SAP SuccessFactors is a cloud-based human resources (HR) solution that helps organizations manage various HR operations. It’s where employee master data is located and what manages the employee lifecycle. But did you know that if your organization also uses SAP S/4HANA as your core enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, you can combine these two powerful tools to supercharge your HR processes?
In this article, we’ll explain more about why you might want to integrate SuccessFactors with SAP S/4HANA, some of the specific benefits you can expect to see after doing so, and how to integrate the two solutions to reduce complexity and increase efficiency.
Let’s dive in.
Why Integrate SuccessFactors and SAP S/4HANA?
We find that organizations often use SAP S/4HANA as their core ERP system and SAP SuccessFactors for their recruitment and personnel management processes. However, to support finance workflows and headcount planning, employee records and organization structure also need to be in S/4HANA.
We’ve seen clients create plenty of unnecessary work for themselves by not integrating data between the two systems properly. For example, there have been clients that had to manually update their organization and employee records to S/4HANA (a breeding ground for inaccurate data), as well as organizations that were forced to work with only a small subset of data syncing periodically. But there’s a better solution.
Specific Benefits of Data Integration
Packaged integrations for SAP S/4HANA provide accurate replication of employee master data and organizational data from Employee Central to SAP S/4HANA, as well as replication of cost centers from SAP S/4HANA to Employee Central. (Even better, the process is probably very similar to what you may already be doing when integrating Employee Central with SAP ERP.)
Here are a few more benefits we’ve seen clients experience by integrating SAP SuccessFactors with SAP S/4HANA:
- Automatically transferring data from both systems reduces the need for manual updates and redundant data
- More control over data exchange reduces manual errors
- Real-time data flowing between both systems gives the entire organization data they can work from and trust
- Automation of data transfer saves costs and employee time
How to Set Up SuccessFactors and S/4HANA Integration
Now let’s go through the steps of integration. Once you have Employee Central set up, all configurations of the packaged integrations will be performed in the Cloud Integration middleware and through S/4HANA.
Important Note—Packaged integrations for S/4HANA are available using the SAP Cloud Platform Integration Suite. They are not available on Boomi.
In S/4HANA, the configuration is done through the Business Integration Builder in the IMG via menu path Personnel Management > Integration with SuccessFactors Employee Central > Business Integration Builder. You will need to follow similar steps when setting up each integration process, including:
- Employee data
- Organizational data
- Cost center data
Once the integration is set up, the Data Replication Monitor in Employee Central can monitor and re-run replication from Employee Central to SAP S/4HANA. This supports monitoring of organizational structures, employee data, absence data, and more.
Partner with Surety Systems for SAP Integration Success
There you have it—the high-level process of integrating SAP SuccessFactors with SAP S/4HANA. Of course, once you start integrating things in earnest, it’s pretty easy to get lost in the weeds. So if taking on an SAP integration alone sounds daunting, we have just the solution for you: Surety Systems!
We offer comprehensive integration services to help you transfer data between any SAP module or third-party solution. The SAP ecosystem can be a bit of a jungle to navigate, but our senior-level US-based consultants have the experience and skills to help you achieve your integration goals.
We empower clients to unlock the power of SAP through an integration strategy designed specifically for their unique business needs. If you’re ready to learn more about how to maximize the value of your SAP investment, contact us today.
