For the customers who have the requisite to use SuccessFactors (referenced as SF) master data and data for Workforce Planning, SAP Analytics Cloud Planning (referenced as SAC Planning) have all necessary support to connect SF and retrieve master data and data for Planning purposes (model creation and recovery of historical data).
In this blog we will cover the following topics related to Workforce Planning using SAP Analytics Cloud Planning with SuccessFactors Data.
- Connecting SAC with SF
- Automatic User Sync/Creation between SF and SAC (IN IAS/IPS)
Topic 1: Connecting SAC with SF:
As a first step we need to establish the connection between SF and SAC.
For SAC Planning, live data connectivity is not available. We need to use Acquire Data option.
The data connectivity happens through API and we need to enable API access to the SF User. This user will be used in establishing the connection between SF and SAC.
In SF, the user should have below OData/API permissions enabled. This user will be used in SAC for creating connection. This permission also allows the user to create OAuth2 Authentication for API Access.
Required OData/API Permissions for SF User
To access master data of SF in SAC, other necessary permissions are required for this user.
Next steps would be to create OAuth2 Authentication in SF and create Connection in SAC.
Please refer the below blog by Eaksiri Sontisirikul which has clear direction on how to configure both.
Beginner’s Guide to SAP Analytics Cloud for SuccessFactors
Please follow the below KBA for the SF API data dictionary and available fields.
2613670 – What are the available APIs for SuccessFactors?
You can also check the SF available Fields in the API Center with in SuccessFactors. If you have right access, then navigate to API Center > OData API Data Dictionary.
The below blog by Sriprasad S Bhat have the detailed information about the Data Dictionary.
SuccessFactors Integrations Beginners Guide- API Center
Topic 2: Automatic User Sync/Creation between SF and SAC (IN IAS/IPS):
As a customer, if you need to integrate the users from SF and SAC, we can use IAS/IPS for this process.
IAS – Identity Authentication Service
IPS – Identity Provisioning Service.
Pre-requisites:
Admin User in SuccessFactors with necessary Permission for Upgrade Center.
S-User and IPS_ADMIN Role for IAS and IPS configuration tasks.
Step 1: Initiate IAS Integration in SuccessFactors:
IAS/IPS as a cloud authentication service, is available for the customers at no additional cost. Do check with your implementation partners in setting up the IAS/IPS.
Please follow the below blog by Sushil Gupta which has the details on the configuration related to IAS.
IAS integration with SAP SuccessFactors Application – 1
You can also refer to the below SAP Help portal for the same.
Step 2: Automatic User Sync between SuccessFactors and SAC through IPS.
Configuring IPS is 2 step process. Create Source and Target Systems. Once the systems are setup, we need to create a schedule/sync job for the User Sync. The link for IPS will be provided during the previous step. Please refer to the blog above for directions.
Setting up the systems and schedules in IPS are explained below.
A. Create Source System:
In our scenario the Source System would be SuccessFactors.
- Select Source System and Create new by selecting Add button in the bottom as shown below.
- In the next step select the source details with the type in SAP SuccessFactors and provide the System Name and Description of your choice.
- Next move on to the Properties Section and add the Mandatory Properties listed below. It will be available in the Standard section.
| Name | Value |
| Authentication | BasicAuthentication |
| Type | HTTP |
| URL | Please refer the link below for the right API URL for your instance. |
| User | Format: User@CompanyID
Please provide the Admin User and Company ID information. |
| ProxyType | Internet |
| Password | Password for the above SF User |
| sf.user.filter(Optional) | This can be used if you need to transfer the users to SAC based on certain Conditions.
Example: Bring in only Users of Country USA. Syntax: country in ‘USA’ |
| sf.user.attributes | Default property. It’s a string representing a comma-separated list of user attributes that have to be loaded (read) from SAP SuccessFactors. You can leave the default property value (all listed attributes), leave only some of them, or add some more. |
Save all your actions once the above information is filled. Please refer to the below link having more information on the syntax and fields that can be used for SuccessFactors as source system. SAP Cloud Identity Services – Identity Provisioning – Source System
B. Create SAC as Target System
- Go to target system and create new system by clicking on Add button.
- Then in the details section, select Type as SAP Analytics Cloud. Provide the System name and Description of your choice.
- Then Map your Source System created before from ‘Source Systems’ drop down.
- Next move on to the Properties Section and add the Mandatory Properties listed below. It will be available in the Standard section.
| Name | Value |
| Authentication | BasicAuthentication |
| csrf.token.path | /api/v1/scim/Users?count=1 |
| OAuth2TokenServiceURL | Please provide the Token URL of your SAC Tenant. To get the URL, in your SAC Tenant navigate to System -> Administration -> App Integration -> OAuth Clients/Token URL. |
| ProxyType | Internet |
| scim.api.csrf.protection | enabled |
| scim.user.unique.attribute | By default, userName will be there. You can add additional fields like email with comma delimiter. |
| Type | HTTP |
| URL | URL of your SAC Tenant |
| User | Client ID generated from OAuth Access Token. Steps to generate mentioned below in separate section. |
| Password | Client Secret generated from OAuth Access Token. Steps to generate mentioned below in separate section. |
Please refer to the help portal below having detailed information on the target system. Unique Attributes and additional properties can be found.
SAP Cloud Identity Services – Identity Provisioning – Target System
B.1: Create User and Password for Target System (IN SAC):
For the target system the User and password is generated OAuth Client. In your SAC Tenant navigate to System -> Administration -> App Integration -> Add new OAuth Client as show below.
- In the Add New OAuth Client Section fill in the below details and create a new client.
- Name: Name of your choice
- Purpose: Internet Usage and API Access.
- Access: User Provisioning
- Once it is created you can see the OAuth Client ID and Security Secret(hidden). Select Show Secret to get the code. Copy it to notepad.
- OAuth Client ID will be the User in the IPS Target System
- Security Secret will be the Password in the IPS Target System.
- In IPS save the properties and next action would be to Schedule the Jobs between Source and Target System.
C. Schedule/Job (IN IPS):
Once your Source and Target Systems are added, you need to sync the Users between them.
- Go to your Source System and select Jobs section. You can see different Job Types as shown below.
- Read Job: Reads the data and writes it to the Target system. Run Now will be a one-time option and Schedule will have periodic Run based on intervals like Minutes, Day/Days with time.
- Resync Job: Runs once when selected and resyncs the data with target system.
- Simulate Job: For test run. No actual data will be pushed in to target system.
- Once your Job is set, you can refer to the Job Logs in the IPS for the status of your job. In case of any failures, the Status and Error message can be visible in your job. The job will have the name of your Source System. Below is the sample Job where 1 user is pushed from SF to SAC.
Please note that by default, the Transformation JSON script will be created for your source and target systems. In case if you need to have custom transformations for source and target, you can go to the Transformations section and change the JSON scripts. Please follow the SAP Help portal link below on the Transformation types, functions, expressions and so on.
SAP Cloud Identity Services – Identity Provisioning – Transformations
To Summarize, we have covered the connections and automatic user sync between SAC and SF in this blog. Once this setup is done, your next action item would be to create robust Planning Models for SF Master Data and Data. In my next blog, I have provided step by step illustration on SAC Planning best practices. Do check the link below for my blog.
Do share your feedback or questions about this blog content through comments. Happy to respond with more details if required. You can also follow my Profile for similar contents(Manivannan Pachiyappan).
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