What the Future Holds for SuccessFactors and SAP Customers

According to SAP’s product direction announcement in late February, SuccessFactors’ Employee Central will be the company’s principle cloud-based human resources offering from now on. The company says customers can expect the product to “grow exponentially as SAP will boldly invest in it.” Meanwhile, SAP will continue to offer the SAP Human Capital Management product on premises for core HR functions.

Cloud-based software, sometimes called software as a service, refers to the delivery of business software over the Internet. This approach contrasts with the more traditional “on premises” model, where applications are installed on customer computers.

In talent management, SuccessFactors’ Performance Management, Compensation Management, Recruiting and Learning Management applications will be the main products for SAP. Talent management components from SAP HCM will also be continued with selected innovations for the next decade.

Analytics will continue as an important focus area within both SAP HCM and the SuccessFactors product portfolios. Executives say the combination of SuccessFactors’ Workforce Analytics and SAP’s HANA technology for improved software performance will “increase customer value by dramatically speeding existing processes, enabling access to large amounts of data in shorter periods of time and providing real-time access to information tailored to individual requirements.”

Time will tell whether that’s true.

Sarah Fister Gale is a freelance writer based in the Chicago area. To comment, email editors@workforce.com.