Confidential

Confidential
Introducing SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0
ISBN: unassigned
Shelly Lynn Efrosinis

Copyright © 2020 by Rheinwerk Publishing Inc., Boston (MA)

This E-Bite is protected by copyright. It contains a digital watermark, a signature that indicates which person may
use this copy. Full Legal Notes and Notes on Usage can be found at the end of this publication.

Imprint

This E-Bite is a publication many contributed to, specifically:

Editor Megan Fuerst

Acquisitions Editor Emily Nicholls
Copyeditor Julie McNamee
Cover Design Graham Geary
Icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com
Production E-Book Hannah Lane
Typesetting E-Book Satz-Pro (Germany)

ISBN 978-1-4932-1993-3

1st edition 2020

All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be copied or reproduced in any form or by any
means or translated into another language, without the prior consent of Rheinwerk Publishing, 2 Heritage Drive,
Suite 305, Quincy, MA 02171.

Confidential
Rheinwerk Publishing makes no warranties or representations with respect to the content hereof and specifically
disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Rheinwerk Publishing
assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in this publication.

"Rheinwerk Publishing" and the Rheinwerk Publishing logo are registered trademarks of Rheinwerk Verlag GmbH,
Bonn, Germany. SAP PRESS is an imprint of Rheinwerk Verlag GmbH and Rheinwerk Publishing, Inc.

All of the screenshots and graphics reproduced in this E-Bite are subject to copyright © SAP SE, Dietmar-Hopp-
Allee 16, 69190 Walldorf, Germany.

SAP, the SAP logo, ABAP, Ariba, ASAP, Concur, Concur ExpenseIt, Concur TripIt, Duet, SAP Adaptive Server
Enterprise, SAP Advantage Database Server, SAP Afaria, SAP ArchiveLink, SAP Ariba, SAP Business ByDesign, SAP
Business Explorer, SAP BusinessObjects, SAP BusinessObjects Explorer, SAP BusinessObjects Lumira, SAP
BusinessObjects Roambi, SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence, SAP Business One, SAP Business Workflow, SAP
Crystal Reports, SAP EarlyWatch, SAP Exchange Media (SAP XM), SAP Fieldglass, SAP Fiori, SAP Global Trade
Services (SAP GTS), SAP GoingLive, SAP HANA, SAP HANA Vora, SAP Hybris, SAP Jam, SAP MaxAttention, SAP
MaxDB, SAP NetWeaver, SAP PartnerEdge, SAPPHIRE NOW, SAP PowerBuilder, SAP PowerDesigner, SAP R/2, SAP
R/3, SAP Replication Server, SAP S/4HANA, SAP SQL Anywhere, SAP Strategic Enterprise Management (SAP SEM),
SAP SuccessFactors, The Best-Run Businesses Run SAP, TwoGo are registered or unregistered trademarks of SAP
SE, Walldorf, Germany.

All other products mentioned in this E-Bite are registered or unregistered trademarks of their respective
companies.

SAP PRESS E-Bites

SAP PRESS E-Bites provide you with a high-quality response to your specific project need. If you're looking for
detailed instructions on a specific task; or if you need to become familiar with a small, but crucial sub-component

Confidential
of an SAP product; or if you want to understand all the hype around product xyz: SAP PRESS E-Bites have you
covered. Authored by the top professionals in the SAP universe, E-Bites provide the excellence you know from
SAP PRESS, in a digestible electronic format, delivered (and consumed) in a fraction of the time!

Satish Badgi, Dries Smit, Imran Sajid

Introducing SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll
www.sap-press.com/4742 | 121 pages

Ana Lucia Soler Villanueva

Introducing SAP Jam for SAP SuccessFactors
www.sap-press.com/4794 | 125 pages

Venki Krishnamoorthy
SAP SuccessFactors Admin Center: User Management, Security, and Data Maintenance
www.sap-press.com/4228 | 102 pages

The Author of this E-Bite

Confidential
Shelly Lynn Efrosinis is a solution adoption advisor for SAP. She has worked with both the legacy and current SAP
SuccessFactors Onboarding products as an HR practitioner and advisor since 2008. Shelly has been closely
involved with the development of SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 functionality, providing customer insights
to the product development teams.

What You'll Learn

In this E-Bite, you'll begin with the basics: what is onboarding, and how does it fit into SAP SuccessFactors? You'll
then take a tour of the tools and features provided by SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 for new hires, program
participants, and HR administrators. In addition, you'll see what's available for crossboarding and offboarding
processes. With insight into how onboarding works with other SAP SuccessFactors modules and a look at your
first steps toward implementation, you'll be ready to get started with the new onboarding solution!

More from SAP PRESS

SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting and Onboarding: The Comprehensive Guide

672 pages, pub. 08/2017
www.sap-press.com/4290

SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central: The Comprehensive Guide

741 pages, 2nd edition, pub. 10/2017
www.sap-press.com/4480

Integrating SAP SuccessFactors

746 pages, pub. 04/2020
www.sap-press.com/5019

Usage, Service, and Legal Notes

Confidential
Notes on Usage

This E-Bite is protected by copyright. By purchasing this E-Bite, you have agreed to accept and adhere to the
copyrights. You are entitled to use this E-Bite for personal purposes. You may print and copy it, too, but also only
for personal use. Sharing an electronic or printed copy with others, however, is not permitted, neither as a whole
nor in parts. Of course, making them available on the Internet or in a company network is illegal.

For detailed and legally binding usage conditions, please refer to the section Legal Notes.

This E-Bite copy contains a digital watermark, a signature that indicates which person may use this copy.

Service Pages

The following sections contain notes on how you can contact us.

Praise and Criticism

We hope that you enjoyed reading this E-Bite. If it met your expectations, please do recommend it. If you think
there is room for improvement, please get in touch with the editor of the E-Bite: Megan Fuerst.

We welcome every suggestion for improvement but, of course, also any praise! You can also share your reading
experience via Twitter, Facebook, or email.

Technical Issues

If you experience technical issues with your e-book or e-book account at SAP PRESS, please feel free to contact
our reader service: support@rheinwerk-publishing.com.

About Us and Our Program

Confidential
The website http://www.sap-press.com provides detailed and first-hand information on our current publishing
program. Here, you can also easily order all of our books and e-books. Information on Rheinwerk Publishing Inc.
and additional contact options can also be found at http://www.sap-press.com.

Legal Notes

This section contains the detailed and legally binding usage conditions for this E-Bite.

Copyright Note

This publication is protected by copyright in its entirety. All usage and exploitation rights are reserved by the
author and Rheinwerk Publishing; in particular the right of reproduction and the right of distribution, be it in
printed or electronic form.
© 2020 by Rheinwerk Publishing Inc., Boston (MA)

Your Rights as a User

You are entitled to use this E-Bite for personal purposes only. In particular, you may print the E-Bite for personal
use or copy it as long as you store this copy on a device that is solely and personally used by yourself. You are not
entitled to any other usage or exploitation.

In particular, it is not permitted to forward electronic or printed copies to third parties. Furthermore, it is not
permitted to distribute the E-Bite on the Internet, in intranets, or in any other way or make it available to third
parties. Any public exhibition, other publication, or any reproduction of the E-Bite beyond personal use are
expressly prohibited. The aforementioned does not only apply to the E-Bite in its entirety but also to parts
thereof (e.g., charts, pictures, tables, sections of text). Copyright notes, brands, and other legal reservations as
well as the digital watermark may not be removed from the E-Bite.

Confidential
Digital Watermark

This E-Bite copy contains a digital watermark, a signature that indicates which person may use this copy. If you,
dear reader, are not this person, you are violating the copyright. So please refrain from using this E-Bite and
inform us about this violation. A brief email to info@rheinwerk-publishing.com is sufficient. Thank you!

Limitation of Liability

Regardless of the care that has been taken in creating texts, figures, and programs, neither the publisher nor the
author, editor, or translator assume any legal responsibility or any liability for possible errors and their
consequences.

Chapter 1: Onboarding Basics

Overview

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, two million employees quit their jobs every month, citing negative
workplace experience as the reason. The onboarding experience is the first chance a company has to make a
positive impression and set the tone for what new hires can expect for the rest of their working experience. In
light of this information, investing in getting it right is a smart business strategy.

Confidential
Onboarding is both a process and a tool. SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 supports all the strategic
components of a successful onboarding program. This next generation onboarding product was developed by
taking in much customer feedback to address identified opportunities such as the following:

 Seamless integration to SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central by using the same data structures
 More flexibility for participant task assignment
 Native pre-day 1 access to the SAP SuccessFactors home page
 More engaging user interface (UI)
 Easier administration

The product will continue to evolve and include even more customer-requested features.

In this first section of the E-Bite, we'll explore the tenets of an optimal onboarding process. We'll outline a
definition, benefits of a formal process, and top industry trends. The following sections of this E-Bite will dive
deeper into the SAP SuccessFactors functionality and how the module can assist in creating an optimal
onboarding experience.

1.1 What Is Onboarding?

Onboarding is a formal program designed to make a new hire welcome, equipped, and prepared to be productive
prior to day one and continue to ensure engagement through the first year of employment.

In addition to the administrative components, an onboarding program is the company's opportunity to introduce
new hires to the culture and assure them that they made the right choice. Each company should strive to make
aspects of their onboarding unique, although starting with a template can make the process easier. The optimal
onboarding experience consists of the following phases and associated sample activities:

Confidential
1. Prepare
The prepare phase occurs as of the offer acceptance (day 0) and can consist of the following sample
activities:

 Deliver welcome email and phone call (hiring manager).

 Share mission/vision/values videos.
 Educate on what to expect for week 1.
 Invite to orientation.
 Prepare/send welcome gift.
 Instruct for any pre-day 1 learning.
 Prepare the workspace.
 Provide a safe forum to ask onboarding questions.
2. Familiarize
The familiarize phase occurs during the first five days and can consist of the following sample activities:
 Host a new hire culture-immersion breakfast.
 Perform orientation that includes company overview/values/total rewards/compliance/tour.
 Announce the new hire to the team and organization.
 Partner the new hire with a buddy.
 Introduce the new hire recommended people.
 Introduce the new hire to internal social groups.
 Have lunch with the manager.
 Ensure access to tools and email distribution lists.
 Start the onboarding learning program.
3. Cultivate
The cultivate phase occurs during the first 6–90 days and can consist of the following sample activities:
 Continue the onboarding learning program.
 Invite the new hire to the departmental SAP Jam group.

Confidential
  Perform monthly 1:1 with manager that includes discussing job scope, performance expectations,
and achievements.
 Engage job shadowing and enable Q&A.
 Survey the new hire about experience.
 Provide processional development guidance.
 Discuss the new hire's 90-day performance.
4. Flourish
The flourish phase occurs during the first 91–365 days and can consist of the following sample activities:
 Provide continued professional development guidance.
 Recognize and celebrate key milestones (completion of formal onboarding program, anniversary,
skill mastery).
 Initiate a mentor program.
 Administer sixth-month survey to the new hire and manager.
 Engage in a formal performance discussion.

1.2 Benefits of Automated Onboarding

To talk about the benefits of automated onboarding, it's best to highlight the costs of not having an automated
and formalized onboarding program. Consider the following costs when evaluating the benefits:

 Paper
Starting with the obvious, there is the cost of paper accrued due to the number of forms, benefits packets,
and handbooks that are typically disseminated in the onboarding process. Converting these items to
electronic versions can save thousands of dollars in printing, mailing, filing, and storage costs.
 Compliance
Government agencies can leverage crippling fines for failure to collect proper work authorization
documentation and country-specific compliance forms. While the company is ultimately responsible for

Confidential
 compliance, automation tools can help ensure that forms and processes are consistent and designed in
accordance with governmental rules. Automation vendors won't provide indemnification statements but
will provide you with their governance and update procedures to help with your own compliance planning.
 Retention
Recruiting and training new hires costs thousands of dollars. If they leave within the first 90 days, that
money is wasted. Creating an engaging onboarding experience shows new hires how much the company
values them, eases their "new job" anxiety by clearly articulating their purpose, and makes them feel
connected to the work community.
 Administration
A major cause of employee dissatisfaction is unclear work processes and not having the proper tools to do
the job well. If it's a fire drill to get a new hire onboarded every time, all the participants in the process will
experience frustration. Having a clearly defined, repeatable process that takes into account the needs of all
the stakeholders will go a long way to reduce that frustration.

When attempting to quantify the benefits of automating your onboarding process, it's important to consider
these topics. A return on investment (ROI) calculator can help make the case when requesting funding. In
addition to just paper and mailing costs, consider the costs of file storage, labor time it takes for managers to
approve paper form routing, and time to retrieve paper files requested by employees. Figure 1.1 and Table
1.1 show a sample ROI calculator to help get the process started and data entry sheet, respectively. As you can
see, a combination of material costs and labor costs can add up to a significant expense that can be mitigated
over time by automating the process. Cost amounts aren't based on any actual customer use case.

Figure 1.1: Sample ROI Calculator

Confidential
Confidential
 able 1.1: Data Entry Sheet
Data Point Description Cost
Number of total employees Total employees 600
Number of annual new hires Total number of employees hired each year 200
Number of new hire forms Contained in the new hire packet 10
Freight costs Overnight shipping costs to distribute new hire packet $3.33
Cost per form Printing and copying costs $0.75
Staff labor cost/task Fully burdened hourly labor cost to process new hire form $17.00
Average number of forms an HR employee can manually
Time study per form 10
enter/hour
Staff labor cost/task Fully burdened labor cost to file employee documents $17.00
Time study to file Average number of forms an employee can manually enter/hour 50
Staff labor cost/task Fully burdened labor cost to retrieve employee documents $17.00
Time study to retrieve forms Average number of files that can be retrieved per hour 10
Management labor cost/approval step Fully burdened hourly labor cost to perform each approved task $37.50
Number of approval steps To manage onboarding process, assume paper routing process 10
Time study for management approval Average number of approvals that can be finalized per hour 10
Average data entry error rate Industry average of all US fortune 500 companies 5%
Flooring costs Facility costs (lease rates) of office space $2,500.00
Employee record request Number of employee records accessed each year $500.00
Onboarding Costs
Estimated implementation costs One-time setup and configuration $40,500.00
Estimated subscription costs Ongoing annual costs $13,000.00
Contract duration Enter contract length indicating the number of years 3

Confidential
1.3 Onboarding with SAP SuccessFactors

SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 is a cloud-based solution that delivers on all the tenets of an optimal
onboarding experience. This solution takes advantage of the UI that is shared across the suite and is built on the
core foundational data structures used for the Employee Central core human resource information system (HRIS)
module. The mobile-responsive design and thoughtfully crafted standard onboarding tasks create a seamless end-
user experience.

Additionally, the SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 module, in conjunction with other suite tools (which we'll
discuss further in Section 8), addresses all the top trends for successful onboarding programs. Following is a list of
the top trends and how SAP SuccessFactors addresses them with the software at a high level:

 Preboarding
Onboarding activities can be initiated immediately upon offer acceptance. All the features are available
before day one via the SAP SuccessFactors home page. Introducing onboardees to the SAP SuccessFactors
home page sets the stage for continuity in the technology landscape that they will use for the rest of their
employee lifecycle.
 Personalization
The SAP SuccessFactors business rules engine and localization tools can create a tailored experience for
hires all over the world. SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding takes advantage of all the deep localization
features that have been cultivated in the Employee Central product.
 Culturalization
Welcome messages, buddy assignment, recommended people tasks, and customizable home page tiles aid
in cultural assimilation. Using automated email touch points keeps the onboardee and participants fully

Confidential
 engaged in the process. SAP Jam can also provide a forum for social onboarding and targeted
communication.
 Automation
While not new, this is still a trend as many companies grapple with centralizing many disparate global
processes. Electronic paperwork collection, automated equipment provisioning, and automation of
stakeholder tasks are just a few standout areas where SAP SuccessFactors provides automation.
 Microlearning
Microlearning is presenting critical information in small, easily consumable formats. The information
should be able to be consumed in about five to seven minutes. While SAP SuccessFactors Learning is the
primary tool for microlearning, customizable home page tiles and generated email notifications from
onboarding activities can facilitate some microlearning opportunities. SAP Jam is also a forum to provide
some microlearning opportunities.
 Welcome kits
Welcome emails, what to bring and where to go features, customized home page tiles and email
notifications replace paper-heavy welcome kits of old. Integrated Qualtrics surveys can also be used to
gather feedback on the experience and make the new hire feel valued and welcome.
 Mentoring
SAP offers a formal mentoring tool, that is, the buddy and recommended people functionality in SAP
SuccessFactors Onboarding, which can be paired with the potential to create manager activities fostering
mentoring activities.

In this E-Bite, we'll explore, in detail, the features of SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 and touch upon the
other key suite features that make an optimal onboarding experience.

Chapter 2: The Onboardee Experience

Confidential
Overview

SAP is spearheading an industry change to move away from categorizing employees as capital. SAP is calling for
the world to stop using the term human capital management (HCM) and start using human experience
management (HXM) instead. To lead this movement, all the SAP products are being designed with the experience
as the center of focus.

For the purposes of this book, the "onboardee" will be defined as the individual moving through the onboarding
process. In this section, we'll explore the SAP SuccessFactors functionality that shapes the onboardee experience.

2.1 SAP SuccessFactors Home Page

The home page is a critical component in the onboarding experience. This centralized location provides access to
all SAP SuccessFactors functionality. The tiles on the page can be controlled via role-based permissions and can
have business rules assigned to allow for a personalized experience. For example, rules can be added to a custom
tile to present documents or messaging that is relevant for hires in a specific country or business unit.
Additionally, custom tiles can be created to engage new hires. For example, administrators can create tiles with
video messages and company culture. Using the theme controls, customers can brand the home page to align
with their own marketing colors, images, and logos.

The onboarding-specific tiles can have timelines set so that they disappear after a designated period of time, if
desired. Custom home page tiles can also serve as a delivery mechanism for microlearning opportunities where
links to embedded content can be provided. Figure 2.1 displays the SAP SuccessFactors home page with the
onboarding-related tiles.

Figure 2.1: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Your Onboarding Journey Home Page

Confidential
Confidential
2.2 Electronic Paperwork and Document Signatures

Electronic signatures are key to a paperless onboarding process. With SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0,
customers can choose from the following two different electronic signature options:

 Native click signature

This embedded feature allows the onboardee to click an attestation within the onboarding workflow, and
then a printed date/time stamp will be affixed to the PDF document as the signature. This is a basic
electronic signature and may not meet the legal requirements for all countries. Additionally, at the time of
writing (spring 2020), it's not mobile responsive, although that is on the roadmap. Native click signature is a
suite-wide tool, and SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding is the first module to adopt it.

A Complete e-Signing of Documents To-Do tile is displayed when the onboardee reaches the signature
step in the process. There is a required attestation presented prior to the click-to-sign page.

 SAP Signature Management by DocuSign

This feature allows for outside signing of the PDF documents. Upon completion of the data capture within
the SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding module, an email is sent to the onboardee through which a signature
can be affixed. This looks like a handwritten signature. DocuSign has done extensive research on country-
specific legal compliance, which can be found on the DocuSign website. This electronic signature option is
mobile responsive at this time. Upon completion of the onboarding process, onboardees will receive an
email prompting them to electronically sign their document using SAP Signature Management by DocuSign.
Embedded signature using SAP Signature Management by DocuSign is a feature being considered for future
enhancement at this time. In this case, the onboardee would not have to go to an email but rather would
use SAP Signature Management by DocuSign within the SAP SuccessFactors UI.

SAP Signature Management by DocuSign does require separate licensing at the time of writing (spring
2020). The pricing is designated by envelope count. For the purposes of onboarding, each signature step

Confidential
 would be considered an envelope; so, if there are 10 forms to be signed in the onboardee signature step,
that is one envelope. If a participant needs to sign compliance forms, for example, that would be a second
envelope.

2.3 Process Variant Manager

The Process Variant Manager tool allows for the onboardee experience to be customized by defining different
process flows for various business units or regions using business rules to differentiate the experience. For
instance, some regions may have custom data collection requirements, and others may only need the participant
and engagement tasks. The primary reasons to create multiple processes are to accommodate the need for a
different number of steps in the process for a group of onboardees or to more easily segregate access to activities
using role-based permissions by country, for example.

Figure 2.2 illustrates the Process Variant Manager UI with the default steps. Steps can be easily added and
removed in the process by an administrator. The processes can be cloned and modified or created from scratch.

Figure 2.2: SAP SuccessFactors: Process Variant Manager

Confidential
Figure 2.3 is an onboardee view of some client-defined customer data collection objects that could be
permissioned using business rules and the Process Variant Manager. In this example, company-specific uniform
and parking information is being collected.

Confidential
Figure 2.3: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Custom Data Collection Objects

The additional company-specific onboarding tasks just discussed will appear in a To-Do tile on the onboardee's
home page. Figure 2.4 is an example of that To-Do tile.

Figure 2.4: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Complete Additional Onboarding Tasks Tile

Confidential
2.4 Engagement Activities

Think of the engagement activities as the welcome kit mentioned earlier. These features supply onboardees with
the commonly asked information and first-line engagement collateral that they need to feel welcomed and
appreciated. The following list outlines the primary engagement components offered in SAP SuccessFactors
Onboarding 2.0:

 Welcome Message
The welcome message pops up the first time an onboardee logs in to the system and is the manager's

Confidential
opportunity to give a customized welcome to ensure engagement. The administrator can set a default
message, which the assigned participant can modify. Figure 2.5 shows an onboardee's view of a welcome
message.

Figure 2.5: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Welcome Message

Confidential
Confidential
 Useful Contacts
These are limited-view employee profile cards that show the new hire buddy and recommended people
that the manager/onboarding participant selected. Often new employees are shy about going to their
manager for every little question, so having a buddy or other teammates to ask will ease that anxiety. The
buddy can be a mentor for the onboardee. The participant that is assigned the task can select from any
user in the organization, indicate why the person was selected, and send the selected person an email
notification. Figure 2.6 shows an onboardee's view of the buddy and recommended people selected to
appear in the Useful Contacts tile.

Figure 2.6: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Useful Contacts Tile

Confidential
 Recommended Links
Having the tools to do the job is a critical component of employee satisfaction. Providing links to web pages
that are relevant to the onboardee's role can be very useful. Figure 2.7 shows an onboardee's view of
the Recommended Links tile.

Figure 2.7: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Recommended Links Tile

Confidential
 Meetings
Building relationships and setting expectations through meetings help to set the stage for success. The
manager/participant can set a series of meetings that will display in a tile on the home page. At the time of
writing (spring 2020), there is no direct integration to a calendar tool; however, at least one vendor in the
SAP App Center, MyAlly, can integrate with the tool to do so. Figure 2.8 shows the onboardee's view of
meetings that are displayed when the Meetings tile is selected.

Figure 2.8: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Meetings View

Confidential
 Where to Go
The number one question an onboardee has is "Where do I go on my first day?" This feature allows the
address, instructions, and links to maps or other resources information to be included and remain on the
home page so that the onboardee can reference it when the time comes. Figure 2.9 shows the onboardee's
view of the content in the Where to Go tile.

Figure 2.9: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Where to Go Tile

Confidential
 Prepare For Day One
Work authorization documents and professional licensure may be required for an individual to begin work.
The Prepare For Day One tile allows for the communication of those essential things or tasks that a person
must bring or do on the first day of work. Figure 2.10 shows the onboardee view of the content in
the Prepare For Day One tile.

Confidential
Figure 2.10: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Prepare for Day One Tile

Confidential
Confidential
Chapter 3: The Program Participant Experience
Overview

A successful onboarding program includes a number of stakeholders to prepare the workspace, systems, and
team for the arrival of the onboardee. Those stakeholders will be defined as "participants" as we explore the
tasks and to-do list items that engage them in the process in this section.

3.1 Onboarding Tasks

Many roles within an organization play a part in a successful onboarding program. The SAP SuccessFactors
Onboarding module allows for various individuals to be participants in the onboarding program. A program is
defined as a group of tasks. During configuration, tasks are created and assigned to these programs based on
roles and business rules. Programs are then assigned to participant groups.

The tasks can be tracked both by participants and administrators. Due dates can be set and reminders
sent. Figure 3.1 shows the participant view of the tasks associated with one onboardee within the Onboarding
Dashboard tile.

Figure 3.1: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Participant Task Dashboard

Confidential
The administrator can set up default content in many of the tasks, or, as outlined in Figure 3.2, participants can
add their own. In this example meeting items are added into the Schedule Meetings task that is accessed via
the Onboarding Dashboard or the To Do tile.

Figure 3.2: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Schedule Meetings

Confidential
In this example, Figure 3.3 shows how useful links are added by a participant. The administrator can configure
default links that are displayed for all hires, and the participant can add additional links that are specific to the
role or department.

Figure 3.3: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Recommend Links

Confidential
Figure 3.4 displays how a participant can type a custom welcome message for the onboardee. While the
administrator can craft a default message, it's recommended that the hiring manager personalize the message for
an optimal positive experience.

Figure 3.4: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Write Welcome Message

Confidential
Figure 3.5 shows the participant view for adding a buddy. All active users will be available in the search feature,
and the participant can add a personal note to the selected buddy so they understand why they have been
chosen for the role.

Confidential
Figure 3.5: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Assign a Buddy

Figure 3.6 illustrates how the participant can add information to help the onboardee prepare for day 1 in
the Additional Note section. The administrator can identify lists of things for all onboardees to bring.

Figure 3.6: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Prepare for Day One

Confidential
In some cases, there may be a need to track additional tasks that are delivered out of the box from SAP
SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0. In this case, a participant checklist can be created. These tasks don't show up

Confidential
individually on a to-do list but rather are aggregated. Figure 3.7 shows the Checklist that can be accessed as a
participant task from the dashboard. The administrator can add default tasks that can be displayed for all new
hires, and the assigned participant can add additional tasks to track for each hire.

Figure 3.7: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Participant Checklist

Confidential
3.2 To-Do List

Onboarding program participants with outstanding tasks will see these tasks on a dynamic To-Do list that displays
on the home page. This is the same section on the home page where other modules will display to-do tasks, so
the participant will be used to going there. Having a centralized to-do list drives adoption as it ensures regular
traffic to the system and makes it easy for participants to understand their responsibilities. Figure 3.8 shows the
participant view of the SAP SuccessFactors home page and the content from the Prepare for New Hires To-
Do tile. Participants can access their specific hires from the To-Do tile or via the Onboarding Dashboard.

Figure 3.8: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Participant To-Do Home Page

Chapter 4: The HR Administrator Experience

Overview

SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 can be easily administered by trained human resources (HR) professionals
without the need for coders or IT professionals after the initial configuration. During implementation, the primary
processes will be configured, and then HR administrators can modify them, adding notifications, forms, tasks, and
even additional workflows to the programs.

In this section, we'll walk through the key elements of the HR administrator experience, from activity tracking to
reporting and document management.

Confidential
Confidential
4.1 Activity Tracking

HR users can be given role-based permissions to monitor tasks and even nudge assigned participants if they are
ignoring the automated reminders. Simple red/yellow/green light cues visually alert users to task statuses.
Additionally, users can cancel or restart activities and view completed documents from the Onboarding
Dashboard. Figure 4.1 shows the participant Nudge Assignee activity. While automated email reminders can be
configured, the nudge feature allows for real-time ad hoc reminders when participants are delayed in completing
their tasks.

Figure 4.1: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Nudge Assignees Action

Confidential
Figure 4.2 displays other administrator actions such as Restart Onboarding or Cancel Onboarding. Restarting the
process will roll back to the first step in the process, allowing for data to be updated as needed and configured
email notifications to be retriggered. The View Documents setting allows the user to see any PDF documents that
have been completed by the onboardee.

Confidential
Figure 4.2: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Administrator Actions

Confidential
Confidential
Figure 4.3 illustrates the Check Paperwork Status feature. The color-coded alerts allow for easy identification of
where onboardees are in the process of completing their paperwork. It will follow the number of process steps
included in the configuration.

Figure 4.3: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding Administrator Tool: Check Paperwork Status

Confidential
4.2 Administrator Tools and Resources

SAP offers HR administrator training and even a certification for each module. Companies with certified
administrators log significantly less support tickets. There is a comprehensive administrator guide that helps the
user navigate the post-implementation configuration. All the configuration for the SAP SuccessFactors
Onboarding module can be found within the same Admin Center that is used by the rest of the suite. While the
majority of the features of the onboarding process are grouped, keep in mind that SAP SuccessFactors
Onboarding 2.0 takes advantage of many platform features. Email Services, Manage Business Configuration, and
Document Management System are examples of platform features that are used by SAP SuccessFactors
Onboarding 2.0. These platform features are also administered in the Admin Center.

Figure 4.4 shows the SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 administration settings within the Admin Center where
the majority of the configuration is completed.

Figure 4.4: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0: Administration Tools

Confidential
4.3 Email Services

Email notifications are an essential part of an onboarding communication strategy. SAP SuccessFactors
Onboarding 2.0 provides a number of templates for this task. The Email Services functionality allows
administrators to add, copy, modify, and delete email templates. There is a defined list of tokens that can be
merged into the text of the templates. Customer-defined triggers and business rules can be used to personalize
the emails. Where applicable, reminders can be scheduled to ensure onboardee and participant tasks are
completed in a timely manner. The Email Services functionality is a platform tool and is used by other modules.
This feature has received several enhancements with SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0, such as the ability to
copy and add additional tokens.

Confidential
Figure 4.5 shows some of the delivered SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 email templates within the Email
Services tool. These templates can be copied and modified by an administrator.

Figure 4.5: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Email Services

4.4 Qualtrics for Experience Feedback

Qualtrics is a relatively new addition to SAP. It's a powerful tool that allows the collection of employee feedback
via targeted surveys and then performs an analysis of the experience data collected from those surveys with the
operational data available from the SAP suite of products. The outcome of the analysis is presented in a graphical
user interface (GUI) with actual recommendations on actions to take based on the data.

The Qualtrics tool can be used in conjunction with the SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding module to gather feedback
from the onboarding process. As of the time of writing (spring 2020), work on this seamless integration is still
underway but expected to be delivered within the next year. The design will allow the Intelligent Services engine
to subscribe to an onboarding event and trigger the appropriate survey based on business rules. The real value of
using Qualtrics for these surveys comes in the in-depth data analysis that is generated from data fed into the tool
from all the suite modules to produce intelligent reports that allow for timely business decisions.

Figure 4.6 is a sample survey rendered on a mobile device. There is no need to download a mobile application, as
the surveys are inherently mobile responsive.

Figure 4.6: Qualtrics Onboarding Survey

Confidential
Confidential
4.5 Reporting

SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 takes advantage of the SAP SuccessFactors Workforce Analytics tool. While
there are no standard onboarding reports delivered at the time of writing (spring 2020), ad hoc reports can be

Confidential
run using embedded SAP SuccessFactors People Analytics. This tool allows for the extraction of data and creation
of dashboard reports that can be displayed on the SAP SuccessFactors home page for a target audience identified
by role-based permissions. It's important to remember that SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 uses the same
fields and data structures as Employee Central. This will help when designing reports.

As onboarding is generally a pass-through function and not the final system of record, there typically isn't a great
need for reporting on it. Most of what needs to be tracked in the onboarding process is easily visible on the
participant dashboard (i.e., how many activities are outstanding/completed). The final data passed to Employee
Central will generally be the basis for reporting.

Figure 4.7 shows the engaging graphical output of the SAP SuccessFactors Workforce Analytics tools.

Figure 4.7: SAP SuccessFactors Workforce Analytics

Confidential
4.6 Document Template Management

Data collected in the onboarding process can be mapped to PDF documents that can be electronically signed and
stored. Adobe LiveCycle Designer and Adobe Document Cloud are tools that are used to create and map the data
fields to the .xdp document templates. The business rules engine allows you to customize the experience for
onboardees by presenting only the documents applicable for their roles and locations in unique document flows.
Trained client administrators can add, modify, and delete document templates on their own without assistance
from professional services partners. The Adobe LiveCycle Designer installer can be downloaded from the SAP
Support Portal.

Confidential
Figure 4.8 shows the UI for adding the templates into the SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding module within the
Admin Center. From this feature, the administrator can view, edit, delete, and add business rules to the
document templates.

Figure 4.8: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Maintain Document Templates

Premapped .xdp formatted documents can be uploaded and indexed as illustrated in Figure 4.9.

Figure 4.9: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Add New Document Template

Confidential
Chapter 5: Integration and Extensibility

Confidential
Overview

Integrating onboarding to recruiting management systems, core HR systems, and third-party vendors is an
essential component of a seamless onboarding program. SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 has native
integrations to pass data within the product as well as application programming interfaces (APIs) to pass data to
third-party vendors. This section will explore those tools in more detail.

5.1 Recruit-to-Hire Data Mapping

Data gathered in the SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting Management module can be mapped to Employee Central
entities and permissioned to display for editing in the SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 process. This is a native
mapping tool with an easy-to-use UI where data collected on the offer, application, or requisition templates in
SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting Management can flow to corresponding Employee Central fields. There is a limited
number of Employee Central entities that can accept the incoming data. Following are the mappable Employee
Central entities:

 National_ID_Card: National ID Information portlet

 Personal_Info: Biographical Information portlet
 Phone_Info: Contact Information portlet
 Email_Info: Contact Information portlet
 IM_Info: Contact Information portlet
 Pay_Component_Non_Recurring: Spot Bonus portlet
 Pay_Component_Recurring: Compensation Information portlet
 Emergency_Contact (Primary and Secondary): Emergency Contact portlet
 Person_Global_Info: Employment Details portlet
 Job_Info: Job Information portlet
 Comp_Info: Compensation Information portlet
 Work_Permit_Info: Work Permit Information portlet

Confidential
  Job_Relations_Info: Job Relationships portlet

Figure 5.1 shows the UI for the Admin Center's Recruit-to-Hire Data Mapping tool used to map the data from SAP
SuccessFactors Recruiting to SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding and Employee Central.

Figure 5.1: SAP SuccessFactors: Recruit-to-Hire Data Mapping

5.2 Third-Party Applicant Tracking Systems

Confidential
Onboardee data can be sent from third-party applicant tracking systems (ATSs) to SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding
2.0 using OData APIs. The records can be sent one at a time or batched, and they are uploaded to SAP
SuccessFactors Onboarding as external users. SAP provides a detailed API guide for customers and
implementation consultants.

Access to the API must be granted to configure this feature. Figure 5.2 shows the required role-based permissions
needed to initiate the onboarding API required for the inbound third-party ATS integration. All permissions are
configured in the Admin Center.

Figure 5.2: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Initiate API Permission

Confidential
5.3 Integration Center

There may be a need to send onboarding data to third-party vendors performing additional services such as
compliance tracking or background checking. The Integration Center in SAP SuccessFactors allows HR staff to
build, run, and schedule file-based or web services outbound integrations that are sent to configured Secure File
Transfer Protocol (SFTP) server locations. It's accessed via the Admin Center for permissioned users and was
created in a way that doesn't require deep technical knowledge of integration protocols or coding.

Confidential
Figure 5.3 shows the Integration Center dashboard where administrators can search, create, edit, and monitor
custom integrations.

Figure 5.3: SAP SuccessFactors: Integration Center

5.4 SAP App Center

SAP recognizes that customers have unique needs which may not be natively part of the SAP product line. The
SAP App Center was created to help customers fill these gaps. Vendors offering complementary services can
participate in the SAP App Center. Some vendors have prebuilt integration hook-ins making partnering and
passing data simple. The SAP App Center can be found at www.sapappcenter.com.

Figure 5.4 shows the SAP App Center, which can be searched by use cases, industry, product line, and more. For
example, the vendor shown here is My Ally, offers artificial intelligence (AI) scheduling for meetings, which can be
particularly useful in the onboarding process.

Confidential
Figure 5.4: SAP App Center

Chapter 6: Crossboarding

Confidential
Overview

SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 includes the ability to configure crossboarding and offboarding as part of the
package. This is essentially another onboarding workflow. In this section, we'll explore what crossboarding is and
why it's important to have a formal crossboarding program.

6.1 What Is Crossboarding?

Crossboarding is onboarding for internal transfers, that is, existing employees moving from one area to another
within the same company. It's just as important for internal transfers to have a smooth and engaging experience
as it is for external hires. SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 can help to ensure that internal transfers have the
tools they need to do their job, complete any necessary documentation, get assigned a buddy, and have a
welcoming experience as they transition into their new role.

The optimal crossboarding experience consists of the following phases and associated sample activities:

1. Prepare
The prepare phase occurs during offer acceptance (day 0) and can consist of the following sample activities:

 Welcome email and phone call from the hiring manager

 Education on what to expect for week 1
 Instruction for any pre-day 1 learning
 Invitation to departmental SAP Jam groups
 Preparation workshops

Confidential
2. Familiarize
The familiarize phase occurs during the first five days and can consist of the following sample activities:
 Lunch with the manager
 Announcement of the transfer/promotion to the team and organization
 Partnering with a buddy
 Introduction to recommended people
 Granting of access to tools and email distribution lists
 Starting of the departmental learning program
3. Cultivate
The cultivate phase occurs during the first 6–90 days and can consist of the following sample activities:
 Continuation of departmental learning program
 Monthly 1:1 with the manager to include job scope, performance expectations, and achievement
recognition
 Job shadowing and Q&A
 Employee survey about experience
 Providing of professional development guidance
 90-day performance discussion
4. Flourish
The flourish phase occurs during the first 91–365 days and can consist of the following sample activities:
 Providing a safe forum to ask questions
 Continued professional development guidance
 Recognition and celebration of key milestones (completion of formal departmental training program,
anniversary, skill mastery)
 Initiation of a mentor program
 Sixth-month survey to employee and manager
 Formal performance discussion

Confidential
6.2 Triggering the Crossboarding Activity

Crossboarding can be triggered either by initiating onboarding for an internal employee type in SAP
SuccessFactors Recruiting Management, from a third-party ATS via APIs, or by an Intelligent Services event
triggered by a defined event type in Employee Central. In each case, business rules will be used to define that the
activity be sent to the crossboarding process.

6.3 Engagement Activities

Just like with external onboardees (as discussed in Section 2.4), crossboarders can also benefit from the standard
engagement activities. Participants can write custom welcome messages, assign a buddy, assign recommended
people, share useful links, and schedule meetings. It's just as important to immerse internal talent in the culture
of a new department, give them the tools they need to do their job, and start to develop relationships that will be
critical for success in their new role.

Chapter 7: Offboarding
Overview

The offboarding process included with the purchase of the SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding module. Like SAP
SuccessFactors Onboarding, it's both a process and a tool. In this section, we'll explore the tenets of an optimal
offboarding program as well as the Offboarding tool.

7.1 What Is Offboarding?

Confidential
Offboarding is a formal program to gracefully exit talent from an organization. Knowledge transfer, collection of
assets, and termination of access are critical components of an offboarding program. The addition of fully
integrated and automated exit interviews with actionable analytics, as well as inclusion in alumni networks,
makes the offboarding experience optimal.

Offboarding can be organized into four phases that each consist of some key tasks to provide an optimal
offboarding experience, as follows:

1. Notice
The notice phase begins upon notice of departure and can consist of the following tasks:

 Manager/employee meeting to determine the reason for departure

 Triggering of the offboarding process
 Notification of stakeholders
 Posting of the job
2. Knowledge transfer
The knowledge transfer phase occurs two or more weeks prior to departure and can consist of the
following tasks:
 In-person and electronic exit interviews
 Knowledge transfer activities
 Determination of whether there are any outstanding payments owed to the company (e.g., loans,
unfulfilled tuition reimbursement obligations)
3. Exit
The exit phase occurs during the final week and can consist of the following tasks:
 Farewell celebrations and messages
 Parting gifts
 Confirmation of mailing address for final check

Confidential
  Benefits end overview
 Collection of equipment
 Termination in HRIS
 Disabling of system access
 Setting the rehire eligibility status
4. Network
The network phase occurs postdeparture and can consist of the following tasks:
 Enrollment in the alumni network
 Analysis of exit interview data and making changes if applicable
 Communication about future job openings via the alumni network

7.2 Triggering the Offboarding Activity

Offboarding is triggered by a termination event in Employee Central. Multiple programs can be configured,
grouping participant tasks that are applicable for the specific type of termination determined by event reason-
based business rules.

7.3 Offboarding Tasks

Offboarding tasks can be assigned to participants to ensure that, for example, the collection of company assets,
knowledge transfer meetings, and farewell messages are completed in a timely manner. The tasks can be
assigned to different participants and grouped together by assigning business rules to a program. The UI allows
for at-a-glance tracking of overdue tasks.

Figure 7.1 shows the Offboarding Dashboard that can be accessed via the home page for participants with the
proper role-based permissions. Note the red/green coding for easy evaluation of outstanding tasks.

Figure 7.1: Offboarding: Participant Dashboard

Confidential
Specific tasks can be accessed by clicking on the item via the Offboarding Dashboard or the To-Do tile. Figure
7.2 illustrates how a designated participant can write and schedule a termination announcement message to be
sent to a list of recipients announcing the departure of the terminating employee and the plans for the future of
the role via the delivered Announce Termination to Coworkers task.

Confidential
Figure 7.2: Offboarding: Announce Termination to Coworkers

Confidential
One of the most worrisome things about having employees quit is the knowledge that could be walking out the
door with them. The Offboarding tool allows for the creation of a knowledge transfer plan that can have specific
tasks associated with it and executed by various participants in the process, as illustrated in Figure 7.3.

Figure 7.3: Offboarding: Create Knowledge Transfer Plan

Confidential
Just like making sure the onboardees have the tools to do their job on day 1 is critical to the onboarding process,
collecting those tools at termination is equally critical to the offboarding process. At the time of writing (spring
2020), the list must be entered manually by the assigned participant.

Figure 7.4 illustrates how a list of assets can be created in the offboarding process via the List Assets to be
Returned task.

Figure 7.4: Offboarding: List of Assets to Be Returned

Confidential
The list of assets to be returned can be tracked in the offboarding process as well via the Track Return of
Assets task (see Figure 7.5).

Figure 7.5: Offboarding: Track Return of Assets

In-person exit interviews, farewell gatherings, and knowledge transfer meetings are essential parts of the
offboarding process. The Offboarding tool allows for the creation of such meetings. At the time of writing (spring

Confidential
2020), the Offboarding tool does create an Internet Calendaring and Scheduling (ICS) file with this feature but
doesn't have full integration with any calendaring systems. There are vendors in the SAP App Center that can plug
into both SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting and SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 to help with calendaring
integration for meetings and interviews.

Figure 7.6 illustrates the basic Schedule Meetings feature delivered in the Offboarding tool.

Figure 7.6: Offboarding: Schedule Meetings

Confidential
Making employees feel special and valued as they are leaving is critical to maintaining the integrity of your brand
and setting the stage for a possible return. Companies can use these farewell messages to invite departing
employees to alumni networks and career boards and to give them the means to stay in touch as a valuable
resource for referrals or rehires.

Figure 7.7 illustrates the Write Farewell Message feature. The delivery date can be configured to be sent at
different intervals prior to the termination date.

Figure 7.7: Offboarding: Write Farewell Message

Confidential
7.4 Qualtrics for Exit Interviews

Confidential
Exit interview data can be very powerful when combined with other operational data to analyze and take action
to improve on the employee experience. SAP has built a seamless integration that will automatically trigger an
exit interview survey upon termination. Upon receipt of that survey feedback, Qualtrics will analyze and present
the data in a permissionable dashboard format that provides insight into how manager performance, time in
position, source of hire, and a number of other data points affect employee retention.

7.5 Document Management System

SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 takes advantage of the Document Management System that is shared by the
entire platform. Ultimately, all modules will use it as the form repository. Documents can have filters, purge rules,
and also be integrated to third-party document management vendors.

Figure 7.8 shows a sample home page tile for an integration with OpenText, a third-party document management
vendor that partners with SAP.

Figure 7.8: Document Management Powered by OpenText

Confidential
Chapter 8: Onboarding with the SAP SuccessFactors Suite
Overview

There are many facets to a successful onboarding program, and some are best facilitated by other SAP product
offerings. As we've seen, onboarding is so much more than just pre-day 1 paperwork and tasks. In this section,
we'll explore how SAP Jam, Learning Management, Mentoring, Goal Management, and mobile functionality can
augment the onboarding experience.

8.1 SAP Jam for Social Onboarding

Confidential
SAP Jam is a social platform that can be used to share static content and cultural videos, as well as facilitate Q&A
discussions. It can be configured for both internal and external audiences. Dynamic member lists can be created
to automatically assign new hires to SAP Jam groups. Some customers are using SAP to provide virtual new
employee orientation by combining learning management system (LMS) content with the great features of SAP
Jam for a robust interactive experience.

Figure 8.1 shows a Pre-Hire Onboarding Group example of how SAP Jam can be used for social onboarding via
the following activities:

 Sharing videos
 Providing informational documents
 Participating in discussion feeds and private message group membership

Figure 8.1: SAP Jam for Social Onboarding

Confidential
Confidential
8.2 Learning Management

The Learning Management module within SAP SuccessFactors Learning allows for the grouping of learning tasks
into a curriculum. For the purposes of onboarding, a new hire curriculum can group all the required new hire
training with reportable due dates to ensure compliance. Adding even more power, the LMS can integrate with
SAP Jam to automatically assign new hires to onboarding-specific SAP Jam groups to create a robust user
experience.

Figure 8.2, is an example of the engaging UI that can be created for an onboarding program learning curriculum.
The UI can be configured to include graphics and video and text portlets. As with the rest of the suite, business
rules can be used to create a tailored experience.

Figure 8.2: Learning Management: Onboarding Program

Confidential
Confidential
Figure 8.3 illustrates how the agenda of the curriculum can be time-based, spanning the entire onboarding
learning journey.

Figure 8.3: SAP SuccessFactors Learning: Onboarding Curriculum Agenda

Confidential
Confidential
8.3 Goal Management

Setting expectations during the onboarding process helps to ensure that the new hire and manager are working
toward the same goals. The SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 module has a delivered integration to the Goal
Management module within SAP SuccessFactors Performance & Goals. The integration allows for 30-, 60-, and
90-day goals to be created as a participant onboarding task, presented to the onboardee on the home page, and
integrated back into the greater goal plan.

Figure 8.4 shows the Set Goals task where the assigned participant can add a new goal during the onboarding
process that will then map to the goal plan.

Figure 8.4: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: Goal Setting

Confidential
Confidential
8.4 Mobile

SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 was built with a mobile-responsive design, so there's no need for the
onboardee to download a special application to execute tasks on a mobile device. From a configuration
standpoint, it's important to note that if electronic signatures are required, SAP Signature Management by
DocuSign must be used to ensure the onboardee can sign the documents on a mobile device. The native click-to-
sign feature isn't mobile-responsive at this time.

While the SAP Fiori-based home page is mobile-responsive in general, SAP does plan to add the onboarding
participant task elements to the SAP mobile application in the future.

8.5 Mentoring

The SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding module has a basic buddy feature that can connect an onboardee with a
colleague who will help shepherd the new employee through the first few months. However, a formal mentoring
program can help ensure long-term employee engagement and satisfaction by making a lasting professional
connection that can focus on career development. A Mentoring tool is part of the SAP SuccessFactors Succession
& Development module. The solution enables the creation of a formal mentoring program that will match the
mentors and mentees, as well as track the progress of the tasks in the program.

Administrators can track the progress of the mentees in the program. As illustrated in Figure 8.5, they can also
mark a mentoring program as complete and maintain the details for future reference.

Figure 8.5: SAP SuccessFactors Mentoring Program

Confidential
Confidential
When setting up the mentoring programs, administrators can select specific mentors/mentees and then invite
them to enroll by emailing deep links to the program directly to them. Once in the program, matching questions
are used to make the best connection between the mentor and mentee.

Figure 8.6 illustrates the administrator configuration options in the Mentoring tool.

Figure 8.6: SAP SuccessFactors Mentoring: Administrator Configuration

Confidential
Chapter 9: Implementation Basics
Overview

Now that we've walked through the features and functionality offered by SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0,
let's shift gears and discuss tips for implementing the module in your organization. In this section, we'll provide
key considerations and recommendations for both current and new SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding customers,
as well as helpful resources to consult.

9.1 Key Considerations

Any successful implementation starts with an understanding of the current state process—onboarding is no
exception. It's critical that the project team has a clear understanding of all the tasks, forms, and participants
involved in the current onboarding processes to ensure that those elements can be taken into consideration
when designing the new process. That said, it's essential that the project be approached as an opportunity to
improve the process versus just automating the same old one. Be sure all forms are still relevant, and understand
where the pain points are in the current process. Above all, keep the experience in mind. Design your process to
delight both the onboardee and the participants in the process.

Following is a list of additional things to consider for a successful onboarding implementation:

 Secure executive and stakeholder championship

Having a champion who has the authority to clear roadblocks and be your voice to the organization will
give your project credibility and traction. Additionally, securing stakeholders from key business areas who
can trickle down the executive enthusiasm will augment your adoption arsenal.

Confidential
 Create a formal change management plan
The change management plan should not be an afterthought; instead, it should be developed at the
beginning of the project so that milestones can be built in to the process. SAP offers free sample change
management plans through the SAP SuccessFactors Community.
 Plug into the organizational cloud software governance program
If you already have cloud-based software in use, chances are there is a governance committee already in
place. The role of the governance committee is to determine implementation, adoption, and update
protocols. Starting in 2020, SAP SuccessFactors will release product updates twice a year (formerly, four
times a year). The committee will determine which of the optional new features should be implemented
and develop a change management strategy for universal feature rollouts. Many times, platform features
or even features in other modules can have cross-module impact. If a company takes a modular approach
to administration and governance, configuration decisions can cause negative cross-module adoption
ripples.
 Assign administrators at the beginning of the project and get them certified
It's important that the administrator be present for the designing and implementation of the module so
they understand not only how the process was designed but why. Administrators who come in after the go-
live may make changes or decisions that go directly against the intended purpose of the SAP
SuccessFactors Onboarding module simply because they don't know the business reason behind the
configuration.
 Keep the implementation project documentation current
After the go-live, changes will be made. At a minimum, the implementation documentation should be
visited for updates every release cycle. That way, if there is a change in administration, the successor can
have an accurate picture of the business decisions behind the configuration.
 Pick a certified implementation partner
Most SAP SuccessFactors modules, including SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding, require the assistance of an
implementation partner. In addition to certification specific to SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0, it's
recommended that consultants implementing SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 also have Employee

Confidential
 Central certification. SAP has its own Professional Services team that can be contracted to do the
implementation, but there is also a robust partner ecosystem that can be used. To be part of the SAP
Partner ecosystem, companies have to have a certain number of consultants working for them that are
certified. You should ensure that the specific consultant working on your project is certified. SAP offers two
levels of certification for the SAP SuccessFactors products:

 Associate certification: This requires that the consultant complete a training course and pass a
certification exam.
 Professional certification: This requires the consultant to have an Associate certification, three
implementation projects completed, and positive ratings from the customers on those projects.

In addition to being proficient in the technology, your implementation partner should consult with you
about leading practice processes. They should challenge you on your process design and partner closely
with your internal project manager to ensure they are in alignment with the greater change management
plan. You can benefit from their experience with other customers, so be sure to take advantage of that
knowledge.

9.2 Current SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding Customers

SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 1.0 is built on acquired technology that requires some integration points for
synchronization of users, permissions, foundation data, and sending records to Employee Central. The primary
reason for the shift to SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0, is to move it to the same platform and data structures
as the rest of the suite. SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 uses the exact data structures as Employee Central,
eliminating the need for the external integration points.

SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 currently doesn't have all the features that exist in SAP SuccessFactors
Onboarding 1.0. SAP is working toward feature parity and should achieve that goal by the end of 2021. Existing
SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 1.0 customers should check out the feature comparison matrix and watch the

Confidential
product road map to determine the best time to make the switch. There is currently no end-of-life date for the
SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 1.0, but it will eventually be retired. SAP has migration planning on the 24-month
road map. Existing customers can enjoy the robust functionality offered by the version they are running, while
watching the communications to ensure the features offered in SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 will meet
their business needs.

There are many features on the formal 2020 road map, but the following features are typically critical in making
the decision to move to SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0:

 Support for non-Employee Central customers

As of general availability (GA), Employee Central is a prerequisite for SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0,
and work is being done to allow it to support SAP on-premise and third-party HRISs.
 Compliance form/process support
The expectation here is that the product will support the same compliance forms/processes that exist in
SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 1.0. The onboarding/offboarding compliance form strategy is to support
the following forms and then to allow customers to use the tool to configure other compliance-related
forms themselves:

 Australia: Tax file number declaration

 Australia: Superannuation standard choice form
 Canada: Federal and provincial primary tax withholding forms
 UK: Starter checklist
 UK: P45-Details of employee leaving work
 US: Primary state tax withholding forms
 US: Federal tax withholding forms
 US: Form I-9 and supporting processes
 US: E-Verify process, forms, and integration

Confidential
Note that SAP doesn't intend to deliver every compliance form required throughout the world. SAP has
committed to this finite list at this time and to a strong self-service design to allow customers to build other forms
needed to support their business. While SAP plans to deliver these features, customers should always make
purchasing and implementation decisions based solely on features that currently exist in the product as the road
map is subject to change.

Some customers may be interested in a hybrid approach to adopting the SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0
version. A use case for this approach would be to keep SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 1.0 for the United States,
for example, while piloting SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 in a region that doesn't require the US compliance
forms and processes. SAP supports this configuration approach. It's important to consider change management in
this scenario. It may be difficult to adopt if participants have to learn and execute two different onboarding
processes. It will work best if participants don't have to execute in both versions to manage their business.

9.3 New Customers

New customers and customers who may have purchased some time ago but haven't implemented still have a
choice between the SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 1.0 and 2.0 versions. This choice will likely remain available
until such time as there is feature parity between the two versions. It's recommended that customers have an in-
depth discussion of their business needs with their implementation consultants to understand which version is
best for them. SAP has published a feature comparison matrix that shows all the features in SAP SuccessFactors
Onboarding 1.0 and their corresponding features in SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0, along with whether or
not the feature is available or on the road map.

In some cases, a hybrid approach may be the answer. In this use case, a customer operating in multiple countries
may choose to use SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 1.0 in the United States to take advantage of the compliance
features but use SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 in France, for example, where the compliance features
aren't a requirement. Participant usage is important to consider in this case. It may not be the best option if the

Confidential
same participants will have to manage the process for onboardees in both regions, requiring them to learn two
systems.

9.4 Resources

SAP offers extensive documentation, Q&A, adoption, and training resources for customers. There are self-help
and live resources to guide all levels of customer needs. Let's take a look at each:

 SAP Help Portal

All the administration and implementation guides are published on the http://help.sap.com website. This is
where the client administrators and implementation partners will find the latest instructions for system
configuration for all SAP products.
 SAP SuccessFactors Expert (SFX) Administrator Accreditation
The program allows for client administrators to learn how to configure and maintain the module. There are
SFX accreditations for all the SAP SuccessFactors modules. Customers who have a trained client admin log
statistically significant fewer support tickets than those who do not.
 SAP SuccessFactors Community
The SAP SuccessFactors Community is a powerful repository of resources available for free to all
customers. Don't make the mistake of limiting access to the community to just the super users. All
leadership stakeholders should be plugged in to stay current and ensure they have the knowledge to
champion continued adoption in the investment. Customers need a user ID to access the site that can be
provided by their own internal administrator. In the SAP SuccessFactors Community they will find the
following:

 Live and recorded webinars on hot topics

 Implementation support documentation
 Sample governance and change management plans
 Solution overview demos

Confidential
  Q&A boards supported by the whole community (SAP staff and customers)
 Calendars of free and fee-based in-person events
 Special topic blogs
 Access to Peer Match

Figure 9.1 shows a portion of the SAP SuccessFactors Community landing page and gives insight into the
activity level happening on the community.

Figure 9.1: SAP SuccessFactors Community

 Peer Match
Peer Match is a tool that brings customers together. Customers are always asking, "So how are other
customers doing that?" The Peer Match tool allows customers to volunteer to be expert advisors who will

Confidential
 answer questions and generally network with other customers about topics for which they designate
themselves as subject matter experts.

Figure 9.2 shows the tool and how the user can identify topics of interest, their role in the organization,
and the industry.

Figure 9.2: SAP SuccessFactors: Peer Match

 Guided Support
All customers have access to top-notch product support for issue resolution, ask-the-expert sessions for

Confidential
 single-issue topic resolution, and a library of knowledge base articles (KBAs) written by support to address
frequently asked questions.

Most SAP customers are also assigned a customer engagement executive (CEE), who can guide them
through all the resources available, including documents and blogs on the SAP SuccessFactors Community,
free value in practice (VIP) in-person events, regional user group events, and large-scale SuccessConnect
events. The CEE is also responsible for leading customers through the renewal process.

 Solution Adoption
The Solution Adoption group offers customers strategic guidance for feature and leading practice process
adoption. This group engages both 1:1 with customers and through the many in-person VIP events at no
additional charge. They also facilitate roundtable and customer panel discussions at the large
SuccessConnect events.
 SAP Preferred Success
Customers can also purchase an upgraded high-touch support offering called SAP Preferred Success. SAP
Preferred Success helps to ensure adoption by assigning a designated customer success manager who will
facilitate the following:
 Ongoing validation of module usage
 Recommendations for feature usage via success checks
 Recommend training
 Governance guidance
 Release management guidance
 SAP MaxAttention
Large enterprise customers can purchase even deeper support called SAP MaxAttention. This offering
provides architectural guidance, implementation and integration support, and operational support in
addition to the SAP Preferred Success offerings.

Confidential
Confidential