Objective
This section provides an overview of the nomination process and the tools available in the SAP SuccessFactors Succession module. This information will aid you in making decisions for your Succession Planning implementation.
The Succession module contains:
The Succession Org Chart (SOC) v12 is a tool used to create and manage staffing plans for critical positions in an organization. It’s a hierarchical view of the reporting relationships of people and positions in your organization, and the primary interface for managing succession plans from the perspective of your organization.
The primary navigation of the Succession Org Chart (SOC) v12 is intuitive and user-friendly, and the SOC v12 is rich with information, terms, gradients, Fiori-style icons, and display options you can modify. There are various configuration decisions to adapt the SOC for your company's needs; discuss these with your consultant during implementation.
You will find the options controlling the look and feel of the SOC v12 view in the Admin Center.
Other options are available under Org Chart Configuration, which you can navigate to using the Action Search.
Within Succession and the Succession Org Chart, be very aware of whom you are logged in or for whom you proxy; your entire perspective and viewing experience may vary based on permissions.
The Succession Org Chart (SOC) has several important functions to consider when preparing for implementation.
Planners may nominate successors to positions by selecting the position and choosing Add Successor or changing the readiness level of existing successors.
From the SOC, you can also look up details about an employee or a position (Show and Edit Position), View Lineage Chart, or designate Key Positions. You can also create a job requisition and nominate external employees when utilizing Recruitment Management.
The Search Options will allow you to open the SOC by looking for the incumbent or position (with MDF nominations). You can also select a user you recently viewed or one you view frequently.
You can use the position name or code when you search by positions.
With the Eye icon (Display Options), users can select which data is shown in the SOC v12.
Users can keep the panel open for reference and as a legend and move it anywhere on the screen. It can be closed by clicking the X icon on the top right.
If configured in the back end, icons for talent review fields can be displayed for incumbents and successors. If we check the corresponding talent review fields in the Display Options, the flags will be displayed for incumbents and successors. If the checkbox is not selected, the icon will display neither for the incumbent nor the successors. Employees will also need data for these fields in the profile.
There is an option to view and export the full succession plan for an entire team, including successors' talent flags and readiness levels, by selecting the associated settings in the Display Options. You can show up to 12 successors directly on the Succession Org Chart without opening the Position Card.
Succession Planners can hide the successor's and incumbent’s talent flags on a node on the Succession Org Chart v12. This facilitates online conversations about a team’s succession plans with the manager of that team.
To use the Key (Critical) Position functionality in the Succession Org Chart, many configurations must be made during your project, and you must identify the key positions.
Then, users choose the highlight key positions under Display Options→Others. If this functionality is set, the non-critical positions are shown as greyed out, and key positions remain visible and are highlighted in the SOC.
HR users often need to maintain the Key Position attribute but are not allowed or do not need to edit any other attributes of the position.
The Key Position attribute is just one field in the overall Edit Position dialog. It is also available as a separate edit feature within the Header section of the Position Card, which is visible in both the SOC and the Position Tile view. It is a drop-down list similar to the readiness level that can be changed from the position card.
The Key Position attribute in the Position Card is available for the MDF and the Legacy Position. It applies to Boolean yes/no criticality and multiple criticality levels.
Critical positions are visualized in the user interfaces of Succession Planning in the following ways.
A position has criticality = Yes in Boolean mode.
A position has a criticality value, which is different than 0 in the case of scale mode.
The key is then visible in the Succession Org Chart, the Position Tile, and the Edit dialogs for Positions.
The criticality can also be changed from the Position Card header without the need to edit the Position.
You can add a successor from the Succession Position Card, either from the Named Successors view or the Talent Pool view.
From the Named Successors view, a search helps you select the person to add, or if Career Development Planning is enabled, you can select from Suggested Successors. You can easily select which Talent Pool members to add from the Talent Pool view.
Using the Advanced Search option from the Named Successors view, you can leverage Talent Search v2 options to find successors matching particular criteria.
You can add external candidates from the Recruiting Management module as successors through the SOC. You can also create new external candidates directly within the position card nomination dialog. Succession planners do not need to access the Recruiting tool to create candidates upfront.
The Bench Strength indicator provides a quick visual cue to succession planners of the overall state of the Succession Org Chart. It allows you to spot those positions most at risk due to low successor readiness or bench strength.
The system calculates the bench strength for each position based on the highest readiness level among all the successors nominated.
For example, if the highest readiness value is Ready Now and then 1-2 Years, when a position has a successor who is ready in 1-2 years, and no successors have Ready Now, the bench strength will be 1-2 years.
When configured correctly, the bench strength will be available in the Display Options and visible directly in the Succession Org Chart with a color code.
The Bench Strength is also visible in the Position Dialog Card.
Related to Bench Strength is the Emergency Cover option, which can be enabled under Nominations Setup. This allows you to designate a successor nominee as an Emergency Cover for the position. If you're using an Emergency Cover, you would want your highest Readiness Level to be Ready Now and not use an Emergency Replacement type of readiness level. But remember that readiness levels are entirely customizable to be labeled according to the organization's needs.
Once at least one successor is added to a position, if AI Units have been purchased you can run AI-Assisted Successor Insights. Select View Insights from the header of the Position Card to get insights organized into the following sections:
The Position Tile View complements the Succession Org Chart by providing a new list-based view of positions for succession planning. It allows succession planners to manage succession plans without navigating an organizational hierarchy, and it's easy to apply filters to focus on certain positions.
Each Position Tile provides a quick view of the succession plan status for that position.
There is also support for translatable fields in search criteria. Planners can quickly get an overall summary of their succession planning process with multiple tiles in the view.
Talent Pools are visible on Position Tiles, and the key icon indicates the position is critical.
The MDF Position nomination method is one of the prerequisites to use the Position Tile View.