HR Assistant - Support Model DRAFT

Phase: Inception

Initial conversations are managed through our TI Account Management function.  Typically an initial enquiry will result in a Teams meeting or alternative when the functionality of HR Assistant can be discussed and both parties can then make a call as to whether:

1. Existing functionality meets the need
2. Existing functionality does not meet the need
3. It could be made to work if ...

However, the only guarantee of a way forward is when existing functionality meets the need.

Phase: Development

At this stage, contracts may or may not be in place. 

Outside of contract, we would provide help through our website mainly to help the TI build an XML / '|' (pipe) delimited file and complete the field match-list required for progress.

Partner development support (PDS) would happily confirm that a sample file meets a plausible spec.

To progress further, a contract needs to be in place. TIs will need a copy of SIMS with data, the field list above and some help from PDS to produce a demo patch 

All support at this stage is via PDS unless help is needed with the use of SIMS itself when our service desk team might become involved.

Once working, PDS will provide a licence patch that can be provided to your schools and/or the SIMS Support Units which assist them.  Schools should typically keep their service desk at their SSU informed of the TI products in use 

Phase: Roll Out

The TI needs to identify their customer and:

1. Provide a copy of their licence patch
2. Ask them to apply it (or ask their support unit for assistance)
   • ESS can make the patch available on 'SOLUS' if needed but will need
     • School name
     • DfE Number
     • Contact at the school
   • The request must come from the HR provider and cc the named contact at the school.
   • The patch simply licences and configures the utility and doesn't of itself exchange data.
   • Should the SSU need assistance then their normal support contract with ESS would apply, for example, if the SSU did not know how to run patches then their support team would be happy to assist
   • Should the school need assistance then they should contact their support provider.  Failure to follow these protocols usually makes it more difficult for the support pyramid to function correctly because links in the chain are broken.
3. Provide the customer with instructions and support for:
   • How to get files from the HR system
   • How to use HR Assistant in their context. 
     • The usual first error is a security permission one whereby the user needs to be in the Personnel Officer group for the option to appear.
     • Beyond that, the TI is expected to join their processes to ours within their specific documentation.
   • How to provide exports from HR Assistant to the HR system (if appropriate)
   • How to resolve discrepancies in the file compare; for example, if the import would make a member of staff leave unexpectedly what should the user do.

Phase: Operation

ESS are responsible for any failures of the system caused by incorrect code rather than incorrect data. 

The responsibility for the correct data being exported from the HR system lies with the School / HR system.

The school / HR system is responsible for ensuring that lookups are compatible, for example, if a new title of 'Flying Officer' was added to the HR system, it would also need to be added in SIMS.

If HR Assist shows that a significant and unexpected change would be made in SIMS then it is the school's responsibility to abort the import and discuss this with their HR provider.  For example, if a school became an academy and made all staff leave in July within the HR system and re-join the new academy again in September then sending an 'empty' file of staff to HR Assistant would make all staff leave and terminate all group supervisions.  The September import would re-instate their contract but not re-instate group supervisions.  A restore from backup would likely be the simplest and quickest fix.

Schools are responsible for managing these data exchange files which contain sensitive personal information (Special Category Data under GDPR).  Files must be appropriately secured and disposed of once they are no longer needed.

NB: 'School' above might be a school group or trust office.  If this is the case then it is important that the HR Assist user knows the school and can identify 'Significant mistakes' in the transfer process - for example attempting to import school A's staff into school B.

Phase: Retirement

Should the need arise, ESS will provide a de-licence patch for HR Assistant at the customer's/TI's request.