What is SAP?

SAP stands for Systems Applications and Products. It is the name of both online financial and administrative software and the company that developed it. SAP is made up of individual, integrated software modules that perform various organizational system tasks. SAP is an extremely complicated system where no one individual can understand all of it.

SAP runs on a fourth generation programming language called Advance Business Application Programming (ABAP). It has many of the features of other modern programming languages such as the familiar C, Visual Basic, and Power Builder. SAP graphical user interfaces (SAPGUI) runs on Windows / NT / UNIX / AS400.

SAP Modules:

SAP are categorized into 3 core functional areas:

1. Logistics
Sales and Distribution (SD)
Material Management (MM)
Warehouse Management (WM)
Production Planning (PP)
General Logistics (LO)
Quality Management (QM)

2. Financial
Financial Accounting (FI)
Controlling (CO)
Enterprise Controlling (EC)
Investment Management (IM)
Treasury (TR)

3. Human Resources
Personnel Administration (PA)
Personnel Development (PD)

This book is the best book about ABAP I've been reading so far. A well structured content and a simple approach to explain the new ABAP concepts are probably the best ways to describe the book. The CDs contain a complete SAP System which is a great way to get lot's of practise.

Option 1

ABAP Objects: An introduction to Programming SAP Applications

576 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.34 x 9.40 x 7.44 , Addison-Wesley Pub Co; Book and CD-ROM edition (June 14, 2002)
Horst Keller, Sascha Kruger. SAP Press.
ISBN: 0201750805. 
It comes with 2 CDs (Mini Basis SAP kernel + database) and SQL Server. You can try searching in www.bestbookbuys.com to get it for less price them Amazon. The average cost of this book with Software is around $45.

Book Info
Written by two leading experts and approved by SAP's ABAP Language Group, this guide provides an in-depth and comprehensive introduction to SAP application programming for Release 4.6. Includes two CDs carrying a fully operational SAP Basis System, and containing all the example programs from the book.
This book created specifically for developing SAP applications. ABAP Objects is the new object-oriented generation of this language, designed to respond to the needs of SAP's future strategies and environments.

Written by two leading experts and approved by SAP's ABAP Language Group, ABAP Objects provides an in-depth and comprehensive introduction to SAP application programming for Release 4.6. The focus is on ABAP Objects, which is treated here not as an add-on, but as an integral part of the ABAP language. An indispensable guide for novice and experienced programmers alike, ABAP Objects includes coverage of these essential topics:

• The new ABAP Workbench and the most important features of the ABAP language.
• The fundamentals of ABAP programming, including the ABAP runtime environment.
• The core ABAP language elements.
• The two ABAP programming models - classical and object-oriented - and their relevant statements.
• Advanced concepts of OO programming with ABAP Objects.
• Programming the SAP user interface.
• Database access with OpenSQL.
• ABAP glossary and a complete list of system fields.

The book also includes two CDs carrying a fully operational SAP Basis System, and containing all the example programs from the book.

Dr. Horst Keller joined SAP in 1995 and worked in the ABAP Workbench Support Group for three years, during which time he authored the books on ABAP programming in the printed ABAP Workbench Documentation Set for R/3 Release 3.0.

Now a member of the Business Programming Languages group, Horst is responsible for information rollout. He is currently documenting the ABAP language, with an emphasis on ABAP Objects, and he also works on developing the programs that display the ABAP documentation and the corresponding examples in the SAP Basis System.

Option 2

ABAP Objects Reference Book H. Keller, J. Jacobitz SAP PRESS 1100 S., 2003, geb., mit 2 CDs 129,95 Euro, ISBN 1-59229-011-6 lieferbar.

The first complete language reference book for ABAP! This book represents the first complete and systematic language reference book for ABAP Objects. Organized according to subject areas, the book offers a description of all statements used for developing programs and classes in ABAP and ABAP Objects (including the current release, 6.20).

Therefore, not only will you quickly find explanations and examples of the command you are looking for, you will also get a complete overview of all relevant contexts of use. Changes introduced between releases 6.10 and 6.20 are highlighted. Each subject area starts with an introduction to the concepts associated with it. Notes on possible error messages and practical recommendations make this an extremely useful manual, further enhanced with a detailed glossary covering all the key terms used in the book.

Special bonus! Includes SAP Web AS 6.10 on two CDs.

Mini SAP Web Application Server 6.10 for testing Business Server Pages and ABAP Objects on Windows 2000 or Windows XP Full ABAP Stack functionality of mySAP Technology SAP Server, GUI and SAPDB database
System requirements: Windows 2000 / Windows XP
Min. 199 Mbyte RAM
Min. 3.5 GBYTE DISC
you can extend your licences regularly for free: follow this link www.sap.comtechnologyminisap.

If you do not need the book, you can order the software CD only from SAP site.

Book Info
Written by two leading experts and approved by SAP's ABAP Language Group, this guide provides an in-depth and comprehensive introduction to SAP application programming for Release 4.6. Includes two CDs carrying a fully operational SAP Basis System, and containing all the example programs from the book.

ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming) is a powerful programming language created specifically for developing SAP applications. ABAP Objects is the new object-oriented generation of this language, designed to respond to the needs of SAP's future strategies and environments.

Written by two leading experts and approved by SAP's ABAP Language Group, ABAP Objects provides an in-depth and comprehensive introduction to SAP application programming for Release 4.6. The focus is on ABAP Objects, which is treated here not as an add-on, but as an integral part of the ABAP language. An indispensable guide for novice and experienced programmers alike, ABAP Objects includes coverage of these essential topics:

• The new ABAP Workbench and the most important features of the ABAP language.
• The fundamentals of ABAP programming, including the ABAP runtime environment.
• The core ABAP language elements.
• The two ABAP programming models - classical and object-oriented - and their relevant statements.
• Advanced concepts of OO programming with ABAP Objects.
• Programming the SAP user interface.
• Database access with OpenSQL.
• ABAP glossary and a complete list of system fields.

The book also includes two CDs carrying a fully operational SAP Basis System, and containing all the example programs from the book.

Dr. Horst Keller joined SAP in 1995 and worked in the ABAP Workbench Support Group for three years, during which time he authored the books on ABAP programming in the printed ABAP Workbench Documentation Set for R/3 Release 3.0. Now a member of the Business Programming Languages group, Horst is responsible for information rollout. He is currently documenting the ABAP language, with an emphasis on ABAP Objects, and he also works on developing the programs that display the ABAP documentation and the corresponding examples in the SAP Basis System.

Sascha Kruger is a SAP Certified Consultant who has been involved in the design and development of SAP applications since 1995. His technical expertise is focused on object-oriented analysis and design, integration technologies and IT architecture. He currently works for IT and telecoms consultancy SHS Informationssysteme AG as Business Unit Manager for CRM.

Sascha Kruger is a SAP Certified Consultant who has been involved in the design and development of SAP applications since 1995. His technical expertise is focused on object-oriented analysis and design, integration technologies and IT architecture. He currently works for IT and telecoms consultancy SHS Informationssysteme AG as Business Unit Manager for CRM.

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