Author: ICG

HR2014 was a delight, and the days went way too quickly to catch all the great content!

It was obvious from the start that SuccessFactors was going to take center stage, and all attending had the opportunity to learn in great detail. We learned from David Ludlow that SuccessFactors and SAP ECC has an ever-growing amount of new and stable virtual integration. If you missed the keynote, you can catch it on demand at SAPInsider.

I had great conversations throughout the days and evenings about when and where SF fits, and insights to pain points about functionality that isn’t quite where where it needs to be. The next couple of years will continue to be exciting as new functionality continues to roll out, and integration and stability make those rollouts less difficult.

Based on the discussions I had during the conference, many companies are waiting for SAP to work out the kinks and add functionality they view as missing, such as benefits and time management.

With much of the emphasis being on SuccessFactors before and during the conference, it was great to see significant turnout to my sessions about payroll, time management, and financials integration. The attendance at my sessions was also reflected in the SAPInsider whiteboard with ‘What do you want to see at HR2015?’

Many attendees are looking to maximize their existing SAP investment by identifying methods streamline processes, adding functionality, and reducing ongoing support costs. While some of the methods will change for companies moving to SuccessFactors, the majority will remain since the underlying technology of EC Payroll is SAP Payroll.

SAPInsider and Allison Martin put on another great conference, and I’m looking forward to HR2015!

Those of you who attended have access to all the session materials through the SAPInsider website. Setting aside time to look at sessions you could not attend is well worth the effort and the knowledge you will gain. The session materials will make great references  as a refresher or when you embark on something new.

You should also watch the SAPInsider HR channel because several focus sessions were video recorded and will be placed on the channel over the coming weeks. Steve Bogner, Brigid Sternberg, and I participated in a discussion about payroll and I think you’ll find it helpful and informative.

Want to do more recapping of HR 2014? Have a look at the articles below:

• HR 2014 Preview
• HR 2014 Photo Update: Day 1
• HR 2014 Photo Update: Day 2
• HR 2014 Review: Keynotes, Sessions, and Selfies

And if you’d like to learn more about how ICG’s SAP HCM solutions, or how we can help your entire business–HR included–run more efficiently, let us know on Twitter or LinkedIn–we’d love to hear from you and would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

A lot has happened at HR 2014 since my first update on Tuesday morning.

Of everything I’ve seen thus far, one of my favorite events was the panel discussion in Bay Lake between Sharon Newton (@sharonnewton) and Steve Bogner (@stevebogner), moderated by Brandon Toombs (@brandontoombs).

One of the best quotes–made in jest, of course–was that “you’ll have to fire everyone,” in response to an attendee asking what moving to the cloud would mean for their staff. It was obvious from the questions and answers that cloud and on-premises each have their pros and cons, and I took away that a hybrid model will provide companies with new functionality from the cloud, while continuing the stability from the many years that SAP ECC has been around.

Talking with others at the conference, confusion is still high about what route companies should being taking, and how quickly they should take it. The SAP Roadmap does not provide the guidance most people feel comfortable with in the short or long-term. Ripping out an on-premises investment is not likely to happen quickly (or soon) by companies. The cloud has a purpose, and SuccessFactors provides some great functionality that may be right for a company to incorporate, but I don’t see it as a foregone conclusion that it is the only way to go.

All-in-all, the conference continues to be educational, and I look forward to seeing what the rest of HR 2014 will hold.

Check out some more pictures from HR 2014 below:

Check back next week for some closing thoughts on HR 2014. And in the mean time, for more updates about the conference and ICG, check in with us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

If you’ve been keeping up with ICG on Twitter and Facebook, and if you read my HR 2014 preview from last Thursday, you’d know that through the rest of the week, I’ll be attending the HR 2014 Conference in Orlando, Florida.

I’ve yet to speak at HR 2014, but I have had the time to see some wonderful speakers and to take a look around at all of the great things happening at this year’s conference. I’ll have more photos later, but in the mean time, check out ICG’s photo updates from day 1 of HR 2014:

Check back later this week for more photos and updates from HR 2014. And in the mean time, for more updates about the conference and ICG, check in with us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

HR 2014, set for next week (March 11-14, 2014 at Swan and Dolphin, Orlando, Florida), is fast approaching, and it’s set to be very valuable and informative to those attending.

During HR 2013, SAP provided more details about integrating SAP and SuccessFactors along with what their intentions with SuccessFactors were for the road ahead. Customers and colleagues left understanding that a significant shift was taking place, and many left wondering exactly how it would fit within their existing IT structure.

SuccessFactors has garnered many more sessions at HR 2014, and those sessions are likely to be well-attended, thanks largely to the appetite of people still seeking a better understanding of what the SAP and SuccessFactors marriage means. Several customers I work with have expressed that they’ll move to a hybrid model with Core HR staying within SAP ECC, and would like more assurances from SAP that Core HR will continue to have new and improved functionality.

The Keynote Address, “Harnessing HCM technology in a rapidly changing world to drive strategic business outcomes,” by Shawn Price, President, SAP Global Cloud & Line of Business, SAP and David Ludlow, Group Vice President, SAP HCM Solutions, SAP, should shed some light on questions customers have and surely create new ones. I look forward to this keynote and the following conversations it will undoubtedly create.

Core HR will be represented well at HR2014 and will cover SAP and SuccessFactors components. Many of the Core HR areas remain untouched or have limited impact from SuccessFactors. The education sessions are valuable to companies because they will provide more depth of knowledge, as well as information on how to streamline processes, and newly available functionality:

• Payroll
• OM and PA
• Benefits
• Time management
• Employee Central
• Travel management

The conference provides great networking opportunities through luncheon roundtables, the evening reception, and Ask-the-Experts. Ask-the-Experts is a perfect way not only to meet experts to get answers to questions you have now, but also to familiarize yourself with someone you will be able to bounce ideas off in the future.

Don’t forget, you can interact and follow all the action on Twitter with hashtag #HR2014. The following experts are always active on Twitter, but will be especially active during the conference:

Steve Bogner, Martin Gillet, Venki Krishnamoorthy, Danielle Larocca, Luke Marson, Jeremy Masters, Jarret Pazahanick, Brigid Sternberg, Mike Timm, Brandon Toombs, and AJ Whalen.

This year, as with many previous years, I’ll be speaking. You can find more information about my involvement with the conference here, but I’ve also provided brief summaries to get a better idea of the speaking engagements at HR 2014:

• An up-to-date guide to troubleshooting the payroll process if and when you encounter an error
  This session will take an in-depth look at the components of the payroll process and how they integrate with other solutions.
• The fundamentals of customizing SAP time evaluation with table entries, schemas, functions, operations, and rules
  Develop an understanding of the SAP time evaluation component’s table entries, schemas, and rules including a definition of each object, a description of what they do, and best practices for maintaining them.
• Optimize data flow between SAP ERP HCM payroll and SAP ERP Financials: Proven strategies for a smooth integration
  Examine key integration points between SAP ERP HCM payroll and SAP ERP Financials and see how to exploit them to optimize data flows and troubleshoot common errors.

SAPInsider does a wonderful job organizing these conferences and making sure they always include high-quality content. A big thank you goes out to Allison Martin for what will undoubtedly be a wonderful and informative conference.

Be sure to take a look at our social media next week, when we’ll have photos and other information from HR 2014. And in the mean time, if you have any questions about ICG or about me Mike Timm, let us know on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

Omaha, Nebraska – March 5, 2014 – ICG is proud to announce that Mike Timm will be speaking at SAPinsider’s HR 2014 conference to offer proven advice to attendees. The event takes place at the Walt Disney World® Swan and Dolphin in Orlando, March 11-14, 2014. Attend to learn proven methods for continuously improving and transforming key HR processes.
If you’re able to attend the event, please be sure to catch Mike Timm educational sessions:

An up-to-date guide to troubleshooting the payroll process if and when you encounter an error
Mike Timm, ICG
Time: Tuesday, March 11 3:00 PM Eastern
Room: Southern Hemisphere III

The fundamentals of customizing SAP time evaluation with table entries, schemas, functions, operations, and rules
Mike Timm, ICG
Time: Wednesday, March 12 8:30 AM Eastern
Room: Southern Hemisphere I
Repeat Time: Friday, March 14 11:30 AM Eastern
Room: Southern Hemisphere V

Optimize data flow between SAP ERP HCM payroll and SAP ERP Financials: Proven strategies for a smooth integration
Mike Timm, ICG
Time: Wednesday, March 12 3:30 PM Eastern
Room: Australia 3

This conference provides comprehensive education and networking opportunities for professionals who use, evaluate, deploy, and support SAP® functionality for HR. You can get full details on the agenda by visiting www.hr2014.com or by calling +1-781-751-8700.
Contact:
Mike Timm
ICG
mtimm@integratedcg.com

About SAPinsider
SAPinsider, published by WIS Publishing, is the premier source of information on products, services, and strategic initiatives coming from SAP and its partners. More than 250,000 customers in 61 countries rely annually on education and training materials from WIS Publishing to optimize their investments in SAP solutions. WIS Publishing is the publisher of SAPinsider, insiderPROFILES, and the SAPexperts knowledgebases, and is the producer of SAPinsider conferences and seminars and the Insider Learning Network. For more information, visit www.wispubs.com.
SAP is a registered trademark of SAP AG in Germany and several other countries. WIS Publishing is not affiliated with SAP AG or any of the SAP AG group of companies.
Business Objects, BusinessObjects and the Business Objects logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Business Objects in the United States and/or other countries. Business Objects is an SAP company.
All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.

About ICG
ICG’s solutions are designed to help companies of all sizes and in a broad range of industries address a diverse scope of business needs. Our team has led implementation projects in a variety of industries including professional services, manufacturing, media, high-tech, natural resources, and construction service sector.

Our team of professionals is experienced in all aspects of executing SAP HCM operational support. In addition to project planning and management, our services include project application design and execution. ICG’s expertise also includes process engineering and management, change management, support personnel coaching, and end-user training to minimize downtime and maximize productivity for SAP users.

For more information, please visit www.IntegratedCG.com or call +1-866-417-0071.

If you or your business is an SAP user, or specifically, an SAP HCM user, there are few ways for you to better use your time than attending an HR conference.

HR 2014–an annual SAP and SuccessFactors human resources conference–is a conference for SAP and SuccessFactors users looking to improve their knowledge base and drive HR excellence. HR 2014 features 98 speakers and 120 sessions, and is packed with great information for users in the space.

This year, as with many previous years, our own Mike Timm, managing partner here at ICG, is one of the speakers set to discuss SAP HCM at the event. You can find more information about Mike’s involvement with the conference here, but we’ve also provided brief summaries for our readers to get a better idea of Mike’s speaking engagements at HR 2014:

• An up-to-date guide to troubleshooting the payroll process if and when you encounter an error
  This session will take an in-depth look at the components of the payroll process and how they integrate with other solutions.
• The fundamentals of customizing SAP time evaluation with table entries, schemas, functions, operations, and rules
  Develop an understanding of the SAP time evaluation component’s table entries, schemas, and rules including a definition of each object, a description of what they do, and best practices for maintaining them.
• Ask-the-Experts
  Pull up a chair in the Ask-the-Experts area of the Exhibit Hall during our Tuesday and Wednesday evening receptions and spend one-on-one time with the top experts.
• Optimize data flow between SAP ERP HCM payroll and SAP ERP Financials: Proven strategies for a smooth integration
  Examine key integration points between SAP ERP HCM payroll and SAP ERP Financials and see how to exploit them to optimize data flows and troubleshoot common errors.

If you’d like to learn more about the HR 2014 conference, please see the website here. We encourage you to take a look and think about what this conference could do for you or your organization. And for everyone already registered, we look forward to seeing you there.

Be sure to take a look at our social media next week, when we’ll have photos and other information from HR 2014. And in the mean time, if you have any questions about ICG or Mike Timm, let us know on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

This post is part IV of IV in a series about ICG’s support and outsourcing solutions. You can see parts I, II and III here, here, and here, respectively. Be sure to check back later for more posts in the series.

Ongoing support is a requirement to provide the most functionality and return on the SAP investment, and to achieve full benefits of the technology.

In terms of the final segment of our support and outsourcing solutions, variable cost structure, we can once again break things down into a few parts:

• Realization of return on investment
• Minimizing of total cost of ownership
• Defining specific service levels at a predictable and flexible cost, reflecting business volumes

Such direct support provides significant value that will result in targeted benefits and shareholder returns. SAP provides bug fixes and new functionality that will help your organization improve and streamline end-to-end processes to drive decisions for your business.

Beyond the SAP changes, your business will also continue to evolve. Keeping SAP support cost to a minimum throughout will help your business meet its key strategic objectives and key performance indicators, ensuring overall success.

ICG will help you define a roadmap for your organization with the near- and long-term timelines by providing your organization with insight into where you are headed. We will define guidelines regarding the integration of new business requirements and new SAP functionality so that everyone in the organization understands the process and business benefits.

Variable cost structure allows you to realize your return on the SAP investment by minimizing SAP support costs, while also being able to harness existing and new functionality through the use of ICG’s experts. We will know your business, and we understand both where processes may be tweaked, and when new functionality will provide benefit. All of this helps you realize the value of all components with a fee structure based on a percentage. This approach is added value that goes beyond a unit, or fixed, price.

Service level agreements (SLAs) will be detailed for every organization. Timelines for responses and fixes will be put in place, along with the process to make that happen. This will be outlined in detail, and metrics implemented, for full transparency.

Scaling the number of resources to keep costs minimal, while providing increased support at critical times, will be defined within the SLAs. Our process methodology will strengthen your vision, create efficiency to improve results and payback, and capitalize on system innovation.

Variable cost structure is the last step in ICG’s support and outsourcing solutions, and helps your business realize ROI.

Want to learn more about ICG? Get in touch with us on Twitter!

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photo credit: Johnny Vulkan via photopin cc

This post is part III of IV in a series about ICG’s support and outsourcing solutions. Over the coming weeks, we’ll cover each aspect of our support and outsourcing solutions, from global sourcing, to variable cost structure. You can see parts I and II here and here, respectively. Be sure to check back later for more posts in the series.

Throughout this series so far, we’ve covered two key parts of ICG’s support and outsourcing solutions: global sourcing, and leveraging technology. But as you might imagine, leveraging technology isn’t the only next step when it comes to ensuring the success of your business over time.

For us, deploying best practices means doing three things:

• Achieving business benefits and goals
• Implementation and support of best practices and technology
• Stabilizing the SAP environment

Global sourcing and leveraging technology work hand-in-hand with deploying best practices. SAP provides a tremendous amount of functionality, and continually adds functionality through updates.

Global sourcing’s advantages include tapping into skills or resources that were previously unavailable. It helps to reach procurement goals to generate cost savings, ensure quality, and reduce expenses. Implementing existing and new functionality with businesses processes that are efficient and effective can help drive ROI. And simplification and change management will be used heavily to reduce the time necessary to perform tasks, by maximizing functionality and eliminating workarounds.

In terms of best practice deployment, ICG’s many years of experience across organizations and industries of varying sizes has provided us with a detailed understanding of business process best practices for implementing effective change control programs. We also help with the identification of business goals, and understand that the business processes to get there may not be the same for every organization. We know the standard business processes very well and know how those may be tweaked to fit each organization perfectly.

Many times, simplification of business processes will be implemented with change management that will provide significant ROI through administrative costs and functionality enhancements. Simplification will also decrease the time needed to stabilize an SAP environment and allow for quicker training of new employees to the organization. And finally, deploying best practices that help reduce the complexity and cost of implementation will stabilize your SAP environment.

Want to learn more about ICG? Get in touch with us on Twitter!

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photo credit: Martin Gillet via photopin cc

This post is part II of IV in a series about ICG’s support and outsourcing solutions. Over the coming weeks, we’ll cover each aspect of our support and outsourcing solutions, from global sourcing, to variable cost structure. You can see part I here. Be sure to check back later for more posts in the series.

Earlier this week, we kicked off our series on ICG’s support and outsourcing solutions with a post about global sourcing. But as you might imagine, support and outsourcing encompasses much more than just global sourcing. Today, we’re going to take a look at another element of this stage in the process: leveraging technology.

At ICG, leveraging technology includes two main things:

• Expanding the employee self-service mindset
• Proactive upgrading & maintenance management

How can you take advantage of and leverage SAP innovative technology to generate value for your business? Achieving the ROI of the SAP investment is a critical component of your company’s SAP strategic roadmap. Our professionals at ICG will uncover areas where the SAP functionalitymay be underutilized, and identify which aspects you should consider when implementing essential technology solutions to achieve sustainability for your business.

Utilizing SAP technology can transform the user experience and allow employees to maintain their own data such as bank accounts, new addresses, etc., which reduces the Human Resources overhead of shuffling paper and making those changes. Employees become empowered, and in many cases, this is new to HR and employees alike. Change management is necessary to facilitate this transition and to make it easy and effective.

Upgrading and maintaining the SAP investment on a scheduled basis will allow bug fixes and new functionality to be introduced at the organization’s desired pace. SAP provides several methods of maintenance, and ICG will work with your organization to determine which method best fits your needs so that your SAP technology can be up-to-date. HR has components, such as payroll and reporting, which require regular periodic updates due to legislative changes. We’ll work with your organization to design a methodology that will initiate these updates with minimal impact to various departments within the organization.

ICG professionals can help your team to embrace innovation, adapt to change, and ensure effective collaboration and efficient operations. Get in touch with ICG to discover how SAP software can help your organization leverage technology and achieve long-term benefits.

Want to learn more about ICG? Get in touch with us on Twitter!

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photo credit: rainerstropek@yahoo.com via photopin cc

This post is part I of IV in a series about ICG’s support and outsourcing solutions. Over the coming weeks, we’ll cover each aspect of our support and outsourcing solutions, from global sourcing, to variable cost structure. Be sure to check back later for more posts in the series.

In our last series about ICG’s implementation solutions, we covered what goes into the actual implementation of our SAP HCM solutions, from project management to go-live and support.

But our services–and our process–don’t stop there. We also offer world-class support and outsourcing solutions and bring the skills, expertise, processes, valuable tools, and methodologies needed to manage your existing SAP implementation and transform it according to company requirements.

Our support and outsourcing solutions start with global sourcing, which can be broken down into three factors:

• Economies of scale
• Flexible and effective ongoing support
• Reducing client business risks regarding critical skills

Organizations invest a great deal of time and money in SAP and expect to gain significant efficiencies by fully utilizing the functionality, and streamlining whenever and wherever possible. Supporting the investment and identifying areas to ensure there is consistency and a knowledge structure takes a detailed understanding of the underlying SAP architecture and configuration. You want to build the right sourcing environment that not only drives a cost savings to the bottom line, but helps to minimize potential risk by consolidating sourcing processes.

Global sourcing support allows for greater flexibility with capacity management, staffing expertise, risk mitigation, and costs. Our experts come from across the globe and we leverage the right skillset at the right time to effectively sustain excellence through monitoring spending to reduce the bottom line contribution.

During times of higher need, we have the ability to scale to meet those needs, and then compress when the need subsides. This can reduce an organization’s spend by matching the need. As we scale, we continue to utilize experts in their areas to provide the most effective support. Our global resourcing and flexibility allow ICG to provide experts that will support areas of SAP that your organization finds valuable, all by making the most of every dollar saved.

Want to learn more about ICG? Get in touch with us on Twitter!

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