Part of my job is to make sure that users are happy with the information provided by the SAP ERP HCM system — what is included and how it is displayed. Oftentimes during blueprinting sessions users have asked me how to modify the displayed information on screen headers. For example, they ask questions like “Can you include the manager’s name in the header?” or “Can we add the cost center text in the header just for the United States?” or “We just have one personnel area; can you hide that field in the header and add the org unit name to the display?” The answer to all of these questions is yes. By modifying the header structure of infotypes (table V_582A_B), infotype header modifier (table V_T588I), and infotype header definition (table T588J) you can assign any available standard infotype and subtype fields by country in transaction codes PA20, PA30, or PA40.

The screen header consists of the first three lines displayed on a single screen. The overview screens are called list screens in the SAP system. The single screen is where you can see a single infotype record and a list screen is where you can see multiple records of the same infotypes. In the standard SAP ERP HCM system, a screen header is already assigned to most of the infotypes. You can modify the infotype screen header as well as the initial screen header for transaction codes PA20, PA30, or PA40, but you are limited to only three lines and 84 columns. In addition, you need to adjust the spacing between fields to make sure all the field values in the header section have enough room to display properly.

Overview of the Screen Header

You don’t need any ABAP programming skill to modify screen headers. This can easily be achieved by making the following modifications to these three standard SAP ERP HCM tables:

1. A screen header is assigned to each infotype in the header structure for each infotype view in table V_582A_B.
2. Headers are assigned to a header modifier in the header modification view in table V_T588I. The header modifiers are based on the transaction class (i.e., A = personnel administration and B = recruitment. Class C = applicant data; it can be used even if the recruitment module has not been installed).
3. In the infotype header definition view in table T588J, you can add new fields and change the sequence or format of the header display.

Header Structure Per Infotype

In the view header structure per infotype (table V_582A_B), a header is assigned to every infotype. The header structure also displays whether the data is valid from the system date or on the record's validity start date. Table 1 lists the SAP ERP HCM system’s standard header IDs and their assignments.

Table 1

Standard header IDs

The Choose data column in table V_582A_B (Figure 1) is used to determine which selection period is going to be used to select data from the infotypes to populate the infotype header.

• If you select the Choose data check box for any infotype, the system uses data that is valid for the start date of the current processed or displayed infotype record to populate the infotype header.
• If you do not select the Choose data check box, the data that is valid for the system date is used to populate the infotype header. See the following two examples.

Figure 1

Header structure per infotype (table V_582A_B)

Example 1

In table V_582A_B, the Choose data check box has been selected for infotype 0001 (organizational assignment – 0001). The employee has an organizational assignment (infotype 0001) data record valid from 01/01/2012 to 12/31/9999. The employee’s valid organizational assignment values as of 01/01/2012 are displayed in the infotype header.

Example 2

In table V_582A_B, the Choose data check box has not been selected for infotype 0002 (personal data – 0002). The personal data infotype is valid from the employee’s birth date. There is no point in displaying the employees’ first valid organizational assignment since their date of birth. Therefore, the system date is used to structure the infotype header.

Figure 2

Data selection control (table T588H)

Steps to Obtain the Screen Header ID for Infotypes and PA20, PA30, or PA40 Screens

Go to transaction code SM30 and input table V_582A_B, or follow IMG path SPRO > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Customizing User Interfaces > Change Screen Header > Header Structure per infotype.

Get the screen header ID for the specific infotype from the Screen header column (Figure 1). The header ID for transaction codes PA20, PA30, or PA40 is 00. However this value is not displayed in table V_582A_B. In this exercise you modify the PA20 header for country – United States (US) to include the manager’s name. The header ID in this case is 00.

Steps to Obtain Country-Specific Header Modifiers

The screen headers are assigned to a header modifier and the header modifier is country specific. Follow these steps to obtain the country-specific header modifier.

• Go to transaction code SM30 and input table V_T588I (Figure 3), or follow IMG path SPRO > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Customizing User Interfaces > Change Screen Header > Header Modifier.
• A small screen pops up as shown in Figure 3 and you can select the Country Grouping for which you are going to obtain the header modifier. In this example I have selected 10 for the country grouping of US.

Figure 3

Select country in table V_T588I

In this exercise you modify the PA20 header for country (US) to include the manager’s name. The header ID in this case should be 00 (Figure 3). Take the following steps:

• Get the header modifier for the required screen header for your country. Select transaction class A for master data and transaction class B for application data.
• In this example I am changing the headers for the transaction PA20, PA30, or PA40 screens and the header modifier value obtained is 14 (Figure 4).

Figure 4

Table V_T588I view header modifier screen

How to Add or Modify Fields by Country Type via Infotype Header Definition

In this example I show how to add the manager’s personnel number (PERNR) and name to transaction codes PA20, PA30, and PA40 headers for the US. To achieve this take the following step:

• Go to transaction code SM30 and input table T588J, then click the Maintain tab or follow IMG path SPRO > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Customizing User Interfaces > Change Screen Header > infotype header definition. This results in the screen shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5

Table T588J (infotype header definitions)

Header …: The first column indicates the number of a header.

Line: The second column indicates the Line number (i.e., in which line in the header screen the particular field resides; see Figure 6). Only three lines are available in the header area.

Figure 6

Sample header screen of PA20, PA30, or PA40

Column: This column defines the column number in a screen header.

IT: This column defines the infotype that the field belongs to and with which you want to work.

STy.: This column defines the relevant subtype of infotype to which the field belongs.

Field name: This column describes the actual technical field name.

Fldty: This column describes the field type (i.e., if the specific field is a text or number field). The following field types or formatting types are available for entry in this field:

• DAT: Field contents
• DTX: Field content text (if available)
• PIC: Passport photo
• DD1: Field short text according to DDIC
• DD2: Middle field text according to DDIC
• DD3: Long field text according to DDIC
• DD4: Field header according to DDIC
• TXT: User-defined text according to customizing settings
• TXD: Like TXT(text)  but with a DDIC interface to the relevant field

Keyword: You can specify a keyword for field types TXT and TXD and can use different field names from the ABAP Dictionary. In this example I selected Keyword NN1 for ENAME (name). If you want to change the text for NN1 from NN1 to NN2 (last name) or something else that makes more sense to your users, you can do it by assigning the required Keyword in table T88J.

Length: This column defines the output length of a field in the screen header. A field’s output length in the screen header states how wide the relevant field should be.

Con: This column represents the conversion indicator that is used for conversion of the HR master data header. The conversion indicator is used for output control. The conversions available are:

• 01: Display leading zeros (for P0000-PERID, for example)
• 02: Concatenate with the next field
• 03: Hide country-dependent editing of personnel ID (i.e., for P0002-PERID)

Select the desired infotype you wish to work with under the IT (infotype) column. If you want to specify a subtype you can define that in the STy. (subtype) column (Figure 5).

In the Field name column (Figure 5), use the drop-down menu to select from the available field options, shown in Figure 7. Since in this example I am trying to insert the manager’s name and personnel number in the header, I have selected OMNGR_NA (manager’s name) and OMNGR_NR (manager’s personnel number). In this step, make sure you provide enough space between columns. You do this in the Fldty (field type) column. To learn more about how to do this, press the F1 key to get the SAP Help options.

Figure 7

Drop-down values under the field name column

In the Keyword column you can enter a keyword to be used in association with the field types TXT and TXD. You can use different field names from those contained in the ABAP Dictionary. In this example, in the Field name column I used ENAME and in the Keyword column I used NNI (name) to take advantage of the space allotted.

Once you are done with your changes click the save icon and generate the table. Then click the single test button to see a preview of your change as displayed in Figure 8. You can repeat this process (i.e., change, save, and generate) until you are satisfied with your changes.

Figure 8

Preview of changes

Steps to Add Photos in Headers

To add photos to the header fields, follow these steps:

• Go to systems table T77S0 to verify the document type. In my example, I am assuming the document type is already maintained in Group ADMIN-PHOTO as HRICOLFOTO — Document Type for (Passport) Photo in HR (Figure 9) or follow IMG path SPRO > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Customizing User Interfaces > Change Screen Header > Passport Photo.

Figure 9

View of table T77S0

• For photos, you enter PIC in the Fldty column in the screen as shown in table T588J (Figure 10). Note that you can only use the PIC as the field type when PERNR is selected in the Field Name column.

Figure 10

Entry for PIC in table T588J

Using Different Field Names Other Than Those in the DDIC

In some cases, you may want to use different field names than those provided by the standard DDIC. You can use different field names than those that are provided by changing the text for the DDIC fields in the Display HR Master Data screen (Figure 5). Figure 11 is an example of what your transaction PA20, PA30, or PA40 header looks like after the modifications have been made.

Figure 11

PA20 header screen after manager name, personnel number, and picture are added

Rinky Karthik

Rinky Karthik serves as a Project Manager, HCM SuccessFactors, for the People LoB for itelligence and has 16 years of SAP HCM and SuccessFactors experience. This includes many global implementations, including support and upgrade of various SAP on-premise modules and SuccessFactors modules in diverse roles, like Solution Architect, Lead Consultant, and Project/Program Manager. Rinky has an MBA in Human Resources and she comes with a strong project management background; as such, she has managed a variety of global projects for clients in different domains. She has extensive experience with SAP SuccessFactors’ SAP Launch and SAP Activate implementation methodologies, and is a Certified SuccessFactors consultant in Recruitment Management, Recruiting Marketing, Learning Management Solution, and Employee Central. Rinky is a frequent contributor to SAP SuccessFactors blog forums, HR Expert, and a regular speaker at a variety of SAP/SuccessFactors conferences.

You may contact the author at rinky.karthik@itelligencegroup.com.

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