SAP SuccessFactors in Production: From Administration to Operational Control
Why a specialized extension for shift scheduling is necessary
The digitalization of HR processes is a standard in the industry today. Many companies choose the SAP suite to centrally manage their administration. However, using SAP SuccessFactors in production presents many companies with practical challenges. While administration works digitally, shift leaders on the factory floor continue to use spreadsheets or handwritten notes. Short-term absences are clarified by phone or via private messaging services.
This often results in a fundamental misunderstanding about the role of SAP SuccessFactors in production. There is an assumption that software for human resources automatically covers the requirements of shift scheduling. This article explains why shyftplan is not an alternative, but a necessary functional extension to make workforce management efficient and secure.
Table of Contents
The functional distinction: Administration vs. Operational Control
To understand the added value of combining both systems, a clear distinction of responsibilities is necessary. For SAP SuccessFactors to reach its full potential in production, it must be recognized where administration ends and control begins.
SAP SuccessFactors as a strategic basis
This system is designed to map long-term and administrative processes. It is the leading source for all personal master data, contract details, and competence development.
shyftplan as an operational application
Manufacturing works in short cycles. shyftplan is specialized in controlling this short-term dynamics. It answers operational questions about shift staffing in real-time. Standard HR systems are often too rigid for this high-frequency planning. Anyone using SAP SuccessFactors in production without a specialized operational layer reaches limits here.
The risks of manual planning and isolated solutions
When companies attempt to close the gap between the SAP system and reality on the factory floor with spreadsheets (e.g., Excel), significant risks arise. This massively endangers the success of SAP SuccessFactors in production.
Missing logic and validation
A spreadsheet knows no labor laws. It does not automatically warn the planner if an employee falls below the statutory rest period of 11 hours or if a qualification has expired. The responsibility for these checks lies solely with humans, which means high manual effort and drastically increases the error rate.
Lack of data security and data protection
Local files are often sent via email. Multiple versions of a plan often exist simultaneously, leading to misunderstandings. Furthermore, these files often evade the company's strict data protection regulations, as personal data (such as sick notes) are processed unprotected.
Often, these manual solutions are based on the knowledge of individual employees who have created complex formulas or know their staff in detail due to years of cooperation. If this person leaves the company, the system is hardly operable for successors.
Economic factors: Avoiding hidden costs
Implementing specialized software like shyftplan is an investment that pays off by avoiding unnecessary operating costs. To ensure that using SAP SuccessFactors is economically viable in production, such operational software optimizes the following factors:
Reduction of temporary work
Without a transparent overview of their own workforce, companies resort to expensive temporary work too quickly in the event of personnel bottlenecks. shyftplan identifies available internal employees in real-time. Thus, internal capacities are optimally utilized before external costs arise.
Avoiding unnecessary surcharges
Manual planning often loses track of working time accounts. Frequently, employees are scheduled who have already accumulated many overtime hours, triggering expensive surcharges. Automated shift scheduling considers current balances and suggests employees who have not yet reached their contractual working hours. This ensures even utilization, increases satisfaction, and the feeling of fairness.
Reduction of administrative effort
Highly qualified HR specialists and shift leaders often spend hours on manual data maintenance, typing up timesheets, and correcting errors. Automating these processes frees up working time that can be used for value-adding activities such as team training or process optimization.
Legal security and compliance
Strict legal requirements apply in the industry. The demands on planning in production are particularly high in the area of compliance. In the event of violations of rest periods, managers may be personally liable. Manual control is hardly possible in hectic day-to-day business. shyftplan checks every assignment in the background against the stored regulations and technically prevents violations. In addition, customers and authorities often demand proof years later. shyftplan documents every shift staffing seamlessly. This guarantees problem-free evidence during audits.
Technical integration: A seamless process
The concern about a complicated IT landscape is unfounded. The technical integration of SAP SuccessFactors in production via shyftplan takes place seamlessly via interfaces.
The data flow in detail
- Master Data Import: SAP SuccessFactors remains the leading system. Information on new employees, contract data, or long-term absences is automatically transferred to shyftplan.
- Operational Planning: The disposition of shifts takes place in shyftplan, taking into account qualifications and availabilities.
- Return of Payroll Data: After the shifts are completed, the actually worked times, including all surcharges and evaluations, are automatically transmitted to the SAP system for payroll accounting.
This eliminates the manual double entry of data and prevents transmission errors that could later lead to incorrect payroll accounting.
Strategic administration and operational excellence
The combination of SAP and shyftplan enables a consistently digital process chain. Companies do not have to choose between administration and operational control. The addition of shyftplan makes SAP SuccessFactors in production complete.
By supplementing the SAP standard with shyftplan, manufacturing companies achieve:
- Legal security through automated rule checks.
- Cost efficiency through optimized personnel deployment.
- Employee satisfaction through transparency and participation via app.
Those who still rely on improvisation today accept unnecessary costs and risks. Professionalizing shift scheduling is the logical next step after the digitalization of HR administration.
Regarding data protection, the law is clear on work schedules: not every employee is entitled to view the entire shift schedule. Similarly, every employee has the right to prevent the publication of the schedule—even within the company.
The total price for your company consists of the licensing fee for either the Professional or Enterprise package and the number of employees to be scheduled. Feel free to contact us for a specific quote. Apart from the licensing fee, there are no additional costs with Shyftplan. This way, you benefit from a clear Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
shyftplan is designed for companies with a three- to five-digit number of shift employees. If needed, shyftplan can also be used for companies with fewer employees. However, please note the minimum price of €700 per month.
