI / SAP BTP Cloud Integration projects For the demo, I used a public SOAP web service (Calculator Web Service) to simulate how one system synchronously calls another system and receives an immediate response — a very common pattern in real-world SAP integrations. This video is especially useful for: SAP CPI Developers, Integration Consultants, Beginners learning SOAP & WSDL, Interview and project preparation. Watch the video here: https://lnkd.in/gddyqVgt I’d love to hear your feedback or suggestions for the next topic — maybe a full SAP CPI implementation of this scenario? #SAPCPI #SAPBTP #CloudIntegration #SOAP #WSDL #WebServices #EnterpriseIntegration #Middleware #IntegrationDeveloper #SAPLearning

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SAP testing is treated like a phase. It should be treated like a strategy. Testing is where trust is built or destroyed. It is where the business finds out whether SAP supports reality or theory. Weak scripts. Disengaged business users. Testing owned entirely offshore. These are not testing problems. They are ownership problems. At what point did testing start to feel like damage control on your last project?

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IBM CEO Arvind Krishna just challenged one of the biggest myths in today’s tech layoffs: “AI didn’t cause this.” According to Krishna, the current wave of job cuts isn’t an AI apocalypse — it’s a correction after the hiring surge of 2020–2022. Companies simply hired faster than demand could sustain. But he also delivered a sharper message to leaders racing to replace junior roles with AI: Using AI only to cut entry-level talent is shortsighted. Krishna argues the smarter play is to pair early-career employees with AI — turning a newcomer into someone who performs like a 10-year expert. Because if companies eliminate the bottom of the talent funnel… 🔹 Who becomes tomorrow’s product visionary? 🔹 Who builds the next breakout invention? 🔹 Who convinces clients to adopt technology the right way? AI isn’t the end of entry-level work — it’s an amplifier. And leaders who treat it purely as a cost-cutting engine may be quietly erasing their own future talent pipeline. A refreshing, strategic take in a noisy moment. #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #TechLayoffs #Leadership #IBM #ArvindKrishna #TalentDevelopment #Automation #WorkforceStrategy #DigitalTransformation #MachineLearning

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Good Morning - heatwave on the way and here are 3 interview questions for SAP FICO Leads - they progressively will get more "hot" to match the weather! Day 1 Explain the difference between General Ledger and Subsidiary Ledgers in SAP FICO. How does the reconciliation process work between them? Required Answer: General Ledger (GL): Central repository of all financial transactions, provides consolidated view of company's financial position Subsidiary Ledgers: Detailed breakdowns of GL accounts (AR, AP, Fixed Assets, etc.) Key Differences: GL shows summarized data, subsidiary ledgers show detailed line items GL accounts are balance sheet/P&L accounts, subsidiary ledgers contain individual customer/vendor/asset records Reconciliation Process: Automatic reconciliation in SAP through reconciliation accounts Customer master linked to AR reconciliation account Vendor master linked to AP reconciliation account Posting to subsidiary ledger automatically updates corresponding GL reconciliation account Use transaction codes like F.01 (AR/AP reconciliation) and F.02 (GL account balances) Best Practices: Regular reconciliation reports, automated clearing processes, proper account assignment

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ChatGPT Can't Read the Room. I tell my team this all the time: ChatGPT – and the likes – can help you write, plan, and even think sharper, but it can’t listen. It can’t read the room, pick up on hesitation, or spot a misalignment in body language. Use AI, but don’t forget some signals don’t come through a screen. Pay attention to the pauses, the energy in the room, the things left unsaid. And incorporate that in your thought process, work, solutions you present, and relationships you build. The smartest leader is always the one who can sense the shift – and responds accordingly.

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#Day23: Responsive Design in Canvas Apps – The Smart Way Want your app to look great on any device—mobile, tablet, or desktop? That’s where Responsive Design comes in. Instead of using fixed positions and sizes, PowerApps lets you build flexible layouts that adapt to screen sizes. ⸻ #Why Responsive Design Matters • Works well across devices • Improves user experience • Avoids scroll and alignment issues • Supports app accessibility ⸻ 3 Key Tips to Build Responsive Apps 1. Use Parent and Screen Properties • Set width as: Parent.Width * 0.5 • Use App.Width and App.Height to adapt based on screen size 2. Try Containers (Horizontal, Vertical, Flexible) • Containers automatically arrange controls • Use Flexible height for content that expands/contracts 3. Avoid Fixed Values • Don’t hardcode width/height (like 300 or 600) • Use relative values to make layout adjust automatically ⸻ #Example: Label.Width = Parent.Width * 0.8 Gallery.Y = Header.Height + 10 These formulas adjust as screen size changes. ⸻ Quick Tip: Test your app in different screen sizes using Preview mode and layout settings. #PowerApps #CanvasApps #ResponsiveDesign #AppDesign #UIUX #PowerPlatform #LowCode #TechCommunity #Microsoft365 #PowerAppsTips #FlexibleLayout #DigitalTransformation #Innovation #BusinessApps

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This week, Tech Target featured an insightful article by Jim O’Donnell focusing on the development of emerging technologies utilizing AI for custom SAP code identification and management during transitions to a clean-core, a crucial step for migrating to S/4HANA Cloud. The process of migrating to a clean-core can pose challenges such as complexity, time consumption, and unexpected expenses, leading to project delays and escalating System Integrator (SI) costs. To address these issues, a new wave of companies and solutions is leveraging agentic AI processes to streamline the transition and reduce reliance on SIs for migration tasks. Essentially, creating a clean-core for SAP involves eliminating or transforming customizations in favor of standardized cloud processes, facilitating a smoother transition to S/4HANA Cloud. The article shines a spotlight on key players in this sector, including a company I am directly engaged with, which has developed AI-Powered SAP Modernization technology. This innovation holds immense promise as a game changer for SAP S/4HANA migration, offering accelerated transformation through intelligent automation, assured code quality, cost predictability, and agentic workflows for efficient execution, all while embracing a clean-core approach. If you are considering evaluating this software in the near future or embarking on the journey to establish a clean-core for your SAP environment, feel free to reach out to me directly. Let's explore the possibilities together.

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Too many implementations set uniform SLA targets across all priorities. This kills your ability to measure urgency and undermines service commitments. Best Practice: Configure SLA Definitions by Priority , For Ex : P1 = 2 hrs P2 = 4 hrs P3 = 8–24 hrs Tie SLAs to impact and urgency matrix for accurate breach monitoring. #ITSM #SLA #IncidentManagement #ServiceNow

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