SmartRecruiters FAQ
Recruiting can be reimagined with SmartRecruiters and SAP — faster and more efficient, powered by modern AI.
p78 is among the few companies authorised to implement SmartRecruiters in SAP environments at an early stage. This allows us to assist our clients from the outset in determining their strategic direction and ensure seamless integration with their existing HCM system. We support you throughout the process — from initial planning to full system integration.
p78 serves as a trusted point of contact to help organisations navigate and assess the changes in the SAP recruiting landscape. On this page, we address the most important questions around SmartRecruiters, its integration with SAP SuccessFactors and the future recruitment process, providing as much transparency and clarity as possible.
Some topics are currently still being clarified with our contacts at SmartRecruiters and SAP. We are continuously expanding the content and updating the FAQs.
SmartRecruiters Starter Package: Your Roadmap for the Transition
Are you considering implementing SmartRecruiters in your organisation, or realigning your existing recruitment processes? Our Starter Package provides a structured basis for decision-making, outlining how to approach the transition in a meaningful and sustainable way.
Download the Starter Package now to gain a clear overview of the required steps, the expected level of effort involved, and concrete recommendations for your next actions.
FAQ
How long will the transition phase be? Will it be a hard cut?
There is no fixed deadline or mandatory transition. SAP is planning a multi-year hybrid phase, during which both SuccessFactors Recruiting and SmartRecruiters will be available. SuccessFactors Recruiting will remain available for as long as customers continue to use it. A 'hard cut' is not planned. Internal discussions regarding transition rules are ongoing and cannot yet be finalised.
Do customers have to switch to SmartRecruiters?
No. SAP pursues a coexistence strategy: SmartRecruiters standalone, integrated into SuccessFactors, or parallel to SuccessFactors Recruiting. There are no plans to force a change.
What might a hybrid scenario look like?
Regional hybrid models are supported, such as the use of SmartRecruiters in the US and SuccessFactors Recruiting in Europe. Such hybrid architectures already exist today.
Is there a change quota or internal transfer rules?
Internal coordination takes place weekly between Product, Engineering, and Commercial. Final publishable change rules are not yet available.
When will the integrated solution be available?
The integrated solution, 'SuccessFactors SmartRecruiters', is expected to be available for provisioning by March 2026 at the latest. This depends on tenant availability, product design decisions and technical dependencies.
What will happen to the existing p78 products?
p78 products will not be ported to SmartRecruiters, since many of these functionalities are already covered by SmartRecruiters natively. Partner apps will continue to operate, but some will adjust their contractual models from 2026 onwards. Existing contracts will remain valid.
How flexible are SAP's contracts?
SAP reviews transition options on a case-by-case basis, taking into account contract terms, product scope and previous investments. The aim is to offer maximum flexibility. There is no one-size-fits-all standard solution.
When can SmartRecruiters be implemented?
Standalone: available immediately. Integrated into SuccessFactors: from around March 2026, when the pickable tenants are ready. Early adopter programs are planned.
What is the level of effort required for implementation?
SmartRecruiters benötigt ca. 80 % weniger Aufwand im Mid-Market und rund 60 % weniger im Enterprise-Bereich. Konfiguration geht schnell, der Fokus verschiebt sich stärker Richtung Change Management (Fachbereichs- & Betriebsratsabstimmungen).
Is SmartRecruiters becoming more configurable?
Planned enhancements include templates, compliance features and support for more complex scenarios. However, concrete commitments are not yet available. Initial functional gaps ('blind spots') have been identified and are being addressed.
What does the migration path entail?
Migration involves more than just transferring data. Standard migration packages are available for requisitions, candidates and talent pools. Migrating processes and templates requires the most effort. SuccessFactors workbooks can be partially translated, but not fully, in highly specific or customised cases.
SAP HCM On-Prem & SmartRecruiters
Technically, this is possible through API integration. However, official, fully defined architectures are still under development. Employee Central often serves as the central integration layer.
Support for hybrid scenarios
Hybrid scenarios are no more prone to errors than other integration-based scenarios. Support for SmartRecruiters is increasingly being integrated into the SAP support ecosystem.
What are the 3 top benefits from SmartRecruiters
- Significantly lower implementation costs
- Modern, intuitive user experience
- Strong integration and marketplace ecosystem
When should you consider SmartRecruiters?
Depending on the individual situation: Stable processes & high satisfaction → later change makes sense. Dissatisfaction with candidate experience or interview planning → earlier use of SR makes sense.
Reporting
SmartRecruiters provides its own reporting capabilities. Following integration, it is expected that the data will also be available in SuccessFactors People Analytics. However, the technical details have not yet been finalised.
Career sites & integration
SmartRecruiters provides APIs for job postings, candidates and requisitions. It supports custom career websites and CMS-based solutions. Multi-location setups are managed via additional postings. Translations can be managed via Excel files or API integrations.
Sanctions lists
Dedicated providers are available for SuccessFactors. Comparable solutions for SmartRecruiters are expected to become available via the marketplace. However, there is currently no confirmed solution for EU-specific requirements.
Onboarding & EC
Going forward, SmartRecruiters will be positioned between Employee Central and Onboarding. The pre-boarding functionalities will remain available and SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 will continue to be supported.
If you have any further questions or would like to discuss a specific scenario, we would be happy to help.
