SAP SuccessFactors 1H 2025 release: key features to strengthen your HR strategy

The SAP SuccessFactors 1H 2025 release marks a strategic milestone for HR, HRIS and digital transformation managers. This release introduces over 350 enhancements, among which stand out pragmatic innovations in employee experience, HR automation via AI, profile personalization and optimization of key processes such as onboarding, recruitment and performance management.

Here are the highlights to remember and activate without delay to create more HR value.

Artificial Intelligence becomes your HR co-pilot

Joule, the smart HR chatbot, gets smarter

Joule is now available in multiple languages and on mobile. It helps employees and HR teams manage simple actions (updating personal data, checking learning tasks, setting goals, approving timesheets), while offering intelligent writing assistance that reduces bias and improves consistency.

Tangible benefit: Significant time savings for HR operations and greater autonomy for employees.

Customers benefit from a free annual message quota, scaled according to organization size (up to 1.2 million messages for large enterprises).

A modern, customizable “People profile”

The new employee profile version, available in opt-in mode, is cleaner, more intuitive, and now fully configurable (section order, titles, categories, visuals…), improving usability for HR and managers alike.

Use case: Instantly identify inactive employees, clearly distinguish regular staff from contingent workers or alumni, and view both direct and matrix managers at a glance.

Get ready now — this new profile will become mandatory by May 2026.

Recruiting and onboarding: enhanced experience for candidates and new hires

Reimagined candidate experience

The recruiting module has a refreshed interface and practical tools: drag-and-drop candidates between statuses, AI-assisted job descriptions and email writing, and automatic interview insights based on notes.

A new “Alumni Experience”

The onboarding module introduces post-employment access for former employees, enabling them to update personal data and access certain benefits or internal resources.

Business value: Maintain engagement with former employees and streamline processes for benefits continuity or alumni initiatives.

Data consistency and compliance, simplified

Hiring directly from the org chart

It’s now possible to trigger a new hire directly from a vacant position in the organizational chart, with pre-filled job and company data, reducing the risk of data entry errors.

Rehire process reinvented

The inactive employee rehire process is evolving. Starting May 2026, only the duplicate check method will be supported, offering improved GDPR compliance and process security..

Learning & Performance: integrated, seamless experience

• Learning: New homepage widgets display recent and required courses, accessible directly from the people profile.
• Performance: New left-hand panel navigation for performance forms, direct admin access to goal plans (no more proxying!), and stronger integration with the Talent Intelligence Hub.

Tip: Ensure you’re using Job Profile Builder to unlock the new competency-related features.

Reporting and permissions: greater control and insight

• The RBP Troubleshooting Tool now replaces “View User Permissions,” allowing role-to-role or user-to-user permission comparisons.
• Story Reporting is enhanced with new features like a print preview of performance forms via deep links and native currency conversion tables.

In summary: build your activation roadmap now!

The 1H 2025 release is packed with practical tools to streamline HR processes, empower users, and improve data quality. Whether you're leading HRIS, heading HR, or managing transformation projects, this update supports your journey toward digital HR maturity.

You want to know more about the release? Watch the replay of our webinar regarding this H1 2025 release. 

Contact us for your first steps in release!