Navigating the Architecture Leading Practice (ALP) Structure

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to describe how ALPs work across modules to build an end-to-end business process.

Architecture Leading Practice

What is an Architecture Leading Practice?

An Architecture Leading Practice (ALP) is a set of recommended configuration decisions and guidance on topics associated with an SAP SuccessFactors implementation. Leading Practices are designed to help customers get the greatest benefit from their end-to-end SAP SuccessFactors HR Processes.

ALPs help you, the solution architect, drive positive outcomes by:

  1. Using intended system design
  2. Following the proven success of previous implementations
  3. Avoiding pitfalls

ALPs provide a standardized approach that combines proven methods, aligns with product design, and enhances customer success.

For each ALP, there are detailed examples and explanations of the business value, key process interactions, and key data interactions.

  • Business Value: Outcomes from streamlined processes such as effective talent acquisition, top talent retention, and improved efficiencies.
  • Key Process Interactions: Cross-module set providing synergistic, business value outcomes driven by processes.
  • Key Data Interactions: Building blocks of information that help facilitate the attainment of outcomes.

HCM Suite Process At-a-Glance

You will see this HCM Suite Process image in each unit (as shown below), highlighting the associated business values, key process interactions, and key data interactions for each Architecture Leading Practice (ALP). Remember, the rectangular modules are color-coded to indicate distinctions between the module types.

Legend for the HCM Suite Process image found in each unit, highlighting the associated business values, key process interactions, and key data interactions for each ALP. Rectangular modules are color-coded to indicate distinctions between the module types.

About this Course

In this course, Navigating the SAP SuccessFactors HCM Architecture Leading Practices, you’ll enhance your knowledge and skills on SAP SuccessFactors HCM key processes and data interactions.

You will learn real-world insights about how to navigate the architectural complexities involved in the implementation of multiple SAP SuccessFactors modules. It is designed to promote an understanding of key concepts, options, and their pros and cons.

As a solution architect, you’ll work with client team members who play a role in implementing a specific solution. You’ll learn how to help these clients make educated and informed decisions about the architecture of their SAP SuccessFactors implementation.

This course provides a detailed walkthrough of four Architecture Leading Practices (ALPs):

  • Develop to Grow
  • Recruit to Onboard
  • Manage Workforce
  • Reward to Retain
This diagram shows the five key elements of ALPs. Easy to Present. Global View. Customer Success. Product Alignment. Reusable content.

Key Elements of ALPs

  • Easy-to-present building blocks supporting both implementations and sales engagements.
  • Global view of approaches and processes based on real-life experiences.
  • Preparation materials are used to decide on strategies, ensuring customer success.
  • Aligned with SAP HCM Suite Preconfigured Process Content, Implementation Design Principles (IDPs), SAP SuccessFactors Process Library, and Data Architecture approaches.
  • Reusable content in standard formats.

What to Expect in this Course

Each unit in the course will follow the same sequence, and you’ll learn about the following details for each Architecture Leading Practice (ALP):

  • Value Propositions
  • Process Flows
  • Processes and Data Interactions
  • Design Planning
This image shows the navigation sequence of the elements that will be explained in detail in each ALP

Each unit will cover value propositions, process flows, processes and data interactions, and design planning, to various degrees. Next, let’s define each of these terms.

Value Proposition

What is a Value Proposition?

An ALP-specific value proposition highlights the benefits to businesses, such as increased efficiency, better data insights, and improved customer experience. Each ALP has a unique value proposition that you can communicate to your clients.

Process Flow

What is a Process Flow?

SAP SuccessFactors solutions often come with predefined process flows that can be customized to fit specific business needs. A process flow refers to the sequential steps within a single process, outlining the order of activities from start to finish.

Process flows accomplish the following goals:

  • Represent the linear sequence of tasks within a single process
  • Focus on the internal steps and decision points within a process

Process and Data Interactions

What are Process and Data Interactions?

SAP systems are designed to ensure seamless interactions between different business processes and modules, facilitating smooth data flow and integration. Process interactions describe how different processes within a system communicate and influence each other, highlighting where data or information is exchanged.

There are key differences between process interactions and data interactions:

  • Process interaction - Looks at the relationships and exchanges between multiple processes; may involve communication between different modules or systems
  • Data interaction - Highlights the points where data is exchanged between processes

How to Read Process/Data Interaction Maps

Visualizing how different modules connect within ALPs can be challenging. Let’s walk through the basics of how to interpret these kinds of maps so that you’re better equipped as you progress in the course.

Steps

  1. Look at the different modules on the map.

    In the image below, you can see a variety of rectangles, each representing distinct modules.

    Example of a Process Interaction Map consisting of rectangles representing different modules

  2. Understand what each color means.

    As you will see in images throughout the course, the features are different colors: yellow, purple, blue, green, and orange. These colors each represent a different type of feature.

    Each module in a process interaction is assigned a color. Position data yellow, Platform data purple, Employee Central data navy blue, Skills/Attribute Library green, Application data orange.

  3. Notice the numbers on the map.

    These numbers call out specific kinds of processes that occur between modules.

    Numbers in the diagrams indicate an interaction between modules

  4. Consider the platform boundaries.

    A dotted line indicates the boundaries of the product platform.

    Process Interaction Numbers. Numbers in the diagrams indicate an interaction between modules

  5. Read the data interactions.

    You’ll see the data interactions labeled with pink lines and callout boxes. These callouts highlight the points where data is exchanged between processes.

    Pink lines in the diagrams call out data shared across modules

Result

You will be able to interpret Process/Data Interaction Maps.

Design Planning

What is Design Planning?

Design planning helps prepare you to set up your clients’ systems, workflows, and processes. Working with clients on Design Planning is a critical part of your role. This collaborative process involves detailed analysis and planning of system architecture, module selection, and customization to meet specific business requirements before implementation.

Your client's SAP SuccessFactors (SF) landscape can determine the complexity of the upcoming implementation.

If your client has zero SAP SuccessFactors footprint, then your ability to implement leading practices and establish and maintain a clean core are easier to accomplish.

If your client has an existing SAP SuccessFactors footprint and is implementing a new module or process, careful planning and analysis of the existing configurations, data, and integrations with other systems are required to assess the impacts of implementing a new module.

For each ALP, you will learn best practices and guidelines for this stage of an implementation project. Depending on the ALP, you will come across the terms Greenfield and Brownfield. The following are the implementation types we will discuss in detail:

  • Greenfield: A Greenfield implementation is an entirely new SAP SuccessFactors (SF) implementation integrated with or without Employee Central.
  • Brownfield: A Brownfield implementation is a scenario where the customer is implementing a new SF module while already live on an existing SF module.
  • Brownfield - Retrofit: A Brownfield - Retrofit implementation is a scenario where the customer has been live for many years on one or more SF modules and is now implementing Employee Central.

Resources, Assets and Principles

ALPs are aligned with Implementation Design Principles (IDPs), SAP SuccessFactors Process Library, and Data Architecture and fit into the SAP HCM Suite Preconfigured Process Content framework.

There are two primary resource categories you will use when working on implementation projects: SAP Professional Services and SAP SuccessFactors Product. This list includes deliverables and distribution channels that are useful during implementation projects.

SAP Professional Services

1. Architectural Leading Practices (ALP): Management-level overview on critical architecture topics conforming to guardrails and referencing IDPs for further details where applicable.

  • Use case: Provide an introduction to SAP SuccessFactors on the architectural level

  • Audience: Chief Architects, Project Leads, Program Manager, Customer Leadership (IT and HR)

  • Deliverables: PowerPoint slide decks

  • Further Details: Architecture Leading Practices (ALPs)

2. Process Library Leading Practices: HR processes and related Leading Practices supported by SAP SuccessFactors. Designed end-to-end across modules of the SAP SuccessFactors Suite. System-relevant steps and manual steps are depicted in process flows.

  • Use case: Provide insights into supported HR business processes
  • Audience: Consultants (partner), Designers (partner), Customer Process Experts (IT and HR)
  • Deliverables: Leading Practices, Process Diagrams, and Process Summaries
  • Further Details (*Authentication Required): Process Library

Note

*A Universal ID with a linked S-user ID is required for access. Click here for detailed instructions: Important SAP SuccessFactors Customer Login Instructions.

SAP SuccessFactors Product

1. SAP Best Practices: This provides a proven set of HR business process configuration that conforms to implementation design principles and process library. These resources are based on the experience and learnings from other customer implementation projects and allow for automated and modular deployment.

  • Use case: Implementation acceleration
  • Audience: Consultants and System Administrators (partners and customers)
  • Deliverables: Configuration Blocks via SAP Upgrade Center and Documentation (Technical Process Flows, Workbooks, Configuration Guides – getting started, Test Scripts, Interactive Process Simulations) 
  • Further Details: SAP Best Practices

2. Implementation Design Principles (IDP): Expert-level guidance beyond Implementation Handbooks on implementation design and strategy addressing how to leverage SAP SuccessFactors to fulfill customer requirements end-to-end while conforming to guardrails and product roadmap.

  • Use case: Provide detailed advice on how to leverage the product
  • Deliverables: Documents, PowerPoint slide decks (as a rare exception)
  • Audience: Architects, Designers, Developers, Consultants, Customer Experts (IT and HR)
  • Further Details: Implementation Design Principles (IDPs)

Summary

  • An Architecture Leading Practice (ALP) is a set of recommended configuration decisions and guidance on topics associated with an SAP SuccessFactors implementation.
  • In this course, you’ll enhance your knowledge and skills on SAP SuccessFactors HCM key processes and data interactions and learn real-world insights about how to navigate the architectural complexities involved in the implementation of multiple SAP SuccessFactors modules.
  • The course provides a detailed walkthrough of four ALPs: Develop to Grow, Recruit to Onboard, Manage Workforce, and Reward to Retain.

Learning

SAP FacebookSAP YoutubeSAP LinkedIn