TLDR;
This video provides a comprehensive overview of Employee Central in SuccessFactors, covering key concepts, configurations, and implementation methodologies. It explains the structure of Employee Central, including people profiles and workflows, and how data flows within the system. The video also covers the Activate methodology, detailing the prepare, explore, realise, and deploy phases. Furthermore, it explains the building blocks of Employee Central, such as succession data models and corporate data models, and the importance of foundation objects like organisation structure, job structure, and pay structure.
- Employee Central is made of different objects clubbed together.
- People profile is where the employee will be able to see his information.
- Workflow is used when an employee changes anything and the change has to be stored only after an approval.
- Activate methodology consists of prepare, explore, realise and deploy phases.
What is Employee Central? [0:08]
Employee Central is composed of various interconnected objects, including organisational data, employee job details, pay information, and personal information like addresses and national IDs. The people profile allows employees to view their information, which is gathered during the hiring process and maintained by HR. Employees can modify their details, triggering workflows for approval or intimation to HR. Workflows ensure data accuracy by requiring approval for changes, while intimations simply notify relevant parties of updates. The need for approval or intimation depends on client requirements, determined during workshop sessions using methodologies like the Activate methodology.
People Profile [0:50]
The people profile is where employees can view their personal information, which is gathered during the hiring process and maintained by HR. Employees can modify their details, and these changes can trigger workflows. For example, a change of address might require HR approval. Alternatively, the system can be configured to simply notify HR of the change without requiring approval. The need for approval or intimation depends on the client's requirements.
Workflows [1:57]
Workflows are used when an employee changes anything, and the change has to be stored only after an approval by a specific person. Alternatively, workflows can be used to send an intimation to a particular person, such as HR, when an employee makes a change. This is just one use case of workflows, and the demo will provide a deeper look into workflows.
System Overview and Permissions [6:41]
The SuccessFactors system uses Employee Self-Service (ESS) and Manager Self-Service (MSS) to manage employee profiles. While configurations are done in the back end, employees interact with a front-end screen. There are four permission levels: ESS, MSS, HR, and admin. Admins have full system access, while ESS users have limited permissions. Each employee logs in with a unique username and password to access a personalised homepage. The homepage displays relevant workflows and notifications. Admins can search for and view any employee's information, but ESS users have restricted access to sensitive data like compensation details. Permissions are configured in the back end using transactions like "Manage Permission Groups" and "Manage Permission Roles."
Permission Settings and Effective Data [15:05]
Permissions are restricted in the system to control what information employees can view and modify. For example, an employee's access to personal information can be limited by removing their ability to see certain fields. Effective-dated data is used to track changes over time. When editing effective-dated fields, such as marital status, a date must be entered. The change will only be effective from that date forward. Non-effective-dated data, such as biographical information, does not require an effective date.
System Configuration and HRIS [17:35]
SuccessFactors Employee Central is a unified system where configurations and end-user activities occur. Admins configure the system, while end users perform activities like updating personal information. The system uses transactions like "Manage Business Configuration" to configure fields. The HRIS element is integrated within the same system, eliminating the need for separate systems. Custom fields can be created with assigned business rules for auto-population.
Personal vs Person Information [20:25]
Personal information refers to an employee's name and other personal details, while person information refers to biographical data such as date and place of birth. The system uses different IDs, including person ID, employee ID, and assignment ID, to manage employee data. The person ID is used to access all of an employee's information, including personal, biographical, job, and address details.
People Profile and Data Flow [22:51]
The people profile is where employees can see their information. Non-effective-dated data, such as biographical information, does not require an effective date. The people profile is the user interface (UI) that end users see. Data is stored in the User Data File (UDF) and retrieved to populate the people profile. The people profile is used across all modules, including recruitment, onboarding, payroll, compensation, and goal management. Performance Management is also connected to the people profile, allowing managers to give ratings and reviews that employees can then accept or decline.
Data Flow and Module Integration [28:15]
Data flows from Employee Central to the UDF and then to the people profile. This data movement occurs for all modules, including recruitment, onboarding, payroll, compensation, and goal management. The people profile is a central location where employees can see information from all modules.
Activate Methodology - Prepare Phase [30:01]
The Activate methodology is commonly used for SuccessFactors implementations. It consists of four phases: prepare, explore, realise, and deploy. In the prepare phase, the project's goals and scope are defined, and roles and responsibilities are assigned. The SuccessFactors system is purchased from SAP. Participants in this phase include project managers, business process owners (BPOs) from the client side, and management and sales personnel from the implementation partner.
Activate Methodology - Explore Phase [32:41]
In the explore phase, the implementation partner gathers requirements from the client through workshops. The requirements are stored in workbooks or functional specification documents. The implementation partner shows the client the system and gathers requirements for customisation. The explore phase also involves fit-to-standard analysis and fit-gap analysis to identify any gaps between the client's requirements and the standard SuccessFactors functionality.
Explore Phase - Green Field vs Brown Field [36:07]
There are different types of projects: Green Field implementations, where the client has never used the system before, and brownfield implementations, where the client is migrating from another system. In reality, there will be gaps between the client's requirements and the standard SuccessFactors functionality. Consultants must educate the client about the limitations of the system and help them remodify their processes to fit the standard functionality.
Explore Phase - Solution Walkthroughs [43:41]
After gathering requirements, the implementation partner prepares workbooks and presents them to the client for sign-off. Once the workbooks are signed off, no major changes should be accepted. The implementation partner then starts configurations, followed by solution walkthroughs. During the walkthroughs, the client provides feedback, and the implementation partner reconfigures the system. There are usually three solution walkthroughs. Any major changes requested during the last walkthrough may be deferred to post-implementation support.
Realise and Deploy Phases [48:22]
After the walkthroughs, unit testing is done by the implementation partner. Test scripts are prepared and used to test various scenarios. The client then performs user acceptance testing (UAT) using provided scripts. After testing, data migration occurs, where legacy data from previous systems is imported into SuccessFactors. This is followed by a cutover activity to capture any data changes that occurred during the data loading process. Finally, the basis team handles the back-end login and operations, and the HR team initiates the go-live process by sending system links and password reset links to employees.
Activate Methodology - Solution Design and Customer Enablement [58:35]
The Activate methodology involves solution design and customer enablement. The customer is engaged from the prepare phase through the realise phase. The process includes data migration, integration, solution testing, and cutover management. These terminologies are standard across clients and SuccessFactors implementations.
Employee Central Building Blocks - Data Models [1:00:48]
Employee Central is mainly made of two building blocks: succession data model and corporate data model. The succession data model holds employee-related information, while the corporate data model holds company-related information. These data models can be country-specific to accommodate different processes and regulations. The data models are the foundation of SuccessFactors and are common to all modules.
Foundation Objects - Organisation Structure [1:06:50]
Foundation objects are the building blocks of Employee Central. These include organisation structure, location structure, job structure, and pay structure. The organisation structure consists of business units, divisions, departments, and cost centres. Business units are sectors of business, such as automotive or IT solutions. Divisions and departments are further subdivisions within a business unit. Cost centres are associated with each business unit, division, and department.
Rigid vs Flexible Organisation Structures [1:10:47]
There are two kinds of organisation structures: rigid and flexible. In a rigid structure, one department is associated with only one division. In a flexible structure, a department can be connected to more than one division. For example, a shared services department may serve both human resources and finance divisions.
Legacy vs MDF Foundation Objects [1:14:22]
There are two categories of foundation objects: Legacy Foundation objects and MDF Foundation objects. Legacy Foundation objects are configured in the "Manage Organisation, Pay and Job Structures" transaction. These objects cannot be modified or customised. MDF Foundation objects are configured in the "Configure Object Definition" transaction. These objects can be modified, and fields can be added.
MDF Foundation Objects - Configuration [1:18:50]
MDF Foundation objects are configured using the "Configure Object Definition" transaction. This transaction allows you to add fields, modify objects, and establish associations. To create a new organisation, such as a new business unit or division, you must use the "Manage Data" transaction.
Job Structure - Job Classifications and Functions [1:21:59]
The job structure contains two main elements: job function and job classifications. Job function is used to categorise job classifications. Job classifications define what an employee is going to do in the company. Job classifications determine the pay grade for the employee.
Job Classifications and Positions [1:27:04]
A manager is a job classification, while procurement manager, sales manager, and HR manager are positions. All three managers may have the same job classification if their grade falls under the same pay grade. A position is what an employee is holding in an organisation. The job classification defines what the employee is doing.
Position Management and Org Chart [1:32:34]
The org chart shows the hierarchy of positions within the organisation. The parent position is the line manager. The org chart can be accessed from the people profile. The viewing access for the org chart can be restricted based on permissions.
Creating Legal Entities and Business Units [1:41:51]
To create a new legal entity, use the "Manage Data" transaction. The start date should be 01/01/1900. A legal entity is country-specific. To associate a business unit to a legal entity, maintain the association in the business unit object. One business unit can be associated with only one legal entity.
Company Structure Definition and Templates [1:51:48]
To display the organisation structure in the org chart, you must maintain the relationship in the company structure definition template. The company structure definition template is accessed through the "Configure Object Definition" transaction. The legal entity, business unit, and division relationships must be maintained in the template.
Creating Custom Hierarchies [2:12:10]
If the client requires a new level of hierarchy, such as a section under the department, you must create a custom object. To create a new object, use the "Configure Object Definition" transaction. The effective date should be basic. The API visibility should be set to edit. The pending data should be set to yes if a workflow is required.
Cost Centres and Generic Objects [2:19:31]
Cost centres should be maintained at each level of the hierarchy. To maintain a cost centre as a field in another object, use a generic object. The valid value source should be set to the code of the cost centre. This allows the cost centre to auto-populate in the position.
Role-Based Permissions and Security [2:41:55]
If an object is secured, it can only be accessed if you have permission to access it. The permission is granted through role-based permissions. The role-based permissions are configured in the "Permission Role" transaction.
Data Migration and API Visibility [2:35:14]
Data migration involves replicating information from Employee Central to other systems, such as payroll. This is done through APIs. The API visibility setting determines whether the information can be accessed by other systems. If the API visibility is set to "not visible," other systems will not be able to access the information. If the API visibility is set to "read only," other systems will only be able to read the information but not modify it. If the API visibility is set to "edit," other systems will be able to modify the information.
Job Structure Configuration [2:54:15]
To create a new job classification, use the "Manage Data" transaction. The job code can be automatically generated. The job title and other relevant information should be entered. The pay grade should be selected. Unwanted fields can be removed by setting the visibility to "not visible" in the object definition.
Pick Lists and Configuration [3:52:39]
Pick lists are configured in the "Pick List Center" transaction. The source of the pick list is defined in the object definition. New values can be added to the pick list.
Position Management and Creation [4:36:19]
Positions can be created in three different places: "Manage Data," "Manage Positions," and the org chart. The "Manage Positions" transaction automatically syncs changes with the job information of the employee. The org chart provides a visual representation of the positions within the organisation.
Position Management and Propagation [5:07:38]
When a position is changed, the details from the position are automatically populated into the job information fields. This is called propagation. Propagation rules are defined in the "Manage Business Configuration" transaction.
Manage Business Configuration and Propagation Rules [5:09:13]
The "Manage Business Configuration" transaction is used to configure employee data. Propagation rules are defined at the field level. The propagation rule specifies which fields should be automatically populated when a position is changed.
Pay Structure Configuration [3:08:35]
The pay structure consists of pay groups, pay grades, pay components, pay component groups, frequency, and pay ranges. Pay groups are used to group employees for payroll purposes. Pay grades are associated with job classifications. Pay components are elements of an employee's package, such as basic salary, housing allowance, and transport allowance. Pay component groups are used to accumulate all the pay components together to find the annualised pay. Frequency determines whether the pay is weekly, monthly, or yearly. Pay ranges define the minimum, maximum, and midpoint of the pay for a particular pay grade.
Pay Range and Compensation [3:20:25]
Pay ranges contain three values: minimum, maximum, and midpoint. The midpoint is used to calculate the compa-ratio, which is a measure of how an employee's salary compares to the midpoint of the pay range. The range penetration is used to understand the growth of an employee's salary over time.
Pay Calendar and Geo Zone [3:30:16]
The pay calendar contains the start and end date of the payroll process. The pay calendar is associated with the pay group. The geo zone is the country. All the compensation rules and regulations will align with the country's rules and regulations.
