Product Release Notes
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Previous Product Release Notes
The BalanceWORKS Family of Software
If you would like to review recent interface design changes, please see: Software Transition Crosswalk.
Version 3.9 – 4.0
As part of our efforts to continually improve our products and services, Berkshire has performed the following quarterlyperforms upgrades to the family of balanceWORKS software products.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact Berkshire’s Product Support department at: product.support@berkshireassociates.com.
OR from within the software, access Support from the Help icon in the software header to send a message to Berkshire.
Berkshire’s Product Support Team
BalanceAAP
This plan preparation software has been updated to include updated features at the intervals below:
JuneRelease
2019
AsNotes part of Apps to Hires, a suite of Applicant data reconciliation tools, duplicate applicants can now be reviewed and resolved.
The layout for working with File Consistency issues across an employee's transaction records has been improved so that records with issues can be quickly located, selected, and resolved.
The visual look of the Summary chart headers has been improved on the Dashboard.
We continue to enhance the newly designed interface in response to identified customer needs and to enhance performance or perform minor bug fixes.
May 2019
The ADVERSE IMPACT FOR APPLICANTS report can now be run by Requisition Number.A new feature to createTrend Reportshas been added to theReportsmodule. These reports will assist in identifying positive and negative movement in key AAP metrics over time.We continue to enhance the newly designed interface in response to previously identified customer needs and to enhance performance or perform minor bug fixes.
April 2019
A new option is available in theFile Consistencycheck to include the prior plan. With this setting, the scan can be performed on the Roster to flag inconsistencies between the prior and current year entries.Census Codingnow includes tools to:Filter theCensus Codingtable to readily review and update EEO group classification mismatches.Support the advanced user in filtering for letter-based Census codes and converting these codes to the proper numerical entries.AdvancedHistoryfeatures allow you to:Create and store a "History plan," originating frombalanceAAP'sStart Point analysis, an existing feature that estimates the historical placement goals based on current plan data.Manage created History plans, by assigning one to the current plan and/or deleting prior History plans.We continue to enhance the newly designed interface in response to previously identified customer needs and to enhance performance or perform minor bug fixes.
March 2019
Plans, the initial landing page, now helps you track audit plans, including the option to show audited and/or unaudited AAPs on theOpen Plantab. Audit plans will be indicated on this tab and theRecent Planslist through highlighting.After the reorganization of External Availability in the prior release,Census Codingtools have been enhanced with the following features:The layout has been redesigned to feature a table format, displaying all relevant Census Coding information — including Census/Job Code matches — PLUS a direct work area for updating these matches.The Census Coding table can be filtered by Job Code, EEO Code, Census Code, revision version, and whether in use.A Census code listing can be expanded to display the SOC (Standard Occupation Code) definition and demographic statistics from the U.S. Census database.The work area now features comprehensive, multi-level Search tools to find Census Codes.Census code assignments can be exported to Excel, via a quick-click button.File Consistency > Batch Opshave been augmented with:Options that consider and help resolve multiple personnel transactions for an employee when they occur on the same day.(For a Master plan) a global operation that updates the Plan code in an employee's personnel action records to match the employee's "Reports to" entry on the Roster Data table.We continue to enhance the newly designed interface in response to previously identified customer needs and to enhance performance or perform minor bug fixes.
February 2019
For better ease of use, the software'sAvailability> External Availability components have been segregated into two distinct work areas, accessible directly from theside navigation menu:Recruitment AreasCensus CodingThe BEST UTILIZATION RULE report (Availability > Factor Weights) now outputs improved analysis when the "All Plans" option is selected for a Master/sub plan set.We continue to enhance the newly designed interface in response to previously identified customer needs and to enhance performance or perform minor bug fixes.
BalanceTRAK
The following applicant tracking features in Version 4.0 have been enhanced at the following intervals:
June 2019
The opening menu for creating a Requisition has been improved to clarify whether an existing Requisition Template is available for selection.The Actions menu on theJob Seekerslist has been modernized for better ease of use.When forwarding a Job Seeker's information (or copying a Job Seeker email to other users), suggestions forbalanceTRAKrecipients will be prompted for you, with the entry of at least two letters from the user name.Based on user permissions, software users can now reopen, edit, AND save submitted Job Seeker Forms.When AcceptingWhat's NewApplicationsinandBalanceAAPInternal/ExternaljobWhat'spostings are off, existing Job Seekers can now continue to complete Forms (e.g., BACKGROUND CHECK).TheReports > Exportfunction for Job Seeker data now displays more options for filters and fields, including limiting the export file to Job Seekers who have completed a particular Form.The feature to alert users when a Job Seeker is not eligible to receive an Offer letter has been added to theJob Seeker > Offertab.For the client-side Administrator:Workflowoptions for dispositioning viewed Job Seekers can be set at the overall level,New inadditionBalanceTRAK (effective January 1, 2016)
System-generatedemail notifications can be controlled from theEmail Templatesscreen.During customer migrations to Version 4.0 Implementations, we continue to enhance the newly designed interface in response to identified customer needs and to enhance performance or perform minor bug fixes.
May 2019
Enhanced filtering by individual Requisition fields has been added to theHomepage Settings menu, for use in personalizing Dashboard widget data.Requisition security has been enhanced to allow for individual user restrictions when creating and managing Requisitions.User Managementhas been enhanced to allow for the copying of user profiles when creating new users.During customer migrations to Version 4.0 Implementations, we continue to enhance the newly designed interface in response to identified customer needs and to enhance performance or perform minor bug fixes.
April 2019
A new "handshake" icon has been added to the Requisition list view, indicating that a closed Requisition resulted in the position(s) being filled.On the Requisition detail >Summarytab, the Job Seeker by Stage table includes a new column for "undispositioned" Job Seekers.In theJob Seekerdetail, the BACKGROUND CHECK form can be automatically released to the Job Seeker from theScreenings > Background Checktab.TheOfferstab is now available in theJob Seekerdetail to support sending a personalized merge letter on company letterhead to the selected candidate. The recipient can then respond to the Offer letter from the Profile area of the Job Seeker account.AtReports > Export > Requisition > Fields, the selection options have been expanded so that Requisition exports can be further customized to include specific fields.To accompany theOfferstab:An administrativeSettingsarea will houseOffer Templates.Client Settings,as implemented by BerkshirePrevious ProductSupportReleasefor client accounts, will control the display of theOfferstab, as triggered by the Offer stage.Client organizations can take advantage of an even wider array of editableEmail Templates, for use in system notifications. The full library includes templates for a Requisition closing; a hire being made; Background Check completion; and Approval Processes, among others. For system activities where applicable, there are separate templates for real-time and daily reminders.During customer migrations to Version 4.0 Implementations, we continue to enhance the newly designed interface in response to identified customer needs and to enhance performance or perform minor bug fixes.
March 2019
The Job Seeker list can be shown in the following configurations:Displayed in Grid view for a comprehensive view of, and access to, applicant data.Filtered to show Job Seeker Stage/Disposition for each applicant.As part of a follow-up interaction with the Job Seeker, an additional Form (as stored in the requisition under: Other Forms) can be automatically released to the Job Seeker from the Job Seeker detail. Form completion status will be indicated on theFormstab, and the corresponding email message is recorded on theCommunicationstab.The platform forHelpvideos has been upgraded, and new offerings have been uploaded to this viewer. The new topical videos can be accessed by users from a correspondingbalanceTRAKtask area.
February 2019
The Job Posting page has been updated with the following settings:The company name used when sharing openings can now be updated onJob Posting Pagesettings.To increase security, Search engines have been restricted from scanning Internal Job Posting pages.For clients withJob Seeker > Communicationturned on:Via Account settings, each user can opt to receive an email to Outlook when a Job Seeker replies to abalanceTRAK-initiated email.The process for recognizing incoming texts from Job Seekers has been enhanced to prevent duplicates when the Job Seeker has applied to multiple Requisitions.Ability for an Incomplete and dispositioned Job Seeker to access partially completed APPLICATION and/or PRESCREENER will be restricted. However, this type of Job Seeker can still receive a Form for completion from abalanceTRAKuser by email.ViaReference Tables > Job Code, separate videos can be displayed to Job Seekers by Job Description, to replace the default video, where suitable.During customer migrations to Version 4.0 Implementations, we continue to enhance the newly designed interface in response to identified customer needs and to enhance performance or perform minor bug fixes.