Internal (Availability Factor 2)

KEY TOPICS:

• Add Feeders
• Read Feeders from Promotions and Transfer Data
• Import Feeders from another Plan
• Feeders in a Master Plan

Identify Feeder Jobs to Determine Internal Availability

About Internal Availability

Internal Availability is a calculation, which involves determining what internal positions at your organization form a pathway for promotion (or transfer) from a source Job Group into a target Job Group. As part of this analysis, jobs that feed other jobs must be determined. A feeder can be defined as a "staffed position that provides a normal path into a higher-level Job Group," although transfers may also be included in making the determination.

Add Feeders

From the Internal Availability screen, select a target from the Job Group drop-down. If there are any feeders already assigned to this group, they will be displayed.

Choose [Add] from the upper toolbar, and a list of potential Feeder Job Codes will display for the Current Job Group. At the top of the menu: Select a Feeder Job Group, which will be the source of feeders.

Notes: At least one Roster employee must be assigned to the Job Title/Code before the position can be designated as a feeder. Feeders will typically not be assigned for entry-level Job Groups.

After checking one or more Job Codes, and click [Add Feeders].

Example: You may select feeders from different source Job Groups: Target Job Group 1B may have feeders from source Job Group 2A and 3A.

Repeat these steps for each Job Group.

Assign Feeders by Job Group

The balanceAAP default is to set feeders by Job Title/Code. However, feeders may be assigned by Job Group for small organizations or those with a simple structure.

When applied, feeder assignments will be made from a Job Groups list. Check off one or more, and click [Add]. All jobs within the feeder group will count equally in the Availability calculation.

Cascade to Sub plans

Most settings in this section can be carried down to the sub plans by selecting the Cascade to Sub Plans option.

Read Feeders from Promotions and/or Transfers

If your promotion information is representative of your typical promotion activity, balanceAAP can help you identify feeders by reading them from yourthe promotionPromotions (and Transfer) data. Though not as common, balanceAAP can also use your transfer information to define feeders, if appropriate.

Click Read[Read FeedersFeeders] in the upper toolbar to access this function. Select the appropriate options as follows:

• Read Feeders from Promotions or Transfers – Select one or both tables. The job code the employee moved from will be added as a feeder to the job group of the job code they moved to.
• Apply to Current Job Group or All Job Groups – Select whether you want the function to apply to all job groups in your plan, or only the job group currently set as the target group.
• Append or Overwrite – Select Append if you already have feeders assigned to groups that should not be lost. Select Overwrite, and any existing feeders will be replaced with the feeders added by the function.
• Cascade to Sub Plans – Available only in a Master Plan. Select Yes to have the feeders carry down to the job groups in the appropriate sub plans as well.

Once you have selected your options, click Apply Read Feeders.

Import Feeders from Existing Plan or External Files

If you have your feeders in an external file, or you have done a plan in the online version of balanceAAP in the past, you can import the feeders assigned in another plan into this plan.

Click Import to access this function. Choose From an Existing Plan or From an External File.

If you selected the From an Existing Plan option, choose the Company, Establishment, and Plan from the drop-down lists, and click Import Feeders.

If you selected the From an External File, choose a file type from the drop-down list from Excel, Access or a text file. NOTE: If your file is in Excel or Text format, you have the option to indicate if the first row in the file contains column headers. Also, if your file is in Text format, select the appropriate field delimiter from the drop-down list. Click Browse to select the file and click Next.

Select a file and the appropriate file options (e.g. spreadsheet, table name, etc.). You will then be prompted to match your fields. A preview of the data to be imported will be displayed. Click Next when completed. Click Import to complete the import process.

Remove Downward Movement

By definition, feeders should represent only upward movement within your company. If you have assigned feeders based on your promotions or transfers, it is advised to ensure inappropriate feeders have not been assigned. Click Remove Downward Movement to automatically remove any feeders in which the feeder is in a higher job group than the target job group it is feeding. A pop-up window will appear with the option to apply this function to the current job group or all job groups. Select the desired option, and click Remove Downward Movement.

Feeders in a Master Plan

Most settings in this section can be carried down to the sub plans by selecting the Cascade to Sub Plans option.