13.2 Synchronization Rules and Mass Change Runs for Positions

13.2 Synchronization Rules and Mass Change Runs for Positions

Quick Answer: Maintaining the same fields on positions and on incumbents is cumbersome, so Position Management synchronizes them with rules. Position → Job Information uses Synchronize Position Changes to Incumbents. Job Information → Position uses Synchronize Incumbent's Changes to Position. Both are registered in Position Management Settings > Synchronization. For bulk updates, a Mass Change Run applies an Update Rule for Mass Change Run to many positions and can Simulate first.

Synchronizing Position Changes to Incumbents

Administrators define which common fields flow from the Position object to the incumbents' Job Information when a position changes in the Position Org Chart (Edit or Manage) or in Manage Positions. Position synchronization never works when the position is updated through Manage Data.

Setup steps:

1. Create a rule with the scenario Synchronize Position Changes to Incumbents, for example Position_to_JobInfo_Sync.
2. Set the fields to sync in the THEN. A good description is "Assigned to jobInfo, Position field, onChange; and to Position Management Settings/Synchronization".
3. Register it in Position Management Settings > Synchronization > Rule for Synchronizing Position to Job Information.
4. Choose Position to Job Information Synchronization: Automatic, User Decision, User Decision If Required, or Never (not recommended).

The rule should also be triggered when the position field changes in Job Information, so a newly assigned employee receives the position's data.

Field Order

Field order is essential, especially for foundation objects. Because Business Unit is above Division, and Division above Department, the rule must set Business Unit, then Division, then Department.

Fields Not to Use in the Position → Job Information Rule

The system checks for these and shows an error:

• Company (see below)
• any attachment field
• Position
• sequence number
• workflow configuration
• start date
• event reason
• FTE
• effective latest change
• Supervisor
• Matrix Manager
• PositionCostAssignmentItems

Company/Legal Entity may be mapped only if Use Company Filter for Positions in Manager Self-Service Job Information, History, and Quick Actions is No (KBA 2386613).

Worked Example

With User Decision If Required, edit Sales Director, NE in the Position Org Chart effective today and change the job title to Sales Director, North East Area. A Synchronize Incumbents dialog lists the incumbents, and you confirm with Yes. The incumbent's Job Information and profile header show the new title. Setting the option back to Automatic removes the dialog.

Synchronizing Position Imports

Imports through Import and Export Data do not sync by default. Add a technicalParameters column with SYNC (or sync) for the rows to synchronize. Other rows update the position only. The field is Not Visible by default. Either add the column by hand, or make it Editable and hide it with a Field Level Override (No Access) so the template includes it.

Synchronizing Incumbent Changes to the Position

The reverse rule, Synchronize Incumbent's Changes to Position, is less common. SAP recommends it only for strict 1:1 employee-to-position setups. It lets managers change volatile, lower-impact data at employee level, for example Department, Cost Center, Location, and Job Code, which then updates the position. It applies only to changes the system treats as Position Reclassification or Position Transfer.

Fields not to use: attachments, Matrix Relationships, PositionCostAssignmentItems, Position Type, Source of Creation, Position Controlled, To Be Hired, and Workflow Configuration. Change Reason, Criticality, Higher-Level Position, Incumbent, Multiple Incumbents Allowed, Pay Range, and Status are excluded from the THEN by design.

The Mass Change Run

Manage Mass Changes for Metadata Objects updates many positions at once with a rule that defines both the target positions and the changes.

Permissions: the Mass Change Run object is secured by default. Grant Miscellaneous Permissions > Mass Change Run (View, Edit, Import/Export) and Administrator Permissions > Metadata Framework > Manage Mass Changes for Metadata Objects.

Fields of a Mass Change Run:

SAP recommends Use Rule Cache = Yes. The useRuleCache field is hidden by default, so set it to Editable in Configure Object Definitions > Mass Change Run.

THR79 example: a rule selects Engineer positions in the USA and sets the position title and job title to Software Engineer. Create PosMassChangeRun (Position, today, Synchronize To Incumbents = Yes, the rule, Simulate, Use Rule Cache = Yes). Refresh until Success, check the log CSV, switch to Run with Make Correction, and verify: five positions updated, The record was inserted successfully.