Maintaining Position Data

Objectives

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
  • Maintain position data
  • Sync MDF Positions
  • Update Position Attributes
  • Import MDF position data

Maintaining Position Data

An important aspect of the Position-based models is that you must keep the Position data updated, so that the Succession Org Chart displays current information, and you can effectively create succession plans for your company.

Administrators have two options for creating and maintaining the position model:

  • Generating it from employee data, which is done via the Sync Position Model with Employee Data feature.
  • Importing it from an external source, which is done via the Import Positions feature.

Note

It is recommended that administrators pick one and only one of these methods for managing the position hierarchy.

Combining imports with sync operations can result in duplicating position data and/or overwriting good data with bad. Note that you must populate the position model with one of these two methods before using the Succession Org Chart, otherwise you get an error. Also, note that if you don't update the position model regularly, you may see inactive incumbents, wrong reporting relationships, and not be able to find new employees in the Succession Org Chart.

Note

If you're using Employee Central to manage your positions, then you should only use MDF position-based nominations. In this situation, the same position object is shared between Employee Central and Succession. Therefore, you manage positions in Employee Central and the Succession Org Chart uses this data for succession planning.

Option 1: Sync Position Model with Employee Data

This option is intended for customers that do not already have a master source for position data. The sync function can be used to "seed" the position hierarchy based on the employee data. You can run it once employee records are loaded and it creates a matching position for each employee. Then, after creating the position model for the first time, you should set up a process to run it regularly to update the Position Model based on changes made to employee data.

The position sync can be used for either Legacy Positions or MDF Positions, but the behavior of the Sync is a bit different for Legacy and MDF Positions.

Option 2: Import Position Data

This option is intended for customers already managing positions in their HRIS or other principal system, or customers who have purchased succession planning licenses for a smaller population than the number of total employees they are loading.

You can import any MDF object, including custom fields and effective-dated versions of the records (either past dated or future dated) using the Import Data tool.

Employee Central customers wishing to seed or update position data must use this option.

Syncing MDF Positions

If you do not maintain positions in your HRIS but you want to use position-based succession planning, you can use Position Sync to manage positions in Succession based on your HRIS employee data. You can use the Position Sync tool to create and update a position model reflecting your employee hierarchy.

To access the tool, go to Admin Center → Succession → Position management: Sync Position Model with Employee Data. Make sure that True Position Hierarchy is enabled in Provisioning.

MDF position sync is an option that allows you to plan succession based on positions rather than on role-person even if you don't maintain position information in your HRIS. The sync takes the information from the people import of your HRIS and replicates the reporting hierarchies as position hierarchies that you can use for succession planning.

The position sync has three basic triggers that are processed sequentially during every sync:

  1. An employee leaves the company (is deactivated).
  2. An employee joins the company (is activated).
  3. An employee's manager changes.

All of these conditions may occur during a single organizational event, such as a reorganization. For details about how the Position Sync handles each of the three scenarios above, refer to the MDF Position Sync help documentation on help.sap.com.

None of the position updates made by the sync are new effective dated records but are instead updates to the existing records. In other words, a new record isn't inserted by the sync for updates, but rather the current record is updated.

To use the sync, users must have "Sync Position Model" permission, which is available under the Admin permission "Manage Succession" in RBP. The permissioned user can then see "Position management: Sync Position Model with Employee Data" under Admin Center → Succession.

To ensure optimal sync results, consider the following recommendations:

  • Employees should report either to an active manager or to a "placeholder" manager while importing employee files.
  • If you have configured additional fields that aren't automatically updated by the sync, ensure that those fields aren't marked as required.
  • If you store position titles in language locale en_US, don't disable en_US locale by use of defaultValue for translation in the MDF model.

    Note

    The system compares the position incumbent’s title (employee-based) and the position title (position-based) to determine whether the titles match based on the defined conditions.
  • If you store position titles in languages other than en_US, select which languages to sync before running the sync to avoid results like empty position titles.

    Note

    If you select only one language, the other languages aren't affected.

  • For customers who are Succession Planning for only a small number of positions, the MDF Position administration UI is recommended to manually manage positions instead of the sync.
Sync Position Model with Employee Data on the Admin Center page.

Once the sync is performed, your Succession Org Chart should be populated with positions.

The chart displays initial employee import and position sync results.

Updating Position Attributes

When a customer is using MDF Positions, but does not have EC Position Management, it's common that the Position object will only contain basic information, such as Position Title, Incumbent, and Criticality. However, some customers must configure their RBP based on information that is only available in the User entity (USERINFO_SYS), such as Department, Division, Location, and others. This feature allows you to map this type of information from the User entity to custom fields in the Position object, so that you can configure the target population of your Permission Roles meeting your business requirements.

This is especially helpful for managing vacant positions since you can only grant permissions to add/view successors to vacant positions by granting Position object permissions. Having certain position attributes filled from fields in the incumbent user's employee profile helps you control access permissions for positions that become vacant. If an MDF position becomes vacant, that is if the 'incumbent' field is empty, the last incumbent user's data is retained at the MDF position. As a result, this vacant position remains accessible to logged-in users whose permissions allow them to see and edit positions maintained via the incumbent user's attributes.

For example, information like the department is only available on a position without an incumbent if you have previously updated the position with incumbent information. Then, after you remove the incumbent, that information remains at the position level.

The information updated at the position level via this mapping will then be represented in all module areas, like Succession Org Chart, Nomination and Succession Portlets, ad hoc reporting, and others.

Note

There is no impact on existing MDF Position Sync processes if you choose not to map attributes.

You can update position attributes by using Admin Center → Succession → Succession Settings → Update Position Attributes (you can navigate directly to Succession Settings).

The user data updates the MDF position fields when any of the following conditions occur:

  • Only during MDF Position Sync
  • Whenever a position gets saved (including position import)

Note

Update Position Attributes is not available if Employee Central is enabled in the instance.

Update Position Attributes in Succession Settings.

When updating position attributes:

  • The fields available for matching represent the most commonly used fields from the user data file.
  • The fields available for the MDF Position are all the standard (which are not reserved for system use) and custom fields of data type "String" from the Position object.
  • If the type of a field is changed after the mapping has been made, the mapping will be discarded. If a mapped field is deleted, the mapping should be discarded as well.
  • You can choose up to 10 fields in this mapping.
  • The system will only update position attributes for a position with changes. If the position remains untouched after position attributes are configured, data from UDF will not be copied over. For new configurations, an admin needs to pre-populate from UDF to ensure that all fields are synced.

Consider the following example of how the mapping works:

  • A user's Department has been mapped to MDF Position field "cust_business_unit" and the user's Division is mapped to MDF Position field "cust_organization".
  • When a new position is created with user ‘employee1' as incumbent then Employee 1's Department and Division are copied over to the two MDF Position custom fields when the record is saved and/or during MDF Position Sync.
  • When the position is "updated" (both for effective and noneffective dated updates), the incumbent fields are copied over to the MDF Position fields again.
  • If the incumbent field is empty, nothing is copied over to the MDF Position custom fields; old values will be retained in the MDF Position fields.

Importing MDF Position Data

If you manage your positions in an external HRIS system, you can feed your position data to Succession Planning through scheduled imports. To import MDF position data from Admin Center, we use the Import and Export Data tool. This is the same tool that is used for any other MDF objects.

This tool can be used for the initial load of position data and delta imports.

It is important to make the distinction between this tool and the Position Management: Import Positions admin tool that is only relevant for legacy positions.

For details on the full set of features for the MDF import tool, refer to the Importing MDF Data documentation from help.sap.com.

Importing data to an MDF instance is a two-step process. Both operations use the same form that is launched:

  1. Download the correct template for the object and enter the data that you want to import. The template contains the structure of the object because it’s set up in MDF object definitions.
    1. Select Download Template for the Action to perform.
    2. Select Position for the Generic Object.
    3. Select No for Include Dependencies. This option is only required when the position object refers to other objects and those objects have to be imported as well.
    4. The template displays fields that have been set to either Edit or Read-only in the position object definition. Fields set to Invisible in the position object are not available in the template.
  2. Upload the data for that object.
    1. Select Import Data for the Action to perform.
    2. Select Position for the Generic Object.
    3. Choose the file that you’re importing.
    4. Select Incremental Load for the Purge Type. This is the suggested method of import. When importing a position file with this option, only the positions that are included in the file are updated. Indeed, with the incremental load option, positions that are not in the file will not be updated or deleted.
The Import MDF Position Data is displayed on the Import and Export Data page.

Specific Scenario: Succession Nomination Method Recommendation for Partial EC Customers

Generally, the recommendation when customers have Employee Central (EC) to manage positions is to only use MDF position-based nominations. In this situation, the same position object is shared between EC and Succession. However, there are a few options to consider if only a group of employees exist in EC and everyone exists in the Talent area.

What is our recommendation for the succession nomination method when a customer uses Employee Central only for some employees? This question seems to come up frequently nowadays and there is currently no easy solution in the tool but there are two options that can be considered.

Option A

As the MDF Position based nomination is the most powerful method, and MDF positions are also the objects that are used in EC, consultants can encourage their customers to use the MDF Position based nomination method.

However, this implies that all employees that you want to use in Succession Planning have to be in EC. Moreover, those employees have to be present with a (passive) minimal dataset, which is not mastered in EC.

Background: once EC is active within one instance, the Succession Planning module will ONLY read the incumbent of an MDF position from the EC Job Info portlet (field "position"). Therefore, this portlet must be available for all employees that should show up in Succession Planning. There are no special requirements for any other EC data or foundation objects. If EC is not active at all in an instance, Succession Planning reads the incumbent of a position from the MDF position object that then (only then) has a field "incumbent".

A mix of both sources for incumbent is not possible.

Getting MDF positions into SAP SuccessFactors

For the countries/regions mastered in EC, customers will most likely also have MDF positions that are mastered in EC.

For the other countries/regions, customers can choose how to get the MDF positions:

  1. Import from an external HRIS system if you are mastering positions there. Customers can use the standard MDF import tools, which also allow regular updates of only the changes that occurred in the external system (delta update).
  2. Generate MDF positions if you are not managing any positions for the non-EC countries in an external system.

For employees of countries/regions where EC is not used as primary system and where you do not have positions in an external system, we recommend to create all the employees in EC with the minimum of information required but in particular the job title. When all employees exist in EC, it is easy to create the position model with the MDF Position Sync tool, using the job title as the position title in the MDF position-based nomination method.

Pros and Cons for Option A
  • One consistent data source for Positions instead of using two different Position models.
  • Using MDF Positions is the best practice solution for Succession.
  • The feature "Position Tiles" requires MDF Positions.
  • No need to sync between two Position Models.
  • The time it takes to get all employees with their Job Info and minimal foundation objects into EC, also for those that are mastered outside, for example, in ERP HCM.

Option B

However, if it is too complicated for customers to create all employees in EC because many fields can be required based on the customer EC configuration and if the majority of the employees are not in EC, then we recommend that customers use the legacy position-based nomination method for the entire population.

Pros and Cons of Option B
  • You need to sync the two Position Models for that employee population that is mastered in EC, that is, keep legacy position and MDF position for them in sync. Only if you are using MDF positions actively in EC for other purposes of course.
  • Avoids effort to get all employees with their Job Info into EC, also for those that are mastered outside, for example, in ERP HCM.

Use MDF Position Management

Business Example

Your new customer request is to see the MDF Nomination Method to preview features like search by position, history of the changes in the position, and more granular permissions for the position object fields. While Provisioning and Permissions have already been enabled for MDF Position Management, some steps still need to be completed to complete the MDF Position configuration.

Watch the following video for steps on using MDF Position Management:

Practice using MDF Position Management:

ExerciseStart Exercise

Steps

  1. Define the Position Object. Apply changes to your Position Object to illustrate the possibilities of the MDF Positions.

    1. Use Action Search to navigate to Configure Object Definition.

    2. Choose Object Definition from the search option and type Position in the search box. Select Position to open the Position Object.

      Choose Object Definition from the search option on the Configure Object Definitions page.

    3. Note the various sections on the Position object:

      1. Fields: This section contains all the delivered and custom fields that can be displayed on the Position UI (based on visibility settings).
      2. Associations: Defines other MDF Objects that the Position can associate with. The required association with Position itself that lets the SOC render a hierarchy.
      3. Searchable Fields: Adding position fields to this section makes them available in the keyword search on the SOC and Position Tile View.
      4. Business Key Fields: Not required for Succession.
      5. Security: Required to associate MDF Position with RBP.
      6. Rules: Configure the rules engine on the Position object. Not required for Succession-only configuration but can be used for EC configurations.

    4. On the Position object, select Take Action → Make Correction to edit your Position fields.

      A typical Succession-only setup only needs a few delivered fields from the Position object. Fields that refer to "Foundation Object" are only relevant during an EC implementation and should not be enabled for Succession-only implementations (exception for Job Code in some cases, which is covered later in this course).

    5. The fields that should be editable for succession are:

      1. code
      2. externalName
      3. effectiveStatus
      4. effectiveStartDate
      5. effectiveEndDate
      6. incumbent
      7. positionCriticality

      Note

      Do not confuse the field positionCriticality with the field criticality. They are two separate fields. The field criticality is used with Legacy position nominations and should be set to invisible in the Position Object when the MDF nomination method is used.

    6. To check if the field is editable, choose Details to the right of the field and scroll down to the Visibility field. Choose Done at the bottom to save your changes.

    7. Scroll down to the Searchable Fields section to add the positionCriticality and externalName fields as search fields.

      1. To add positionCriticality as a searchable field, enter it as "positionCriticality.label" because it’s a picklist field.

    8. Under the Security section, confirm that the object is secured (Yes is entered in the Secured field) with a Permission Category of Miscellaneous Permissions.

    9. Save the modifications to the position object.

  2. Confirm or update Permissions for your Position Object.

    1. Use Action Search to navigate to Manage Permission Roles.

    2. For Managers, select View Current and View History for the Position Object under Miscellaneous Permissions.

  3. Add the Position Portlet background Element to your Succession Data model.

    1. Using Action Search, navigate to Manage Business Configuration and expand the Background Element section.

    2. Select Create New.

    3. Enter the details for the Position Portlet. Ensure the capitalization is exactly as listed for the ID:

      • ID: sysScoreCardPositionPortlet
      • Type ID: 120
      • Label: Position Portlet
      • Enabled: Yes

    4. Save your changes to the element.

      Alternatively, you can edit the XML directly using Provisioning. To add the Background Element through Provisioning, use the XML code below:
      Code Snippet
      1234
      <background-element id="sysScoreCardPositionPortlet" type-id="120">
 <label>Position Portlet</label>
 </background-element>

    5. Add the Position Portlet to the People Profile. Use Action Search to navigate to Configure People Profile.

    6. Locate the Profile section right below the General Settings bar. On the upper right side of the screen under Available Blocks, expand the Talent section, select the Position block, and drag it into the Profile section. This action creates a new subsection.

      1. Add a meaningful title and description to the block.
      2. Choose Add Field and add the following fields:
        1. Code
        2. Position Title

    7. Save your People Profile changes.

    8. Navigate to Manage Permission Roles and under Employee Data, give Employee Profile permissions to:

      1. Managers to view the Position portlet.
      2. Administrators to edit the Position portlet.

  4. Test your changes. If the new portlets are not immediately available, wait a little and they should appear.

    Test the portlet changes :

    ExerciseStart Exercise

    1. Check the Employee View:

      1. Proxy as Mike Miller.
      2. Navigate to Mike’s Employee Profile.
      3. Confirm that Mike cannot see the Position Portlet.

    2. Check the Manager’s View:

      1. Proxy as Mike’s manager Felicia Ford.
      2. Navigate to Mike Miller’s Employee Profile.
      3. Confirm that you can view the Position Portlet with the two fields you added.

  5. Edit position data using Manage Data.

    1. Return to your admin login (become self).

    2. Navigate to Manage Data.

    3. Enter Position in the first search field and Sales Rep in the second search field. Start with the first sales rep position, and use Make Correction to change the Sales Rep positions as indicated in the table. Use yesterday’s date as an effective date.

      Sales Rep CodeSales RepChange
      Sales Rep (15)Karl King

      Position Title & Title: Sales Rep North America

      Sales Rep (16)Linda Lewis

      Position Title & Title: Sales Rep South America

      Sales Rep (18)Mike Miller

      Position Title & Title: Sales Rep APAC

      Sales Rep (19)Nancy Nash

      Position Title & Title: Sales Rep Europe

    This concludes the exercise.

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