HCM

Free How-to guides for implementing SAP HCM

Posted by on Feb 29, 2008 in HCM, SAP | 3 comments

Nov 2010 update: If you a consultant or consulting manager then check out my iPhone app to calculate consulting rates.Today I stumbled upon Sylvia Chaudoir‘s SAP HCM Expertise website. Sylvia is an ex-SAP HCM Consulting manager and she’s always been very willing to assist others. She’s presenting at the HR2008 conference in Orlando and you can meet her at “Meet the experts”. You can click on the Publications link to get a number of very useful guides to implement and maintain the SAP HCM system.Here are some other resources that you may find useful. Most of these resources are free:

  1. SearchSAP.com (free): This site has a wealth of information including many articles on the SAP HR/HCM module.
  2. SAP’s SDN portal (free): Loads of useful implementation information and forums.
  3. SAP Help Portal (free): This is SAP’s official help documentation portal. Here is the link to the SAP Best Practices for HCM (US version).
  4. SAP Business Maps (free): SAP Business process/solution maps are very useful as high-level overviews of the SAP solution. You will find the SAP ERP map here and a 2004 HCM map here.
  5. AdManus (free): AdManus is a group of german SAP HCM consulting companies. The site contains a lot of tips and tricks especially their newsletters archive.
  6. SAP HR/HCM – one stop resource (free): This blog is not well maintained and contains numerous ads and bad CSS formating. Not too sure if I should list this one…you decide. [Aug 28, ’08 update: Lost of good changes. Clean CSS and less intrusive ads.]
  7. MIT SAP HR-Payroll project notes (free): These notes are from 2000, however some of it may still be relevant.
  8. SAPDrill ($$): Self-study materials for SAP in general and SAP HCM.
  9. HR Expert ($$): Excellent HCM reviewed content. It is pricey, between $895 and $1,295 for an annual subscription. You can download a free sample here.
  10. SAP HR2008 ($$): This is an excellent conference to network and gain practical knowledge of the SAP HCM system.
  11. SAP PRESS books ($$): SAP PRESS publishes many books on SAP HCM. They are typically around $7+shipping.
  12. Blogs (free): I listed a few in a 2007 post.
  13. HCM Consulting companies (free :-): Some SAP HCM Consulting companies provide free information on their websites, however you’ll usually have to pay steep hourly rates for the good stuff.
  14. SAP Solution browser tool (free): Browse all the latest and greatest from SAP.

If you know of a good resource that I missed please post a comment.

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SAP HCM Consulting companies

Posted by on Jan 17, 2008 in HCM, SAP | 8 comments

I’ve had numerous requests from business partners for a comprehensive list of SAP HCM consulting companies in the USA. My aim in this post is to give you a comprehensive list — let me know if I missed one.Pure-play SAP HCM companies:

  • EPI-USE: EPI-USE America, based in Atlanta, GA, is my former employer and one of the best SAP HCM consulting companies in the world (ok, my bias). Magnisol represents EPI-USE in Europe. EPI-USE has offices in South Africa (the parent company), Mexico, the UK, and Australia. EPI-USE has some world class complimentary SAP HCM products.
  • Symphony Consulting: Symphony is based in Charlotte, NC and partners with Ariston Consulting to implement full SAP ERP projects. They recently became an SAP Public Services partner.
  • AspireHR: Formerly ERP Solutions is based in Dallas, TX. They provide SAP HCM services and they’ve developed a number of interesting products. I assume AspireHR of the UK is not a related entity. They seem to have a strong relationship with SAP’s development group in Palo Alto.
  • Exaserv: A number of former Arinso employees started Exaserv a couple of years ago. They are based in Atlanta, GA with offices in Luwembourg, Dallas, and Walldorf Germany. They have unique products for HIPPA and Pension plans.
  • Insight Consulting: Insight is based Cincinnati, OH and Insight’s managing partner is on the HR Expert advisory board.
  • Emeritis: Emeritis has operations in the US, Belguim, Thailand, and Brazil. They claim over 200 SAP HR implementations. I don’t think that they have a strong presence in the US anymore.
  • Arinso: Arinso is one of the first and the largest SAP HCM consulting company in the world. Last year Arinso was acquired by UK-based Northgate. Arinso US is based in Atlanta, GA and has 25 offices around the world. In 2006 Arinso acquired OpenHR.
  • Worklogix: Worklogix is a niche SAP HCM consultancy. They are based in Texas, New York and Canada. Their strength is SAP Performance Management. They wrote the book!

Some full service SAP ERP consulting companies have a significant SAP HCM practice. These include:

And then the big boys:

Did I miss one or more? — let me know…Update July 1, 2008: Yes, I did… ROC.Update August 25, 2008: Axon will soon be part of HCL.Update May 1, 2009: ROC Acquires Towers Perrin SAP HCM Practice in North America.

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Patrick Lencioni – The three signs of a Miserable job

Posted by on Oct 4, 2007 in Business, HCM, Leadership | 2 comments

Pat said that this was the first time that he will give this keynote on his new book: “The Three signs of a Miserable Job.” He is also the author of “The 5 dysfunctions of a team”.I think work is under-focused on in our lives. Work is thought of that other thing we do. Popular TV shows don’t show people working. People on Dirty Jobs seem happy with their jobs. This is amazing because they have bad jobs. CEO, execs, football players are unhappy. Is your job fulfilling? Misery at work is universal – clock watching, Sunday night blues, ahhh I have to go to work tomorrow.People need to be reminded more than being instructed. – Samuel JacksonThe 3 signs of a Miserable job

  1. Anonymity – All humans have a need to be known. If we feel anonymous we don’t feel appreciated. Managers should care about their people. We have to life coach the people who work for us. Why aren’t we all doing it? We’re too busy. Interest needs to be genuine. [The handouts read, accountability instead of anonymity — funny…]
  2. Irrelevance – You make a difference in some one else’s life. As managers tell people how they make a difference.
  3. Immeasurement – Measure for themselves why they’re doing what they are doing. Salespeople like their jobs because they know where they stand. We all have a need to measure. This is what I do, and this is how well I’m doing.

Someday I what to retire. Don’t wait until you retire to start your ministry. The way you treat your people will influence the people around them. Management is ministry!Pat’s final comment: Work becomes a great source of fulfillment and ministry.[amtap book:isbn=0787995312]

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Parkinson’s laws – THE management guide

Posted by on Sep 10, 2007 in Business, HCM, Leadership | 0 comments

Published in the mid-1950’s — Parkinson’s laws are still very relevant today.PARKINSON’S LAW: Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.

  1. “An official wants to multiply subordinates, not rivals”
  2. “Officials make work for each other.”

PARKINSON’S SECOND LAW: Expenditure rises to meet income.PARKINSON’S THIRD LAW: Expansion means complexity, and complexity decay.THE LAW OF DELAY: Delay is the deadliest form of denial.THE LAW OF TRIVIALITY: The time spent on any item of a committee’s agenda will be in inverse proportion to the sum of money involved.INJELITANCE: A vital Parkinson contribution was his diagnosis of why certain organizations suddenly deteriorate: the rise to authority of individuals with unusually high combinations of incompetence and jealousy (“injelitance”).

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SAP, Oracle and Workday HCM product strategy updates

Posted by on Sep 5, 2007 in HCM, SAP, Technology | 0 comments

Bill Kutik’s recent HRMS Happenings article is a very good overview of what’s coming from the prominent HCM vendors. The following highlights caught my attention:

  • Oracle will continue to develop Peoplesoft, Oracle HCM and Fusion HCM as separate product lines.
  • Workday is busy developing a payroll engine.
  • All the vendors have interesting Web 2.0 plans.
  • SAP is partnering with companies like Aspire HR for functionality.
  • HR Tech 2007 in October is going to be an interesting event.

What are your thoughts regarding the new functionality coming from these vendors?

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Interesting Human Capital Management (HCM) blogs

Posted by on Jun 28, 2007 in Blogging, HCM | 5 comments

Here are a few interesting HCM/HR blogs that I read frequently. Let me know what you think of these? Btw, will you be attending the HR Tech conference in Chicago in October. Why are you going? I’m not sure if I want to attend so I’m asking for some feedback.HCM Blogs:

Another one a stumbled across today: ERP Blog on HCM research.All for now. You’re comments please.[Added July 5, 2007: Here is another excellent blog on HCM technology. It’s by one of my former colleagues, Leendert van der Bijl. Read it, he is a deep thinker and has some excellent insights.]

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