08/2008 - Present | Freelance

Senior Freelance SAP Procurement Consultant & Solution Architect

Diedrich Frielinghaus, IT-Consulting

10/2003 - 07/2008 | Consuting Company

Senior Consultant

Facit Consulting GmbH, Langenfeld

02/2000 - 09/2003 | IT Service Provider for the Banking Sector

Projekt Manager SAP

WestLB Systems GmbH, Düsseldorf

08/1998 - 01/2000 | Wholesale

Trainee, SAP Anwendungsentwickler

Kaufring AG, Düsseldorf

Graduate Physicist - Diploma (TH), RWTH Aachen, 1998

Key Areas:

Theoretical solid-state physics: numerical simulation of interface properties

Statistical Physics: Computer Applications

Projects 

02/2024 – Present | Insurance IT Service Provider (AOK Systems)

Role: Senior SAP Procurement Consultant & Solution Architect 
Project: Technical solution architecture, consulting, and implementation for the SAP S/4HANA Sourcing & Procurement platform of a leading healthcare IT service provider. 
The engagement focuses on enhancing procurement processes, implementing modern SAP S/4HANA capabilities, extending Flexible Workflow, integrating supplier catalogs, and supporting continuous innovation within multiple customers procurement landscapes. The assignment includes solution architecture, SAP S/4HANA Procurement consulting, ABAP Objects development, workflow design, SAP Fiori enhancements, application lifecycle management, and third-level support. Responsibilities: SAP S/4HANA Procurement Solution Architecture Designed and implemented customer-specific enhancements for SAP S/4HANA Sourcing & Procurement. Translated complex business requirements into scalable and maintainable SAP solution designs. Advised business departments on procurement process optimization and technical implementation strategies. Supported the continuous evolution of the customer's SAP S/4HANA procurement platform. Flexible Workflow & Business Process Automation Designed and implemented Flexible Workflow solutions for Purchase Requisitions and procurement approval processes. Developed customer-specific workflow logic using Business Add-Ins (BAdIs) and the SAP Enhancement Framework. Extended workflow functionality to support customer-specific organizational structures and approval rules. Implemented restart and recovery mechanisms to improve workflow reliability and operational stability. SAP Fiori & User Experience Enhanced SAP Fiori applications supporting procurement and goods receipt processes. Extended Flexible Workflow email notifications with customer-specific business information. Improved user experience for procurement approvers through SAP My Inbox integration. Supported the implementation and optimization of modern SAP Fiori applications. Catalog & Supplier Integration Designed and implemented Lean Catalog and OCI PunchOut catalog integration. Enhanced procurement processes through seamless integration of external supplier catalogs. Supported automated catalog-based purchasing scenarios within SAP S/4HANA. SAP Technical Development Developed customer-specific enhancements using ABAP Objects and the SAP Enhancement Framework. Implemented Business Add-Ins (BAdIs) to extend standard SAP procurement functionality. Performed SPDD/SPAU adjustments during SAP S/4HANA upgrade activities. Supported implementation of new SAP standard functionality while preserving upgrade compatibility. SAP Lifecycle Management & Production Support Supported the upgrade to SAP S/4HANA 2023. Analyzed and resolved complex production issues within the procurement landscape. Processed SAP OSS incidents and implemented corrective solutions. Delivered third-level application support for business-critical procurement processes. Collaborated closely with business departments, project teams, and SAP support to ensure stable productive operations. Key Achievements: Successfully enhanced the customer's SAP S/4HANA Sourcing & Procurement solution with scalable and upgrade-compatible extensions. Implemented advanced Flexible Workflow scenarios tailored to complex organizational approval structures. Improved procurement efficiency through SAP Fiori enhancements and seamless My Inbox integration. Delivered robust OCI and Lean Catalog integration to streamline supplier collaboration. Supported the successful upgrade to SAP S/4HANA 2023 while ensuring system stability and business continuity. 
Technologies: SAP S/4HANA Sourcing & Procurement SAP MM SAP Fiori SAP My Inbox Flexible Workflow ABAP Objects SAP Enhancement Framework Business Add-Ins (BAdIs) OCI PunchOut Lean Catalog SAP OSS SPDD / SPAU SAP S/4HANA 2023 Technical Solution Architecture Procurement Process Automation Third-Level Support

05/2012 – Present | Utility & Municipal Services IT Provider (DVV Duisburg / DU-IT)

Role: Senior SAP Procurement Consultant & Solution Architect 
Project: Long-term consulting, solution architecture, and software development for shared IT service providers serving municipal utilities and public-sector organizations. 
The focus of the engagement is the continuous enhancement and modernization of SAP Procurement landscapes, covering SAP SRM, SAP ERP MM, and SAP S/4HANA Sourcing & Procurement. The assignment includes solution architecture, business process consulting, SAP customizing, ABAP development, workflow implementation, system integration, migration projects, and production support. Responsibilities: SAP S/4HANA Transformation Planned and supported the migration from SAP SRM to SAP S/4HANA Sourcing & Procurement. Conducted architecture workshops to define the target procurement landscape. Evaluated Greenfield and Brownfield migration approaches. Designed interim integration scenarios between SAP SRM and SAP S/4HANA. Implemented customer-specific BAdIs and enhancements for SAP S/4HANA Procurement. Introduced SAP Fiori applications for procurement approval and purchasing processes. Supported technical upgrades, SPDD/SPAU adjustments, and production rollout activities. Procurement Process Optimization Designed and implemented Flexible Workflow for Purchase Requisitions. Introduced approval workflows for Purchase Requisitions, Purchase Orders, and Contracts. Extended workflow email templates with customer-specific business information. Implemented email-based approval processes (SRM). Developed customer-specific approval logic using BAdIs and classification concepts. Automated contract and source-of-supply determination. Designed account determination solutions for SAP MM and SAP SRM. SAP SRM Solution Architecture Designed and implemented SAP SRM procurement solutions in Extended Classic scenarios. Led the technical implementation of SAP SRM One Client. Implemented SRM workflows using BRF. Migrated classic workflows to BRF. Developed customer-specific SRM Cockpit applications for procurement monitoring. Implemented customer fields across document header, item, and account assignment levels. Supported migration of G/L accounts and organizational structures. Performed SAP SRM release upgrades and activation of Business Functions. Catalog & Supplier Integration Integrated multiple OCI PunchOut catalogs and Lean Catalog solutions. Implemented catalog price validation during quantity changes. Enabled transfer of catalog attachments into Purchase Requisitions. Developed OCI-based Excel upload catalog interfaces. Integrated external suppliers using ALE, IDoc, and SAP PI. Connected Bizagi to SAP SRM for automated Purchase Requisition creation including attachments. Interfaces & Integration Designed and developed numerous SAP integration scenarios. Implemented RFC-based account determination services. Developed interfaces between SAP SRM and SAP ERP. Implemented EDI interfaces for service entry processing. Enhanced outbound message processing using ABAP Objects. Reorganized IDoc processing, including workflow completion, archiving, and status management. SAP MM Enhancements Enhanced purchasing document processing and output management. Implemented automatic email transfer of purchasing document attachments to suppliers. Developed purchasing analytics and inventory reporting. Implemented service procurement processes (MM-SRV). Designed customer-specific BAdIs for purchase order processing and partner determination. Created SAP Query reports for procurement. Data Migration & Lifecycle Management Executed multiple SAP enhancement package upgrades. Performed SPDD and SPAU adjustments. Developed migration tools for master data and transactional data. Executed LSMW projects for purchasing info records and material movements. Archived purchasing document printouts using SAP ArchiveLink and SAP ADK. Production Support Provided long-term application management and third-level support. Analyzed and resolved complex production issues. Processed SAP OSS incidents. Supported business departments during rollout and hypercare phases. Delivered user training and technical documentation. 
Technologies: SAP S/4HANA Sourcing & Procurement SAP SRM 7.x SAP ERP MM SAP Workflow / S4 Flexible Workflow / BRF SAP Fiori SAP NetWeaver ABAP Objects SAP Enhancement Framework BADIs / User Exits SAP Query SAP PI ALE / IDoc / RFC OCI / PunchOut Catalogs Bizagi Integration SAP ArchiveLink / SAP ADK LSMW SPDD / SPAU SAP Business Functions

04/2022 – 12/2024 | Fashion Retail & Wholesale (Peek & Cloppenburg)

Role: Senior SAP Retail Consultant & Solution Architect 
Project: Consulting, solution architecture, and software development for one of Germany's leading fashion retailers. 
The engagement focused on modernizing SAP Retail logistics processes, redesigning IDoc-based integrations, implementing cloud connectivity, and optimizing inbound logistics and master data distribution. The assignment covered solution design, SAP Retail process optimization, ABAP Objects development, interface architecture, customizing, and close collaboration with business departments. Responsibilities: SAP Retail Process Optimization Redesigned inbound logistics processes within SAP Retail using the company's Process Automation Framework (ABAP Objects). Consolidated multiple inbound delivery processes into a unified goods receipt process to support SAP EWM integration. Implemented automated handling of quantity variances, including shortages, over-deliveries, and incorrect deliveries. Developed packaging logic capable of processing delivery quantity deviations. Implemented business-specific feature switches to enable or suspend retail processes dynamically. Developed simplified user interfaces for goods movement reversal and goods receipt completion. Interface & Integration Architecture Designed and implemented a new IDoc architecture for freight conditions, delivery conditions, and site master data. Developed custom IDoc message types and segments for enterprise integration. Designed dynamic data selection mechanisms to generate outbound IDocs based on configurable business rules. Implemented cloud integration by transferring IDoc data to a Kafka-based platform. Integrated all developments into the company's central logging framework. Implemented change pointer processing to trigger automatic IDoc generation. Master Data Management Analyzed freight and delivery condition structures across the SAP Retail landscape. Redesigned freight condition determination using new access sequences and key fields. Collaborated with business departments to define site-dependent master data requirements. Developed extensions to support customer-specific material composition data beyond the limitations of the SAP standard data model for customs processing. Enhanced existing maintenance applications to support the extended master data model. Sales & Distribution Enhancements Enhanced SAP SD user exits using ABAP Objects. Extended customer-specific outbound IDoc processing. Implemented custom output determination conditions. Customized output determination for sales documents. Supported logistics process optimization across retail operations. SAP Customizing & Technical Consulting Customized shipping points and shipping point determination. Configured storage locations and site-dependent logistics settings. Conducted technical analysis of existing SAP Retail processes. Worked closely with business stakeholders to translate business requirements into scalable SAP solutions. Supported rollout activities and productive operations. Key Achievements: Successfully modernized inbound logistics processing using a centralized process automation framework. Designed and implemented a scalable cloud integration architecture based on Kafka. Introduced customer-specific IDoc interfaces for freight conditions, delivery conditions, and site master data. Improved logistics process automation while reducing manual processing effort. Enhanced SAP Retail master data capabilities for international customs requirements. 
Technologies: SAP Retail SAP SD SAP MM ABAP Objects IDoc / Custom IDoc Development SAP EWM Integration Kafka Master Data Management Output Determination Change Pointers SAP Enhancement Framework User Exits Logistics Process Automation

06/2018 – 01/2025 | Home Improvement Retail & Wholesale (BAUHAUS)

Role: Senior SAP Integration Consultant & Solution Architect 
Project: Consulting, solution architecture, and software development for one of Europe's leading home improvement retailers. 
The engagement focused on modernizing the enterprise archiving landscape by replacing the legacy SER archive with IBM FileNet, designing high-performance integration services, and supporting the migration of the archive-integration to SAP S/4HANA. The assignment included solution architecture, SAP integration, interface development, system optimization, and third-level support in a large-scale international SAP landscape. Responsibilities: Enterprise Archiving & Information Lifecycle Management Designed and implemented the replacement of the legacy SER archive-integration with IBM FileNet-integration. Developed the overall integration architecture between SAP systems and the enterprise archive. Implemented SAP Archive Development Kit (SAP ADK) archiving solutions for customer-specific applications. Configured PBS Content Reader to enable access to archived business documents. Designed customer-specific archive indexes to improve document retrieval performance. SAP Integration & Web Services Designed and implemented high-performance SOAP interfaces between SAP and IBM FileNet. Developed SAP web services for the transfer of document metadata from SAP ERP (FI, MM, SD, Retail, and custom applications), SAP EWM, and SAP S/4HANA. Developed additional SOAP services for supplier master data and purchasing information exchange. Designed the interfaces to support high transaction volumes and enterprise-scale operations. SAP S/4HANA Migration & Rollout Supported the migration of archive interfaces to SAP S/4HANA. Participated in the European rollout of the new archiving solution. Ensured compatibility of custom developments across SAP ERP and SAP S/4HANA environments. Supported transport management using SAP ChaRM throughout the implementation lifecycle. Database & Interface Development Designed and developed native SQL interfaces to external database systems. Optimized interface performance for large-scale document processing. Implemented barcode-based document assignment and metadata enrichment services. Supported integration between multiple SAP systems and external archive platforms. Production Support & Continuous Improvement Provided third-level support for business-critical SOAP interfaces. Analyzed and resolved complex production incidents. Supported productive operations during rollout and post-go-live phases. Collaborated with infrastructure teams and business departments to continuously improve system stability and performance. Key Achievements: Successfully designed and implemented the migration from the legacy SER archive-integration to IBM FileNet-integration. Delivered scalable SOAP-based integration services capable of handling high-volume enterprise workloads. Enabled seamless integration of SAP ERP, SAP EWM, and SAP S/4HANA with the central enterprise archive. Supported the successful European rollout of the new archiving solution. Improved document retrieval performance through customer-specific archive indexing and optimized metadata management. 
Technologies: SAP ERP (FI, MM, SD, Retail) SAP S/4HANA SAP EWM ABAP Objects SAP Archive Development Kit (SAP ADK) SAP ArchiveLink IBM FileNet PBS Content Reader SOAP Web Services Native SQL SAP ChaRM Interface Architecture Enterprise Integration Metadata Management Archive Migration

03/2022 – 02/2025 | Global Industrial Engineering Group (Linde)

Role: Senior SAP Data Migration & Information Lifecycle Management Consultant 
Project: Consulting, solution architecture, and software development for a global industrial engineering group. 
The engagement focused on SAP system decommissioning, data extraction, information lifecycle management, and the migration of tax-relevant business data to a central compliance archive as part of the company's SAP landscape transformation. The assignment included technical consulting, data migration, compliance support, rollout coordination, and the development and enhancement of SAP-based extraction tools. Responsibilities: SAP System Decommissioning Planned and executed the technical decommissioning of SAP company codes as preparation for SAP S/4HANA transformation projects. Supported the complete decommissioning of SAP systems while ensuring long-term accessibility of business-critical information. Coordinated data migration activities with business departments and external service providers. Ensured a controlled and auditable shutdown of legacy SAP systems. Data Extraction & Migration Enhanced SAP tools for the extraction of tax-relevant and business-critical data. Designed and implemented extraction processes for structured SAP business data. Migrated accounting and compliance-relevant information to the SVA Liberyse archive platform. Supported large-scale migration activities across multiple SAP systems. Information Lifecycle Management & Compliance Ensured compliance with legal retention and audit requirements during system decommissioning. Monitored and documented data completeness throughout migration and archive processes. Produced compliance documentation for audit and regulatory purposes. Supported governance processes for long-term preservation of tax-relevant business information. Archive Integration Managed the migration of archived invoice data and scanned business documents from IBM Rapid to SVA Liberyse. Verified successful transfer of archived content and metadata. Supported validation and reconciliation of migrated archive data. Global Rollout & Technical Consulting Supported the global rollout of the decommissioning and archive solution. Worked closely with international business departments, IT organizations, and external implementation partners. Provided technical consulting for migration strategy, archive architecture, and compliance processes. Supported productive operations throughout migration and rollout activities. Key Achievements: Successfully supported the decommissioning of multiple SAP systems and company codes in preparation for SAP landscape transformation. Ensured compliant migration of tax-relevant business data to the enterprise archive. Improved transparency and auditability through comprehensive completeness monitoring and compliance documentation. Contributed to the successful global rollout of the archive and decommissioning solution. Enhanced SAP extraction tools to improve migration efficiency and data quality. 
Technologies: SAP ERP SAP Data Extraction SAP System Decommissioning SAP Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) SAP Data Migration SVA Liberyse IBM Rapid ABAP Archive Migration Compliance & Audit Support Enterprise Data Archiving Data Validation Global Rollout Technical Consulting

SAP Application Consultant 2002, EBP 3.0
SAP ABAP Certification 2000, Rel. 4.6