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As seen in the previous example, defining Heads of Org Units impacts visibility and permissions across areas of SAP like HR, reporting, and workflow approvals. But what are some deeper considerations when assigning these leadership positions? After substantial new analysis, I have eight insights for organizations…
Challenges Around Inherited Head Positions
When Org Units lack an explicit Head, SAP defaults to inherited management from the parent Org Unit. At first glance, this seems like a handy workaround. However, we uncover some friction points to be aware of:
- Reporting Skew. Employee time allocation rolls up the management chain. So inherited Heads may see their "span of control" artificially inflated if they own approval over "indirect" teams. This skews data and planning efforts.
- Lack of Context. Inherited managers likely lack context for subordinate teams. This could lead to blanket approvals without proper context of work needs.
- Change Management. As the organization shifts long-term, keeping inherited positions stagnates agility for evolving needs.
Here is an example org chart showing inherited Head positions…
While SAP allows this flexibility, explicit Head roles better align data and leadership. Now let‘s explore how defining a Head transforms visibility across the platform.
Unlocked Approval Workflows
SAP links various modules together through automated workflows for standard business processes. Defining a Head of Org Unit centralizes control within these workflows for their department staff:
- Timesheets – Hour validation, consistency checks
- Expenses – Travel and expense policy adherence
- Leave – Vacation day balances
- Training – Curriculum alignment, budget impact
The below diagram summarizes how the Head of Org Unit fits into these interconnected workflows:
Now that we‘ve covered conceptual influence, let‘s walk through the step-by-step process to configure these authorized Head positions.
Step-by-Step: Defining Your First Head of Org Unit
From their SAP dashboard, a user with Human Resources permissions can get started with four simple phases:
Phase 1) Position the Building Blocks
Pull up transaction code PPOME to enter Organization Management…
Here you can view and adjust organizational structure. But before defining a Head position, confirm that:
- The target Org Unit already exists
- The target position already exists
These elements get configured and connected through separate setup processes first.
Phase 2) Link Position to Org Unit
Next we identify which position serves as Head for which Org Unit. Navigate into the position‘s detail screen:
In the Basic Data tab, toggle the "Head of organizational unit" flag, then attach it to the appropriate unit using the dropdown.
Phase 3) Confirm the Connection
Return back to the Organizational Management dashboard. You should now see the position tagged with a unit icon and organizational context:
The system reflects this relationship going both ways – from position and unit.
Phase 4) Propagate Permissions
While setup is complete, keep in mind workflows and access rights propagate overnight during batch. So expect a 1-day lag as approval changes cascade down!
With that four-step configuration complete, you‘ve officially defined a Head of Org Unit. The individual in this position now inherits expanded permissions for overseeing workflows, expenses, and strategic planning.
As we‘ve explored, this structure influences visibility, effective reporting, and even your change management approach. That wraps up our deep dive on configuring Heads of Org Units within SAP…