A journey, not a destination
SuccessFactors SAP implementations, just like HR transformation, are a journey, not a destination, and the start and end, unfortunately, don’t happen with the beginning and end of the project implementation.
You start preparing for a SuccessFactors project immediately after you sign the contract with SAP.
We recommend that you consider taking these steps before you sit down with your SuccessFactors implementation partner; they will help prepare you for a successful implementation. Careful preparation and planning will lower implementation costs, reduce your risks, and prevent delays.
- Future planning
- Adapt to the SuccessFactors process
- Look at the entire HR ecosystem and beyond
Why preparation is required for a SuccessFactors implementation
Before you begin, ask yourself a few diagnostic questions — the same ones covered in our HR Health Check & Roadmap piece: do you understand your current-state processes well enough to describe them to an implementation partner? Do you know which parts of your process are policy versus habit? Have you quantified what success looks like? Do you have executive sponsorship secured?
When to start the preparatory work?
For an SMB, expect 3–6 weeks of preparation per module. Employee Central and Recruiting typically need more time than smaller point modules, since they touch the most current-state process and data.
Technology-enabled HR transformation
SuccessFactors is not just a system swap — it is the technology layer of a broader HR transformation. Preparation work should be framed that way from the outset, not as an IT project with HR as a stakeholder.
All-integrated solution within SuccessFactors, or a “hybrid” approach?
With SAP SuccessFactors, unlike other HR solutions in the market, you have multiple options. Although it is possible to implement everything at once using the integrated solution approach, you can also decide to go for a “hybrid approach.” Each of these approaches has its share of strengths and weaknesses that must be considered when preparing for a project. Based on the approach you choose, your project preparation can be different — so weigh the strengths against the weaknesses for your situation before you commit.