TAKE NOTE (Insights and Emerging Technology)
Appian has been awarded USD $2.036 billion in damages against Pegasystems Inc as the result of a jury verdict in the Circuit Court for Fairfax County, Virginia.
The verdict resulted in Pegasystems being held liable for trade secret misappropriation and violation of the Virginia Computer Crimes Act, resulting in the significant payout to Appian.
Appian brought the case to trial to ensure the protection of its proprietary intellectual property, including its trade secrets. The jury subsequently found Pegasystems’ misappropriation of Appian’s trade secrets to be willful and malicious.
During the seven-week trial, Appian put forward that Pegasystems hired an employee of a government contractor (the “Contractor”) to provide Pegasystems with access to Appian’s software in order to learn more about it and create a competitive strategy.
It was found that when hiring the Contractor, Pegasystems instructed its third-party contracting service to recruit someone who was not “loyal” to Appian.
Appian gave evidence that the Contractor, who ultimately worked as a developer in the Appian software under a government contract, violated his employer’s code of conduct and his employer’s agreement with Appian by providing access to a competitor.
Appian also put forward that the Contractor passed trade secret information to Pegasystems, allowing its employees to build competitive features and train Pegasystems’ sales team to better compete against Appian.
Pegasystems’ founder and CEO Alan Trefler admitted during the proceedings that it was “inappropriate” for Pegasystems employees to have hired the Contractor, and that the Contractor “apparently did things for which he was not entitled.”
It was also revealed that Pegasystems internally referred to the Contractor as a “spy”. This person proceeded to help Pegasystems generate dozens of video recordings of the Appian development environment for use by Pegasystems in compiling competitive materials and evaluating improvements to its platform.
Appian believes the damages awarded are the largest in Virginia state court history. The company may also be entitled to further award of attorney’s fees under Virginia law.
The jury’s verdict and the court’s entry of judgment are subject to appeal by Pegasystems. The company is not required to pay Appian the amount awarded by the jury until all appeals are exhausted and the judgment is final.
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UNDER DEVELOPMENT (Insights for Developers)
Integrating SuccessFactors with the SAP Backend
Intro
SuccessFactors is a SAP product suite to provide cloud-based solution to manage various HR functions such as business alignment, people performance, recruitment, and learning activities for all sizes of organizations in more than 60 industries. SAP SuccessFactors is a cloud-based HCM solution and developed on Software as a Service (SaaS) model.
Software as a Service is also known as On-demand software solution where software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted.
SaaS has become a common delivery model for many business applications, including collaboration, customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), invoicing, human resource management (HRM), talent acquisition management and other software and infrastructure services.
Before we dive into how to integrate SAP SuccessFactors, let’s take a look at it’s modules and key features.
SAP SuccessFactors Modules
SAP Success Factors consists of different modules integrated within the platform. When integrating SAP ERP into SAP Success Factors, you can customize a module to fit your business preference.
Here are standard modules found in the platform:
Employee Central Payroll
The central payroll combines technology, innovation, and service into a package that transforms into an automated payroll system. The computerized payroll enhances speedy processing, risk reduction, and simplified roll management.
Central Time Management
The central time and attendance management system is essential if you require a time service system within the organization. Through the system, you can design work schedules, time hourly workers, and streamline leave management.
Employee Central Management
It is a strategic database consisting of employee records, personnel management, and a help desk. In addition, the platform combines all talent data and organization for easy retrieval. You can automate human capital management through the central module to ensure compliance and easy interaction between stakeholders.
Performance Appraisal and Goal Setting
Using SAP Success Factors, you can create company goals and monitor their progress in real-time. Furthermore, you can measure the level of employee output to help in performance appraisal.
Succession and Development
You can anticipate and lay strategies for changes in such as employee transfer from your workforce. You can also identify competency gaps arising from staffing changes and plan for future human resource needs.
Recruitment
The SAP Success Factors makes your recruitment a continuous talent identification and selection strategy. Being an end-to-end solution, you can attract and select the best candidates for any open position.
Compensation
The compensation module helps you to reward employees for work done and to boost productivity. You can also develop compensation decisions and ratings.
Workforce Analytics
You can use business data and talent to produce quantitative insights and actions. Thus, you will know if you are moving in the right direction.
Key Features of SAP SuccessFactors
SAP SuccessFactors cloud-based HCM solution integrates Software as a Service (SaaS) model in human capital management. Thus, organizations can execute operations efficiently and achieve the desired results.
The platform has the following cloud-based features
– Dig Deeper –
Using The SuccessFactor Adapter
Q&A (Post your questions and get the answers you need)
Q. What is the difference difference between CPI and Integration Suite.
A. Cloud Platform Integration (now known as Cloud Integration) is one of the services of SAP Integration suite. SAP Integration Suite contains many other services like API Management, Integration Advisor, Open Connectors and Trading Partner Management.
SAP Integration Suite connects and contextualizes processes and data while enabling new content-rich applications to be assembled faster with less dependence on IT. Pre-built integration packs along with existing investments can be composed to deliver new outcomes with less involvement by integration experts.
Also please check the official help documentation for more details.
Cheers!