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What's New in balanceTRAK

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BalanceTRAK

Part of the balanceWORKS family of software

If you would like to review recent interface design changes, please see:   Software Transition Crosswalk.

Version 4.0


As part of our efforts to continually improve our products and services, Berkshire performs periodic upgrades to balanceTRAK software.

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

The following applicant tracking features in Version 4.0 have been enhanced at the following intervals:

July 2020

  • An updated Voluntary SELF-IDENTIFICATION of Disability form is now available for all balanceTRAK Implementations. In conformance with OFCCP requirements as of August 4, 2020, this form is for use by covered employers to invite applicants to voluntarily disclose disability status (along with surveying employees at least once every five years).
    • The APPLICATION process and Job Description pages have been enhanced to incorporate Google Tag Manager, which allows marketing teams to add and update embedded tags for site analytics and conversion tracking.
  • Requisition and Job Seeker Approval process emails have been updated to improve the Notifications process.
  • Job Seeker management and Search capabilities have been augmented for enhanced usability.
  • Tools for Add a New Requisition and Requisition management have been improved for increased efficiency in job posting and tracking.
  • Relevant BalanceTRAK > Reports will now display descriptive information for Pending, Open, and Closed Categories (e.g.,Pending - Awaiting Approval) to harmonize with the Requisition detail > Summary display.
  • As part of our continual efforts to improve software performance, we have improved the platform’s underlying stability and addressed minor bug fixes.

June 2020

  • As part of the Indeed integration, options for Indeed job postings now include indicating if the position is remote, and if so, the type of remote arrangement (e.g., temporary, fully remote, flexibility to work from home). This supports an applicant’s ability to search Indeed postings, using these criteria.
  • BalanceTRAK can now be integrated with Jobfindah.
  • As part of our continual efforts to improve software performance, we have improved the platform’s underlying stability and addressed minor bug fixes.

April 2020

  • For a Requisition’s Sources, the Date Sent column will better document the autopost function for various integrated job boards and the user’s actions.
  • For the list column in Job Seekers, the Show Incomplete Job Seekers toggle icon will remain on until the user turns it off, even after the page is refreshed or the user navigates to another module.
  • For client organizations with multiple Job Posting pages (typically reflecting separate business units), the Job Description page header can be customized for each business unit.
  • In upgraded balanceTRAK notification emails, visual elements, including the employer’s job posting logo, will be displayed.
  • Approval Process notifications from balanceTRAK have been additionally upgraded as follows:
    • The notification triggers and process has been streamlined to better target recipient audiences, based on the participating user’s role and the action.
    • The Job Description will be attached to a Requisition Approval Process email message, in PDF.
  • The process of developing an Approval Process template has been centralized, limiting their creation to the Settings > Approval Process Templates module. (Previously, a new template could be developed while creating a Requisition template.)
  • System Tools > Profile Management will now include a control on the Administration tab to disable the Skip approver function for Approval Processes.
  • Enhancements have been made to Settings > System > Archives to improve data compilation and performance.
  • We continue to enhance the 4.0 interface in response to customer feedback, for minor bug fixes, for visual appeal, and to improve performance.

February 2020

  • Permissions for Requisition and Job Seeker Approval Processes have been modified to account for ad-hoc processes.
  • The settings for Requisition detail > Keywords have been adjusted to limit the number of keywords to 10.
  • When Job Seekers are copied to another Requisition for consideration, and the option to notify the Job Seeker is selected, a customized email message can now be sent. (An Administrator can edit/develop the message at: Settings > Email Templates.)
  • We continue to enhance the 4.0 interface in response to customer feedback, for minor bug fixes, for visual appeal, and to improve performance.

January 2020

  • The Job Seeker list will now display the full Disposition code description, and the Keyword score will automatically activate for new Job Seekers.
  • When a Requisition end date is reached, the toggle switches for Posted Internally/Externally and Accepting New Job Seekers will automatically turn off in all situations.
  • For an Offer letter to the chosen hire, your company representative’s signature will now display in script when entered into the Signature field.
  • ZipRecruiter joins our list of free, opt-in job posting feeds, available via balanceTRAK.
  • We continue to enhance the 4.0 interface in response to customer feedback, for minor bug fixes, for visual appeal, and to improve performance.

December 2019

  • The Job Seeker Search query has been enhanced for faster performance.
  • On the Requisitions > Summary tab:
    • If multiple Job Posting pages are in place, Links will display for all of those sites.
    • Counts for incoming Job Seekers can be viewed by social media source.
  • Other Forms can now be attached when forwarding a Job Seeker, copying a Job Seeker to another Requisition, and scheduling an interview with a Job Seeker.
  • Automatic emails to job seekers who have been dispositioned will display the email address of the sender as defined in System Settings, rather than as an individual user.
  • When an email is sent from balanceTRAK, the system will validate all of the sender, recipient, and CC fields for proper address format.
  • For clients using sponsored Indeed ads, the minimum value will be $25 when completing the integrated Indeed menu.
  • System Alerts have been consolidated to a balanceWORKS landing page, organized by software product, offering a centralized method for users to view and acknowledge system messages.
  • We continue to enhance the 4.0 interface in response to customer feedback, for minor bug fixes, for visual appeal, and to improve performance.

October 2019

  • Notification tools have been enhanced for both the client-side Administrator and the user:
    • A full array of controls are now available for the delivery of communications and event alerts. Just as before, these controls can be set globally by an Administrator (Settings > System), and then by the individual user.
    • In the software header, the Notification center will now be separated into two components, one for () Job Seeker and Requisition email messages, and a second center for () event alerts (e.g., Job Seeker has applied, a Requisition is closing). In addition to a display of recent notifications, delivery settings for the individual user will be directly accessible via the new icons.
      • Note: For continuity purposes, the previously determined (and more limited) settings will carry over. To check what's in place or take advantage of new features, all users should review their current delivery options. Simply click the Settings link, available under each icon.
    • The Notification widget will be replaced by the new quick-access points for communications, as described above.
  • For client organizations with a hierarchy of organizational units, Requisitions can be displayed by these secondary levels, using a drop-down menu in the "Location" filter, at the top of the page.
  • Under Requisition > Sources, additional settings will display, related to sponsoring Indeed postings and selecting pricing for sponsored postings.

August 2019

  • For Requisitions without an Approval Process, Client Settings have been modified with an option to place all new Requisitions into the Pending Category.
  • On a new tab (Settings > System > Job Description), Sections of the Job Description can be toggled on as required components when new Requisitions are created.

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 the Job Seekers list 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 for balanceTRAK recipients 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 Accepting New Applications and Internal/External job postings are off, existing Job Seekers can now continue to complete Forms (e.g., BACKGROUND CHECK).
  • The Reports > Export function 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 the Job Seeker > Offer tab.
  • For the client-side Administrator:
    • Workflow options for dispositioning viewed Job Seekers can be set at the overall level, in addition to by Job Seeker Stage.
    • System-generated email notifications can be controlled from the Email Templates screen.
  • 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 the Home page 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 Management has 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 > Summary tab, the Job Seeker by Stage table includes a new column for "undispositioned" Job Seekers.
  • In the Job Seeker detail, the BACKGROUND CHECK form can be automatically released to the Job Seeker from the Screenings > Background Check tab.
  • The Offers tab is now available in the Job Seeker detail 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.
  • At Reports > Export > Requisition > Fields, the selection options have been expanded so that Requisition exports can be further customized to include specific fields.
  • To accompany the Offers tab:
    • An administrative Settings area will house Offer Templates.
    • Client Settings, as implemented by Berkshire Product Support for client accounts, will control the display of the Offers tab, as triggered by the Offer stage.
  • Client organizations can take advantage of an even wider array of editable Email 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 the Forms tab, and the corresponding email message is recorded on the Communications tab.
  • The platform for Help videos has been upgraded, and new offerings have been uploaded to this viewer. The new topical videos can be accessed by users from a corresponding balanceTRAK task area.
  • 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.

February 2019

  • The Job Posting page has been updated with the following settings:
    • The company name used when sharing openings can now be updated on Job Posting Page settings.
    • To increase security, Search engines have been restricted from scanning Internal Job Posting pages.
  • For clients with Job Seeker > Communication turned on:
    • Via Account settings, each user can opt to receive an email to Outlook when a Job Seeker replies to a balanceTRAK-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 a balanceTRAK user by email.
  • Via Reference 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.