Patent Application
20130198097
One embodiment is directed generally to a computer system, and, for example, to a computer system that manages and stores employee compensation data.
Many corporations use compensation systems or software to manage the salaries, bonuses, and other types of compensation for their employees and staff. Based on several factors, such as work experience, work performance, position, etc., the compensation systems can be run to determine pay increases, bonuses, etc.
Some compensation systems, such as the “Compensation Workbench” from Oracle Corporation, provide an online application that enables end users, including line managers, to easily allocate compensation to employees that report to them. The allocated compensation may be of different types, such as salary increment/increase, stock allocation, bonus allocation, a combination of these compensation types (i.e., salary+bonus), as well as any other types of valuable compensation.
One embodiment is directed to a computer program embodied on a computer readable medium. The computer program is configured to control a processor to execute instructions. The instructions include identifying, in a compensation system comprising a plurality of compensation plans, employee data that needs to be imported from at least one other compensation plan into a referring compensation plan. Each of the compensation plans comprises a plurality of columns. The instructions may further include selecting at least one column of the referring compensation plan that will receive the imported employee data from the at least one other compensation plan, and configuring details of the referring compensation plan using at least one property of the selected at least one column.
One embodiment is directed to a compensation system that includes a plurality of compensation plans. Each of the compensation plans may include a plurality of columns. For example, the columns may include name, job title, current annual salary, eligible salary, bonus amount, bonus percentage, bonus target amount, bonus target percentage, performance rating, and worker potential. Numerous other columns may be included in the compensation plans, and new columns may be added and customized by users. In an embodiment, the compensation system is capable of cross-referencing data from one compensation plan to another. For example, according to one embodiment, a referencing compensation plan can automatically import required employee data from another compensation plan by identifying and mapping a column of the other compensation plan to a column of the referencing compensation plan.
An organization may create one or more compensation plans to define and manage the allocation of different types of compensation to employees. Defined compensation plans are often linked to time periods, such as annual stock allocations or quarterly bonus allotments. As a result, in order to award compensation to their workforce, an organization may define compensation plans over the period of time. For example, an organization may define one compensation plan for the 2010 annual salary increase plan, and define another compensation plan for the 2011 annual salary increase plan, and so on. Multiple plans can also co-exist over the same time period, such as an annual salary increase plan for 2011 and an annual stock allocation plan for 2011.
Any defined compensation plan for a particular time frame contains numerous amounts of data related to employees. This employee data may be stored in human resources (“HR”) tables or may be derived from various sources using complex calculations defined by the business. As such, the stored employee data may then be presented in meaningful ways to line managers so that they can perform informed decision making. Therefore, each compensation plan contains critical data that an organization or business would like to re-use or share across multiple compensation plans that may span different time periods or the same time periods. According to one embodiment, a time period or frame may also be referred to as a “cycle.”
Hence, compensation systems need to cross-reference data from one compensation plan to another. Currently, this can be done via fast formula and batch jobs. However, solutions that utilize batch jobs or formulas may not be desirable because of the upfront cost of formula building, maintenance of the formula, overhead of the batch jobs, and lack of real time updates. Additionally, solutions that utilize batch jobs or formulas are not desirable because they require knowledge and expertise in areas which are not related to compensation and, therefore, require support and technical assistance, which creates overhead in terms of time and cost.
Accordingly, embodiments of the invention provide a compensation system that enhances a column defaulting feature to allow plan cross-reference of data in a real-time manner. Embodiments of the invention are able to accomplish this without the use of formulas or batch jobs. As a result, the compensation system according to embodiments of the invention will provide the end users (i.e., managers) the ability to see data combined from multiple plans.
Embodiments of the invention can also be used to create a total compensation reporting plan, which provides a complete view of compensation data across all plans, with all of the features that the compensation system has to offer such as sorting, filtering, exporting, etc., as well as a consolidated compensation statement.
System 10 also includes a processor 22, coupled to bus 12, for processing information and executing instructions or operations. Processor 22 may be any type of general or specific purpose processor. System 10 further includes a memory 14 for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor 22. Memory 14 can be comprised of any combination of random access memory (“RAM”), read only memory (“ROM”), static storage such as a magnetic or optical disk, or any other type of machine or computer readable media. System 10 further includes a communication device 20, such as a network interface card or other communications interface, to provide access to a network. As a result, a user may interface with system 10 directly or remotely through a network or any other method.
Computer readable media may be any available media that can be accessed by processor 22 and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media, and communication media. Communication media may include computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media.
Processor 22 is further coupled via bus 12 to a display 24, such as a Liquid Crystal Display (“LCD”), for displaying information or data to a user, such as maps or diagrams, as will be discussed in more detail below. A keyboard 26 and a cursor control device 28, such as a computer mouse, are further coupled to bus 12 to enable a user to interface with system 10.
Processor 22 and memory 14 may also be coupled via bus 12 to a database system 30 and, thus, may be able to access and retrieve information stored in database system 30. Although only a single database is illustrated in
In one embodiment, memory 14 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 22. The modules may include an operating system 15 that provides operating system functionality for system 10. The memory may also store a cross-reference compensation plan module 16, which can provide the functionality for cross-referencing across different compensation plans of the compensation system, according to one embodiment. System 10 may also include one or more other functional modules 18 to provide additional functionality. Functional modules 18 may include, for example, a human resources module or an enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system.
Database system 30 may include a database server and any type of database, such as a relational or flat file database. Database system 30 may store attributes related to employees and compensation. Database system 30 may also store any other data required by the cross-reference compensation plan module 16, or data associated with system 10 and its associated modules and components.
In certain embodiments, cross-reference compensation plan module 16, and other functional modules 18 may be implemented as separate physical and logical units or may be implemented in a single physical and logical unit. Furthermore, in some embodiments, cross-reference compensation plan module 16, and other functional modules 18 may be implemented in hardware, or as any suitable combination of hardware and software.
In one embodiment, cross-reference compensation plan module 16 is configured to control system 10, when defining a compensation plan, to identify which details of employee data should be referred to across compensation plans. In other words, while system 10 is defining or creating a compensation plan, cross-reference compensation plan module 16 can identify the employee data from columns of other compensation plans that need to be imported into the compensation plan currently being created. The employee data may be from a current time period, year or cycle, or may be from previous years or cycles.
In an embodiment, cross-reference compensation plan module 16 is configured to determine whether a cross-reference to another compensation plan is required. If such a cross-reference to another compensation plan is not required, then system 10 will proceed as normal without defining a cross-reference to another compensation plan. If, however, it is determined by cross-reference compensation plan module 16 that a cross-reference to another compensation plan is required, then cross-reference compensation plan module 16 is configured to select one or more columns from the compensation plan being created to hold the data that will be cross-referenced or imported from the other compensation plans. In one embodiment, the compensation plan being created may include more than 250 columns of data.
According to certain embodiments, cross-reference compensation plan module 16 is further configured, for each of the selected columns, to configure the details of the compensation plan being created using one or more properties of the selected column. Cross-reference compensation plan module 16 may then identify and select the name of the other compensation plan(s) from which employee data will be cross-referenced or imported. Cross-reference compensation plan module 16 can also select the associated time period or cycle for the other compensation plan from which the employee data will be imported. Cross-reference compensation plan module 16 may then select the columns from the identified other compensation plan(s) and associated time period that need to be mapped to the selected columns from the compensation plan being created. In this manner, cross-reference compensation plan module 16 configures a column of the compensation plan being created to cross-reference a column of another compensation plan. The process may then be repeated for all columns that require cross-referencing.
Once all the columns that require cross-referencing of data from columns of other compensation plans have been configured, the data will automatically be updated and imported in real-time. For instance, if data in one of the other compensation plans being referenced is updated, the data will also be automatically updated in the compensation plan in real-time.
In the example illustrated in
The worksheet section 215 includes a plurality of columns displaying employee compensation data. For example, the columns of worksheet section 215 may include name 220, job title 225, current annual salary 230, eligible salary 235, bonus amount 240, bonus percentage 250, bonus target amount 255, bonus target percentage 260, current compa-ratio 265, year-to-date productivity incentive paid 270, performance rating 275, and worker potential 280. It should be noted that the columns of the compensation plans are not only limited to those illustrated in worksheet section 215 of
As illustrated in
The compensation system may also provide a worksheet tab user interface 400, as illustrated in
In the example of
Therefore, as a result of the mapping performed in default values tab 960 of properties window 950, eligible salary column 235 of compensation plan 200 will cross-reference the eligible salary column of the “AU Merit Plan” compensation plan over the same time period of compensation plan 200. It should be noted that
As a result of the configurations provided by embodiments of the present invention, all the enabled and configured columns in one compensation plan will be available for reference in other compensation plans. Additionally, any number of compensation plans can reference the same plan and column. Further, there is no limit to the number of references a column can have. For example, column A in compensation plan A can be referenced in both plan B and plan C.
Further, embodiments of the invention, as implemented by system 10, can prevent the mapping of any invalid type of data which would result in an unexpected outcome. For example, a numeric column, such as “Previous Year Bonus” cannot be mapped to a column called “Promotion Effective Date,” as system 10 will prevent the mapping of a numeric column to a date column. System 10 is able to handle more than 250 columns of different data types, such as numeric, date, string, or list columns.
Referring to
The method then includes, at 120, configuring the details of the compensation plan being created using one or more properties of the selected column. At 125, the method includes identifying and selecting the name of the other compensation plan(s) from which employee data will be cross-referenced or imported. The method then includes, at 130, selecting the associated time period or cycle for the other compensation plan from which the employee data will be imported. Data can be from compensation plans for the same time period or from previous years/cycles. At 135, the method also includes selecting the column(s) from the identified other compensation plan(s) and associated time period that need to be mapped to the selected columns from the compensation plan being created. The method then includes, at 140, performing the mapping of the selected columns from the other compensation plan(s) to the selected column(s) from the compensation plan being created. According to an embodiment, the method may be repeated for each of the columns of the compensation plan being created that require a mapping to another compensation plan.
As a result of certain embodiments, one compensation plan data can be referenced across multiple plans. Additionally, embodiments eliminate the use of fast formulas or any user defined code previously required to cross-reference plan data. Similarly, embodiments eliminate the use of any batch jobs for data load for cross-reference and data synchronization, and eliminate the use of legacy ways of data reference. Data and/or columns from one compensation plan can be referred to in other compensation plans on real time basis. Furthermore, any number of plans can reference the same plan and column, and referenced columns can be used as general columns as well as in other calculations. Embodiments of the invention further eliminate the need for help from third party agents for compensation administrators thereby reducing the overall implementation time for a compensation plan, which results in time and cost saving for customers.
It should be noted that many of the functional features described in this specification have been presented as modules, units, applications or the like, in order to more particularly emphasize their implementation independence. For example, a module or unit may be implemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or other discrete components. A module or unit may also be implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices or the like.
Modules or units may also be partially implemented in software for execution by various types of processors. An identified module of executable code may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of computer instructions which may, for instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module need not be physically located together, but may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which, when joined logically together, comprise the module and achieve its stated purpose.
Indeed, a module of executable code or algorithm could be a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over several different code segments, among different programs, and across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustrated herein within modules, and may be embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed over different locations including over different storage devices, and may exist, at least partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network.
Several embodiments are specifically illustrated and/or described herein. However, it will be appreciated that modifications and variations of the disclosed embodiments are covered by the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention.
