SAP HR OM: The Backbone of Your Organizational Structure

In the world of SAP Human Resources (HR), the Organizational Management (OM) module plays a pivotal role in building and managing the structural framework of your company. Understanding OM is essential for HR professionals who use SAP to optimize personnel management and streamline organizational processes.

What is SAP HR OM?

Organizational Management within SAP HR is a powerful tool that enables you to:

• Represent your company’s hierarchy: Model departments, divisions, teams, cost centers, and other organizational units in a way that reflects your company’s setup.
• Define positions and jobs: Create detailed descriptions of job titles, roles, responsibilities, and required skills, forming the link between your organization’s work and those who do it.
• Establish reporting lines: Clearly outline managerial relationships and lines of authority, enhancing decision-making and accountability.
• Facilitate HR processes: OM data feeds into many HR processes, including recruitment, time management, payroll, and employee self-service functions.

Key OM Concepts

To get the most out of SAP HR OM, grasp these core elements:

• Objects: The building blocks of your organizational structure:
  • Organizational Units (O): Represent departments, teams, or divisions.
  • Positions (S): Represent specific roles within the organization.
  • Jobs (C): Abstract work descriptions, often grouping similar positions.
  • Persons (P): Represent individual employees.
• Relationships: Define how objects connect:
  • “Belongs to” (A003): Links a position to an organizational unit.
  • “Reports to” (A002): Establishes supervisory hierarchies.
  • “Is occupied by” (A008): Assigns a person to a position.
• Infotypes: Data storage units where you maintain detailed information about each object (e.g., job descriptions, position requirements).

Benefits of Using SAP HR OM

A well-defined OM structure within SAP HR delivers numerous advantages:

• Improved reporting and analytics: Generate accurate organizational charts, headcount reports, and other HR analytics for better workforce planning.
• Enhanced efficiency: Streamline HR processes like recruitment by seamlessly linking positions to relevant job profiles and requirements.
• Support for self-service functions: Empower employees and managers with accurate information through Employee Self-Service (ESS) and Manager Self-Service (MSS) portals.
• Better compliance: Ensure adherence to organizational policies and regulations by clearly defining reporting lines and responsibilities.

OM in Action: A Practical Example

Let’s imagine a software development company. Their OM structure in SAP HR might look something like this:

• Organizational Unit: Development Department
• Positions: Senior Developer, Junior Developer, Team Lead
• Jobs: Software Developer
• Relationships:
  • Senior Developer “reports to” Team Lead
  • Team Lead “reports to the head of Development
  • All developer positions “belong to” the Development Department

Getting Started with SAP HR OM

If you’re an HR professional responsible for managing your company’s SAP HR system, consider taking courses or workshops on Organizational Management. SAP provides extensive resources and training programs to help you master this crucial module.