The add/edit report page was due for an update. We like making reports and we think there are others who like making reports too. So what could be better than making it easier to make reports?
There are four key areas that we changed to make report building simpler:
- Single click to add a field. Just a single click on a field in the “Available” column will move the field over to the Selected column. No need to drag it over.
- Quick add. If want to be super speedy, take a look at the quick add box above the list of selected fields. This box works just like employee search: just start typing and names of fields start showing up. Use the arrow keys to highlight the field you want to add and hit “Enter”. This is my favorite part of the update on this page.
- X marks the spot (to delete a field). In the “Selected” column, just hover over a field name and a red X appears. Click the X and the field will be removed from the Selected column and placed carefully back in the “Available” column…in the right order, no less!
- Filter results. This feature has actually always been there, but it a little too hidden…okay, a lot too hidden. The default is to show all data (no filter). But, if you change the dropdown to “only data” you can add filters to make the report even more customized. Want a report to show only your Accountants in the Houston office? No problem.
By Ryan | January 25, 2010
Several months ago, we added the ability to share company files with employees via our employee self-service module. Now we’ve extended sharing to employee-specific files. For example, if want one of your employees (Charlotte Abbott) to have access to the Confidentiality Agreement she signed when she was first hired, it’s as simple as checking a box.
To share documents with employees, simply check the “Share this file with the employee” box when you are adding or editing a document:
Then save your changes and your done.
Here’s what the employees will see when they log in to the employee self-service area:
Only the files you’ve opted to share are displayed in the My Files dashboard module. This works great for new hire documents, stock option grants, performance reviews, etc. Your employees will appreciate having access to soft copies of these import documents. And you’ll be the hero for making it so slick and easy!
By Ryan | January 7, 2010
Until recently, there were only three types of users that could access your Bamboo HR account:
- Administrators could view and edit everything.
- Managers could view everything except for social security numbers and pay rate, but not edit anything.
- Employees could only see a few things like their own benefits and training information.
These three user groups met the needs of many of our customers, but there was a demand for more control over who can see (and edit) what.
We’re proud to announce our custom permission system. Woo hoo!
By click on the Permissions link in the top right corner of the page after you log in, you will see three tabs. The Groups tab is where you can wield you new power.
By clicking on the “Add a new group” button on the right side, you’ll be able to see just how much control you have. Simply select the options you want for the new group and save.
The next step is to assign users to the group. Simply click on the Users tab under Permissions and edit the user you want to update. Change the Group field to the name of the group you just created. The next time that user logs in, they will only have access to do and see the things you selected when you created the group. You can also limit the information available to only direct reports or only employees from specific divisions, locations, or departments.
One of the nice things about using groups for permissions is that you can update the permissions for multiple individuals by simply updating the permissions for the group. Easy, eh?
We hope you find this useful. For those that have been the Lone Ranger when it comes to updating the system, perhaps this permission system will allow you to enlist some help from others without divulging sensitive information.
As always, we welcome your feedback and suggestions. Cheers!
By Ryan | November 25, 2009
An article titled “Research: Giving thanks brings health, happiness” caught my eye this morning. It’s no surprise that being grateful is good for you (and me), but this article made me think about expressing some thanks before I enjoy some food, fun, and family this weekend.
I’m grateful for our awesome customers. We’ve been fortunate to associate with some great individuals that are dedicated and hardworking.
I’m grateful for our team. We have a great group of talented professionals that are just plain fun to work with!
I’m grateful for our partners. This group is a small but growing number of companies and individuals that are working hard to help their customers become more efficient and effective. We’re happy to be associated with them.
Of course, none of what we do is possible without the support of our families. A lot of the happiness and love generated by our families gets poured into our work at Bamboo HR.
Yup. Gratitude makes me feel good. I’m feeling healthier already.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your loved ones!
By Ryan | November 18, 2009
myStaffingPro and Bamboo HR Announce Strategic Partnership
Read the press release
By Ryan | October 6, 2009
We’ve added three new default reports in the Report Library…and two of them have some nice (useful) eye candy!
Benefit Eligibility
This report lists all employees and their eligibility status, plan selected, and coverage selected for all benefits. It’s a simple way to see who’s eligible for what and what the participation level is for each benefit.
Age Profile
This report gives you a quick look at the ages of your workforce. Two fancy graphs provide a visual of your headcount by age band and the age breakdown by department.
Gender Profile
This report is similar to the Age Profile, but provides information on the gender of your workforce. Did I mention I like pie charts?
We hope you find these reports useful!
By Ryan | September 14, 2009
We’ve made a pretty big change to our business. We love working on our product. We love providing service to our customers. But we’ve never really loved our name.
Human Services HQ was picked early on for different reasons, but it never really fit. It’s too long, can be hard to spell, and doesn’t really have any personality. We didn’t want to spend time thinking about the name, but we realized something had to be done.
After many days, much thought, and some great concepts we’ve settled on Bamboo HR.
Why Bamboo?
- We (and our clients) grow rapidly
- We are versatile (can be used in many ways)
- We are highly efficient – providing exceptional results with limited input
- We are flexible
- We scale to any size
We are also personable, fun, dedicated, consistent, and supportive. These adjectives mirror the qualities of our clients and you would expect them in a real world HR professional. It reflects the people and organizations we work with and care about.
So there you go! We’re the same fun company offering the same great service. We’re just more recognizable and easier to spell!
By Ryan | September 11, 2009
Today I had a very pleasant phone conversation with a representative at American Express Merchant Services.
Me: Hi, I need to update the business name on our merchant account.
AMEX: Is anything other than the name changing about the business?
Me: Nope.
AMEX: Great! I can take care of that for you over the phone.
[Here's where I tell her what the new name is...you'll hear more about the name later. I'm not spilling the beans!]
AMEX: Okay, that’s it. Is there anything else I can do for you?
Me: Seriously? That’s it? That was easy.
AMEX: We try not to make things harder than they need to be.
It’s important to note that I made a similar phone call to another company. The representative at that company was nice enough, but explained I needed to fill out a two page form with all the correct information, have the “Assignor” sign in two different places, attach a voided check, and fax it in. It would two 2-3 days to process these changes and, as if that wasn’t enough pain, I was also going to be charged a $15.00 processing fee.
Which experience would you rather have? Which experience are your customers having when they work with your company?
We try hard to provide an AMEX-like experience for our customers. The philosophy of not making things harder than they need to be is baked into our software. It’s part of who we are as a company. Now, we’re not perfect. But this is constantly in front of us…something we try to live by every day.
By Ryan | September 9, 2009
We’ve made a nice little addition to our employee self-service area. You can now share files from the Files tab with your employees. This eliminates the need to email commonly used forms and documents to employees. It can also save on printing costs for things like the employee handbook since it’s available online.
To share files with employees, simply check the “Share this file” box when you are adding or editing a file:
Then save your changes and your done.
Here’s what the employees will see when they log in to the employee self-service area:
They only see the files you’ve opted to share. Ideas for files you might consider sharing include: employee handbook, Form W-4, benefit change forms, etc.
Sharing files is a great way to help employees help themselves, which makes your life a little bit easier. 
By Ryan | August 12, 2009
I have a confession to make: I love dashboards. Not the kind in your car, but the kind you find in many web apps, including ours. I love having the information right at my fingertips. I love viewing key data at a glance. It all makes me a little giddy.
We have some great plans in the works for our dashboard and we wanted to give you a little teaser of what’s to come. We’ve launched a simple pie chart that goes along with the Employee Stats widget. Here’s a sample:
I’m grinning from ear to ear as I type this. There’s nothing that goes better with a dashboard than a nice chart or graph. A pie chart looks especially neat.
I can hardly wait to see more useful information presented in really useful ways. If you have any requests for an improved Dashboard, we’d love to hear them.
