Human Resources Integration

The process flow for human resources (HR) integration in the ERP Connector Solution Starter for Microsoft Office Project Server 2003 is one-way, from mySAP™ ERP Human Capital Management to Project Server. Figure 1 shows the following process flow.

1. Launch a program in mySAP ERP that exports an XML file with all required employee information to a network share defined in the ERP Connector administration page.
2. The Service for Enterprise Data Maintenance (EDM) detects the XML file and processes it using PDS methods and extensions for Project Server.
   • Create new resources in Project Server enterprise resource pool and related logon accounts.
   • If resources already exist, update them with the most recent data.
   • Mark resources as deactivated, if the XML file does not include them.

Figure 1. Process flow of the HR module

Requirements for mySAP ERP HCM

Following are the requirements for HR integration in the ERP Connector:

• mySAP ERP, release 4.6 or later
• Implementation of the HR module in the EPM Connector, or at least a "Mini HR"

Exporting the XML File from mySAP ERP

You need to implement some code in the proprietary ABAP™ programming language or in the Java or Microsoft Visual J++ programming language to export the XML file with HR data from mySAP ERP. The ERP Connector Solution Starter download provides sample ABAP code for exporting the XML file. To install the code and create the export command, see Installing the Components for mySAP ERP.

The mySAP ERP HCM system defines one action, which is the command to export the XML file. A user starts the mySAP ERP function builder (transaction SE37), enters the name of the ABAP function, and executes the function. The administrator for mySAP ERP has to define a command or button within other transactions to run the export function more easily.

The export service in mySAP ERP HCM creates an XML file that includes the following information:

• Employee ID (a unique ID for resource identification)
• Employee name
• E-mail address (optional)
• Standard rate, based on cost center or activity type (optional)
• Overtime rate, based on cost center or activity type (optional)
• Currency type
• Data of birth
• Sequence number in mySAP ERP HCM
• Dates for resource availability
• Date resource data was last changed, and name of who changed it

If mySAP ERP HCM does not provide the optional values, you can define default values in the administration page. The ERP Connector can also export additional data in the XML file to update organization structure and map resources for RBS data in Project Server. The additional organization data includes the following:

• Organization unit ID for the RBS
• Short and long names of the organization unit
• Type of organization
• Organization level
• Parent organization ID

Resource mapping data in the XML file includes the following:

• Employee ID
• Organization unit ID
• Manager Flag (MgrOfOrgUnit)

The XML file structure includes tags for organization structure and for mapping a resource to the organization. Administrators of mySAP ERP can extend ERP Connector to export and process customized skill data. For the complete definition of the XML file structure, see ProcessHRDataSAP Method.

Importing mySAP ERP HCM Data into Project Server

The Service for EDM periodically checks for new files in the file drop location. When a file is present, the Service for EDM processes it and executes the appropriate PDS methods and extensions to update Project Server data.

When the XML file is for the HR module, the ERP Connector HR module performs the following operations using PDS methods.

• Resource existence    Determines if each resource already exists in the Project Server enterprise resource pool.
• Create resource    If the resource does not exist, creates it (depending on the administration page setting).
• Resource checked out    Determines if the resource is checked out of the enterprise resource pool.
• Update resource    If the resource already exists, updates the resource data.
• Deactivate resource    If the resource does not exist in the mySAP ERP data, deactivates it on Project Server (depending on the administration page setting).

The following table describes the PDS methods used for each action. The HR module does not use any of the PDS extensions.

Table 1. Actions and related PDS methods for importing mySAP ERP HCM data into Project Server

Administrative Settings

Configuration settings on the administration page that are specific to the HR module include the following:

• The default standard and overtime rate in case mySAP ERP does not provide that information.
• Whether a resource is deactivated if the XML file does not include it.
• Whether a deactivated resource is activated if the XML file includes it.
• A default value for the Windows logon account. The default follows the formula you set, for example, Domain\FirstInitialLastName.
• A default value for the resource e-mail alias. The default follows the formula you set, for example, FirstName.Lastname@Example.com.

For more information, see HR Module in the topic Using the Administration Page.