Using the Manage Business Configuration tool for SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Core

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to use the Manage Business Configuration tool for SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Core.

Employee Central Structure and Employee Data

A diagram shows the HR Object. The text provides more information.

As you learned earlier, SAP SuccessFactors has a fundamental corporate and HR data structure. HR Objects store employee-specific information, both personal and employment information. Like foundation data, HR information is organized in different data tables or objects.

The standard predelivered HR objects are found in the Succession Data Model (SDM). SAP SuccessFactors also provides a standard Country-Specific Succession Data Model (CSF-SDM) to organize locally relevant employee information.

As an administrator with proper permissions, you don't need the XML data models to configure the data structure. The Business Configuration UI allows you to manage the structure of the HR objects without XML intervention.

Manage Business Configuration Tool

The Manage Business Configuration tool also known as Business Configuration UI (BCUI) enables consultants and administrators alike to update the Succession Data Model and Country-Specific Succession Data Model without XML intervention.

As an admin, you can use BCUI to update the Succession Data Model, Country/Region-Specific Succession Data Model, Person Type Elements, HRIS Sync Mapping, Employee Profile configurations and Filters by performing tasks like:

  • Relabel HR objects and fields
  • Add or change translations
  • Add standard and custom fields
  • Set field properties
  • Assign business rules

Changes made through Business Configuration UI synchronize to Succession and Country-Specific Succession Data Models. In the same manner, changes made to the data models are reflected in BCUI after uploading the data models back to the system.

Getting Started with BCUI

The Succession and Country-Specific Succession Data Models must be uploaded initially during implementation before the BCUI can be used.

The following permissions are required to use the Manage Business Configuration tool:

  • Manage Business Configuration
  • Metadata Framework

Navigating the BCUI

The Business Configuration UI has several sections. For managing HR data structure, most of the configurations will likely be in the Employee Central→HRIS Elements section. Refer to the image below and its description to know more about each section:

A screenshot of the Business Configuration UI with section numbered 1-9 to correspond to the numbered points in the text
  1. Employee Central: Here, you’ll find the HRIS elements and country-specific elements included in the Data Models. HRIS elements are reflected as blocks in People Profile.
  2. Employee Profile: Here, you’ll find standard elements and userInfo elements that are used for the talent modules.
  3. Filters: Here, you can create a dynamic group filter that can be used as criteria for creation permission groups.
  4. Take Action: This is where you can initiate the edit mode.
  5. Set the Label and Default label of the HRIS element.
  6. Enable or disable the element.
  7. Set the field label.
  8. Enable/disable or set other field properties.
  9. Assign business rules to the element.

The Employee Central section displays all standard person and employment data structure.

The system has built-in validations and warns users when certain actions are not allowed. You can also use the Check Tool to validate and identify configuration issues in BCUI and take corrective action.

BCUI doesn’t have an undo feature. Changes made via Business Configuration UI update the Succession and Country-Specific Succession Data Model. At the same time, importing the data models triggers the Synchronize Business Configuration job.

As an administrator, you can manage and monitor the Synchronize Business Configuration job using the Scheduled Job Manager in the Admin Center.

For more information related to Business Configuration, please check out the related Implementing and Managing Business Configuration guide in the SAP Help Portal: http://help.sap.com/cloud4hr

HRIS Sync Mappings

A screenshot of the HRIS Sync Mappings section

Several SAP SuccessFactors applications utilize User Data Tables from the Employee Profile section instead of the HRIS Elements of Employee Central. As Employee Central is the core HR system of record for SAP SuccessFactors, it is vital to ensure employee data used by other talent solutions are accurate and consistent with the data stored in Employee Central.

Human Resource Information System (HRIS) Sync is the data synchronization from Employee Central to User Data Tables. HRIS Sync is a one-way (unidirectional) sync of EC data to populate the talent data to support the other modules of SAP SuccessFactors. Several HRIS fields are, by design, hard-coded to synchronize to standard user data fields.

Using the BCUI, you can define additional HRIS Sync mappings for standard elements, user info elements, and user info record key elements. With these mappings, you can establish a relationship between these elements and HRIS fields. You can define mappings for both standard and custom HRIS fields.

The HRIS Sync Mappings section in Business Configuration UI allows you to add/edit and delete field mappings. Any changes made to this section will reflect in the HRIS field mapping at the element level.

To learn more about HRIS Sync Mappings, visit the Configure Employee Central Core course.

Dynamic Group Filters (DG-Filter)

Business Configuration UI allows you to add new filters that can be used when defining permission groups. The Dynamic Group Filter (DG-Filter) in BCUI makes it a lot easier when you want to add Employee Central fields to the standard criteria used for creating permission groups.

Here are the high-level steps for adding a DG-filter:

  1. Go to Filters→Dynamic Group Filters→DG Filters.
  2. Select Details.
  3. Select the HRIS element that you would like to reference.
  4. Select Details and the HRIS field that you want to use as a category. Make sure the HRIS field is enabled and visible.
  5. Select Save. You may need to log out and log back in before the field is visible as a category in Manage Permission Groups.

Summary

Here are the key takeaways from this lesson:

  • HR objects and data models: Employee data is stored in HR objects within Succession and Country-Specific Succession Data Models.
  • BCUI purpose: Manage Business Configuration updates HR structures, fields, translations, properties, and rules without XML.
  • Setup and access: Data models must be uploaded first; permissions required are Manage Business Configuration and Metadata Framework.
  • Key BCUI behaviors: Built-in validations and Check Tool; no undo; changes trigger synchronization job managed in Scheduled Job Manager.
  • Integrations and security: Configure HRIS Sync mappings for consistent talent data; create Dynamic Group Filters for permission group criteria.
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