SAP Knowledge Base Article - Public

2323408 - Ad Hoc Reporting - Others Resources from Support

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 **Image/data in this KBA is from SAP internal systems, sample data, or demo systems. Any resemblance to real data is purely coincidental**

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We, the Cloud Product Support team, are currently working on an initiative to provide you, our partners, with a comprehensive one stop shop for resources and information sources for the SAP SuccessFactors Analytics & Reporting that you can use for your learning, training, and implementation needs.

The aim is to centralize the available content for the SAP SuccessFactors Ad Hoc Reports that is already out there for you and also help you by creating Knowledge Articles that cover the most common support issues encountered during implementations and Go-live.

Please use the below links to access the section you need help with: 

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learningicon.jpg Learning Resources: 

1. SAP Learning Hub

SAP Learning Hub provides 24/7 access to online learning content, interactive SAP Learning Rooms, and live SAP training systems (optional) in a public or private cloud environment.

SAP Learning Journeys, are available in the SAP Leaning Hub, help guide you to the most appropriate learning content and path including courses (both instructor-led and self-study via SAP Learning Hub), SAP Learning Rooms, SAP Live Access and more!

The below Learning Journeys are available for the Reporting topics and roles:

SAP SuccessFactors Reporting - Customer Enablement

  • Join the SAP Learning Room
    • Foundation Platform, Reporting & Analytics Admin Learning Room
  • Start with an overview
    • Introduction to SAP SuccessFactors Solutions (JOY030)
  • Become fully competent
    • Introduction to SAP SuccessFactors Administration (HR800)
    • SAP SuccessFactors Intro to Online Report Designer (HR885)
    • SAP SuccessFactors Reporting Project Team Orientation (HR883)
    • SAP SuccessFactors Reporting Tools & Administration (HR882)
  • Expand your skills
    • SAP Activate Methodology: Introduction (ACT1CL)

SAP SuccessFactors Reporting - Implementation

  • Join the SAP Learning Room
    • Introduction to SAP SuccessFactors Learning Room (Pre-requisite Knowledge)
  • Start with an overview
    • Introduction to SAP SuccessFactors Solutions (JOY030)
  • Become fully competent
    • Introduction to SAP SuccessFactors Academy (THR80) - (Pre-requisite Knowledge)
    • Reporting Tools & Configuration Academy (THR92) - (Certification Track)
  • Expand your skills
    • SAP Activate Methodology: Cloud Implementation (ACT2CL)
    • Implementation Made Simple for SAP SuccessFactors (JOY058)

 2. SAP Enterprise Support Academy

SAP Enterprise Support Academy provides high-impact enablement offerings which help you prepare for the digital transformation. We are currently transitioning to a new learning platform on SAP Learning Hub. To access our learning catalog follow the below instructions:

         I. Go to the SAP Enterprise Support Academy landing page at support.sap.com/esacademy.

       II. Click on the Access the Learning Catalog button.

     III. Login with your s-user ID and password.

     IV. The SAP Learning Hub home page displays.

      V. Select Learning Content from the drop-down menu to view your active courses and learning resources.

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3. SAP SuccessFactors Cloud Value Map (JAM Group - Subscription required)

The SAP SuccessFactors Cloud Value Map is designed to help exploration of the below objectives areas assembled to support our customers with various resources in the areas of planning, building, extending maintaining and monitoring an SAP SuccessFactors Cloud Solution.

Note: you can Access value maps if you are already registered or Request access if you are not.

Helpful resources:

4. Partner Edge

The central Web site for all SAP partners that build, market, sell, and service SAP products and solutions to meet the needs of customers of all sizes. Link: https://partneredge.sap.com/en.html

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bestguidesicon.jpg  Best Practices:
  1. SCN: SuccessFactors - Useful Resources and Documents
  2. SAP Demostore: demo store
  3. Partner Edge Workshop: SAP SuccessFactors Rapid Deployment Solutions 

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Guidesicon.jpg Guides:

1. Product information and guides

For Ad Hoc reports the following Guides are available.

 SAP Help Portal:

SuccessFactors Community

2. Cloud Service Specifications

    • SuccessFactors Foundation specifications > This specifications document describes key features and functionalities of SuccessFactors Foundation

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Trainingicon.jpg Training:

1. SAP Training

Provides immediate, cloud-based access to a vast selection of SAP learning content. You can access the Training and Certification Shop to check the available Training Options such as Classroom, Virtual Live Classroom, Certification, E-Learning, E-Academy, Learning Hub, Live Access & Find a wishlist.

The below Learning Journeys are available for the Reporting topics and roles:

2. OPEN SAP

SAP's innovative learning platform and a thought leader for Enterprise MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses).

  • An Introduction to SuccessFactors Solutions > With this course you will learn how SuccessFactors solutions support the full HR lifecycle.
  • Implementation Made Simple for SAP SuccessFactors Solutions. > This course is all about taking those best practices and showing you how to apply them to your own unique business needs. The course will walk you through the tools and guides included in the RDS best practices content for an “implementation made simple” for each of the SuccessFactors solutions including core HR, payroll, talent, and more.
  • Run Simple HR with SuccessFactors Employee Central > The course will begin with an overview of Employee Central Core HR. Demos will include how to affect organizational and position management, as well as how to set up rules and workflows as well as reporting and analytics.
  • Implementation of SAP Cloud for Analytics > In this free course, you’ll learn best practice approaches to implementing SAP Cloud for Analytics. SAP will offer advice, illustrations, and demonstrations of how to maximize your investment in SAP Cloud for Analytics.

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producticon.jpg Product Release:

Release Resources can be accessed via the SAP SuccessFactors Release Information:Reporting, Analytics, and Planning Release Details Help Portal page or Product Updates SF Community page.

It includes Release Highlights, Videos & Information Summary which can help to learn about the upcoming releases.

communityicon.jpg Community:

SAP SuccessFactors  Community

The SAP SuccessFactors Customer Community connects experts - customers, partners, and employees - within a collaborative environment to help realize the collective goals.

Quick question

A quick question forum is available for you directly on community Web site via the Reporting and Analytics Product Page.

Our product team, Engineers and Customer support daily review all questions posted by customers. Feel free to contact us.

Enhancement request

SuccessFactors' provides a channel where you can propose and discuss new ideas, and vote and comment on ideas already suggested. Share your opinion today on which enhancements are the most important to your organization. This can be done via the Customer Influence site and follow the instructions to search, submit or follow a request. 

The Continuous Influencing Session for SAP SuccessFactors Reporting, Workforce Analytics and Planning! can be accessed directly via the https://influence.sap.com/SuccessFactorsReporting link.

further details also available via the KBA 2090228 - How to submit enhancement requests for SAP SuccessFactors products

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supportoolicon.jpg Support Tools:

Service & Support Portals

Please refer to the following page for a quick reference list of Support & service Tools - click here

Performance Troubleshooting Tools

 HTTPWatch.JPG HTTPWatch

Used to capture Performance information. Product Support would require HTTPWatch logs in order to further investigate UI Performance related issues. For example - a page is taking more than 10 seconds to load. HTTPWatch can be used to capture useful information for Product Support & Development teams to investigate the issue further. Please do note - the acceptable page loading times are generally between 6 and 12 seconds. Any pages loading within this expectation are not considered performance issues.

Download Basic Version Here - redirect_external.png (Free Download)

Content tools test pages

BIRT: Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools (BIRT) is a tool that allows you to create custom BIRT template which can be used with Ad Hoc report to create custom report output.

Chrome : This tutorial shows how to collect network traces with Google Chrome Network Tool, no needs to install any additional software.

Fiddler : This tutorial shows the process of capturing network traffic using the Fiddler tool.

Firefox : This tutorial shows how to collect network traces with Firefox (from version 41) Network Tool, no needs to install any additional software.

httpwatch : This tutorial shows the process of capturing network traffic using the HttpWatch tool. The only prior requirement is to have at least Internet Explorer or Firefox installed.

InternetExplorer : This tutorial shows how to collect network traces with IE9/I10/IE11 Developer Tools, no needs to install any additional software.

 

CSV/Import File Editors for connectors or import template tool

MSExcel.JPG Microsoft Excel

Probably the most commonly used/popular tool to manage CSV Import files, but not nessecarily the most user friendly. Due to the auto-formatting that occurs when you open a CSV file directly in MS Excel, special guidelines should be followed when using MS Excel to edit CSV files

Download Here - redirect_external.png (Not a Free Download)

 

OpenOffice.JPG OpenOffice

Probably the simplest tool to use, as you will be prompted when opening a CSV file, in which format or under which special handling should be considered before opening the file. Probably the simplest tool to use when working with CSV files that contain non-english characters

Download Here - redirect_external.png (Free Download)

notepad++.JPG Notepad++

Simple text editor - helps to check he validity of a CSV Import file (sometimes file encoding or formatting issues are not seen in either Excel or OpenOffice, and opening the file in a simple Text editor is the only way to see the issue)

Download Here - redirect_external.png (Free Download)

Note: Downloading Ad Hoc reports in .csv format may lead to incorrect or corrupt characters appearing in the report. This is due to the file generated being in UTF-8 format and Microsoft is using a different encoding format to read it.

For example if the file generated is in UTF-8 and the csv is reading it in Windows Western European, then you may run into character display issues. To resolve this, you can export the file as an Excel or change the encoding to UTF-8 once downloaded. 

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Availability:

Cloud Availability Center:

The Cloud Availability Center is a new, personalized dashboard for SAP's cloud customers that provides a consolidated view of service availability and performance, and service level agreements (SLA) presented through the SAP for Me.

SAP customers with an S-User account and one or more of the below SAP cloud products are invited to participate in the beta release to evaluate the platform and provide feedback before the final launch.

Access the Cloud Availability Center

SAP SuccessFactors customers: during the beta, the SAP SuccessFactors Cloud Status and Maintenance Dashboards will remain available.

Further information is available via the KBA 2116126 - Service Status Dashboard and Scheduled Maintenance FAQ - Platform Services & Tools

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helprequest.png Help request:

If you need further help with your questions or issues we'll be glad to help you however, where possible, it would be helpfult to consider the below:

Schedule An Expert

Schedule an Expert offers a new way to connect with an SAP Support engineer in a live, one-on-one 30-minute call. The scheduled appointments require a 3-day notice to allow engineers to prepare for the session. Tell us your question and the product area that you want to discuss. We'll find an available expert to assist you at a time of your choice.

SAP Knowledge Base Article 2482688 details everything you need to get started with Schedule an Expert.

Expert Chat

SAP now offers technical support with Expert Chat. To access Expert Chat, simply begin the process of submitting an case. If Expert Chat is available for the component you have chosen, you will see the ‘Start Expert Chat’ button next to the 'Submit' button in your case form. The details you’ve entered will be passed through to the support expert.

SAP Knowledge Base Article 2213344 describes the process in detail with a video.

Creating Support cases

When creating a Support case, there are some considerations you need to take when defining the Priority of the case, such as -:

  • Is my customer live or going live in the next couple or weeks or months?
  • What stage of the Implementation is currently being impacted?
  • How many users are actually impacted?
  • Is there a work-around that can be used in the interim to circumvent the issue and continue the Implementation until a permanent solution can be provided?
  • Have I performed due diligence and checked my configuration and/or data to ensure the issue is not caused by something my or I have recently done?
  • When did the issue start occurring? (After latest config change roll-out, product release, product patch)

Interim work-arounds
We always prefer to try and keep you working until a permanent solution is available.

Product Defect Fixes
SAP SuccessFactors is a multi-tenant system, so it is impossible to patch a fix to a single instance. As all instance are running on the same code-base, when a patch is deployed it is deployed to the data centers on the impacted release which means all customers get the patch/fix at the same time. Patch deployments are always performed during the weekly maintenance window at the end of the working week (starting early on a Saturday morning usually). How does a Defect Fix process work? Well, development will need to -:

Identify what type of issue it is (Regression, Functional Gap, Enhancement)
If it is a regression issue, then Development will work to reproduce the issue in the current build they are developing (the next release).

Develop the code fix for the next release and verify it causes no further issues.

Determine whether the fix can be patched to the current release or whether it requires deep regression testing to ensure no further defects are introduced, meaning it will be fixed only in the next release.

If the fix can be patched to current release, the patch will also have to pass Risk Assessment and QA Testing to ensure it can be safely aplied.

Patches will get their final go/no-go approval by the end of day Tuesday every week.

What if the fix cannot be patched?
Then you will need to wait for the release where it is fixed.

Can any defect be patched?
No. Development Engineering will determine the risk and impact a patch would have, or whether a patch is not possible as a more comprehensive fix is required

What about patching Enhancement Requests?
We do not patch Enhancement Requests - as they require deep regression testing, they will only be deployed during a quarterly release - this is across the board, and no exceptions

What is a Functional Gap?
This means that what you are trying to do, is not currently support by the application. Meaning the code would need to be developed to handle whatever it is you are trying to do - this would also fall under an Enhancement Request, as the behaviour/functionality never existed, and needs to be created. FunctionGap fixes are treated as Enhancement Requests, therefore they will not be considered for patch either.

Configuration Changes
Please note that SucessFactors Product Support generally do not make configuration changes for customers or partners. There are only a few items in which Product Support will help make certain minor changes for Live customers, as a majority of general configuration changes can be made by a system admin.

Enhancement Requests
Please do not open a Support case if you have identified functional requirements or potential enhancement possibilities for SuccessFactors Learning Management System. Please follow the below article to understand how to correctly submit an Idea to our Product Management team for review and consideration.

How to create an Enhancement Request for Analytics:   2090228 - How to submit enhancement requests for SAP SuccessFactors products

 

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Keywords

KBA , LOD-SF-ANA-ADH , Adhoc Reports & Report Builder , How To

Product

SAP SuccessFactors HCM Core all versions