Modifying legacy and MDF foundation object definitions

Corporate data model

The Corporate Data Model enables you to define labels for the XML-based Foundation Objects and fields and configure which are visible and required. You can also use custom fields, customize the associations, and assign business rules when necessary. The Corporate Data Model can be imported and exported from Provisioning or the Import/Export Corporate Data Model in the Admin Center.

You can change the attributes and labels and add custom fields to the Corporate Data Model to meet specific customer requirements.

Deconstructing the Corporate Data Model

Metadata Framework (MDF) objects

In the figure, MDF, you can see the structure of the Legal Entity object and a sample of the legal entity data. The Configure Object Definition is where you can customize the object structure. The Details section is where you can further configure other attributes such as labels, visibility, etc.

Looking at Manage Data on the right, you can see how these fields are reflected.

You can better meet customer requirements by changing the attributes and labels and adding custom fields to MDF-based objects in Configure Object Definitions. This is the same you customize objects in the Corporate Data Model for XML-based objects.

Exercise: Customize Foundation Objects

Business Example

ACE Corp wants to ensure that organizational changes align with its corporate data structure. You'll be creating new fields and labels to reflect ACE’s new requirements.

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.

Watch the video for a demo of how to make changes to the Foundation Objects.

Steps

Export the Corporate Data Model to change the label of Standard Hours field in the Location Object to Standard Weekly Hours.
1. Navigate to Import/Export Corporate Data Model.
  Export the Corporate data model. Save the file in the folder containing the DTD files from the Course Files.
2. Open the Corporate Data Model using an XML Editor.
3. (Optional) If you are using an XML editor that validates versus a DTD, verify that line 4 is "corporate-datamodel.dtd">
4. Go to <hris-element id="location">
5. Go to <hris-field id="standardHours"
6. Replace the label with Standard Weekly Hours.
  (Optional) If you are using an XML editor that validates versus a DTD, run validation and verify the changes validate properly.
7. Save the data model.
8. Go to Import/Export Corporate Data Model to upload the data model.
9. Go to Manage Organization, Pay and Job Structures → Create New → Location to see if the label has changed.

Go to the Picklist Center (alternatively, you can use Import and Export Data) to create new picklists for your MDF Foundation Objects. Use the details in the tables, Scope Picklist and Region Picklist. Just like any field, object, and record identifiers in SAP SuccessFactors, take note of the codes and external codes you'll use, as they are case and space-sensitive. If you choose to import the data, have the legacy picklist ID the same as the code.

Scope Picklist

Fields	Value
Code	SCOPE
parentPicklist	No Selection
Display Order	No Selection
Name	Scope
Status	Active
Effective Start Date	01/01/1990
Picklist Values
External Code	global
parentPickListValue	No
Selection Label	Global
Status	Active
External Code	local
parentPickListValue	No
Selection Label	Local
Status	Active

Region Picklist

Field	Value
Code	REGION
parentPicklist	No Selection
Display Order	No Selection
Name	Region
Status	Active
Effective Start Date	01/01/1990
Picklist Values
External Code	AMER
parentPickListValue	No Selection
Selection Label	Americas
Status	Active
External Code	EMEA
parentPickListValue	No Selection
Label	Europe, Middle East and Africa
Status	Active
External Code	APAC
parentPickListValue	No Selection
Label	Asia and Pacific
Status	Active

Navigate to Picklist Center.
Choose Create a Picklist (+).
Fill in the information provided in the tables Scope Picklist and Region Picklist. Ensure that you change your Effective Start Dates to the ones shown.

Go to Import and Export Data (alternatively, use the Picklist Center) to create additional picklist for your MDF Foundation Objects, using the table for details.

Aggregate Function Picklist

Field	Value
Code	AGGREG
Legacy Picklist ID	AGGREG
Name	Aggregate Function
Display Order	ALPHA
Status	A
Effective Start Date	01/01/1990
Picklist Values
External Code	Default Label
MKT	Marketing
SAL	Sales
SCM	SCM
ENG	Engineering
IND	Industries
CORP	Corporate
ACC	Accounting
PF	Public Finances
PROC	Processes
APP	Applications
PS	Professional Services
TS	Training Services
SUP	Support

Go to Import and Export Data → Download Template.
In Select Generic Object, choose Picklist. Do not change any of the default settings.
Select Download. A zip file is downloaded, containing import properties text file, import_sequence csv, Picklist csv and Picklist-Values csv files. Extract the files to your local drive. Review the files:
- The import properties describe the different import settings
- The import sequence describes the import order
Open the Picklist csv file. Transfer the data from the Aggregate Function Picklist table to the Picklist.csv file. Make sure only to include the Picklist information. Save to a local drive.
Open the Picklist-Values csv file. Transfer the data from the table to the Picklist-Values file. Do not forget to include the Picklist Code (ID). Default Label and Label in US English are the same. Ignore other translations. Save to local drive.
Go to Import and Export Data → Import Data.
In Select Generic Object, choose Picklist. Choose the Picklist.csv file from the local drive. Choose 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. Go toScheduled Job Manager to check the status. Continue with import when the validation is successful.
In Select Generic Object, choose Picklist-Values. Choose the Picklist-Values.csv file from the local drive. Choose Unicode (UTF-8) as File encoding. If necessary, select the format that matches your locale. Other settings can be left as default.
Select Validate. Go to Scheduled Job Manager to check the status. Continue with import when validation is successful.

Go to the Configure Object Definition to update the Job Classification object. Use the image for details. Replace the original entry with the highlighted values. Leave the other property as is.
1. Navigate to Configure Object Definition.
2. Choose Search → Object Definition → Job Classification.
3. Choose Take Action → Make Correction.
4. Update the Job Classification Object Definition based on the requirements highlighted in gold in the figure, Job Classification.
5. Choose Save to save the object.
  Only make the requested changes, highlighted in gold. The other fields in the object definition should be left alone.
Go to the Configure Object Definition to update the Legal Entity object. Use the image for details. Replace the original entry with the highlighted values. New fields are created as custom fields. Leave the other property as is.
1. Go to Configure Object Definition.
2. Choose Search → Object Definition → Legal Entity.
3. Choose Take Action → Make Correction.
4. Update the Legal Entity Object Definition based on the requirements highlighted in gold in the figure, Legal Entity Data.
5. Choose Save to save the object.
  Only make the requested changes, highlighted in gold. Leave the other fields in the object definition as they are.
Go to the Configure Object Definition to update the Business Unit object. Use the image for details. Replace the original entry with the highlighted values. New fields are created as custom fields. Leave the other property as is.
1. Go to Configure Object Definition.
2. Choose Search → Object Definition → Business Unit.
3. Choose Take Action → Make Correction.
4. Update the Business Unit Object Definition based on the requirements highlighted in gold in figure, Business Unit Data.
5. Choose Save to save the object.
Go to the Configure Object Definition to update the Division object. Use the image for details. Replace the original entry with the highlighted values. New fields are created as custom fields. Leave the other property as is.
1. Go to Configure Object Definition.
2. Choose Search → Object Definition → Division.
3. Choose Take Action → Make Correction.
4. Update the Division Object Definition based on the requirements highlighted in gold in the figure, Division Data.
5. Choose Save to save the object.
Go to the Configure Object Definition to update the label of Pay Calendar Foundation Object to Payroll Calendar.
1. Go to Configure Object Definition.
2. Choose Search → Object Definition → Pay Calendar.
3. Choose Take Action → Make Correction.
4. Change Label from Pay Calendar to Payroll Calendar.
5. Select Save.
Go to Manage Data to verify the changes by selecting existing records or mock create records for Job Classification, Company, Business Unit, and Division.
1. Navigate to Manage Data.
2. Select Create New → Job Classification, Company, Business Unit, Division to verify that the Foundation Objects meet the customer requirements in the images, Job Classification data, Legal Entity Data, Business Unit Data, and Division Data.