MGE covers the following processes:

1. Global assignment preparation
2. Relocation preparation
3. Assignment activation
4. Global assignment
5. Repatriation

The following are the infotypes activated and used for MGE:

• Global Assignment Details (0710)
• Global Assignment Status (0715)
• Documents (0702)
• Documents on Dependents (0703)
• Information on Dependents (0704)
• Checklist Information (0705)
• Compensation Package Offer (0706)
• Assignment Activation Details (0707)
• Global Commuting Types (0708)

MGE handles movement of employees right from the beginning—from relocation, migration, settlement, host, and migration country payroll stages, on through taxation and repatriation. This article is not intended as an explanation of MGE, but rather as a guide for using only a discrete portion of it to achieve your goals.

In most global companies, where there is payroll outsourced environment in both host and guest countries, it is not necessary to implement a complete suite of MGE. However, HR administrators still may need to maintain a few details, like dependent details, data, and details of the required documentation of their host countries. This article helps HR administrators configure the unused components of MGE partially to gain the functionality they require without having to fully implement MGE.

Using an example scenario, I show how to configure and store the following employee dependent details to meet your legal requirements or to enhance your HCM data for Company A:

1. Employee dependent Passport details
2. Employee dependent Visa details
3. Employee dependent residence permit details
4. Dependent residence details (e.g., whether family members reside with the employee in the host country)
5. Employee dependent school type details, if they accompany the employee being relocated
6. Country-specific local details, if any

Company A Requirements

Company A has a full-fledged SAP ERP HCM system with Personnel Administration, Time Management, and Organizational Management implemented. This company wants the following details (listed in Table 1) to be recorded for all employee dependents.

The following steps are required for implementation:

1. Update the data in infotype 0021 (family members/dependents)
2. Enable or activate infotypes 0703 and 0704
3. Create the required drop-down options for infotype 0703 (documents on dependents)
4. Create the required drop-down options for infotype 0704 (dependent information)
5. Update the master data for infotypes 0703 and 0704

Below I discuss each of these steps in detail.

Step 1. Update the Data in Infotype 0021 (Family Members/Dependents)

This first step is mandatory and must be made before any further configuration can be done. Figure 1 shows a screenprint of infotype 0021 for your reference. To open the screen shown, follow menu path SAP Easy access > Human Resources > Personnel management > Personnel Administration > HR Master Data > Maintain or execute transaction code PA 30.

Figure 1

Maintain the HR master data

Enter the infotype name in the Infotype field (Family Member/Dependents) and the number 20 (the standard SAP ERP HCM subtype of infotype 0021) in the subtype field (Sty), as shown in Figure 1. Then click the create icon , which opens the screen shown in Figure 2, where you can enter the Family Member/Dependents details.

Figure 2

Infotype 0021 – Update the Family Member/Dependents details

Enter the available dependent details in Figure 2, and click the save icon . (You can upload the dependents’ details through the standard Legacy System Migration Workbench [LSMW] or the Batch Data Communication [BDC] tool for all employees.)

Step 2. Enable or Activate Infotypes 0703 and 0704

Follow menu path SPRO > Personnel management > Management of Global Employees > Activate Management of Global Employees, and click the execute icon .This opens the screen shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3

Integration switch for MGE

The Value abbr. column in the standard system is blank. Enter X (as shown) and click the save icon to save your changes and exit the screen. This activates the MGE functionality. By doing this, the related functionalities and infotypes are now made available to your system.

Step 3. Create the Required Drop-down Options for Infotype 0703 (Documents on Dependents)

Next, you need to create the required drop-down options for two fields on infotype 0703: the Document Type and Document Status fields. The rest of the fields are either data entry fields or already have standard drop-down options provided by SAP.

To create the required document type options, follow menu path SPRO > Personnel Management > Management of Global Employees > Assignment Preparation > Checklist Items and Documents > Define Checklist Items and Documents. Click the execute icon, which opens the screen in Figure 4.

Figure 4

Create view of Checklist Item

Looking at the screen in Figure 4, you see that the standard system has four entries: Passport, Residence Permit, Visa Application, and Work Permit. I show you how to add one more entry to this screen. In my example I am going to create a Labour card details option for a dependent.

Click the New Entries button, which opens the screen in Figure 5 where you enter the following details:

• Checklist Item text – Labour card
• Processor – Choose the required drop-down option; in my example, I have selected international HR Department.

Figure 5

Add your entries for a new checklist item

The rest of the entries you may leave as set by the system because they are only relevant to the extended functionalities of MGE.

If you select the Document check box (Figure 5), the system also automatically creates a subtype entry in infotype 0702 (documents). This enables you to also store the required details for employees themselves in the subtype. In this case, this allows you to manually create a record for an employee in infotype 0702, subtype Labour Card.

Once you make your entries, click the save icon to save your changes, and the new entry (e.g., Labour card) is added in the system for infotypes 0702 and 0703.

Now you need to add the required drop-down options for the Document Status field. Follow menu path SPRO > Personnel Management > Management of Global Employees > Assignment Preparation > Documents > Define Document Statuses, and click the execute icon. This opens the screen shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6

Document Status – Change view

In this step, you are maintaining the document status for further follow-up activities

The first five entries are standard SAP entries on document status and the ZH is added as an example. To add the new entry ZH, as shown in Figure 6, click the New Entries button to create a new status. Click the save icon to save your entries and exit the screen.

Step 4. Create the Required Drop-down Options for Infotype 0704 (Dependent Information)

In this step, you’re creating a drop-down option for infotype 0704. In this case, the option is School type (for the type of school that the dependent is attending). Almost all options are available in standard SAP, but if you need any additional, custom school types, do the following.

Follow menu path SPRO > Management of Global Employees > Assignment of Master data > Define School types, and click the execute icon. The screen in Figure 7 opens, which lists all of the school type entries available in the standard SAP ERP HCM system.

Figure 7

List of all available school types

Click the New Entries button, add your new entry, and click the save icon to save and exit.

Step 5. Update the Master Data for Infotypes 0703 and 0704

Once you are done with the configuration steps above, it’s time to test the system to see if the configured entries are available for data entry. Follow menu path SAP Easy access > Human Resources > Personnel management > Personnel Administration > HR Master Data > Maintain, or execute transaction code PA30. This opens the screen shown in Figure 1. Enter the infotype number (e.g., 0703) in the Infotype field and click the create icon. This results in the screen in Figure 8.

Figure 8

Infotype 0703 (documents on dependents) – Entry view

When you review Figure 8, you see that the new drop-down options for document Type (under Document Details) and Document Status (under Status) have been added to the screen. Enter HR office in the Document Location field, and click the save icon to save your new Labour card data for the employee and exit the screen.

The next step is to store the new data in infotype 0704 (Information on Documents). Follow menu path SAP Easy access > Human Resources > Personnel management > Personnel Administration > HR Master Data > Maintain, or execute transaction code PA30. This again opens the screen shown in Figure 1. Enter 0704 in the infotype box and click the create icon. This results in the screen in Figure 9.

Figure 9

Create view of infotype 0704 – Information on Dependents

Add the school type and accompanying details as shown in Figure 9. Enter these details in the Dependent’s Information section:

• Select the Accompanying check box (if the dependent is accompanying the employee)
• Select the relevant School type from the drop-down options (Technical Degree, in my example)

Click the save icon to save your changes and exit.