SF Foundation Object Cleanup

Clean up foundation object data so hierarchies render correctly, reporting aggregates work, and approvals route properly.

When to Use

• Org chart shows disconnected nodes or missing departments
• Cost center reporting produces incorrect roll-ups
• Location hierarchy has gaps (country → region → site broken)
• Pre-migration foundation data quality check
• Reorganisation aftermath cleanup

Prerequisites

• Foundation object data exports (OData or Provisioning CSV)
• List of expected hierarchy structures (from client)
• List of external systems consuming SF foundation objects

Workflow

Step 1: Extract All Foundation Objects

Target entities:

• FOLocation
• FODepartment
• FODivision
• FOCostCenter
• FOLegalEntity
• FOPayComponent

Step 2: Hierarchy Validation

For each foundation object:

• Parent-child integrity: parent field references a valid externalCode that exists
• Circular references: A → B → C → A (walks back to root checking for loops)
• Orphaned nodes: node has no parent but is not root-level
• Duplicate external codes: same externalCode used for different nodes

Step 3: Usage Check

For each foundation object node:

• How many positions reference it?
• How many employees map to it?
• Is it referenced in active workflows?
• Is it referenced in business rules?

Step 4: Cleanup Plan

Produce:

• List of nodes to fix with exact corrective action
• Sequence (resolve parents before children)
• Pre-cleanup snapshot for rollback
• Post-cleanup validation checks

Edge Cases

• Time-dependent hierarchies: nodes with effectiveStartDate/effectiveEndDate; validate across time
• Multi-country structures: same legal entity owns locations in multiple countries
• Cost center reorganisation: mid-financial-year changes need retroactive handling
• External system IDs: SAP Finance cost centers must match SF FOCostCenter externalCodes
• Circular references that are intentional: some organisations model matrix structures with bidirectional links (rare, but validate)
• Foundation objects in workflows: changing a department name may break approval routing

Common Pitfalls

1. Fixing the hierarchy without re-pointing positions: Positions still point to old nodes. Run position integrity check after cleanup.
2. Renaming externalCodes: Breaks every integration. Add new code, transition, then deprecate old.
3. Not checking effective dates: A node may be inactive for future dates but look active today.
4. Assuming one root per hierarchy: Some organisations have multiple root locations, departments, or cost centers.
5. Missing the reporting impact: A broken cost center hierarchy means financial reports are wrong. Quantify the business impact.

Verification Checklist

• [ ] All foundation objects inventoried
• [ ] Hierarchy loops identified and isolated
• [ ] Orphaned nodes flagged with fix action
• [ ] External integration dependencies listed
• [ ] Cleanup sequence documented with rollback
• [ ] Post-cleanup integrity check plan ready