Importing and Exporting Goal Libraries

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to discuss goal libraries and how to import and export a goal library in SAP SuccessFactors.

Goal Libraries in SAP SuccessFactors Goal Management

What is a Goal Library?

During implementation, an SAP SuccessFactors certified consultant may have imported a goal library for you. This goal library contains a list of goals the user can access to insert into their own goal plan or that of their direct reports, depending on permissions and business processes. It is possible to include any required fields in the goal library.

You may only associate a goal plan template with one goal library. However, the same goal library can be used in multiple goal plans. The same Goal Library can be uploaded in multiple languages and be available in the same Goal Plan. End users would be able to create a goal from the library in their own language.

Some of the key terms in a Goal Library are:

Term	Definition
GoalLibrary	The Goal Library is a list of predefined goals and the first entry in the Goal Library file. The GUID is the one that should be associated to the Goal Plan template (in the back end by an SAP Consultant) to be able to use this library. When adding goals to a goal plan, the user can select goals from the Goal Library.
Category	Categories and Sub-Categories for the Goal Library.
GoalLibraryEntry	Goals within the Goal Library. Typically, the GoalLibraryEntry includes Goal Name and Metric, but additional details can be included in the Goal Library file based on the Goal Plan field definitions (specific CSV templates can be downloaded to create a custom library to your needs).
GUID	It is the unique identifier for GoalLibrary, Category and GoalLibraryEntry. Each entry must have a unique GUID.
PARENT_GUID	The PARENT_GUID is the identifier used to define the Goal Library structure, like classifying goals into categories. It determines the relationship between the Goal Library Entries and the Categories and the relationship between Categories and Sub-Categories. In this context, a GoalLibraryEntry will have a PARENT_GUID with the value of the Category GUID to be placed.
ADD / UPDATE / DELETE	Actions available for the GoalLibrary, Category, GoalLibraryEntry, based on the desired outcome. Use ADD for new records, UPDATE when reimporting a Goal Library (all rows should be changed to UPDATE), and DELETE whenever a row and GUID will no longer be used by any record in the library.

Goal Library Import and Export

As an administrator, you can export a Goal Library, modify it as needed, and import it back into SAP SuccessFactors. You may also export (or download) an existing goal library template. This is useful if your organization has specific categories or goals for end users to add to the goal plan. Navigate to Import/Export Goal Library using Action Search.

The following actions are possible:

Download a Goal Library template (file containing only headers, no goals) and save as a CSV file.
Import a Goal Library by uploading a CSV file (5MB or less).
Export a Goal Library to a CSV file (file containing headers and existing library goals).
Create a custom Goal Library from a default header or a different template.

Note

Customers may create a new Goal Library. However, the new goal library must be associated with the goal plan template in the back end by an SAP SuccessFactors certified consultant. This KBA includes best practices, tips, and common errors when importing Goal Libraries:

2072678 - How to Import and Export Custom Goal Library and "Standard Goal Libraries" translations - Goal Management

In the following example, you can identify three different Goal Libraries, one of them available in four different languages (English US, English UK, German, and French):

This screenshot shows Import and Export Goals Library.

In the CSV file, an item can be updated, added, or deleted. From row 8, column A, we can use ADD, DELETE, or UPDATE.

Note

You could remove a Goal Library entirely, by using DELETE for all entries and importing the CSV file via Import/Export Goal Library.

To create the structure of the Goal Library, starting from row 8 (see example below), column B will accept any of these entries: GoalLibrary, Category, or GoalLibraryEntry.

This screenshot shows a CSV file in which roe 8 onwards, column B will accept the entries of GoalLibrary, Category and GoalLibraryEntry.

Recommended Goal Library Configuration

Here's a recommended goal library configuration according to our best practice research:

10 to 15 Categories.
No more than 4 sub-categories under each category.
10 to 15 goals under each sub-category.
No more than 1000 goals in total for each Goal Library.

Export the SAP SuccessFactors Goal Library in the Default Language

Business Example

In this exercise, you will export the current goal library.

ExerciseStart Exercise

Steps

Use the Action Search to navigate to Import/Export Goal Library.
In the Export Goal Library to a CSV file section, select the SAP SuccessFactors Goal Library checkbox and deselect the checkboxes for all languages except English US.
Choose Export.
Save the file to your desktop.
Open the file using Microsoft Excel or another spreadsheet application.
Review the goal library and the structure of the file.
Can you identify the larger goal categories (e.g., Administration, Customer Service, and IT) and the individual goals?
Close the file.

Modify a Custom Goal Library in the Default Language

Business Example

In this exercise, you will modify an existing custom goal library.

ExerciseStart Exercise

Steps

Use the Action Search to navigate to the Import/Export Goal Library.
In the Export Goal Library to a CSV file section, select 2019 Goal Plan Library for KTE Associates and select the English US checkbox.
Choose Export.
Save the file to your desktop.
Open the file using a CSV Editor of your choice.
In cells A8 to A20, change ADD to UPDATE.
Caution
When re-importing a Goal Library, any existing goals cannot be added again, so we have to change the action to UPDATE. ADD is only used for the new Goals / Categories in the file.
Alternatively, remove rows 8 to 20 from the CSV file. Existing goals in the goal library will not be deleted.
In the following steps that you will see on the table, it is assumed that rows are NOT deleted and you will start adding goals from row 21. Otherwise, start from row 8.

Make the following changes according to the table below:

CELL	HEADER	VALUE
A21	TYPE	ADD
B21	ENTRY_TYPE	Category
C21	GUID	50005
D21	PARENT GUID	50001
E21	LOCALE	en_US
F21	ENTRY_NAME	Other
A22	TYPE	ADD
B22	ENTRY_TYPE	GoalLibraryEntry
C22	GUID	50042
D22	PARENT_GUID	50005
E22	LOCALE	en_US
F22	ENTRY_NAME name	Document code and write API documentation
G22	ENTRY_NAME metric	Documented code and API

Save the CSV file as a new version (for example, add _v1 at the end of the file name).
Navigate back to Import/Export Goals Library in your instance.
Under Import Goal Library by uploading a CSV file, select Import.
In Choose File, select your CSV file.
In the File Encoding field, leave the default value: Unicode (UTF-8).
Choose Upload. You should get a confirmation that the import was successful. Otherwise, check again your CSV file, make any required changes and try to import again.
The Goal Library you updated is mapped to the 2019 Goal Plan Library for KTE Associates you converted in a previous exercise. Navigate to Goals from the Home menu or selecting Manage My Goals in the Home Page.
Select 2019 Goal Plan Library for KTE Associates from the dropdown list of templates.
Choose Create Goal→Create from Library.
Verify that a new category, Other, and a new Goal, Document code and write API documentation, are available.

Summary

A goal library contains a list of goals users can access to insert into their own goal plan or that of their direct reports, depending on permissions and business processes.
Administrators may download a Goal Library template, import a Goal Library, export a Goal Library, and create a custom Goal Library.

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