How to Restrict Offer Letter Generation without Completing Offer Approval

[anan_jayghosh]

Introduction

The offer management process allows recruiting users to send offers for approval before they are extended to the candidate.

The Offer Approval process consists of assembling the details of the offer intended for the candidate and routing it for approval from key stakeholders. Once the offer approval form is generated, it can be routed for approval to designated users

Once the offer is approved and ready to be extended to the candidate, users with proper permissions can generate Offer Letters. Offer letter data is populated into the selected template. The recruiting user may modify the letter and attach documents to be completed by the Candidate

However, there are scenarios where the Recruiters forget/skip the Offer Approval step and they will directly generate the Offer Letter without the Offer Approval which will result in creating a lot of confusion and waste of time.

To overcome this scenario, we have come up with a solution in such a way that we can restrict the Offer Letter generation by the Recruiter if the Offer Approval is not completed.

Solution

The Solution is pretty much simple as follows,

1. Create a Custom picklist field in the Application for this and define it in the Offer Approval


2. Create an Error Message definition in Manage Data.


3. Write a Business rule based on the Offer Approval status and tag to the Custom picklist field that we have created.

 

1 : Create a Custom picklist field in the Application for this and define it in the Offer Approval stage.

 

1. Create the Custom Picklist field with the name as “Offer Approved” values “Yes” & “No”.

Fig-1: Screenshot of Job Application XML template.

 

2. Define the “Write” Permission to the “Recruiter” in the Job Requisition template for the filed “cust_offerApproved” in the “Offer Approval” Status.

Fig-2: Screenshot of Job Requisition xml template

 

3. Once you give the permission the same will be visible in the UI as below.

Fig-3: Screenshot of the Application page in the Talent Pipeline

 

2 : Create an Error Message definition in Manage Data.

 

1. Navigate to the “Manage Data” and click on the “Create New” section and select “Message Definition” to create an “Error Message”.You can configure the error message which is to be displayed with the required Translations. As of now, we are giving the following message as “Text” “ Please Initiate the Offer Approval” After that provide the “External Code & Name” and “Save” the Message Definition.

Fig-4: Screenshot of Message Definition

 

3: Write a Business rule based on the Offer Approval status and tag it to the Custom picklist field that we have created.

 

1. Navigate to “Manage Rules in Recruiting” and create a new “Job Application Business Rule” Provide the “Basic Information” and provide the Below conditions in the Business Rule. Then select the “ Error Message” that we have created in Step -2. and also set one more condition to make the values in the “Offer Approved” field to “Null”

Fig-5: Screenshot of Business rule conditions

 

2. Now provide the “Else If” Condition as mentioned below and “Save” the Business Rule.

Fig-6: Screenshot of Business rule condition

 

3. Now we need to assign this Business Rule to the “Job Application” in “Manage Rules in Recruiting” and we need to assign the trigger point as “Offer Approved” field as Field Change Rule.

Fig-7: Screenshot of Manage rules in Recruiting

 

4. We have defined the condition in such a way that, The system will automatically set the value of the “Offer Approved” field to “Yes” based on only if the status of “Offer Approval” is “Completed” and if the Recruiter tries to change the value manually, the system will automatically set the value to “Null”.

 

Now we can navigate to the Offer Approval status and see how effectively our solution is working!!!

Condition-1

If the Recruiter tries to Move the Candidate from “Offer Approval” status to the “Offer Letter Generation” status, the system will not allow the action as the “Offer Approved” field is Mandatory.

Fig-8: Test Scenario-1

 

Condition – 2

If the Recruiter tries to update the mandatory field “Offer Approved” manually, the system will show the error message and the value will be set to “Null”. The Recruiter has to complete the Offer Approval to move the Candidate to the Offer Letter Generation status.

Fig-9: Test Scenario-2

Summary

Considering the current standard framework of Recruiting Offer Approval & Offer Letter functionality, the restriction of Letter Generation cannot be controlled if the Offer Approval is not completed.

Therefore, the workaround is to set up business rules to restrict the movement of the Candidate without completing the Offer Approval from the Offer Approval status to the Offer Letter Generation status thereby restricting the Offer Letter Generation.

Thank you for taking the time to read the blog. We hope you’ll find this blog useful, please like and share the blog for better reach. Provide your valuable feedback and suggestions related to this blog.

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References:

1, KBA reference from SAP Launchpad

2, We have used all the Screenshots from our Demo system

3, SAP Documentation from https://help.sap.com/