Creating foundation object records during implementation
Objective
After completing this lesson, you will be able to Create Foundation Object records during implementation.
Foundation Object Overview
Foundation Objects
As mentioned in previous units, SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central has a fundamental corporate and employee data structure. Corporate data includes information about the company's organization, pay, and job structures.
The data is organized in different data tables or objects. Objects that hold company-specific data are called Foundation Objects. These must be built before any employee data can be added to the system. Employee Central comes with standard predelivered objects which can be customized to meet the customer requirements.
Complete the following interaction to learn the status of standard predelivered Foundation Objects.
Employee Central Structure and Foundation Objects
Employee Central Structure and Foundation Objects
Foundation Object structures are managed either in XML or MDF. Several FO's are in the corporate data model while others are managed without XML intervention in the Admin Center.
XML-based and MDF-based objects are managed using different tools.
Foundation Object Tools
Tools for Managing Foundation Objects
Use the interaction below to learn the tools used for XML and MDF-based foundation objects.
XML-Based Versus MDF-Based Objects
Configuration tasks such as relabeling fields and creating associations of Legacy Foundation Objects (XML-Based FO) remain in the Corporate Data Model. Record creation and management are done in the Manage Organization, Pay, and Job Structures tool.
The configuration of MDF-based corporate data (MDF-based Foundation Objects, also known as Generic Objects) is performed in the Configure Object Definitions and it's record management in Manage Data.
To manage foundation records through import, XML-based entities use Import Foundation Data while MDF-based objects use Import and Export Data.
Foundation Object Permissions
Foundation Object Permissions
You can control access to the Foundation Objects and Foundation Object records with these role-based permissions:
Manage Foundation Objects
Manage Foundation Object Types
MDF Foundation Objects
Foundation Records
Foundation Object Record
In the figure, Manage Data, you can see a Foundation Object Record. Ace Germany (ACE_DEU) is an example of a Legal Entity record.
Foundation Object Effective Dating
Like Employee Records, Foundation Objects are effectively dated. The start date for any record is the first date entered. For previous records, the end date is one day before the new record begins.
The system records the changes between updates using cross-outs. Most Foundation Objects are effective dated; on the screen, look for Effective as of.
Use the interaction to learn how changes are made to effective-dated foundation objects.
Propagation: Foundation Objects and Employee Files
As mentioned previously, corporate data MUST be created first before any employee data is added to the system, as it provides the underlying information for employee files.
Once the Foundation Objects are made, the information can be used to propagate the employee file.
For example, your company is hiring multiple employees with the same Job Classification. The HR admin selects the Job Classification: Engineer (ENG) during the new hire process. Propagation automatically populates subordinate fields like Job Title, Pay Grade, Regular/Temporary, and so on using information from the Foundation Object records. Rules are built for the system to know which employee field is auto-populated by which Foundation Object record. We call this process ‘propagation’. You will learn how to create propagation rules in a later unit.
Complete the interaction below to see how propagation works.
Standard, Custom and Country-Specific Fields
Standard, Custom, and Country-Specific Fields (CSF)
Each Foundation Object has standard fields and custom fields. In addition, several objects have country-specific fields, which allow you to collect locally-relevant data.
Field Types
Associations with Foundation Objects
Foundation Objects can also have relationships; known as associations. For example, the Location object is associated with the Legal Entity object. In the figure, Relationships: Associations, you can see that the San Mateo office belongs to the ACE_USA Legal Entity. When you change an employee’s company to ACE_USA, you can only see records in the Location field associated with the ACE_USA Legal Entity record.
You will learn how to configure associations in a later lesson.
Picklists are lists of values defined in the instance, which you can reference from any of your Corporate Data Models, Succession Data Models, or MDF Objects. Picklists can streamline data and make data entry more efficient. Picklists determine dropdown options available to the users. Some picklists are already specified in your instance; for example, the Job Level dropdown menu is populated from a list of job levels defined in the JobLevel picklist.
As an administrator, you manage picklists using the Picklist Center. To do that, you will need Picklist Management and Picklist Mappings Set Up permission in RBP.
Organization-Related FO
Standard Foundation Objects
Use the following interaction to learn the standard foundation objects delivered by SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central.
Organization-Related Data
Payment-Related FO
Payment-Related Data
Job-Related FO
Job Data provides repeatable job codes to assign employees and stores job-specific data like Full-Time and Standard Hours.
Job Classification
Job Classification stores all job codes and associated information for a company. It helps to identify and classify the employee's work. Common fields include the following: Supervisor Level, Job Level, Regular/Temporary, Full/Part Time, Employee Class, Job Title, and Pay Grade. You can also have country-specific fields for Job Classification.
Job Function
Several jobs can be sorted based on functional work performed. For example, the Job Classifications: Developer and Developer Manager belong to the Job Function: Engineering (ENG). By default, the Job Function does not display on the employee’s Job Information record; it is used strictly for reporting purposes.
Foundation Record Administration
Foundation Object Record Administration
Foundation Object Record Tools
Administrators can add, delete, and update records for any Foundation Object directly in the instance or by using the import tool.
To add, delete, and update records of objects in the Corporate Data Model, use the Manage Organization, Pay, and Job Structures tool. Import records with the Import Foundation Data tool.
Use the Manage Data tool to add, delete, and update records of objects in the Configure Object Definition.
XML-Based (Legacy) Foundation Object Records
MDF-Based Foundation Object Records
Manage Organization, Pay and Job Structures
Managed Data
Import Foundation Data
Import/Export Data
Record Administration of XML-Based Foundation Object
Once you have navigated to Manage Organization, Pay, and Job Structures, you can see the main administration page.
Complete the following interaction to see how the tool works.
Record Administration of MDF-Based Foundation Object
Once you navigate to Manage Data, you can see the main MDF administration page.
Complete the interaction below to know how the tool works.
Foundation Object Record Import Process
Importing Foundation Objects Records
Actions for managing a single record, like Creating, Editing, and Deleting, can be processed in bulk, whether you are administering bulk changes for XML- or MDF-based records. The import file must always match the object configuration; a template must always be downloaded before any import action.
Complete the two interactions below to see the difference in importing XML-based from MDF-based foundation records.
Importing XML-Based Foundation Objects Records
Importing MDF-Based Foundation Objects Records
Exercise: Create Foundation Object record data
Business Example
Ace Corporation is growing. They need to update their organizational structure to reflect their new Berlin office and their entry into the storage business. They have also decided to enter into the Storage business in the United States and add a new job classification and two pay ranges in line with this growth. You will add the new Storage Business Unit, Division, Department, and Location in the following tasks. You'll then import the Cost Centers. Finally, you'll create additional job and pay structures.
Note
You must have completed Prepare an Instance (Unit 1) and Prepare the Data Models (Unit 2) exercises before completing this hands-on. This exercise activity is not required for completing succeeding hands-on exercises for this course.
Task 1: Create Organization Foundation Object Records
In this task, you will add the new Storage Business Unit, Division, Department, and Location to update the organizational structure. Watch the video for a demo of how the records are created.
Steps
Go to Manage Data to create the Storage Business Unit using the details in the table.
Storage Business Unit
Field
Value
Start Date
1/1/1990
Business Unit Code
ACE_STOR
Business Unit Name
Storage
Status
Active
Go to Manage Data → Create New → Business Unit.
Add Storage Business Unit information to the record. Use the Storage Business Unit table for details.
Select Save.
Go to Manage Data to create the Storage and Housekeeping Division using the table for details.
Storage and Housekeeping Division
Field
Value
Effective Date
1/1/1990
Code
SH
Name
Storage and Housekeeping
Status
Active
Business Unit
Storage
Go to Manage Data → Create New → Division.
Add the new division according to the table.
Go to Manage Data to create the new Storage Engineering Department using the details in the table.
Storage Engineering Department
Field
Value
Effective Date
1/1/1990
Code
STOR_ENG
Name
Storage Engineering
Status
Active
Division
Storage and Housekeeping
Go to Manage Data → Create New → Department.
Add the new department according to the table.
Select Save.
Verify that the new department was saved by searching in Manage Data.
Go to Manage Organization, Pay and Job Structures to create the new Berlin location using the details in the table. Take note of the effective date. You won't be able to associate the location record with the legal entity if it's older than the legal entity record.
Berlin Location
Field
Value
Effective as of
1/1/1990
Code
DU_BER
Name
Berlin
Status
Active
Location Group
EMEA
Timezone
Europe/Berlin
Geozone
Europe, Middle East, and Africa
Legal Entity
Ace Germany
Business Address
Rosenthaler Strasse 30, Berlin, 10178, Germany
Go to Manage Organization, Pay and Job Structures → Create New → Location.
Use the table for details. Select Save.
Verify that the new location was saved by searching Manage Organization, Pay and Job Structures.
Task 2: Import Organization FO Records
Go to Import and Export Data to create new Cost Centers 50000-51303 using the details in the table. Just like any other import process, you'll need to download a CSV template and ensure the formatting is correct before uploading the file.
Cost Centers Data
externalCode
End Date
Name
effectiveStartDate
Description
effectiveStatus
parentCostCenter.externalCode
costcenterManager
Status
Parent Cost Center Code
Cost Center Manager
Code
Start Date
50000
Storage
1/1/1990
Storage
A
50001
Storage Executive Office
1/1/1990
Storage Executive Office
A
51100
Storage Sales
1/1/1990
Storage Sales
A
51200
Storage Product Dev
1/1/1990
Storage Product Dev
A
51300
Storage Customer Success
1/1/1990
Storage Customer Success
A
51301
Storage Support
1/1/1990
Storage Support
A
51302
Storage Consulting Services
1/1/1990
Storage Consulting Services
A
51303
Storage Implementation Services
1/1/1990
Storage Implementation Services
A
Navigate to Import and Export Data.
Choose Download Template from Action to Perform.
Select Cost Center as the Generic Object.
Select NO for Include Dependencies.
Select Download.
Note
You can use Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice to open the CSV file. Choose UTF-8 as character encoding and comma as the delimiter/ separator.
Transfer the information from Table 5: Cost Centers Data to the template and save the file locally. The order of the columns may not match your template. Use the headers to map which columns to transfer the data.
In Import and Export Data page, select Import Data in the Action to Perform.
Select the Cost Center as the Generic Object.
Browse for the file.
Use Unicode (UTF-8) as file encoding.
If necessary, choose the format that matches your locale.
Leave the rest of the import options to the default setting.
Select Validate.
In a separate tab, use action search to navigate to the Scheduled Job Manager . Check the validation results.
If there was no error, select Import in the Import and Export tool.
Note
If you set the administrator's e-mail account as your own, you will receive an e-mail notification for import jobs.
Task 3: Create Pay and Job Structure FO Records
Go to Manage Data to create the new Storage Hardware Engineer Job Classification using the details in the table.
Job Classification Data
Start Date
1/1/1990
Job Code
STHWEN
Job Title
Storage Hardware Engineer
Job Level
IC - NonManager
Regular/Temporary
Regular
Employee Class
Consultant
Is Full-time employee
Yes
Status
Active
Pay Grade
Salary Grade 16 (GR-16)
Log in to your instance.
Navigate to Manage Data.
Choose Create New → Job Classification.
Use the data in the table, Job Classification Data.
Select Save.
Verify that the new Job Classification was saved.
Go to Manage Organization, Pay and Job Structures to create Pay Ranges using the details in the table.
Pay Range Data
Pay Range ID
Name
Legal Entity
Minimum - Maximum Pay
Currency
Frequency
Pay Grade
US_ST_H D_ENG
Storage Hardware Engineer
ACE USA
85,000 - 95,000
USD
Annual
Salary Grade 16(GR-16)
DEU_ST_ HD_ENG
Storage Hardware Engineer
ACE Germany
75,000 - 95,000
EUR
Annual
Salary Grade 16(GR-16)
Go to Manage Organization, Pay and Job Structures.
Choose Create New → Pay Range. Enter the Effective as of 1/1/1990.
Use the data in the table, Pay Range Data.
Select Save → OK.
Verify that the new Pay Range was saved.
Repeat the steps to create the second pay range record.