The Run SAP Implementation Partner Program is a certification program for SAP Services Partners.  The program will help facilitate certification for partner organizations and guide their resources to required training in the end-to-end solution operation standards. The training and certification will prepare the partner to adopt the Run SAP methodology into its SAP implementation standards.

 The certification focus areas, or what are referred to as role-based trainings, include such sessions as an overview of the Run SAP methodology, Customer Center of Excellence, Solution Manager diagnostics and monitoring, change request management and business process monitoring. A certification exam is given at the end of each training course. Passing participants are then recognized as SAP-certified support consultants. Partners must then strive for their organization to become certified in the Run SAP methodology.<span>  </span>For partners to achieve this certification, the following requirements must be met:

• Partner must adopt the Run SAP methodology into their own SAP implementation methodology.
• Partners must present a business plan for the Run SAP methodology
• Partner must create their own Run SAP methodology practice, which requires a specific number of certified support consultants in each focus area based on global or local certification. Details on this can be found in the Run SAP Implementation Partner Program Guide located at http://partner.sap.com/runsapimplementationpartner<span>  </span>.
• It is required that the minimum number of partner resources must pass the certification exam  to become SAP-certified support consultants. This first step must be satisfied before the partner can proceed with the organizational certification. The partner organization then must pass an audit based on the qualifications mentioned previously.

Once a partner organization satisfies the requirements to become SAP-certified in the Run SAP methodology they will be able to use the official “SAP certified in Run SAP for Implementation” logo  in their marketing collateral for the region or location in which they have been certified.

The implementation Partner Program will enable partners to offer a high-value strategic service to net-new and existing customers when they use the Run SAP methodology to assess and scope implementations.  It will allow partners to help their customers reduce their operating costs by creating standards and unification of processes, enabling greater operational efficiencies, create more transparency in operations, mitigating risk and reducing costly downtimes.  The Run SAP methodology will also foster the enablement of enterprise service-oriented architecture (enterprise SOA) readiness for customers.

Customers who work with certified Run SAP Implementation partners and their certified resources know that these partners have demonstrated and attained capabilities through the Run SAP Implementation Partner certification to implement the end-to-end solution operation standards and help customers be the best run businesses.  For more information, you can contact SAPAGSRunSAPPartner@SAP.com or reply to this blog.