Integrating SuccessFactors Employee Central with SAP ERP HCM allows companies with existing SAP systems, who are considering implementing or have already implemented SuccessFactors Employee Central, to support their business processes (such as payroll) by continuing to run these processes on their existing SAP ERP HCM systems.

This process is initiated when HR master data is sent from SuccessFactors Employee Central and updates the corresponding infotypes in the SAP ERP HCM system. Since different countries have different payroll requirements and need different sets of data (e.g., infotypes) to be copied from SuccessFactors Employee Central to the SAP ERP HCM system, companies can configure their SAP systems based on country-specific requirements. The entire integration process requires careful analysis and planning up front, including requiring project managers with experience integrating SuccessFactors with SAP ERP HCM.

I discuss each step in the process as follows:

• How to create a mapping entry in an SAP table
• How to filter master data integration by country and infotype
• Extensibility (creating custom fields)
• How to map various Employee Central foundation objects and employee attributes to  the SAP organizational structure, company structure, or personnel structure

Creating a Mapping Entry in an SAP ERP HCM Table

When you start integrating Success Factors Employee Central to the SAP ERP HCM system, you need to identify what data needs to be mapped manually, as the naming conventions, format, and codes may be different for Employee Central and SAP ERP HCM. Before starting to map Employee Central code to SAP codes, you need to know the Global Data Types (GDT) name, the code list ID, and the list agency ID codes.

The GDT name determines which data types are being mapped. If you have defined custom fields or use different external codes than what was delivered in Employee Central or in SAP ERP HCM, you must use table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC for your custom mapping. You can find the entire standard code mapping from Employee Central to SAP ERP HCM in table PAOCFEC_MAP. (Refer to the latest Employee Central Payroll Implementation Handbook for more details on mapping entries.)

How to Filter Master Data Integration by Country and Infotype

In the following sections, I discuss how to replicate master data filters by country and infotype.

Country Filtering

If you want to replicate employee master records for only specific countries, then you must maintain those countries in the configuration table PAOCFEC_COUNTRY. If you have multiple countries on your SAP ERP HCM platform and in Employee Central, but want to integrate master data for only one country, then you must create an entry for the country for which you are integrating Employee Central with SAP ERP HCM. If you do not maintain this table, then there is no restriction in place and the employee data from all countries (not just the one specific country) is copied from Employee Central to SAP ERP HCM. To create an entry, execute menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central > Country Filtering > Restrict Employee Master Data Replication to Certain Countries. This opens the PAOCFEC_COUNTRY table view screen (Figure 1) where you can add an entry for the country for which integration is being done.

Figure 1

Replicate the master data for the US

Infotype Filtering

Different countries have different requirements for running payroll. For example, each country may require a different set of data (e.g., infotypes) that need to be copied to successfully meet the payroll requirement. If you want to replicate only certain infotypes for a given country, then you must define those infotypes and countries in configuration table PAOCFEC_infotype _FILT. If you do not define any infotypes in this customizing activity, all infotypes and their subtypes are copied. However, if you are integrating multiple countries, but only defining one country in this customizing activity, only this country is copied.

If you are integrating multiple countries, you must define all the countries and the infotypes you want to maintain for each country. Follow menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central > infotype Filtering > Filter infotypes, which opens the PAOCFEC_infotype _FILT configuration table.

By default, the following infotypes are always copied regardless of what you define in this customizing activity:

0000 Actions

0001 Organizational Assignment

0002 Personal Data

0003 Payroll Status

0709 Person ID

Creating Custom Fields (Extensibility)

Since custom fields are not supported through a standard connector, extensibility allows you to define customer-specific fields in Employee Central and replicate them to the SAP system via table PAOCFEC_V_EXTMAP. Follow menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central > Extensibility > Define Extensibility of Field Mapping, and then execute transaction code SPRO. This opens the PAOCFEC_V_EXTMAP table (Figure 2).

Figure 2

Map a custom field from Employee Central to an SAP ERP HCM infotype field

In my example, the work schedule field (custom_string1) is a custom field in Employee Central. You want to map the work schedule in Employee Central to infotype 0007 (work schedule rule, SCHKZ).

When doing this, keep in mind that:

• Only custom fields are supported for extensibility. Standard fields from Employee Central cannot be mapped here.
• Only job information, personal information, and compensation information portlets from Employee Central are supported as of the 1408 release.
• Only infotypes 0001, 0002, 0007 and 0008 are supported as of the 1408 release.

Mapping Employee Central Foundation Objects and Employee Attributes

In the following sections, I discuss how to map various foundation objects and employee attributes from Employee Central to the SAP ERP HCM organizational structure, company structure, and personnel structure codes. This is needed if the naming conventions, format, and codes are different for Employee Central and SAP ERP HCM.

Map Employee Central Cost Center to SAP ERP HCM Cost Center

In Employee Central, the cost center is represented by an instance of the foundation object Cost Center. For every cost center in your SAP on-premise system, you need to create a corresponding cost center in Employee Central. The cost center assignment of the employee resides in the Job Information section in Employee Central. Whenever there is any change in the cost center of the employee, it will be copied to the SAP ERP HCM system automatically.

Since cost center is associated to the employees’ Position, the Position (S) to Cost Center (K) A/B 011 relationship is created in the SAP ERP HCM system. Since cost centers are created and maintained by the Finance team, they are copied from the SAP ERP HCM system to Employee Central. In other words, cost centers are copied from SAP ERP HCM to Employee Central since they are not created in Employee Central.

If the external codes of your cost centers in Employee Central do not match your SAP ERP HCM cost center codes, then you need to map these in table PAOCFEC_KMAPCOSC. Follow menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central > Key Mapping of Organizational Terms > Assign Cost Center Keys, and the PAOCFEC_KMAPCOSC table opens (Figure 3).

Figure 3

Map the Employee Central cost center codes to the SAP ERP HCM cost centers

In this example, the Employee Central Cost Center CC_USA1000 maps to SAP Cost Center 1000, which is only valid for Company Code 1000.

Map the Employee Central Legal Entity to the SAP ERP HCM Company Code

In Employee Central, the company code is represented by an instance of the foundation object Legal Entity. For every company code in your SAP ERP HCM system, you need to create a corresponding Legal Entity in Employee Central. Follow menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central > Key Mapping of Organizational Terms > Assign Company Code Keys, and the PAOCFEC_KMAPCOMC table opens (Figure 4).

Figure 4

Map the Employee Central Legal Entity codes to SAP ERP HCM company codes

If the external code of your Legal Entity does not match the SAP ERP HCM four-character company code, you need to map these in table PAOCFEC_KMAPCOMC. For example, Employee Central Legal Entity LE_USA1000 maps to SAP Company Code 1000.  Then, add the entry as shown in Figure 4.  

Map the Employee Central Department ID to SAP ERP HCM Organizational Unit

The Employee Central Department ID is mapped to the Organizational Unit in the SAP ERP HCM system. The Department ID assignment of the employee resides in the Job Information section in Employee Central. Whenever there is any change to the Department ID of the employee, it is copied to the information contained in the SAP ERP HCM system. Since the Department ID is associated with the employee’s position, the Position(S) to Organizational Unit (O) A/B 003 relationship is created in the SAP ERP HCM system whenever a corresponding Department ID is created in the Employee Central system.

The Department to Organizational Unit mapping is maintained in table SFIOM_KMAP_OSI. Whenever there is any update to an existing Department in Employee Central, the SAP ERP HCM system checks this table to see if there is an existing entry. If there is already an entry for the corresponding department, the SAP ERP HCM system updates the existing Organizational Unit mapped with that Department ID. If the system does not find an entry, it creates a new Organizational Unit in the SAP ERP HCM system and adds the entry in this table for the newly created Organizational Unit to be mapped to the corresponding Department ID in Employee Central.

In this example, Department DE10001 in Employee Central maps to Organizational Unit ID 31001910 in the SAP ERP HCM system (Figure 5).

Figure 5

Map the Employee Central Department to the Organizational unit ID in SAP ERP HCM

Map Employee Central Job Code to SAP Job Code

Job code is represented by the instance of the Employee Central foundation object Job Classification. Whenever there is any change in the job code of the employee in Employee Central, this change is copied to the SAP ERP HCM system. Since job code is associated with the employee’s position, the Position(S) to Job (C) A/B 007 relationship is created automatically in the SAP ERP HCM system. Job code mapping can be done in table SFIOM_KMAP_OSI. The functionality works the same as for the Department and Organizational Unit, as detailed previously.

Replicating a Position from Employee Central to SAP ERP HCM

Every new hire in Employee Central is assigned a unique position ID. Whenever there is a new hire in Employee Central, the employee and position are copied over to the SAP ERP HCM system. When positions are created in the SAP ERP HCM system, the relationship between the Position(S) to Person(P) A008 relationship is also created.

Replicating the Personnel Area and Personnel Subarea from Employee Central to the SAP ERP HCM System

As of the SuccessFactors 1408 release, the standard functionality is to map the work location in Employee Central to the Personnel Area and Personnel Subarea in the SAP ERP HCM system. Follow menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central > Key Mapping of Organizational Terms > Assign Place of Work Keys, which opens table PAOCFEC_KMAPPEST (Figure 6). In this example, work location WL-USA1000 in Employee Central is mapped to Personnel Area (US01) and Personnel Subarea
(U001) in the SAP ERP HCM system using table PAOCFEC_KMAPPEST.

Figure 6

Map the Employee Central work location to the Personnel Area and Subarea in SAP ERP HCM

If you have defined custom fields in Employee Central that map to Personnel Area and Subareas in the SAP ERP HCM system, then extensibility table PAOCFEC_V_EXTMAP is used to map these. Note that in this case, the Employee Central Personnel Area and Subarea external codes must exactly match the codes from the SAP ERP HCM system, since the standard connector does not support custom field mapping. In the example in Figure 7, custom fields have been defined in Employee Central that map to the Personnel Area and Subareas in the SAP ERP HCM system. External codes from Employee Central must exactly match the codes in SAP ERP HCM to use an extensibility table; otherwise, you have to follow the approach, above, where the Employee Central work location is mapped to the SAP ERP HCM Personnel Area and Personnel Subarea.

Figure 7

Map Employee Central custom fields to SAP ERP HCM Personnel Area and Subarea

Replicating the Employee Group from Employee Central to the SAP ERP HCM System

In the standard connector, the Employee Group is copied from the employee class in Employee Central. You must ensure that the Employee Central external code values match the SAP ERP HCM system codes. You can find the mapping of all the standard Employee Central codes to SAP ERP values in the PAOCFEC_MAP table.

If the standard mapping in table PAOCFEC_MAP does not meet your requirement or if you are using custom codes for any of the data elements, then you can use table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC for your custom mapping. In addition, if you have defined custom codes for employee class based on your company’s needs, you have to map these in table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC. Follow menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central > Assignment of Code Values > Define Mapping Code value Lists (Figure 8).

Figure 8

Map Employee Central employee class external codes to SAP ERP HCM Employee Group codes

In this example, instead of using the standard Employee Central external codes (where M= Employee and E = Expatriate), I decided to use a custom picklist value where EC01 = Employee and EC02= Expatriate. In order to do this, I need to map from the Employee Class external codes to the SAP ERP HCM Employee Group codes.

Replicating the Employee Subgroup from Employee Central to the SAP ERP HCM System

The employee subgroup is copied from the Employee Central employment type. If the Employee Central external code values do not match the SAP codes, mapping is required in table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC. Follow menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central > Assignment of Code Values > Define Mapping Code value Lists (Figure 9).

Figure 9

Map the Employee Central employment type external codes to the SAP ERP HCM Employee Subgroup codes

In this example, employment type salaried (E000) is mapped to employee subgroup salaried (00) in the SAP ERP HCM system.

Mapping Employee Central Payroll Group to the SAP ERP HCM Payroll Area

The Payroll Area is represented by an instance of the foundation object Pay Group in Employee Central. For every Payroll Area in the SAP ERP HCM system, you need a corresponding Pay Group in Employee Central. If your Employee Central external code matches the SAP ERP HCM code, then no mapping is required.

If you are using a Pay Group with a pay group code longer than two characters or a code other than SAP ERP HCM code, you need to map the code in table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC. Follow menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central > Assignment of Code Values > Define Mapping Code value Lists (Figure 10).

Figure 10

Map the Employee Central Pay Group external code to the SAP ERP HCM Payroll Area code

In this example, the Employee Central Pay Group Weekly (PG0000) maps to Payroll Area weekly (U0) in the SAP ERP HCM system. The entries you need to maintain in table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC are shown in Figure 10.

Mapping Employee Central Pay Component to SAP ERP HCM Wage Type

In Employee Central, wage types are represented by Pay Components, which may be recurring or non-recurring. If the Employee Central Pay Components external code matches exactly with the SAP ERP HCM wage type codes, then no mapping is required. If the codes do not match, then you need to map these in the table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC. Follow menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central > Assignment of Code Values > Define Mapping Code value Lists (Figure 11).

Figure 11

Map the Employee Central pay components external codes to the SAP ERP HCM wage type codes

In this example, Employee Central Pay Component Basic Salary (PC-US0001) maps to Wage Type 1000 (Basic salary) in the SAP ERP HCM system.

Recurring pay components are used to update either infotype 0008 (Basic Pay) or infotype 0014 (Recurring Payments/Deductions). Non-recurring Pay Components are updated on infotype 0015 (Additional Payments). These Pay Components need to be assigned to the infotypes so the system correctly identifies the recurring pay components from non-recurring pay components and updates the corresponding infotype in SAP.

Table PAOCFEC_WT_PROC is used to assign wage types to infotypes to ensure that pay components are copied to the SAP ERP HCM system under the right infotype. Follow menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central >Wage Type Processing > Assign Wage Types to infotypes to open table PAOCFEC_WT_PROC (Figure 12).

Figure 12

Map wage types to infotypes

In the first example, Employee Central pay component Basic Salary (PC-US0001) maps to wage type 1000 (base salary) in the SAP ERP HCM system (e.g., base salary is always mapped to infotype 0008 [basic pay] in the SAP ERP HCM system). In the second example, Employee Central Pay Component Mileage Reimbursement (PC-US0020) maps to wage type 1300 (Mileage Allowance) in the SAP ERP HCM system. Since mileage reimbursement is a recurring payment, this should be mapped to infotype 0014 (recurring payments/deductions).

Any combination of country and non- recurring wage types can be assigned to infotype 0015 (additional pay) or infotype 0267 (additional off-cycle payments). Follow menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central > Wage Type Processing >Assign Nonrecurring Payment Wage Types to infotypes, which opens table PAOCFEC_WTP_ADPY (Figure 13).

Figure 13

Assign wage types to infotypes

In this example, the Employee Central Pay Component New Hire Bonus (PC-US0027) maps to Wage Type 1400 (new hire bonus) in the SAP ERP HCM system. Since this is a one-time payment, this should map to infotype 0015 (additional payments).

Replicating Pay Scale Type and Pay Scale Area from Employee Central to SAP ERP HCM

Pay scale type and pay scale area are standard fields in the Employment Central Job Information portlet and are part of standard employee master data replication to SAP ERP HCM infotype 0008 (basic pay). If the Employee Central Pay Scale Type and Pay Scale Area match exactly with the SAP ERP HCM codes, then no mapping is required.

Pay Scale Group and Pay Scale Level Replication from Employee Central to SAP

The standard employee master data replication to SAP ERP HCM does not support Pay Scale Group and Pay Scale Level. If you would like to use Pay Scale Group and Pay Scale Level in your replication from Employee Central to SAP ERP HCM to maintain the entire pay scale structure in SAP ERP HCM, you have to create custom fields in the Job Information portlet and use extensibility table PAOCFEC_V_EXTMAP to map them (Figure 14).

Figure 14

Map Employee Central custom fields to the Pay Scale Group and Pay Scale Level in infotype 0008

Map Employee Central Event to SAP ERP HCM Action

An event in Employee Central has a picklist ID associated with it. An action is represented by the Event field in Employee Central. These events need to be mapped to their corresponding SAP ERP HCM actions.

Refer to table PAOCFEC_MAP and GDT Name = PERSONNEL_EVENT_TYPE_CODE for default event-to-action mapping. If these do not meet your requirements or if you have defined custom actions (action codes), then you need to do the mapping in table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC. Follow menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central > Assignment of Code Values > Define Mapping Code value Lists (Figure 15).

Figure 15

Map from Employee Central event codes to SAP ERP HCM action codes

In this example, instead of using the SAP-delivered Action 01(hire) code, I used a custom Action ZA (hire) code in the SAP ERP HCM system. This needs to be mapped with the Employee Central Event Hire (External Code = H from Picklist). Sometimes SAP-standard Actions may not fulfill all of the company requirements and it may be more work to customize all the InfoSets and InfoGroups rather than creating a client-specific Action from scratch. As a bonus, with custom codes, companies know exactly what they are building when doing this. The required entries to maintain table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC are shown in Figure 15.

Map Employee Central Event Reason to SAP ERP HCM Action Reason

The Event Reason field refers to the respective foundation object. Employee Central Event Reasons are mapped to SAP Action Reason in table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC (Figure 16).

Figure 16

Map from the Employee Central Event Reason Codes to SAP ERP HCM Reason codes

Here, the Event Reason new hire (NEWHIRE) and re-hire (REHIRE) map to action reason 01 (new hire) and 02 (re-hire).

Understanding Payroll Event Functionality

A Payroll Event in Employee Central lets you break down a particular event into more specific events. Payroll Event is assigned to Event Reasons in Employee Central and then mapped to an Action in the SAP ERP HCM system.

In this example, in the SAP ERP HCM system you have two separate actions to distinguish between Termination and Retirement. However, in Employee Central, you only have one event—Termination—so you use different Event Reasons to distinguish between terminations and retirements (Table 1).

Table 1

An example of how retirement actions can be captured in Employee Central and SAP ERP HCM using event and event reason codes

If you were to do the mapping exercise, you would have to map one Employee Central event to two SAP ERP HCM actions. This is not allowed. Instead, use the Payroll Event field in Employee Central (Figure 17). In the Retirement event reason, add a payroll Event code and assign this Payroll Event code to the SAP ERP HCM action Retirement in table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC (Figure 18).

Figure 17

Add a payroll event to create a custom retirement action in Employee Central

A connector checks to see if there is a Payroll Event for the Event Reason. If it finds that a Payroll Event has been assigned to an Event Reason, it automatically maps it to the SAP ERP HCM Action 14 (Retirement), as shown in Figure 18, instead of mapping it to a Termination event in Employee Central.

Figure 18

Map payroll event Z001 to the SAP ERP HCM retirement action

Therefore, when the Event Reason TERRTMNT that has a Payroll Event assigned to it (Z001) is selected in the Job Information portlet, Employee Central sends the Payroll Event to the SAP ERP HCM system and triggers a Retirement action instead of a Termination action (e.g., the TERRTMNT event reason is automatically mapped to the Termination action).

Map Employee Central Employment Date Types to SAP ERP HCM Date Types

Dates can be replicated from Employee Central to the SAP ERP HCM system. Standard date fields, as well as custom date fields, can be copied from Employee Central to infotype 0041 in the SAP ERP HCM system. Follow menu path IMG > Personnel Management > Personnel Administration > Interface and Integration > Integration of SAP ERP HR Master Data and SuccessFactors Employee Central > Assignment of Code Values > Assign Date Types (Figure 19) and maintain table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC with the date entries.

Figure 19

Map standard and custom Employee Central date fields to SAP ERP HCM Date Types

In this example, there is a custom_date1 (Rehire Date) in Employee Central. This needs to be mapped to the Rehire Date type in infotype 0041. Make the entries in table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC as shown in Figure 19.

Alternate Cost Center (Infotype 0015) and Cost Distribution (Infotype 0027)

It not uncommon to assign some non-recurring payments to Alternate Cost Centers (infotype 0015). In Employee Central, you have the option to assign Alternate Cost Centers to any non-recurring pay components. Similarly, you may also assign Cost Distribution (infotype 0027) for an employee in the Alternate Cost Distribution portlet. The maximum number of cost centers you can maintain in the Alternate Cost Center portlet is 12. To achieve this, you need to ensure that the Employee Central Cost Center codes are mapped to their corresponding SAP ERP HCM Cost Centers, as discussed previously.

Direct Deposit Payment Information

In Employee Central, data from the Direct Deposit portlet is copied to infotype 0009 (Bank Details). The mapping for Payment Method type needs to be done in table PAOCFEC_MAP_CC if the external code of the values from Employee Central do not match with the SAP codes.

In this example (Figure 20), the Payment Method Bank Transfer(05) maps to Payment Method (ZLSCH) type Bank Transfer (A).

Figure 20

Map the Payment Method Bank Transfer(05) to Payment Method type Bank Transfer (A)

Priynk Gautam

Priynk Gautam has been working with SAP ERP HCM for five years, specializing in the SAP ERP HCM Personnel Administration and Organizational Management modules, as well as SuccessFactors Employee Central. His recent experience includes integration between Employee Central and SAP ERP HCM on-premise systems using Boomi Middleware. Prior to that, Priynk worked with SAP Talent Visualization Solution by Nakisa.

You may contact the author at Priynkg@gmail.com.

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