HR Renewal – Maintain Master Data Application

Before getting started with HR Renewal, I always thought – “HR Renewal is a package that provides FPM Forms functionality (in HCM Processes and Forms) and new Landing page (with new Tasks[UWL] functionality and excellent ‘Search’ functionality)”. But I did miss/didn’t notice one very important application that got delivered through HR Renewal 1.0 – “Maintain Master Data Application”. Though the other features (FPM forms, etc) look amazing, I did notice that this particular application (Maintain Master Data Application) literally has been used as “Backbone” for this new framework (entire HR Renewal framework). So I decided to write this blog emphasizing the features of this “Superstar” application.

Quick Introduction –

As of first phase of HR Renewal i.e. Feature pack 1, SAP had focused on automating the HR Specialist/ HR Administrator functionality into “Web” based functionality. So the first and foremost things that come to our mind when we think about HR Administrator’s primary responsibilities are “Maintain Master Data of Employee” and “Maintain Org Units and Positions”. Yes, this application pretty much integrates these major stalwart HR transactions – PA30, PO13, PO10 and PPOSE. This new application lets you maintain “Employee”, “Position” and “Organizational Unit” using one simple Web Dynpro ABAP application –

Employee Maintenance

Position Maintenance

Organizational Unit Maintenance

You can find more information about this application from SAP help –

Maintaining HR Master Data – Personnel Administration (PA-PA) – SAP Library

Features

Coming to the features of this application, we really got some powerful features that are listed below –

Search functionality

Since this application can support multiple object types (Employee, Position and Org Unit), we should definitely expect some kind of “Search” functionality to locate any of these objects easily. Yes, there is an excellent search functionality provided in this application (located on the left side of the application) which is smart and performance sensitive (too good performance)! You can easily search related object by selecting the “Search Object Type (left hand side dropdown)” as “Employee or Position or Org Unit”. The search results (with datasets view only 🙁 ) are listed under this search criterion with basic information about each search result i.e. if we are searching for employee and employee related information like employee’s position, personnel number, personnel area and org unit would be displayed under the search hit.

“Smart Name Suggestions” functionality (as in Google) is also provided as you type in the search term.  I wish we have this functionality provided in all SAP transactions too 🙂

“Advanced Search” functionality allows us to search based on more search criteria, not just by name of the object. For each object type different search criteria has been provided. For employee based search, the below advanced search criteria is provided –

For Position based search, the below advanced search criteria is provided –

For Org Unit based search the below advanced search criteria is provided –

On the search results, we have the option to launch the respective “Employee/Position/Org Unit” related applications –

Also, we have an option to integrate the custom HCM P&F based forms (FPM form or Adobe form or Mass form or Roadmap form) into this functionality with very simple configuration. This application literally replaces the Forms Start application (ASR_PROCESS_EXECUTE_OVP) allowing HR Administrator to initiate forms directly from this application.

Org Chart view and Hierarchical view

On locating the required employee/position/Org unit, you can now visualize the Org structure very easily with a simple click on “Chart View” button.

You may find more information on this feature from my other blog – NAKISA based Org Chart functionality in Maintain Master Data Application – NAKISA based Org Chart Functionality in Maintain Master Data Application

Also, you could switch it a simple “Tree” View where you could visualize the org structure in a simple table format. This view displays all three object types i.e. Org Units, Positions and Position holders i.e. Employees (combining both “Organization and Employees” & “Organization and Positions” of Org Chart). From my perspective, this view is very good in performance compared to the “Org Chart” view.

Again, you have the same option to launch any application related to the Org Unit or Position or Employee using “Action” functionality.

Overview Screen and Detailed Maintenance Screen

Based on the object (Employee/Org Unit/Position) selected from the search results, you would get quick information about that object using this Overview screen. This overview screen has “Short Profile” and a set of Object Profile pages(that displays individual infotype information using Biz Cards).  The list of infotype information that can be displayed in this Overview screen is configurable. Also, the “Short Profile” content can be customized by adding/removing any fields as per customer requirement.

You can easily navigate to these detailed screens using “New” or “View All” buttons where you get an option to maintain the respective infotype –

The existing infotype records can be viewed as “Datasets” format or “Table” format –

Datasets view

Table view

Conclusion –

So far I have covered the features of this HR Renewal’s Maintenance Master Data Application, In my next blog, I would emphasize on the integration of this application with other HR Renewal applications. So stay tuned !