Book excerpt: Self-service for employees and managers has received widespread acceptance and is now being used by companies throughout the world. If you are working on or considering an SAP ERP HCM Employee Self-Service (ESS) and Manager Self-Service (MSS) implementation, this is the resource you need. This book is written for HR and IT professionals, project managers, and consultants. It covers the project cycle from design to implementation, beginning with the details of why self-service is important to organizations, how it fits into a service delivery strategy, and how to approach developing a business case. An overview of ESS and MSS is provided along with details on the technical implementation, including the homepage framework, OADP (Object and Data Provider), and the underlying configuration. Self-service fundamentals are also explained, including installation and setup, and a full review of the standard components available in SAP ESS and MSS Business Packages is included. More advanced topics, including delegation, workflow, and security authorizations are covered, and a case study and lessons-learned section provides real-world insights from past experiences.