Most SuccessFactors Performance Management customers should have had definite information on recent reminders announced by SAP concerning the official end of maintenance for early versions PMv11, PMv12 and GMv11 in Q2 2018, and end of life planned for Q2 2019.
This means customers who are using PMv11, or the old PMv12 have less than 2 years of time to initiate the upgrade to PMv12a. In this blog, I will be highlighting few important points that every customer should consider before upgrading.
What are the advantages of moving to PMv12a?
PMv12 Acceleration brings all the functionalities that you are used too with PMv11, with the major gaps all covered with 1511 upgrade. Additionally, customers will see improved user interface enhancements with Fiori switch, helping to view the Performance forms in more structured manner.
More importantly, maintenance of the new PMv12a can be done mostly via Admin Centre in Instance with less communicating with professional services.
Who can upgrade to PMv12a?
Customers can self initiate the upgrade through theUpgrade Centre using the built-in validation tool. Professional Services can be involved in the upgrade depending on the complexity of the existing PMv11 forms.
Best time to consider for upgrade
Upgrades should always be initiated when there is no plan to launch new forms for the cycle based on the old/existing (PMv11 or old PMv12) templates. Templates should not be upgraded when the old/existing template is still in use and there are forms to be launched using old template.
N.B; any PMv11 or old PMv12 in-progress forms are not effected and will be able to complete their natural life-cycle without being impacted.
You will need to ensure that you plan a lockout period for this upgrade if you;
- Launch forms for new hires throughout year with current old/existing template which should be considered for current review cycle
- When people receive forms launched randomly at different start dates for same review cycle
Upgrade considerations
We can either create the new PMv12 Acceleration forms from available SuccessFactors templates, or use the Validation utility tool to update all PMv11 or old PMv12 forms to PMv12a. The validation tool option will allow the current template to be cloned and updated to be compatible with PMv12a.
Once the forms are upgraded to new PMv12 Acceleration, the system generates new reference or id to the new form. The following sections require update the references based on the client existing solution:
- New Dashboards process to be set up referencing new PMv12a Form id
- Any custom reports that reference the old template will now need to be upgrade to new template
- New Export job will need to be setup for the new Template
- For clients using old PMv12, Other Rating tab permissions need to be set, which is new feature in PMv12a. Other rating settings may require a change as rating method reverting back to PMv11 rating method away from the Official Rating concept originally introduced.
Where PM forms are linked to other modules especially Compensation, then the new template reference need to be updated in the compensation program.
Our Recommendations
As we know, all existing SuccessFactors Performance customers using PMv11 or old PMv12 need to upgrade to PMv12a form, my recommendation to all clients is to make a full and thorough review of PMv12a before planning to use as PMv11 or old PMv12 upgrade to PMv12a as this is a major update.
Migrating to PMv12a is a one-way migration, once upgraded Professional Services cannot downgrade back to PMv11 or to the older PMv12.
The best practice is to upgrade at the beginning of client’s performance cycle.
