Purpose:

In this blog, the user will learn how to create an approval workflow for Job Profiles/Descriptions in SAP SuccessFactors.

Job Profile Builder:

Job Profile Builder enables you to build complete job profiles with multiple content types and create Families and Roles. You can use Skills Management to capture employee skills within the Employee Profile.

As the Job Profile contains critical details related to the job for the employee and for recruiters during the hiring process, an admin who will create the job profile and enter all the details might need this to be approved by a senior team member before activating the Job Profile.

In the standard SAP SuccessFactors system, when the admin creates a new Job Profile, the system does not trigger a workflow, because the system assumes that the profile is created by the admin and there are no approvals required.

However, many clients need such approval workflow for newly created Job Profiles by the admin. To meet this requirement, I have found a solution which is explained below in detailed steps, so that if anyone has the same request by the client, they can also benefit from this and fulfill the client’s request.

Workflow Configuration Steps:

• Create Workflow: Initially, we need to create a workflow based on the client’s requirements. For example, JD is created -> Approval by HR Manager -> Final approval by Talent Admin.

Below are the steps to configure the approval workflow in SAP SuccessFactors:

Admin Center>Employee Files>Manage Organization, Pay, and Job structure.

Manage Organization, Pay, and Job Structure

Manage Organization, Pay, and Job Structure – Workflow Page

• Link Workflow with the Object: Once the Workflow is created, the next step is to assign this workflow to Job Profile Object in Configure Object Definition.

Below are the steps to assign workflow to Job Profile Object in SuccessFactors:

Admin Center>Company Settings>Configure Object Definition.

Configure Object Definition

In “Configure Object Definition” when you search Job Profile and select “Job Profile Draft”.

Edit the “Job Profile Draft” object to select the workflow under the “Workflow Routing” field and save the object.

Job Profile Draft Screen – Link Workflow

Job Profile Draft Screen – Link Workflow

• Create custom navigation: The final step is to create a navigation path to access the Job Profile screen to create the Job Descriptions with the assigned workflow.

There are 2 prerequisite steps to complete the “Custom navigation configuration”.

• Generate the URL: The first step is to generate the URL for custom navigation.

Below are the steps to generate the link/URL of the Job Profile Page in SuccessFactors:

Home>Employee File>Actions>Select Job Profile>Copy the URL from Browser

People Profile

Sales Demo URL

Sample URL: https://salesdemo.successfactors.eu/sf/jdmng_jobprofile

• Create Custom Navigation: The second step is to create custom navigation under the home drop-down menu for easy access.

Below are the steps to create custom navigation in SAP SuccessFactors:

Home>Admin Center>Company Settings>Configure Custom Navigation

Configure Custom Navigation

Enter the details to create a custom Navigation Paste the copied URL into the URL field and select the “Menu Location” from the drop-down.

Configure Custom Navigation – Menu Location

For example: if you want this in-home drop-down menu, you can select “Top Navigation” in the drop-down.

Configure Custom Navigation – Top Navigation

After that, you need to select “Permissions” for this custom navigation.

Click on the “Permissions” field drop-down to select the required permission groups.

Configure Custom Navigation – Permissions

Note: These drop-down groups are populating from Manage Permission Groups.

Once the required information is filled in, hit the save button to save the custom navigation.

Configure Custom Navigation

Now, as we have completed all the configuration steps. Users can access the job profile creation tab from the “Home Drop-Down Menu”

Sales Demo Home Page

Click on “Job Profile Creation” and it opens up a new window with the “Job Profile” Tab.

Job Profile Creation Screen

To create a new “Job Profile”, click on “Create Job Profile” and select an appropriate “Job Family” and “Job Role”.

Job Profile Creation Screen

After you have selected the Family and Job Role, click next and on the right side of the screen, the user can read the instruction text about the workflow which was created by the admin.

Job Profile Creation Screen

Users can also click on “View approvers” to check the workflow approvers before submitting the Job Profile.

Job Profile Creation Screen – View Approvers

Job Profile Creation Screen – View Approvers

Once all the required sections are filled/updated in the Job Profile, click on the “I’m done” button to submit Job Profile for approval.

Job Profile Creation Screen

Confirm by selecting “Yes” if you want to send this Job Profile for approval.

Job Profile Creation Screen

This workaround might need some maintenance and support from the consultants at a later stage though, but it’s still worth it to keep the client happy since this has been a common ask to get approval when the admin creates a JD using the “Admin Center” screen.

Note: All images are taken from SAP SuccessFactors Sales Demo with dummy data.

Please feel free to provide your feedback or thoughts in the comments.