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Transition to Workday
Major IT consulting goes live with Workday® Driving project success with meticulous planning At a glance
Client detailsA Fortune Global 500 multinational professional services company that specializes in IT services and consulting, with reported revenues of over $50 billion.
Countries/RegionGlobal
Number of employees600,000
Mercans’ service provisionHCM ( human capital management) implementation
Background
A leading global professional services and IT consulting firm, with over 600,000 employees worldwide recently switched over from SAP SuccessFactors to Workday.
We assisted the client with this transition. Without missing a beat, we ensured that all payroll was processed on time and error-free while embarking on this complicated transition process.
An HR tool providing cloud-based software for human capital management using a SaaS (software as a service) model.
A leading provider of enterprise cloud applications for finance, HR and planning.
The client’s objectives for the transition project
Ensure that Workday would become the system-of-record for all payroll-related inputs
Ensure that all data required to run payroll would be available from Workday and continue to flow to the payroll system
Ensure that data between SuccessFactors and Workday would be synchronized and up to date
Guarantee a smooth switchover from SuccessFactors to Workday while simultaneously maintaining the accuracy and timeliness of all payroll processed and up to date
Doesn’t it sound easy and straightforward?
Actually, once you get into the details of the project, some of these issues are quite complex.
There were a few issues we had to keep in mind as we developed our project.
How would we?
- Address the differences between SuccessFactors and Workday’s field formats and business behaviors?
- Test the interfaces and processes while simultaneously running live payroll?
- Ensure that the same field (and fields added later during the transition) would be correctly mapped to various payroll interfaces?
- Synchronize data between SuccessFactors and Workday?
- Know which fields were to be interfaced from SuccessFactors to the payroll system?
Mercans’ project management approach
We crafted a detailed business requirement blueprint
We captured all the details around data flows, business requirements and the technical specifications involving existing interfaces and the target state.
We built data dictionaries for all the countries and entities involved
These dictionaries described the parameters of each data field. Each data field was then mapped from SuccessFactors to Workday.
A data dictionary is a centralized repository of information about data such as meaning, relationships to other data, origin, usage and format. It is a collection of tables with metadata.
Tip: Ensure the business objectives relating to the change initiative are clear and communicated well to all stakeholders.
We configured a middleware to accept interface files
We configured a middleware to accept interface files. The middleware accepted these files from both SuccessFactors and Workday simultaneously and then transformed them into consistent API payloads for the payroll system. This activity depends on the client infrastructure. Alternatively, a data lake architecture can be successfully used to achieve the same objective.
It is software that sits between an operating system and the applications that run on it. It has been described as ‘software glue’.
Refers to a situation where unstructured data streams feed into a data lake where the data is ingested, distilled, tagged and converted into structured data.
Tip: Ensure the business objectives relating to the change initiative are clear and communicated well to all stakeholders.
We developed an acceptance environment
This mirrored the client’s production environment. Production payroll inputs from SuccessFactors were routed to Mercans’ production instance. Simultaneously, acceptance payroll inputs from Workday were routed to the acceptance environment. All inputs and results were reconciled for full data synchronization and were compliant with the business requirements.
This is where the latest version of a software or product is pushed live to its intended users.
A technical environment where an object is tested and reviewed against set acceptance criteria.
Successful final tests
We completed the User Acceptance Test and parallel runs successfully. Once completed, the interface from SuccessFactors to the production payroll environment was switched over to the Workday interface.
Also known as a beta test or end-user test, this helps determine if the final product or solution meets the requirements of the end-user or client.
Mercans’ solution objectives
- Address any differences in field formats or behaviours between the two solutions
- Ensure the data between both solutions would synchronize and be mapped correctly
- Successfully test the interfaces and processes
- Successfully run live payroll throughout the transition period.
What was unique about our solution & approach
- We established a project governance model that focused on early detection and mitigation of risks
- We maintained “can-do” and solution-driven attitude at all levels of the organization
- We ensured that, throughout the complicated transition process, payroll would be processed on time and accurately
Business benefits
100% payroll accuracy
Successful HCM migration that was well-executed and delivered on time
Not a single payroll was missed or delayed throughout the migration process
A single system of record for all payroll-related inputs
100% payroll accuracy
Successful HCM migration that was well-executed and delivered on time
Not a single payroll was missed or delayed throughout the migration process
A single system of record for all payroll-related inputs
Time taken to complete the payroll transition from SuccessFactors to Workday
Considering a HCM migration?
At Mercans, we believe a well-planned and well-executed migration project ensures that your payroll runs smoothly throughout any transition period. Find out how Mercans can support you through a seamless, stress-free systems migration process. All while maintaining 100% payroll accuracy and timeliness.
Contact us