Position settings

Overview

Use general Position settings to control organization-wide position labels, the FTE threshold used for headcount, position-number display, department access filters, and external-ID behavior.

• Job code label: Updating this label changes it throughout FTE Tree.
• Headcount FTE amount: Active positions with a positive calculated FTE count toward headcount when their FTE is at least this value. The default is 0.0000, so every active position with FTE above zero counts. Use 0.5000, for example, when only positions at or above half-time should count. This setting accepts values up to four decimal places.

The Headcount effective date applies only to the headcount FTE amount. Position-number prefix, padding, and external-ID settings are current organization-wide values rather than dated values.

Access needed

Focused setup guides

• Position numbers and external IDs explains numbering, prefixes, external-ID visibility, requirements, and batch editing.
• Set up FTE options explains standard staffing choices, availability, and Schedule imports.
• Set up HR handoff steps explains the checklist used after a new Position is approved.

Compensation settings

Annual hours per FTE, Pay grades, and pay ranges are managed in the Compensation settings area. Annual hours annualizes Hourly values; Annual values do not use annual hours. Pay rates and pay ranges each store their own Hourly or Annual basis. FTE itself is entered directly on the Position.

See Compensation settings for setup guidance and Position costs and headcount for worked examples.

Number display and rounding

FTE Tree displays staffing and cost values consistently:

• FTE: FTE values and fixed FTE adjustments use four decimal places. Headcount is a whole count.

• Costs and rates: Annual pay and cost values use two decimal places. Hourly pay rates show at least two and up to four places so meaningful precision remains visible.

• Hours: Hours display two decimal places.

• Percentages: Displayed adjustment percentages and funding percentages use two decimal places. Decimal adjustment rates use four places, so 10.25% corresponds to 0.1025.

• Rounding: FTE Tree rounds only the completed FTE or currency result, not the amounts used along the way.

See Position costs and headcount for examples that show four-decimal FTE, two-decimal cost, and rounded adjustment impacts.

Position Base pay rate

Every position requires its own Base pay rate of zero or greater and a Pay rate basis of Hourly or Annual. The amount and basis are saved together, can change on a selected date, require approval when changed, and determine the position cost calculation.

When the assigned Job code or the nearest higher-level Job code has an effective Base pay rate for the selected date, FTE Tree shows its amount and basis as a suggestion beside the Position fields. The suggestion helps with data entry but does not fill the fields, replace the saved Position value, or update Positions when a Job code suggestion changes.

On a Position request, reviewers can compare the requested Base pay rate and basis with the available Job code suggestion. The requested Position value remains the value that will be approved and used for cost.

Pay grade settings can require the entered Position Base pay rate to fall within the effective range attached to the Job code. If the pay rate and range use different bases, FTE Tree annualizes them before comparison. If enforcement is disabled, the range remains available for comparison to users with View sensitive workforce data without blocking an outside amount. For Position pay, Job code suggestions, pay ranges, and Assigned cost examples, see Position costs and headcount.

Department filters

Department filters control which position departments give a user access to a position. When a user’s permissions are limited to selected departments, these settings determine whether current, future, approved, or proposed departments are considered. All four filters are enabled by default.

• Department filter - approved as of today: Show positions based on the approved department as of today. This is the primary filter and matches positions to departments based on the most recent approved department assignment with an effective date on or before today.

• Department filter - future approved: Show positions assigned to a future approved department. This matches positions that have an approved department assignment with an effective date after today, making upcoming transfers visible before they take effect.

• Department filter - draft as of today: Show positions based on the draft department as of today. This matches positions that have an unapproved (draft) department assignment with an effective date on or before today, allowing users to see pending department changes while they await approval.

• Department filter - future draft: Show positions assigned to a future draft department. This matches positions that have an unapproved department assignment with a future effective date. This is useful when new positions are created with a future start date, ensuring users can see the position while it is still in draft.

These filters work together. If a position matches any enabled filter for a department the user has access to, the position is visible to that user. Disabling a filter removes that type of department assignment when FTE Tree determines visibility.

Example: position department transfer

When a position is transferred from one department to another, these filters determine when each department’s users gain or lose visibility:

1. A draft is created to move the position to a new department. Users in the new department can see the position if the appropriate draft filter is enabled. Users in the original department retain visibility through the approved-as-of-today filter.

2. The draft is approved. Users in the new department can see the position through the approved-as-of-today or approved-future filter, depending on the effective date.

3. When the effective date arrives, the position’s approved department as of today updates automatically, completing the transfer.

Funding source setup

Funding sources allow you to track how position costs are allocated across different budgets, grants, or accounts. The funding source detail uses an option set to define the available sources for your organization.

Funding source is a position standard field that can divide a position’s cost among more than one source. It is visible and optional by default. If every position must have a funding allocation, mark Funding source as required in the position standard field settings.

Funding percentages must use no more than two meaningful decimal places and total exactly 100.00%. Harmless trailing zeros are accepted, so 33.330% is the same exact value as 33.33%; 33.331% is rejected because it would require rounding. Enter a repeating split as percentages that satisfy the total, such as 33.33% and 66.67%. When rounded funding amounts differ by a cent, FTE Tree reconciles the funding lines to the position or report cost total.

Managing funding source values

Manage funding source choices under Settings > Positions > Position option sets. Create the choices your organization uses, then add, rename, or deactivate them as your funding structure changes.

To add a new funding source value, navigate to the option set and create a new option value. To remove a funding source from future use, deactivate the option value rather than deleting it, so that historical records remain intact.

Approval stage

Like other position fields, Funding source can be assigned an approval stage. When a stage is set, changes to a position’s funding source allocation require approval before taking effect. See Working with approval requests for details.

Position comments

Each position record includes a Comments tab where your users can have conversations about the position. Comments support threaded replies, mentions limited to users who can view the position, follow/mute behavior, notifications in FTE Tree, and configurable comment email. Commenting on positions requires Manage positions for that position’s department. For more details, see Collaboration, messages, and notifications.