balanceAAP > Plan Review

The balanceAAP Plan Review is a verification tool used to evaluate your affirmative action plan and identify areas which may require additional attention. This feature groups your plan down into individual items with a list of tasks to review and complete. These item can be reviewed and closed automatically based on your plan data or they must be manually reviewed and closed. While not a requirement, Berkshire recommends using the Plan Review prior to downloading your final plan reports.

Manual Items

Plan Review items which require manual intervention to be closed are identified by the term Manual , located to the right of the item number. These items must be reviewed and confirmed before they can be closed. The Close button is displayed on the left side under the item number. The item's status can also be closed through the Edit action . When the section is closed, the item number will be highlighted in green and identified .

Automated Items

Upon first entering the Plan Review, balanceAAP will evaluate the current plan. If any items pass using the initial automatic scan, the item number on the left will be highlighted in green and identified with a . If the item(s) remain open, they must be corrected within the plan before the item can be closed. Once the needed changes have been made, the item's status can be rescanned by clicking the icon next to the item number.

Plan Review Actions

To expedite the Plan Review process, the following actions are available for most items:
  • To refresh all of the Plan Review items, there Refresh All options is located in the top right next to the date and time of the last review.
  • The list of items can be filtered by their status (Open/Closed) and by their status (Manual/Automated).
  • The edit action provides the ability to change an items status from Open to Closed (or vice versa) and add comments.
  • If comments have been added to a task, the following icon will appear .
  • When a item is still open, click the icon to be taken directly to the specific section of your plan.
  • Several items contain Excel documents to review. This icon downloads the file with the corresponding item data.
  • If an item has a corresponding balanceAAP Report, the
    will download the specific report.

Plan Review Video Tutorial

The full list of Plan Review items are listed below:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
Section Name Item Description Type Master Plan Sub Plan Regular Plan Update Plan
Plan Information1.0Confirm that that plan date is correct in the plan information screen, and plan date range is correct. The plan date range should be the 12 months prior to the plan date.ManualYesYesYesYes
Plan Information1.1Verify that the Company Name and Establishment Name are spelled correctly in the plan information screen.ManualYesYesYesYes
Plan Information1.2Verify that EEO Schedule selected in the plan information screen is correct for type of company.ManualYesYesYesYes
Plan Information1.3Plan Code Table: Company and Establishment Names are spelled correctly.ManualYesNoNoNo
Plan Information1.4Plan Code Table: Document explanation for plans under 50 employeesAutomaticYesNoNoNo
Plan Information1.5Determine if any catch-all plans are used. For example, a plan that includes all remote sales workers, or all locations less than 50 employees combined in one plan. Confirm this is appropriate and document explanation.ManualYesYesNoYes
Plan Information1.6Current plan employee count is compared to the history source plan’s employee count, document explanation if the difference in employee count is more than a 25% difference.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Plan Information1.7Plan Information: Plan Code Structure in Update Plan Matches Annual Plan.AutomaticYesNoNoYes
Reference and Data Tables2.0All errors are corrected OR document explanation for remaining errors.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.1File Consistency: All issues are cleared OR document explanation for remaining issues.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.2Race Code Table: 1. All Race Codes are valid, i.e. no "unknown". 2. All Race Codes match Race Category.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.3Gender Code Table: 1. Gender Codes are valid, i.e. no "unknown"; 2.) Gender Codes match Gender Category.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.4Job Group Table: Job Groups are assigned to correct EEO Category.ManualYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.5Job Group Table: Job Group Names are spelled correctly.ManualYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.6Grade Code Table: 1. Grades are sequenced highest midpoint to lowest midpoint and Jobs are ordered by EEO Category OR 2. "Order Jobs with No Grades" was applied.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.7Department Table: No blank or duplicate Department Names.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.8Applicant Disposition Table: Correct category is checked for Hired, Offer Extended, Internal Successful, Exclude, as applicable.ManualYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.9Applicant Disposition Table: "Offer Extended" category is checked for all applicable dispositions, e.g. failed drug test; no show for first day.ManualYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.10Applicant Disposition Table: No codes for Acquisitions or Recalls are categorized as "Hired".ManualYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.11Termination Code Table: Voluntary/Involuntary status is correct for each code.ManualYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.12Roster: Annualized Salary: 1. Wage Rate, Annualized Salary, and Hours Per Week fields are populated for all records; 2. All salaries meet Federal minimum wage and are annualized to full-time equivalent of 2080 hours per year; OR 3. Document explanation and approval of salaries below minimum wage and "0" hours per week.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.13Roster/New Hires/Applicants: Employees who are in both the New Hires and Roster have the same Protected Veterans designation in both data tables. Hired Applicants coded as Protected Veterans or Individual with Disability have the same designation in their New Hire record. Note: "Reconcile Protected Veterans and IWD" function in Applicant Table will match PV/IWD across all tables for all Applicants/New Hires with a Full Match in the Applicant Workbook.ManualYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.14Roster: Annotations: Work Location field is populated for all records and Annotations are identified; employees with a Remote designation of TRUE are set as Annotations; OR document explanation for no Annotations.ManualYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.15Acquisitions or Recalls are captured in a separate user personnel action, not in the New Hires.ManualYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.16Applicant Table: No duplicate records exist.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Reference and Data Tables2.17Roster/PA Tables: HireDate/ActionDate are populated for all records.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
History3.0History Source is set to correct prior year AAP in single plan or master plan and subplans.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
History3.1History: Source: History Settings: Advanced Settings: Include New Hires in History Pool: If setting is checked, document explanation and approval for using setting.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
IWD/Veterans4.0Confirm that Hiring Overview screen is calculated. If Master Plan, confirm ‘Edit by Sub Plan’ is checked and Plan Codes are in bold.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
IWD/Veterans4.1Confirm that PV Hiring Benchmark % is correct for the plan date. On PV Hiring Benchmark report, % should be as of the start of your plan date range (i. e.: for a 1/1/2021 AAP, the % should be what it was on 1/1/2020). In PV narrative, hiring benchmark listed should be as of the plan date (i.e.: for a 1/1/2021 AAP, the narrative should list the benchmark that was in place on 1/1/2021).AutomaticYesYesYesNo
Plan Narratives5.0Settings: 1. Reports are included for all narratives; 2. Tags and Values that are in use and needed for correct text display are populated; 3. Affirmative Action Officer and Policy Signer are not the same name.AutomaticYesYesYesNo
Plan Narratives5.1Settings: Tags and Values spelling/punctuation is correct.ManualYesYesYesNo
Plan Narratives5.2Settings: Outreach Programs match respective narrative.ManualYesYesYesNo
Primary Reports6.0Census Code Assignments: 1. No aggregate Census Codes assigned. 2. For plans using Start Point Analysis, all Used Job Codes have a Census Code assigned. 3. Census codes are appropriate to Job Titles. 4. Census Codes in EEO Category 1.1 are specific to Job Titles, not all assigned as ‘0010’.AutomaticYesYesYesNo
Primary Reports6.1Organizational Profile: Workforce Analysis: 1. Sequencing in grade table is appropriate; and 2. Reports Settings for Workforce Analysis is reviewed and confirmed the correct ‘Order By’ option was selected. OFCCP requires that every Department includes a Supervisor – complete this check manually. Organizational Display: 1. Supervisors are identified for every Department; and 2. All Departments, except Top Department, are assigned a Reports To Department.ManualYesYesYesNo
Primary Reports6.2Job Group Analysis: 1. Verify Job Titles are appropriate to Job Group and EEO Category; 2. Document explanation and approval for exceptions.ManualYesNoYesNo
Primary Reports6.3Job Group Analysis Summary: 1. There is no required Job Group size, but Job Groups of 30-50 employees are recommended. If small job groups are due to something other than EEO Category, document explanation. Document explanation for large job groups. 2. Minority and Female % seem appropriate for industry and geographic location. 3. Document any job group structure changes (breakouts, roll-ups, etc.) made in this AAP year.ManualYesNoYesNo
Primary Reports6.41. Work Location is populated for all records; 2. At sub plans, confirm that Reports In/Out is captured correctly – if using Balance Reports In/Out function, Reports In/Out will only be captured at EEO 1.1 and 1.2 levels by default. Document exceptions where plans do not have someone reporting out. 3. Confirm that all employees designated as Reports In/Out have the ‘Reports to Location’ column populated. 4. Document explanation and approval for a location with 50 or more employees that is not a separate AAP (i.e.: customer site). 5. Confirm plan(s) with no locations with 50 or more employees is correct.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Primary Reports6.5Recruitment Area Worksheet: 1. Reasonable Recruitment Areas for each job group in each plan are correct: areas are appropriate to plan location, work locations, and EEO category (i.e.: broader areas at higher EEO categories, local areas at lower EEO categories). 2. Annotated locations are included in Reasonable Recruitment Areas. 3. Remote employees are accounted for with United States percentage in Reasonable Recruitment Area.ManualYesYesYesNo
Primary Reports6.6Availability Factor Computation Form: 1. No weight on Factor 2 if no Feeder Pool; 2. Document approval for weight on Factor 2 of 50% or more.AutomaticYesYesYesNo
Primary Reports6.7Feeder Job Calculations: Document explanation and approval of downward Feeders and/or Feeders within Job Group.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Primary Reports6.8Incumbency vs. Estimated Availability: Standard rule recommended is Significant Difference – document rationale if other rule is being used.ManualYesYesYesNo
Primary Reports6.9Data Collection Analysis for IWD/PV: 1. Number of Job Openings and Jobs Filled are greater than or equal to Hired Applicants and logical for Roster count. 2. If no IWD/PV applicants, confirm compliance with self-ID requirements.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Primary Reports6.10Narratives: 1. No blank pages; font, spacing, formatting are correct; 2. Narrative tags are populated appropriately to respective narrative and spelling/punctuation is correct; 3. EEO/AA Policy Statement is customized and signed; 4. Custom policies and exhibits are updated to current plan year; 5. PV benchmark is correct for plan date.ManualYesYesYesNo
Primary Reports6.11Applicants by Disposition Code by Job Group and New Hires Summary: verify that hired applicants for each job group on the Applicants by Disposition Code by Job Group match the number of new hires for that job group on the New Hires Summary. Confirm total hires by group as well as race and gender numbers by group match.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Support Reports7.0Applicant Summary by Disposition by Job Group: 1. Internal Hires are not Unknown race/gender; 2. All Job Groups have a Hire; 3. Document explanation for low or no applicant pools.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Support Reports7.1Detail for Promotions: 1. All job groups with selections have a pool listed that is not 0. 2. Number Selected is less than Pool; OR document explanation and approval when Pool is less than Selected.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Support Reports7.2Detail for Terminations: 1. All job groups with selections have a pool listed that is not 0. 2. Number Selected is less than Pool; OR document explanation and approval when Pool is less than Selected.AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Support Reports7.3Detail for Applicants: Identify Job Groups where the number of selected applicants is equal to the number of applicants in the pool. Document reasoning for these (i.e.: executive level hire, other job-seekers were excluded, highly-specialized role, etc.).AutomaticYesYesYesYes
Other8.0Job Groups with Default RRA report: Confirm that any sub plans using Master Default Reasonable Recruitment Area were intentionally set that way (i.e.: all groups in one EEO category using United States).AutomaticYesYesYesYes