EIC Employee Interaction Center Implementation

[Former Member]

Hello

We want to implement EIC. However, I do not have any resource to start with. It is the first time I have come across EIC.

The EIC component is installed with ECC 6.0. We currently do not have Solution Manager.

Can someone assist on how and where a newbee should start for EIC implementation?

Regards

Yash

[stuart_campbell · Accepted solution]

SAP probably does have many different communications tool and interfaces available to which might

replace or simulate the Comm Mgt tool

However delivered solution of EIC ECC 600 requires this Third Party Communication Management software

You would need to check with BASIS consultants to deliver you a useable alternative - even then

EIC has specific application definitions within the IMG required for use

Best wishes

Stuart

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello Stuart,

Thanks for your helpful replies.

Regarding the Third party software - Would I be right in thinking that comm mgmt software is needed only for telephone communication? Web requests do not need any third party comm mgmt softwares, do they ?

Can we get something like a configuration manual or a CookBook for EIC ERP Implmentation?

Can you kindly suggest, what all tasks will HR and Basis consultants individually need to do to implement EIC in ERP.

Also, what would be the usual implementation time period. How soon can an implementation be done. I am supposed to make a prototype first.

Thanks in advance

Yash

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

a

[paul_davidson · Accepted solution]

Hi Yash,

We have just completed the installation of EIC in our organization.

If you want to include the telephony connection you can and some third party interfaces are necessary. However, we decided not to implement this functionality and you can still implement EIC without it. Basically we are utilizing EIC to record, track and report on employee interactions with our Shared Services Center and Payroll. BW has many standard reports you can utilize to analyze time spent on calls, resolution time, calls by category or organization, etc. There is even a Survey you can send to employees after completion of the call to obtain satisfaction data.

Some warnings, there are over 400 SAP Notes concerning programming problems and concerns. Please be acquainted with them. Some, such as 1052082, 1254235 and 1176990 give you specific information needed to set up your EIC. We set this up internally, without consultants, in approximately four months.

Paul

[Pazahanick_Jarr · Accepted solution]

Hi Yash,

Paul has some very points and I will add a few additional items.

The ESS webrequest does not need any 3rd party software as it works out of the box. There is typically some customization required to the webrequest form to add company logo etc.

The EIC implementations I have been involved in have lasted 4-7 months depending on complexity.

Regards,

Jarret

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello Paul,

Thanks a lot for your reply. Your reply was very helpful.

Hello Jaret,

Thank you for the information.

I wanted to check a few more details in the system before I reply, hence the delay.

We are also planning to make a prototype without the telephony.

I have a few more queries. Please clarify them.

1) Would there be any workflow that needs to be developed for the standard functionality? When an agent resolves a webrequest and maintains that the issue is resolved, should a workflow be built for the employee to see the resolution status in his ESS or would it be there in the standard.

2) Would any ABAP developments be needed for the EIC standard functionality ? Is the Web-based customizable service form available as standard or will it have to be developed using Adobe interactive forms or Web dynpro?

3) Did you implement multiple tier of Agents? How is that managed?

4) Are there any standard reports in EIC (not from BW) ?

5) I believe this is your first EIC implementation Paul. Was there any source of EIC Knowledge for Implementation apart from the help documentation? Could you suggest any online resources or books that have helped you or would help me ? Any cookbooks ?

6) What kind of basis support is needed for setting up EIC ?

Thanks a lot in advance

Regards,

Yash

[Pazahanick_Jarr · Accepted solution]

Please see answers to the enclosed.

1) Would there be any workflow that needs to be developed for the standard functionality? When an agent resolves a webrequest and maintains that the issue is resolved, should a workflow be built for the employee to see the resolution status in his ESS or would it be there in the standard.

There is nothing delivered by SAP but we have built custom functionality for several clients to do this.

2) Would any ABAP developments be needed for the EIC standard functionality ? Is the Web-based customizable service form available as standard or will it have to be developed using Adobe interactive forms or Web dynpro?

There is typically the need to write a few real time custom reports, user exits/badi and minor core mods (ie changing BSP look and feel) and ABAP resources are required.

3) Did you implement multiple tier of Agents? How is that managed?

We have had some customers use the multiple tiers of support and it is typically to escalate activities. That said there are other means to escalate activities without using tiers depending on how you set up the Shared Service Center

4) Are there any standard reports in EIC (not from BW) ?

There are no standard reports delivered outside of BW unless you consider the activity search which is very limited. We have had to build custom reports (for real time reporting) for each of our customers even those using BW. We are writting a detailed EIC reporting article that will be published in Q4 or early Q1 2010.

[Pazahanick_Jarr · Accepted solution]

5) I believe this is your first EIC implementation Paul. Was there any source of EIC Knowledge for Implementation apart from the help documentation? Could you suggest any online resources or books that have helped you or would help me ? Any cookbooks ?

This question was for Paul so I will let him respond but there are multiple cookbooks as I have been involved in ramp up projects for EHP1, EHP2 and EHP4 (all of which have new EIC functionality) but they are copyrighted and property of SAP and it is my understanding that they cannot be shared. Enclosed are some blogs that I have written that "hopefully" contain some help for a new implementation.

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs;jsessionid=(J2EE3417100)ID0063786550DB10417459621364924182End...

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs;jsessionid=(J2EE3417100)ID0063786550DB10417459621364924182End...

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs;jsessionid=(J2EE3417100)ID0063786550DB10417459621364924182End...

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs;jsessionid=(J2EE3417100)ID0063786550DB10417459621364924182End...

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs;jsessionid=(J2EE3417100)ID0063786550DB10417459621364924182End...

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs;jsessionid=(J2EE3417100)ID0063786550DB10417459621364924182End...

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs;jsessionid=(J2EE3417100)ID0063786550DB10417459621364924182End...

6) What kind of basis support is needed for setting up EIC ?

Basis support is needed in a part time role for an EIC project to set up environments, copy baseline config from client 000, activate services, apply OSS notes, web dispatcher, RFC destination configuration, enhancement packages, implement business packages, portal definition etc. Sorry about the formatting....not sure it is showing up this way.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thank You Jarret,

Your replies have been very helpful.

Regards,

Anand

[paul_davidson · Accepted solution]

Hi Anand,

As you see, Jarret is the expert source when questions arise. I even bounced a few things off of him when creating our function. Also SAP was very helpful. Had to create about 7 or 8 OSS notes and their responses were usually prompt and provided useful solutions.

But my main warning is to check the SAP Notes. There are 442 notes as of today assigned to PA-EIC, several are essential to constructing the EIC functionality. Especially 1052082, 1176990 and 1254235. You may not have to construct everything laid out in these notes as in Ehp4 much is already supplied. But notes are continually being issued - 11 in the latest Support Pack alone, so be up to date.

Good luck.

Paul

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thank you Paul.

Regards,

Anand

[stuart_campbell]

Hi Yash

EIC is delivered with EA_HR - is it s BSP - executable via browser - once activated

this can be started via R3 using transaction HREIC

Ideally you should check first the help documentation

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_erp60/helpdata/EN/42/f4128c8c6a1aa2e10000000a422035/frameset.htm

This documentation may vary with EIC release - for example with EHP4 - EIC is part of a Business Package and

BP documentation in the help

Then you should check transaction SPRO ---> Personnel Management --->Employee Interaction Center

- each node contains documentation and steps to configure EIC

Hope this helps to get you started

Best wishes

Stuart

[Former Member]

Hi Stuart,

Thanks for your helpful reply to Yash's query. He posted it on my behalf. I was going through the help documentation on your suggestion and was unclear on one thing mainly -

Am I to understand that a Third Party Communication Mgmt Software is necessary to implement EIC in HR. Does not SAP have some kind of Comm Mgmt features available in the Standard, ECC?

Thanks in advance,

Anand