Positions and workforce
Manage positions
Find a position, review approved and proposed information, understand calculations, and use comments and history.
Updated August 8, 2026
Overview
Positions are the central records in FTE Tree. Each position has a stable position number, approved and proposed information, cost calculations, assignments, comments, and recorded history.
Use this article for everyday position navigation and review. To add a position, see Create a position. For editing guidance, see Change position information.
Access needed
| Activity | Access needed |
|---|---|
| View a position | View positions for its department |
| Edit position information | Manage positions for its department |
| View exact pay and pay-derived costs | View sensitive workforce data for every department included in the calculation |
| View assigned employee names | View employees for each employee’s owning department |
| View or add comments | Access to the position |
If an expected position or action is missing, start with Cannot see a record or action.
Find a position
Select Workforce, then Positions. Search by the information available to you, apply filters, and open the position number or name.
Archived positions are hidden from the main list. If you have archive access, turn on Show archived positions to include them. A position can remain visible when its department is unavailable for new assignments; department availability controls new choices, not whether existing records remain visible.
If search returns fewer positions than expected, check:
- The selected filters and effective date.
- Whether Show archived positions is needed.
- Whether your access role covers the position’s department.
- Whether you are working in the intended organization.
Use the position pages
Each position brings related work together:
| Page or tab | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Summary | What is this position’s current status, staffing, and cost overview? |
| Details | Which standard and custom values are approved or proposed? |
| Calculations | How were FTE and annualized cost calculated for the selected date? |
| Assignments | Who fills the position, and for which dates? |
| Change requests | Which approval requests involve this position? |
| Comments | What discussion is attached to the position itself? |
| Activity history | Who changed the position and when? |
The effective-date navigation lists dates when the position changes. Select a date before comparing values or costs so you do not accidentally compare different periods.
Approved and proposed information
Approved values are the operating plan. Proposed values are working changes that have not completed approval. Details shows both when a proposal exists, and Calculations can show operating-budget and draft results separately.
In the Staffing section, Operating Budget FTE is the approved FTE for the selected date. A proposed FTE can appear elsewhere without changing the approved staffing comparison.
Approved values are kept rather than deleted. Add a dated value for a real change, save an explicit blank when an optional value should stop applying, or update the same effective date to correct a mistake. Earlier versions remain in history.
Review calculations
Calculations shows the source and running total for FTE and annualized cost. Pay amounts remain hidden unless your View sensitive workforce data covers all information used by the calculation.
When a result looks unexpected:
- Confirm the selected effective date.
- Check whether you are viewing approved or proposed results.
- Review position FTE, pay rate, adjustments, and funding.
- Review active assignments separately from approved position cost.
- Open the calculation details before comparing a rounded summary value.
See Position costs and headcount for formulas and Position cost or FTE looks wrong for a symptom-first checklist.
Department totals
Department totals use the values shown for the selected date or report period. Depending on the page or report, they can include position counts, position FTE, position holder counts, staffed and vacant positions, annualized position cost, assigned cost, and headcount. Your Department access and View sensitive workforce data determine which records and amounts you can see.
Summary views may use compact display values. Calculation details and downloads provide the precision needed to check a result.
Position comments
Use Comments for discussion about the position. Comments are separate from approval decision explanations and activity history.
Comment authors can edit active comments. The Edited link opens saved versions of that comment. For replies, mentions, subscriptions, and notification behavior, see Messages and notifications.
Common questions
Why can I see a position but not an employee name?
Position access and employee access are separate. You need employee access for the employee’s owning department to see the name.
Why does a vacant position still have cost?
Position cost represents the approved staffing plan. Assigned cost represents active employee assignments. A vacant position can still carry planned cost.
Why is a proposed value not in department totals?
Department totals use approved information unless the page or report explicitly offers a proposed view.