Understanding BEGDA: The Backbone of Time-Dependent Data in SAP HR

In the intricate world of SAP Human Resources (HR), a seemingly simple field holds immense significance – BEGDA. This acronym, standing for “Begin Date” (or “Start Date”), is a critical component that determines how time-sensitive employee information is stored and managed within the system.

What is BEGDA?

BEGDA is a date field associated with info types in SAP HR. Infotypes are logical groupings of employee data, from personal details and organizational assignments to payroll information. Every time you create or change a record in an info type, BEGDA marks the date on which that record or change becomes effective.

Why is BEGDA So Important?

1. Historical Tracking: BEGDA underpins SAP HR’s ability to maintain an accurate history of an employee’s data over time. Imagine an employee getting a promotion and a salary raise. BEGDA indicates when that change took effect, ensuring past and present information is unclear.
2. Reporting Accuracy: BEGDA ensures you work with the correct data for the chosen time frame when generating HR reports. Need a list of employees active in the company in January? BEGDA helps pin down the exact records relevant to that period.
3. Payroll and Benefits: BEGDA plays a crucial role in payroll and benefits calculations. It determines factors like eligibility for benefits, payment prorating, and other time-dependent calculations.

Working with BEGDA

• BEGDA and ENDDA: BEGDA frequently works with its counterpart, ENDDA (“End Date”). A record’s ENDDA is typically one day before the BEGDA of the next record, ensuring continuous history.
• Date 9999-12-31: You’ll often see ‘9999-12-31’ as an ENDDA. It signifies an open-ended record, indicating the data is valid until a new record changes it.

Things to Keep in Mind

• Immutability: BEGDA values shouldn’t be changed directly after creating a record. Doing so can jeopardize data accuracy and introduce inconsistencies.
• Data Manipulation: Special procedures and tools exist within SAP for scenarios where BEGDA adjustments are necessary. Use them with caution and only with proper authorization.

BEGDA in Action

Let’s imagine an employee transfers from the Finance department to Marketing. This has several implications in SAP HR:

• Infotype 0001 (Organizational Assignment): A new record is created with a BEGDA on the transfer date.
• Infotypes related to compensation: Potential new records for salary, benefits, etc., will also have the transfer date as their BEGDA.

In Conclusion

BEGDA may be a simple data field, but its significance in SAP HR is profound. By understanding BEGDA, you better understand how SAP HR manages time-dependent data, ensuring accuracy and streamlined HR processes.