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Newsletter October 2005

Frequently asked questions about HR / HCM, new versions and new products

With mySAP® ERP and the great number of new terms, products and versions, there are a lot of questions from customers. We compiled some of them in this article and tried to find some simple answers:

Is mySAP® ERP HCM the successor of R/3® HR?

No – mySAP ERP HCM includes much more than what HAT within the R/3 system did. E.g. ESS, MSS, e-recruiting, BW,…
However you can consider the so called ECC (ERP Core Component) to be the successor of R/3, while mySAP ERP combines the ECC plus other products.

Which is the current version of HR / HCM?

Right now, mySAP ERP 2004 (including the ECC 5.0) is available for all customers. However, mySAP ERP 2005 is already in the so called Ramp-Up, which means it is tested with first customers. It will probably be available for other customers by the end of March 2006.
The year included into the name of the version always stands for the year where the Ramp-Up starts. This means that it will be generally available in the year after that.
As the feedback from the Ramp-Up can influence the product, all information about mySAP ERP 2005 has still to be treated carefully.

Does this mean, that the next version will be "mySAP ERP 2006", available in 2007?

Well, you should think so. However, version 2006 will be skipped, so that the next version will be "mySAP ERP 2007", probably available in 2008.

So there will be a standstill in the development for one year?

Not at all. Besides the hot packages to fulfil legal requirements etc., SAP will develop some components or even new products outside the general release framework. One important example is the so called "Talent Planner" which will be delivered to first customers in 2006.

Is NetWeaver important for HR users?

NetWeaver is a cross-process product that will increasingly affect all processes in mySAP ERP. The most obvious example probably are improved interfaces between SAP software and the user as well as third party products.

What does the structure of HR / HCM look like? Is it still divided into PA and PD?

HCM is composed of 3 major parts:

  • Talent Management (personnel development, recruiting, performance management, compensation management)
  • Workforce Process Management (the administrative processes such as payroll and time management plus organizational management)
  • Workforce Deployment (resource planning)

HR controlling is covered by the analytics-component Workforce Analytics (mainly BW with HR content)
Then, there are some more components that support HCM such as the portal with ESS (Employee Self Service) and MSS (Manager Self Service).

What's new in mySAP ERP 2005 HCM?

Functionality as well as user interfaces are significantly improved. Here are some examples:

  • One focus of the development is Talent Management. Here you find the new 6.0 versions of the learning solution and the e-recruiting. The latter has – among others – some improvements in user interfaces, candidate administration and questionnaires. Moreover, the e-recruiting component provides a complete succession planning module. Performance management now allows offline recording of appraisals through a new offline form.
  • A new portal role "HR Administrator" will be delivered.
  • The standard ESS services will be migrated to the WebDynpro for Java technology and new services will be delivered.

Is the portal mandatory for using ESS?

No. The old ITS-based technology will still work, although there are some trade offs compared to the portal based ESS.

Do we have to upgrade more often now?

No. Maintenance for mySAP ERP 2005 is guaranteed until March 2001. With extended maintenance even until March 2014.

What is ICM?

"ICM" stands for "Incentive and Commission Management". This component supports salaries depending on sales figures. Even very complicated calculations of commissions are possible. ICM works integrated with payroll.

Where can I get more information?

Ask your contact person at SAP or check the service marketplace: http://service.sap.com.
e-mail to your AdManus consultants: info@admanus.de

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