I have the opportunity of transferring from a pure ABAP role to either APO or BW config role. What is the most marketable choice at the moment and in the future, APO or BW?
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Hannah Smalltree, Editorial Director
It sounds like you're thinking of switching from technical to functional, although I can't tell for sure. Both opportunities sound interesting, but if I were you, I'd try to stay on the technical side. APO and BW both have very interesting and vital technical roles that would allow you to build on your current ABAP strengths. In contrast, if you pursue functional BW and APO opportunities, you'll be up against senior functional and supply chain consultants, and that's not who you want to compete for a job with.
Assuming you're staying on the technical side, I like BW a little better looking ahead. The reason is obvious: BW is tied into many different mySAP products. Therefore, even if the APO market never really explodes, you'll be able to use BW in conjunction with Enterprise Portals, or SEM, or a host of other areas. With APO, you're tying your fate closely with a supply chain product, and that is only worth doing if you bring significant supply chain industry background to the table. From the sounds of your background, that's not you. If for some reason you disregard my advice and go with APO, try to get skills with the Core Interface, or CIF. For now, that's the place an ABAPer in APO wants to be.
This was first published in September 2002