Updates, including FP3, regarding consumer grade UI for SAP HCM – HR Renewal
** This blog, or any related presentation of SAP’s strategy and possible future developments, products or platforms directions and functionality are all subject to change and may be changed by SAP at any time for any reason without notice.
Showing that SAP continues to invest in Core HCM on-premise – and that our new user-experience makes the “hybrid” model (on-premise Core HR with cloud talent management) ever more appealing – March 21, 2013 marked the latest quarterly installment of HR Renewal 1.0: Feature Pack (FP) 3. With FP3, we’ve focused on the areas where customers previously had to invest in modifications, where there was an opportunity to improve insight or where performance improvements could make the user-experience even better.
Delivery Mechanism and Terms
The new delivery frequency and methodology behind HR Renewal has necessitated the introduction of new terms like Feature Pack (FP) that may be hard to keep straight for some of you. Please remember that Feature Pack 3 for HR Renewal 1.0, is a new kind of add-on, called an “In-Advance Shipment”. The prerequisite for HR Renewal 1.0 is Enhancement Pack (EhP) 6 for SAP ERP ECC 6.0 and HR Renewal should be a great extra incentive to upgrade if you haven’t already done so. “In-Advance Shipment” implies that this is new functionality that is being supplied in advance of the next Enhancement Package, which is not officially named but we may assume here is Ehp 7. In this way, you get a preview of most of the functionality to be included in the next Enhancement Package! A Feature Pack (FP) in this context is nothing more than a special kind of Support Package (SP) that includes new functionality (where a SP usually only contains code corrections and legal changes), albeit you still control the activation of that new functionality with a business function switch that you may turn on.
Availability and Cost
HR Renewal is available for download today by existing customers on the SAP Service Marketplace. The recommendation is that you use the SAP Solution Manager, Maintenance Optimizer to do so. By using the Maintenance Optimizer, it should automatically include prerequisite functionality. You may also be happy to know that we do not charge extra for this new user-experience per se. If you were licensed to use Personnel Administration, Organization Management, Employee or Manager Self-Service before, then you may use the new user-experience without incurring additional fees with some exception.
Where completely new functions are enabled and use is optional: for example the collaboration functionally, supported by our cloud based collaboration engine, would require the appropriate subscription fees. If you have seen earlier blogs, you also know about the new landing page functionality based on SAPUI5 which also make use of HTML5. The landing page leverage SAP NW Gateway to read/write backend data. Earlier on there was a question as to whether additional cost would be incurred with that use of Gateway. User licenses have been adjusted such that when accessed via the standard SAP delivered landing page, that Gateway usage is covered. However, you should consult with your Account Manager wherever there are questions about license and subscription fees.
Landing Page, Short Profile and discussions
OM/PA Customizing for the HR Professional in HR Renewal
Existing SAP ERP HCM customers benefit from the fact that they already have done much of the necessary customizing but visit the new IMG node under “Personnel Management” called “Personnel & Organization.
Partial List of HR Renewal content including country specific (as of FP2, Q4/2012)
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Standard Country Specific Forms/Processes delivered with HR Renewal (technical object names: HRPAO*). Also note: BR = Brazil; CN = China; IN = India; US = USA; otherwise country independent |
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HRPAO_BR_DOCUMENTS |
Maintain Employee Documents |
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HRPAO_BR_HIRING |
Hire Employee |
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HRPAO_BR_TRANSFER |
Transfer Employee |
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HRPAO_CN_HIRING |
Hire Employee (Advanced) |
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HRPAO_CN_HIRING_LINK1 |
Hire Employee (Basic) |
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HRPAO_CN_INTERNALTRANSFER |
Transfer Employee |
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HRPAO_CN_INTERNALTRANSFERPROMO |
Transfer with Promotion |
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HRPAO_CN_PAYMENT |
Change Payments |
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HRPAO_CN_SOCIALINSURANCE |
Change Social Insurance |
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HRPAO_CN_TERMINATION |
Terminate Employment |
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HRPAO_COPY_ORGUNIT |
Copy Organizational Unit |
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HRPAO_COPY_POSITION |
Copy Position |
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HRPAO_CREATE_ORGUNIT |
Create Organizational Unit |
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HRPAO_CREATE_POSITION |
Create Position |
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HRPAO_DELETE_ORGUNIT |
Delete Organizational Unit |
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HRPAO_DELETE_POSITION |
Delete Position |
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HRPAO_DELIMIT_ORGUNIT |
Delimit Organizational Unit |
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HRPAO_DELIMIT_POSITION |
Delimit Position |
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HRPAO_IN_HIRING |
Hire Employee |
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HRPAO_IN_TERMINATION |
Terminate Employment |
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HRPAO_IN_TRANSFERS |
Transfer Employee |
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HRPAO_MOVE_ORGUNIT |
Move Organizational Unit |
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HRPAO_MOVE_POSITION |
Move Position |
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HRPAO_US_CHANGE_ADDRESS |
Change Address of Employee |
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HRPAO_US_FULL_HIRING |
Hire Employee |
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HRPAO_US_HIRING |
Hire Employee |
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HRPAO_US_TERMINATION |
Terminate Employment |
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HRPAO_US_TRANSFER |
Transfer Employee |
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Standard Generic P&F for WD ABAP/FPM Form Examples (technical object names: HIRE_01_WD, HR_PA_XX*WD, HR_PD*WD) |
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HIRE_01_WD |
Hiring an Employee (DE) – Web Dynpro |
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HR_PA_XX_CHANGE_WORKINGTIME_1_WD |
Change in Working Time (XX) Web Dynpro |
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HR_PA_XX_SPECIAL_PAYMENT_1_WD |
Special Payment -1 (XX) Web Dynpro |
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HR_PD_CHANGE_ORG_UNIT_ATTR_WD |
Change Org Unit’s Attributes |
Feature Pack 3 – Overview of major features
Feature Pack 3 (FP3) offers something for everyone – employees, managers and HR professionals. Improving TCO and embracing the optimism of an improving economy we introduce the beginning of a new mass change framework with a mass hiring scenario. Another key improvement for the HR professional adds new access and insight into processes from the landing page with a new process lane. Continuing to expand the infotypes supported in the new interface, Work Schedule (IT-1011) is now included. Managers get a performance boost – that is, we optimize the performance of the manager home page and team viewer to improve the user-experience. Additionally, we provide multiple enhancements to employee leave request functionality.
Leave Request – Multiple approvers
Manager Self-Service Performance Optimization with OADP
Responsive UI for Home page – Asynchronous Refresh
Process Lane
HR Professional – mass hiring action
Future Direction
We intend to continue quarterly deliveries of the HR Renewal program, but there is no release planned for Q2/2013. Instead, we plan what we anticipate will be called Feature Pack 4 in July. While today, the landing page is focused on the HR Professional role, we intend to make this the landing page for SAP HCM user no matter what your role. That is, with FP4, we intend to provide content (i.e., “lanes”), focused on the employee and manager roles. The landing page should be supported on both the NW Portal and Net Weaver Business Client (NWBC) with FP4. We also have additional TCO reduction type enhancements planned. For example, enhancements to our HCM Processes and Forms framework to allow simple and quick configuration of workflow enabled HCM process, that specify whole data screens (Infotypes in SAP lingo), which are then presented in order. We eventually plan to grant, you existing customers, your wish to have dynamic actions (i.e., ability to trigger additional screen pop-ups depending on data being changed) incorporated, but this will come a little later. We are looking at extending the mass action functionality, next in the area Organization Management. We plan continue to expand HR Renewal content in depth and breadth: for example, providing more country content and infotype coverage.
Considering HR in the Cloud? Consider also a SAP/SF Hybrid with HR Renewal
Do you feel like you need to start moving your HCM environment to the cloud but don’t know how, or not ready to do so in one giant leap? SAP and successfactors offer class leading HCM solutions and the integration to boot. The hybrid model allows you to leverage your existing investment in SAP Core HCM and start on the path to the cloud with SF solutions, for example, in the area of talent management. And, we think if you choose the hybrid path that you will also want to leverage HR Renewal to get that consumer grade user-experience across deployment methods.
Where to Find More Information
Obviously, you can find great information here in SCN. In addition, provided you have access to the SAP Service Marketplace, the SAP Product Availability Matrix (PAM) is a great place to find all kinds of information about SAP products. For example, the PAM entry for HR Renewal 1.0 can lead you to information about release dates, release notes, installation/master guides, help documentation and more. Ramp-up Knowledge Transfer (RKT) materials are also available, see “Preview Conent Details & Buy”, then look for “OCHR10 SAP HR Renewal 1.0” in the section for “SAP ERP Human Capital Management”. The Line of Business Roadmaps are also available and can give you an idea about past deliveries if not a look into the near future (note: a more current version of the HR LoB Roadmap should be available at the above link shortly). Please be on the lookout for more information at an SAP user-event near you soon. For example, my manager, Jean-Bernard Rolland, will feature HR Renewal in SAPPHIRE Orlando session 14738 titled “Provide a Consumer-Grade User Experience with Human Capital Management”. ASUG session 1804 – The new HCM On-Premise User Experience (UX) is being presented by my SAP Products counterpart, Alex Mathew. Also look for Sherryanne Meyer’s presentation at SAPPHIRE , 14733 – “Deliver a Renewed HR Experience” based on customer validation testing of FP3. Customers may also find that their implementation partner can also offer some help regarding upgrades, and specifically HR Renewal. If not, reach out to your SAP Account Executive and, or Client Partner and they will likely find me.
Thanks!
Robert Moeller
SAP Labs, LLC.
Related Links
- (May 14, 2013) – To the cloud and beyond with SAP and my ASUG family by Sherryanne Meyer
- (April 15, 2013) – Jarret Pazahanick on SAP HR Renewal 1.0 (Podcast transcript) | Kristine Erickson | Insider Learning Network
- (October 26, 2012) Podcast – “HR Renewal Discussion with Robert Moeller from SAP” hosted by Steve Bogner, Brandon Toombs, Martin Gillet, and Mark Ingram. Can also be found on iTunes here -> http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/sap-hcm-insights-podcast/id467931389
- (October 10, 2012) – SCN: SAP New HR Renewal Funcitionality and Roadmap by Jarret Pazahannick
- (June 1, 2012) – SCN: News SAP HCM Functionality – HR Renewal 1.0 by Jarret Pazahanick
Really looking forward to being able to implement this functionality.
Love the ability to have multiple approvers - that's something that's I've often had to enhance in the standard solution.
And mass hiring is going to be great for some companies - I've built my fair share of tools to do that too!
At this rate you'll be doing me out of a a job building for the gaps in the SAP solution 😉
Really great stuff, and a nice overview and many thanks for the links to additional information.
Thanks Robert.
Hey Chris,
Thanks! Looks like we are hitting the right points then given that we want to lower customer TCO - not that we want to put you out of work. Hoping consultants like you are helping customers upgrade to the prerequisite release and putting in HR Renewal. We are trying to do some enablement calls for consutlants to help you do just that so if you want to participate, drop me a note.
Robert
Thanks Robert,
Could you help clarify something for me please!
in PAM - http://service.sap.com/~form/handler?_APP=00200682500000001303&_EVENT=DISP_NEW&00200682500000002804=01200314690900004801
(SMP login required)
the current release is SP6
whilst on http://help.sap.com/hr_renewal
the current release (FP3) is tagged as SP10.
I'm sure there is some logic here, but I'm a little confused. Which one is it or do they refer to different things?
Thanks,
Chris
Hi Chris,
The link is only taking me to the front screen for HR Renewal 1.0 in the Product Availability Matrix (PAM) so I cannot see the context where the SP6 reference comes into play but here is my guess though. When we say HR Renewal, Feature Pack 3 = Support Package 10, we refer to the leading component EA-HR 607. When you
install HR Renewal, it has dependencies (i.e., pulls in) several HR software components plus basis (i.e., Net Weaver).
HR RENEWAL 1.0 (SUPPORT PACKAGES AND PATCHES)
With SP6, I think you may be referring to Support Package Stack 6. Support Package Stacks are a collection of Support Packages as the name implies so there are fewer.
Regards,
Robert
Yes - PAM list the Support Package Stacks (tab on right under General information) - so HR Renewal 1.0 Support Package Stack 6 is equivalent (more or less) to EA-HR Support Pack 10 which is equivalent (more or less) to HR Renewal FP3
think I've got my head around that now! Thanks for your help!
Great! I am impressed that you have got your head around that now. Hopefully, we enlightened a few others too! 🙂 So between your question and a couple others I got via e-mail, I think I have the subject for my next blog - how to find implementation information about SAP Releases, specifically HR Renewal. Let me know if you have something you want me to address. I am really excited about getting this information out there to help improve the installations and reduce frustration.
Robert
Thanks Robert, great information to have hot off the press.
I agree with Chris, this will take a lot of development effort out of projects - though I suspect a lot of consultants will be thinking "About time!!" 🙂 especially the mass updates framework.
The multiple approver and user control over the order of approval is also a great feature. Another RFP feature/function box we can fill with 'Complies' as opposed to 'Partial' from now on!
Thanks! Like I said to Chris, I am happy to hear we are hitting the right spots. Let me know what information you guys are still missing to help you map our solutions to your customers pain points and get this stuff implemented.
Robert
Hi Robert,
Great job with the blog and with providing a detailed overview of FP4 for HR Renewal. I really think the FP's are great and HR Renewal is coming on leaps and bounds really quickly. Keep up the great work!
Best regards,
Luke
Luke,
I consider that high praise from you. Very nice to have your support!
Thanks!
Robert
Nice blog Robert! Useful info on shipment & license model. "Dynamic actions" functionality would be a great addition. It could become very popular among customers I think. Sounds like a kind of "Guided Procedures" tool.
Julien
Thanks! I am trying to answer some of the repeated questions I get with this blog and help you advise your/our customers. I have to laugh a little bit over all the fuss everyone makes about dynamic actions. Don't forget, with things like HCM Processes and Forms (P&F) and the "New PA40" workbench, you can build very specific processes that present all the required information without dynamic actions. Nevertheless, we heard the call and aim to please so dynamic actions are on the list.
Robert
Hi Its looking very good !
Any news on when its going to be available to access within SAP Portal ?
Cheers
James
James,
As mentioned, the portal should officially supported with FP4 planned for end of July. I did also say in other venues that we are working on a document that will tell customers how to make it work earlier but there have been some unrelated issues that prevented that from exiting testing so it still hasn't been released. Sorry, I hate to say it but you probably won't see that until after SAPPHIRE Orlando now and it isn't clear to me if it will work on all versions of the portal.
Robert
Thanks for blog, Robert!
What about browser launch and MS Sharepoint integration support? Will new ESS/MSS lanes in FP4 work in Sharepoint like current WDA ones? Thanks!
Hi Robert
Many thanks for the comments. Its now looking highly likely that HCM Renewal is going to be in our Roadmap moving forward.
Am i right in thinking its only likely to be made available with customers who are on SAP Portal 7.3, and is there any documentation available on deploying HR-Renewal in a portal yet ?
Regards
James
Hi James,
Good to hear HR Renewal is on your roadmap. When I checked a month ago, something like 300 customers had downloaded the package so you should be in good company. It gets even more exciting this month with the planned availability of Feature Pack 4 (FP4). FP4 will feature the new ESS/MSS lanes for the landing page as well as new "Roadmap Forms" extension for HCM P&F that should dramatically reduce configuration effort for your unique HR process requirements along with a bunch of other great improvements. Also, while ESS/MSS and other renewal components of HR Renewal have been supported on the other platforms all along, I have now been assured for the landing page/HR Professional role, that we support NWBC for HTML as well NW Portal with FP4. My colleague Carrie Lande will be supporting HR Renewal more in the future as I shift my focus to EC Payroll. FP4 is so close, I would encourage you to wait but if you must have it, there is a draft document available on how to deploy the landing page in the portal on prior Feature Packs. Send Carrie or I an e-mail and we can get it to you.
Best Regards,
Robert Moeller
Hi Robert
Very informative blog.
I am looking very much forward to FP4 - which I would like to hear more about. (Before starting to implement HR Renewal FP4 in august at a large customer)
Especially how to deploy landing pages, and the task lanes for HR Professional. Do you have some infomation available for these? (I cant find your email, thus this message)
BR Michael
Hi Michael,
If we can assume you have a SAP Marketplace login, then you can access the help, install and configuration guides up to and including FP3 already. See the "Where to find more information" section of the blog or here HR renewal. FP4 should be available by end of this month. My focus is now shifting to EC Payroll but one of my colleagues may create a blog about FP4 features coming up so stay tuned.
Best Regards,
Robert Moeller
Great blog Robert - thanks for delivering more information, and at a good level of detail! I'm a fan of HR Renewal and look forward to seeing it used more and more.
Thanks Steve! Great to have your support! I know you are already working with one of our customers to get it deployed this year so you are definitely on the "A list". 🙂 Oh! And I fully expect that you will have some constructive criticism as usual - it's all good!
Thanks!
Robert
Outstanding blog & good information.Mass hiring with excel integration will attract many customers to stay On-premises.Thank you for sharing with us. So is this true that SAP HCM is moving towards more HTML5 design instead of WD ABAP? Cheers, Arpit
Hi Arpit,
I am glad you like the blog and I appreciate the compliments. I am trying to incorporate the questions/feedback I have gotten based on other blogs/presentations so that our partners and customers have the information needed to plan and implement an HR Renewal project. I really hope that customers like what we have done with HR Renewal. I think the point is to make sure that customers have a good experience from both a functionality and user-experience perspective no matter whether it is cloud or on-premise, as long as it is SAP/SF. I am not sure I am qualified to answer the HTML5 question but from my perspective I think it is fair to say you will likely see more SAPU5/HTML5 but I won't say that it is a WD ABAP replacement.
Thanks!
Robert
btw... I really want to hear about your HR Renewal projects if you are willing/able to share
Definitely I will share HR Renewal project case study but many customers are still perplexed with SFSF & SAP HR Renewal. And they are taking some time to decide should they invest in Hybrid solution or go towards HR Renewal. Appreciate all your hard work. Regards, Arpit
Very good blog Robert as I really enjoy your blogging style. I have been a big fan of the HR Renewal and although I think the delay in the Landing Pages for the HR Portal has hurt some of the momentum overall I am a big fan of what you and your team are doing in this space.
Thanks Jarret!
It is really important to have supporters like you. I appreciate that we can count on you and your clients to help provide the feedback we need to make our solution better. You know I completely agree with you on the portal issue! With the ESS/MSS lanes coming the portal will be so much more important I really don't see that coming without it so I think you can expect to see it with FP4 if not sooner. I don't have plans to be at ASUG/SAPPHIRE Orlando this year but you are welcome to track down my colleague in the SAP Products team, Alex Mathew, and ask him about the portal. 😉 Sorry Alex. 😀
Thanks!
Robert
Thanks Robert for sharing this with us. Found a lot of good information I was looking for. Good to hear about the Landing pages support in Portal and the new updates coming in FP4.
The Landing page in ESS/MSS will definitely be a well received improvement. I have spoken to customers who currently has only ESS/MSS and no HR Admin role. They like the landing page in HR professional but want to wait and implement HR Professional later with some process changes. If they had the new landing page in ESS/MSS they would deploy it sooner.
So the updates coming in FP4 are exciting.
Regards,
Anil
Thanks! You know the HR Professional role on the landing page is special to me because that it my focus area (PA, OM, P&F) but realize it will be ESS/MSS that will really popularize it. Lack of portal has been really holding us back too but that should be solved very soon as it has been working on our development and QA boxes for a while. It works great with Net Weaver Business Client (NWBC) today so that is still a good option especially when it comes to the professional role.
Hi Robert!
Have work schedule renewal screens been provided by FP3? Or they are in scope of FP4?
Thanks.
Hello Vasiliy,
Yes, work schedule is in SP10/FP3. It is under Business Function HCM_PAO_CI_2 - "HCM, Personnel & Organization 02" (see link for BF documentation http://help.sap.com/erp_hcm_ias_2013_01/helpdata/en/cb/2cac2bcbb045fb866403dbd8a3c91c/content.htm?frameset=/en/46/48123e55aa6a83e10000000a155369/frameset.htm). You can find this kind of information by drilling in from the help link I provide at the bottom of the blog if you have a SAP Marketplace login.
Best Regards,
Robert
Great post Robert.
We have installed Renewal 1.0 SP10 and although we have not been able to get the Landing Pages to work correctly (perhaps due to the Gateway), we have seen the other features of the Processes & Forms Framework which are head and shoulders above previous releases. We're looking forward to the latest release coming this summer and getting the LP to work correctly so we can experience the full capabilities of the product.
Best,
Derrick Banks
More! More! MORE!!!!....great information and a nice tease, but you know you got me wanting more detail now, Robert! 😉
You shouldn't have to wait long! Just off the phone with customer doing customer validation of FP4 - after some initial challenges, lanes (aka., landing page) are up today! 🙂 On track for Feature Pack 4 (FP4) availability by end of this month (July).