SAP S/4HANA Financial Accounting, also known as S/4HANA Finance, is a finance suite that runs on top of the SAP HANA in-memory database. Originally called SAP Simple Finance, it is relatively simple compared to the full-featured Financial Account and Controlling (FI/CO) module of the SAP ERP suite. In addition to taking advantage of the fast data processing and analytics of the SAP HANA database, S/4HANA Finance provides a modern User Experience (UX) through SAP Fiori software. SAP offers a program for finance professionals who want to become certified in the use of SAP S/4HANA Finance. The qualification is known as the SAP S/4HANA Finance Certification.

SAP S/4HANA Finance 1809 certification 

The SAP S/4HANA Finance Certification, officially called the “Financial Accounting Associates (1809) Certification,” attests to the fact that an SAP consultant has achieved a certain level of knowledge with the tool. Being certified means that a consultant can implement system-specific knowledge on a practice basis under the guidance of an experienced consultant. The 1809 certification is seen as an entry-level qualification. It allows a consultant to become familiar with financial accounting projects on SAP. The next step in the certification process is to earn the designation known as “SAP Certified Application Professional – Financials in SAP S/4HANA for SAP ERP Financials experts.”

Professional certification 

Becoming certified involves passing an exam that verifies the candidate’s fundamental knowledge and proven skills working with SAP S/4HANA Finance. The exam tests the candidate’s understanding of financial principles as they apply to the SAP S/4HANA Finance software package. These include “closing the books” on a financial accounting period, general ledger accounting, payables and receivables and accounting for assets. The exam also tests knowledge of SAP HANA, S/4HANA and Fiori.

Training for the exam

Preparing for the exam involves in-depth education around the following topics, each of which accounts for about 10% of the test:

  • Financial Closing
    • Accounting is periodic, so a holder of the SAP S/4HANA Finance Certification must be familiar with closing at the end of the month or year. This takes into account factors like exchange rate valuations, post provisions and so forth. The test taker must understand how to create balance sheets and income statements. They need to know how to monitor closing operations using the Financial Closing Cockpit as well as how to post accruals.
  • General Ledger
    • This is the main financial record of a business. The certified consultant has to be familiar with creating and maintaining general ledger accounts. These tasks encompass exchange rates and banking data. It can get obscure, with requirements to know how to create and reverse general ledger transfer postings, post cross-company code transactions and so forth. The S/4HANA Finance user needs to create profit centers, so this is also tested.
  • Accounts Payable/Receivable
    • Money goes out (payables). Money comes in (receivables). Finance professionals, along with those who set up and maintain financial systems, have to be knowledgeable about payables and receivables. The exam tests creating and maintaining business partners on the SAP system. It tests for knowledge on posting invoices and payment. This segment of the exam also covers a wide range of specialised topics in payable/receivable management, including managing partial payments, using the debit balance check for handling payments, etc.
  • Accounting for Assets
    • Balance sheets generated on S/4HANA Finance track assets and liabilities. The certification exam rates the applicant’s knowledge of creating and maintaining depreciation charts, asset classes and asset master data on the system.
  • SAP Financials “Cross Topics”
    • People who hold the SAP S/4HANA Finance Certification are expected to know how to manage organisational units, deal with currencies, configure document types and validations along with document types. They need to be familiar with Reporting Tools as well. The applicant is further tested on knowledge of the underlying SAP HANA, SAP S/4HANA and SAP Fiori software. They have to be able to explain SAP HANA Architecture and describe the scope and deployment options for SAP S/4HANA.

Accounting certification guide and tutorials 

SAP and specialised certification test prep providers offer certification guides and tutorials to help SAP consultants get ready to take and pass the SAP S/4HANA Finance Certification exam. These tutorials and guides help the applicant understand the test mythology and grasp the key concepts contained in each topic area. They contain practice tests (with answers) and key topic reviews.

G3G and the SAP S/4HANA Finance 1809 certification

G3G is a SAP-certified provider of hosting and cloud services for SAP solutions as well as a value-added reseller (VAR) for SAP products. We are recognised as a leader in SAP managed services and to arrive at this level of distinction, we have invested in certifications for most of our people, including the SAP S/4HANA Finance Certification. More broadly, our individual consultants have completed training in SAP HANA, demonstrating abilities in and passing demanding exams.

We bring these skills and certified professionals to the work of getting your company onto SAP S/4HANA Finance. With our 1809 certifications, we have the ability to help you get up and running with S/4HANA Finance quickly. We can provide assistance with all stages of execution, including migration, implementation and licensing. We also work with you on hosting and continued maintenance.

Learn more about how G3G and our partners can bring holistic solutions to drive your SAP digital transformation program.

Jackie Watkins, Senior FICO Consultant, G3G

Experienced Senior Business Analyst who is results driven, with proven analytical, troubleshooting, and interpersonal skills including negotiation and team-building, with abilities in planning and managing resource. Knowledge and experience gained from my Finance background, at senior level, in many diverse industries such as Gas, Electronics, Aerospace and Automotive, enable me to quickly understand the issues that the business teams face, and provide solutions that work.