Technical Articles
Configuring the Internal Hiring/Crossboarding Process in SAP SuccessFactors
INTERNAL PROCESS HIRE OVERVIEW
The Internal Hire process allows for the seamless transition of current employees into new roles within our organization. This process empowers internal staff to explore opportunities that align with their abilities, fostering career growth and enabling them to make a positive impact on the company.
The onboarding process for an internal hire starts with initiating onboarding and ends with the internal hire moving into a new job role within the same organization.
The internal hire process can be initiated from:
- SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting
- SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central
- An external Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Please Note – The internal hire becomes the direct report of the new manager only on the start date. Until then the previous manager is reflected as the internal hire’s manager in the employment record.
The User ID and Username of the employee remain the same for the internal hire.
Overview of the different stages in the Internal hiring process
PROCEDURE
STEP 1 – Crossboarding Processes
Before creating a new process, We can use the standard Onboarding and Offboarding processes as a starting point and customize them as required. If crossboarding closely aligns with the existing Onboarding process, we may not require a new process. However, if there are differences in activities and flow, it’s recommended to create specific tasks and processes for crossboarding.
- Add Process Variant
We can clone an existing process variant and modify the existing process flow by adding process steps to suit your requirement. To add a new one,
Navigate to Process Variant Manager →click + Process Variant →Add Process Variant dialog box opens →Select the process variant type from the Process Type dropdown, and provide a unique ID, a Name, and a Description for the process flow. and click save.
Process Variant
Click on Activate, the process will be activated successfully. Then click on Save and Validate. The Process Variant will be validated, activated, and saved.
- Crossboarding Tasks
We can define programs to manage crossboarding-related tasks, roles, and responsibilities. We can set up specific and relevant tasks for the organization and determine responsible user groups for the tasks. To perform this activity,
Navigate to Manage Onboarding and Offboarding Tasks →Click on + New Program→Add details and Task list from + Add Task option and save.
Crossboarding / Internal Hire Program
Once this program is added, a business rule is associated to determine which program applies to that particular candidate.
- Setting Up a Rule for Selecting the Onboarding Program
Define business rules to select the program based on conditions.
Navigate to Configure Business Rules→ Click on Add Rule →Select Select Onboarding Task Configuration from Onboarding tab →Enter the Rule Name, Rule ID, and select a Start Date →Define the rule as per business requirements→Save
Business Rule
STEP 2 – Set up the Future Manager Job Relationship
To facilitate the completion of specific onboarding tasks by the future manager before the internal hire’s start date, it is essential to define the role. This picklist value will serve as a clear identifier for assigning the appropriate permissions and responsibilities to individuals fulfilling the future manager role.
Add a picklist value:
Picklist Center →Search Picklist jobType → Click on +(Add) →Enter managers (internal hire) as the External Code, provide the Label as Future Manager (Internal Hire), and set the Status to Active.
Adding Future Manager
STEP 3 – Permission Role for Future Manager
To initiate the internal hire process, it is necessary to configure the event reason that triggers the process. Once this setup is completed, We can proceed to the “Manage Permission Roles” section to create a new role specifically for the future manager. This role should grant them the necessary permissions to complete relevant onboarding tasks before the internal hire’s start date.
Similarly to the Onboarding process, it is important to establish role-based permissions for various responsible roles involved in the internal hire process. This includes granting Future Managers access to view and modify details of their upcoming team members before their start date. Additionally, internal employees should have access to crossboarding tasks and tiles that are relevant to their role.
Manage Permission Roles→ Create New Role →Update details like Name, descriptions and permissions →under Grant this role to dropdown, choose Future Manager (Internal Hire) and save.
Future Manager Role
Granting Permissions – Future Managers
Future Managers now have the required permissions to complete the tasks.
STEP 4 – Add Event Reason
Set up and configure the event reason so that it can be used in the business rule to trigger the internal hire process. Event reasons are user-defined. They are used to define more specifically the reason why an event has taken place.
If the event reason exists already, no changes are required but if the event reason to trigger crossboarding are new, those need to be added as below:
Navigate to Manage Organization, Pay and Job Structures→Create New→Event Reason→Enter the details and save.
Event Reason – New Role
Give permissions to access the new event reasons to required roles via role-based permissions in order to access it.
STEP 5 – Business Rules
- Business rule to Initiate Internal Hire Process.
If a change to the job information of an employee has resulted in a transfer event, there can be various reasons for it. Considering scenarios when a transfer event does not require an Internal Hire process to be initiated, a business rule can help determine which employees are eligible for internal hiring.
Evaluate conditions for Internal Hire
- Configure a business rule to evaluate if a transfer event is triggered due to a change in the job information of an employee.
Set the event reason for the internal hire process.
Rule to Initiate Crossboarding
Go to Manage Business Configuration, under HRIS Elements select jobInfo. Scroll down to the trigger rules section, and set the Transfer rule for the Event Type as onPostSave.
Assign under Job Information
Step 6 – Setting up Email Services
Configuring email services allows for timely updates and relevant information to be shared with participants throughout the Internal Hire process. Onboarding provides a preconfigured email template for Internal Hire notifications, but it’s important to configure the email category to specify the recipients accurately. This ensures that notifications reach the intended individuals effectively.
Admin Center →Email Services→Email Categories→Click on Edit mode. Update the fields and save.
Crossboarding Email Templates
Please note – There could also be Docusign templates created and allowed to be triggered at specific event reasons.
CONCLUSION
The Internal Hire process offers a valuable opportunity for organizations to leverage the skills and talents of their existing employees. By providing a seamless transition into new roles, internal hires can contribute to the growth and success of the organization while also fostering their own career development.
SAP SuccessFactors proves to be highly effective in supporting internal hire and crossboarding processes within organizations. The customizable nature of SAP SuccessFactors allows organizations to tailor the internal hire and crossboarding processes to their specific requirements. This ensures that the transition is smooth and efficient, enabling employees to quickly integrate into their new roles, teams, and management structures.
Thank you for reading the blog, I really appreciate your time!
If you have any questions or suggestions, please add up a comment below. I hope you found this blog post informative and helpful. Please feel free to also share your experiences, it would be helpful to learn and explore more!
If you’re interested in exploring the topic of Onboarding 2.0 & Offboarding please refer these blogs.
Thank you! Happy Learning 🙂
Thank you for the information quick question regarding the below step
Configure a business rule to evaluate if a transfer event is triggered due to a change in the job information of an employee.
Did you create a field in recruitment on the Job requisition or job offer template which a participant in the recruiting process needs to populate before initiating the internal hire process for an employee? If so, the field that was created in Recruitment did you call it event reason and added all the types of event reason you have in EC that could initiate the internal hire process?
Hi Nicola,
Thank you for your question.
Yes, we added a custom field on Job Application Template labelled as Event Reason with a spearate picklist value created. This picklist will contain all teh Event reasons that you need to get populated under Recruiting.
This field will be available on application only during offer stage as this is relevant only if candidate is getting hired. If its a new hire onboarding will get triggered with event reason New Hire and if there is other event reasons which matches with config rule for Crossboarding, crossboarding will get triggered.
Hope this helps 🙂 Thank you!
Hi Shruti
I have a question regarding the RCMEventReasonONB picklist field you assigned to your event reason field in recruitment. Did you add all the Employee central event reasons that could possibly trigger a crossboarding into the RCM picklist one to one relationship.
Example of an event reason in Employee central = Transfer - Change in department then create
the same event reason in the RCM picklist?
or did you only add internal and new hire to the pickist in RCM?
Hi Unalo,
Thank you for your query.
No not all event reasons are added to RCMEventReasonONB picklist. only the event reasons through which we want Onboarding or Crossboarding to trigger. Internal Hire can also be triggered via Recruiting Management hence both event reasons are added.
Business rules identify the event reasons to trigger onboarding or crossboarding event.
Example - You added event reason in Employee central = Transfer - Change in department. and you also want to trigger crossboarding/internal hire via RCM then you will add Change in department event reason under RCMEventReasonONB picklist so that you can select that option while initiating the trigger.
Hope this helps
if you have any question further, please dont hesitate to reply back 
Thanks!
Hi Shruti
Thank you very much 🙂 One last question, Is there any other business rule I need to create for the process to work besides the Setting Up a Rule for Selecting the Onboarding Program, rule to Initiate Internal Hire Process and business rule to evaluate if a transfer event is triggered due to a change in the job information of an employee you mentioned in your post?
Thank you.
Hi Unalo,
For Process to get trigger there are only 2 business rules as mentioned in the blog, but there could be other business rules required based on business requirements. Example if you want to trigger any documnets with Docusign for crossboarding or assigning responsible tasks, then you would need to add those specific business rules 🙂 There are also possibilities that different programs are configured for different countries, business rule will help to trigger that as well.
So, it would really depend on what is the business requirements.
You can add if you have any specific checks, I can try to help you with it!
Thank you!
Shruti,
How are the future managers assigned the role? Do you have to add the job relationship to the internal hire's record?
Thanks.
Hi Julie,
The Future Managers will be automatically assigned when position is updated.
Example - Employee ABC is on position 12345 with Manager XYZ
ABC changes position to 67890, effective 01/08/2023 manager will get updated from position object and assigned with new manager GHJ. You dont have to select future managers manually, its applied when there is a change in position.
The need of future manager is required because GHJ Manager will not get access to ABC employee data before 01/08/2023 and could not complete the tasks and hence future manager comes into picture.
Please let me know if this clears your query 🙂
Thanks!
Okay so when the new position is being created, that future manager relationship needs to be added at that time then right? I also saw a KBA for how to remove that future manager relationship after the hire is completed. Do you update that as well?
Hi Julie,
Yes, we have Higher Hierarchy Position field available on position object that helps to define Manager who is holding higher hierarchy Position. so it gets pulled directly from position object.
No we do not assign future manager under job relationship but it is updated as Manager under job information hence we do not require to remove from job relationship section and avoids extra steps.
Thanks 🙂
So what's confusing to me is this section in the Onboarding documentation:
When an internal hire manager relationship is created, the relationship remains even after the internal hire's start date by default. You can remove the future manager job relationship in Employee Files after the internal hire's start date.
Hi Julie,
It appears there might be some confusion regarding the role of the future manager and the internal hire manager relationship in the system. To clarify, it is important to review the configuration of the Position object and how positions are set up in the system, particularly in relation to the reporting structure displayed in the Position org chart.
It's worth noting that the terminologies used in your question, specifically "Internal Hire manager" and "future manager," may not be used together in the same context. The Internal Hire manager refers to the active and current manager of the employee, while the future manager is not active immediately and assumes the managerial role from the employee's start date.
It is important to remember that system setups can vary, and custom requirements may be implemented in different ways. I would recommended to cross-check the specific configuration and setup in your system or implementation.
I hope this clarifies any confusion. Thank you!
Hi @Shruti
May you kindly assist me with ideas regarding the Crossboarding requirement l have.
Currently, the Recruiter is not yet available as a role in the job relationship portlet in Crossboarding.
However, the customer's process is that the Recruiter completes the Review New Hire data step and they want the job relationship portlet to reflect this by showing the responsible Recruiter in the job relationship portlet, the same way it works in Onboarding. However, currently the Job Relationship portlet doesn't appear at all in Crossboarding on my end when proxying as a Recruiter during the Review New Hire data step in Crossboarding.
I understand that responsible groups can be created and assigned as a workaround, however, l am not really sure of how l can create the business rule.
Or is there a simplified solution l can use to achieve the requirement?
Thanks
Hi Heather,
If you are looking to assign onboarding tasks to Recruiter, you can create a recruiter group under Responsible groups and assign them.
Then create a business rule, Select the Assign Responsibility Group for New Hire Data Review scenario available under Onboarding category. Update the conditions and save the rule.
Please let me know if this answers your question and if you have any further query, please feel free to drop here.
Thanks
Shruti
Hi Shruti,
Thanks for sharing.
would you mind assisting me with ideas regarding the Crossboarding is initiated from Employee Central and Recruiting module as well?
As you know, some employees are hired from Recruiting module, and other employees are directly transferred in Employee Central. So is it possible that we we initiate Crossboarding process for these employees from Employee Central or Recruiting? If yes, how to do the configuration? Thanks
Regards,
Nini
Hi Nini,
The crossboarding can be triggered based upon specific event reasons which are created in EC. So we can use these same event reasons to trigger crossboarding/internal hire from EC.
And to trigger from Recruting, we did created a field as Event reason in Talent Pipeline and available only at offer letter stage. this field is a picklist and will have same evet reasons that you have configured in EC to trigger crossboarding. For internal hiring process from Recruiting, set up the event reason derivation rule using Onsave Job info ONB context rule.
You can refer the implementation guide for end to end steps page No 445 - /https://help.sap.com/doc/205384486bba47da966eb199756bd79b/2205/en-US/Onboarding_2.0.pdf
Please check and let me know if you have any questions, I will try my best to help you.
Thanks
Shruti
Hi Shruti
I am currently working on Recruit to Hire Data Mapping but I am having trouble getting the National ID field to pull through to onboarding, we have created the fields in RCM and mapped them but when we initiate the process we get an error " Create External User (1)
"Create External User (1)Restart
When SAP Investigated they said when they check the data in Integration center, and the ID Number (National ID) is empty even though the candidate has filled in the field. They have suggested that we setup a business rule that will fill the National ID field. Do you have any idea on how I can set that up? Or get the field to come through to onboarding from recruitment?
Thank you.
Hello Unalo,
Can you confirm what mapping have you maintained for card type and national ID number under manage pending recruits?
Have you added 2 varinats to collect 2 national IDs?
Thanks
Hi Shruti
These are the mappings maintained.
No I have not added any variants, as in process variants? How would I go about that?
Thank you.
Hi Unalo,
In your screenshot if you there is only National ID one.
If you naviagte to Recruit to hire data mapping tool and then national ID, there would be an ADD button on right hand side top corner.
From there you can add one more varinat/section to collect multiple national IDs.
Please check and let me know if you need any help!
Thanks
Shruti