2545988 - How To Purge or Delete Users In SuccessFactors

• How can I completely delete a user from my SuccessFactors System?
• Is it possible to purge a user and delete their information instead just deactivating them?
• How to purge users in SuccessFactors?

Image/data in this KBA is from SAP internal systems, sample data, or demo systems. Any resemblance to real data is purely coincidental.

SAP SuccessFactors HCM

Important: 

• Export your Employee Export File or UDF file into your desktop (will be used as a Backup) before any purge action.
• Check if the user is EC or No EC User - 2584658 - How to Check if a User is an EC User using the Integration Center - isECRecord Boolean.

Step 1: Make sure the users are already inactive.

NoN EC User Only: Set Non EC User to Inactive Via Basic Import

1. Go to Admin Center > "Export Employees" to download the User Data File (UDF).
2. Create a new file copying the first 2 rows, and add only the users to be purged (make sure to change their status to 'inactive').
3. Add or fill companyExitDate column.
4. Then go back to Admin Center > "Import Employee Data".
5. Select 'Basic Import', and upload the UDF created.
6. Import the file.

For:standard-element id="companyExitDate view Guide-chapter: Adding the CompanyExitDate Field to the User Record

<standard-element id="companyExitDate" max-length="128" required="false" matrix-filter="false">
<label xml:lang="en-US">Company Exit Date</label>
<label xml:lang="en-GB">companyExitDate</label>
<label>Company Exit Date</label>
</standard-element>

Employee Central or EC User Only

1. Check: configure companyExitDate exist in BCUI or SDM data model as seen below;

2. Guide-chapter: Adding the CompanyExitDate Field to the User Record Chapter: Termination Date Between Employee Central and Standard User Fields;

3. Reference KBAs:

• 2617614 - Employee Profile: How to Configure companyExitDate Field under Manage Business Configuration
• 2643327 - Missing 'Company Exit Date' Field in User Profile for DRTM
• 2614665 - Syncing the Termination Date between Employee Central and the SuccessFactors Platform

4. Terminate EC User: EC User must be terminated before any type of purge. Terminate Options:

• Terminate User via: MSS - UI or Take action - terminate or Import - 2511979 - Employee Central: How Do I Terminate Employees via Import?
• Manager: Can only be terminated via: MSS - UI or Take action - terminate
• Refer to 2614665 - Syncing the Termination Date between Employee Central and the SuccessFactors Platform and Termination Date Between Employee Central and Standard User Fields.

Note: Purge Action only starts after above tasks finished. Download UDF “Admin Center > Employee Export”, and verify that Terminate user has been set to inactive before any purge action.

Step 2: Soft purging users

Important For customer using LMS module , Please view 2179378 - Purge Request fails automatically with "Reviewing..." status and 2088065. Note that this purge will also purge the user on LMS, and the data is not restorable.

NOTE: the users' data is deleted, but username and userID are still stored and reserved on the instance.

1. Go to Admin Center > "Data Retention Management".
2. Under "Manual Data Purge", select "Create New Purge Request".
3. Select the option "DRTM Master Data Purge". (from 2H 2024 release on, the Purge Inactive User request type is deleted for Employee Central - please refer to Purge Inactive User Request Type Is Deleted for Employee Central | SAP Help Portal.)
4. Under "Add purge user criteria", choose "Upload a list of users (by User ID or Assignment ID)".
5. Click "Download Example" to download the template. You can change the value from Assignment ID (default) to User Id if preferable.
6. Edit this file, and add the user id values of all the users to be purged.
7. Back on the system, choose the file and click 'Upload'.
8. Add an approver.
9. Click on 'Launch Immediately'.
10. Later go to "Purge Request Monitor" page, and approve the request under the "Requests Pending Final Approval" tab.Then go to the next tab "Purge Results & Discontinued Requests", and wait until the request is completed.

Step 3: Check Soft Purge

•  3058601 - How To Check Soft Purge or (Hard or Permanent Purged ) Users

Step 4: Permanently purging users 

• 2392076. To delete the userID and username, perform a Permanent Purge.
• 2907544- Purge All Soft Purged Users in User Permanent Purge

Option: select "Purge inactive users listed in a CSV file

1. Go to Admin Center > "Data Retention Management.
2. Under "System Identifier Purge", select "Purge inactive users listed in a CSV file".
3. You can upload the same file from the step before.
4. Click 'Submit'.

  Or

• Go to Data Retention Management
• System Identifier Purge Job Monitor.
• Purge all inactive users
• Submit
• Check Email receive by approval configure under Manage Email Notification - single Receipiant Email

Note: The Purge Inactive User request type for Employee Central is deleted as of Nov 15, 2024. For Employee Central enabled instances, we recommend using the DRTM Master Data Purge request type as it is legally more compliant and provides a centralized purge solution in which country/region and legal entity-based retention times can be configured for inactive employees.

Step 5: Check Permanent Purge

•  3058601 - How To Check Soft Purge or (Hard or Permanent Purged ) Users

FAQ - Additional Information

Q) Where can I get information on this from the Guide?

A) Guide: Implementing and Managing Data Protection and Privacy under > Chapter: Termination Date Between Employee Central and Standard User Fields

Q) Is it possible to re-activate purged users which have been soft purged using the legacy purge inactive user Data Retention Management Purge or Data Retention Time Management Purge?

A)  Yes, A soft purge is when the user is still existing at the Database level. View : 2392094 - Re-activate a Purged User Via employee Import Feature

Q) Is it possible to purge user separately in LMS only?

A)  No, it's not supported.

Q) How soft purge user can be reactived?

A) 2392094 - Re-activate a Purged User Via Employee Import Feature.

• 3375924 - How To check User Status Via Data inspector
• 3319018 - How To Enable Feature Data Inspector
• 2584658 - How to Check if a User is an EC User using the Integration Center - isECRecord Boolean
• 2088065 - Data Retention Management - Purge Data - Platform
• 2614665 - Syncing the Termination Date between Employee Central and the SuccessFactors Platform
• 2089382 - User Import Error - Duplicate Username - Platform
• 2457516 - Cannot update/ modify username
• 2392076 - User Permanent Purge Feature
• 2615360 - Data Protection and Privacy - Data Retention Time Management (DRTM) - Master Data Purge for Inactive Users
• 2392094 - Re-activate a purged user via employee import feature
• 3236874 - Soft Purge failed with error Completed with errors
• 2596758 - Soft Purged Users Report
• 2179378 - Purge Request fails automatically
• 3038172 - [Onboarding] DRTM Onboarding Purge
• 3052056 - How to delete or permanent purge an inactive onboardee user - Onboarding
• 2922739 - How to purge integrated external learners using DRM - SAP SuccessFactors Learning
• 2247664 - Compensation & Variable Pay - Not possible to purge user: User belongs to compensation/variable pay form(s) thus can't be purged
• Purge Inactive User Request Type Is Deleted for Employee Central

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