Symptom
- This KB article explains how the auto-save functionality works on the Performance Forms.
- Any updates to this functionality are located on Community: IMPORTANT ALERT: Auto-Save Behavior in Performance Management
Image/data in this KBA is from SAP internal systems, sample data, or demo systems. Any resemblance to real data is purely coincidental.
Environment
SAP SuccessFactors Performance Management
Resolution
The system automatically saves Performance forms after a period of inactivity. The auto-save interval is 30 seconds for all data centers and only applies to performance forms.
When saving, a message will appear at the top right of the form:
When the save is completed, the following message appears:
General behavior
- Whenever a user changes data on the form, an auto-save action is invoked after an interval specific to the data center.
- If a user clicks on some of the toolbar buttons such as "Print", "PDF", etc., or if they try to navigate away from the form by accessing a different page or closing the browser window, the auto-save will trigger immediately.
- A few seconds prior to the session timing out, the system will invoke auto-save if unsaved data is detected.
- In order to avoid auto-saving and the "last updated date" to change, use the "Cancel" button.
Multiple Browser Sessions
It is not recommended to open SuccessFactors in multiple browser windows. Inactivity in one browser session could result in data loss if the browser session times-out. This can log you out of other windows.
Network Connectivity issues
SuccessFactors is a secure application which validates a user's session on each server interaction (such as clicking any button or link). If a user's browser session information is invalid, or there is an unexpected network connectivity issue, SuccessFactors will detect the session is now invalid and will redirect the user to the login page for security purposes. Since the session is invalid, it will not save information and prevents a successful save. Please work with your IT department if users regularly see this type of behavior. Your IT department may want to review browser settings or possible 3rd party security plugins that might interfere with maintaining valid browser sessions for these users.
Other considerations and current limitations
- Auto-saving the adjusted rating in the OCOC (Overall Calculated Objective Competency) section is currently not supported.
- Inserted Goal information will not be saved during Auto-Save of the PM form. Goal Data is synchronized with the PM form upon saving the Goal (clicking the save button in the Goal pop-up).
- The user will still need to manually save the page to update it on the form.
- Due to a browser restriction in Safari, SuccessFactors cannot auto-save the content when navigating away from the form by accessing a different page or closing the browser window.
- The default auto-save interval cannot be adjusted. Additionally the auto-save feature cannot be disabled.
- Auto-save will update the "last updated date" of the form.
System Timeout vs Auto-Save
It is important to understand the differences as this change to the performance form only applies to the Auto-Save functionality. The System Timeout functionality remains as is.
- System Timeout: occurs if the system does not detect any interaction between the browsed page and the backend server. Any activity on the form that doesn’t involve interaction with the backend server, for 30-minutes non-stop, would lead to a session timeout. If a user, for example, clicked “Save” or edited an item, the system will detect it as interaction between the form and the backend. And therefore the “timer” is reset to 30 minutes. Examples of non-interaction are: typing in a comments box, clicking on a rating, and scrolling. Conceivably if a user is typing in a comments box for 30 minutes non-stop if they do not actually save, they could lose their data after 30 minutes.
- Auto-Save: occurs when there is no detected activity within the Performance Form after a prefixed time interval. This is helpful in cases where there is no backend interaction, such as entering comments, as it ensures the data will save.
See Also
- Implementing and Managing Performance Management - Form Autosave
- 2579777 - The Objective-Competency Summary Section is not Updated after the Form Auto-saves.
- 2604183 - Auto-Save on PM forms does not save created / updated Goal Data
Keywords
PMGM, PM, Review, refresh, auto-refresh, seconds, UI, beta, limitation, OCOC, summary, timeout, autosave, forms, last updated, update, updated, success factors, PMU-9007, sf, KM-18927 , KBA , LOD-SF-PM-FRM , Forms & Templates , LOD-SF-PM-SYS , System Performance , How To