SAP Enterprise Learning addresses your organization’s training and knowledge transfer needs by managing classroom courses, virtual learning events, Web-based training, and collaboration rooms. With this book, you’ll have the go-to reference that explains what it’s all about, where it’s going, and how it can benefit your company.

You’ll learn how to set up and use SAP Backend, the portals, the Content Player, and Offline Player. Explore the learning services managers can use to drive training adoption. And work through the training process life cycle and see how it works with SAP Enterprise Learning, including preparation, catalog set up, day-to-day activities, recurring activities, course programs, curricula, and reporting.

From there, you’ll look at the Virtual Learning Room powered by Adobe Connect, and learn about the tools and Authoring Environment available for in-house or third-party content integration. You’ll finish up with several case studies illustrating the lessons learned by other Enterprise Learning users to help you with your own Enterprise Learning implementation.

About the Author(s)

The author team is closely connected to SAP Enterprise Learning: Prashanth Padmanabhan and Sankara Bharathan are product managers for SAP Enterprise Learning; Christian Hockwarth was development project manager of SAP Enterprise Learning; Sharon Wolf Newton is Principal and CEO at hyperCision; and Manoj Parthasarathy is Senior Manager of LMS implementations at Convergys.

Table of Contents

... Structure of the Book ... 21

1 ... Introduction and Market Overview ... 25
1.1 ... Why Do Organizations Invest in Learning Management Systems ... 25
1.2 ... Market Overview ... 27
1.3 ... History of SAP Enterprise Learning ... 27
... 1.3.1 ... SAP Learning Solution ... 28
... 1.3.2 ... SAP Enterprise Learning (Environment) ... 28
... 1.3.3 ... Integration with Other ERP Components ... 28
1.4 ... Integration of SAP Enterprise Learning with SAP ERP HCM Functionality ... 29
... 1.4.1 ... Role of SAP Enterprise Learning in SAP ERP HCM Talent Management ... 29
1.5 ... Role of SAP Enterprise Learning in the SAP Business Suite ... 31
... 1.5.1 ... Sample End-To-End Business Process ... 32
1.6 ... Product Release Cycles ... 32
... 1.6.1 ... Enhancement Package Strategy ... 32
... 1.6.2 ... Enhancement Packages for SAP Enterprise Learning ... 33
1.7 ... Training and Event Management vs. Learning Solution vs. Enterprise Learning ... 33
... 1.7.1 ... Comparison of the Solution Designs ... 34
... 1.7.2 ... Comparison of Training Management Capabilities ... 35
... 1.7.3 ... Comparison of Support for Self-Service ... 37
... 1.7.4 ... Comparison of e-Learning and Content Management ... 38
... 1.7.5 ... Compare Workflow and Other Correspondences ... 41
... 1.7.6 ... Comparison of Reporting Function ... 42
... 1.7.7 ... Comparison of Web Services ... 43
... 1.7.8 ... Comparison of Product Roadmaps ... 43
1.8 ... More Resources on This Topic ... 44
1.9 ... Summary ... 44

2 ... Roles in SAP Enterprise Learning ... 45
2.1 ... The Learner ... 46
... 2.1.1 ... Learner Collaboration ... 47
... 2.1.2 ... Tools Used by a Learner ... 47
2.2 ... The Instructor ... 48
... 2.2.1 ... Instructor Collaboration ... 50
... 2.2.2 ... Tools Used by the Instructor ... 51
2.3 ... The Training Administrator ... 52
... 2.3.1 ... Administrator Collaboration ... 53
2.4 ... The Manager ... 54
... 2.4.1 ... Tools Used by a Manager ... 55
2.5 ... The Content Author ... 56
2.5.1 ... Tools Used by the Content Author ... 56
2.6 ... The Content Administrator ... 57
... 2.6.1 ... Tools Used by the Content Administrator ... 58
2.7 ... More Resources on This Topic ... 58
2.8 ... Summary ... 58

3 ... SAP Enterprise Learning Architecture ... 59
3.1 ... SAP Enterprise Learning Product Architecture ... 59
3.2 ... SAP Enterprise Learning Technical Architecture ... 60
... 3.2.1 ... Learning Portal (LSOFE) ... 61
... 3.2.2 ... Instructor Role in the SAP Enterprise Portal ... 63
... 3.2.3 ... Content Player (LSOCP) ... 64
3.3 ... Offline Player (LSOOP) ... 65
... 3.3.1 ... Authoring Environment (LSOAE) ... 66
... 3.3.2 ... Environment for the Training Administrator ... 67
... 3.3.3 ... Content Management ... 68
... 3.3.4 ... TREX Text Retrieval and Information Extraction ... 68
3.4 ... Deployment Options ... 68
3.5 ... Deployment Best Practices and Recommendations ... 69
... 3.5.1 ... Purpose of the System: Development Box ... 69
... 3.5.2 ... Purpose of the System: Quality Assurance ... 70
... 3.5.3 ... Purpose of the System: User Acceptance ... 70
... 3.5.4 ... Purpose of the System: Production ... 70
... 3.5.5 ... Purpose of the System: Disaster Recovery ... 70
3.6 ... More Resources ... 70
3.7 ... Summary ... 71
3.8 ... Contributors ... 71

4 ... Integration of SAP Enterprise Learning ... 73
4.1 ... Integration of SAP Enterprise Learning with HCM Application Components ... 74
... 4.1.1 ... Infotypes ... 74
... 4.1.2 ... Additional Infotypes ... 77
4.2 ... Organizational Management ... 77
... 4.2.1 ... Organizational Management and Enterprise Learning ... 79
... 4.2.2 ... Organizational Units ... 79
... 4.2.3 ... Jobs ... 82
... 4.2.4 ... Positions ... 82
4.3 ... Personnel Development ... 83
... 4.3.1 ... Personnel Planning ... 83
... 4.3.2 ... Qualifications ... 83
... 4.3.3 ... Proficiency ... 84
... 4.3.4 ... Depreciation Meters and Validity Periods ... 85
4.3.5 ... Maintaining Requirements and Qualifications ... 86
... 4.3.6 ... The Profile Match-Up Report ... 88
... 4.3.7 ... Essential Qualification ... 89
4.3.8 ... Development Plans ... 89
4.3.9 ... Structure of Development Plans ... 90
4.4 ... Performance Management Integration ... 90
4.4.1 ... Integration Points ... 91
4.4.2 ... Features in Enhancement Pack 4 ... 92
4.5 ... More Resources on This Topic ... 93
4.6 ... Summary ... 93

5 ... Tools for Learners, Instructors, and Managers ... 95
5.1 ... The Learning Portal ... 95
... 5.1.1 ... Employees Can Use the Portal to Plan Their Careers ... 95
... 5.1.2 ... Learners Can Take Appropriate Action to Address Skill Gaps ... 97
... 5.1.3 ... Learning Portal Delivers Training and Collects Feedback ... 97
5.1.4 ... Structure of the Learning Portal ... 98
5.1.5 ... Training Home ... 99
... 5.1.6 ... Course Catalog and Keyword Search ... 101
5.1.7 ... My Learning Account ... 102
5.1.8 ... Course Booking and Participation ... 103
... 5.1.9 ... Web-Based Learning ... 105
... 5.1.10 ... Technical Settings for the Learning Portal ... 106
... 5.1.11 ... Enhancing the Learning Portal ... 106
5.2 ... Content Player ... 108
5.3 ... Instructor Portal ... 112
... 5.3.1 ... User Experience and Structure of the Instructor Portal ... 112
... 5.3.2 ... Stages of Instruction and Features Used ... 113
... 5.3.3 ... Provide Access to the Instructor Portal to All Instructors ... 114
5.4 ... Managing Learning Activities of a Team ... 115
... 5.4.1 ... Managing Mandatory Course Assignments ... 116
... 5.4.2 ... Tracking Progress on Mandatory Course Assignments ... 117
5.4.3 ... Booking Team Members to Courses ... 117
5.5 ... More Information ... 118
5.6 ... Summary ... 118

6 ... Training Administration ... 119
6.1 ... Training Management Process ... 119
6.2 ... Key Transactions in Training Management ... 120
6.3 ... Course Preparation ... 122
... 6.3.1 ... Designing the Course Catalog ... 122
... 6.3.2 ... Course Types and Delivery Methods ... 126
... 6.3.3 ... Course Type Attributes ... 129
6.4 ... Course Offering ... 131
6.5 ... Day-To-Day Activities ... 132
6.6 ... Follow-up Activities ... 134
6.7 ... Configuring Enterprise Learning ... 134
... 6.7.1 ... Activate Business Functions ... 135
... 6.7.2 ... SAP Learning Solution ... 136
6.7.3 ... Course Preparation ... 137
6.8 ... Course Offering Section ... 141
6.9 ... Day-to-Day Activities ... 142
... 6.9.1 ... Control Elements ... 142
6.9.2 ... Booking ... 143
6.9.3 ... Versioning ... 145
... 6.9.4 ... Participation Cancellation ... 146
... 6.9.5 ... Workflow and Correspondence ... 147
6.10 ... Recurring Activities ... 150
... 6.10.1 ... Completion Specifications for a Course ... 151
... 6.10.2 ... Course Follow-Up ... 151
... 6.10.3 ... Course Appraisals ... 153
6.11 ... Basic Settings ... 154
6.12 ... Integration ... 155
... 6.12.1 ... Time Management ... 156
... 6.12.2 ... Materials Management ... 157
... 6.12.3 ... Budget Management ... 157
... 6.12.4 ... Billing and Activity Allocation ... 157
... 6.12.5 ... Appointment Calendar and SAP Knowledge Provider ... 159
... 6.12.6 ... Collaboration ... 159
6.13 ... Curriculum Types and Course Programs ... 161
... 6.13.1 ... Curriculum Types ... 161
... 6.13.2 ... Creating a Curriculum Type ... 162
... 6.13.3 ... Course Types and Courses Exclusive to Curriculum ... 164
... 6.13.4 ... Scheduling a Curriculum ... 167
... 6.13.5 ... Course Program ... 170
6.14 ... Reporting ... 175
... 6.14.1 ... Delivered Reports ... 175
... 6.14.2 ... Business Intelligence ... 179
... 6.14.3 ... Using Ad Hoc Query for Enterprise Learning ... 183
6.15 ... The Training Administrator Portal ... 189
... 6.15.1 ... Structure of the Training Administrator Portal ... 190
... 6.15.2 ... Scheduling Courses, Assigning Resources, and Managing Participation ... 195
... 6.15.3 ... Configuring the Training Administrator Portal ... 196
6.16 ... Development Plans ... 196
... 6.16.1 ... Individual Development Plan function (SAP HCM backend ... 197
... 6.16.2 ... Talent Management and Development ... 198
... 6.16.3 ... Using SAP Performance Management ... 200
6.17 ... Summary ... 202

7 ... Virtual Learning Room ... 203
7.1 ... Virtual Learning Rooms are Important Business Tools ... 203
... 7.1.1 ... Types of Learning for Which the Virtual Learning Room is Best Suited ... 204
... 7.1.2 ... A Virtual Learning Room is for Synchronous Events ... 205
... 7.1.3 ... The Virtual Learning Room Can Surpass Classroom Training ... 205
7.2 ... SAP Enterprise Learning Virtual Learning Room ... 206
7.3 ... How Adobe Connect is Integrated with SAP Enterprise Learning ... 206
... 7.3.1 ... Learning Portal ... 206
... 7.3.2 ... Instructor Portal ... 207
... 7.3.3 ... Administrator Interface ... 209
... 7.3.4 ... Tracking of Information with the Virtual Learning Room ... 210
7.4 ... Features of the Virtual Learning Room ... 210
7.5 ... Installation and Configuration ... 211
... 7.5.1 ... Troubleshooting Tips ... 215
7.6 ... Infrastructure Planning for Adobe Connect ... 216
7.7 ... More Resources on This Topic ... 217
7.8 ... Summary ... 218
7.9 ... Contributors ... 218

8 ... Content Design, Development, and Delivery in the SAP Learning Solution ... 219
8.1 ... Introduction ... 219
8.2 ... Content Design ... 220
8.3 ... The SAP Authoring Environment (AE ... 222
8.4 ... Configuration for the Authoring Environment ... 236
8.5 ... Third-Party Content and the Authoring Environment ... 237
8.6 ... SCORM Course Delivery ... 237
... 8.6.1 ... SCORM Versions ... 238
... 8.6.2 ... SCORM Course Creation ... 239
... 8.6.3 ... Deploying and Launching a SCORM Course ... 240
... 8.6.4 ... SCORM Tests ... 242
8.7 ... AICC Course Delivery ... 243
... 8.7.1 ... AICC Course Creation ... 243
... 8.7.2 ... Deploying and Launching an AICC Course ... 243
... 8.7.3 ... Hosted AICC Content ... 244
... 8.7.4 ... AICC/HACP Error Codes ... 245
8.8 ... Content delivery ... 246
8.9 ... Configuring the Content Player ... 247
8.10 ... Offline Player ... 249
8.11 ... Tracking and Reporting Progress in e-Learning Courses ... 250
... 8.11.1 ... Progress Tracking in the Learning Portal ... 251
... 8.11.2 ... Learning Progress BAdI ... 252
... 8.11.3 ... Content Reports ... 253
... 8.11.4 ... Publisher Database ... 254
8.12 ... Delivering Third-Party Hosted Content ... 255
8.13 ... Using the SAP Exchange Infrastructure (XI ... 256
... 8.13.1 ... XI Examples ... 257
... 8.13.2 ... Master Data Requirements ... 260
... 8.13.3 ... Questionmark™ Perception™ Assessments Integration ... 261
8.14 ... Summary ... 265
8.15 ... Contributors ... 266

9 ... Enhancing the SAP Enterprise Learning Solution ... 267
9.1 ... Enhancements and BAdIs ... 267
... 9.1.1 ... Training Management ... 267
... 9.1.2 ... Resource Management ... 270
... 9.1.3 ... Fee Handling ... 270
... 9.1.4 ... Cancellation Reasons ... 271
... 9.1.5 ... Correspondence BAdIs ... 271
... 9.1.6 ... Learning Portal ... 273
... 9.1.7 ... Content Player and Learning Objectives ... 277
... 9.1.8 ... Additional Enhancements ... 277
9.2 ... Structural Authorization Techniques ... 278
... 9.2.1 ... Configuring Structural Authorizations ... 278
... 9.2.2 ... Maintain Structural Profiles ... 279
9.3 ... Enhancement Case Study: Controlling Access to the Course Catalog ... 282
... 9.3.1 ... Enhancement ... 283
9.4 ... Summary ... 286

10 ... Managing an Enterprise Learning Implementation ... 287
10.1 ... Project Planning ... 287
... 10.1.1 ... Project Goals, Objectives, and Scope ... 288
... 10.1.2 ... Project Staffing ... 291
... 10.1.3 ... Project Timeline ... 293
10.2 ... Blueprint ... 294
10.3 ... Realization ... 298
... 10.3.1 ... Content Management ... 298
... 10.3.2 ... Change Management ... 299
... 10.3.3 ... Proof of Concept ... 301
10.4 ... Go-Live Preparation and Go-Live ... 301
10.5 ... Summary ... 302

11 ... Case Studies ... 303
11.1 ... Case Study 1: Implementing a Standalone Learning Solution Using ALE ... 303
... 11.1.1 ... Background ... 303
... 11.1.2 ... Implementation Project Planning ... 304
... 11.1.3 ... Blueprint ... 305
... 11.1.4 ... Realization ... 306
... 11.1.5 ... Go-Live Preparation and Go-Live ... 308
... 11.1.6 ... Team Education and Change Management ... 308
... 11.1.7 ... The Rest of the Story ... 310
11.2 ... Case Study 2: Global Implementation ... 310
... 11.2.1 ... Background ... 311
... 11.2.2 ... Global Implementation Readiness ... 311
... 11.2.3 ... Learning Systems ... 311
... 11.2.4 ... Planning the Future State ... 313
... 11.2.5 ... Requirements Gathering ... 315
... 11.2.6 ... Design ... 318
... 11.2.7 ... Catalog Design ... 319
... 11.2.8 ... Realization ... 321
... 11.2.9 ... End-User Education ... 323
... 11.2.10 ... Rules of Thumb ... 324
11.3 ... Summary ... 325

12 ... Functionality Comparison by Version ... 327
12.1 ... System Architecture Compatibility ... 327
... 12.1.1 ... Portal Functionality Comparison ... 329
... 12.1.2 ... Training Management Functionality Comparison ... 331
... 12.1.3 ... Authoring Functionality Comparison ... 332
... 12.1.4 ... Content Management System Functionality Comparison ... 333
12.2 ... Workflow, Courseware, and Reporting Functionality Comparison ... 334
... 12.2.1 ... Support for External Learners ... 335
12.3 ... Standards and Compliance ... 335
12.4 ... Virtual Learning Room ... 336
12.5 ... Integration ... 336
12.6 ... Learning Services for Managers ... 337
12.7 ... Summary ... 338
12.8 ... Conclusion ... 338

... The Authors ... 339