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A Guide to Scheduling Activities

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This document is intended to help administrators set Activity Template schedules by providing recommended settings for common scenarios.  

What is in this guide?

Scheduler Glossary

Scheduler Recipes:

  1. Distribute activities to new hires and existing employees based on anniversary date

  2. Distribute activities to new hires and existing employees based on a specific date

  3. Distribute activities to new hires but do not distribute to existing employees

  4. Distribute activities n days after the Hire Date for Performance Evaluations

  5. Distribute activities to existing employees but do not distribute to new hires

  6. Stop distributing activities after an expiration date 

  7. Distribute an activity to all employees immediately and then again on a specific date interval

Frequently Asked Questions

Scheduler Glossary

Distribution Window - The period of time between when an activity is distributed and when it is due. This is a grace period during which a user is given time to complete an activity before it becomes past due and begins to count against compliance scores. During the Distribution Window, the scheduler will consider an activity "In Scope" for distribution and assign it to the user. The length of the Distribution Window is set by the Early Distribution setting.

Dynamic Date - A date, such as a Hire Date or Birth, pulled from each user's personnel file and which can be used as the initial due date. Related: Initial Due Date Based On and Plus Days

Early Distribution - The number of days each user shall be given to complete an activity before it becomes past due and begins to affect compliance scores. The number of days entered determines the length of the Distribution Window. Related: Distribution Window

End Automatically - The optional expiration date after which the system will cease to distribute new activities.  All activities that are due up to and including the expiration date are distributed, but no activities are distributed that would be due after the Expiration Date.

Force Distribution - A method of manually distributing activities with assigned due dates to users. This is performed using the Activity Manifest Tool under Admin.

Immediate Distribution - Instructs the scheduler to distribute an activity outside of a scheduled Distribution Window if certain criteria are met. It is only triggered if the user did not receive an activity either during the prior Distribution Window or at any point since that time.  The due date is calculated by adding the Early Distribution days to the date the activity is created, thus giving the user a consistent Distribution Window before an uncompleted activity becomes past due and affects compliance scores. WARNING: Disabling Immediate Distribution can result in scheduled distributions that either occur in the past, which will not distribute, or in the future, which may not distribute for some time.

In Scope - The period of time during which the scheduler determines that an activity should be distributed to a user based on set schedule.  It is just another way of describing the "Distribution Window".

Initial Due Date Based On - Establishes the basis for the initial due date. Options include: a Specific Date; and Dynamic Dates, such as Hire Date and Birth Date, which both pull from an employee's personnel file. Related: Specific Date, Dynamic Date and Plus Days

Measure Compliance - When enabled, this Activity Template option allows past-due activities to be included in the calculation of individual, team and company Compliance Scores.

Out of Scope - The period of time during which the scheduler determines that an activity should not be distributed to a user based on set schedule.

Plus Days - Adds days to a Dynamic Date to change the Due Date.  For example, if you selected the Hire Date as the basis for the Initial Due Date and set "Plus Days" to "90", then the activity will be due 90 days after the employee's Hire Date. Related: Dynamic Date

Recurrence - The frequency at which the activity will be distributed. For example, monthly, quarterly annually, every 2 weeks, every 2 years, every 4 months, etc.

Specific Date - A date on the calendar that can be used as the initial due date. Related: Initial Due Date Based On 

Scheduler Recipes

This section includes a set of common scheduler recipes to help admins understand how to get the most out of the activity scheduler. 

Note that, although they may work, these scenarios are not written to specifically accommodate situations where a schedule is changed from one setting to another.  Please contact Compli Support if you have questions 

1. Distribute activities to new hires and existing employees based on anniversary date

This is the most common scenario, and the one we recommend for most policies and trainings.  Use this when you want to distribute activities to group members on or before their hire date, and also to all existing users.  Immediate Distribution also ensures that activities are immediately distributed when employees are added to the assigned groups, such as when they are hired, promoted, demoted or transferred. Adding annual recurrence will distribute again on each employee's anniversary date.

Key settings:

  • Set the Initial Due date to be based on Hire Date to distribute to new hires
  • Set Immediate Distribution to Yes to distribute to existing employees
  • Enable Annual Recurrence to distribute again on each employee's anniversary date
Example Schedule 1.1 (One Time)

Initial Due Date Based On: Hire Date
Due Date Plus Days: 0 Days
Early Distribution: 14 days
Immediate Distribution: Yes
End Automatically: No
Recurrence: No

1.1: How to schedule a policy that is required one time for all new hires and existing employees.

Example Schedule 1.2 (Annual)

Initial Due Date Based On: Hire Date
Early Distribution: 14 days
Immediate Distribution: Yes
End Automatically: No
Recurrence: Yes
Recurrence Interval: 1
Recurrence Unit: Year(s)

1.2: How to schedule a policy that is required annually on the Anniversary date for all new hires and existing employees.

2. Distribute activities to new hires and existing employees based on a specific date

Use this when you want to all existing employees to receive a policy on a specific due date, but you also want it to immediately distribute to new hires when they are added to the system (and an assigned group).  Immediate Distribution also ensures that activities are immediately distributed when employees are added to the assigned groups, such as when they are hired, promoted, demoted or transferred. Adding annual recurrence will distribute again annually from the initial due date.

Key settings:

  • Set the Initial Due date to be based on Specific Date
  • Set Immediate Distribution to Yes
  • Enable Annual Recurrence to require this activity again each year from the initial due date
Example Schedule 2.1 (One-Time)

Initial Due Date Based On: Specific Date
Specific Date: Today or in the near future
Early Distribution: 14 days
Immediate Distribution: Yes
End Automatically: No
Recurrence: No

2.1: How to schedule a policy, for example, that is required one time on a specific date for all new hires and existing employees.

Example Schedule 2.2 (Annual)

Initial Due Date Based On: Specific Date
Specific Date: Today or in the near future
Early Distribution: 14 days
Immediate Distribution: Yes
End Automatically: No
Recurrence: Yes
Recurrence Interval: 1
Recurrence Unit: Year(s)

2.1: How to schedule a policy, for example, that is required annually from a specific date for all new hires and existing employees.

3. Distribute activities to new hires but do not distribute to existing employees

Use this to distribute activities to group members on or before their hire date, but do not distribute to existing employees whose Hire Date is in the past.  

Required settings:

  • Set the Initial Due Date Date to Hire Date
  • Set Recurrence and Immediate Distribution to No
Example Schedule 3.1 (New Hires Only)

Initial Due Date Based On: Hire Date
Due Date Plus Days: 0 days
Early Distribution: 14 days
Immediate Distribution: No
End Automatically: No
Recurrence: No

3.1 How to schedule a Form W-4 that only goes to new hires, for example.

4. Distribute activities n days after the Hire Date for Performance Evaluations

These settings are commonly used for 90-Day and Annual Performance Evaluations.  Use the "Due Date Plus Days" option to create an initial due date that first occurs n days after the Hire Date. Adding 365 days to the Hire Date effectively distributes the activity on their first anniversary date.

Key settings:

  • Set the Initial Due Date Date to Hire Date
  • Set the Due Date Plus Days to:
    • 90 for a 90-Day Performance Evaluation
    • 365 for an Annual Performance Evaluation 
  • Set Recurrence to Annual Recurrence for the Annual Performance Evaluation
Example Schedule 4.1 (90-Day)

Initial Due Date Based On: Hire Date
Due Date Plus Days: 90 days
Early Distribution: 14 days
Immediate Distribution: No
End Automatically: No
Recurrence: No

4.1 How to schedule a 90-day Performance Evaluation, for example.  

Example Schedule 4.2 (Annual)

Initial Due Date Based On: Hire Date
Due Date Plus Days: 365 days
Early Distribution: 14 days
Immediate Distribution: No
End Automatically: No
Recurrence: Yes
Recurrence Interval: 1
Recurrence Unit: Year(s)

4.2 How to schedule an Annual Performance Evaluation that begins on the first anniversary date, for example.  

5. Distribute activities to existing employees but do not distribute to new hires

Use this to distribute activities to all group members who are in the group now, but not to users added to the assigned group(s) after the due date. 

Key settings:

  • Set the Initial Due Date Date to Specific Date
  • Set the Specific Due Date to TODAY or to a date in the not-to-distant future
  • Set Immediate Distribution and Recurrence to No
Example Schedule 5.1 (Existing Only) 

Initial Due Date Based On: Specific Date
Specific Due Date: Today, or in the near future
Early Distribution: 14 days
Immediate Distribution: No
End Automatically: No
Recurrence: No

5.1 How to distribute a one-time activity to only existing employees, such as a timely company-wide memorandum.

6. Stop distributing activities after an expiration date 

Use the End Automatically option to set stop the scheduler from creating any activities that would have a due date that falls after the expiration date.  

Key Settings:

  • Set End Automatically to Yes
  • Set an Expiration Date
Example Schedule 6.1 (Expiration Date) 

Initial Due Date Based On: Hire Date
Due Date Plus Days: 0 
Early Distribution: 14 days
Immediate Distribution: Yes
End Automatically: Yes
Expiration Date: 12/31/2018
Recurrence: No (or Yes)

6.1 A policy that expires at the end of 2018, for example.

7. Distribute an activity to all employees immediately and then again on a specific date interval

The trick to getting it to distribute now is to set the initial due date in the past, because Immediate Distribution will only operate if the initial due date is in the past.  This will distribute the activity now and maintain the preferred schedule going forward.  

Key settings:

  • Set the Initial Due Date to what would have been the prior due date for your schedule. 
  • Set Immediate Distribution to Yes
  • Set Recurrence to Yes and then set your interval
Example Schedule 7.1

Initial Due Date Based On: Specific Date
Specific Due Date: 01/01/2018 (must be in the past)
Early Distribution: 14 days
Immediate Distribution: Yes
End Automatically: No
Recurrence: Yes
Recurrence Interval: 1
Recurrence Unit: Year(s)

7.1 An activity that is distributed immediately to all employees and to all new hires going forward, and then recur annually on the first of January, for example.

Example Schedule 7.2

Initial Due Date Based On: Specific Date
Specific Due Date: 01/01/2018 (must be in the past)
Early Distribution: 14 days
Immediate Distribution: Yes
End Automatically: No
Recurrence: Yes
Recurrence Interval: 1
Recurrence Unit: Quarter(s)

7.2 An activity that is distributed immediately to all employees and to all new hires going forward, and then recur quarterly beginning the first of the next quarter, for example.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I ensure that activities are immediately distributed when an employee is hired, promoted, demoted or transferred

Enable the Immediate Distribution option to ensure that activities are activities are immediately distributed when an employee is hired, promoted, demoted or transferred.

How do I redistribute a new version of a policy to all users?

The Activity Manifest tool provides a means of redistributing an Activity Template to all assigned users for a specific Activity Template.  See the article Using the Activity Manifest to Redistribute Activities for instructions.

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