2560623 - Step by step configuration of MDF Alerts & Notifications [Custom MDF]

This KB article explains how to do the configurations required to trigger alerts and notifications custom MDF objects.

Note: KB article 2532558 is different and does not list the complete steps and overall behaviors pertaining to custom MDF objects.

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 HXM Suite
• Metadata Framework (MDF)

1. In Admin Tools > Company Settings > Configure Object Definitions, search for AlertMessage

2. Change the Maximum Length of alertDescription as 4000

Note: This is to increase the length of Alert description (if at all needed) as configured in Step 3 below

3. Create an Alert Message. Go to Manage Data > Create New > select the object AlertMessage. You can customize the header and description of the alert as per your requirement. A sample below:

4. Create a Workflow.

NOTE: If you want the user to receive an Alert as well as an email notification, then make sure you add that approver in the CC Role as well.

5. For the MDF object, on which you want to trigger the alert and notification, create a MDF scenario based business rule selecting the right base object (refer to the sample screenshot below)

Note: Previously, you could create even the Basic rules to execute the Trigger MDF Alert Event() function but post b2005 release, Trigger MDF Alert Event() function will be executed only with MDF scenario based rules. Hence now the rule's Purpose should be Alert as highligted above. If you have existing rules with different purposes, they continue to operate as usual; however, you can't edit these rules. If you need to modify these rules create a new rule with purpose as Alert.

6. Set up this rule on the PostSave rules section on the Object level. - Save the object definition.

7. Now create new data for this custom MDF object or update the already created data for a user, point is to make the Save event happen. It can be done via any means (Manage data, Profile or Import etc). Alerts and Notifications will automatically trigger. 

8. You can now see the alerts under To-Do section > Take Action tile of the Approvers.

9. Once you click on the "Done" button, this will act as an acknolwedgement and then the alert will disappear.

10. The CC role recipient recieves the email notification in the inbox (as shown below):

Important Notes:

• If alerts are not triggering, please remove the if condition and try checking again without any if condition. If the alerts are triggered then, it means the condition you have configured in the rule is not satisfied and hence the alerts are not triggered. Try configuring a rule trace and then check the execution logs to troubleshoot before reporting support case. See KB article 2257064 - Employee Central - Business Rule Execution Log
• If you do not trigger future dated alerts, you will not require and job to be scheduled, the system will create and send these alerts automatically on save event.
• If you trigger alerts for a future date you will require the "EC Alerts and Notifications" job to be scheduled and running in the instance. This job will send out any future dated alerts, once their effective date is reached.
• For objects which have a Parent/Child Association the Business Rule should be configured with the Parent Base Object and also triggered on the Parent Object.
• If the self/EM/EMM is the first step approver and the initiator is same as the approver,  then the first step is skipped and hence alert is not received in the Take Action tile in home page.
• The MDF alerts and notifications will only work in case you have Employee Central enabled. If you don't have EC, the take action tile won't be available for you and the notifications job will not run.
• When you edit the record of the custom MDF object that triggered the MDF alert, the alert is automatically updated. However, if you insert a new record, it is expected that the system will only add a new alert and will not modify the alert triggered by the previous record.
• If you delete an existing MDF record, the alert will still be triggered. Currently there is no way to prevent this behavior. 
• For triggering multiple alerts on an MDF object, check the KBA mentioned below.

• 2895379 - Multiple MDF Alerts are not being triggered - Custom MDF
• 2532558 - EC Alerts: Configuring Alerts for MDF Objects
• 2257064 - Employee Central - Business Rule Execution Log

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