Users may hold any number of job assignments, with each assignment optionally linked to a position, organisation, manager, appraiser and/or a temporary manager. Job assignments can be created and updated manually via a user's profile or via HR import.
The following page describes how site administrators can create, update, and delete job assignments manually.
Please see HR import for instructions on adding, updating and deleting job assignments via a csv file upload or direct database connection to an HR system.
(This video is taken from the Hierarchies and job assignments course in the Totara Academy, where you can access more resources and learning materials - including other videos).
Creating a job assignment
To add a job assignment to a user, navigate to their user account and view their profile page.
- Under the Job assignments section select Add job assignment.
- Enter in the relevant job assignment details
- Select Add job assignment to save the assignment or Cancel to discard all changes.
- Repeat as required to create any other job assignments held by the user.
Updating a job assignment
To update a job assignment for a user, navigate to their user account and view their profile page.
- Under the Job assignments section select the name of job assignment you want to update.
- Make the required edits to the job assignment details.
- Select Update job assignment to save your edits or Cancel to discard all changes.
- Repeat as required to update any other job assignments held by the user.
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).Deleting a job assignment
To remove a job assignment for a user, navigate to their user account and view their profile page.
- Under the Job assignments section select the Delete icon (
) next to the job assignment you want to delete. - Select Yes, delete in the dialog to confirm deletion of the job assignment or Cancel to retain this job assignment.
When deleting a job assignment you will be provided with information about the effects that will have on other users, for example if it will leave someone else without a manager or temporary manager.
Job assignment details
| Setting | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | The title or name of the job assignment. If no full name is provided, then it will default to 'Unnamed job assignment (ID: X), where 'X' is the ID Number of the job assignment. | Job assignment full names are displayed when selecting a manager, temporary manager or an appraiser, and when a user is required to choose a job assignment within an appraisal or when signing up for a seminar event. Using a descriptive, clearly identifiable full name is highly recommended. |
| Short name | A shortened or abbreviated title or name for the job assignment. | A job assignment short name is only displayed within the job assignment edit screen. |
| ID Number | The ID Number is a mandatory field and is used to uniquely identify a job assignment for a user when creating or updating job assignments via HR Import. A user cannot have more than one job assignment with the same ID Number, however users across the site may have the same job assignment ID Number. | A job assignment ID Number may contain letters, numbers, spaces and special characters. |
| Description | An optional description of the job assignment. | - |
| Start date | The date that the user started in this job assignment. This field is for information only, although it can be used when creating dynamic audiences to populate membership based on job assignment start date. | This date is not used to determine if the job assignment is active in any other part of Totara. |
| End date | The date that the user completed or ends in this job assignment. This field is for information only, although it can be used when creating dynamic audiences to populate membership based on job assignment end date. | This date is not used to determine if the job assignment is active in any other part of Totara. |
| Position | To link a job assignment to role within an existing positional hierarchy, select Choose position, browse from the position listing, choose the required position and select OK. | Use multiple job assignments to link users to more than one position. Where there are multiple positional frameworks, use the position dropdown to search through the required hierarchy. This option is not shown if position hierarchies are disabled in Advanced features. |
| Organisation | To link a job assignment to a department, team or organisation within an existing organisational hierarchy, select Choose organisation, search or browse from the organisation listing, choose the required organisation and select OK. | Use multiple job assignments to link users to more than one organisation. Where there are multiple organisational frameworks, use the organisation dropdown to search through the required hierarchy. This option is not shown if organisation hierarchies are disabled in Advanced features. |
| Appraiser | If using appraisals which include questions assigned to an appraiser to answer, an individual within the system must be linked as an Appraiser to the assigned user for the relevant job assignment. Select Choose appraiser, search or browse through the user listing for the required individual and select OK. | This option is not shown if appraisals are disabled in Advanced features. |
| Manager | This is the nominated manager for the user's job assignment. Select Choose manager, search or browse through the user listing for the required individual and select OK. | If the selected manager does not have an existing job assignment, select Create empty job assignment to create a manager association.
If the selected manager has multiple job assignments, ensure the correct job assignment is selected for the user's job assignment.
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| Temporary manager | Temporary managers are able to complete managerial tasks such as learning plan and seminar approvals while the listed Manager is unavailable for an extended period of time. Select Choose temporary manager, search or browse through the user listing for the required individual and select OK. | This option is only shown if temporary managers are enabled via Site Administration > Users > User policies. If the selected temporary manager does not have an existing job assignment, select Create empty job assignment to create a temporary manager association. If the selected temporary manager has multiple job assignments, ensure the correct job assignment is selected for the user's job assignment. If the required individual is not listed, it is possible the user does not have the necessary access rights to act as a temporary manager. |
| Temporary manager expiry date | Select the Enable checkbox to set an end date for a temporary manager association. Once enabled, enter the date, month and year, or use the calendar icon ( | Temporary managers will automatically be removed by the Update temporary managers scheduled task after the expiry date has passed. |
| HR Import | Select the Enable checkbox to allow the update or deletion of this job assignment via HR import. | The ID Number field MUST have a value to enable this field. |
The Totara Academy has a whole course dedicated to using Hierarchies and job assignments in Totara Learn. Here you can learn more on how to use hierarchies and job assignments, see best practice, and give it a go yourself.
