In the SAP world, it is common to find the need to identify the manager of a specific employee or user in order to ensure the proper functioning of requested tasks or the resolution of potential issues that may be blocking system users.
- A clear example illustrating the importance of identifying the manager’s role is in the approval flow of VIM (Vendor Invoice Management) invoices. For approving certain invoices that exceed established limits, the responsible individuals in the Organizational Units are the ones tasked with approval.
- Another possible scenario is within the HCM (Human Capital Management) module, especially in various cloud solutions, such as the Compensation or Performance Evaluation submodules. The identification of managers plays a fundamental role in these processes.
- In the MM (Material Management) module, there are situations where SAP users create purchase orders that may be subject to release processes, requiring approval from a responsible person before being sent to suppliers. To determine the approvers, SAP suggests using Organizational Management (OM) objects and, consequently, the manager’s role.
Main Issues:
– How to identify the manager of an employee or user?
– How to determine the manager if there are movements of personnel entering or leaving the organizational structure on a specific date?
– If the manager’s position is vacant, how to identify the hierarchically superior manager?
– Is there a transaction that visually facilitates the identification of OM objects in SAP? (Employees, Users, Positions, Managers, Organizational Units, etc.)
– How do SAP objects link to each other? How can they be located in SAP?
Basic Tips that will be of great help in addressing these situations:
- PPOSE
The PPOSE transaction provides a visual representation of the Organizational Structure of the company and the location of each object it comprises. Once the employee or user is located, you can simultaneously determine their Position, the Organizational Unit to which they belong, and the Manager at the top of that unit.
A simple way to locate the manager is to first identify the employee’s position and organizational unit, either through Infotype 0001 – Organizational Assignment or the links between the employee or user (Object Types P or US), position (Object Type S), and Organizational Unit (Object Type O). This approach provides both the organizational chart image and the IDs of the objects.
Another noteworthy feature of this transaction is the ability to configure the view and, consequently, the display of different objects within the structure. This allows for customizing the organizational chart to meet the specific needs of users.
- PP01 – Update Objects
Using the PP01 transaction, you can access the Position or Organizational Unit of the employee or user to view the relationships it maintains with other objects. These relationships or links are key elements in identifying the employee’s location within the company’s structure and determining who their superior is.
- Infotype 1001
Infotype 1001 defines relationships between different objects in SAP by creating links. In this case, each Employee or User (P/US) is linked to a specific Position (S) in SAP and to an Organizational Unit (O). This unit will have an employee or user under its responsibility, thereby becoming the manager, who will be presented at the top of the department.
An easy way to access Infotype 1001 – Links is from the Update Objects transaction PP01. You can specify the object type you want to visualize, in this case, the Position (S) of the employee/user or the Organizational Unit (O), and provide the object ID. You can then navigate to the Infotype of links by either viewing or checking the “Overview.” Another method to easily see all historical links of an object at a glance is through the HPR1001 table.
After examining some of the SAP modules that may be affected or related to Organizational Structure objects, addressing the main situations and concerns usually raised on the subject, and presenting key transactions and tables, we are much closer to understanding the importance of the manager’s role. It emphasizes the need to expand knowledge on this matter and raises awareness of its significance.
The ability to effectively identify the manager not only facilitates the execution of daily tasks and problem-solving but also assists organizations in making strategic decisions.
