Understanding SAP SuccessFactors People Analytics

Objectives

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
  • Describe Canvas, Dashboard and Tiles, Table, and Story reports
  • Manage reports with Report Center

Introduction Video

Watch the video to get started on SAP SuccessFactors People Analytics unit.

People Analytics and Report Center Overview

Go to Reporting using the main navigation menu to create dashboard and tiles.

SAP SuccessFactors People Analytics is the overall solution for all reporting in SAP SuccessFactors.

The reporting solutions in People Analytics offer both simple lists, and more advanced cross-tabs/pivots, which can be combined with charting and formatting into multi-page reports for distribution within the company. The report output formats include Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Excel. You can manage the access to build and run reports by granting the permissions only to authorized users.

Report templates are available for all core areas of the SAP SuccessFactors suite, including Performance, Goals, Succession, Recruiting, and Employee Central. Templates are being continually scoped and added.

The reporting capabilities in SAP SuccessFactors also allows users to build interactive dashboards and tiles, which enable managers to view a summary of information for their teams.

Note

Several SAP SuccessFactors solutions have their own reporting tools accessible outside of People Analytics. To know more about module-specific reporting tools, refer to the product specific guides in the SAP Help Portal.

Report Center

Go to Reporting using the main navigation menu to open the Report Center.

Report Center consolidates report builder tools into a modern interface where you can build and run reports.

Report Center centralizes all the reporting components from different analytical tools in SAP SuccessFactors. The analytical tools are Tiles, Dashboards, Table, Canvas, and Story reports. This centralization allows you to edit and run reports from a central location.

Report Center must be permissioned to the user to acccess it.

Different Types of Reports in the Report Center

Story Reports

Go to Report Center to create a story report.

The Story report type in Report Center is a central part of the People Analytics solution and is based on the integration of SAP SuccessFactors HCM Suite with SAP Analytics Cloud. A story report is a presentation-style report that uses charts, tables, text, images, and interactive components to display and describe data. A story report mainly involves building a query and using the query to create the report. You can share your story with others to enable them to use the report you have created. It is the newest type of report in the SAP SuccessFactors platform.

Hint

Story reports are the recommended report type for all new reports.

With story reports, you can:

  • Search across all schemas, reporting on fields from different schemas that are linked using auto joins and semi-hard joins
  • Report on data from product schemas that are not supported by other reporting tools in SAP SuccessFactors, such as:
    • Onboarding (2.0)
    • Job Profile Builder
    • Spot Awards
    • Custom MDF Objects
  • Use additional calculated functions not available in other SAP SuccessFactors reporting tools (for example, CONTAINS, LENGTH, UPPERCASE).
  • Perform date calculations.
  • Create and display ratios in the story report (for example, gender ratio).
  • Create reports irrespective of your data access permissions. This means you can add fields to the query even if you don't have the relevant data access permission; however, when you run the report, you won't see any data for such fields.
  • See relevant fields automatically for the data elements linked using joins, without needing to manually navigate the data model.

Characteristics of Story Reports are:

  • Modern visualizations

  • Live SAP SuccessFactors data

  • Intelligent joins across modules

  • Secure, role-based access

  • People-centric data privacy and protection

  • Data Sources: All but Recruiting Marketing, Recruiting Posting, and Onboarding 1.0. However you can report on data from product schemas that are not supported by other reporting types in SAP SuccessFactors, such as: Onboarding (2.0), Job Profile Builder, Spot Awards.

  • Create and display ratios
  • Format: CSV, PDF, or XLS

Table Reports

Go to Report Center to create a table report.

Table Reports are designed to be extremely simple to use and provide a flexible, intuitive platform for users to create custom list reports. They provide basic metrics for standard reporting requirements. The Table Reports are part of the platform and provide real-time reporting. Table reports can then be easily exported as required.

Characteristics of Table Reports are:

  • List Reports

  • Simple Data Extractions

  • Format: Excel, CSV, PDF, or PPT

  • Data Source: All modules excluding LMS, custom MDF, and some of the newest SuccessFactors features.

Canvas Reports

Go to Report Center to create a canvas report.

Canvas Reports allows you to visualize data in a formatted and presentation-ready report. Canvas reports are used to create printable and re-usable reports for all modules.

Canvas Reports utilize Page Designer, a self-service tool that can be used to easily drag-and-drop components onto a report page.

These components can include Tables, Charts, Images, and Text.

The reports can include Live Detailed Reporting data, LMS data, Advanced Reporting data, or Workforce Analytics measures and dimension data.

By using the Report Distributor or Report Scheduler, administrators can send the reports as attachments to emails or FTP.

Characteristics of Canvas Reports are:

  • Printable

  • Multi-pages

  • Formatted

  • List reports

  • Charts and graphs

  • Calculated Columns

  • Data Sources: EC, Talent, MDF and LMS

  • Format: Excel, CSV, PDF, PPT, DOC, or E-mail

Dashboards and Tiles

Go to Report Center to create dashboards.

Dashboards and tiles are used to track key processes dynamically within the organization.

Tiles provide a simple chart output that can be embedded across the SAP SuccessFactors suite. Tiles can be built using a Tile Builder Wizard which guides the user through the process of building a visualization.

Tiles support Drill to Detail capabilities to further analyze the underlying data. Tiles can include both SAP SuccessFactors Live data and Workforce Analytics data. Once built, these tiles can be included in a Dashboard, assigned to the homepage, or displayed in the Insights Panel.

Dashboards provide a method to easily collect and visualize multiple Tiles in a single place. Using tile-based Dashboards, tiles can be shown on one page, easily comparing multiple Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Characteristics of Dashboards and Tiles are:

  • Online Dashboards

  • Track key processes

  • Drill from chart to list

  • Data Source: All modules excluding LMS, custom MDF, and some of the newest SuccessFactors features.

Caution

There have been some recent announcements about the deprecation of Legacy Reporting tools. The timelines, as of 2H 2024 release, are the following:

  • 2H 2024 - Retirement of Classic Reporting (including Custom Spreadsheet Reports).
  • 2H 2025 - Retirement of Tile & Dashboards.
  • Table Reports, Canvas Reports, and Legacy Report Distributor do not have retirement dates announced.

It is recommended that all new reports be created as Story reports.

Tile & Dashboard reports are not available for new customers provisioned.

More information about this announcement can be found in the SAP Community, within the Innovation Alerts section (requires authentication): https://community.sap.com/t5/product-and-customer-updates/retirement-of-canvas-table-tiles-dashboards-and-classic-report-types/ba-p/13619483

Note

Workforce Analytics is also considered one of SAP SuccessFactors People Analytics solutions. However, it is not in the scope of this objective and has its dedicated training. THR89 is the training for SAP SuccessFactors Workforce Analytics and Planning Functional Consultant Academy. THR96 is the training for SAP SuccessFactors Workforce Analytics Technical Consultant Academy. Essentially, this is the solution used for time-trended metrics, benchmarks, and drill-through hierarchies.

Report Center Access

Reporting option from the Home menu is highlighted.

To access Report Center, select Reporting on the main navigation menu. If Report Center has not been permissioned to the user, they cannot access Report Center.

Report Center Navigation

Report Center Navigation

Note

The report views are only visible when you are a Report Administrator.

Note

The Report Center window may be viewed in full screen mode (which will remove headers and footers from the page) and will respond dynamically to browser size.

Report Center Search, Filters, and Views

Report Center Search

Report Center Search field highlighted.

You can search for a report by Report or Author Name. The search field uses an autocomplete feature.

Report Center Filter

Report Center Filter field highlighted.

Report Center users can filter the list of reports by Author, Modification Date, labels, or type. This filter setting remains the same value across login/logout sessions until it’s changed or cleared. The filter icon indicates how many filter options are currently applied. You can sort results by Report Name, Author, Modification Date, or Type.

My Reports View

My Reports tab highlighted.

If you’re a Report Administrator, you have a view in Report Center referred to as. Administrators often have access to many reports, and this view limits the reports displayed so they can focus on essential reports. Administrators can use search and filter features on All Reports when locating additional reports.

 

Report Administrator views contain:

  • My Reports: All your authored reports and reports shared with you.
  • All Reports: All reports that you have access to.

 

These views appear in the Report Center navigation when the user is an administrator of any report type.

Report Center Action Menu

Report Center Action menu highlighted.

In the Report Center interface, you manage reports via the Action menu. You can perform the following actions:

  • Run
  • Edit
  • Share
  • Rename
  • Delete
  • Export
  • Duplicate
  • Schedule
  • Label as
  • Change Author (owner)
  • Copy Link

Note

Permissions and report types may prevent all action options from being available on a report.

Favorite Reports

Set Favorite Reports option highlighted.

You can use Report Center to add or remove favorite reports that are available on the home page.

To use favorite reports:

  • Select or clear the star icon that precedes the report name to add it or remove it from the list of favorite reports. For example, select the star before Goal Status in Report Center.
  • On the latest home page, choose the Favorite Reports quick action to view your list of favorite reports, arranged by the report types. For example, Goal Status is listed under Dashboards. The quick action allows you to search and remove reports from your favorites list.

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