SAP SuccessFactors is a powerful suite of human resources management software that offers various reporting tools to help organizations generate valuable insights. These reporting tools can assist in making informed business decisions and in addressing critical HR challenges.
In today’s dynamic business environment, the reporting tools offered by SAP SuccessFactors have become indispensable for organizations that have integrated this software into their tech stack. The reporting tools play a crucial role in ensuring compliance, facilitating informed decision-making, and reducing legal risks. To fully harness the potential of SAP SuccessFactors, however, organizations must establish robust governance processes to determine who has the authority to contribute to the software’s development. This strategic approach not only enhances operational efficiency but also safeguards the integrity of reporting capabilities.
What Your Instance of SAP SuccessFactors Can Do for You
SAP SuccessFactors provides three main types of reporting tools: table reporting, advanced reporting, and report story. These tools are built to deliver on different reporting needs and offer varying levels of functionality.
- Table Reporting: Table reporting is the foundation of SAP SuccessFactors’ reporting tools. It provides users with a flexible and intuitive platform to quickly and easily generate custom list reports and share them with the organization. With table reporting, users can generate comprehensive reports by joining multiple tables and creating complex queries. A big benefit to table reporting is the level of flexibility it offers. In the lineup of SAP SuccessFactors’ reporting tools, table reporting is like a “bicycle.”
- Advanced Reporting: Advanced reporting in SAP SuccessFactors is like a “car” compared to table reporting. It offers enhanced capabilities and a more user-friendly interface. With advanced reporting, users can graphically join tables within a canvas, simplifying the process of creating complex queries. This feature was introduced around six to seven years ago and significantly streamlined the reporting experience for users.
- Report Story: Report story is the latest addition to the SAP SuccessFactors’ reporting tools, and when it comes to reporting, it’s the “rocket ship.” Report story allows users to create visually appealing and interactive reports. It offers a more intuitive and graphical approach to reporting, making it easier for users to consume and understand the data. While some purists and third-party BI tool enthusiasts may question the value of a report story, it undoubtedly provides a native and seamless reporting experience within SAP SuccessFactors.
Unlocking the Benefits of SAP SuccessFactors
Today’s data-driven business environment calls for the ability to easily and efficiently generate insightful reports. Using SAP SuccessFactors’ robust reporting tools has emerged as a critical factor in not only making informed and impactful business decisions but also in safeguarding organizations.
Those leveraging SAP SuccessFactors to its fullest have been able to realize the following critical benefits:
- Litigation Avoidance: Organizations face the constant challenge of complying with federal, state, and local laws while avoiding litigation. SAP SuccessFactors’ reporting tools offer a graphical way of showcasing HR-related data, such as employee demographics and workforce changes. This capability is particularly useful in situations where downsizing or layoffs occur. By providing clear and transparent reports, organizations can demonstrate that their decisions were not discriminatory and mitigate potential legal risks.
- Compliance: Although to varying levels of complexity, compliance with HR regulations is critical to all organizations. SAP SuccessFactors’ reporting tools enable companies to track and monitor their adherence to these regulations. By generating compliance reports, organizations can demonstrate their commitment to following the necessary guidelines and avoid penalties or legal complications.
- Enhanced Decision-Making: The availability of comprehensive reports enables organizations to make data-driven decisions. SAP SuccessFactors’ reporting tools enable valuable insights to be drawn from a variety of HR metrics, including employee performance, turnover rates, and workforce demographics, to name a few. These insights help leaders identify areas for improvement, set strategic goals and make informed decisions to drive the company forward.
- Streamlined Reporting Processes: By developing standardized report templates and leveraging the expertise of a few designated and qualified individuals, organizations can streamline their reporting processes. This approach prevents the duplication of effort and saves time and resources. It also ensures consistency in reporting practices and facilitates easy interpretation of the data.
In Closing
SAP SuccessFactors’ reporting tools offer a range of options to generate valuable reports for organizations. From detailed reporting to advanced reporting to visually appealing report story functionality, these tools cater to the myriad of reporting needs that exist today. By leveraging these tools, organizations can enhance their decision-making processes, ensure compliance and avoid litigation risks. Embracing these reporting capabilities can contribute to the overall success and efficiency of the HR function within an organization and transcend into overall business performance and success.
Chuck Young is an ALKU SAP SuccessFactors reporting consultant. He has seven years of professional experience working with SAP SuccessFactors and specializes in Employee Central in Advanced Reporting, Recruiting, Onboarding, Integration Center, and Workforce Analysis. His comprehensive knowledge extends across the entire software development life cycle (SDLC), encompassing design, configuration, development, testing, maintenance, data migration, and reporting on a variety of different platforms.