Managing Basic User Data

The General Display Name ensures the consistent display of employee name across SAP SuccessFactors HCM suite. From 1H 2025 Release, this feature is enabled automatically for all customers. If no name format was defined already, the field is pre-populated with full name (combination of first name, middle name and last name).

A standard element displayName is used to store the General Display Name. This element is always readable and cannot be configured or modified in Succession Data Model or Manage Business Configuration. To make sure that employees' names are shown in a format that suits your company's need, you can follow the below steps to define and configure the specific name format.

Some of the areas that support the General Display Name are:

• Platform (User Search, Employee Profile, Home Page, Manage Documents, MDF, Manage Documents).
• Performance & Goals
• 360 Reviews
• Reporting and Analytics
• Career Development Planning
• Employee Central (Hire, Pending Hires, Workflows, Position Management, Business Configuration)
• Learning
• Onboarding
• Recruiting
• Time Tracking

Customers without Employee Central can maintain the Display Name from the User Data File.

Configuring General Display Name with Employee Central

For customers with Employee Central enabled, the display names can be defined in Manage Data or imported from Import and Export Data tool. The following are the pre-existing Name Formats available in the SAP Software Download Center:

Name Format Code	Name Format Description
05	First Name, Last Name
06	First Name, Middle Name, Last Name
07	Last Name, First Name
08	Last Name, First Name, Middle Name
10	First Name, Last Name, Second Last Name
11	First Name, Middle Name, Last Name, Second Last Name
20	Initials, Name Prefix, Birth Name
21	Initials, Partner Name Prefix, Partner Name, Name Prefix, Birth Name
22	Initials, Partner Name Prefix, Partner Name
23	Initials, Name Prefix, Birth Name, Partner Name Prefix, Partner Name
30	Initials, First Name, Last Name
40	First Name, Middle Name, Third Name, Last Name

These name formats can be maintained from Manage Data tool, and new ones can be created to the customer's needs.

A specific name format can be assigned at the Legal Entity. If the employee is hired to this legal entity in particular, the name format shows as per this configuration.

Additionally, a field Chosen Name Format within the configuration of the People Profile can be used to assign a standard name format across the organization.

Hint

For more information about Implementing Name Formats in Employee Central, you can check the following documentation (requires to log in to SAP Help Portal). Implementing Name Formats

Pronouns like "she/her/her" are more and more used as designations in emails and profiles. As part of the Diversity and Inclusion Features in SAP SuccessFactors, pronouns can be defined and maintained, and users can select and display them in People Profile.

The steps to configure are as follows:

1. Create a new picklist with the code PersonPronouns. You can add the picklist values using this example:
   • H: He/Him
   • S: She/Her
   • T: They/Them
   • O: Ask me about my pronouns.
   
2. Enable the standard-element pronouns in Manage Business Configuration, and assign the Picklist PersonPronouns You can also define the label of your choice.
3. Grant View/Edit permissions to employees to maintain this field on RBP. You will locate the field under User Permissions→Employee Data→pronouns.
   Note

   Only employees can maintained their own pronouns, no one else.
4. In Configure People Profile, navigate to General Settings and select the option Allow employees to maintain their pronouns

Some of the key takeaways of this lesson are:

• The General Display Name ensures consistent display of employee name across the SAP SuccessFactors HCM Suite.
• Some of the areas that support the General Display Name are the User Search, Performance and Goals, Hire or Workflows in Employee Central.
• The enablement of Pronouns is part of the diversity and inclusion features in SAP SuccessFactors, which is controlled by the picklist PersonPronouns. Only the employees can maintain their own pronouns.