Generic Objects as a filter in Position Tile in Succession Planning Part-1

As we know the generic objects fields cannot be added as a filter option in the position tile. However, many clients need department, division, business unit, location, etc. fields in the position tile search to filter the positions for Succession Planning. To meet this requirement, I have found a solution which is explained below in detailed steps, so that if anyone has the same request by the client, they can also benefit from this and fulfill the client’s request.

In this example, I have used the Department field to be added as a filter.

Configuration Steps:

• Create Picklist for Department: Initially, we need to create a picklist to capture the values of the department (generic object) field.

Admin Center>Picklist Center

Picklist Center

Select the + icon to create a new picklist

Picklist Detail Page

Provide the Code, Name, Status, and Effective Start Date details and click on the “Save” button.

• Create Custom Field for Department: Then, we need to create a custom field for the department in the position object.

Below are the steps to configure the custom field in position object:

Admin Center>Company Settings>Configure Object Definition.

Configure Object Definition

In “Configure Object Definition” search Object Defination and select Position.

Edit the Position” object and add a new custom field cust_newdepartment  as Picklist Type

cust_newdepartment

Click on “Details” to link the picklist which was created on the first step.

Details

Once updated, click on the Done button to save the data.

• Add custom department field in Searchable Fields: The next step is to add the newly created custom department field in the position object.

Below are the steps to configure the searchable field in the position object:

Admin Center>Company Settings>Configure Object Definition>Select Position Object

Searchable field

Update the External Code of the custom field in the searchable fields.

Searchable field

Once, the above configuration is completed, save the object.

• Create an Integration job: The last step is to create an integration job using Integration Center to pull the generic object (Department) values to the picklist.

Below are the steps to build integration using the integration center:

Admin Center>Company Settings>Integration Center>My Integrations

Integration Center

Select My Integration to access the existing integrations.

My Integration Page

Click on +Create to create a new integration and select the More Integration Type option.

+ Create and More Integration Type

Choose Integration Type, select Trigger type as scheduled, Source Type as SuccessFactors, and Destination type as SuccessFactors and click on the Create button.

Choose Integration Type

Select EC- Foundation/Organization as Tag for the integration.

EC- Foundation/Organization as Tag

Select Department from Recommended Starting Entities and click on the Select button.

Department

Update the basic details of the integration such as Name, Description, and Page Size and click on the Next button.

Updated the basic details of the integration

Under Configure Fields View, click on the Switch to field mapping view icon to start the mapping of Department generic object values to the picklist.

Configure Fields View

Switch to the field mapping view

Click on the + Icon and search Picklist as an Entity, Select Picklist Value (PickListValueV2), and click on Add button.

Add Entity Screen

Entity Visible

Now, map the Department External Code to External_Code, and map the Department Name to Picklist Label by performing the drag and drop from the Department object to the picklist value.

Field Mapping View

Click on Switch to the detail view and click on Picklist_Effective Start Date and enter 1900-01-01T20:00:00Z as the default date and Click on Picklist_Code (PickListV2_id) String(128) and enter Department as the default value.

Field Mapping View

Once the above steps are done click on the Next button to set the filter if required.

Filter and Sort Screen

Click on the Next button to Schedule the integration.

Scheduling Screen

Click on the Next button to complete the integration schedule.

Review and Run Screen 

Once, the job is successfully completed without any error. Access the Picklist Center and check the Department Picklist.

It should show you all the values of Generic Object (Department).

Department Picklist

End User Action:

End users can access the SuccessFactors’ Position Tile to filter the data based on the department field.

Below are the steps to access the Position Tile.

Home>Succession>Position Tile

Position Tile

Click on the Filter icon to see the filter options.

Filter Options

Select Department and check the Drop-Down Values.

Drop-Down Values

References:

All images are taken from SAP SuccessFactors Sales Demo with Dummy Data

https://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/display/SAPSF/Position+Tile+View+-+Overview+and+Getting+Started

Succession Management Implementation Guide.

Note:

The system will display only 200 values for a picklist field.

In Part-2 of this blog, I’ll explain how to map the department field value to a custom field so that the system automatically captures the same value when creating a new position.  

Please feel free to provide your feedback or thoughts in the comments.