Succession Management is configured in both Provisioning and Admin Center. While an effort has been made to bring more and more options to Admin Center, some options can only be controlled within Provisioning. For example, Talent Flags icons visible on the Succession Org Chart come from XML code that is only accessible from Provisioning. Consultants need an XML Editor to fully configure the Succession Management module.
The following article outlines which changes can be completed by Cloud Product Support and which changes should be completed by Implementation Partners and Customers for the Succession Org Chart and Succession Data model: 2252666 - SCR Form: XML Software Change Request for Succession Org Chart and Succession Datamodel - SAP for Me.
Provisioning Settings
To configure Succession Management, several provisioning switches must be activated. Some of these switches only affect the Succession module while others may be needed by multiple modules. Additionally, some switches are optional and only used in some customer implementations. For example, Succession comes with two Matrix Grid Reports and customers may choose to enable neither, one, or both of them depending upon how they plan to use succession.
In this course, the provisioning settings have been enabled for you. The provisioning settings necessary for the individual Succession Management tools will be included in the unit that covers the tool.
To access Provisioning and edit the main Succession Management settings, do the following steps:
- Log in to Provisioning.
- Select your instance from the company list.
- Choose Company Settings to see the available features or setting options.
- In the first section, confirm the following options are enabled:
- Live Profile
- Succession Planning (enables succession plan creation features)
- Succession Management - requires "Enable Generic Objects" and "Enable the Attachment Manager"
- Matrix Grid Report (9-box)
- Employee Scorecard Dashboard
- Matrix Grid How Vs. What Report (9-Box)
- Succession Talent Search
- True Position Hierarchy
- Succession Lineage Report
- Enable the Attachment Manager
- Enable Generic Objects — requires "Enable the Attachment Manager"
- Choose Save Feature, add your company ID, and choose Confirm.
- Succession nomination method: Confirm the Succession nomination method is set to MDF Position. Select the options "Use formless nomination approval workflow" and "New MDF Pool-based Succession Planning (requires Generic Object)." Choose Save that is contained within the same section as this feature.
Note
Search for the term "nomination method" because this particular option is in the bottom quarter of the page for Company Settings.RBP Settings
Often when items are enabled in provisioning additional role-based permission (RBP) options become available. Using the Matrix Grid Reports example again, once those reports are enabled in provisioning then permissions options become available in Role-Based Permissions. There are permissions to allow only certain administrators to configure the reports and permissions to allow different groups of users to access those reports. This pattern repeats with other Succession tools so consultants should always be aware of new RBP permissions that are made available with the activation of provisioning switches.
All permissions required to use Succession Management have been enabled for the course. Configuring role-based permissions for Succession Management is covered in the unit titled "Succeeding as a Consultant." The permissions necessary for the individual Succession Management tools will also be included in the unit that covers the tool.
Admin Center Settings
In addition to provisioning settings and RBP settings there are several settings in Admin Center that must be configured. The options available to administrators and users depend on which items have been activated in provisioning and which of those items have had permissions granted for particular administrators. For example if the Matrix Grid Reports are enabled in provisioning and RBP permissions are set for a group of administrators then options in Admin Center will allow those administrators to configure them. Other Succession features will follow a similar pattern of activation, permission setting, and configuration. And although many Succession configuration settings are located in Admin Center under the Succession area some items will be located under other tools in Admin Center, such as Performance Management.
Combination Settings
Some of the most challenging settings require alignment of settings in Admin Center and Provisioning. One example of this is an important setting called the Readiness Rating. All succession nominations require a readiness rating to determine how far successors are from being ready to fill a prospective role. The readiness rating scale is defined in both the org chart XML (via Provisioning) and the rating scale designer (via Admin Center). The rating scale must match exactly in both locations to avoid inconsistent results in the various succession planning tools. Dependencies like this appear in various areas of the Succession module and consultants should be prepared to explain them to customers before any implementations begin.
Check Tool
To help consultants track down configuration errors that frequently happen with items like the readiness rating, SAP SuccessFactors introduced the Check Tool. The Check Tool can help customers determine if their readiness rating scale, defined in Admin Center, matches the readiness rating scale in the Succession Org Chart XML. If customers experience any issues with their Readiness Rating scale they can perform a check via the Check Tool in Admin Center. Even though customers are not able to access Provisioning, this check will let them know if the Succession Org Chart XML, sometimes called the SOC, must be modified. If a provisioning change to the SOC is required, customers can share the results of the Check Tool with SAP Support or their consulting partner and have the proper changes made.
The following Course Files are provided for use in this course. The steps for downloading the Course Files are provided in Exercise 1.
Resource Folder | Description |
---|---|
DTD | Document Type Definition File (DTD). A current sf-form.dtd file is provided to validate the Succession Data Model. |
Succession Data Model | A starter XML file for the Succession Data model that includes the necessary talent elements. |
Succession Org Chart | A starter XML file for the Succession Org Chart. |