Tag: Human Capital Management

  • What Is SAP HCM?

    What Is SAP HCM?When we started up our blog again last week, we kicked off with a post about what ICG is and what we do. And while that can be useful for readers and customers already familiar with SAP HCM, we thought we’d take a moment today to step back and break our services down to a more basic level.

    Even for companies already using SAP software, looking further into different modules and solutions surrounding SAP implementation and change management can get confusing, which is why we thought we’d take a closer look at exactly what SAP HCM is. 

    What Is SAP HCM?

    SAP, as you probably already know, is an Enterprise Resource Planning software business suite that consists of several integrated software modules. SAP modules range from Financials and Controlling, to Human Resources/Human Capital Management, to Production Planning. Our main concern here at ICG is SAP HCM, the Human Capital Management module within the enterprise suite.

    Put simply, the SAP HCM module is a software solution for Human Capital Management, which can help your business manage everything from time management and payroll to hiring and workforce training. Altogether, the HCM module of SAP can take an employee from hire to retire, and can help you manage your entire workforce in a manner that simply wasn’t possible before the arrival of software solutions like those currently offered by SAP.

    Human Capital Management has the potential to be extremely complicated, and software solutions like SAP HCM can help organizations make the best of their workforce, both current and future. When used properly, SAP HCM is an absolutely incredible tool. 

    Why Do I Need ICG’s Help? 

    The far-reaching capabilities of SAP HCM are an upside in the proper hands, but when managed incorrectly are impossible to use to their full potential. Taking full advantage of the software’s functionality requires possessing full knowledge of its capabilities, and also requires a user with experience who knows how best to use the software to drive real business results. That’s just not possible without a thorough introduction to the software, and it’s not something that a company can hope to accomplish by trying to learn the software on their own.

    That’s where ICG comes in. We’re specialists in SAP HCM, and know what it takes to help clients succeed in implementing and supporting the HCM module of SAP’s software. Not only that—we help with the integration of the HCM module to other modules, and can help SAP-user companies reach their full potential with our wide variety of consulting services that extend far beyond a basic knowledge of SAP HCM software.

    Even for companies already using SAP software, proper utilization of the HCM module can be a tough task without proper guidance, and that’s what we’re here to help with at ICG. By helping companies implement HCM and look at the full picture—looking at systems goals, not just for solutions within the SAP software itself—we go above and beyond in helping companies take advantage of the full functionality of SAP HCM software in order to succeed.

    Here at ICG, we don’t want to just help companies implement SAP HCM to the bare minimum—we want them to fully understand what they have and where they’re going, and that’s something that takes time and experience. If you’re interested in using SAP’s HCM software to help your business become more efficient while navigating this changing world, Integrated Consulting Group is here to help.

    Interested in learning more about SAP HCM and how it can help your business? Let us know on Twitter @Integrated_CG, via email at info@integratedcg.com, or by phone at (866) 415-0071. We’re always here to answer your questions and would be more than happy to help.

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    photo credit: Martin Gillet via photopin cc

  • The 7 Best Blogs and Online Resources for Anyone Interested in HR and HCM

    The 7 Best Blogs and Online Resources for Anyone Interested in HR and HCM3

    Part of being an HR professional involves being well-versed in what’s going on in the worlds of Human Resources and Human Capital Management. While ICG is here to help you with the implementation and support of SAP HCM, it never hurts to be educated about the space—and in terms of doing that, the internet is a great place to start.

    Even so, there’s so much information on the web that it can sometimes be tough to know what’s legitimate and what isn’t. To help our readers navigate those resources and get good, useful information, we thought we’d put together a list of blogs and resources for HR professionals, and for anyone looking to get an introduction to the inner workings of HCM.

    Here are our 7 favorite blogs and online resources for anyone interested in HR and HCM:

    • RecruitingBlogs: Geared more towards HR than HCM, RecruitingBlogs is nonetheless a great collection of blogs for HR professionals. From recruiting on LinkedIn, to executive leadership, this is a great place for keeping up on what’s happening in the HR world.
    • ASUG’s Learning Center: ASUG, or the Americas’ SAP Users’ Group, is essentially a collection of SAP customers. More than that, though, their site is a great hub for information about SAP and HCM. This is a good place to start if you’re looking to learn the basics about SAP and Human Capital Management.
    • HR Tech Europe: On the other side of the pond, HR Tech Europe is an annual HR technology conference focusing on everything from big data, to recruiting technology, to HCM. Like ASUG’s Learning Center above, HR Tech Europe’s collection of resources online contains valuable reading material for HR professionals.
    • All About HCM: All about HCM is, as its name suggests, a blog focusing on Human Capital Management. If you’re looking for in-depth information about some of the tougher questions surrounding HCM, All About HCM is a good blog to reference.
    • SAP Community Network: If you’re only going to read one of the resources on this list, SAP’s Community Network should be that resource. Providing info straight from SAP itself, the Community Network brings HR and HCM experts together, making for a valuable online community and tool.
    • ERE: ERE, best known for their annual ERE Recruiting Conference, also has a strong blog. This blog contains a good mix of all kinds of information for HR professionals, covering a wide variety of topics that you should be concerned about if you’re in the HR space.
    • The HR Capitalist: The HR Capitalist is easily the most fun to read of the resources listed here—but don’t let that fool you. The information provided here may be fun to read, but within each seemingly lighthearted post is a valuable lesson about HR.

    Obviously, ICG is here to help with broader solutions—navigating the changing business space can be difficult, and we’re here to help implement and support large-scale SAP HCM solutions to help businesses meet the ongoing needs that come along with change management. But as we’ve already mentioned, our solutions don’t mean that you can’t familiarize yourself with the current happenings of the HR and HCM spaces.

    These blogs and resources may not tell you everything you need to know about Human Resources and Human Capital Management, but they’re a great place to start for framing your company’s place within the changing business world.

    Want to learn more about HR or HCM than what’s available at the resources we compiled here? Let us know on Twitter @Integrated_CG, via email at info@integratedcg.com, or by phone at (866) 415-0071. We’re always here to answer your questions and would be more than happy to help.

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    photo credit: Martin Gillet via photopin cc

  • An Interview with Mike Timm, Managing Partner at ICG

    An intervew with Mike Timm Managing Partner at ICGEarlier this week, we had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Mike Timm, Managing Partner here at ICG. He has some great insights on the world of SAP HCM, on ICG, and on normal life in the workplace here in our office.

    You can read the full interview below:

    First off, tell us a little bit about yourself. What’s your background in consulting, what’s your interest in SAP HCM, and how did you end up in your position here at ICG? 

    I’ve been working as a consultant since 1996. Most of the emphasis has been in the HCM space. Prior to consulting, I worked for companies where I had the opportunity to work personally and focus on HR, Benefits, and Payroll departments. I enjoyed collaborating with those departments and experienced the challenges faced to balance the relationship of employees and employer, as well as linkages to compliance systems.

    Labor costs for many companies are the highest expense so HCM has a big influence on the bottom line. I like to work with companies and focus my approach on employee engagement, streamlined processes, and user-friendly and useful tools providing significant ROI. SAP HCM is valuable tool as a solution to meet the clients’ needs.

    I founded ICG in April 2000 because I wanted to provide highly qualified consultants to companies wanting to use SAP HCM as a useful tool in their overall strategic outlook. Our engagements are truly partnerships. We get to know the partner business thoroughly and work closely with the partner’s staff to ensure they fully understand what the SAP HCM solution will do for them.

    What does a normal day of work look like for you? Is your schedule dynamic, or do you have a set routine that you tend to follow every day? 

    I’m not sure normal days really exist! Each day brings its own set of challenges and rewards, and those can vary based on the partner company and type of engagement. The companies I work with have diverse needs so early mornings and late evenings do occur. I am accessible 24/7. 

    In our post on Tuesday, we offered a little bit of insight into our unique approach to SAP HCM here at ICG. Our focus isn’t just on implementation–it’s on support and management after the fact. Can you give our readers a little more information on this approach, and how it helps bring success to our clients?

    Our approach is not to just put SAP HCM in place and walk away. We want our partner company to fully understand what the software can do as we go through the application process and change management integration necessary when implementing new software or enhancing existing systems. 

    Change management can go a long way with helping a company transition, but business requirements do change as a company evolves. Our support and management service cover these ongoing needs. This ranges from discussing potential thoughts and ideas, to a fully outsourced approach model.  

    We keep it very flexible to meet the partner company needs as their requirements change. Developing an overall strategy, communications with end-users, and implementing a manageable change process, is of the utmost importance. As with our Implementation services, we want the partner company to fully understand what they have and where they are going.

    What’s the biggest challenge you regularly face as an SAP Consultant? Obviously, today’s business world is constantly changing. Do you find that that constant change makes developing solutions difficult, or is it just part of the process? 

    We must be constantly updating our knowledge base and identify our best resources. Available functionality continues to evolve and with recent acquisitions of companies such as SuccessFactors, the expansion has been fast and broad in scope. Continuing to develop expertise requires attending webinars and conferences, scheduling formal education, self-education, and networking with peers.

    This continued focus on being well-versed in existing and new functionality allows me to provide partner companies with the information in a concise and up-to-date manner. I don’t see this as an option, but something that must be ingrained in how we, as consultants, provide our services.

    What does the normal process look like when a client is onboarded with ICG, if there is one? Do all clients go from implementation directly to support solutions, or is that decided solely on a case-by-case basis? Moreover, what kind of support and/or solutions can a client expect if they choose ICG for their consulting needs?  

    We make onboarding as simple as possible for the partner company. To become an effective colleague, we gather considerable amounts of data. We work closely with the partner company to determine how much time their individuals have, how much information we request directly from the partner company, and how much we seek out directly by reviewing their existing documents and SAP system. The approach is to learn quickly so we perform at a high-level, without overwhelming the partner company staff. 

    The types of solutions we provide are based on initial discussions with the partner company about their needs and wants. Implementation to support solutions is not a foregone conclusion, but those initial needs and wants along with the strategy we develop produces a roadmap that is easily understandable.

    Regardless of the type of solution we are engaged with, we believe the following to be our hallmarks:

    • Respect, integrity, trust, professionalism, and communication
    • Dedication to client satisfaction and success
    • Unique knowledge and specialization of our consultants
    • Singular focus in the SAP Human Capital Management suite of products 

    Finally, what’s your favorite part about SAP Consulting? Throughout your career, there’s no doubt that you’ve done a lot of diverse work across a variety of industries and business needs–so what keeps you coming back? 

    Meeting new people and working with new companies is very intriguing and fun to me. I enjoy seeing how companies and people perform their processes and it has taught me that the underlying needs and base processes are very similar across companies. Leveraging and sharing that knowledge with new or existing clients to help define their requirements or streamline their processes is very fulfilling. 

    A very common question I get is “How do others do this?”. Providing options and opinions to that question and seeing the impact is always very rewarding.

    If you’d like to learn more about Mike Timm or ICG and how we can help you work towards a successful future, let us know on Twitter @Integrated_CG, via email at info@integratedcg.com, or by phone at (866) 415-0071.

  • What Is ICG?

    Over the last few years on our blog here at ICG, we’ve covered a lot. From alleviating cost burdens in SAP payroll, to recapping HR conferences, to announcing important events, we’ve used our blog to help keep our readers and customers up on what’s going on in HR, HCM, and with SAP.

    Until now, though, we’ve been fairly sporadic with posting. This year, we’re making an effort to post to our blog more regularly, keeping our readers up on topics like those we mentioned above—but with a little more frequency. We’ll be posting twice a week and consistently making an effort to make our blog a great source of information for our readers and customers.

    To kick things off, we thought we’d start with an introduction to ICG for our new readers.

    ICG, or Integrated Consulting Group, is a consulting firm specializing in the implementation and support of SAP Human Capital Management (HCM). We help our clients and partners meet their SAP application needs, and since our founding in 2000 have had performance success across a broad array of industries—from professional services to manufacturing—and a wide array of business needs.

    We can break our services down into implementation solutions and support solutions, but can highlight some of our main focus points for client service and support:

    • SAP Human Capital Management
    • Change Management
    • Technology and Operational Solutions
    • Strategy (and Execution)
    • Innovation and Customization
    • Product Management and Planning
    • Product Support

    From resource planning and risk management, to end user training, to implementation and support of best practices and technology, ICG is here to help you with SAP HCM and to help your business run as efficiently and successfully as possible.

    Here at ICG, we’re experts in change management. We differ from other consulting groups in the way we manage our partnerships with companies. While many companies help implement SAP HCM, very few do what we do in terms of management and support after the fact. We believe that management and support after implementation are just as important as the implementation of SAP HCM itself, and make it a point to help companies through the entire process to realize smooth and ongoing operations—which certainly isn’t something you’ll find commonly amongst other consulting firms.

    When working with ICG, you won’t just get assistance with the implementation and support of SAP HCM—you’ll get an entire team with years of experience helping organizations of every size (and across many industries), along with the hands-on expertise of Mike Timm, Managing Partner of ICG and experienced SAP Certified Consultant. All of the services we offer here at ICG are here to help businesses reach their future goals, and we’re committed to developing innovative, value-generating solutions for all of our clients.

    If you’d like to learn more about ICG and how we can help you work towards a successful future, let us know on Twitter @Integrated_CG, via email at info@integratedcg.com, or by phone at (866) 415-0071. We’re always here to answer your questions and would be more than happy to help.

  • Payroll Configuration: Reduce payroll risk of upgrades, support packs, and configuration changes

    We are all familiar with the fact that there are many components that must be in proper working order for the payroll process to result successfully. Each component is a risk point in the payroll process and mitigation of that risk is necessary. Some components are outside of the payroll department control and result is a dependency on other areas that may not always consider payroll requirements.

    Payroll processes combines data from several sources including:

    • SAP System
      • HRSPs (HR Support Packs)
      • Configuration (custom and delivered)
    • HR Master Data
      • Employee actions
      • Individual Infotypes
    • Time data
      • Time entry and approval
      • Time evaluation

    Upgrades and HRSPs are a fact of life but tend to be difficult for some support organizations to accept, especially if their SAP module is stable and not needing any updates.

    Payroll requires HRSPs be installed for legal compliance or changes to underlying program logic. A thorough test plan should be put in place and be repeatable since this will be done at least once a year.

    You can take some other practical steps to avoid proble ms at the configuration stage:

    • Make configuration a priority – resolve problems in a timely manner.  This means providing SLAs (service level agreements) for internal and external support,  end user testing to facilitate the process and keep things moving, and adequate resourcing of support and user acceptance testing.
    • Document any configuration changes during implementation and ongoing support. Turnover and memory fading happen! Having documentation that can be reviewed and understood will help when determining why decisions were made the way they were made.
    • Add negative testing to the plan.  Unintended consequences of making a change can easily happen if the whole picture is not understood or it has been a while since the area of configuration had last been visited.

    Companies seem to have an easier time with change when they have built a strong training and documentation structure. Subject master experts (SMEs) will understand their business process and also be familiar with business processes that utilize payroll data.  Documentation is also very important to a SME – especially when processes are run infrequently.

    Finally, go beyond training employees only for their specific tasks. Taking a holistic approach will give an employee a perspective of where and how they fit in the organization and the overall processes.   Employees will better understand timelines,  but they may even identify methods of better efficiency, use the right tool for the job, and they’ll know how or who to contact to resolve issues that may occur.

    Managing payroll successfully requires juggling various components  and keeping them working in proper order.

    But it’s not j ust a technical juggling act. Every payroll team needs to keep focus on some process basics: repeatable testing plans, documentation of requirements and configuration, and a strong training structure that can reduce costs when changes are needed.

    Read the ILN blog at Insider Learning Network | Payroll Configuration: Reduce payroll risk of upgrades, support packs, and configuration changes