What modules does SAP SuccessFactors provide?

The Human Capital Management Suite consists of several modules that can be used either individually as part of a specific solution or together as a complete suite. Each module covers a specific personnel process. The modules can be seamlessly integrated with each other. 

Overview of the most important functions in the following: 

SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central

Due to the increasing globalization of business processes and projects, HR managers are focusing on global transparency with regard to employee information as well as advanced collaboration ways between employees all over the world. 

SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central (EC) is the central human resources information system for managing employee master data. This is where personnel administration, organizational management, working time and absence management (time recording is carried out via the Time Tracking module) as well as Employee Self-Services (ESS) and Manager Self Services (MSS) take place. SAP SuccessFactors EC makes HR data available at a central location and, as a consequence, simplifies the international cooperation and global standardization of HR processes. Employees benefit from transparent decisions and are actively involved. EC unites the advantages of a cloud solution with the highest security standards in accordance with the EU-GDPR. Centralization increases the efficiency of HR activities and, consequently, the entire added value. 

Employee Central forms the data basis for further modules: Employee data that has already been entered, such as HR master data, positions and organizational structure, is available to the talent modules. ESS/MSS enables employees to update their personal data themselves and executives to trigger certain personnel-related processes, such as salary changes

Recruiting

The recruiting module consists of Recruiting Management and Recruiting Marketing and supports the entire personnel planning process from job posting to hiring. It includes, for example, career websites, multi-posting of job advertisements on various channels, digital applicant management with status overview, applicant pools and collaborative selection. Intelligent functions facilitate recruitment by generating candidate recommendations or automatically contacting former applicants when new suitable positions become available for instance. The result is a transparent, accelerated recruiting process – applicant-friendly Quick Apply simplifies applications from new employees via mobile devices.

Onboarding and Offboarding

The ‘Onboarding’ module guides HR staff, executives and new employees through all the steps in a standardized digital process. Even before their first day of work, new hires get access to a welcome portal with important information, tasks and contact persons. Automated workflows ensure that IT accesses, equipment and training courses, for example, are available on time. At the same time, multiple new hires can be processed in parallel and in a standardized manner. A well-structured onboarding process ensures faster initial job training, higher productivity and has been proven to increase employee retention. 

The HR department also receives support with offboarding, including returning equipment, handing over tasks and sending farewell notifications. 

Learning

SuccessFactors Learning is a Learning Management System (LMS) for managing training courses and further training. Companies can offer face-to-face seminars, e-learning courses and even social learning. External training courses and events can also be requested and managed via this portal. Employees can see which courses are mandatory or available to them in the learning portal, complete learning content and manage certificates. Automatic assignments ensure that compliance training courses or regular instructions, for instance, are completed on time. 

The learning platform promotes continuous employee development and qualification – an important factor in retaining and developing employees. In addition, the learning module can be used in onboarding as new employees can complete mandatory training courses directly online. 

Performance & Goals

This module helps to link employee goals to the corporate strategy and evaluate performance transparently. ‘Performance & Goals’ enables you to agree upon individual goals according to the SMART principle and to track the progress regularly. Executives systematically conduct target agreement meetings, provide continuous feedback and can efficiently carry out year-end evaluations. Methods such as 360-degree feedback and calibration ensure fairer assessments. In addition, the company can objectively identify top performers and fields for development. This platform offers employees regular coaching and feedback, which improves performance and strengthens commitment and retention. 

Compensation

The ‘Compensation’ module covers all components of employee compensation – from salary rounds and bonus payments to wage reviews that take place outside of the basic salary calculation and regular payouts. Executives and HR department are provided with a central tool for proposing salary adjustments, managing budgets and fairly controlling performance-related compensation. Performance bonuses, bonuses and other performance-related allowances can be planned and awarded in a targeted manner based on key indicators. Real-time data from ‘Performance & Goals’ is included so that high performers are rewarded accordingly and low performers are treated fairly. The module provides transparency and compliance with compensation guidelines, simulates budget scenarios and supports a fair, performance-based compensation culture, which, in turn, promotes employee retention. 

Succession & Development

This module, also known as Succession Planning, supports human resources planning in identifying and developing key personnel and top junior staff within the company. Based on organizational data from Employee Central, succession planning can be created for important positions in order to identify and develop potential candidates at an early stage. This is made using talent pools, graphical talent overviews and employee score cards containing relevant talent data. This enables the creation of a pipeline of candidates for each key position and the promotion of individual development in a targeted manner. The system also enables objective talent comparisons and calibrations to ensure fair succession decisions. In this way, an uninterrupted continuation of the business strategy is guaranteed. 

Time Tracking

‘Time Tracking’ is a cloud-based module for digital time recording and attendance management. It enables companies to record working hours efficiently and in compliance with regulations – regardless of the type of employment (e.g. full-time, part-time, shift work or project-based). The solution supports accurate payroll accounting and helps to control personnel costs and increase workforce productivity. The solution is suitable for companies of all sizes and offers a central platform for all time management requirements. 

Employees can intuitively record their working times via the Web or mobile devices. External time recording terminals can also be integrated. A browser-based or mobile time clock enables easy clocking in and out in real time. Recorded times are automatically compared with the employee profile and can be evaluated immediately. 

Enterprise Service Management

Enterprise Service Management (ESM) is an extension of the SAP SuccessFactors Suite that goes beyond traditional HR functions and provides a central platform for service-oriented processes within the company. The aim is to provide internal services relating to IT, facility management, HR or compliance for instance in an efficient, transparent and user-friendly way. 

Employees can use a central self-service portal to submit requests, retrieve information or initiate processes such as equipment orders, access requests or internal relocations. At the same time, service departments maintain an overview of inquiries, their status and processing times. In addition, processes can be initiated directly in SF from the procedures that have been started, such as an application for parental leave. 

SAP SuccessFactors ESM helps standardize internal services, reduce processing times and improve service quality while reducing the workload of user departments and improving the employee experience at the same time. 

Career and Talent Development

The ‘Career and Talent Development’ module focuses on individual career planning, targeted skills development and long-term employee retention. The solution provides employees with transparent insights into development opportunities, career paths and recommended learning opportunities based on their current skills, interests and target roles. At the same time, executives and HR departments are given tools to identify talented individuals at an early stage, manage succession planning and implement personnel development strategies in compliance with data protection.  

‘Career and Talent Development’ promotes self-determined career development, supports strategic talent management and helps to strengthen internal career paths and retain skilled workers in the long term.