Compensation Management: Phase 3 - Post-Refresh System Updates

This article outlines the final phase of refreshing and resetting the Compensation Management cycle. After employee data has been refreshed and properly archived, administrators complete key configuration updates to prepare for active planning: verifying hierarchies, reviewing business rules, recalculating data, and opening the cycle to managers.

Completing these final checks ensures the compensation environment is accurate, consistent, and ready for use.

In this article:
Post-Refresh System Updates
Verify Hierarchy
Update Business Rules (if necessary)
Recalculate System
Open Cycle to Planning
Accessing Compensation Planning
Resetting Employee Data: Key Notes Per Phase
Additional Resources

Post-Refresh System Updates

After employee data is uploaded, system configurations—including verifying the hierarchy and updating business rules (such as comparison dates or target percentages)—must be finalized.

Verify Hierarchy 

Access Compensation Recommendations by navigating to Your People > Comp Recommendations. 

Verify that the reporting structure is correctly set by reviewing the Manager dropdown list. 

• If the list appears empty, first log out and back in to refresh the hierarchy, then check the list again. 
• If it still does not populate, re-run the employee import to ensure all manager relationships are aligned.

Update Business Rules (if necessary) 

If your business rules rely on comparison dates (e.g., for prorations or years of service) or contain changing values (e.g., a target percentage for budget calculation), you must update these dates/values.

1. Navigate to Sys Admin > QuickStart Setup > Configure Business Rules – Excel (in the sidebar).
2. Locate the rules that require editing and click the blue edit pencil.
3. Update the necessary dates/years or properties (e.g., TargetRaisePct).
4. Click Submit to save the changes.

Recalculate System 

After uploading the data and making any necessary business rules updates, you must Recalculate the system to run through and effect the changes.

Navigate to Sys Admin > QuickStart Setup > Configure Input Screen > RECALCULATE ALL.

Open Cycle to Planning 

Once system updates are complete and managers are ready to access the tool, open the cycle to planning.

1. Navigate to Sys Admin > Configure Compensation Planning Cycles.
2. Locate the Active cycle (the bolded one with a checkmark) and click the blue edit pencil.
3. Scroll down to Comp Statement Print Date and change to a future date. This hides the download comp statement download button from all employees until you are ready.
4. Scroll down to Open Roles and check only the boxes for the user roles that should have access to the Compensation Planning tool. Typically, this should include IsMgr (and in some cases RegHR if applicable). Do not select All Employees or any of the other unused roles.
5. Click Submit to save your changes.

Accessing Compensation Planning

Managers who attempt to log in before their role is opened will receive a message that only certain people are allowed to log in at that time.

Attention

If using SSO (Single Sign-On): Inform your IT department that the tool is open so they can grant access. You need to communicate the specific URL to the population.

If using Direct Login:

• Employees who have logged in previously can use the credentials they previously created.
• New Credentials: New credentials are sent via Welcome emails. The Welcome email generates a one-time password and forces the user to set a new password and security questions. (If a user is stuck, resending the Welcome email password will refresh them and get them running again).
• Sending Welcome Emails: you can select specific groups, such as All Managers. Note that executing the welcome email clears the recipient's previous password and security questions, so be intentional about who receives it in a staggered rollout.

Key Notes for this Phase

System Recalculation	After uploading data and updating any required business rules (e.g., dates for prorations or target percentages), you must Recalculate the system using RECALCULATE ALL to ensure changes are effected.
Access Control (Roles)	Managers who attempt to log in before their role is opened (via Configure Compensation Planning Cycles) will be stopped at the sign-in screen with a message that only certain people are allowed access.
Login Troubleshooting	If a manager cannot log in, check two things:  Are they flagged as isManager=true (do they have subordinates)? Is their Can Login flag set to Yes?
Direct Login & Welcome Email	For users accessing via Direct Login (non-SSO), the Welcome email generates a one-time password and forces the user to set a new password/security questions.
Welcome Email Warning	Executing the Welcome email clears the recipient's previous password and security questions and resets them as a new user. Be intentional about who receives it in a staggered rollout. It is recommended not to copy-paste formatted text directly into the email editor.
Performance/Rollout	If you have a large number of managers, consider staggering the communication about the tool opening to mitigate performance impact from everyone logging in simultaneously.

 

Additional Resources

Compensation Management Getting Started
Compensation Management Overview
Compensation Management Phases Overview
Compensation Management: Phase 1 - Preparing & Archiving Data
Compensation Management: Phase 2 - Refreshing Employee Data