Women making SAP happen Interview Archana Baxter

Women making SAP happen is a series of articles brought to you by SAPTURE, a specialist SAP recruitment firm who support and encourage equality in the workplace.

Archana Baxi is a skilled SAP professional with a career spanning over 2 decades, balancing her professional journey along with her family life.

Having worked in various areas of SAP, predominantly retail, Archana has experience leading and working closely with businesses to align their needs with solutions.

Outside of work, Archana loves to spend time with family, being blessed with a loving husband and two beautiful children, who enjoy going out on picnics, nature walks and cooking. With such a busy routine Archana emphasises the importance of taking some time out to incorporate self-care in her daily life.

Tell us about your current role?

In my current role as an SAP Process Analyst, for the past 5 years, I have had the opportunity to be involved in multifaceted projects. I work closely with various teams to analyse, optimise and support SAP initiatives and processes. I gather business requirements, write detailed functional specifications, conduct workshops and walkthroughs, engage with the development team, facilitate and support testing and release.

Some of the areas where I have made significant contributions include SAP integration with other business systems, leading SAP data migration projects and collaborating with cross -functional teams in solving data replication issues.

What inspired you to have a career in SAP?

My introduction to the world of SAP was an unexpected chance that I will forever be grateful. My journey in SAP started with a technical role and my curiosity compelled me to pursue further in this field.

I was fascinated by the platform's robust tools and the impact that SAP solutions have on solving business problems leading to process enhancements and operational efficiency.

Additionally, SAP’s continuous evolving nature to meet the demands of the business appealed to my passion of learning and growing. The combination of technological advancement, diverse areas of options within SAP such as technical, functional, integration and professional growth opportunities made me interested in pursuing my career in SAP.

Tell us about your career journey in tech / SAP to date?

My career in the IT industry began in the year 2000 after graduating with a degree in Computer Engineering. During the initial years, I invested time to acquire a strong foundation in various technical domains, including programming languages, databases, and systems analysis. I had the privilege of working with businesses where I gained proficiency in technologies such as Java, HTML, and Enterprise Java Beans. One exciting highlight of my early career was the opportunity to travel to the client's site in the United States, where I spent a year contributing to their projects.

In 2002, I took a significant turn in my career when I came across a job advertisement in the newspaper, as LinkedIn had not yet become the prominent platform it is today. This opportunity was for an SAP project that offered comprehensive training to selected employees. I was selected and underwent extensive training in SAP ABAP and subsequently worked on numerous SAP modules, collaborating with clients such as Procter & Gamble, Shell and Total Fina Elf. To fully comprehend the details of SAP standard code, I even began self-learning the German language, as it was commonly used in the comments section.

In 2004, I embarked on a new chapter both professionally and personally. I got married and made the decision to migrate to Melbourne, Australia. For nearly a decade, I worked in SAP-Retail technical domain at 7-Eleven. This role provided me with invaluable insights and experiences in the retail sector, further enhancing my SAP knowledge and skills.

After a break to focus on parenting my young children, an exciting opportunity arose in the form of an SAP IS-Retail Functional role with Spotlight Retail Group. This position aligned perfectly with my curiosity to understand end to end solutions allowing me to deep dive into SAP Retail. I am thoroughly enjoying my work in this exciting field and look forward to further learning and growth.

Which SAP modules have been most useful in your business and why?

In my current business, we have implemented SAP IS-Retail, which is a solution tailored specifically for the retail industry.

SAP IS-Retail in our business has been instrumental in enhancing our retail operations. Through its robust functionalities in article management, replenishment, allocations, and promotions, we have been able to streamline processes and optimise inventory. The customisation of specific processes further ensures that SAP IS-Retail aligns perfectly with our business needs, enabling us to leverage its full potential for success in the retail industry.

What are the main obstacles you face in your current role and how do you overcome them?

The unavoidable ever-changing needs of the business who are looking for better and efficient processes can cause scope creeps. For these changing needs, the system must be re-evaluated, re-configured, regression tested for implementing the changes. To overcome this obstacle, it is important to establish clear project boundaries and communicate them effectively with stakeholders.

Complex project implementations can be time-consuming and require substantial resources. Overcoming this obstacle involves efficient project planning, resource allocation, communication and stakeholder management.

What is the best thing about working in SAP technology?

SAP is one of the world’s leading producers of ERP software. It has developed and evolved over the years and it is constantly introducing new products with a modern technology stack that meets the ever-changing demands of the customers.

SAP has an extensive range of areas in which professionals can specialise. Whether one's expertise lies in technical domain, Basis administration, finance, retail, sales and distribution (SD), materials management (MM), or countless others, SAP offers a diverse spectrum of roles and opportunities to suit individual talents and aspirations.

What inspirational words would you offer to other people looking for a career in SAP?

SAP is a dynamic and ever-evolving area. Stay curious and continuously invest in expanding your knowledge and skills. Have the right attitude, embrace a positive mindset and willingness to learn and adapt. Collaborate with colleagues, business users, and stakeholders to gain insights, build relationships, and broaden your perspective. Nothing is impossible if you have the determination, dedication and a hunger for continuous learning.

What advice would you give you to women working in the SAP ecosystem and looking to advance their career?

Look out for opportunities in your interest areas even if you don’t meet all of the criteria. Equally important to allocate dedicated time for continuous learning and self-improvement. Even amidst busy work schedules, setting aside specific time for skill enhancement and personal development (by creating a development plan) can achieve great results.

What can we all do to inspire more women into working with SAP?

SAP has several different areas where you can grow your career. With the newer releases and offerings of SAP, there are lots of opportunities to choose an area you want to grow your career in.

What female inspiration have you had in your career?

My mother has been my pillar of support during my initial career and she still is. She has always supported me, believed in my abilities and encouraged me to pursue opportunities when I was hesitant.

As a teacher and a career woman herself, my mother has gracefully balanced work and life responsibilities. Not once have I heard her complain about the challenges she faced; instead, she has consistently displayed a can-do attitude, approaching every problem with possible solutions.

Whenever I encounter a difficult situation, I find myself pondering what she would do in that scenario. I am forever grateful for her presence in my life and the impact she has had on my career choices and overall outlook on life.