Menu Types in SAP HCM

B - Applicant actions menu

The applicant actions menu is used in Recruitment and appears when you select the Applicant actions function.

M - Personnel actions menu

The personnel actions menu is used in Personnel Administration and appears when you select the Personnel actions function.

G - Infogroup

When you create an action for an applicant or employee, the infotypes which belong to one infogroup are proposed for processing.

I - Infotype menu

The infotypes are displayed on the initial screen of menu-guided functions such as Display or Maintain applicant data and Display or Maintain employee master data, Fast entry, etc.

S - Selection of infotype menus

Several infotype menus can be assigned to one menu-guided function.

You can select different menus using the Other menu function. The system stores your last selection and sets this as the default when you select the function again.

Transaction Class for Data Retention (TCLAS)

HR transactions are divided into different transaction classes such as

A - HR Master Data (Administration)

B - Applicant Data

The transaction class determines

·         Which file is used for storing the data:

HR master data and applicant data can use the same infotypes, for example, Organizational Assignment, Personal Data, Address. However, the data is stored in different tables.

HR master data and time data is stored in tables PAnnnn (nnnn=number of infotype).

Applicant data is stored in tables PBnnnn.

·         Screen header modifiers in the view Header Modifier (V_T588I)

Transaction class A for master data

Transaction class B for applicant data

·         Default values for

Payroll areas

Administrator groups

List of SAP's acquisitions

Past acquisitions include the following companies (please note that this is not a complete list of SAP's acquisitions):

Source: www.sap.com

• A2i Inc.

• Business Objects

• Clear Standards, Inc.

• DCW Software AG

• Frictionless Commerce Inc.

• Highdeal

• iLytix Systems AS

• Khimetrics Inc.

• Kieffer & Veittinger GmbH

• Lighthammer Software Development Corp.

• MaXware

• OutlookSoft Corporation

• Pilot Software

• Praxis Software Solutions Inc.

• SAF Simulation, Analysis and Forecasting AG (SAF)

• SAP Arabia LLC

• SAP Systems Integration AG

• Silk Europe

• Sybase

• TechniData

• TomorrowNow Inc.

• TopManage Financial Solutions Ltd.

• TopTier Software Inc.

• Triversity Inc.

• Visiprise, Inc.

• Virsa Systems Inc.

• Wicom Communications Ltd.

• Yasu Technologies.

What is baseline configuration in sap?

Base line and Final config is the third phase in ASAP methadology.  The purpose of this phase is to implement all the business & process requirements based on business blue print. You customize the system step by step in 2 work packages: Base Line Configuration & Final Configuration.

• Base Line Configuration: This phase comprises the priority requirements of the enterprise, ensuring that they can be implemented quickly. This phase can be completed without programming or enhancements to SAP systems. 

• Final Configuration: In this phase you confirm that all your requirements are met in the R/3 system. Final configuration is a transportation process that expands that base line solution.

SAP Implementation Phases

Scoping:
What is to be implemented i.e. which submodules are to be implemented some clients may not require credit management for example. Look at the project scope document carefully it will tell you what SAP sub-modules in SAP you should be prepared for. Usually the sales people along with project manager do it.
As is:
Here you understand the existing business processes of the client . Your BPOcollect all the ISO-documentation (if client is ISO certified), reports and forms at this stage and you analyse how and when the reports/forms are generated, where the data is coming from. You also do a Level -2 training for your BPO so he is made aware of all the required transactions in SAP.
Once this is over BPO can start learning with the consultants help more about SAP. This is crucial because if you miss out any transactions the BPO may forget about some of his Business processes which may come up later. It is a good practice to ask the BPO to make flow charts to explain business processes.
To-Be:
Parallely you map these processes to SAP. Processes that you are not sure of as to whether they are present in SAP or not you try to do a configuration of those processes, and along with the BPO(Business process owner he is the clients employee who knows about the clients business processes probably a middle management guy, ther can more than one), BPO involvement is required as he may be able to tell you his requirements better. Once you do the business modelling you will also be made aware of the gaps between as-is and to-be , here decisons have to be made as to wether a ABAP development/system modification is required or not and so on. Involve the BPO as much as possible and document everything it is good practice do not be lazy about it.
Business blueprint:
Here the as-is and to-be and gap analysis is explained. This is the document that you will be using to do your configuration in the realization phase.
Realization phase:
Here you do the configuration in the development server (there are three clients -development,quality, production). You also decide on the master data format, so that BPO can go collect the master data. You also gove ABAP specifications for forms, reports etc, system modifications etc. Unit testing: Your BPOs and a few key users sit down and test your configuration in your module only. It is good to test the BDCs that you need for uploading data at this stage so you have more realistic data and your BDCs are tested.
Integration testing: 
Once all modules unit testing is over then the configuration is trasported to the Quality server, where testing for all the modules is done by BPOs and end user, this is to check if any problems are there in integration between various modules. Once all is okay from the QA server config is transported to the production server.
Go live preparation: 
Data uploading: The collected master data is checked and the uploaded into production server (client). Now you are ready for go live i.e. users can now use the production server.

SAP HCM Reporting tools - An Idea

Standard reports
Purpose:

·         Provide solutions for your most frequent reporting requirements.

Advantages:

·         Can be used immediately.

·         No developments required.

Limitations:

·         Limited flexibility.

·         Output fields cannot be selected as required.

HIS
Purpose:

·         Hierarchies are displayed as graphics.

·         Reports are executed using selected structures or substructures, that is, using preselected sets of objects.

Advantages:

·         User-friendly method of displaying hierarchical structures.

·         Integration with InfoSet Query and standard reports.

·         No need to switch from one HR application to another if you want to execute reports from different applications.

·         Little training required

Limitations:

·         Limited flexibility.

·         Tool is used to execute standard reports and customer reports.

·         It cannot be used to create reports.

InfoSet Query

Purpose:

·         Intuitive, general SAP reporting tool used to create customer reports.

·         Enables you to create reports for all areas of HR.

·         When InfoSet Query is accessed from Human Resources (HR), the Query area and User group parameters already contain values and you can only perform ad hoc reporting. If InfoSet Query is accessed this way, it is called Ad Hoc Query in HR (see HR in InfoSet Query).

Advantages:

·         User-friendly interface.

·         Very easy to use.

·         No programming required.

·         If integrated with SAP Query, you can continue processing queries using SAP Query.

·         Set operations enable you to create sets of objects as required for which data must be output.

·         Can be included in roles using a suitable InfoSet.

Limitations:

·         InfoSets and user groups must be defined in SAP Query before you can use InfoSet Query.

·         Multiline lists cannot be displayed.

SAP Query

Purpose:

·         General SAP reporting tool used to create customer reports.

·         Individual definition of user groups, InfoSets, and queries.

Advantages:

·         Extremely flexible.

·         No programming required.

·         Queries can be provided in the SAP Easy Access menu.

·         Includes numerous options for aggregating data, performing calculations, and displaying graphics.

·         Enables you to display multiline lists.

·         Enables you to define one basic list and several statistics and ranked lists for each query.

Limitations:

·         Restricted to data from the R/3 System.

·         Each HR query can process data from just one HR logical database:

o        PNP: Administration, Time Management, and Payroll.

o        PCH: Generally for all areas, but particularly suitable for reporting on data from Personnel Planning.

o        PAP: Recruitment.

·         Requires much more training than other options.

·         Data is extracted from OLTP systems, that is, real-time data is not accessed.

Business Information Warehouse

Purpose:

·         Analytical reporting tool used for information and decision-making purposes

Advantages:

·         Extremely flexible.

·         Facilitates complex calculations (calculation of averages, time series comparisons).

·         Enables you to access non-SAP data.

·         Easy to use.

·         Uses OLAP technology.

·         Includes detailed Business Content (HR extractors, InfoCubes, key figures, and standard queries).

SAP founders Klaus Tschira, Hasso Plattner, Dietmar Hopp, and Hans-Werner Hector

SAP founders Klaus Tschira, Hasso Plattner, Dietmar Hopp, and Hans-Werner Hector