People Analytics & Intelligence
Strategic HR-Consulting for SAP HCM and SuccessFactors
Most companies don’t have a data problem. They have a decision-making problem. HR systems generate enormous amounts of data, yet few HR organizations can reliably use that data to determine what the right next step is.
This is precisely where the difference between People Analytics and People Intelligence lies: no longer just measuring what happened, but understanding why it happened - and recognizing early on what comes next.
p78 supports companies on this journey. Tool-independent, with a clear focus on strategy and impact.
People Analytics & Intelligence with p78 - Key Highlights
- People Analytics measures what is happening and what has happened. People Intelligence uses this data to determine what should be done next. p78 supports you at both levels.
- We always start with strategy and a KPI framework, not with the software. The right tool is useless without a robust data model and clear metrics.
- Our consulting is tool-agnostic. Whether it’s SAP Analytics Cloud, SuccessFactors People Analytics, SAP BW/4HANA, or Power BI—we recommend what fits your system landscape.
- We cover the entire journey: from the analytics roadmap and dashboard development to empowering your HR teams to work independently with data.
- As an SAP Gold Partner and part of the cbs Group, we combine HR process expertise with technical BI know-how gained from a wide range of SAP projects.
Why HR data alone isn't enough
SAP HCM, SuccessFactors, and other systems generate enormous amounts of data. The problem: This data is scattered, inconsistently defined, and rarely analyzed systematically. And even where dashboards exist, there is often no clear link to decision-making.
A typical situation in HR departments without a structured analytics strategy:
- The turnover rate is calculated differently across three departments. No one knows which figure is correct.
- Monthly reporting requires two to three days of manual effort in HR controlling.
- Data resides in SAP HCM, SuccessFactors, Excel, and an external ATS, without a common foundation.
- Line managers have no access to their own HR KPIs and constantly have to ask HR for them.
- Strategic workforce planning is based on experience rather than data.
If you recognize one or more of these situations, now is the right time for a structured people analytics strategy.
Our Services
We’ll guide you every step of the way, from the initial orientation to the deployment of a fully functional dashboard and ensuring your HR teams can use it independently.
01 HR Analytics Strategy & Roadmap
We always start with your goals. What do you want to manage? Which decisions should be data-driven going forward? From there, we develop your customized analytics roadmap, prioritized by effort and impact.
What we will develop:
- Analysis of your current reporting landscape and data sources (SAP HCM, SuccessFactors, external systems)
- Definition of relevant use cases: headcount, turnover, personnel costs, recruiting, absences, and more
- Tool recommendations based on your existing system landscape and licensing structure
- Prioritized roadmap with quick wins and strategic expansion phases toward People Intelligence
- Coordination with IT, HR, and Controlling to ensure everyone is on the same page
02 HR Metrics & KPI Framework
Good dashboards start with good metrics. We work with you to develop a company-wide KPI framework for HR, featuring consistent definitions, clear calculation logic, and defined responsibilities. Without this foundation, any analytics initiative will remain a patchwork.
Typical KPI categories we develop:
- Workforce Size and Structure: Headcount, FTE, Age Structure, Diversity
- Turnover and Retention: Turnover Rate, Length of Service, Reasons for Leaving, Risk Profile
- Recruiting: Time-to-Hire, Cost-per-Hire, Offer Acceptance Rate, Source Efficiency
- Absenteeism and Health: Sickness rate, absenteeism patterns, BEM cases
- Personnel Costs: Labor cost ratio, costs by department, headcount plan vs. actual
- Development and Learning: Training rate, internal mobility, coverage ratio for succession planning
03 Dashboard & Reporting Development
We develop dashboards and reports that people actually use. Not because they’re technically impressive, but because they answer the right questions for the right audience. An HR director needs different insights than a line manager or the HR analytics team.
Our approach to dashboard projects:
- Requirements workshop with HR, Controlling, and management: What should each group see?
- Data modeling and integration of source systems (HCM, SuccessFactors, external data)
- Prototyping: Quick initial view of data for early feedback
- Development in your preferred environment: SAC, Power BI, SF Story Reporting, or SAP BW
- Authorization concept: Role-based access to sensitive HR data, GDPR-compliant
- Go-live support and hypercare phase
04 Training & Enablement of HR Teams
A good dashboard that no one knows how to use is worthless. We empower your HR teams to work independently with data - from HR business partners to HR leadership.
Training formats we offer:
- Individual and group training on people analytics tools (SAC, SF Story Reporting, Power BI)
- Workshops on KPI interpretation: What do the numbers mean, and what does that imply?
- Train-the-Trainer: Building internal champions
- Ongoing in-house consulting to ensure analytics remains a continuous improvement process
Where does your HR reporting stand today?
Together, we’ll explore your challenges and opportunities.
Request a free initial assessment now
Tool-independent consulting: all relevant platforms
We are not tied to any particular tool. We are familiar with all relevant platforms in the SAP ecosystem and recommend the solutions that best fit your system landscape, requirements, and licensing structure.
| Tool |
Description
|
|---|---|
| SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) | BI and Planning in the Cloud. Ideal as a central HR dashboard for SuccessFactors and HCM data. |
| SF People Analytics | Integrated reporting directly within SuccessFactors. Story Reporting for operational HR reporting without the need for an additional license. |
| SAP BW / BW4HANA | A robust data warehouse for complex on-premises HCM data models and historical analyses. |
| Power BI / Tableau | For companies with an existing Microsoft or Tableau environment. Integration with SAP via OData is possible. |
Situations in which we have experience
Every company starts from a different starting point. Here are three typical scenarios from our project experience.
Scenario 1: SAP HCM On-Premise - Reporting from the Stone Age
Challenge: The company runs SAP HCM on-premises. HR reporting is handled via SAP Ad-hoc Query and manual Excel exports. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are not uniformly defined, and monthly reporting takes days.
Our Approach: We develop an analytics strategy and a KPI framework, build a central data model in SAP BW or SAP Analytics Cloud, and replace Excel reporting with automated dashboards for HR management and Controlling.
Scenario 2: SuccessFactors in use, but People Analytics not utilized
Challenge: The company has implemented SuccessFactors but makes little use of People Analytics. There are a few isolated reports, but no overarching strategy. Line managers do not have self-service access.
Our Approach: We activate and configure SF People Analytics, define a standardized set of KPIs, and develop role-based dashboards for HR business partners, management, and line managers. We then train the HR users.
Scenario 3: Hybrid Environment — Data Across Multiple Systems
Challenge: The company uses SAP HCM for payroll and time management, SuccessFactors for talent management, and an external ATS for recruiting. There is no shared database and no standardized reporting.
Our approach: We design a central HR data architecture in SAP Datasphere or SAP BW, integrate all source systems, and develop a consolidated HR dashboard in SAP Analytics Cloud or Power BI.
HR NOVA - Our holistic consulting approach for your HR/IT-transformation
We guide companies on their journey toward a digital and future-oriented HR/IT organization—from strategic planning to the implementation of individual development phases (plateaus) and the achievement of new levels of maturity. Using a structured, methodologically sound approach, we combine deep subject matter expertise with technical implementation skills to design sustainable, employee-centered HR processes that deliver measurable value.
Your Contact Person
Sandra Augustin
Senior Consultant
Phone +49 89 / 46 13 23-27
E-Mail hello@projekt0708.com
Get in touch with us
Request further information or arrange a personal exchange
FAQ
What is the difference between People Analytics and People Intelligence?
People Analytics refers to the systematic analysis of HR data: headcount, turnover, absenteeism, and similar metrics. The goal is to create transparency regarding past performance. People Intelligence takes this a step further: based on this data, patterns are identified, forecasts are made, and concrete recommendations for action are derived. Who will resign in the coming months? Where are skill gaps emerging? Which managers have the greatest influence on their team’s retention? That is People Intelligence.
Which tool is the right one for our people analytics environment?
That depends on your existing system landscape. If you use SAP SuccessFactors, it’s best to start with SF People Analytics, which is available without an additional license. For more in-depth analysis and planning, SAP Analytics Cloud is the logical complement. SAP HCM On-Premise customers often benefit from using SAP BW as their data source. Companies with an existing Microsoft environment can connect Power BI via OData. We recommend the tool that best fits your needs.
Do we need to improve our data quality before we start using analytics?
Not necessarily, but data maintenance and analytics ideally go hand in hand. In practice, a good analytics initiative always uncovers data quality issues that were previously invisible. We recommend starting with a clearly defined scope, ensuring data quality within that scope, and then expanding gradually. Insisting on perfect data as a prerequisite usually means, in practice, never getting started.
How long does a people analytics project take?
That depends heavily on the scope. We typically develop an analytics strategy with a KPI framework in four to eight weeks. An initial production-ready dashboard can be implemented in six to twelve weeks. Building a complete HR analytics landscape with multiple source systems and various user groups takes correspondingly longer. We recommend an iterative approach that delivers early value.
Is People Analytics also available with SAP HCM On-Premise?
Yes. SAP HCM on-premise data can be integrated into external BI tools via SAP BW, SAP Analytics Cloud, or directly via OData. We have experience integrating and analyzing HCM data, regardless of whether the system is operated on-premise or in the cloud.
How do we handle data protection and the works council?
HR data is particularly sensitive. We incorporate data protection and works council involvement into the design from the very beginning. This includes role-based access control, anonymization at the team level, documentation of processing activities, and, where necessary, support in coordinating with the works council.