The art of integration: making HCM work better for businesses
Meet the Authors
Key Takeaways
⇨ Integrating SAP SuccessFactors with existing systems poses challenges such as complex data synchronisation, varied integration methods for different modules, and difficulties in handling bulk data and data mapping due to differing structures and formats.
⇨ Zalaris emphasises the importance of a structured integration methodology and thorough data preparation, including ensuring data cleanliness and compatibility, to enhance the effectiveness of HCM data migration and integration.
⇨ Customisation and configuration of SAP SuccessFactors to align with specific business requirements, along with practical considerations like training and change management, are critical for successful integration and ongoing improvement.
As global organisations are now more than ever on the lookout for ways to get a holistic view of their processes, the combination of various systems doesn’t always pan out, making data management labour-intensive and difficult.
For instance, integrating the HCM suite, SAP SuccessFactors, in pursuit of improving the way employees work, managers manage and organisations adapt, can come with several obstacles, both technical and business-related.
According to Zalaris, whose work supports organisations with HR and payroll services, one of the most common challenges faced is data synchronisation. Ensuring real-time or near real-time data synchronising between SAP SuccessFactors and other systems (payroll, ERP or third party applications) can be complex, particularly when large datasets are involved.
While SAP SuccessFactors provides various APIs for integration (OData, SOAP, Rest, etc.), understanding and using them efficiently can be taxing. Different modules may require distinct integration methods.
Other issues include – the ability to handle bulk data, especially in systems with many employees; data mapping between SuccessFactors and third-party systems which may not be straightforward due to different data structures, formats and business logic; and authentication and authorisation – as handling authentication for external systems can be difficult, especially with diverse authentication mechanisms such as OAuth, SAML, API keys or JWT tokens.
Tips for shifting the dial
With its expertise and experience in SuccessFactors Integration implementations, Zalaris offers tailored integration services that align with business needs, ensuring seamless integration with their existing systems.
As the company implements SAP-certified integrations for its client partners along with custom integrations, Narahari Kotaru, SAP Technical Architect at Zalaris says that part of its success is due to the presence of “a well-defined, structured integration methodology that reduces implementation time while minimising disruptions to client’s operations.”
When it comes to HCM data migration and integration, Zalaris advises that business software can typically achieve its full effectiveness only when it has a robust data foundation for its processes, so before implementation, the existing HR data should be checked for cleanliness, correctness and compatibility and optimised if necessary.
After clean information structures are in place, smaller datasets should be moved into a testing environment to check how well the information from a legacy system integrates into the new SAP SuccessFactors implementation. It is also essential to identify whether data is lost during the process or unexpected incompatibilities arise.
Another key strategy that Zalaris proposes is for companies to focus on configuration and customisation as SAP SuccessFactors can be customized to align with specific business requirements.
By creating a list of all modules and integrations that need to be implemented to meet all requirements, such as organizational structure, hierarchy, typical workflows and approval-related processes, the team can ensure it aligns with the rest of systems.
Along with the technical elements, Zalaris also emphasizes the importance of practical nature, like training, change management and continuous improvement, which act as the sealing element between all moving parts of the process that ensure good data practices are established within teams and the knowledge is preserved and built on.
