Defining Competency Libraries, Competency Attributes and Performance Details

Competencies reside within competency libraries. The customer can choose to use one of the SAP SuccessFactors standard competency libraries or purchase a separate competency library from a third-party, such as Lominger. It is recommended that you save edited competencies to the customer library. 

The SAP SuccessFactors competency libraries contain highly researched and behaviorally focused competencies. They also contain Writing Assistant statements, Coaching Advice comments, and behavioral statements designed to support various modules. Customers can modify competency libraries at any time, or they can build custom libraries directly in SAP SuccessFactors.

There can be several competency libraries in each company instance.

Competencies are used and displayed in:

• Performance Forms
• 360 Review Forms
• Development Plans
• Career Worksheets
• SAP SuccessFactors Succession and Reports

A competency consists of a name and a description. The description further clarifies the competency name. You can edit the description and tailor it to the organization’s needs. 

Each competency is created in a competency category with an ID and GUID.

Competencies can also have additional components such as performance details.

A competency is an entity that consists of several attributes. These attributes define each competency. Besides the name and the unique identifier there are more attributes that can be defined on a competency level.

• Locale: This dropdown menu specifies the language in which the competency is written.

  For instances where more than one language is used, each language has its own competency within the appropriate locale.

  When you create forms, the system automatically pulls the competencies in the user’s language (as specified in the User Data File).

• Category: You can select existing categories or create new ones.

  You must place each competency within a category. Use the category tag to organize the competency library as well as filter competency sections on forms.

  We recommend that you use more than one competency category.

  Competency categories display as separate headings.

• GUID: The Global Unique Identifier (GUID) is the identifying number that ties all competency versions within the competency library. You can edit competencies in each applicable language.

  For example, your customer is located in Canada, so each competency must exist in both US English (en_us) and French Canadian (fr_ca). The admin has created competencies for Customer Focus in each language:

  Locale=en_us Customer Focus GUID: 7 ID: 7–Eng

  Locale=fr_ca L’orientation client GUID: 7 ID: 7–Fr

  Note that the ID is slightly different, but the GUID is the same for each version. As a result, the French language version is pulled into the performance forms of French-speaking employees, and the English language version is pulled into the performance forms of English-speaking employees.

• Status: Each competency can have a status of Editable, Read-Only, or Hidden, which you choose when you create the competency. A Read-only status defines that you can read a competency but you cannot edit a competency. An Editable status defines that you can edit the competency. A Hidden status prevents the competency from being seen in a form. You can update the status at any time.

• Core: Selecting Yes designates the competency as a "core" competency. If desired, you can configure the performance form template so that core competencies are dynamically pulled into the performance form (upon creation) for each employee.

Performance details are short but specific statements that describe actions, attitudes, or skills that demonstrate proficiency in the competency at a specific performance level. You can organize performance details into multiple performance levels, such as "Meets Expectations", "Exceeds Expectations", or "Needs Improvement".

Performance details can be used with competencies and competency behaviors and work the same way with both.

The term performance details is only visible to the admin. Modifying performance details customizes Writing Assistant and Coaching Advisor text. When creating a new competency, you can create new performance details for that competency.

To show that an employee meets the Customer Focus competency, the admin may create the following performance details:

• Follows through with customers

• Gets customer feedback

When an employee exhibits these actions and attitudes, the employee has met the definition of the Customer Focus competency. If an employee does not meet the Customer Focus competency, the admin may create the following performance details:

• Appears unresponsive to customers

• Does not understand customer perspective