Understanding the Central Person (CP) in SAP HR

In SAP Human Resource (HR) management, the Central Person (CP) plays a pivotal role in streamlining employee data, especially in complex, multinational organizations. Let us unravel the concept of the Central Person and why it is an essential element of the SAP HR landscape.

What is a Central Person?

The Central Person (CP) is a unique, system-generated identifier within SAP HR that acts as a central reference point for an employee. Think of it as the invisible thread that links an employee’s various personnel numbers (PERNRs) across different assignments or countries.

Why Do We Need a Central Person?

Here is where the actual value of the Central Person lies:

• Global Employee Tracking: In multinational companies, employees might have multiple personnel numbers assigned based on their country of employment. The CP unifies these separate PERNRs under a single entity, allowing for seamless global tracking of employee data.
• Cross-Country Assignments: A new PERNR is often generated in the new country when employees relocate or take on international assignments. The CP ensures that all these PERNRs remain connected to the same employee, preserving historical data, entitlements, and benefits.
• Data Consolidation: The CP helps maintain data integrity across multiple HR systems or countries, reducing the risk of redundancies and inconsistencies.

How Does the Central Person Work?

1. Creation: A CP is automatically generated in the background when an employee is hired in SAP HR.
2. Association: The employee’s first personnel number (PERNR) is linked to this unique CP.
3. Expansion: New PERNRs are generated and linked back to the original CP if the employee has assignments in other countries.

Locating the Central Person

You can find an employee’s CP using the following methods:

• Transaction PA30: View an employee’s record and navigate to the ‘Personnel Assignments’ screen. The ‘Central Person’ field will display the associated CP.
• Table HRP1001: Query this table using the employee’s PERNR (in the OBJID field) to retrieve the CP.

Key Points to Remember

• The Central Person is a purely internal SAP HR construct, not visible to the employee.
• The CP itself does not store extensive employee data. It is the connection point to various PERNRs where the detailed data resides.
• Implementing the Central Person concept often requires configuration in your SAP HR system.

In Conclusion

The Central Person concept is an elegant solution for managing employee data in large organizations that operate across geographical boundaries. By understanding this concept, HR administrators can ensure accurate employee tracking, streamline HR processes, and lay the groundwork for effective global workforce management.