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JayBisnik
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert
By vinod.srinivasan2abishek.suvarna and jayendra.bisnik


In our previous blog post - Package Configuration Manager: Getting Started - we discussed how you could get started with the Package Configuration Manager tool. The next step is to outline some of the standard Business Scenarios that the SAP Partners can use the tool in their SAP SuccessFactors implementations.

We have now seen the tool being used by SAP Partners for a variety of business scenarios globally. They have created their business packages (based on industries and country-specific requirements) and deployed them in their implementation projects with a click of a button. Furthermore, some SAP Partners used a combination of SAP Best Practices and their custom packages to fulfill their customers' requirements. We'll be discussing two common scenarios where the Package Configuration Manager has brought in value to SAP Partners.

Scenario 1: Standard Implementation for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)

A Southeast Asian customer with 2000 employees is looking to implement a Hire-to-Retire solution. The customer wanted the SAP Partner to apply the SAP-recommended core HR business processes. The customer project has a budget, as well as timeline constraints.


Figure 1: Deployment of Partner Packages in a standard scenario


 

The SAP Partner decides to use the standard SAP Best Practices available and create a custom script for the customer-specific requirements in the Package Configuration Manager. The custom configuration block (as shown in Figure 1) is developed in the tool's company view. The SAP Best Practices and this custom configuration block are deployed successfully. As most of the effort is focused on customer-specific requirements (custom configuration block), the effort required for implementation activities is significantly reduced, at the same time, increasing the quality of configuration.

Scenario 2: Complex staggered global Employee Central implementation with a large number of country localizations

A North American customer with more than 50 subsidiaries chooses SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central implementation for managing their HR and People Engagement processes. They required a global Employee Central implementation to provide information about employees' work/life events in the organization. The project roadmap consists of multiple phases, with 80% of the employee population covered in the first two phases. The challenge for the SAP Partner is to manage the stages of implementation and prepare for the next phase while completing ongoing activities.


Figure 2: Deployment with Package Configuration Manager in a phased staggered implementation following the SAP Activate Methodology


 

The project starts with North America that includes mainly the USA and Canada. The SAP Partner quickly sets up the customer development environment with SAP Best Practices' configuration to start the first conversation with the customer. The customer-specific requirements are built directly into the development environment and also incorporated in the package. Once the customer signs-off the configuration, the SAP Partner can quickly deploy the whole configuration block in the QA environment that allows the customer to start their testing activities immediately. At the same time, the SAP Partner implementation team is building packages required for the next phase of the project.

For the second phase, they prepare the packages for European and Asian subsidiaries. They can reuse the existing localization configuration blocks created in the first phase for a few countries. For other localizations, they create new configuration blocks in the Partner workspace within the Package Configuration Manager. The rest of the project is managed with similar iterations using SAP Activate Methodology by the SAP Partner.

During the project, the SAP Partner can optimize their resources by automating the repetitive tasks and minimizing human errors. The Package Configuration Manager provides consistency, high quality, and visibility because the tool is the one source of truth for customer configuration management. With the approach outlined above, the SAP Partner can smoothly transition through the different implementation project stages, meet deadlines, and ensure customer satisfaction.

Finally, the Package Configuration Manager can also be used by SAP Partners to deliver industry-specific flavors. As described above, the industry variants for Employee Central implementation, which entails custom Generic Objects, Config UIs, Business Rules, Workflows, and others, can be created quickly using the tool. SAP Partners can use the demo landscape to showcase their proprietary solution to customers. We will be talking in detail about the industry-specific solutions in a later blog.

We hope this blog provided some good insights into how the tool can be leveraged in various SAP SuccessFactors implementation projects. We look forward to collaborating with you on this topic.
10 Comments
PrabuSR
Participant
0 Kudos
jayendra.bisnik Thanks for this article.Just curious to know if Package Configuration Manager is same as the SAP Best Practices Platform which SAP came up in the year 2019.

Also you had mentioned in the pic as deploy with one click- did you mean cloning of the configurations?

Thanks.
JayBisnik
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert
0 Kudos
Hi prabusr

Yes, this tool was known as SAP Best Practices Platform for a short time in the initial phase, but we do not use that name any longer.

Regarding your question on deployment of configuration - it is not cloning but creating configuration in your target instance. Once you finish scripting your building block, you can deploy the configuration mentioned in your script in a target instance.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Cheers,
Jayendra
barneyh
Discoverer
0 Kudos
I am not able to find the course, Automate Build and Delivery of SAP SuccessFactors Packages. at https://open.sap.com/

Is there a different method for knowledge share and partner enablement now?
prashantpriya8
Explorer
0 Kudos
Hi Experts,

 

is there any way that we can attach document such as test script or configuration workbook in this tool and from there we can directly place it in customer sharepoint. if not then is that the capability of the tool to handle documents for client
JayBisnik
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert
0 Kudos
Hi barney_hearnden

The openSAP course is still available but will have to be reactivated at a cost.


This is the link to the page: https://open.sap.com/courses/sf8-pe

This link provides more details on the reactivation options: https://open.sap.com/pages/course_reactivation.

We have also added you to our JAM group where you can find more information on this. You should receive an invitation.

Please let us know if you have more questions.


Thanks,

Jayendra
JayBisnik
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert
0 Kudos
Hi priyadarshipp

We do provide the option to upload both the prerequisite document as well as the configuration workbook in the configuration block. However, there is no option  to place the documents directly in the customer sharepoint. The tool is not designed for handling customer documents.

Thanks,

Jayendra
former_member30198
Discoverer
0 Kudos
Hi Jayendra,

 

when we upload the prerequisite document in configuration block what happen to those documents . will they migrate somewhere same as the configuration which we are migrating . I will explain in detail . For example we created a configuration block of route map and when we migrate this block to a success factor instance that route map will get created there, similarly if we upload a document in the configuration block what happens to that document . it will remain in PACMAN only or get migrated to somewhere like in SF system or anywhere else?

 

Thanks

Prashant
JayBisnik
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert
0 Kudos
Hi Prashant,

Yes, these documents are only stored in the Package Configuration Manager.

You can upload a prerequisite document and a workbook for a configuration block. If any of your colleagues are deploying that configuration to an instance, the prerequisite document will open up prior to submitting the job. This ensures that all required prerequisites are performed.

Thanks,

Jayendra
ygomez
Discoverer
0 Kudos
Hello,

I did the OpenSap course but since it is not active there is no option for the exam. How can I request access to the PACKAGE CONFIGURTION MANAGER if I don't have the approval certificate? I read that the course can be reactivated at a cost, is this the only solution to request access to the manager configuration manager?

 

Best regards
JayBisnik
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert
Hello y.gomez ,

The perquisite to getting access to the Package Configuration Manager tool is to furnish the openSAP course certificate. At this point of time, unfortunately, there is no other option but reactivating the course.
Thanks for your understanding!

Jayendra