USA Staffing Online Help System

 

Table Of Contents

[Welcome! 1](#welcome)

[Guided Tour 3](#guided-tour)

[Welcome to  the Guided Tour! 3](#welcome-to-the-guided-tour)

[1 Getting Started 5](#getting-started)

[Using Help 5](#using-help)

[Finding What You Need 5](#finding-what-you-need)

[Exploring topic links 5](#exploring-topic-links)

[Symbols and Fonts Used in Help 5](#symbols-and-fonts-used-in-help)

[Printing a Copy of Help 6](#printing-a-copy-of-help)

[What\'s New in USA Staffing? 8](#whats-new-in-usa-staffing)

[Features of USA Staffing/Web version
8](#features-of-usa-staffingweb-version)

[History of changes 8](#history-of-changes)

[Instructions for Administrators 32](#instructions-for-administrators)

[New Terms and Concepts 33](#new-terms-and-concepts)

[Terms that are changing 33](#terms-that-are-changing)

[Terms for new features and capabilities
34](#terms-for-new-features-and-capabilities)

[Social Security Number changes 35](#social-security-number-changes)

[One Vacancy (Staffing Action) with multiple Job Announcements,
Assessments, Referrals
35](#one-vacancy-staffing-action-with-multiple-job-announcements-assessments-referrals)

[Training Materials and Documents 37](#training-materials-and-documents)

[About Training Materials and Documents
37](#about-training-materials-and-documents)

[Training Materials 37](#training-materials)

[Copy of Online Help System 37](#copy-of-online-help-system)

[Getting More Help 38](#getting-more-help)

[How can I learn more about features in USA Staffing?
38](#how-can-i-learn-more-about-features-in-usa-staffing)

[How can I report problems or ask questions of OPM experts?
38](#how-can-i-report-problems-or-ask-questions-of-opm-experts)

[Logging In to USA Staffing 45](#logging-in-to-usa-staffing)

[Rules of Use 45](#rules-of-use)

[User Name 46](#user-name)

[Password 47](#password)

[Change Your Password 49](#change-your-password)

[Time-Out 50](#time-out)

[Going Places in USA Staffing 51](#going-places-in-usa-staffing)

[Going Places in USA Staffing 51](#going-places-in-usa-staffing-1)

[Work Areas, Smart Menus and Pages in USA Staffing
52](#work-areas-smart-menus-and-pages-in-usa-staffing)

[Searches 57](#searches)

[Office Connection 66](#office-connection)

[Session History 67](#session-history)

[Online Help 69](#online-help)

[Making Choices and Entering Information
70](#making-choices-and-entering-information)

[Mouse-overs 73](#mouse-overs)

[Logout 74](#logout)

[Colors of Links 75](#colors-of-links)

[Opening multiple windows 78](#opening-multiple-windows)

[Working With Browse Tables 79](#working-with-browse-tables)

[Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 85](#frequently-asked-questions-faq)

[Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 85](#frequently-asked-questions-faq-1)

[2 Staffing Work Area 87](#staffing-work-area)

[Staffing Menus and Pages 87](#staffing-menus-and-pages)

[Staffing Menus and Pages 87](#staffing-menus-and-pages-1)

[Going Places in the Staffing Work Area
88](#going-places-in-the-staffing-work-area)

[3 Vacancy (Staffing Action) 91](#vacancy-staffing-action)

[Vacancy (Staffing Action) Menu 91](#vacancy-staffing-action-menu)

[Use or Create a Vacancy (VIN) 92](#use-or-create-a-vacancy-vin)

[About this topic 92](#about-this-topic)

[Use an existing Vacancy (Staffing Action record)
92](#use-an-existing-vacancy-staffing-action-record)

[Create a new Vacancy (Staffing Action record)
92](#create-a-new-vacancy-staffing-action-record)

[Position Information page 94](#position-information-page)

[About the Position Information page
94](#about-the-position-information-page)

[Working with the Position Information page
94](#working-with-the-position-information-page)

[Deleting a Vacancy (Staffing Action, VIN) record
96](#deleting-a-vacancy-staffing-action-vin-record)

[Assessment Information in the Vacancy (Staffing Action) record
98](#assessment-information-in-the-vacancy-staffing-action-record)

[About Assessment Information in the Vacancy (Staffing Action) record
98](#about-assessment-information-in-the-vacancy-staffing-action-record)

[Using the Assessment Information page
98](#using-the-assessment-information-page)

[Supporting Documents 100](#supporting-documents)

[About the Supporting Documents page
100](#about-the-supporting-documents-page)

[Working with the Supporting Documents page
100](#working-with-the-supporting-documents-page)

[Category Rating Setup 102](#category-rating-setup)

[About Category Rating 102](#about-category-rating)

[Working with the Category Rating setup page
102](#working-with-the-category-rating-setup-page)

[4 Assessments 105](#assessments-1)

[Assessments Menu and Pages 105](#assessments-menu-and-pages)

[Purpose 105](#purpose)

[The Assessments Menu 105](#the-assessments-menu)

[The Assessments Pages 105](#the-assessments-pages)

[Assessment Plan 107](#assessment-plan)

[Assessment Plan 107](#assessment-plan-1)

[Assessment Types 113](#assessment-types)

[Assessment Notes 118](#assessment-notes)

[Source Information 121](#source-information)

[Specific Information 122](#specific-information)

[Preparation 123](#preparation)

[Assessment History 124](#assessment-history)

[Assessment Library 125](#assessment-library)

[Specialty and Grade (in Assessment)
126](#specialty-and-grade-in-assessment)

[About the Specialty and Grade page (in Assessment)
126](#about-the-specialty-and-grade-page-in-assessment)

[Completing the Specialty and Grade (in Assessment) page
126](#completing-the-specialty-and-grade-in-assessment-page)

[Questionnaire Builder 128](#questionnaire-builder)

[About Questionnaire Builder 128](#about-questionnaire-builder)

[Working with the Questionnaire Builder
129](#working-with-the-questionnaire-builder)

[The Item Editor page 132](#the-item-editor-page)

[Importing a document 138](#importing-a-document)

[Rating Criteria 144](#rating-criteria)

[About the Rating Criteria page 144](#about-the-rating-criteria-page)

[Working with the Rating Criteria page
145](#working-with-the-rating-criteria-page)

[Completing the Rating Criteria page
148](#completing-the-rating-criteria-page)

[5 Announcement 151](#announcement-1)

[Announcement Menu and Pages 151](#announcement-menu-and-pages)

[About the Announcement Menu and Pages
151](#about-the-announcement-menu-and-pages)

[The Announcement Menu 151](#the-announcement-menu)

[Announcement Pages 152](#announcement-pages)

[Announcement Home Page 153](#announcement-home-page)

[Announcement Information 154](#announcement-information)

[About the Announcement Information page
154](#about-the-announcement-information-page)

[Completing the Announcement Information page
154](#completing-the-announcement-information-page)

[Deleting an Announcement record 156](#deleting-an-announcement-record)

[Assignments 157](#assignments)

[Specialty and Grade (in Announcement)
158](#specialty-and-grade-in-announcement)

[About the Specialty and Grade (in Announcement) page
158](#about-the-specialty-and-grade-in-announcement-page)

[Completing the Announcement Information page
158](#completing-the-announcement-information-page-1)

[Job Announcements on USAJOBS 160](#job-announcements-on-usajobs)

[About Job Announcements on USAJOBS
160](#about-job-announcements-on-usajobs)

[Tab 1: Overview 160](#tab-1-overview)

[Tab 2: Duties 161](#tab-2-duties)

[Tab 3: Qualifications and Evaluation
162](#tab-3-qualifications-and-evaluation)

[Tab 4: How to Apply 164](#tab-4-how-to-apply)

[Tab 5: Benefits and Other Information
166](#tab-5-benefits-and-other-information)

[Format Tips 169](#format-tips)

[Styles \-- The Building Blocks of Proper Formatting
169](#styles----the-building-blocks-of-proper-formatting)

[Copying From Microsoft Word Documents
170](#copying-from-microsoft-word-documents)

[How did they do that? 170](#how-did-they-do-that)

[The HTML Editor Mode 172](#the-html-editor-mode)

[Locations (in Announcement) 174](#locations-in-announcement)

[About Locations (in Announcement)
174](#about-locations-in-announcement)

[Working with Locations (in Announcement)
174](#working-with-locations-in-announcement)

[The Format Toolbar 177](#the-format-toolbar)

[Insert Image \-- detailed instructions
179](#insert-image----detailed-instructions)

[Disclaimers 179](#disclaimers)

[Instructions 179](#instructions)

[Insert Link (detailed instructions)
181](#insert-link-detailed-instructions)

[Getting Ready 181](#getting-ready)

[Creating Links to URLs \-- HTTP and HTTPS
181](#creating-links-to-urls----http-and-https)

[Creating Links to create email messages
183](#creating-links-to-create-email-messages)

[Check your link to make sure it works as intended.
184](#check-your-link-to-make-sure-it-works-as-intended.)

[Modifying a link 184](#modifying-a-link)

[Deleting a link 184](#deleting-a-link)

[Templates 186](#templates)

[Templates (in Announcement) 186](#templates-in-announcement)

[Overview Template (in Announcement)
189](#overview-template-in-announcement)

[Duties Template 192](#duties-template)

[Qualifications and Evaluation Template
194](#qualifications-and-evaluation-template)

[How to Apply Template 196](#how-to-apply-template)

[Benefits and Other Information Template
198](#benefits-and-other-information-template)

[Preview of the Announcement 200](#preview-of-the-announcement)

[About the Job Announcement Preview page
200](#about-the-job-announcement-preview-page)

[Publishing your Job Announcement to USAJOBS
201](#publishing-your-job-announcement-to-usajobs)

[Questionnaire Template 205](#questionnaire-template)

[About the Questionnaire template
205](#about-the-questionnaire-template)

[Working with the Questionnaire template
205](#working-with-the-questionnaire-template)

[Troubleshooting Job Announcements
210](#troubleshooting-job-announcements)

[About Troubleshooting Job Announcements
210](#about-troubleshooting-job-announcements)

[Too many characters 210](#too-many-characters)

[Error: Vacancy Identification Number is blank but is required by
USAJOBS
210](#error-vacancy-identification-number-is-blank-but-is-required-by-usajobs)

[6 Applicants 213](#applicants-1)

[Applications List 213](#applications-list)

[About the Applications List page
213](#about-the-applications-list-page)

[Working with the Applications List page
215](#working-with-the-applications-list-page)

[Key Entry of a New Applicant 216](#key-entry-of-a-new-applicant)

[About Key Entry of a New Applicant
216](#about-key-entry-of-a-new-applicant)

[Key Entering an Applicant record
216](#key-entering-an-applicant-record)

[Application Information 218](#application-information)

[Application Information 218](#application-information-1)

[Questionnaire Responses in Applicant Records
220](#questionnaire-responses-in-applicant-records)

[Referral Information in the Applicant Record
223](#referral-information-in-the-applicant-record)

[Applicant Flags (in Application Information)
225](#applicant-flags-in-application-information)

[Notice of Results (NOR) Messages in the Applicant Record
227](#notice-of-results-nor-messages-in-the-applicant-record)

[Report Information (in Applicant Record)
229](#report-information-in-applicant-record)

[Assessment Information 230](#assessment-information)

[Assessment Information (in the Applicant Record)
230](#assessment-information-in-the-applicant-record)

[Assessments of the Applicant 234](#assessments-of-the-applicant)

[Scheduling of the Applicant 237](#scheduling-of-the-applicant)

[Vet Preference (in the Applicant record)
239](#vet-preference-in-the-applicant-record)

[About the Veteran Preference page
239](#about-the-veteran-preference-page)

[Working with the Veteran Preference page
239](#working-with-the-veteran-preference-page)

[Documents Submitted by the Applicant
241](#documents-submitted-by-the-applicant)

[About Documents Submitted by the Applicant
241](#about-documents-submitted-by-the-applicant)

[Working with Documents Submitted by the Applicant
242](#working-with-documents-submitted-by-the-applicant)

[Notes 242](#notes-1)

[Biographical Information About the Applicant
243](#biographical-information-about-the-applicant)

[About Biographical Information About the Applicant
243](#about-biographical-information-about-the-applicant)

[Working with Biographical Information About the Applicant
243](#working-with-biographical-information-about-the-applicant)

[Notes 244](#notes-2)

[Mismatched Assessments 245](#mismatched-assessments)

[About Mismatched Assessments 245](#about-mismatched-assessments)

[Working with Mismatched Assessments
245](#working-with-mismatched-assessments)

[Mismatched Documents 246](#mismatched-documents)

[About Mismatched Documents 246](#about-mismatched-documents)

[Working with Mismatched Documents
246](#working-with-mismatched-documents)

[Expired and Purged Mismatched Documents
247](#expired-and-purged-mismatched-documents)

[7 Referral 249](#referral)

[Referral of Candidates / Certification (Overview)
249](#referral-of-candidates-certification-overview)

[About Referral of Candidates 249](#about-referral-of-candidates)

[Working with the Referral Home page
250](#working-with-the-referral-home-page)

[Request Information 254](#request-information)

[About the Request Information page
254](#about-the-request-information-page)

[Completing the Request Information page
255](#completing-the-request-information-page)

[Ordering Criteria 257](#ordering-criteria)

[About the Ordering Criteria page
257](#about-the-ordering-criteria-page)

[Working with Ordering Criteria 258](#working-with-ordering-criteria)

[Advanced Criteria 262](#advanced-criteria)

[Certificate 266](#certificate)

[About the Certificate page 266](#about-the-certificate-page)

[Previewing a list 268](#previewing-a-list)

[Issuing a Referral List/Certificate
269](#issuing-a-referral-listcertificate)

[Amending a Referral List/Certificate
270](#amending-a-referral-listcertificate)

[Printing a List 272](#printing-a-list)

[Issuing a Supplement 273](#issuing-a-supplement)

[Reissuing a Referral List/Certificate
273](#reissuing-a-referral-listcertificate)

[Audit Actions 274](#audit-actions)

[About the Audit Actions page 274](#about-the-audit-actions-page)

[Entering Audit Action information
276](#entering-audit-action-information)

[8 Reports Work Area 281](#reports-work-area)

[Reports Menu 281](#reports-menu)

[About the Reports Menu 281](#about-the-reports-menu)

[Using the Reports Menu 282](#using-the-reports-menu)

[Reports Pages 284](#reports-pages)

[About Reports pages 284](#about-reports-pages)

[Creating a report 286](#creating-a-report)

[Retrieving your report 289](#retrieving-your-report)

[Printing a Report 290](#printing-a-report)

[Saving a Report 290](#saving-a-report)

[Troubleshooting Reports 292](#troubleshooting-reports)

[9 Administration Work Area 293](#administration-work-area)

[Administration Menus and Pages 293](#administration-menus-and-pages)

[Template Libraries 294](#template-libraries)

[Template Libraries 294](#template-libraries-1)

[Announcements (in Templates Libraries)
296](#announcements-in-templates-libraries)

[Questionnaires (in Templates Libraries)
308](#questionnaires-in-templates-libraries)

[Default Scales (in Templates Libraries)
313](#default-scales-in-templates-libraries)

[Maintenance 316](#maintenance)

[Customer Records 317](#customer-records)

[Office Records 325](#office-records)

[User Records 328](#user-records)

[Permissions Profiles 336](#permissions-profiles)

[Workgroup Maintenance 349](#workgroup-maintenance)

[Assessment Inventory 352](#assessment-inventory)

[Locations 353](#locations)

[Locations By Office (in Administration)
353](#locations-by-office-in-administration)

[Locations By Customer (in Administration)
356](#locations-by-customer-in-administration)

[Location Codes 359](#location-codes)

[Preferences 363](#preferences)

[Preferences Overview 363](#preferences-overview)

[Configurations 367](#configurations)

[Default Text 372](#default-text)

[Applicant Flags (in Administration \-- Preferences)
375](#applicant-flags-in-administration----preferences)

[Notice Of Results (NOR) Messages (in Administration \-- Preferences)
378](#notice-of-results-nor-messages-in-administration----preferences)

[Financial 381](#financial)

[Financial Information 381](#financial-information)

[Processing 382](#processing)

[Imports 382](#imports)

[Exports 383](#exports)

[Assessment Migration 392](#assessment-migration)

[10 Overview of the Staffing Process
399](#overview-of-the-staffing-process)

[Overview of the Staffing Process
399](#overview-of-the-staffing-process-1)

[USAJOBS: Apply Online and Résumé Builder
400](#usajobs-apply-online-and-résumé-builder)

[About Apply Online and Résumé Builder in USAJOBS
400](#about-apply-online-and-résumé-builder-in-usajobs)

[The Apply Online button in USAJOBS
400](#the-apply-online-button-in-usajobs)

[Overview of the Apply Online Process
402](#overview-of-the-apply-online-process)

[Overview of the Staffing Process \-- part 2
405](#overview-of-the-staffing-process----part-2)

[Terms Used 405](#terms-used)

[Steps of the Staffing Process 405](#steps-of-the-staffing-process)

[URLs for the Online Application 410](#urls-for-the-online-application)

[About URLs for the Online Application
410](#about-urls-for-the-online-application)

[Collecting Resumes and Applications
411](#collecting-resumes-and-applications)

[About this topic 411](#about-this-topic-1)

[Options for collecting résumés and applications
411](#options-for-collecting-résumés-and-applications)

[Questions and Answers 412](#questions-and-answers)

[Uploading is Better than Faxing! 416](#uploading-is-better-than-faxing)

[Uploading Documents for Applicants
418](#uploading-documents-for-applicants)

[About Uploading Documents for Applicants
418](#about-uploading-documents-for-applicants)

[Uploading the documents 418](#uploading-the-documents)

[Cancel a VIN 420](#cancel-a-vin)

[Cancel a VIN (Vacancy, Staffing Action) Record
420](#cancel-a-vin-vacancy-staffing-action-record)

[Diploma Mills 421](#diploma-mills)

[About Diploma Mills 421](#about-diploma-mills)

[Questionnaires 422](#questionnaires)

[About Questionnaires 422](#about-questionnaires)

[Screen Out Questions 423](#screen-out-questions)

[About Screen Out Questions 423](#about-screen-out-questions)

[Responses and Codes for the Questionnaire
424](#responses-and-codes-for-the-questionnaire)

[About Responses 424](#about-responses)

[Form 1203 FX 426](#form-1203-fx)

[About the OPM Form 1203-FX 426](#about-the-opm-form-1203-fx)

[Working with the Form 1203-FX 426](#working-with-the-form-1203-fx)

[Understanding Default Scales 428](#understanding-default-scales)

[About Default Scales 428](#about-default-scales)

[Using Default Scales 429](#using-default-scales)

[Understanding Rating Criteria 431](#understanding-rating-criteria)

[About Screen Out and Rating Factors
431](#about-screen-out-and-rating-factors)

[What is a Screen Out Factor? 431](#what-is-a-screen-out-factor)

[What is a Rating Factor? 431](#what-is-a-rating-factor)

[What happens if I set a Factor to be both Screen Out and for Rating?
431](#what-happens-if-i-set-a-factor-to-be-both-screen-out-and-for-rating)

[What happens if I set a Factor to be a Screen Out Factor but not for
Rating?
432](#what-happens-if-i-set-a-factor-to-be-a-screen-out-factor-but-not-for-rating)

[What happens if I have multiple questions in my Screen Out Factor?
432](#what-happens-if-i-have-multiple-questions-in-my-screen-out-factor)

[Testing an Assessment Component 433](#testing-an-assessment-component)

[About Testing an Assessment Component
433](#about-testing-an-assessment-component)

[Testing your Questionnaire type Assessment
433](#testing-your-questionnaire-type-assessment)

[Tips for assuring accuracy of the Assessment
435](#tips-for-assuring-accuracy-of-the-assessment)

[Assessment Matching 436](#assessment-matching)

[About Assessment Matching 436](#about-assessment-matching)

[PL Status 436](#pl-status)

[Combining Assessment Types 436](#combining-assessment-types)

[The Automated Assessment Matching Process
437](#the-automated-assessment-matching-process)

[Manual Assessment Matching 437](#manual-assessment-matching)

[Future Enhancement 437](#future-enhancement)

[ACWA Assessments 438](#acwa-assessments)

[About ACWA Assessments 438](#about-acwa-assessments)

[Finding an ACWA Assessment in the Library
438](#finding-an-acwa-assessment-in-the-library)

[Creating your own Template 438](#creating-your-own-template)

[Attaching an ACWA Assessment to your VIN
439](#attaching-an-acwa-assessment-to-your-vin)

[Category Rating 441](#category-rating)

[About Category Rating 441](#about-category-rating-1)

[Deferred Rating 442](#deferred-rating)

[About Deferred Rating 442](#about-deferred-rating)

[Using Deferred Rating 442](#using-deferred-rating)

[Rate and Re-Rate Applicant 448](#rate-and-re-rate-applicant)

[About rating and re-rating 448](#about-rating-and-re-rating)

[Correspondence Types 449](#correspondence-types)

[About Correspondence Types 449](#about-correspondence-types)

[Acknowledgement Email 449](#acknowledgement-email)

[Availability Letter 450](#availability-letter)

[Cancellation Letter 450](#cancellation-letter)

[Correspondence Letters 450](#correspondence-letters)

[Disposition Letters 450](#disposition-letters)

[Notification Letters 451](#notification-letters)

[Tutorial: Building Certificate Conditions in Advanced Criteria
453](#tutorial-building-certificate-conditions-in-advanced-criteria)

[About Building Certificate Conditions in Advanced Criteria
453](#about-building-certificate-conditions-in-advanced-criteria)

[Using AND 454](#using-and)

[Using OR 454](#using-or)

[Using Parentheses to clarify a complex combination of conditions
455](#using-parentheses-to-clarify-a-complex-combination-of-conditions)

[Pathways Through Major Process Types
457](#pathways-through-major-process-types)

[A-C-E Rating Method 457](#a-c-e-rating-method)

[Key Entry of a New Applicant 460](#key-entry-of-a-new-applicant-1)

[About Key Entry of a New Applicant
460](#about-key-entry-of-a-new-applicant-1)

[Key Entering an Applicant record
460](#key-entering-an-applicant-record-1)

[Applicant Documents 462](#applicant-documents)

[Document Upload Service (DUS) 462](#document-upload-service-dus)

[Faxing Applicant Documents 467](#faxing-applicant-documents)

[Faxing Tips For Best Results 469](#faxing-tips-for-best-results)

[Faxes and the Document Matching Process
472](#faxes-and-the-document-matching-process)

[Understanding Document Matching 476](#understanding-document-matching)

[Batch Print Documents 481](#batch-print-documents)

[Applicant Flags and NOR Message Codes in the Applicant Record
485](#applicant-flags-and-nor-message-codes-in-the-applicant-record)

[About Applicant Flags 485](#about-applicant-flags)

[About Notice of Result (NOR) Messages
486](#about-notice-of-result-nor-messages)

[NOR Message Code List 487](#nor-message-code-list)

[About NOR Message Codes 487](#about-nor-message-codes)

[NOR Message Codes table 487](#nor-message-codes-table)

[Record Status Codes 491](#record-status-codes)

[About Record Status Codes 491](#about-record-status-codes)

[List of Record Status Codes 491](#list-of-record-status-codes)

[Pay Plans of the U.S. Federal Government
494](#pay-plans-of-the-u.s.-federal-government)

[About Pay Plans 494](#about-pay-plans)

[Alphabetical Index of Pay Plan Codes
494](#alphabetical-index-of-pay-plan-codes)

[Narrative Text Questions 505](#narrative-text-questions)

[About Narrative Text Questions 505](#about-narrative-text-questions)

[Uses for Narrative Text Questions
506](#uses-for-narrative-text-questions)

[Viewing and printing Narrative responses
506](#viewing-and-printing-narrative-responses)

[Agency Document Viewer (ADV) 508](#agency-document-viewer-adv)

[Agency Document Viewer (ADV) 508](#agency-document-viewer-adv-1)

[Using Agency Document Viewer (ADV)
510](#using-agency-document-viewer-adv)

[The Hot Tip Page 520](#the-hot-tip-page)

[Click Save! 520](#click-save)

[Select Supporting Documents before posting the Job Announcement.
520](#select-supporting-documents-before-posting-the-job-announcement.)

[11 Technical Matters 521](#technical-matters)

[Connecting to USA Staffing 521](#connecting-to-usa-staffing)

[Internet Explorer configuration for USA Staffing
521](#internet-explorer-configuration-for-usa-staffing)

[Connections for telecommuters and travelers
523](#connections-for-telecommuters-and-travelers)

[Document Repository System (DRS) 524](#document-repository-system-drs)

[About the Document Repository System (DRS)
524](#about-the-document-repository-system-drs)

[Understanding DRS and application processing
524](#understanding-drs-and-application-processing)

[Getting documents into DRS 526](#getting-documents-into-drs)

[Checklist for using DRS 527](#checklist-for-using-drs)

[Envelopes 529](#envelopes)

[About Envelopes 529](#about-envelopes)

[Fiscal Year 531](#fiscal-year)

[About Fiscal Year 531](#about-fiscal-year)

[Font Sizes on USA Staffing Menus and Pages
532](#font-sizes-on-usa-staffing-menus-and-pages)

[About Font Sizes 532](#about-font-sizes)

[Controlling Fonts in Microsoft® Internet Explorer
532](#controlling-fonts-in-microsoft-internet-explorer)

[Controlling Fonts in Netscape 532](#controlling-fonts-in-netscape)

[Rating Import 534](#rating-import)

[About Rating Import 534](#about-rating-import)

[Import File Format 534](#import-file-format)

[Importing the Ratings 535](#importing-the-ratings)

[After the Import 536](#after-the-import)

[Scanning Applicant Forms 1203-FX
538](#scanning-applicant-forms-1203-fx)

[About Scanning Forms 538](#about-scanning-forms)

[Instructions for processing Forms 1203 FX using TELEform®
538](#instructions-for-processing-forms-1203-fx-using-teleform)

[12 HR Manager 543](#hr-manager)

[HR Manager 543](#hr-manager-1)

[About HR Manager 543](#about-hr-manager)

[Using HR Manager 544](#using-hr-manager)

[Tips for Using HR Manager 546](#tips-for-using-hr-manager)

[About Tips for Using HR Manager 546](#about-tips-for-using-hr-manager)

[Going places in HR Manager 546](#going-places-in-hr-manager)

[Editing HR Manager data 547](#editing-hr-manager-data)

[Saving HR Manager data 547](#saving-hr-manager-data)

[Alternative Save methods 549](#alternative-save-methods)

[Recruitment and Selection in HR Manager
552](#recruitment-and-selection-in-hr-manager)

[About Recruitment and Selection in HR Manager
552](#about-recruitment-and-selection-in-hr-manager)

[Working with Recruitment and Selection in HR Manager
552](#working-with-recruitment-and-selection-in-hr-manager)

[Benchmarks in HR Manager 555](#benchmarks-in-hr-manager)

[About Benchmarks 555](#about-benchmarks)

[Viewing Benchmarks for Critical Competencies
555](#viewing-benchmarks-for-critical-competencies)

[Questions Based on Competencies in HR Manager
557](#questions-based-on-competencies-in-hr-manager)

[About Questions based upon Competencies
557](#about-questions-based-upon-competencies)

[Viewing Questions based upon Competencies
557](#viewing-questions-based-upon-competencies)

[Creating a Competency Question Form
557](#creating-a-competency-question-form)

[User Manual for HR Manager 559](#user-manual-for-hr-manager)

[About the User Manual 559](#about-the-user-manual)

[13 Ad Hoc Reports with Oracle Discoverer
561](#ad-hoc-reports-with-oracle-discoverer)

[Introducing Discoverer 561](#introducing-discoverer)

[About Oracle Discoverer® 561](#about-oracle-discoverer)

[Viewer 561](#viewer)

[Plus 562](#plus)

[Viewer 565](#viewer-1)

[Learning Discoverer Viewer 565](#learning-discoverer-viewer)

[Getting Started with Discoverer Viewer®
567](#getting-started-with-discoverer-viewer)

[Plus 571](#plus-1)

[Learning Discoverer Learning Discoverer Plus
571](#learning-discoverer-learning-discoverer-plus)

[Getting Started with Discoverer Plus
573](#getting-started-with-discoverer-plus)

[What\'s New in Online Help? 589](#whats-new-in-online-help)

[Build 93  11/07/2006 589](#build-93-11072006)

[Build 92  9/22/2006 589](#build-92-9222006)

[Build 91  09/21/2006 589](#build-91-09212006)

[Build 90  08/08/2006 589](#build-90-08082006)

[Build 89  08/07/2006 589](#build-89-08072006)

[Build 88  08/07/2006 589](#build-88-08072006)

[Build 87  08/04/2006 590](#build-87-08042006)

[Build 86b  12/20/2005 590](#build-86b-12202005)

[Build 86   12/19/2005 590](#build-86-12192005)

[Build 85  12/08/2005 590](#build-85-12082005)

[Build 84   11/01/2005 590](#build-84-11012005)

[Build 83   10/24/2005 591](#build-83-10242005)

[Build 82  10/21/2005 591](#build-82-10212005)

[Build 81   9/26/2005 591](#build-81-9262005)

[Build 80   09/21/2005 591](#build-80-09212005)

[Build 79   09/07/2005 591](#build-79-09072005)

[Build 78  9/01/2005 591](#build-78-9012005)

[Build 77   8/31/2005 591](#build-77-8312005)

[Build 76   07/14/2005 591](#build-76-07142005)

[Build 75   07/12/2005 591](#build-75-07122005)

[Build 74   06/16/2005 591](#build-74-06162005)

[Build 73   05/19/2005 591](#build-73-05192005)

[Build 72   04/13/2005 591](#build-72-04132005)

[Build 71   03/08/2005 591](#build-71-03082005)

[Build 70   11/05/2004 591](#build-70-11052004)

[Build 69  10/12/2004 591](#build-69-10122004)

[Build 68  9/14/2004 591](#build-68-9142004)

[Build 67  9/13/2004 591](#build-67-9132004)

[Build 66  9/02/2004 591](#build-66-9022004)

[Build 65  8/26/2004 591](#build-65-8262004)

[Build 64  08/25/2004 591](#build-64-08252004)

[Build 63  06/18/2004 591](#build-63-06182004)

[Build 62a  06/17/2004 591](#build-62a-06172004)

[Build 61  06/16/2004 591](#build-61-06162004)

[Build 60  06/09/2004 591](#build-60-06092004)

[Build 59a  06/08/2004 591](#build-59a-06082004)

[Build 58   05/21/2004 591](#build-58-05212004)

[Build 57a   05/14/2004 591](#build-57a-05142004)

[Build 56a   05/13/2004 591](#build-56a-05132004)

[Build 55   05/07/2004 591](#build-55-05072004)

[Build 54   04/28/2004 591](#build-54-04282004)

[Build 53   04/27/2004 591](#build-53-04272004)

[Build 52a   04/26/2004 591](#build-52a-04262004)

[Build 51b  04/23/2004 591](#build-51b-04232004)

[Build 51a   04/23/2004 591](#build-51a-04232004)

[Build 50a  04/22/2004 591](#build-50a-04222004)

[Build 49   4/20/2004 591](#build-49-4202004)

[Build 48   4/19/2004 591](#build-48-4192004)

[Build 47   04/05/2004 591](#build-47-04052004)

[Build 46   03/31/2004 591](#build-46-03312004)

[Build 45a  03/29/2004 591](#build-45a-03292004)

[Build 44a   03/17/2004 591](#build-44a-03172004)

[Build 43b  03/05/2004 591](#build-43b-03052004)

[Build 42 03/04/2004 591](#build-42-03042004)

[Build 41b \-- 03/02/2004 591](#build-41b----03022004)

[Build 40b 591](#build-40b)

[Build 40 \-- 02/ 27/2004 591](#build-40----02-272004)

[Build 39 \-- Feb 25, 2004 591](#build-39----feb-25-2004)

[Build 38 591](#build-38)

[Build 37 591](#build-37)

[Build 36a 591](#build-36a)

[Build 35 591](#build-35)

[Build 34 591](#build-34)

[Build 33 591](#build-33)

[Build 32 591](#build-32)

[Build 31 591](#build-31)

[Build 30b 12/17/2003 591](#build-30b-12172003)

[Build 29a 12/12/2003 591](#build-29a-12122003)

[Build 28a 12/11/2003 591](#build-28a-12112003)

[Build 27a  12/10/2003 591](#build-27a-12102003)

[Build 26   12/09/2003 591](#build-26-12092003)

[Build 25   12/08/2003 591](#build-25-12082003)

[Build 24    12/05/2003 591](#build-24-12052003)

[Build 23 591](#build-23)

[Build 22a   12/03/2003 591](#build-22a-12032003)

[Build 19 591](#build-19)

[Movie List 591](#movie-list)

[Glossary 591](#glossary)

[Index 591](#index)

 

# 

# Welcome!

The Online Help System contains information about how best to use USA
Staffing™.  

What\'s new in this version of Online Help?

What\'s New in USA Staffing™?

**Take a Guided Tour.**

 Visit the *Hot Tip* page.

Training Materials and Copy of Help

***This is:  USAS001 Build 93  11/07/2006***

#  

We welcome your feedback about this Online Help System. Direct all
comments and corrections to David Nason \-- david.nason@opm.gov. Begin
your subject line with HELP:, followed by the name of the topic that
appears in large teal font at the top.

 

# Guided Tour

## Welcome to  the Guided Tour!

You can learn at your own pace by taking the guided tour through the
Online Help System topics. The tour is divided into segments, so that
you can come begin at any point along the tour. This makes it easy to
resume a tour you started previously, or to jump to the part of the tour
that mosts interests you.

To get started, simply click a topic area from the list below. Then,
when you are ready to move on, click the arrow to continue to the next
topic.

###### Arrows

The arrows are either small arrowheads at the top of the Table of
Contents pane on the left \--

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="4.510416666666667in"
height="1.0520833333333333in"}

\-- or are directly above at the topic name and look like \>\> to move
to the next topic or \<\< to go back to the previous topic \--

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.4375in" height="0.9166666666666666in"}

 \-- depending upon how you are viewing this file.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

Where would you like to begin now?

-   Getting Started with USA Staffing

-   Overview of the Staffing Process

-   Five Easy Steps to Filling Jobs

 

# 1 Getting Started

## Using Help

Topic Map

-   Finding What You Need

-   Exploring topic links

-   Symbols and Fonts Used in Help

-   Printing a Copy of Help

    -   Should I print a copy of the Help file?

### Finding What You Need

The Online Help System is context-sensitive. It will open to the topic
that matches the page you are on in USA Staffing. If you want to look up
other topics, you have many options:

-   You can use the **Table of Contents** in the navigation pane on the
    left to open a book and read the topics in it.

-   Use the **Index** and **Search** functions to find a topic quickly.

-   Consult the **Glossary** to learn about terms used in USA Staffing.

-   You can browse the topics of a book in order by using the navigation
    controls \-- \<\< and \>\> \--  to go back and forth.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Exploring topic links

Feel free to explore and go off in different directions by clicking the
links in the topic you are reading. When you mouse-over a link \-- that
is, point to it with the tip of the mouse cursor arrow \-- a pop-up box
will tell you more about where the link will take you. Here are examples
of the clues you will get from mousing over a link before clicking it:

-   **Jump to topic:** The topic is elsewhere on the same page. The
    information will appear in the same Help window. You can return to
    your original location by scrolling or by clicking another link.

-   **Open topic in a new window:**  The information will appear in a
    new browser window because it is not on the same page. You can
    return to your original location by simply returning to the original
    window.

-   **Top:** Clicking the link will return you to the Topic Map at the
    top of the page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Symbols and Fonts Used in Help

Here are some icon and font conventions you may see:

-   Useful information may be designated as a tip with this symbol \--
    ![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
    height="0.3854166666666667in"}

-   Directions on how to go to a certain page in USA Staffing are
    designated with this pointing finger \--
    ![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
    height="0.14583333333333334in"}

-   Menu items and controls that you click on are designated in this
    font \-- **Next**

-   Words that you are supposed to type appear in this font \-- Auditor

-   Help topics covering menus and pages in the Administration Work Area
    that have names similar to topics in the Staffing Work Area have red
    borders. Help topics with red borders describe functions that can
    only be performed by Administrators. To see an example of the red
    border on an Administration topic in a new browser window, click
    here.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Printing a Copy of Help 

Should I print a copy of the Help file?

**No.** For most people, it is not a good idea to print the Help file.
Here are some reasons why:

-   We will use the Online Help System to call to your attention the
    latest changes and examples that make your job easier. If you rely
    upon a printed copy instead of the Online Help System, you may miss
    important news.

-   There are numerous links to cross-referenced topics. Your printed
    copy will not have these.

-   There are Flash movie clips and tutorials and other guides that we
    will link to from within the Help System. Your printed copy will not
    have these.

-   The Online Help System employs state-of-the-art technology to make
    searches fast and simple. Your printed copy will not have this.

-   We will strive to keep the Online Help System current with every
    change to USA Staffing itself. This is likely to mean frequent
    updates. Your printed copy may soon be out of date.

-   The Online Help System collects usage statistics that provide us
    with important information about the topics that give people the
    most trouble, so that we can improve them quickly. Your printed copy
    will not give us this useful feedback.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

You can print individual Help topics or the entire Help file.

-   **To print a single topic**: Use your browser\'s Print function.

    -   If you use Internet Explorer, you can point with your mouse to
        the page you want to print. Then right-click to get the menu.
        Click **Print**. \-- or \--

    -   You will usually find the Print option on the File menu of your
        browser, and there may also be a browser toolbar icon for
        printing. Before printing the topic, click **Hide Navigation
        Pane** at the top of the content pane. This will prevent the
        Table of Contents from printing. Later, you can click **Show
        Navigation Pane** to make the Table of Contents visible again.

-   **To print the entire Help file:** You can download a copy of the
    complete Help file as a manual in Microsoft Word 2002 Document
    format. Some elements will not appear correctly formatted in earlier
    versions of MS Word. *This file is approximately 10 MB in size and
    is approximately 600 pages*.  Click here to download the file.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## What\'s New in USA Staffing?

Topic Map

-   Features of USA Staffing/Web version

-   History of changes

### Features of USA Staffing/Web version

This version of USA Staffing retains all the capabilities you have grown
accustomed to. We have built on top of that, packed in plenty of nice
new features, and given it a facelift to make it easier than ever to
use.

Here are some new features:

-   You can now access **OPM\'s HR Manager** system from within USA
    Staffing. No separate login is required. More details.

-   USA Staffing is completely Web based, and operates in Microsoft
    Internet Explorer 6.0.

-   USA Staffing is fully 508 compliant and secure.

-   The look and feel are greatly simplified.

-   You can use your USA Staffing seat license to perform work from any
    PC anywhere in the world if it has an Internet connection through
    your agency network and a supported browser installed. Great for
    travel, for telecommuting, and for collaborating with remote sites.
    More details.

-   Online Help is provided with images and movies to help you quickly
    find out what you need to know. Help has an index, full search
    capability, and a glossary of terms.

-   You can now use a fully electronic application process, including
    accepting documents from your applicants via the Document Upload
    Service.

-   You can ask your applicants questions that require narrative
    answers, and they can provide their answers in narrative text boxes
    in the online application.

-   You can use Category Rating instead of traditional Rule of Three
    certificates and referral lists.

-   You can choose from a variety of assessment types and go beyond the
    classic questionnaire to include competency based assessments like
    structured interviews, assessment centers, and online tests.

-   You can view referral lists and images of applicant documents in the
    online Agency Document Viewer (ADV). And you can give access to ADV
    to managers so that they can see applicant information right at
    their own desks.

-   If you are a USA Staffing Administrator, you will benefit from
    Permissions Profiles that give you great flexibility in controlling
    the access of many different kinds of users of USA Staffing.

To continue on your tour of the new USA Staffing, click the forward
arrows at the top of each page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###  

###  

### History of changes

We are listening to our users! We have already added these new features
and improvements.

###### July 30, 2006

Assessor Module

We have begun deployment of a major new feature currently referred to as
the Assessor Module, which will give USA Staffing users more flexibility
in delivering and scoring Assessments. Users will notice a checkbox
called *Use Assessor Module* in the Assessment area on the Assessment
Information screen and a new system-level Permission Profile called
"Assessor Only."  These and a few other behind-the-scenes changes
mentioned in these Release Notes are the foundation for the Assessor
Module feature, which will be fully functional after a later release. In
the meantime, the USA Staffing Program Office is performing testing and
developing user training for this new module. If you have any questions
about the upcoming Assessor Module, please submit a ticket to the Help
Desk with your question.

*Ad Hoc* Reporting

-   A new worksheet was added to the Applicant Workbook containing
    Personal Background data that can be used for RNO reporting.

-   A new worksheet was added to the Vacancy Workbook that contains
    basic applicant information in each row and a certificate location
    in each column. A 'Y' in the worksheet cell indicates that the
    applicant in the row was referred to the location in the column.

-   A new worksheet was created in the Applicant Workbook which contains
    basic applicant information, the applicant's email address, and all
    applicant responses from the Announcement and Occupational
    Questionnaires, including narrative responses. This worksheet also
    includes eligibility and certification information.

Administration

The User Maintenance page has been updated in the following ways:

-   The User List will be filtered so that users are not shown in the
    list multiple times when assigned to more than one office/customer
    in the organization.

-   Paging has been added to the User List.  

-   The User Edit form has been updated so that an Assessor-Only user
    can be created and assigned to an office without taking up a license
    for that office.(This profile should not be used until a later
    time).  

-   A \"Show Support Users\" checkbox has been added to the User List
    that will be unchecked by default. Support Users are USA Staffing
    users with limited access that do not require a license. (This
    checkbox should not be used until a later time.)

Agency Document Viewer (ADV)

A new report provides printing of narrative responses for one or more
applicants by selected SSNs or batch printing for all applicants, in
order, for a certificate. This report is located in Reports/Applicants.
The report is called: Narrative Responses. This report is available to
users and on the Agency Document Viewer and will be available for hiring
officials to use.

Announcement

A change was made to the Announcement Preview page to prevent users from
sending multiple announcement updates to USAJOBS simultaneously.  With
this change, buttons on the Preview page will be disabled while an
announcement update is in process with USAJOBS.  The following message
will also display on the bottom of the page: "Previous USAJOBS action is
still processing".

Applicant

A purge process for mismatched documents has been added to prevent
matching old documents to new applications and improve performance of
the match process. A document that has been expired from matching will
not match up to an application.  During the time period after a document
is set as expired from matching, but before it has been purged from the
system, if a user wants that document to match to an application, the
user can uncheck the \"expired from matching\" checkbox on the mismatch
documents page.  This will allow the document to be matched that day
only.  If the document is not matched that day, then the nightly process
that marks documents as expired from matching will expire it again.

Mismatched documents in the system will now be marked as expired from
matching and eventually purged from the system according to the
following schedule:

-   Vacancies that have supporting documentation marked as required:
     Documents for VINS that have a document receipt date older than 56
    days will be marked as expired from matching.

-   Vacancies that have supporting documentation marked as accepted but
    not required:

    -   Case Exams:  Cases with announcement close dates older than 180
        days will have all documents for that VIN marked as expired from
        matching regardless of the document\'s receipt date.

    -   Standing Registers:  Documents with a receipt date older than
        180 days will be marked as expired from matching.

-   Documents that have been expired from matching will be purged from
    the system 270 days after the document was marked as expired from
    matching.

An automatic re-rate will occur when veteran's preference is adjudicated
in the Applicant's record when the user clicks "Save" if the claimed
preference does not equal the adjudicated preference.

Assessment

A change was made to the Assessment copy feature which will ensure that
copied Assessments are not saved without an Assessment type, which can
cause errors within the assessment.

Batch Printing

The Batch Print page was updated to allow users to select which document
types to be printed. By default, all document types will be included in
the print file but the user will be able to uncheck document types that
should not be included in the batch file.

Exports

A new export has been added called "Document Type Export" that works in
conjunction with the CARP export to identify applicant records. This new
export displays applicants' supporting documents identification
information listing the document types and receipt dates. Users can
select the type of documents to include.

A new export called "Assessment Data Export" has been added that
displays applicant assessment component scores. The data is a summary of
the results of the assessments delivered by the system and/or scored by
the Assessor Module."

The USA Staffing Online Help System has been updated to include a
document describing the record layouts, including field names and field
sizes, for each export in USA Staffing. More details.

Preferences

A new preference has added to allow users to use either the OPM envelope
or commercially available two-window envelopes for mailing applicant
correspondence. The new preference is the last item in the list under
Configurations/Reports.  The layout of the correspondence reports (i.e.,
letters, notifications) is set to match the type of window envelope you
will use to mail them. The current default format is OPM CON 158-89-6.
For a commercial envelope purchased on the open market, select WE 14075.
 Details about vendors offering the alternative envelope are located in
the USA Staffing Online Help System.

Rating

A change was made to the Deferred Rating process to add the request
number in the status emails sent to users to help them identify the
request when a problem occurs.

Referral

Paging has been added to the Referral Home page to display twenty
requests per page in the order of Request Received. This new paging will
significantly improve performance for vacancies with many requests.

Reports

A new report called "Referral Letter" that is located in
Reports/Referral will combine various notification letter results into
one referral status letter for applicants. This letter can take place of
the Notification Letter. This letter will notify applicants one time for
all certification statuses.  Choices are: for a specific certificate,
issue date range of certificates, SSNs, specialty and grade,
location(s), eligible referred or not, and ineligibles. If no selection
is make for a choice then all corresponding items will be included on
the letter.

A new report called "Non ACWA Race/National Origin" that is located
Reports/Vacancy will display the total number of applicants that
responded to the race and national origins questions within a non-ACWA
occupational questionnaire. At this time, the collections of the gender
responses are not included in this report. This will be corrected on the
next release.

System-Wide Features

USA Staffing has upgraded the HTML editor tools used for writing and
editing text, items, responses, instructions, etc. The new editor tools
are 508 compliant and support more Web browser versions. Users will see
a change in the text box section of the Assessment/Questionnaire Builder
and the Announcement Template areas.

Vacancy

A new item was added to the Vacancy page called "Status." This new item
has been added for the ALJ/PMF project. This item is not fully developed
for all users. This item will not be available for full use until a
later time.

The Supporting Documents Page has been changed to accept "Resume" by
default. This change will prevent users from forgetting to accept any
document types which make applicants unable to fax or upload any
supporting documents.

USAJOBS Integration

The Employment History and Education sections of applicants USAJOBS
Résumés will now be listed by date in descending order.

New Idle Timeout Period

To conform to new IT security requirements, the idle time before a
session is inactivated has changed from 40 minutes to 20 minutes.  As
before, you will get a warning message that your session is going to
expire and do you need more time.    

USA Staffing System Fixes

Agency Document Viewer (ADV)

A defect that caused problems for ADV users who logged in from an old
saved certificate link has been corrected.   

Announcement

A change was made to the process that removes announcements from
USAJOBS.  With this change, key fields are kept that are needed to
complete the retrieval of failed resumes from USAJOBS. (If USAJOBS fails
at any time, USA Staffing will be able to retrieve resumes during this
time)

Applicant

A defect that prevented "Place of Employment" from displaying with Work
Address has been corrected in the applicants' record.

A defect that prevented users or applicants not receiving emails due an
email address longer than 30 characters has been corrected.

In order to keep up with the increasing volume of supporting
documentation being processed by the match process for documents, we
have changed the match process to an event driven process. This means
that all mismatched or records that have received documents will match
up almost immediately instead of a lengthy time period.

Assessment

A problem which caused responses to be out of order while testing an
Assessment has been corrected.

Exports

Modified the \"Applicant Data File\" and \"Applicant Data by Cert\"
exports to be Office specific exports for the DHS offices.  These
exports were developed specifically for this agency and do not work
correctly unless the vacancy has a written test assessment.  Other
agencies can use the Generic Applicant and Generic Certificate exports
to get the same type of data.

Preferences

The following configurable items under Default text for "Notification
Letter -- Competitive" are not used and have been removed: "Show
Rating," "Not Rated -- Cancellation," "Eligible - Referred -- Not
Selected."

The following configurable item under Configurations/Applicants: "At
which level should the dual certification report be produced?" is not
used, and has been removed.

Rating

A problem with rating multiple assessments that caused applications to
receive scores outside the 70-100 range has been corrected.

Referral

The audit update paged has been corrected to look at the referral
request's appointment type instead of the announcement's appointment
type when setting an applicant to "Hired".  Previous to this change,
applicants audited as "Selected/Hired" were not getting the appropriate
record status code if the announcement was setup for \"multiple
appointment types\".

Searchable dates have been corrected in Advanced Criteria and can now
also be used as tie breakers.

A problem that caused CTAP and ICTAP applicants to float incorrectly on
Category Rating certificates has been corrected.

A problem with Ordering certificates by "Name" has been corrected so
that the system looks at Applicant Referral Status, Rank By, Priority
Order,  Tie Breakers, Refer Method, and Number/Score before it orders
the applicants in Name, SSN, or Rating order.

Performance with the query used to determine if the applicants have been
rated at the request level has been improved. This change will let users
to view large Deferred certificates.

Reports

The Report "Dual Certification Report" has been removed. Its
requirements are met by using the "Vacancy Dual Certification" report.

The page numbering in the "Test Data Entry" Report has been corrected.

A problem with the "Correspondence Tracking Matched Applicants" Report
which prevented the grade levels the applicant was eligible and
ineligible for from displaying. In addition, "Office Name" and "Report
Date" were added to the header and "Page X of Y" was added to the
footer.

The "Applicants by RSC" report was changed to ensure that applicants
without eligibility dates (for example, applicants in PF and PQ status),
are included.  Users will now be prompted to indicate the eligibility
date when creating the report.

E-mailing has been enabled for Availability Letters and SSN has been
added as a parameter to correct the problem where one applicant receives
an email for each certified applicant.

Vacancy

A problem that prevented users from deleting workgroups has been
corrected.

USAJOBS Integration

A problem with the long character length of the 0768 Hawaii nationwide
location code that caused announcements to not release to USAJOBS has
been corrected.

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###### April 8, 2006

Agency Document Viewer    

Users may choose not to have Hiring managers see applicant ratings or
vet preference on the ADV audit page.  This is controlled by the Print
Preferences selected on the Criteria page of Referral.  If Rating or Vet
Preference is not selected it will not appear in ADV

Announcement

1.  Grayed out the Delete button under the Announcement locations page,
    so users with view only access cannot make changes or delete
    locations.

2.  Corrected a defect in announcement area related to switching from
    one vacancy with an announcement to another vacancy (using the
    vacancy ID dropdown), that does not contain an announcement yet.
     The defect would cause the specialty and grades to be transferred
    to the new announcement.  This would cause the (second) announcement
    to end up with specialty/grade records that belong to a different
    VIN. This, in turn, caused rating to fail on the applications and
    the applicants would end up in PI status.  The correction now takes
    you from the first announcement area to the Position Information
    page of the selected Vacancy.  Since no announcement is developed
    for the new (second) VIN then the system does not allow the transfer
    to the announcement area, instead it will default to the Position
    Information page.

3.  Announcement Delete button will not be active unless the
    announcement has been properly removed from USAJobs.  

4.  Adding instruction text to the online questionnaire will not allow
    the use of the Screen Out check box.  

5.  All Online Application data fields default to Show Online.
    Previously, these fields were not defaulted to \"on.\"

Announcement Templates

Corrected a display problem on the Announcement Preview page.  The
problem was a line that outlined the text area was not complete and made
the page appear as if it was not fully loaded.

Applicant

1.  When applicants use the 1203-FX form and faxed in their responses
    some would mark more than one response per question or double grid
    the responses.  The applicant's questionnaire information was not
    displaying the double grid responses.  Made a system correction that
    will display in bold text at the end of each double grid question
    the statement; "This application contains more than one response for
    this single choice item.  Those responses are: A, B.\"  Note:
    Applicants receive no point value for double grid responses; the
    system treats the responses as a non response.

2.  When the applicant's record has a mismatched assessment, the \"Apply
    To Batch\" checkbox was not working correctly. Now, when the
    appropriate VIN is entered to apply the mismatched assessment, all
    records will be applied to the specified VIN without a system error.

3.  Users are now able to correct invalid phone numbers and get the
    application out of \"PE\" status without any problems.

4.  A fix now enables the eligibility end date field for applicants
    whose eligibility has expired (EX).  Users can manually change the
    eligibility end date and the applicant's record status will change
    from EX to AA.  Additionally, if a Vacancy's Period of Eligibility
    is changed, the system will ask if you want to update eligibility
    for all existing expired applicants.  Clicking OK updates
    eligibility for ALL expired applicants.  Clicking Cancel updates
    eligibility of applicants not in EX status.

5.  When a vacancy is set up as Manual Assessment, the score must be
    entered manually under the Rating Information/Assessment page.  The
    user selects the Assessment displayed in a table at the top of the
    page and selects new.  The specialties and grades display at the
    bottom of the page in a new table.  The scores are entered into this
    table.  Previously this table had a date field that was free form
    and users were entering the wrong month/day/year format.  This field
    now has a drop down calendar that will correct this problem.

6.  If a VINs assessment was set up as something other than
    Questionnaire, Manual, or Customized Processing, there was a problem
    saving the manually key entered rating in the grid of the assessment
    area of the applicants' record.  This problem has been corrected and
    will no longer occur.

7.  When a user clicks Save or Delete a message will display on the
    screen when users attempt to click multiple times during the process
    of data posting to the database.  \"You have already saved or
    submitted information.  Please wait while the screen refreshes to
    proceed.\"  This message alerts the user that the system is working
    and will prevent multiple postings of the same information.   

Assessments

1.  The Assessment Test screen now has a "Clear All" button that when
    selected clears all the previous test applicants and starts with a
    fresh applicant 01.

2.  Change was made to remove the generic system error message that
    displayed on the rating criteria page when the \"Apply Values To\"
    button was selected when no question/response values are active or
    selected.

3.  Changed the way Manual and Customized processing assessment types
    are displayed to remove the scheduling options page/display.  The
    scheduling page on these types of assessments was creating confusion
    and these two types of assessments would not be using the scheduling
    option.  

4.  Made performance improvements to the Deferred Rating process.  

5.  Made change to Rating Criteria area of Assessment.  Changes ensure
    multiple ineligible codes are applied to applicant ratings in the
    correct order.  

6.  Assessment Rating Import: Assessment Rating Import provides a user
    interface to upload test scores into the VIN. More details.  

7.  Users will be able to delete all mismatched assessments for a
    specific Batch Number.

Customer Maintenance  

1.  Change allows email address entries to include special characters,
    for applicant, contacts and users. These characters are now
    permitted: "!\", \"#\", \"\$\", \"%\", \"&\", \"\'\", \"\*\", \"+\",
    \"- \", \"/\", \"=\", \"?\", \"\^\", \"\_\", \"\`\", \"{\", \"\|\",
    \"}\", \"\~\".

2.  This correction has to do with invalid CPDF Agency information
    associated with a Customer listing.  Prior to this correction, if
    USAJOBS had deleted a CPDF Customer/Agency, the CPDF Organization
    and CPDF Agency would display in the CPDF listing when creating new
    customers in Customer Maintenance.  Now, if USAJOBS has deleted a
    CPDF Customer/Agency, the CPDF Organization will not longer show up
    in the CPDF Organization list in Customer Maintenance.

> Note: If a user has created a customer PRIOR to the deletion of the
> CPDF code and links the customer to a vacancy and releases the
> announcement to USAJOBS, the user will receive an error message at the
> bottom of the Preview screen that states:
>
> \"Release Failed: Unable to authenticate via CAT (userName= userId=
> channel=2192), error=The ticket presented for authentication has
> expired.\"
>
> If the user receives this message it indicates the Organization or
> Agency codes previously selected for this Customer are no longer valid
> or recognized by USAJobs, the user will have to go back to
> Administration/Customer Maintenance/Select Customer and correct the
> CPDF Customer Organization or CPDF Agency Codes.  
>
> (This error message text will be changed to a simplified explanation
> of the error in a future release.)

Login

Users are no longer permitted to have more than one concurrent login
session.  If a user is logged onto USA Staffing one computer and then
tries to log into the system again on another computer, the 1st login
session (1st computer) will be automatically disabled and logged off.
 This will result in the lost of any unsaved data from the first
session.

Preferences    

The category lists under Administration/Preferences/Configurations and
Default Text are now displayed in alphabetical order.

User Maintenance

Modified User Maintenance / User Edit page so when entering a new user a
Permission Profile must be assigned or the new record will not save.  If
multiple offices are assigned to the user, each must have a permission
profile or the new or changed record will not save.  The user is
prompted by a pop up window that reminds them a permission profile must
be selected.

Referral

1.  The enhancement will identify eligible applicants who have been
    overridden without a numerical rating assigned for certificates that
    use ratings.  A message displays that identifies each applicant
    affected.  

2.  Modified Request Info page so \"Date Request Received\" and
    \"Personnel Action Date\" are not required fields when saving a
    request.  

3.  When an applicant is audited with a Return Status of Inactive that
    applicant\'s record will automatically be overridden by the system
    to the ineligible code IBCA.  The override will only affect the
    occupational specialty and grade level for that cert which applicant
    was made Inactive.  For instance, if a VIN was set up as a GS-5 and
    7 levels and the applicant Declined Grade because they were
    unwilling to accept the GS-5 grade level then the override would
    only assign the IBCA code to the GS-5 level so they will not be
    certified again at that grade level.  

4.  In the Referral area, users are now able to:

    a.  Change the 3 initials in the certificate number.

    b.  Rename the title \"Stored List\".

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1.  Certificate return Date can be changed after Audit is performed.  

2.  When users created customized "Eligible" codes in
    administration/Preferences/NOR Messages and applied the codes in the
    Applicants record and then tried to issue a Non-Traditional
    certificate, the applicants with the customized codes were not
    coming up on the certificate.  This problem has been corrected.  

3.  A customer assigned at the Announcement level can be assigned at the
    Referral level - business as usual. This change allows any other
    customer set up under the same Organization to be assigned to the
    certificate request.  For example, if HR Office AF is set up with
    United States Air Force as the Organization and assigned at the
    announcement level then any other Customer that has the
    Organization, United States Air Force can be assigned at the
    referral level.  

4.  When a Customer assigned at the Certificate Request level is
    different than the Customer assigned at the Announcement level the
    "Send To" Contacts can be assigned from both customers.  

5.  The "Send To" field is no longer limited to four Contacts.  Multiple
    Contacts can be entered and receive certificates.  

6.  The Audit button is disabled for Ranking Lists/Stored Lists.  

7.  When applicants are ranked by "Eligibles Only", e.g. non-
    traditional certificates, the system will not allow the use of
    "Rating" as an order for listing of eligibles on the certificate.
     Listing options will be Name or SSN order.  The certificate will
    show the ratings for all applicants as \"EL.\"  

8.  Applicant Flags will display on all types of Ranking List and
    Certificates.  

9.  The bottom portion of the certificate page has changed.  

10. The amend certificate options have been replace by an Amend button.
     Clicking this button will open to a new page with the amend
    certificate options.  

11. The Audit Actions has been removed from the left hand menu under
    Referral.  Audit Action has been replaced by an Audit button on the
    certificate page.  Clicking this button will take you to a separate
    screen.   

Reports

1.  Accession Transaction List report has a Sort By option with Date
    Added.   

2.  Ad Hoc Reporting has been added to the system.  The Ad Hoc reporting
    can be accessed from Administration /Processing.  The Ad Hoc
    Reporting system or Oracle Discoverer will be deployed, but will not
    be available to users until later in the week.  Once the system is
    deployed user accounts will be set up and the user notified after
    this has taken place.  

3.  Rating Summary Report will now display HH record status codes.  

4.  Applicant Address Label Report has had VacancyId added as a
    parameter.  

5.  Applicant Flags will display on all types of Ranking List and
    Certificates.  

6.  E-Mailed NOR when Maintenance Sheet is included: There was a defect
    in the NOR e-mail template when the user includes the maintenance
    sheet.  If the preference text, other items in the announcement, and
    or special messages increased the length of the letter so that a
    blank page is inserted between the special messages and maintenance
    sheet, the presence of the blank page caused the e-mail process to
    fail for that applicant\'s NOR. This has been corrected.  

7.  The following text changes were made to the DRS reports affecting
    navigation and report titles:

    -   Change Applicant Mismatch to Mismatched Applications

    -   Change Mismatch Documents to Mismatched Documents

    -   Change Mismatch Review to Mismatched Review

    -   Change Matched Applicants to Matched Applications

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8.  Corrected email report counts  

9.  Enabled email for Disposition Letters

10. Corrected an Interdisciplinary Certificate Report problem: An error
    occurred on the creation of a certificate report when there is an
    applicant with more than one distinct Final Rating for all the
    series- specialty-grade combinations for an interdisciplinary
    certificate. The systems will now assign the maximum (highest)
    rating.  

11. The Summer Job field has been removed from the Announcement section
    of the Vacancy Tracking port.  It will now display in the
    Appointment Type field on this report.  

12. Non - Traditional certificates now have a default language field
    under Preferences/Default Text.  This text field allows users to
    modify certificate language for the Non Traditional certificates.
     Changes can be made at the Office, Customer, and Vacancy levels.  

13. The Employment Availability questions on the NOR will not display if
    the announcement does not include these questions.  

14. For the address on reports, wrapping was causing the city, state and
    zip code to be left off of address. Wrapping has been turned off,
    but note the address may now be truncated at the end of a line.  

15. The \"Certificate Rank\" was added as a sort option to the CARP
    report.

Vacancy

The Age Formula under the Vacancy/Assessment Information screen can be
changed to remove or add this field to an open announcement. The Online
Application will also update adding the Date of Birth field when the age
formula is used or removing it when it is unchecked.  The applicants
will re rate automatically and their RSCs will change accordingly.  

Note: When you remove or add the age formula, the questionnaire item in
the vacancy announcement will not update automatically. You must refresh
the whole announcement by clicking the "Update to USAJOBS" button at the
bottom of the Announcement Preview page for this change to display on
USAJOBS.

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###### December 17, 2005

1.  **Auto Save Feature:** The Auto Save Feature was taken off the
    system. Previously, any time you left one page in USA Staffing to go
    to another one, the system automatically would re-save what was on
    the page as you left. We made the following changes:

-   Where there are Next and Previous buttons, they will continue to
    save your changes as you move to the next or previous step.

-   When you leave a page in any way other than the Next or Previous
    buttons, data will not be automatically saved. ***To save changes
    before leaving a page other than by clicking the Next or Previous
    button, you will need to click*** **Save**.

2.  **ADV**   

-   Corrected the certificate form in the ADV so vet preference and
    rating items will be hidden, based on the Print Preference settings
    selected when issuing the certificate. This correction responds to
    the needs users with Merit Promotion certificates where hiring
    officials are not supposed to have the ability to view the vet
    preference and rating items.

-   When auditing a certificate, if the user checked the Complete box
    and then clicked the Certificate button, the system was taking the
    ADV users to the Request form. This was incorrect navigation. The
    system now takes the users back to the Certificate home page.

3.  **Announcement**

-   The text rendered from the Online Questionnaire TAG will now display
    correctly on Preview form and the USAJOBS announcement as \"Online
    Questionnaire\".  Previously,  the Online Questionnaire TAG appeared
    as \"Online Application\" on the Preview and Announcement.

-   Corrected the problem when users are creating duplicate responses
    under the questionnaire items and then deciding to delete the
    responses. When deleting the responses and clicking the delete
    button, the responses were disappearing from the form but when
    returning to the form the response would reappear.  

-   The Citizenship field is now optional.  By default, the citizenship
    item will be collected (checked).

-   When announcements are released to USAJOBS and users have selected
    the incorrect format for the number of vacancies in the Locations
    item, the system was giving users a cryptic error message that
    caused confusion as to what the problem was.  The message will now
    say:

> *\# of vacancies field must contain either a number or the word
> \"Many\" or \"Few\".*

-   Modified the Preview screen to always show the date and time when an
    announcement is released. (Previously users had to scroll to the
    bottom of the announcement to view the date and time of the
    release.)

-   On the Preview screen the Save button is now disabled.

-   There is a new message that will be displayed when users click the
    Release or Update to USAJOBS button. The new message is:

> *This announcement is being updated on USAJOBS. Once the update is
> complete the results will appear on this form, but you will need to
> refresh the page. This process could take some time, so you may wish
> to continue working in other areas of the system before checking back
> for the results.*

-   The USAJOBS reference code box was enlarged because the system
    needed to show all the reference codes for interdisciplinary jobs.
    When announcing interdisciplinary jobs each series has a unique
    announcement and USAJOBS reference code. Users will now see the
    series beside the USAJOBS reference codes.

-   When a user un-releases an announcement the **Update to USAJOBS**
    button will immediately be disabled. This will prevent job
    announcements from appearing twice on USAJOBS.

4.  **Applicant**

-   **Test Scheduling:** The problem has been corrected when an
    applicant applies via Form 1203-FX for a VIN with an assessment with
    test scheduling, and the applicant does not enter a scheduling
    location code on the Form 1203-FX, the application was staying in
    error status when the user entered a scheduling location. The PE
    status is now being cleared out.

-   **Rating:** Corrected a problem with ratings being assigned for a
    specialty/grade when the specialty/grade was not announced. If you
    have grades in a vacancy, but you do not announce those grades, your
    applications will have ratings of \"IZ\" for the specialty/grade
    combinations that are not announced. There is also an edit on the
    Applicants - Assessment Information form that hides the rating
    override button for IZ ratings.  This edit was being applied
    incorrectly at the specialty level. For example: If you had one
    specialty with 2 grades, one of which is not announced, the override
    button was hidden for both grades. This has been corrected and now
    is applied at the grade level. This was a significant correction for
    users who announce ACWA at only one of the grades levels.

-   When the vacancy is setup to Not Accept Multiple Applications, the
    supporting documentation was not moving into the active record. The
    documentation was staying with the duplicate application. This has
    been corrected; the supporting documentation will be moved to the
    1st application (Active record).

-   In the applicant list, the column for Application source has been
    changed. If an applicant has faxed in a questionnaire, the Source
    column will now read 1203-FX instead of Form C.

-   Corrected the problem where users were not able to extend the
    eligibility end date past the Period of Eligibility.

5.  **Ad Hoc Reporting**

-   Configured Oracle Software and deployed Discoverer Software for Ad
    Hoc Reporting with data from the old Citrix version of USA Staffing.
    Authorized Discoverer users are being advised of their account
    information. Completed these preparatory tasks:

    -   Created End User Layers

    -   Created user accounts

    -   Created workbooks

6.  **Assessment**

-   Modified the Rating Criteria page to allow users to change the
    Assessment Weight after applicants have applied. Previously, the
    column for weight on the assessment home page was disabled once
    applicants had applied. This column is now enabled allowing users to
    make changes and re-rate the applicants.

-   Modified the A-C-E Rating Method. If there are no rating factors,
    but there are screen out factors, applicants will be rated for
    Minimum Quals only. (Also added guidance for setting up A-C-E
    assessments to the Online Help System topic A-C-E Rating Method.)

-   Corrected the rating criteria response value edits for the A-C-E
    rating method. A message will now appear when the rating criteria is
    incorrectly set for Extra Points and Recency questions.

-   **Import Document**: Users will now be provided with a message when
    importing an assessment document that is formatted incorrectly. The
    message is:

> *Processing found errors in the document you are trying to import. The
> following questions may have problems in the formatting. Please review
> the questionnaire formatting for accuracy, make corrections as needed,
> and re-process the document OR if you would like to proceed to
> Questionnaire Builder, Click the Continue button.*
>
> *Note: To re-process the document select the browse button and attach
> the revised document then click the Process button.*

7.  **Optimization**

-   **Announcement Preview:** When leaving the preview page for large
    announcements,some users reported slow response time. This has been
    optimized to provide a better response time.

-   **Announcement \-- Double Posting**: Previously, if users release
    announcements and then clicking on the Update button (within seconds
    of each other) the job announcement might be double posted. This
    problem has been corrected. If the system now sees the 2nd attempt
    to release the announcement and if the 1st release is still running,
    the system will automatically fail the 2nd posting of the
    announcement.

-   **Match Process:** The matching of supporting documents and online
    questionnaire have been optimized. Users should see the supporting
    documents and online questionnaires matched up faster.

-   **Office Name field:** Modified the Office drop down box to list
    offices ordered by organization (which would group all of one
    organization together), then by office Name. The list will show the
    offices grouped by organization and will be in alphabetical order by
    the office. The Office name field is longer. \*\*(Users that are
    only assigned to ONE office will not see this change)

8.  **Reports**

-   **Audited Certificate:** Modified the report with the following
    changes:

    -   If no VIN or Customer is selected, only certificates audited
        within the date range for the user\'s office are displayed.

    -   Customer Name grouping has been added along with customer
        totals.

    -   Report totals header has been added.

    -   Header for detail data displays on every page.

    -   Sort order: Customer Name, Issue Date, Certificate Name

    -   Other Action Code totals now displays values.

    -   No Ranking Lists are displayed.

-   **Notification Letters:** Corrected so letters display the
    preference option selected in the Administration area under
    Preferences/Configuration/Reports. The options include No Rating,
    Eligibility, Raw Score, Augmented Rating.

-   **Individual Certificate Audit:** Previously this report was pulling
    the wrong series and grade information for interdisciplinary
    positions.

-   **NOR:**  

-   **Certificate:** Changed the location of the signature block when
    the Certificate Order equals SSN. The location of the signature
    block was not consistent when issuing certificates by different
    order types.

-   **Narrative Report:** Corrected the factor sort order for the
    narrative instructions and responses. Previously, the instructions
    and responses did not print out according to the assessment.   

-   **NOR:**

    -   Removed duplicate text. The NOR previously displayed the heading
        \"Rating Code Rating Message\" twice.

    -   Modified the \"Create Report\" form for NORS.

    -   Moved the radio button choices \"Generated\" and \"Processed\"
        down to the line below the 3 choices \"All\", \"Not Generate\"
        and \"By Date\" so they aren\'t all together on the same line.

    -   When the radio button choice \"By Date\" is not selected, the
        radio button will hide the buttons for \"Generated\" and
        \"Processed\" and the 2 date choosers.

    -   When the radio button choice \"By Date\" is selected, the
        Generated and Processed buttons will be visible again.

-   **Vacancy Tracking:** This report is now added into the system. It
    can be found under Reports/Vacancy.

-   **Test Rating Summary:** Corrected the report for A-C-E Rating
    Method. The report no longer displays Transmuted Rating. It displays
    Quality Level rating and Final Rating.

-   **Certification Activity Report:** This report is now added into the
    system. This report is a merger of the Citrix Certificate Activity
    and Certification Status Reports.

-   **Batch Printing Process Improvements:** The following changes were
    added to Batch Printing process.

    -   Added Certificate Name to the notification email

    -   Added VacancyID as a parameter to the task

    -   Displays the VacancyID in the grid on the stored reports page

-   **Generic Applicant Data Export:** Added the record status code pick
    list to the parameters for this export so that users can choose
    which record status to include in the export.

-   **Export Improvements:** Modified all Exports under Administration
    to improve performance. Previously, an export report processed at
    the time it was requested and the user had to wait until the export
    was complete before doing any further work in the system.  If the
    export contained lots of data, the request would time out before the
    file could be returned to the user.

> The exports now have the same process as reports. The export request
> will process asynchronously on a separate server, and the user can
> continue working in USA Staffing until the export is ready. The export
> files will be stored, and a purge process will be created to purge
> outdated exports based on a time limit setting in Preferences.

-   **Generic Certificate Data Export:** Corrected this export.
    Previously, no data was in the report. When setting up the criteria
    for this export, the Vacancy ID is required; Certificate and the
    dates are not required.

9.  **Online Qualifications Questionnaire (formerly Online
    Application)**

-   Made performance enhancements.

-   Fixed a problem where applicants would link their USAJOBS resume to
    the Online Questionnaire and click the Finish button on the Online
    Questionnaire multiple times, which would send the USAJOBS resume
    multiple times. Now, if an applicant clicks the Finish button
    multiple times, a message will be displayed to them that the Online
    Questionnaire already has been submitted.

10. **Fax Cover Page**

The Fax Cover Page provided on the Document Upload Service page (at the
end of the Online Qualifications Questionnaire) will now be
pre-populated with the applicant\'s Name, SSN, and VIN, which will be
more convenient for the applicant and should result in more accurate
reading of the cover sheet during processing.

11. **Preferences**

Modified the Preferences instructions for
Configurations/Referral/Certificates Issued. It formerly read \"Enter
the number of months for the default time standard for returning
Certificates\". This was changed to \"Enter the number of days for the
default time standard for returning Certificates\".

12. **Referral**

-   Modified the Certificate Audit process to handle the following
    scenario: A certificate had been audited and an applicant had been
    set to \"Hired\", so the record status was changed to HH. Then the
    certificate was Cancelled, but the audit was changed to \"Returned
    Unused\" and did not update the record status back to AA. This
    problem also existed when changing a return status of Suspend to
    Active. The record was remaining in SS when it should have changed
    to AA.

-   When reissuing or amending a certificate, the same random number as
    the original certificate will be maintained.

13. **DRS Upload**

-   DRS Upload and Matching - Performance Enhancements

14. **Vacancy**

-   **Supporting Documents page:** Added instructional text. The
    instructions say:

> *Place a check in the Accept column to accept one or more of these
> document types.*

-   *Warning: If you have no types checked as Accept before applicant
    documents arrive, they will all go to the Inactive Holding Area. You
    would need to provide VIN, SSN, Name, date, and approximate time of
    submission for Tech Support to locate them.*

-   *If you turn on Resume and nothing else, everything received is
    treated as Resume, no matter what it is.?*

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-   User will no longer have the option to change the \"Accept Multiple
    Applications\" setting after applicants have applied.

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**October 14, 2005**

System Login

Changed the USA Staffing Login Screen from User ID to User Name  

Administration

Assessment Migration Utility has been added to the Administration Area.
This utility allows users to migrate assessment tools from the Citrix
version to the Web version of USA Staffing.  Note: See attached document
for instructions.

The Applicant Data by Cert export, used for Written Test vacancies, has
been fixed. (499)

The Office and Customer Location tables will now allow apostrophes to be
included in city names. (682)

Corrected an error that occurred when users switched between preference
levels that required a Search (Customer, Vacancy, or Certificate).

Agency Document Viewer (ADV)

Batch Printing is available to ADV users.  Batch Printing will print all
applicant documentation for a particular certificate.  Selecting the
Batch Printing button will initiate a print request.  Once the request
is complete it will be sent to Stored Reports area where the documents
can be viewed and or printed under the Batch Print Documents report
located in the DRS area of Reports.  Users will be notified, via email,
that their print request has been received and again when complete.  

Announcement

The process that makes specialties and grades available for rating has
been changed so that if a grade is in the Vacancy, but not in the
Announcement, that grade is marked as closed unless the applicant is a
delayed filer or a re-opener.  Previous to this change, all grades in
the vacancy were set as \"Open\" even if they were not included in the
announcement which made applicants eligible for grades that were not
announced.

Applicant

Corrected an error users received when they navigated away from the
Mismatched Documents page in a VIN that has no mismatched documents.

Changes have been made to the assignment of record status codes to
applicants in vacancies with required documents:

-   An applicant with all ineligible ratings will be assigned a record
    status of \"IN\" if \"Qualifications Review Required\" is set to
    \"None\" or \"Eligibles Only\", thereby bypassing the \"PF\" status.

-   An applicant with all ineligible ratings will be assigned a record
    status of \"PQ\" if \"Qualifications Review Required\" is set to
    \"All Applicants\".

-   If a \"PQ\" applicant has any eligible ratings and all documents
    have not been received, their record status will be set back to
    \"PF\". (829)

Assessment

Corrected a display problem causing a new row to be inserted when users
clicked Save on the Preparation page of Assessments.

Specific Information, Source Information, and Preparation Documentation
for the Questionnaire component has been pre-populated for Written Test.

The Assessment home page has been changed so that the Delete button is
always disabled when an applicant record exists. This will prevent
problems caused when an assessment is deleted while linked to an
announcement in complete status.

For applicants in assessment test situations, the system will now add a
leading 0 (ex: 01, 02, 03, etc.) so that the alphabetic sort order is
correct.

The sort order for rating criteria factors has been fixed to display
correctly when there are 10 or more factors.

A new task based assessment rating method called Custom Task Based has
been added to Assessment. Currently, this rating method is used by Food
Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) only.  This rating method is not
available to our regular users without coordinating through the Program
Office. If this assessment type is inadvertently selected the regular
task based method will be applied to the assessment.

Applicant Test Scheduling has been added to the system.

Online Application

The document upload page has been changed to be more user-friendly for
applicants and to place fax instructions further down on the page in
order to encourage use of the upload feature.

The Lowest Acceptable Grade (LAG) item on the Online Questionnaire has
been changed to a radio button.  This means that applicants will not be
able to select a LAG outside the vacancys grade range.

Applicants can now initiate an Online Application using the USAJOBS
Control Number.

Referral

Batch Printing is available in the Referral area.  Batch Printing will
print all applicant documentation for a particular certificate.
 Selecting the Batch Printing button will initiate a print request.
 Once the request is complete it will be sent to Stored Reports area
where the documents can be viewed and or printed under the Batch Print
Documents report located in the DRS area of Reports.  Users will be
notified, via email, that their print request has been received and
again when complete.  

Referral will now verify that each applicant on a stored list should
remain on the list before issuing the certificate.  Applicants whose
ratings for the criteria were overridden to be ineligible will be
removed from the list.

Referral will now ensure all eligible applicants have a rating record as
required by the Ordering Criteria. If any applicants do not, the user
will be alerted that applicants are missing a final rating. Referral
will also perform added checks to help assure that criteria for a stored
list or certificate are consistent with the type of list selected.

Reports

There is a new report type under the DRS button called Batch Print
Documents. USA Staffing and ADV users can now click Batch Print
Documents to access their batch files of applicant records for a
particular certificate or stored list. The batch document file is
created by clicking the Batch Print Documents button in Referral under
the Certificate item.

The Accession Transaction List report has been corrected.

All email letters to applicants now contain the following automatically
generated text: \"PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL MESSAGE.  IT IS
AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED. For additional information, please refer to the
vacancy announcement for this position.\"

The manual correspondence and notification letters have been corrected
to remove extra line breaks.

A problem has been corrected that caused the Cancellation Letters report
to return blank pages.

The Disposition Letter has been changed to pull all default text items
from the Certificate level rather than the Office level.

The Audited Certs Report works correctly and only requires a date range.
 Previously users had to run the report either by VIN or Customer.

The Certificate report works correctly in Stored Reports area.

A change was made to make Acknowledgment Letters process run more
smoothly and prevent timeouts.

Vacancy

Deferred has been added as a new vacancy type.  Users will notice that a
checkbox for Deferred appears on the Position Information page under
Vacancy.  This checkbox can only be selected for standing register
vacancies and is intended to designate that a Deferred Rating process is
being used.

Note: If you have questions about the Deferred Rating process contact
the Program Office for further information.

USA Staffing will now treat the appointment type Excepted Service
Permanent the same as Career/Career Conditional with respect to the
applicants record status codes.  

Corrected a problem preventing users from selecting documents on the
Supporting Documents page of Vacancy.

USAJOBS Integration

A change has been made to truncate applicant last names over 20
characters that are passed from USAJOBS. Previously, a last name longer
than 20 characters caused delays in retrieving the applicants résumé.

######  

###### July 10, 2005

Agency Document Viewer (ADV)

Additional security has been added to the ADV. When an ADV user accesses
ADV via a certificate-specific URL, the system will verify that the
logged in user is valid for the specific certificate or request, that
the user is a Send To Contact for the Request, and that the status of
the Certificate is Sent to Customer.  If these conditions are not met,
the user will be taken to the ADV home page.

  

Announcement

-   The Announcement Information screen has changed.  If this feature is
    de-selected or unchecked your vacancy will not accept online
    applications. (This change was made to accommodate one of our
    customers who have Merit Promotion requirements that do not allow
    for the acceptance of online applications.)

    -   A new checkbox called Accept Online Applications is defaulted on
        (checked).

    -   If this checkbox is off (unchecked), the Send applicants to
        USAJOBS Resume Builder is disabled.

    -   If the checkbox is off (unchecked), applicants who try to apply
        online will see this message in the USA Staffing Online
        Application: This announcement does not accept online
        applications.  

```{=html}
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-   A change was made to allow announcements not released to USAJOBS to
    have extended open periods.

Applicant

-   A problem was fixed that incorrectly assigned PJ ratings to some
    applicant records.

-   A problem was fixed that prevented Applicant Flags from being
    assigned to questions where 0 was the response value for all
    responses.

-   A change has been made to the main Applicant page.  This only
    affects vacancies with 500 or more applicants.  When the vacancy has
    500 or more applicants the screen shifts into alphabetical or SSN
    order.  Applicants are displayed by the first letter of their last
    name or by the first number of their SSN (this change was made on
    the last update.) The New button is enabled to allow users to input
    a New applicant record from any of the screens.  Previously users
    had to return to the first page or A for alphabetical display or 0
    for SSN ordered display.

-   A change was made that saves changed VINs, when users make
    corrections to mismatched documents.

-   The Applicant Documentation form has been changed to display the
    received date.

-   A problem with notes saving has been corrected. Previously, the
    initial note entry would save, but any subsequent entries would not
    save. The system now saves all note entries.   

Assessment

-   After a user copies an assessment, the system will now open the
    copied assessment instead of taking the user back to the original.

-   When a user deletes an assessment, if there are no more assessments
    associated with the vacancy, the system will take the user to an
    empty Assessment Home Page instead of opening a new assessment.

-   A correction was made to ensure that the Up/Down arrows display
    properly on the Questionnaire Builder.

-   A second assessment other than Manual type can be paired with a
    Questionnaire.

Online Application

-   A change was made so uploaded document will now process into USA
    Staffing already matched to an applicant record.  Previously
    documentation was going to Mismatched Documents file prior to
    linking with the applicant record.

-   The document upload page on the Online Application was also
    enhanced.  Applicants will now get real-time confirmation that
    documents have been uploaded to their records.  USAJOBS resumes,
    uploaded documents, and faxed documents will all display on the
    upload page of the Online Application. Faxed documents will show up
    here once they have been matched.  

Preferences

-   A new category has been added to Preferences\> Default Text\> Online
    Application: Thank you message. This change allows users to
    customize the language displayed to applicants after they have
    successfully completed the online questionnaire and before they
    proceed to the document upload screen. The language can be changed
    to reflect the agency or organizations language or to provide
    vacancy specific language.  The Default text can be customized at
    the organization, Office, or Vacancy levels.

Referral

-   Changes have been made to the Certificate Display.  The
    certificate/ranking list template will now pull print preferences
    from the criteria page instead of the template.  

    -   Two new columns were added to the Certificate display: Veterans
        Preference and Rating.

    -   The competitive certificate type display is now the standard
        display for all original and supplemental certificates.

    -   If items in the print preferences are unchecked, the column
        header for those items will not display. The other columns
        retain their positions on the page.

    -    Non-traditional certificates will now be titled:
        Non-traditional Certificate of Eligibles.  

```{=html}
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```
-   A problem with recompetition was fixed so that when the vacancy is
    set up to not accept multiple applications, the first record is
    retained and all subsequent records are set to DU (duplicate
    unprocessed) automatically.  

-   A correction was made to prevent an error when users chose Cut off
    score as the refer method when using Category Rating. This change
    was made because users set the Categories, in the Vacancy area, up
    with the lowest category above the score of 70.  For instance, when
    the lowest category was set to 75, and the cut off score for the
    certificate criteria was set at 70 the system would error.  Now the
    system does not error and any veterans with CP or CPS preference
    will float automatically regardless or the lowest Category score
    entered in the vacancy area.  

Reports

-   Emailed reports, i.e. Notification and NOR letters, will now arrive
    in user email inboxes in text format instead of html format.

Exports

-   Modifications were made to the export Complete Applicant Record.
      The export now contains background information, languages,
    miscellaneous information, special knowledge, availability date,
    other dates, scheduling locations, and job related experience.

USAJOBS Integration

-   A change was made so that the Delete button will be disabled on the
    Announcement Template form if an announcement has been released to
    USAJOBS or has been marked Complete. This change will prevent users
    from deleting the template without removing announcements from
    USAJOBS.

-   A new process will go back to USAJOBS to retrieve Applicant resumes
    if the first attempt to load the resume to USA Staffing fails.

-   USA Staffing has made some integration process changes to better
    identify the source of problems when the connection to USAJOBS
    fails.  For users, if adding or updating an announcement to USAJOBS
    fails, an error message will display. An error message also displays
    when a delete fails.

-   A change has been made to the process that posts announcements to
    USAJOBS. Now, when only one grade is available in the announcement,
    USAJOBS will only display one grade. For example: instead of 05/05
    the announcement will read 05.

-   Change made so locations with country designations, such as Overseas
    Pacific and Overseas Atlantic can be exported to USAJOBS.

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###### May 21, 2005

Administration

-    In User Maintenance, a users record now requires a phone number and
    email address.

Announcement

-   In accordance with USAJOBS requirements, the Open Indefinitely
    checkbox has been removed and the closing date of all announcements
    must be within one year of the open date.

-    Two changes were made to the Complete and Release to USAJOBS
    checkbox functions: (1) the Release to USAJOBS checkbox remains
    disabled until the Complete edits have run successfully (2) when the
    Release to USAJOBS checkbox is selected the Complete checkbox is
    disabled. This change will ensure users follow the proper sequence
    when releasing or removing a job announcement. Previously this
    problem caused duplicate job announcement exports to USAJOBS and
    prevented applicants from applying online.

-    The Online Questionnaire Tag was corrected so that it will take
    applicants directly to the Online Questionnaire for that VIN.

-   Corrected a problem when users tried to delete an Announcement
    template and re-link a new one. This solution will resolve the
    problems users were experiencing when a template was selected and
    would not link to the announcement.

-   An enhancement was made that provides users the option to accept or
    not accept resumes from the USAJOBS Resume Builder.

    1.  The option is located on the Announcement page directly below
        the Open and Close dates.

    2.  The checkbox is defaulted on and is called: Send applicants to
        USAJOBS Resume Builder.

    3.  The Resume Email field has been removed.

> If the checkbox is checked, applicants that select the Apply Online
> button at the bottom of ALL announcements will be directed to the
> USAJOBS login page to select an existing resume or create a new one.
> From there, applicants will be directed to the Online Questionnaire
> for that VIN.
>
> If you uncheck the box, applicants that select the Apply Online button
> at the bottom of ALL announcements will go directly to the Online
> Questionnaire for that VIN. Applicants will not have the option to
> submit a resume via USAJOBS Resume Builder.  
>
> Note: If no Supporting Documents are accepted or required, this
> checkbox will be disabled.

Applicant

-   A correction was made to the applicant Record Status Code, when in
    Duplicate SSN error status or PE status. If any additional errors
    remain in the applicants record it will remain in PE status. If the
    record is correct the RSC will move to AA or IN as appropriate.
    (398)

-   A correction was made to display the Vacancy ID on the Mismatch
    Assessments and Mismatch Documents pages.

-   Users can move directly to the Mismatch Documents page from the
    Applicant Record without having to first navigate to the main
    Applicant page.

-   The VA Certification Date field will allow any date. Previously this
    field only accepted dates within the past year.

-   Created the Applicant Expire process. This process will move AA
    status records to EX status when the eligibility end date has
    passed. This process only occurs on vacancies that are setup as
    Standing Registers.

Assessment

-   Modifications were made to the Assessment area that allow users to
    combine Questionnaires and Manual assessments and permits them to
    assign different weights to each component.  

-   Users can change the rating criteria for Specialized Experience
    (Question 3-5) in copied ACWA Assessments. These questions can also
    now also be set up as Screen Outs.

Referral

-   Non-Traditional certificates display applicants according to the
    Rank By and Priority Order selected.

-   A change ensures that the due date is only filled in when the
    certificate is issued, versus when the certificate was first
    previewed/stored.

-   Added a signature line for the Appointing Official below the
    Selecting Official signature line on Certificates.  

-   Corrected a system error that occurred if Priority order was set to
    None and/or a cut off score was not specified.

-   A change ensures that name requests do not float above preference
    eligibles when both have the same final/augmented rating.

-   A change was made to the Competitive and Non-Traditional
    certificates. If a CTAP or ICTAP eligible is on the certificate that
    meets the cut off score, the priority referral candidate default
    text will print on the certificate. Similarly, if no priority
    eligible candidate exists on the list, this default text will not
    show on the certificate.

-   Corrected a problem that would not allow applicants to be certified
    for more than one series under an Interdisciplinary announcement.

-   Corrected a problem when using Advance Criteria and selecting
    Application Receipt Dates. Applicants will display on the list
    according to the receipt date and basic criteria.

Preferences

-   Corrected a system error that occurred when selecting a Preference
    category such as Correspondence and trying to assign an invalid
    Apply Preference Level.

Reports

-   When creating a report by SSN, if more than 75 SSNs (Show List
    button) are selected the user will receive a warning message. The
    system limits the SSN selection to 75 individuals.

-   A change was made to improve the performance of Reports and Email.
    Reports/Email is now processed on separate server. All reports
    Except for Test Rating Summary and Certificate of Eligibles will be
    viewable/printed in the Stored Reports area. When users create a
    report, they will get an email notice that the request has been
    created and another email that the request is complete and ready to
    preview/print.

> The system is defaulted to purge Stored Reports 3 days after the
> stored report is created. This purge process will run every night at
> 11:59 p.m. Users have the option to change the number of days to purge
> the Stored Reports in Administration under Configurations,
> Category=Reports. Select the third item in the table, Enter the number
> of days past to purge stored reports. Change the number of days as
> needed. This Preference configuration only applies at the Office
> level.

-   The DEU Quarterly Report is now working correctly.

-   Some formatting changes were made to the Applicants by RSC Report:
    margins were corrected; LAG, eligibility dates and RSC were moved to
    the right of the page; the Name field was expanded; and the page
    numbers were fixed.

-   The Overdue Cert Report is now working correctly.

-   Corrected the Assessment Tool and Benchmark Report eliminating HTML
    characters.

-   Non-Competitive Referral and Merit Promotion Notification letters
    can be modified and will now display the correct text.

-   The Merit Promotion Certificate text was modified to remove the
    SF-39 statement. If users would like this text to appear, they can
    add it to the Default Text in Preferences.

-   Cancellation letters will only be printed for AA & IN applicant
    records.

-   Phone numbers will display properly on NORs.

-   Availability letters have the same SSN and last name sort features
    as NORs and Notification Letters.

-   Eligible rating codes and their descriptions will now display in
    NORs.

-   The Narrative Text report is now working correctly.

System Performance

-   USA Staffing upgraded to a new version of the software used to
    display tables and grids which will improve the time it takes to
    load pages, sort tables and other common tasks.

USAJOBS Integration

-   The following fields will now display on an applicants resume
    submitted through the USAJOBS Resume Builder:  Announcement number,
    Country of citizenship, Hours per week for work experience entries,
    and Date the application was submitted electronically to the
    announcement.

-   Corrected a problem that was causing resumes submitted through
    USAJOBS to display as HTML characters when the file attached to the
    applicants record in USA Staffing.

-   Added Excepted Service Permanent and Excepted Service Term to type
    of appointment in Vacancy and changed the mapping to USAJOBS so that
    Excepted will display in the search results Overview page for job
    seekers.

-   Applicants are now returned to USAJOBS at the completion of the
    Online Application if they click \"Return to USAJOBS\".

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###### February 2005

Vacancy:

-   Corrected a problem with categories, which prevented users from
    deleting vacancies. Categories will now automatically be deleted
    when the vacancy is deleted.

Announcement:

-   Performance improvements were made to the Announcement Information
    form.

-   More user-friendly error messages will appear when a release to
    USAJOBS fails.

-   USAJOBS will automatically pull the Promotion Potential. Users will
    not have to include the Promotion Potential/Full Performance Level
    in the announcement text under the Announcement area.

-   A correction was made to ensure that announcement text (e.g.
    Specialty code and default text Leave this section blank) displays
    properly.

-   Corrected a problem that caused C-form (i.e., Form 1203 FX) items
    which showed as numbered in the preview to lose their numbering when
    uploaded to USAJOBS.

-   Corrected a problem loading contact information into the
    announcement. (Contacts that did not have middle initials were not
    being TAGGED correctly)

Assessment:

-   A problem was corrected when trying to delete a new assessment.
    Users would receive an error message when hitting the delete button.
    The delete button will be disabled until the user clicks Save.

-   A correction was made to the specialty code for interdisciplinary
    assessments. The system will automatically assign the correct
    sequential code for each series.

-   A document import processing problem was corrected. When importing a
    document the default scale responses were automatically being
    selected as valid value. This was not causing a problem with the
    applicants responses or rating, because the Question was not being
    selected as Valid Value.

-   The delete button was disabled in ACWA assessments. Users will not
    have the ability to delete questions.

-   A correction was made to the applicants ineligible codes. The codes
    will be assigned in the order determined by the user in the rating
    criteria of the assessment.

-   The Assessment Type combo box is now disabled when the Complete
    checkbox is checked.

Applicant:

-   Document Match Process (non-PF records):  The performance of the
    document match process for non-PF records was slow.  When there were
    many applicants, the system could not process them all quickly
    enough before a time out would occur. Any documents that were still
    in the queue when the process timed out would not be matched to the
    applicants record in that cycle.  A record could potentially be
    trapped in the queue for multiple cycles.  

    -   Changes were made to the system to improve the performance of
        the match process for all mismatched documents.

    -   Faxed documents will not remain in Mismatch Documents unless
        they are truly mismatched due to incorrect SSN or name.

    -   Mismatched documents that occur because of differences in the
        faxed cover sheet information and the Biographic Information
        contained in their applicant record will not remain in mismatch
        status once a correction is made.   

-   Corrected a problem that prevented applicant flags from being saved
    in an applicants record.

-   Corrected a problem with the applicants rating when the IK
    ineligible code was selected in the rating criteria of the
    assessment.

-   An error in the ACWA assessment was corrected. Previously, the
    assessment would assign an EL or ID if the applicant did not respond
    to Questions 1-17. Also, if an applicant did not respond to
    Questions 17 156, the system was not assigning a score.

-   Corrected a problem that occurred when a user or assessment assigned
    a higher rating at the higher grade level than the lower grade.  The
    system defaults to the higher rating for the lower grade levels.

-   A change was made to show the date an applicant was first determined
    ineligible and retain this date in the applicants record.

-   Corrected a problem that caused applicants to show as IN rather than
    PL in vacancies with manual assessments.

-   The applicant list has been modified to default to sort by last name
    instead of SSN.

-   The Report Information item has been corrected to insert the type,
    date, and time a letter was either printed or email.

Referral:

-   A problem with viewing multistage certificates has been corrected.

-   If a user does not insert parentheses around OR statements on the
    Advanced Criteria page, the system will automatically place
    parentheses around the OR statements in the background of the
    system. This will ensure accurate results pulled from the Advanced
    Criteria.

-   Corrected a problem that was allowing CP/CPS vets who claimed
    CTAP/ICTAP but did not meet the well-qualified score (Final score)
    to display as a priority referral on certificate.  Applicants with a
    final score that it is less than the well qualified score should not
    be on the Priority Referral Candidate List.

-   A blank option and additional options were added to the Referral
    List drop-down so that merit promotion referral lists can include
    all possible noncompetitive referral options.

-   A correction was made to remove duplicate names from
    interdisciplinary certificates.

-   A problem was corrected that allowed applicants to appear on
    certificates even if they were ineligible at the specified grade
    level.

-   A correction was made to the process of amending a certificate to
    ensure the proper record status code is applied to an added or
    deleted applicant when a certificate has been issued.

-   A correction to the criteria data controls (e.g. Applicant Referral
    Status, Certificate Type) now disables when the certificate is
    issued.

-   The save button was modified and the AutoSave feature was enabled so
    when the certificate criteria was saved it does not issue a
    certificate.

Reports:

-    The following reports can now be emailed.

    -   Notice of Results (NORs)

    -   Notification Letter

    -   Availability Letter

    -   Cancellation Letter

    -   Manual Correspondence

-   Manual Correspondence letters were corrected and the performance was
    optimized.

-   The System Correspondence Report was disabled. The report was
    removed from the treeview. It was removed from the report manager
    because it is not a report that the users can run themselves. It
    will be produced via the Auto-Generated correspondence process for
    applicants who are missing documents. We are going to put the report
    back in Report Manager when Auto-Generated correspondence is
    implemented but when the users click on the report they will be
    automatically taken to the Stored Reports page where their letters
    will be stored).  

-    The performance of Notice of Results (NOR), Applicant Narrative,
    Rating Sheet and Complete Applicant Record Printout (CARP) reports
    was optimized.

-   Improvements have been made to the Assessment report parameters. The
    user will now have to insert an assessment number instead of
    selecting from a drop down.

-   Performance improvements have been made to the Acknowledgement
    Letters.

-   The DRS Mismatch Review Report was modified to match the ordering
    used in the Citrix system.

-   Notification letters:

    -   Notification letters were modified to show only ratings for the
        grade selected on the certificate, not every grade in the
        application record.

    -   Notification letter templates were updated to show the rating
        code and rating message on letters to ineligible applicants.

-   Errors in the Cancellation Letter Report were corrected.

-   A change was made to allow minimum qualifications to display on the
    Rating Summary Report.

-   A correction was made to the Assessment Report to accurately display
    response values.

-   The CARP report was corrected to display only active applicants.

-   Corrected the Accession Transaction Report which was showing
    duplicate names.

-   Corrected a problem with the display of the Message Code Report. The
    NOR message codes will now display on the report.

-   Vet Preference by Score Report:

    -   Corrected an error that prevented use of the report.

    -   Corrected an error that displayed duplicates.

    -   Corrected report to sort applicants by rating in descending
        order.

-   A new error message was added: Invalid Vacancy for this office. This
    message will appear if a user enters an invalid vacancy when
    building a report.

-   Correction made when Preference level is changed from Organization
    to Office, the user will be able to change the default text for all
    letters.

Agency Document Viewer (ADV):

-   The ADV was modified to provide a Change Password button on the
    toolbar. This button will let the ADV user to change their password
    at any time.

-   Modifications were made to the email that is sent from USA Staffing
    to the ADV user. This email is now consistent with other USA
    Staffing literature and training materials.

Online Help System:

-   When users click Help from the Reports area, they are now taken to
    the Reports topic of the Online Help System.

-   When users click Help from the password creation page they are now
    taken to the Password topic of the Online Help System.

Export:

-   New exports:

    -   Complete Applicant Record

    -   Summary Counts by Spec/Grade/Location. This export will count
        the number of active applicants for each item (either Vacancy or
        Announcement) by Specialty, Grade and Location.

Search:

-   The Customer search was corrected when users search by Organization
    and/or Agency.

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######   December 2004 and January 2005

  Vacancy:

-   Corrected problem related to saving categories in a vacancy.

-   Modified the vacancy to allow users to remove a customer assigned to
    a vacancy at the Vacancy level so the user may assign different
    customers at the Announcement level.

-   Modified the message box text that appears when attempting to delete
    a vacancy that still has other items tied to it.  The text should
    be: \"Unable to delete this Vacancy. If assessments and
    announcements have been defined, these must be deleted first. Delete
    in the following order:  Announcement, Assessment, and then
    Vacancy.\"

  Announcement:

-   Portions of job announcements were not displaying properly in the
    USAJOBS preview. Sometimes the TAG itself would display (e.g. TAG:
    Questionnaire) or not appear at all.

-   When creating announcement templates, the sequence of steps led
    users to think their modifications to standard templates had been
    saved when they had not. A change to the order of steps made this
    process more intuitive.

-   Corrected the problem that was causing error messages from USAJOBS
    longer than 350 characters from being saved properly.

-   Corrected problem with USAJOBS exports where user does not
    understand why the export failed because no error message appears.

-   For users with View Only access to the Announcement module, on the
    Preview form, disable the \"Complete\" and \"Release to USAJOBS\"
    check boxes.

-   Modified the process to populate Image Based Form with the correct
    Form 1203-FX template information.

-   System was presenting an error message that states there is a
    problem in creating the job view when an announcement is released
    and then un-released from USAJOBS. The complete box was later
    checked again to release again to USAJOBS. TSG corrected USAS ROS
    Integration to update the job id on updates to prevent this.

-   Modified the announcement template form to disable the level radio
    buttons as well as the combo box to prevent problems with saving.

-   Modified the process of passing announcement information for
    interdisciplinary jobs to USA Jobs.  Before this change, say there
    was an interdisciplinary vacancy which covered series 2210 and 2211;
    a job search on USA Jobs would only find the first series.  Now the
    search would show both series because there would now be an
    announcement listed for each series.

  Resumes:

-   Duplicate USAJOBS resumes are loaded via DRS if the applicant begins
    multiple online application sessions. New ticket was opened to
    investigate problems with changing resumes prior to the final
    submit.

-   Because the resumes will now be stored as HTML, USAJOBS resumes will
    never appear as a mismatch and there will be only one per submitted
    application.

  Assessments:

-   Modified the text on the message that appears when opening HR
    Manager to: \"HR Manager will open in a new window. To end your HR
    Manager session, close its window by clicking the X in its upper
    right corner. USA Staffing will continue to run underneath HR
    Manager until you click Logout.\"

-   Corrected a problem where users were able to add responses for
    Questions 6 - 156 in the ACWA Assessment.  Now, if the assessment is
    marked ACWA, in the questionnaire builder the NEW and DELETE buttons
    to add responses are grayed out.

  Applicants:

-   Corrected the Applicant Assessment Information form so that users
    can add a specialty to a record that has the \"At least one
    specialty is required\" error.

-   On the applicant assessment information form, if a user attempted to
    override the rating for multiple specialty/grades, only the last
    override was being saved.  The form was modified to save all
    override actions.

-   Corrected a problem with the applicant records were not matching
    with their supporting documents.

-   Modified the assessment information form to allow users to set the
    filer status for applicant records.

  Applicant Load:

-   Changes were made in the C Form load process to correct an issue
    that put applicants with invalid military dates in PE status. Now,
    the C-Form load process will load a record with no military date
    errors if the dates are valid and will load it with errors if the
    dates are invalid.

  Applicant Match Process:

-   The match process was corrected because applicants that submitted
    documents for more than one Vacancy ID sometimes had documents from
    multiple vacancies attached to one application, leaving the
    application for the other vacancies incomplete.

  Document Repository System (DRS):

-   Modified the DRS Load process to update the status from PENDING to
    PROCESSED after each document is loaded to the appropriate table.

-   Upgraded the software used for the verification process to allow
    more TSG staff to verify documents as they are faxed in.

  Online Application:

-   Modified the Privacy Statement text that is displayed at the end of
    the online application.

  Rating:

-   Improved the performance of rating applicant records.

-   Corrected a rating problem for applicants who skip questions in the
    questionnaire.

-   Modified rating process to assign IH ratings for non-citizen
    applicants based on their response to the citizenship question
    established in the announcement.

Referral:

-   Improved performance for pulling lists of applicants when issuing
    certificates.

-   Modified the Issue Certificate function to pull all veterans above
    the cut score for proper ordering if applicants are tied.

-   The return date (due back date) for certificates was not displaying
    on the Adobe preview and printed copy of the certificate.

-   Corrected a problem that occurred when entering the number of names
    requested for a certificate

Agency Document Viewer (ADV):

-   Modified the ADV so that all customer contacts with ADV access for
    the customer tied to the specific certificate request can view the
    certificates through the ADV. The system will no longer limit this
    to the four names that can be entered in the \"Send To\" contacts
    field on the Request page.

Reports:

-   Rating Summary Report: Applicants with XP vet preference were not
    displaying as Vets on the Rating Summary Report.

-   Applicant Report: Modified the Applications Pending Review Report to
    correct an error when the users tried to display it.

Advanced Search:

-   Modified the applicant search to restrict the results to
    applications in the current office.

-   Corrected an error on the customer search: if a search was done
    where both the Organization and Agency combo boxes have values in
    them and then user tried to remove the selection from the
    organization combo box, they received an error message.

Customer:

-   Improved system performance on the Customer List screen.

Telecommunication:

-   Enhanced bandwidth by moving from a T1 line to a fractional T3 (16
    times the capacity of the T1).

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Instructions for Administrators

This topic pertains only to persons designated as Administrators for USA
Staffing.

As an Administrator, you have certain responsibilities to perform before
your users can work in USA Staffing. You manage each user\'s access to
USA Staffing by assigning *Permissions* Profiles. You also manage
default settings for preferences and default texts.

Follow the steps on this page to set up USA Staffing for your users:

-   Assign Permissions Profiles to your users.

-   Set Preferences.

-   Set Default Texts.

## New Terms and Concepts

Topic Map

-   Terms that are changing

-   Terms for new features and capabilities

-   Social Security Number changes

-   One Vacancy (Staffing Action) with multiple Announcements and
    Assessments

This Help topic is for the benefit of people who are used to using the
old USA Staffing. The features you have been using in the old USA
Staffing are still here in the new system. In some cases, however, we
have changed the way we talk about them to reflect the current reality
and to make the system easier for everyone to understand and talk about
clearly. Also, there are new terms used with new features we have added.

###  

### Terms that are changing

Here are some terms that are being used to make USA Staffing simpler to
understand.

+-------------+-------------------+------------------------------------+
| Old Term    | New Term          | Explanation                        |
+-------------+-------------------+------------------------------------+
| Vacancy     | Staffing Action   | The word \"vacancy\" had several   |
|             | record            | meanings depending upon context,   |
|             |                   | and this caused confusion. We are  |
|             |                   | transitioning to the new term. For |
|             |                   | the time being, we use both terms  |
|             |                   | together to make clear what we     |
|             |                   | mean.                              |
+-------------+-------------------+------------------------------------+
| Assessment  | -   Assessment    | \"Assessment Tool\" became         |
| Tool        |                   | synonymous with \"questionnaire\". |
|             | -   Assessment    | The new terms reflect the many new |
|             |     Plan          | assessment types that USA Staffing |
|             |                   | supports, as well as the process   |
|             | -   Assessment    | for managing them. This is         |
|             |     Template      | important because now you can      |
|             |                   | combine multiple Assessments and   |
|             |                   | weight them. More details.         |
+-------------+-------------------+------------------------------------+
| FTVA        | Job Announcement  | The new term, Job Announcement, is |
|             |                   | simpler, better reflects current   |
|             |                   | reality, and is consistent with    |
|             |                   | USAJOBS usage. \"FTVA\" stood for  |
|             |                   | Full Text Vacancy Announcement and |
|             |                   | used to distinguish it from a much |
|             |                   | shorter version, but this is a     |
|             |                   | meaningless distinction today.     |
+-------------+-------------------+------------------------------------+
| Module      | -   Work Area     | \"Module\" once reflected the      |
|             |                   | distinct parts of the program as   |
|             | -   Page          | they were previously constructed.  |
|             |                   | Now, the menus and pages in USA    |
|             |                   | Staffing clearly identify their    |
|             |                   | purpose, and make it simpler to    |
|             |                   | locate what you need. It is no     |
|             |                   | longer necessary to know what      |
|             |                   | \"module\" you need to be in to do |
|             |                   | your work. More details.           |
+-------------+-------------------+------------------------------------+
| Office to   | Office Connection | You no longer log in to a          |
| which you   |                   | particular office, and you can now |
| are logged  |                   | switch back and forth between      |
| in          |                   | offices at the click of a mouse by |
|             |                   | changing your Office Connection.   |
|             |                   | When you log in to USA Staffing,   |
|             |                   | you will automatically have the    |
|             |                   | same Office Connection you had     |
|             |                   | when you ended your last session.  |
|             |                   | More details.                      |
+-------------+-------------------+------------------------------------+
| Ce          | Referral          | USA Staffing handles a wide range  |
| rtification |                   | of referral list types, including  |
|             |                   | non-competitive, and merit         |
|             |                   | promotion. Some lists are issued   |
|             |                   | ahead of the final referral and    |
|             |                   | are used in the rating process.    |
|             |                   | The new term better represents the |
|             |                   | current reality.                   |
+-------------+-------------------+------------------------------------+
| Global      | Organizational    | As in the past, the ability to use |
| Library     | Library           | assessments stored in the library  |
|             |                   | is restricted to members of the    |
|             |                   | organization in which the          |
|             |                   | assessments were created. The new  |
|             |                   | term makes more clear that the     |
|             |                   | assessments created in an          |
|             |                   | organization remain private.       |
+-------------+-------------------+------------------------------------+
| Applicant   | Applicants pages  | Functions previously performed in  |
| Data        |                   | Applicant Data Utility are now     |
| Utility     |                   | performed on Applicants pages in   |
|             |                   | the Staffing work area.            |
+-------------+-------------------+------------------------------------+
| Generic TAP |                   | Generic Telephone Application      |
|             |                   | Processing has been discontinued   |
|             |                   | in favor of newer technology.      |
+-------------+-------------------+------------------------------------+
| Production  | Complete          | In earlier versions, an Assessment |
| Mode        |                   | Tool was put into Production Mode  |
|             |                   | in order for it to be used. Now,   |
|             |                   | the Assessment Component is marked |
|             |                   | Complete, meaning that all         |
|             |                   | required parts have been           |
|             |                   | completed, it has been tested, and |
|             |                   | is ready for use to rate           |
|             |                   | applicants.                        |
+-------------+-------------------+------------------------------------+

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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###  

###  

### Terms for new features and capabilities 

 There are some new terms you will want to know as you become acquainted
with new features we have added.

-   **Session History**: USA Staffing keeps track of the VINs (Staffing
    Action records, Vacancies) you have worked on in the current session
    and keeps a list of them in a handy place at the top of the menu.
    More details.

-   **Permissions Profiles**: Your Permissions Profile defines what you
    have permission to do in USA Staffing. More details.

-   **Basic and Advanced Searches**: You can specify your search terms
    in Advanced Search, or try a quick Basic Search. More details.

-   **Document Upload Service (DUS):** Applicants who use the Online
    Application to apply are invited to upload electronic copies of any
    of the documents you permit or require. More details.

-   **Agency Document Viewer (*ADV*)**: This feature gives you and other
    duly authorized people in your organization the ability to view
    referral lists and applicant documents online. More details.

-   **Document Repository System (DRS)**: This is the warehouse where
    electronic copies of documents applicants submit are stored for
    viewing in Agency Document Viewer.

-   **Narrative Text Questions**:You can add text boxes to your Online
    Application Questionnaire to give applicants space to write from a
    few sentences to a few pages. More details.

-   **Workgroups**: You can designate in USA Staffing that individual
    staff members belong to a workgroup, and track workload by
    workgroups instead of by individuals. More details.

-   **Preferences**: Your USA Staffing Administrator can manage default
    texts and many other configurable items for you Organization or
    Office. More details.

-   **Pre-cert**: USA Staffing can produce a referral list that shows
    the names of eligible applicants pending further assessment. Because
    this list is issued ahead of the final competitive certificate, it
    has the nickname \"pre-cert\".

-   **Category Rating**: Category rating may be used in lieu of a
    numerically ordered certificate of eligibles. USA Staffing supports
    a variety of category rating methods that are authorized under
    Section 1312 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296),
    codified at 5 U.S.C. 3319. More details.

-   **Work Areas and Pages**: All work in USA Staffing is done on
    *pages* that you go to by selecting them from a menu. Pages are
    grouped into one of three *work areas* \-- Staffing, Reports, and
    Administration. More details.

USA Staffing now fully supports the new format for job announcements in
USAJOBS. The various new templates and tools you will use to get the
most out of this powerful new capability are described in the
Announcement topics. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Social Security Number changes

It is now possible for you to modify an applicants Social Security
Number to correct errors. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### One Vacancy (Staffing Action) with multiple Job Announcements, Assessments, Referrals

The Staffing Action record (or Vacancy) is the key record of the
staffing process.

-   **Job Announcements**: You can have multiple Job Announcements tied
    to the same Staffing Action (Vacancy) record, although only one of
    them may have an open period at a time.

-   **Assessments**: You can also have multiple Assessments linked to
    the Vacancy (Staffing Action) record, each of them being for
    different series, specialties, or grades.

-   **Referral Lists (Certificates)**: You can issue multiple referral
    lists against multiple requests, all belonging to the same Staffing
    Action record (Vacancy).

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Training Materials and Documents

Topic Map

-   About Training Materials and Documents

-   Training Materials

-   Copy of the Online Help System

### About Training Materials and Documents

Using the links in this topic, you can obtain a copy of the documents
used in the current training for new users in the format of a Word
document. You can also obtain a document that is a copy of this Online
Help System.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Training Materials

The Participant Guide is available for download. Simply click on the
link to begin the download of the file(s) you desire. All files are in
Word document format.

-   All files for all sections of the Participant Guide in a single ZIP
    file. (39 MB)

-   Section 0 - Introduction (Training Agenda, Ground Rules) (159 KB)

-   Section 1 -- Overview of System (Login/Logout, Navigation, Customer
    Maintenance, Online Help, Reports) (3.5 MB)

-   Section 2 -- Staffing Area (Vacancy, Assessment, Announcement,
    Referral) (13 MB)

-   Section 3 -- Administration (Template Library, Maintenance,
    Preferences) (8 MB)

-   Section 4 -- Appendices (20 MB)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Copy of Online Help System

Download the Word document for this build of Help.

(Note: This file is approximately 10 MB. You can view it in MS Word, or
print all or part of it. It is approximately 500 pages. More details.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Getting More Help

Topic Map

-   How can I learn more about features in USA Staffing?

-   How can I report problems or ask questions of OPM experts?

-   What is FootPrints?

-   What can FootPrints do for me?

-   When should I use FootPrints?

-   How do I get started?

-   How do I create a ticket in FootPrints?

-   Can I just send an email message instead?

    -   Why should I log in to FootPrints if I can just send an email
        message?

-   I forgot my password for FootPrints. What do I do now?

-   Why do I get \"append error\" when I reply to a ticket via email?

-   I have a new FootPrints account, but I keep getting logged in to my
    old one before I can even enter my new User ID and password. Why?

-   What if I encounter other problems using FootPrints?

### How can I learn more about features in USA Staffing?

This Online Help System is an excellent resource for you to stay
informed of all the features in USA Staffing and how to use them.

-   Using Help

-   Take a Guided Tour

In addition, watch for announcements about User Group meetings,
briefings, Web seminars, and online tutorials.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### How can I report problems or ask questions of OPM experts?

The USA Staffing Help Desk, powered by FootPrints, is available 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week, to help you get answers to questions and to
resolve technical issues that surface.

You can use FootPrints two ways \-- by logging in using your Web
browser, and by sending an email. To start a FootPrints session, simply
click this link or copy the URL to your browser location bar:
http://eshelp.opm.gov. If you are unfamiliar with FootPrints, please
continue reading below.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### What is FootPrints?

FootPrints is the fully Web-based award-winning Help Desk management
system for users of the USA Staffing Help Desk.  The OPM USA Staffing
team has selected FootPrints to provide you with the best possible
service.

#### What can FootPrints do for me?

-   FootPrints is open for business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  

-   It features a **Knowledge Base of Solutions** that you can search or
    browse to find the answers to your questions.

-   If you don\'t see the answer to your question in the Knowledge Base
    of Solutions, you can open a Help Desk ticket.

-   Creating a new ticket is as easy as filling out a simple online
    form.  FootPrints fills out much of the ticket for you. Or you can
    send an email message to the special Help Desk address.

-   Once you click the GO button to submit your ticket \-- or when
    FootPrints receives your email message \-- FootPrints logs it in and
    sends you an email to confirm.  This email tells you your ticket
    number and the status of the ticket.

-   FootPrints automatically assigns the ticket to an OPM Help Desk
    Agent, and notifies the Agent so the Agent can promptly begin work
    on your issue.

-   FootPrints emails you an update every time the status of your ticket
    changes, so you always know the progress being made.

-   If you want to add more information, simply reply to any of the
    email messages FootPrints sends.  Or, you can return to the
    FootPrints Web page.

-   You can view tickets you and your colleagues have submitted in the
    past to see how they were resolved.

#### When should I use FootPrints?

Any time you have a USA Staffing question, problem, or enhancement
suggestion, FootPrints is the ideal way to *register* it for timely
action.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### How do I get started?

It\'s easy!  Using your Web browser, go to http://eshelp.opm.gov.  On
your first visit, you will need to register as a new user by clicking
the link that says, \"Sign Up Here.\"  You\'ll be asked to provide some
information about yourself for contact purposes so that we can
correspond with you.  

-   Please use all lowercase letters in your email address.

-   Your email address will become your USER ID for future visits.

-   You will make up your own password.

Once you\'ve completed the quick registration process above, you\'ll be
on the FootPrints Home Page.  From the Home Page, you can see the
Solutions in the Knowledge Base and look for an immediate answer to your
needs.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### How do I create a ticket in FootPrints?

To submit a request for help, click on **Submit Request** to create a
ticket for the Help Desk staff to follow up. The ticket form is simple:

1.  Type in a Title. This will appear as the subject of email you
    receive from FootPrints.

2.  Select a Priority level.

3.  Review your contact information to make sure it is still correct.

4.  Under Ticket Information, select the Type of Ticket and enter the
    Office to which you belong or are connecting. If your ticket
    pertains to the records of particular applicants, enter the SSNs
    and/or names of the applicants in the boxes provided.

5.  In the Description box, type as detailed a description of the
    problem as possible, including as best as you recall, the steps you
    took that led up to the problem. ***Do not type the names or SSNs of
    applicants in the Description box, because its contents appear on
    email messages that will be sent to you, and email is not secure.
    Always use the boxes provided for SSN and applicant names to provide
    applicant information.***

6.  Optionally attach any files you may wish the Help Desk team to
    review.

7.  Click the GO button to submit the ticket as a new request.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Can I just send an email message instead?

Why should I log in to FootPrints if I can just send an email message?

-   When you log in to FootPrints, you may be able to find an immediate
    answer in the Knowledge Base of Solutions without even having to
    create a new ticket.

-   When you log in to FootPrints, you can see your current and old
    tickets and any tickets submitted by other users in your
    Organization, if they have enabled this feature. You may discover
    that someone has already asked the same question or reported the
    same difficulty. If a Global ticket has been opened because the same
    issue affects many users, you can easily subscribe to the Global
    Ticket and be notified when the problem has been solved.

-   The Message of the Day may alert you to any known issues.

-   You should always log in to FootPrints instead of sending an email
    when you are providing applicant SSNs or Names.

-   When you create a ticket by logging in to FootPrints, you can set
    the Priority and the Type of Ticket. FootPrints will immediately
    route the ticket to the proper team based upon your selections. This
    feature is not available if you create the ticket by sending an
    email message.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

After you have logged in to FootPrints at least one time to create your
user account and provide your contact information, you can create new
tickets by sending an email message to usas-help@opm.gov.

In the body of your message, you should provide all the same details
normally provided on the online form, including:

-   Whether you are submitting a question, suggestion, or a report of a
    problem.

-   Which version you are writing about \-- the new Web version or the
    old Citrix version.

-   If you are reporting a problem:

    -   Provide as much detail about the steps you took prior to the
        problem occurring.

    -   If there was an error message, quote it or paste it into your
        email, or attach it to the email.

    -   Provide the VIN, Assessment ID, or Job Announcement number as
        may be appropriate for the Help Desk team to locate the record
        you are talking about.

    -   State the Office to which you belong or are connecting.

    -   ***Never send applicant names or SSN\'s via email. Email is not
        secure and can be intercepted by unauthorized persons, with a
        potential for privacy violations and identity theft. When you
        need to discuss particular applicant records, always log in to
        FootPrints via your browser and create the ticket online, so
        that privacy is protected.***

    -   Indicate the level of urgency you feel is involved:

        -   nice to have, but not needed

        -   needed

        -   urgent

        -   critical

-   Be sure to provide current contact information unless you are sure
    that your current contact information is already in your Contact
    record in FootPrints.

-   Note: When you create a ticket via email message, it is initially
    assigned a priority level of \"Needed\". If the body of your message
    indicates you feel the is Urgent or Critical, a member of the USA
    Staffing Help Desk team may change the priority level.

-   Note: For faster attention, it is advisable to log in to FootPrints
    to open a new ticket. When you select the Type of Ticket, FootPrints
    routes the ticket immediately to the correct team for response. On
    the other hand, when you create a new ticket via email message, it
    is not assigned until a team member reads it and assigns it.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### I forgot my password for Footprints. What do I do now?

You can reset your FootPrints password by yourself instantly. You can
also opt to send an email instead of logging in.

To reset your password, follow these steps:

1.  Go to the regular FootPrints login page at http://eshelp.opm.gov.

2.  In the box for **User ID**, type your full email address.

3.  In the box for **Password**, type an ***x***.

4.  Click the **Login** button. FootPrints will display an error message
    page like the one in Figure 1 below.

![](media/image6.jpeg){width="3.34375in" height="1.28125in"}

> *Figure 1: The FootPrints login error page.*

5.  Click the link that says **Forgot Password?**; there is no need to
    fill out anything else on this page. FootPrints will display a page
    on which you must answer the question you chose for this purpose
    when you first created your account. An example is in Figure 2
    below.

![](media/image7.jpeg){width="4.4375in" height="1.7708333333333333in"}

> *Figure 2: The FootPrints password retrieval page.*

6.  Type in the correct answer to the question. It must match the answer
    you gave when you created your account. It is case sensitive. When
    you provide the correct answer, FootPrints will email you a new
    password within a few minutes.

7.  When you receive the email, use the new password to log in.

You can change your password yourself from the one you get in the
FootPrints email. To do this, follow these steps:

1.  From the left menu in FootPrints, click on **My Preferences**.
    FootPrints will display the preferences page, which looks like
    Figure 3 below.

![](media/image8.jpeg){width="5.604166666666667in"
height="3.6770833333333335in"}

> *Figure 3: The My Preferences page is where you change your password.*

2.  In the **New Password** box in the first section of this page, type
    the password you would like to have from this point forward. Type it
    a second time in the **New Password Again** box. *Note: \"New
    Password\" in this context means the password you are now choosing,
    not the one FootPrints may have just sent you in an email.*

3.  In the **Apply Changes** section at the bottom of the page, you must
    type your current password in the **Password** box before clicking
    GO. *Your current password is the one you used to log in to this
    session of FootPrints.* Then click the **GO** button, and follow any
    directions that appear on screen.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

####  

####  

####  

####  

#### Why do I get \"append error\" when I reply to a ticket via email?

\"Append error\" is FootPrints\' way of saying the email address on the
\"From\" part of your message does not match the email address of the
owner of the ticket. Since the email addresses don\'t match, FootPrints
considers you an intruder, and will not accept the incoming email
message to update the ticket.

This can occur if you have had more than one email address. (This is
common for OPM users, for instance, who used to have email addresses in
the form of *bsmith@opm.gov* but now have them in the form of
*bob.smith@opm.gov*. While it may be possible for you to receive
messages that are sent *to you* using the old form of your address, when
Outlook sends messages *from you*, it always identifies you using the
new form of your address.)

-   **To reply to a FootPrints message you receive for a ticket created
    on an account with an email address different from your current
    one:**

    1.  Log in to FootPrints using as your User ID the email address you
        used when you first created the ticket.

    2.  Click **View My Requests** \--
        ![](media/image9.jpeg){width="1.0in" height="0.75in"}.

    3.  On the list of your tickets that FootPrints displays, locate the
        one to which you wish to reply.

    4.  If the ticket is still open, you can edit it and add your
        comments or reply to questions. Click for the **Edit** button at
        the top of the page \--
        ![](media/image10.jpeg){width="1.8854166666666667in"
        height="0.46875in"}. You can also close the ticket by clicking
        the **Close** button. (If the ticket is closed, you will not be
        able to reply; create a new ticket instead.)

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **To prevent append errors on future tickets:** If you log in to
    create your new tickets, always be sure to use an account for which
    the FootPrints User ID is the same as your actual email address. If
    your email address gets changed, then you need to create a new
    FootPrints account. To do this, follow these steps:

    1.  Go to the FootPrints login page at http://eshelp.opm.gov.

    2.  Click **New Users Sign Up Here** at the very bottom of the page.

    3.  Complete the registration form and click **GO**.

    4.  Always log in to your new account with your current email
        address when creating new tickets. You can still view old
        tickets created on your old account by logging in to your old
        account, but do not create new tickets from your old account.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

####  

####  

####  

####  

#### I have a new FootPrints account, but I keep getting logged in to my old one before I can even enter my new User ID and password. Why?

This happens because you once upon a time clicked the check box on the
FootPrints login page that says Remember my ID and password. FootPrints
created a cookie, and your browser is reading that cookie to
automatically log you in.

To prevent this, delete the cookie. In Internet Explorer 6, you cannot
delete a single cookie; you can only delete all cookies, and this may
affect other Web sites you visit. To do this, follow these steps:

1.  In Internet Explorer 6, click **Tools** on the top menu bar.

2.  Click **Internet Options**.

3.  If the General tab is not on top, click the **General** tab to bring
    it to the top.

4.  In the middle of the dialog box, in the Temporary Files section,
    click **Delete Cookies**, and click **OK** when asked to confirm.

You should now be able to log in the normal way by going to
http://eshelp.opm.gov.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

#### What if I encounter other problems using FootPrints?

FootPrints has a very good track record.  However, if you experience
difficulty using FootPrints, send an email to David Nason at
dpnason@opm.gov .

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Logging In to USA Staffing

### Rules of Use

This U.S. Government system \-- USA Staffing \--  is to be used by
authorized users only. Information from this system resides on computer
systems funded by the Government. The data and documents on this system
include Federal records that contain sensitive information protected by
various Federal statues, including the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a). All
access or use of this system constitutes user understanding and
acceptance of these terms and constitutes unconditional consent to
review and action by all authorized government and law enforcement
personnel.

Unauthorized user attempts or acts to (1) access, upload, change, or
delete information on this system, (2) modify this system, (3) deny
access to this system, (4) accrue resources for unauthorized use or (5)
otherwise misuse this system are strictly prohibited. Such attempts or
acts are subject to action that may result in criminal, civil, or
administrative penalties.

### User Name

OPM\'s USA Staffing Program Office assigns all User Names. Your User
Name has been assigned to you to identify you as a unique individual
authorized to log on to USA Staffing.

 The format of your User Name is as follows:

-   **All users except OPM employees:** Three letters that designate
    your agency, plus the initials of your name. If you do not provide a
    middle initial when we obtain information to set up your account,
    the letter \"X\" will be used as your middle initial. (Example:
    DHSJXD).

-   **OPM employees:** First Initial, Middle Initial, First 6 characters
    of Last Name. (Example: SLMEADOW)

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  User Names are not case sensitive, but
passwords are. User Names must not contain punctuation, but Passwords
can.

### Password

Topic Map

-   Security Precautions

-   Forget Your Password?

-   Initial Password and Reset Password

-   Password Rules

##### Security Precautions

Your password is for your use alone. Keep your password secret. This
will help assure that no one gains unauthorized access to the system or
the information in it, which is protected by the Privacy Act.

If you think that someone else may have found out what your password is,
change it immediately.

If you enter your password incorrectly 3 times in a row, your account
will be locked out for 30 minutes as an added security measure.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Forget Your Password?

If you have forgotten your password, you can ask your USA Staffing
Administrator to reset it for you. Your Administrator can also unlock
your account so you can log in immediately.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#####  

##### Initial Password and Reset Password

Your initial password is your last name, with normal capitalization. You
must change this password the first time you log in.

If your USA Staffing Administrator resets your password, it is set back
to your last name, with normal capitalization (e.g., Smith \-- not SMITH
or smith). You should log in immediately and change it to something
difficult to guess, so that the account is kept secure.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Password Rules

USA Staffing passwords must be complex so that they are not easily
guessed.

-   Your password must contain a minimum of 8 characters.

-   Your password must include at least 3 of the following 4 attributes:

    -   Upper Case (A-Z)

    -   Lower Case (a-z)

    -   Numbers (0-9)

    -   Special Characters (#@\$%&\*+=\*?{}\[\]\<\>:\")

-   Your password may not contain your User Name or any part of your
    full name.

-   You must change your system password every 60 days.  The system will
    notify you when it is time to change your password.

-   The system will remember your password for 6 uses.  You may not
    re-use your password until you have used 6 other passwords.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Change Your Password

To change your password at any time, follow these steps:

-   Click **Administration** on the top navigation bar.

-   Click the white **Maintenance** button on the left navigation panel.

-   Click **User Maintenance** on the left navigation panel.

-   Locate your name on the User List.  (You can use the scroll bars to
    scroll up and down.)

-   Click the word **Edit** on the row where you see your name. This
    will display the User Edit page. The **Change Password** button is
    on the bottom of this page, and you may need to scroll down to see
    it.

-   Click the **Change Password** button.

-   Enter your current password, and then your new password twice, in
    the boxes provided. Your new password must conform to the Password
    Rules.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  You can only directly ***change*** your
own password. If you open another user\'s record for editing, you can
only ***reset*** the password, which gives that person an opportunity to
create a new password the next time he or she logs in.

### Time-Out

As a security measure, USA Staffing monitors to see if your session is
active. If your session is inactive for a set period of time, the system
will \"time-out\". Once the system has timed-out, no further work can be
done until you enter your password again.

To keep your session active, you must be doing more than just typing.
You need to click at least once every 60 minutes on a menu item or on
one of the following types of buttons: **Save**, **Cancel**, **Next**,
or **Previous**.  If you are typing a large section of your
announcement, **Save** would probably be the most convenient to click,
since it will keep you on the same page.

## Going Places in USA Staffing

### Going Places in USA Staffing

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  To return to a previous page, you can
use your keyboard\'s Backspace key. If you have entered data on a page,
**Save** or **Cancel** your work before using the Backspace key. Your
work is automatically saved when you click a **Next** or **Previous**
button on the page.

![](media/image11.jpeg){width="5.930555555555555in" height="0.4375in"}

With the navigation bar across the top of the page, you can:

-   Perform searches \-- basic and advanced

-   Change your Office Connection.

-   Select one of the ***3 Work Areas***:

    -   Staffing. When you first log on to USA Staffing, this is the
        Work Area that is already selected for you. It is where you
        perform most of your day to day work with your Staffing Actions
        (Vacancies), Assessments, Job Announcements, Applicants, and
        Referrals.

    -   Reports. Select this Work Area from the top navigation bar when
        you wish to generate and view reports.

    -   Administration. Select this Work Area when you need to perform
        administrative tasks such as adding or modifying Users,
        Customers, or Customer Contacts; working with your
        Organization\'s or Office\'s Preferences or Permissions
        Profiles; importing or exporting data; or managing template
        libraries or financial records.

-   Access online Help, including tutorials and the USA Staffing Help
    Desk powered by FootPrints.

-   Logout of USA Staffing.

### Work Areas, Smart Menus and Pages in USA Staffing

Topic Map

-   About Work Areas

-   Going to a Work Area

-   Menus on the Left Panel

-   Smart Menus and Pages: a pathway through a staffing action

    -   The Staffing Work Area menu

    -   The Reports Work Area menu

    -   The Administration Work Area menu

#### About Work Areas and Pages

All work in USA Staffing is done on pages of the system, each page
corresponding with an item on the menu on the left side of the window.
All of the pages are in one of three work areas:

-   The **Staffing** work area is where you will perform most day to day
    work, including:

    -   Setting up a Staffing Action (or \"vacancy \")

    -   Creating the assessment plan

    -   Building and publishing the job announcement

    -   Managing applicant records

    -   Referring candidates

-   The **Reports** area is where you will generate reports.

-   The **Administration** work area is where some users will go to
    perform work that affects a the default settings for a whole
    organization or office, including:

    -   Managing default templates.

    -   Maintenance of records of customer , offices, locations, and
        users, as well as management of permissions profiles and
        workgroups

    -   Configurations and defaults for text, applicant flags, notices
        of results, and screening elements

    -   Financial data

    -   Importing data from other systems, and exporting data to other
        formats

Access to the Administration work area is controlled by Permissions
Profiles, which your Administrator for USA Staffing manages. The
Administration work area may not be available to all users.

Many of the settings in the Administration area serve as defaults, but
you can override them in the Staffing work area for particular
customers, certificates, or Staffing Actions (vacancies).

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Going to a Work Area

![](media/image12.jpeg){width="4.333333333333333in"
height="0.9479166666666666in"}

Above is a picture that shows the top navigation bar, with an
enlargement of the three buttons you use to change work areas.  When you
change work areas, the menus on the left side of the screen change to
reflect the actions you can perform in that work area. The work area
button you clicked changes color to show where you are, as in the
picture below. By default, the Staffing work area is selected when you
log in to USA Staffing.

![](media/image13.jpeg){width="2.0729166666666665in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Menus on the Left Panel

Below are the pictures showing the white menu buttons the belong to each
work area. When you click on a white button, the menu expands to show
you the pages you can go to, to manage that part of the process. The
menu option you most recently selected will be highlighted to show you
where you are.

View Flash movie. ![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
height="0.3333333333333333in"}  

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

#### Smart Menus and Pages: a pathway through a staffing action

The Smart Menus of the Staffing work area are arranged in the order of
the steps you would normally take to complete a staffing action from
start to finish. The Smart Menus are aware of the work you have already
completed, and guide you from one step to the next. This makes it easier
for a person who is unsure what to do next, and is especially helpful in
a team environment, where different people may be responsible for
completing certain steps. However, you need to be aware of the fact that
the system is doing some thinking for you, so that you are not surprised
when the system takes you to a page other than the one you selected from
the menu.

Note these features of the Smart Menus in the Staffing work area:

-   Many pages contain a Next button to take you to the next step
    typically taken. In a few instances, the only way to get to a page
    is to click Next from the page before it. For example, you can only
    get to the Ordering Criteria page on the Referral menu by clicking
    Next on the Request Information page.

-   If you click on a menu to take you to a particular page, the Smart
    Menu checks to see if you have completed pre-requisite pages. If
    not, the Smart Menu will take you to the place you need to be to
    resume your work in order to get to the page you selected on the
    menu. For example, if you click on Questionnaire Builder, the system
    checks to see if you have set up an Applicant Questionnaire type of
    Assessment. If not, it takes you to the Assessment Information page
    where you can do that first. Then you would click Next to provide
    the Specialty and Grade. Then you would click next to get to
    Questionnaire Builder, as you initially intended.

-   The system will automatically save your changes on a page when you
    select a new page or click Next or Previous. If required fields have
    not been completed, however, you will be prompted to finish them
    before you leave the page. (Click Cancel if you wish to leave the
    page immediately and lose unsaved changes.)

-   The system is aware of whether there is only one possible record you
    have in mind or many from which you must choose. If there is only
    one possible record, it takes you to that record directly. But if
    you might be working with one of many possible records, the system
    will take you to a list of the records first. For example, you can
    have multiple Job Announcements for a given VIN. The system will
    respond differently when you click the white Announcement button,
    depending upon the situation. In this example, the following may
    happen:

    -   If for the VIN, you have previously created no Job Announcements
        or only one, the system presents the Announcement page, where
        you can create one or modify the existing one.

    -   If for the VIN, you have created multiple Job Announcements, the
        system will present you with a list of all of them from which
        you must pick the one you intend to work on. (There is also a
        New button so you can create a new one at that point.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### The Staffing Work Area menu![](media/image15.jpeg){width="1.46875in" height="2.6354166666666665in"}  

When you click on a white button on the menu, the links to related pages
appear below it. For example, in this picture, you see that you can
click on Position Information to get to the Position Information page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

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####  

#### ![](media/image16.jpeg){width="1.46875in" height="4.072916666666667in"}The Reports Work Area menu

In the Reports Work Area, each white button on the menu bar links you to
reports pertaining to the topic on the button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

#### ![](media/image17.jpeg){width="1.4791666666666667in" height="2.8958333333333335in"}The Administration Work Area menu

When you click on a white button on the menu, the links to related pages
appear below it. For example, in this picture, you see that you can
click on the Maintenance white button, and then you can select Customer
Maintenance to get to the Customer Maintenance page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Searches

Topic Map

-   About Searches

-   Advanced Search forms

    -   What is a Partial Search?

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   User

    -   Customer

    -   Vacancy

    -   Applicants

    -   Assessments

    -   Job Announcement

    -   Announcement

    -   Referral Request

    -   Referral Certificate

#### About Searches![](media/image18.jpeg){width="2.46875in" height="0.2604166666666667in"}

There are two levels of search \-- basic and advanced.

-   **Basic Search**: Type a number or name in the text box on the top
    navigation bar and click the **Go** button. The system will look for
    matches based upon where you are in the system at them moment. For
    example, if you know the Vacancy ID number for the Staffing Action
    record you want to use, simply type it in the basic Search box and
    click **Go**. Basic Search is smart enough to know the difference
    between a VIN number and a Social Security Number.

    -   If you type in a 9 digit number, the system will show you
        applicant records with that SSN.

> ![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in" height="0.3854166666666667in"}
>
> Searches are limited to the data that belong to the Office to which
> you are connected. If you want to look for data that belongs to
> another Office, change your Office Connection first. You can only
> change your Office Connection to Offices in which you have
> permissions.

-   If you type in a 6 digit number, the system will know that you are
    looking for a VIN.

-   If you type in a string of letters, the system will know that you
    are looking for the name of a person, Assessment, or Job
    Announcement. You will have to select  the appropriate place to
    search from the \"Look In:\" drop down box on the Search page.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Advanced Search**: Click the **Advanced** button on the top
    navigation bar to get to the Advanced Search page. On the Advanced
    Search page you will be able to specify in detail what you are
    looking for. On the Advanced Search page, select from the \"Look
    in:\" drop down box your choice for where you want the system to
    look. The page will refresh with a form containing the proper fields
    for the selection you make. The picture below depicts the choices
    available when you click on the Look In drop down box.

![](media/image19.jpeg){width="4.229166666666667in"
height="2.0208333333333335in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

#### Advanced Search Forms

> The following bullets pertain to all the Advanced Search pages:

-   On the search form, enter in any of the fields the search criteria
    you want to use.

-   If you leave a field blank, it will not be used in the search.

-   You must make an entry in at least one field on the Search form.

> What is a Partial Search?
>
> When the Partial check box is checked, your search results will
> include records that partially, but do not exactly, match your search
> criteria. This is useful, for example, when you know a word or a few
> letters of the Job Title, but not the exact title.
>
> For example, if Partial is checked, and we type man in the Position
> Title as our \"search string\", our search results will include both
> Hu*man* Resource Specialist and Office *Man*ager.
>
> Note that it does not matter where in the Job Title our search string
> \-- \"man\" occurs.
>
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   By default, the system will look for exact matches to what you type
    in the boxes. Every letter and space must exactly match. If you wish
    to find records that only partially match, click to select Partial
    search matches (next to the Go button).

-   Click **Go** when you are ready for the system to perform the
    search.

-   When matches are found, the system will display them in a table
    below the form. To open a given record, click Open on its row in the
    table. Below is a picture showing a search results table.

> ![](media/image20.jpeg){width="4.197916666666667in"
> height="3.2395833333333335in"}
>
> Below are more detailed descriptions of each of the Advanced Search
> forms.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

####  

##### User

![](media/image21.jpeg){width="4.21875in" height="1.7291666666666667in"}

When User is selected from the Look In drop down box, you can search for
User records based upon these fields:

-   Last Name

-   First Name

-   Middle Initial

-   User Name

-   Position

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Customer

![](media/image22.jpeg){width="4.21875in" height="1.6458333333333333in"}

When Customer is selected from the Look In drop down box, you can search
for Customer records based upon these fields:

-   Customer Name

-   Category: Federal, State, USPS (Postal Service)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Vacancy

![](media/image23.jpeg){width="4.21875in" height="2.03125in"}

When Vacancy is selected from the Look In drop down box, you can search
for Vacancy (Staffing Action) records based upon these fields:

-   Pay Plan

-   Series

-   Beginning Grade

-   Ending Grade

-   **Position Title**: Enter all or part of the title to have the
    search results take your the title into account. If you are only
    entering part of the title, be sure to check the Partial Search
    check box.   

-   **Job Type**: Federal, State, or USPS (Postal Service)

-   **Vacancy Type**: Case Exam, Standing Register, or Deferred Rating

-   **Vacancy ID**: Enter all or part of the VIN to have search results
    take the VIN into account.

-   ***ACWA* Position**: If this box is checked, the search results will
    include records only if ACWA Position was checked on the Position
    Information page.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Allow IT Search**: If this box is checked, the search results will
    include records only if IT Job was checked on the Position
    Information page.

**Creating a New Vacancy (Staffing Action) record**

You can create a new Staffing Action record (Vacancy) from the Advanced
Search page when Vacancy is selected in the \"Look in\" drop down box.
Click the **New** button at the top of the page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Applicants

![](media/image24.jpeg){width="4.21875in" height="2.8020833333333335in"}

When Applicants is selected from the Look In drop down box, you can
search for Applicant records based upon these fields:

-   **Vacancy ID**: Enter all or part of the VIN to have search results
    take the VIN into account.

-   **Announcement Number**: Enter all or part of the Announcement
    Number to have search results take the the Announcement Number into
    account.

-   **Application Source**: Click to select one or more of the ways the
    application may have been entered into USA Staffing. (See the Tip
    below.)

    -   **Form 1203 FX**: Select this to include applicants whose
        application forms were scanned into USA Staffing. (The Form 1203
        FX is alternatively known as the *Qualifications and
        Availability Form,* and used to be called the *Form C*.

    -   **IVR**: Select this to include applications received via
        Interactive Voice Recognition.

    -   **Key Entry**: Select this to include applications that were
        manually key entered into USA Staffing.

    -   **Web**: Select this to include applications received via the
        Online Application on the Internet.

    -   **Agency Scanned Form 1203-FX**: Select this to include
        applications received via the paper forms 1203-FX that were
        scanned into USA Staffing.

    -   **Customized Processing Web**: Select this to include
        applications received via the Online Application on the Internet
        under a customized processing arrangement with OPM.

    -   **Customized Processing IVR**: Select this to include
        applications received via Interactive Voice Recognition under a
        customized processing arrangement with OPM.

    -   **Customized Processing Form:** Select this to include
        applicants whose application forms were scanned into USA
        Staffing under a customized processing arrangement with OPM.

-   **Record Status**: Click to select one or more Record Status Codes
    to include them in your search criteria. (See the Tip below.)

-   **Receipt Date**: If the receipt date matters in your search, you
    will use the two drop down boxes together to build the search
    expression.

    -   The first box lets you choose your logic symbol.

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   The second box opens a calendar when you click on it. Select a
        date from the calendar to build an expression. For example, if
        in the first box you selected \"Before, and including\...\" and
        in the second box you selected February 15, 2004, you would have
        built an expression the system will interpret as \"Include only
        those applicants whose applications were received on or before
        February 15, 2004.\"

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **SSN**: Enter all or part of the SSN to have search results take
    the SSN into account.

-   **Last Name**: Enter all or part of the Last Name to have search
    results take the Last Name into account.

-   **First Name**: Enter all or part of the First Name to have search
    results take the First Name into account.

-   **MI**: Enter the Middle Initial to have search results take the
    Middle Initial into account.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in" height="0.3854166666666667in"}  

-   To select more than one item on the list, hold down the Control key
    \<CTRL\> while clicking with your mouse.

-   To select all items on the list, click on the top one. Then scroll
    to the bottom of the list, press and hold down the \<Shift\> key,
    and click on the last item on the list. All items on the list should
    appear as selected.

-   To clear all choices on a list, click the blank space at the top of
    the list.

-   If no choice is made in a list with multiple options, the list is
    not used in the search. This has the same effect as including all
    items on the list. For example, if you don\'t make any selections in
    the Application Source box, applications from *all* sources will be
    included in your search results.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Assessments

![](media/image25.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in"
height="2.1041666666666665in"}

You can search for Assessments by author, name of assessment, rating
method, Vacancy ID (VIN), position title, series, specialty, or grade.  

-   **New**: You can create a new Assessment from the Advanced Search
    page when Assessments is selected in the \"Look in\" drop down box.
    Click the **New** button at the top of the page.

-   **Template:** Click to add a check to this box if you want your
    search results to include Assessment *Plans* as well as individual
    Assessments.

-   **Show Copies:** When this box is checked, copies of the Assessment
    that are linked to other announcements with different numbers are
    unhidden from view. This permits the tracking of the history of an
    Assessment.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Organization Library**: If you also check this box, your search
    results will include your own Assessments plus any  matching
    Assessments developed by your organization. (In the past, this was
    known as the \"global library.\")

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Job Announcement

![](media/image26.jpeg){width="4.197916666666667in"
height="1.7083333333333333in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Announcement

![](media/image27.jpeg){width="4.229166666666667in"
height="1.7291666666666667in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Referral Request

![](media/image28.jpeg){width="4.197916666666667in" height="2.25in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Referral Certificate

![](media/image29.jpeg){width="4.21875in" height="2.1868055555555554in"}

-   **Certificate Number**: This field is not case sensitive. Include
    the dashes.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Office Connection

When you log in to USA Staffing, all your work, by default, is in your
own office\'s database. If you have permissions in offices, you can
connect to one of them so you can access its data. After you connect to
an office, you can copy information from *Staffing Action* records
stored there, or perform work for that office, depending upon your
permissions.

To change your office connection, select a new office from the Office
Connection drop-down list in the center of the top navigation bar.

View Flash movie. ![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
height="0.3333333333333333in"}  

In the picture below, the user is connected to the \"Testing Office\".

![](media/image11.jpeg){width="5.930555555555555in" height="0.4375in"}

### Session History

Topic Map

-   About Session History

-   No Staffing Action record in use

-   A Staffing Action record in use

-   Switching to a different Staffing Action record

####  

#### About Session History

USA Staffing remembers which VINs (Vacancies, Staffing Action records)
you have worked on in your current session, and allows you to go back
and forth among all of them at a simple click of the mouse.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

#### No VIN in use

![](media/image30.jpeg){width="1.46875in" height="2.8125in"}When you
start a session in USA Staffing, the left menu bar looks like this. Note
that above the white Vacancy button is a drop down box, and that it is
empty. This is the Session History box. The Session History box is blank
now, because no VINs (Vacancies, Staffing Action records) have been used
yet in this session.

Because the Session History box shows that no VIN is in use at this
time, if we were to click on any menu item, the system would prompt us
to first open or create a Vacancy (Staffing Action).

If you leave the Staffing work area and go to either the Reports or
Administration work areas, and then return to Staffing, the Session
History box will show that no Staffing Action record is in use. You must
make a selection from Session History or open a Vacancy (Staffing
Action) record using the normal procedure before you can resume most
types of work in the Staffing work area.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### A VIN in use

![](media/image31.jpeg){width="1.2916666666666667in"
height="0.9166666666666666in"}Vacancy 100607 now appears in the Session
History box because this is the VIN for the record we are currently
working on, and it has the system\'s focus. Any Assessments, Job
Announcements, or Referrals that we work on will pertain to the Vacancy
ID that appears in the Session History box.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Switching to a different VIN

![](media/image32.jpeg){width="1.2708333333333333in"
height="1.0625in"}You can use several VINs  (Vacancies, Staffing Action
records) in your USA Staffing session. Each time you open a new one, its
number will be added to the Session History box. You can switch back and
forth among all the Vacancies that appear in the Session History box. To
switch to another Vacancy number that you already worked on in your
current session, click the dropdown arrow. From the list that drops
down, click on the Vacancy number that you wish to switch to.

This picture shows three Vacancy records were used in the current
session, and the user is about to switch from 100607 to 100611.

Whatever work you do on any of the Announcement pages will affect the
Vacancy (Staffing Action) whose number shows at the top of the menu. If
you want to work on the Job Announcement for a different VIN that you
opened in the current session, select it from the drop-down box *before*
you click the Announcement button.

When you log off USA Staffing, or when your session times out and you
log back in, the history of VINs in the drop down box is cleared.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Online Help

USA Staffing has online Help. To use it, click the Help button on the
top navigation bar.

![](media/image11.jpeg){width="5.930555555555555in" height="0.4375in"}

### Making Choices and Entering Information

Topic Map

-   About Making Choices and Entering Information

-   Tables and Grids

-   Drop Down Selection Boxes

-   Calendars

-   Moving and selecting without a mouse

#### About Making Choices and Entering Information

This topic is to introduce common page controls and objects and how to
use them to make selections and enter information.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Tables and Grids

![](media/image33.jpeg){width="4.291666666666667in" height="1.3125in"}

Often information will be displayed and modified on a table or \"grid\"
somewhat like the one pictured here. The left side of the above table is
enlarged below for better viewing so that we can discuss the controls on
the table.

![](media/image34.jpeg){width="2.2597222222222224in"
height="1.2493055555555554in"}

-   Note that the second row \-- for the request number \"test-slm\" has
    a ![](media/image35.jpeg){width="0.16666666666666666in"
    height="0.16666666666666666in"} to the far left side. This means
    there is more information hidden from view that can be revealed if
    you click the **+**. Clicking the plus sign is sometimes referred to
    as \"expanding the tree view\".

-   The row below that has the opposite sign \-- the
    ![](media/image36.jpeg){width="0.14583333333333334in"
    height="0.13541666666666666in"} \-- which means that it is fully
    expanded. The rows below it that are indented belong to it. To hide
    them, click the minus sign. Hiding rows by clicking on the minus
    sign is sometimes referred to as \"collapsing the tree view\".

-   The second row also has this arrow symbol \--
    ![](media/image37.jpeg){width="0.22916666666666666in"
    height="0.22916666666666666in"} \-- which means that this row is
    selected and has the system\'s focus. If you were to click
    **Delete**, this is the row that would be deleted. If you were to
    click **New**, this is the row to which information would be
    appended. If you were to click **Copy**, this is the record that
    would be copied.

-   Each row has a cell on it with an underlined word, indicating that
    it is a hyperlink. In this case, the underlined word is \"Open\",
    but sometimes you will see \"Edit\" or a VIN number or other word as
    the hyperlink. Clicking the hyperlink on the table puts that record
    in use so that you can modify it

More information about Working With Tables.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Drop Down Selection Boxes

![](media/image38.jpeg){width="1.3229166666666667in"
height="0.22916666666666666in"}

A drop down box is identified by the down arrow at the right end. To
make a selection from this type of box, click the down arrow and point
with the mouse to your choice. Then release the mouse. Look to confirm
that your choice appears in the box after you release the mouse button,
because it is easy to slip with your pointer to an adjacent option. If
necessary make your selection again.

Sometimes you will click on a cell in a table, and the cell will become
a drop down box.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Calendars

![](media/image39.jpeg){width="1.3125in" height="0.3333333333333333in"}

A box like the one pictured here gives you access to a calendar to
easily insert a date. You can either:

-   Type a date in the box.

-   Click the down arrow to make the calendar appear. Then click on a
    date to select it, and the date will be copied into the box for you.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Moving and selecting without a mouse

If a mouse is not available or is not your preferred navigation method,
it is possible to use keyboard actions instead.

-   To move to the next element on the page, use the Tab key on your
    keyboard.

-   To move to the previous element on the page, press and hold the
    Shift key on your keyboard, and then press the Tab key.

-   To \"click\" on a selected button, press the Enter key on your
    keyboard. A selected button will have a dotted line around it to
    indicate it is selected, as is the Cancel button shown here.
     ![](media/image40.jpeg){width="1.5104166666666667in"
    height="0.2916666666666667in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Mouse-overs

Topic Map

-   About Mouse-overs

-   Working with mouse-overs

#### About Mouse-overs

In some instances, the amount of text information exceeds the amount of
room available to display it on the form on the page. USA Staffing makes
extensive use of \"mouse-overs\" \-- otherwise known as \"tool tips\" or
\"hot spots\" \-- to make the full content of such form fields easy to
read.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Working with mouse-overs

To activate a mouse-over, place the tip of the cursor arrow over white
space in the cell \-- as illustrated below \-- and pause for a few
seconds. The text will appear nearby in a pop-up box, and it will
contain the full contents of that cell.

Note: If you place the mouse cursor directly over the text in the cell,
the pointer may become a straight line and the pop-up box may not
appear, or may blink rapidly. Point to white space on either side of the
text in the cell to keep the mouse cursor as an arrow and to activate
the mouse-over for several second. If the pop-up box disappears before
you finish reading, you can reactivate it by moving the mouse and doing
the mouse-over again.

![](media/image41.jpeg){width="4.25in" height="1.0729166666666667in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Logout

Use the Logout button on the top navigation bar to end your USA Staffing
session. This will close any files you had open and make it possible for
you to log in again at another work station if you like.

You can only be logged in at one work station at a time.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  Always log out when you are finished or
when you are leaving your desk for a period of time. This will help
prevent unauthorized access to your work or disclosure of information
protected by the Privacy Act.

### Colors of Links

USA Staffing uses your own browser\'s color scheme to show you which
links you have recently visited.  For example, in the picture below,
maroon numbers indicate *Staffing Action* records (Vacancies) that the
user recently had open, and blue numbers are the Staffing Action records
that have not been used recently.

![](media/image42.jpeg){width="3.4479166666666665in"
height="1.6354166666666667in"}

In your browser, you can modify the settings for the colors used for
recently visited and unvisited links, as well as how long links appear
as \"recently\" visited. Here\'s how:

**In Internet Explorer:**

-   Click the **Tools** menu on the top menu bar.

-   Click **Internet Options** on the Tools Menu. The dialog appears and
    looks like this:

![](media/image43.jpeg){width="3.5833333333333335in"
height="3.9791666666666665in"}

-   Click the **General** tab to bring it forward if it is not already
    on top.

-   In the third box \-- History \-- change the number to indicate how
    many days a link will continue to appear as \"recently visited\".

-   To change the colors used, click the **Colors** button and make your
    selections.

-   Click **OK** to save your changes.

**In Netscape:**

-   Click the **Edit** menu on the top menu bar.

-   Click **Preferences**. The Preferences dialog window opens and looks
    like this:

![](media/image44.jpeg){width="4.979166666666667in"
height="4.052083333333333in"}

-   To change the colors used, double-click **Appearance**. Then click
    **Colors** and make your changes. The dialog looks like this:

![](media/image45.jpeg){width="4.979166666666667in" height="4.09375in"}

-   To change the number of days that links appear in the color used for
    \"recently visited\", click **History** under Navigator. Make your
    desired change to the settings on this page.

-   Click **OK** to save your changes.

### Opening multiple windows

Topic Map

-   About opening multiple windows

-   Working with multiple windows

#### About opening multiple windows

This topic provides information you can use to have USA Staffing display
information in more than one window. Sometimes this can reduce the
amount of going back and forth you would have to do, such as when going
from a list of applicants to the records of individual applicants.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Working with multiple windows

It is often possible instead of clicking with the usual left mouse
button to click with the right mouse button, which may display a
right-click menu. When the right-click menu contains the option to
**Open in New Window**, you can use this option to open the link in a
new window instead of the original window.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working With Browse Tables

#### Working With Browse Tables

Topic Map

-   About browse tables

-   Group by a column

-   Rearrange columns in a browse table

-   Resizing columns in a browse table

-   Related topic: Making choices and entering information in Tables and
    Grids

##### About browse tables

USA Staffing often presents information on tables like the one pictured
below. You can change the appearance and the presentation of the
information in several ways. Here are some terms that will be used in
this discussion:

-   **Row**: A row runs across the table from left to right. For
    example, in the picture below, *Request1* and the date 3/1/2004 are
    on the same row.

-   **Column**: A column runs from top to bottom.  For example, in the
    picture below, *Request1, test-slm*, and *test-slm2* are all in the
    same column.

-   **Heading**: A heading is a label that appears at the top of a
    column. For example, in the picture below, *Date Request Received*
    is the heading that appears at the top of the column of dates.

![](media/image33.jpeg){width="4.291666666666667in" height="1.3125in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Sorting by a column

#####  

You can rearrange all the data in a table so that it is ordered by
almost any column in the table. To do this, simply click the column
header. The table will refresh and be in the order of the column you
clicked on. Click the same column again to toggle between ascending and
descending order.

![](media/image46.jpeg){width="4.114583333333333in"
height="0.9895833333333334in"}

> *Figure 1: The table is sorted by Series. The up arrow means the table
> is in ascending series order.*

![](media/image47.jpeg){width="4.114583333333333in" height="1.0in"}

> *Figure 2: The table is sorted by Series. The up down means the table
> is in descending series order.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Group by a column

You can view some browse tables grouped by the contents of one of the
columns.

1.  Click and hold the mouse button while pointing to a column header.

2.  Roll the mouse to the bar at the top of the table to drag the column
    header there.

3.  Release the mouse button.

4.  Click the plus sign in front of a group to expand the group and see
    its contents.

View Flash movie. ![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
height="0.3333333333333333in"}

#### Rearrange columns in a browse table

You can rearrange the columns on some browse tables so that they appear
in any order you like.

1.  Click and hold mouse button on the column heading.

2.  Drag it to where you want it.

3.  Release the mouse button.

View Flash movie.![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
height="0.3333333333333333in"}

#### Resizing columns in a browse table

You can adjust the width of the columns on some browse tables.

1.  Roll your mouse over the line that separates two column headers.

2.  When the white sizing arrow appears, click and hold the mouse button
    and slide the mouse to move the border line.

3.  Release the mouse button when you have the size you want.

View Flash movie.![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
height="0.3333333333333333in"}

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

### Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

##### The system says: \"The user is already logged into the system. Only one concurrent login is allowed.\" Why?

This condition occurs if your session ended without your clicking the
Logout button. The system does not know you have ended your earlier
session, and thinks you are trying to gain unauthorized person trying to
gain entry. A session abnormally ended may appear to USA Staffing to
still be running for up to two hours after a disconnect, and then it
will reset itself. If you wish to log in sooner than that, the solution
is to have another user who has a Permissions Profile that includes User
Maintenance to log in and log you off. More details.

##### How do I change my password?

If you are able to log in to USA Staffing, you can change your own
password at any time from the Administration \> User Maintenance page.
More details.

If you are not able to log in to USA Staffing because you have forgotten
your password, ask your USA Staffing Administrator to reset your
password for you. After your password has been reset, your last name \--
with proper capitalization \-- will be your temporary password. You will
create a new password as soon as you log in. More details.

##### How do I reset someone else\'s password?

If you have Administrator permissions, you can reset another user\'s
password on the Administration \> User Maintenance page. More details.

##### How do I navigate in USA Staffing?

The work you do in USA Staffing is organized into three Work Areas,
which you can quickly get to by clicking options on the top and left
navigation panels. More details.

##### I am a USA Staffing Administrator. How do I perform this role?

Administrators set up and manage Users and Customers in the
Administration Work Area. More details.

##### I want to create my Assessment Questionnaire, but I do not have a VIN yet. Can I do this?

Yes! The typical process is to create the VIN record first, using the
pages on the Vacancy menu. When you prefer to create the Assessment
Questionnaire without regard to a VIN, you can do this in the
Administration work area on the pages of Template Libraries menu.

##### How do I create and publish a job announcement?

Before you can create a Job Announcement, you must already have created
and have in use a Vacancy (Staffing Action) record. Then follow the
steps on the Announcement menu. More details.

##### I can not see certain menus, pages, or records. Why not?

Permissions Profiles are used to manage user access to activity areas in
USA Staffing, and to the records they contain. Your Permissions Profile
may be preventing the access you desire. If you had access and no longer
have it, it may be that an administrator has either changed the
Permissions Profile assigned to your User record, or has altered the
Permissions Profile itself. Contact your USA Staffing Administrator to
assure that the proper Permissions Profile is being used to give you all
the access you need.

##### How do I adjust the size of fonts used in USA Staffing menus and pages?

Because USA Staffing is Web-based, all fonts settings are controlled by
your browser settings. More details.

##### How can I see the results for all the positions for which an applicant has applied?

Use the Applications dropdown selection box on the Assessment
Information page on the Applicants menu. More details.

##### How does document matching work? Why do I have Mismatched Documents?

Detailed information is provided in the Help topic Understanding
Document Matching and related topics you will see on that page.

 

# 2 Staffing Work Area

## Staffing Menus and Pages

### Staffing Menus and Pages

The Staffing work area is where you will perform actions and manage
information and processes related to:

-   Vacancy (Staffing Action)

-   Assessments

-   Announcement

-   Applicants

-   Referral

### Going Places in the Staffing Work Area 

Topic Map

-   The Staffing menu

-   Session History

    -   Switching to a different VIN, Assessment, Announcement

-   Searching

#### The Staffing menu

![](media/image48.jpeg){width="4.989583333333333in"
height="2.6145833333333335in"}

Switching to a different VIN, Assessment, Announcement

When you want to switch to a different **VIN**:

-   If you already opened it in the current session, you can select it
    from the Session History dropdown box.

-   If you have not opened it already in the current session, type the
    VIN number in the Search box and click Go \-- or \-- if you do not
    know the VIN, click **Advanced** and use the Search page to find it.

-   If you want to create a new Vacancy (Staffing Action), click
    **Advanced** to open the Advanced Search page, then click **New**.

When you want to switch to a different **Assessment** or
**Announcement** record:

-   Click the corresponding white menu button \-- i.e., Assessment or
    Announcement, respectively. If more than one already exist, you may
    select your choice from the list presented. Or you can create a new
    one by clicking **New**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

In the Staffing Work Area, when you click a white button on the
navigation panel shown above, the menu options associated with that
button appear. For example, in this picture, the white **Vacancy**
button has the menu items Position Information, Documentation, and
Screening Elements.

Clicking a white button takes you to a list of records in any case where
you have more than one tied to the VIN whose number appears in the
Session History dropdown box. For example, if you click on
**Announcement**, and you have more than one Announcement record tied to
the VIN, a list of all existing Job Announcement records will appear on
a list for you to indicate which one you want to work on. The same is
true with Assessments, Applicants, and Referral.

USA Staffing anticipates what you need to do next, and will often open
the next likely page you need to work on. For example, when you click
the **Vacancy** button, if you do not already have a VIN in use, the
system will ask you to pick one or create a new one. Similarly, when you
click the **Assessments** button while you already have a VIN open, USA
Staffing will automatically take you to the first page of the Assessment
Plan process. On many pages, you can use the Next or Previous buttons to
move from one page to the next. Or, you can go directly to the page you
want by clicking it on the menu. Your work is saved when you click
**Next** or **Previous**; if you are leaving a page some other way, be
sure to save your changes first by clicking the **Save** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

#### Session History

Note that the number in the drop-down box at the top shows you the VIN
that is open and has the system\'s focus. As you open other VINs in your
USA Staffing session, they are added to a history list in the dropdown
box. You can use the drop down box to quickly switch from one VIN to
another \-- that is, from one Staffing Action record to another.

Whatever work you do on any of the Announcement or Assessments pages
will affect the VIN whose number shows at the top of the menu. If you
want to work on the Job Announcement for a different VIN that you opened
during the current session, select it from the drop-down box *before*
you click the Announcement button.

If you leave the Staffing work area and go to either the Reports or
Administration work areas, and then return to Staffing, the Session
History box will not show any VIN number until you click it to select
one, or use the normal procedure to put one in use. You must make a
selection from Session History or open a VIN using the normal procedure
before you can resume most types of work in the Staffing work area.

When you log off USA Staffing, the history of VINs in the drop down box
is cleared.

More details about Session History.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Searching

The picture shown above depicts the basic Search box. If you enter a
Staffing Action record number (VIN) in the box, and click on Go, the
system will use that VIN if it can locate the number you entered. You
can also perform Advanced Searches. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

# 3 Vacancy (Staffing Action)

## Vacancy (Staffing Action) Menu

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, click on
**Staffing** on the top navigation bar. Then and click the white
**Vacancy** button on the left panel.

In USA Staffing, all the work you do is organized and managed by
Staffing Action records that many users refer to as \"vacancies\". Each
Vacancy has a unique identification number called a Vacancy ID, or VIN .
All applicant records and assessments are linked to the VIN.

Your first step is always to either put in use an existing VIN (also
known as a \"vacancy\" or \"Staffing Action record\") or create a new
one. Once you have the VIN in use, you provide information about the
position that will be used to automatically prepare the online Job
Announcement, including the documents that applicants are asked to
submit.

For more details on the tasks associated with the Vacancy button, click
its link:

-   Use or Create a Vacancy (Staffing Action) record

-   Position Information

-   Documents to Submit

In subsequent steps, you will manage the assessment process and publish
the job announcement, manage applicant records, and refer qualified
candidates.

## Use or Create a Vacancy (VIN) 

Topic Map

-   About this topic

-   Use an existing Vacancy (Staffing Action record)

-   Create a new Vacancy (Staffing Action record)

-   Related topic: Cancel a VIN

### About this topic

This topic describes how to open or create the record that lies at the
heart of your work in USA Staffing. For our purposes here, the following
terms have the same meaning:

-   Vacancy

-   Vacancy Identification Number \-- or VIN

-   Staffing Action Record

To avoid confusion, many people find it easiest to stick with the word
VIN.

###  

### Use an existing Vacancy (Staffing Action record)

To use a Vacancy (Staffing Action record) that already exists, follow
these steps.

-   **If you know the Vacancy ID Number** (that is, the VIN), type it in
    the Search box and click **Go**. When the number appears on the
    right side of the page, click the link on its row to put it in use.

-   **If you do not know the Vacancy ID Number** (the VIN), click the
    **Advanced** search button. Enter the search criteria you wish to
    use. More details. If the system finds records that match your
    search criteria, they will be listed in a table at the bottom. When
    you see the one you want to use, click its link.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Create a new Vacancy (Staffing Action record)

To create a new Staffing Action record (i.e., Vacancy), do either of the
following:

-   Click on the white Vacancy button on the left menu, and click
    **New**.

-   Click the **Advanced** search button. Confirm that \"Look In\" is
    set to \"Vacancy\"; if not change it to say \"Vacancy\". Then click
    **New**.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  The method used to assign the Vacancy ID
number has changed in this version of USA Staffing. It is possible that
you will see numbers that are not sequential. This is normal behavior
and is not a defect.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Position Information page  

Topic Map

-   About the Position Information page

-   Working with the Position Information page

-   Deleting a Vacancy (Staffing Action, VIN) record

### About the Position Information page

The Position Information page is where you create new Staffing Action
(Vacancy) records and have a VIN (or Vacancy ID Number) assigned. You
supply basic information, including:

-   the title of the position

-   pay plan

-   salary

-   period of eligibility

-   the customer the staffing action is for

-   whether or not the position should be included in USAJOBS search
    results for IT jobs or ACWA positions

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, click the
**Staffing** button on the top bar, then the **Vacancy** button on the
left menu. Then click a Vacancy ID to open an existing Vacancy (Staffing
Action) record, or **New** to create a new one.  

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with the Position Information page

![](media/image49.jpeg){width="4.3125in" height="3.2916666666666665in"}

-   **New:** Click this button to create a new Vacancy (Staffing Action,
    VIN) record.

-   **Save:** Click this button to save your work in progress.

-   **Delete:** Click this button to delete the displayed VIN record.
    More details.  

Here are the meanings of certain fields on the Position Information
page:

-   **Position Title:** This is the title that will appear in the online
    Job Announcement if the TAG for Position Title is used. It should be
    in plain language and avoid abbreviations or acronyms. It will also
    appear in the Notice of Results, the rating sheet, and several types
    of reports.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Competitive**: Check this box when the position is open to outside
    applicants under competitive exam procedures.

-   **Merit Promotion**: Check this box when the position is open to
    candidates who are *current or former* Federal employees, or other
    people who are entitled to apply under an agency Merit Promotion
    Plan.

-   **Internal Merit Promotion**: Check this box when the position is
    open to candidates who are *current* Federal employees, or other
    people who are entitled to apply under an agency Merit Promotion
    Plan.

-   **Pay Plan**: Select the appropriate pay plan. Click here to see the
    list of pay plan codes.

-   **Period of Eligibility**: The system will use this value when
    calculating the Eligibility End date in the Applicant record, as
    reflected on the Application Information page of the Applicants
    menu. If you make a change to this field after applications have
    been received for the VIN, the system will automatically re-rate
    them all.

-   **Select Customer**: Click this button to initiate the process of
    searching for and selecting a Customer record to link to the
    Staffing Action (Vacancy) record. After performing the search (more
    details), you select the appropriate Customer by clicking **Open**
    on the row on which the Customer appears.

-   **Deferred:**  Click to place a check in this box if you are going
    to use Deferred Rating procedures.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **ACWA Position:** This check box is read-only. After you have
    entered information in later steps of the Staffing process, the
    system will make a determination as to whether or not the position
    is an ACWA position covered by the special exam process for
    Administrative Careers With America, as subject to the Luevano
    Consent Decree. It makes this determination on the basis of the
    series and grade and the full performance level of the position. If
    the system determines the position is ACWA, *it will place a check
    in the box for you*. When this box is checked, the system will
    automatically collect Race and National Origin (RNO) information. It
    also sets the system up to use an approved ACWA Questionnaire as the
    Assessment. When this box has a check, the system will also load
    special procedures it follows for the handing of ACWA positions.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Applicant Counts**: This area shows the statistics for
    applications received for the Vacancy (Staffing Action) record
    displayed on the page. These numbers are all system generated for
    informational purposes only, and can not be modified.

-   **Re-Rate:** Click this button to initiate a re-rate of *all
    applicant records* received for the VIN so far. Additionally, two
     (To re-rate a single application, use the Re-Rate button on the
    Assessment Information page of the Applicants menu instead.)

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  Remember to click **Save** to save the
changes you make. Changes are automatically saved when you click
**Next**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Deleting a Vacancy (Staffing Action, VIN) record

In some very rare instances, you may wish to remove all information
about the record of the Vacancy (Staffing Action, VIN). This may be the
case, for example, when a VIN was created in error or for training
purposes, and you need to remove it to prevent it from inappropriately
appearing on reports. You would not normally use this procedure to
cancel a VIN, because these steps outline below do not notify
applicants.

  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------
  **Under these conditions\...**      **\...can the VIN be deleted?**

  If any Applicants have applied      The VIN cannot be deleted.
  and/or if any Referral              
  Lists/Certificates have been        
  issued\...                          

  If any Assessments and/or Job       The VIN can only be deleted after
  Announcements have been created for you delete any Job Announcement
  the VIN\...                         and/or Assessment associated with
                                      it. Follow the steps shown below.
  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------

#### Steps for deleting a VIN

In order to delete a VIN from the USA Staffing database entirely, you
must work backward from the last stage completed, in this order:

1.  If there are any Job Announcements associated with the VIN, you must
    delete them. To do this, follow these steps:

    a.  Retrieve the Job Announcement record in and view it in the
        Announcement Preview page.

    b.  If **Release to USAJOBS** is checked, uncheck it.

    c.  If **Complete** is checked, uncheck it.

    d.  On the Announcement Information page, click **Delete**.

    e.  Repeat steps a through d for any remaining Job Announcements
        associated with the VIN.

2.  If there are any Assessments associated with the VIN, you must
    delete them. To do this, follow these steps:

    a.  Retrieve the Assessment and view it on the Assessment
        Information (Assessment Builder) page.

    b.  Click the **Delete** button. Once you click on the Delete
        button, the system will display a REQUIRED red text on the
        Assessment Name field. Ignore this message and click the
        **Cancel** button. You will no longer see the assessment linked
        to this vacancy.

    c.  Repeat steps a and b for and remaining Assessments associated
        with the VIN.

3.  Finally, delete the VIN record itself. To do this, return to the
    Position Information page (this topic you are reading), and click
    the **Delete** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Assessment Information in the Vacancy (Staffing Action) record

Topic Map

-   About Assessment Information in the Vacancy (Staffing Action) record

-   Using the Assessment Information page

### About Assessment Information in the Vacancy (Staffing Action) record

This page of the system is for managing certain information that
pertains to the way all applicants for the VIN will be screened. This
comprises only these items:

-   Qualifications Review Required

-   Allow Multiple Applications Per Applicant

-   Geographic Locations

-   Minimum Age Screened

-   Maximum Age Screened

Please note that there are two other pages called Assessment Information
on other parts of the system menu, and they have their own topics in
this Online Help System.

-   For information about an Assessment Component, go to the Assessment
    Information page of the Assessments menu. (This is also referred to
    as the Assessment Plan page.)

-   For information about the results of Assessments for a particular
    applicant, open that applicant\'s record from the Applicants menu,
    and then go to Assessment Information on the Applicants menu.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Using the Assessment Information page

![](media/image50.jpeg){width="4.260416666666667in" height="2.125in"}

Here is the meaning of items on the Assessment Plan page:

-   **Qualifications Review Required**: The choices are:

    -   **All Applicants:**  Select this option if you want all
        applicants, including *both eligibles and ineligibles*, to be
        placed in \"PQ\" status (pending quality review) when they
        arrive. You would then need to manually check each application
        for quality review purposes, and then you need to click the
        \"re-rate\" button.

    -   **Eligibles Only**: Select this option if you want only all
        applicants meeting minimum qualifications to be placed in \"PQ\"
        status (pending quality review) when they arrive. You would then
        need to manually check each application for quality review
        purposes, and then you need to click the \"re-rate\" button.

    -   **None:** Select this option when you want all applicants to be
        processed and rated immediately.

-   **Allow Multiple Applications Per Applicant**: Click the checkbox to
    add or remove a check.

    -   When this box has a **check**, an applicant can submit more than
        Online Application or Form 1203 FX for the VIN. The last one
        submitted will override all previous submissions, but previous
        ones will be stored. In short, the last application received is
        the one that will count.

    -   When this box has **no check**, an applicant might submit
        multiple Online Application or Form 1203 FX for the VIN, but
        only the rating obtained on the first one will be used.
        Subsequent applications will be stored but not used. The record
        status code for unused duplicate applications will be DU \--
        unprocessed duplicate. In short, the first application received
        is the one that will count.

-   **Geographic Locations:**

    -   **Bring forward open locations from existing records:** If this
        option is selected, then an applicant who re-applies will have
        newly chosen locations added to previously chosen locations.

    -   **Only keep locations from new record:** If this option is
        selected, then an applicant who re-applies will have only those
        locations in the new application be kept active.

-   **Minimum Age Screened:** Check this box and enter a minimum age if
    you want USA Staffing to enforce a minimum age restriction.
    Applicants who do not indicate they meet the minimum age will be
    prevented from completing the Online Application.

-   **Maximum Age Screened:** Check this box and enter a maximum age if
    you want USA Staffing to enforce a maximum age restriction.
    Applicants who indicate they are past the age limit will be
    prevented from completing the Online Application.

    -   **Use Age Formula:**

> Note: When you remove or add the age formula to a Job Announcement
> that has already been released to USAJOBS, the questionnaire item in
> the vacancy announcement will not update automatically. You must
> refresh the whole announcement by clicking the **Update to USAJOBS**
> button at the bottom of the Announcement Preview page for this change
> to display on USAJOBS.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Supporting Documents  

Topic Map

-   About the Supporting Documents page

-   Working with the Supporting Documents page

    -   Required? Accepted? What difference does it make?

-   

### About the Supporting Documents page

Supporting Documents are documents applicants submit as part of the
application process. USA Staffing can store documents in electronic form
in its Document Repository System (DRS). On the Supporting Documents
page, you designate which documents applicants are to submit, which ones
are *required* to submit, and also whatever page limits may be imposed.

Documents the applicant submits can be loaded to DRS in various ways.
Missing or mismatched documents can affect an applicant\'s eligibility.
More details.

Agency managers can view applicant documents that are stored in DRS by
using the Agency Document Viewer, after they receive a User Name and
Password. ADV access can also be given to HR specialists or other staff
who are not regular USA Staffing users. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with the Supporting Documents page

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, complete the steps
of the Position Information Page first, then click **Next** .

![](media/image51.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in"
height="1.8333333333333333in"}

On the Supporting Documents page, you specify what documents you will
allow the applicant to submit and which ones you will require. USA
Staffing\'s Document Repository System will then accept the document
types you specify, and will place applicant records in PF status
(Pending Forms) until all required forms are received.

Required? Accepted? What difference does it make?

You must \"turn on\" a document type in order to have USA Staffing
create a folder for the documents to go in to.

-   If you do not turn on any document types and applicants submit
    documents, they will not be matched with your VIN but will be put in
    the Holding Area, not in USA Staffing. *You would need to submit a
    Help Desk ticket and furnish the VIN, the applicants\' names, SSNs,
    and the dates they each submitted documents, in order for us to
    locate them for you in the Holding Area and move them to USA
    Staffing.*

-   If you turn on only Résumé, then all applicant documents will go
    into the Résumé folder, no matter what they are.

We recommend you get acquainted with all the nuances of Accepted and
Required documents, and advice you should give applicants, by reading
these additional Help topics:

-   Faxes and the Document Matching Process

-   Faxing Tips for Best Results

-   Faxing Applicant Documents

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **To accept a document type**: Place a check in the first column.
    (Click to add or remove a check.) This check \"turns on\" a document
    type and causes USA Staffing to create a folder for the type of
    document. ***Turn on all appropriate document types before you
    publish the Job Announcement, so that applicant documents end up in
    the right place.***

-   **To require a document type**: Place a check in the \"Req\"column.
    (Click to add or remove a check.) The system will put the applicant
    record in PF (Pending Forms) status until all required documents are
    received.

-   **Page Limit:** If you wish to limit the number of pages allowed for
    a document type, enter the maximum number of pages. The system will
    truncate longer applicant documents before storing them, and the
    excess pages will not be stored. A blank or a zero in this field
    will allow an unlimited number of pages to be submitted, and is not
    generally recommended. *This limit applies to documents that are
    faxed in. Documents that are uploaded are not affected by the
    limit.*

-   The **Miscellaneous** type of Supporting Document may be used for
    any type of document that does not already have its own type on the
    table.

-   The **Qualifications** type of document is typically used for
    licenses or other documents that attest to the qualifications of the
    applicant.

Click **Save** or **Next** or **Previous** to save your work on this
page.

**Remember:** You need to inform applicants in the Job Announcement what
documents are accepted, which ones are required, and any page limits
that are in effect. Explain that documents that exceed the page limits
will be truncated and that information on the excess pages will be
deleted.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Category Rating Setup

Topic Map

-   About Category Rating

-   Working with the Category Rating setup page

-   Related topic: Category Rating in Overview of the Staffing Process

### About Category Rating

The Category Rating feature permits you to refer candidates in quality
categories rather than traditional \"Rule of Three\" numeric score
order. Federal agency users should refer to the OPM resources on
Category Rating for policy guidance.

The purpose of this page is to set up the names and cutoff scores for
each of the categories you intend to use if you are going to use
Category Rating when issuing the referral list/certificate.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with the Category Rating setup page

When you arrive at the Category Rating setup page, it looks like the
picture below.

![](media/image52.jpeg){width="4.15625in" height="0.9583333333333334in"}

To add a category:

1.  Click the **New** button.

2.  Click in the Title column on the new row that appears, and type the
    name of the category. For example, Best Qualified, or Qualified.

3.  Click in the Cutoff column and type the cutoff score above which
    applicants should be placed in that category. This is a numerical
    *rating*, not the raw score.

![](media/image53.jpeg){width="4.3125in" height="1.90625in"}

To remove a category:

1.  Click to select the row of the category you want to remove.

2.  Click the **Delete** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

# 4 Assessments

## Assessments Menu and Pages  

### Purpose

The purpose of the Assessment pages is to give you a flexible way to
manage the assessment process.

Assessments are ways of measuring how qualified an applicant is to
perform the job. In USA Staffing, you will set up an Assessment Plan
that lists all of the individual Assessments to be administered for the
job applicants. Here are examples of types of assessments you can
include in your Assessment Plan:

-   Test \-- written or online \-- of Abilities or Job Knowledge

-   Structured Interview

-   Assessment Center or Work Sample Performance Test

-   Applicant Self-Report Questionnaire \-- online or paper \-- with
    multiple choice or Narrative Text Questions.

-   Awards

-   Supervisory Questionnaire

-   Performance Appraisal

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  For assistance in developing effective
assessments using Accomplishment Records or Open-Ended Writing
Assessments, contact Ernie Paskey in OPM\'s Assessment and Training
Assistance Services Group (empaskey@opm.gov or 202.606.1160).

### The Assessments Menu

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} Before you can get to Assessments, you
must already have opened at least one Staffing Action (Vacancy ) in the
current session.

![](media/image54.jpeg){width="1.2916666666666667in" height="2.15625in"}

When you are working on Assessments, the left menu looks like this. Note
that the number in the drop-down box at the top shows you the Vacancy
(*Staffing Action*) record that is open and has the system\'s focus.
Whatever actions you take in Assessments will affect this Vacancy
(Staffing Action) record. If you want to work on Assessments for a
different Vacancy (Staffing Action) that you opened in the current
session, select it from the drop-down box *before* you click the
Assessments button.

### The Assessments Pages

There is one Assessment Plan page for your Vacancy (Staffing Action). It
may contain as many individual Assessments as you like. Each Individual
Assessment is set up on its own Assessment Select and Define page,
linked to the Assessment Plan page.

## Assessment Plan

### Assessment Plan  

Topic Map

-   About Assessments

    -   New Terms and Concepts

-   Adding Assessment Components to Your Assessment Plan

    -   Step 1: The blank Assessment Plan page

    -   Step 2: The Assessment Builder page

    -   Step 3: The partially built Assessment Plan page

        -   Terms

-   Deleting an Assessment Component

**Related topics:  **Assessment Types; Assessment Matching

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} Before you can get to Assessments, you
must already have opened at least one VIN (Vacancy / Staffing Action) in
the current session. Then click the **Assessments** button on the left
navigation panel, then **Assessment Information**.

#### About Assessments

New Terms and Concepts

-   An ***Assessment*** is any individual method you use to determine
    the applicant\'s qualifications or competencies. This may also be
    referred to as an ***Assessment Component***, because it is a
    component of the Assessment Plan.

-   An ***Assessment Plan*** shows the complete list of all individual
    Assessments that will be used for your VIN, their relative weights,
    and how they will be used.

-   An ***Assessment*** ***Template*** is an individual Assessment
     Component that has been stored so that it can be used as the
    starting point for new Assessments, to save time and effort and to
    establish uniformity. When you use a template, you are working from
    a personal copy of the original; the template itself is not
    modified.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

If you have used USA Staffing in the past, you may be accustomed to the
term *assessment tool,* which generally referred to the self-report
applicant questionnaire that you built, and the scoring plan linked to
it.

Now, however, the self-report questionnaire is only one of the many
types of assessments you can use, and in many cases, you may find other
assessment types more effective than a self-report questionnaire alone.
You will see a wide range of assessment types to choose from on the
*Assessment Select and Define* page.

To make this concept more clear, we have adopted the terms
*Assessment* and *Assessment Plan*. The idea is that now you are
building an *Assessment Plan,* and your Assessment Plan will show all
the individual Assessments that you make part of the plan, as well as
how much weight each one will have and how it will be used in the
process.

It is possible to save an individual Assessment as an *Assessment
Template* so that it can be used in the future to more rapidly develop
other Assessments. The term \"assessment tool\" does not appear in USA
Staffing any more, but the Questionnaire Template can be used to build
self-report questionnaires the same way \"assessment tools\" were used
in previous versions of USA Staffing.

The basic steps of the process you follow will be:

1.  **The blank Assessment Plan page**: Click on the white
    **Assessments** button. This will open the Assessment Plan page for
    the VIN you have in use. Click **New** to add an Assessment to the
    Assessment Plan. This will take you to the Assessment Select and
    Define page, where you will specify what the Assessment is.

2.  **The Assessment Select and Define page**: On this page you specify
    the nature of one of a single Assessment. If you will be using more
    than one Assessment in your Assessment Plan, you will complete this
    page one time for each Assessment in the Plan.

3.  **The partially built Assessment Plan page**: You return to the
    Assessment Plan page to \--

    -   Add more Assessments, if desired, and then repeat step 2.

    -   Enter the appropriate information on the table of at the bottom
        of the page, for these fields: Minimum Quals only, Required for
        Certification, and Weight.

The information below provides more details on these steps of the
process.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Adding Assessment Components to Your Assessment Plan

##### Step 1: The blank Assessment Plan page

![](media/image55.jpeg){width="4.135416666666667in"
height="0.8229166666666666in"}

> *Figure 1: The Assessment Plan page*

This is the Assessment Plan page, where you manage the details of the
assessments you want USA Staffing to keep track of and use to rate and
rank candidates for a given VIN. The table lists assessments that have
been set up so far. If you have not yet added any Assessments to the
Assessment Plan, then the system is smart enough to know that and it
instead takes you directly to the Assessment Builder page (below) so you
can create your first one.

-   To **add an assessmen**t, click the **New** button.

-   To **open an existing assessment** that is already a part of your
    Assessment Plan, click on it\'s name in the Assessment column of the
    table at the bottom of the page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Step 2: The Assessment Builder page

![](media/image56.jpeg){width="4.145833333333333in"
height="1.3645833333333333in"}

> *Figure 2: The Assessment Builder \-- or Assessment Information \--
> page*

This is the form you fill out to add an Assessment to an Assessment Plan
for a VIN. The assessment that is displayed on this form is the one that
is \"open\" for you to edit, and also to link to Specialties and Grades.

Here is a list of the information you must provide in the fields of this
form:

What\'s in a name?

Careful naming of your Assessments can make it easier to find them from
among many that may be similar. Consider including the job title or
other unique aspects of the work. For example:

-   General Engineer/Electronic/Mechanical

-   IT Specialist/Network/Applications

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **ID**: The system automatically assigns an Assessment ID number for
    handy reference and searching.

-   **Assessment Name**: Give the assessment a unique name, up to 30
    characters in length.

-   **Type**: Select the type of assessment from the drop down list.
    Your choices include those on the list below. When you choose one of
    these types, the form on the page may change to include the kinds of
    information appropriate to the type you chose. For more details on
    how to complete the screen forms, see Assessment Types.

    -   **Ability Test**: Choose this option for a test that focuses on
        ability to learn rather than on existing skills or knowledge.
        Examples: bilingual ability, abstract reasoning, mechanical
        ability, etc.  

    -   **Applicant Questionnaire**: This is a self-report form the
        applicant completes online or on paper. Typically, applicants
        respond to questions about their level of experience by choosing
        from a list of possible experience levels.  

    -   **Awards:** Choose this option to set up an Assessment that
        gives credit for awards the applicant received. This is normally
        used in merit promotion cases where agency merit promotion plan
        includes awards as part of the assessment process, and specify
        the point values to be used.

    -   **Customized Processing:** Choose this option if the assessment
        is one that your agency has arranged for OPM to build as a
        customized assessment process.

    -   **Job Knowledge Test:** Choose this option to set up an
        Assessment that is a test of the applicant\'s knowledge of the
        subject matter of the job. E.g.,  Information Technology,
        accounting, welding.

    -   **Manual:** Choose this option if you will rate applications
        manually and then input only the final results, rather than
        having USA Staffing perform the rating.

    -   **Other Questionnaire:** Choose this option to  set up a
        self-report form \-- whether online or hard copy \-- which
        contains multiple choice or True/False questions about the
        applicant\'s individual achievement.

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   **Other Test:** Choose this option to set up an Assessment that
        tests for other traits, such as temperament, character,
        behavioral reliability, integrity, etc.  

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   **Performance Appraisal:** Choose this option to set up an
        Assessment that gives credit for an applicant\'s work
        performance. Merit promotion plans often require this and
        specify how it is to be credited.

    -   **Structured Interview Questions:** Choose this option to set up
        an Assessment that uses Structured Interview Questions. The
        Assessment will contain the results of interviews designed to
        assess candidates by asking specific questions, and where
        responses are benchmarked.

    -   **Supervisory Questionnaire:** Choose this option to set up an
        Assessment that takes into account comments from a supervisor
        about an applicant\'s work habits, reliability, and other
        similar traits. Merit promotion plans often require this and
        specify how it is to be credited.

    -   **Work Sample:** Choose this option to set up an Assessment that
        uses the Work Sample methodology. Work Samples are designed to
        have high content validity through a close relationship with the
        job. Work Sample tests are based on the premise that the best
        predictor of future behavior is observed behavior under similar
        situations. These tests require the examinee to perform tasks
        that are similar to those that are performed on the job. For
        assistance developing and using a Work Sample test, contact your
        servicing OPM office, or contact Patrick Sharpe in OPM\'s
        Assessment and Training Assistance Services Group
        (patrick.sharpe@opm.gov or 202.606.2448).

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   **Written Test:  **Choose this option to set up an Assessment
        that uses a paper and pencil or individualized assessment
        measure of an individual\'s ability to perform satisfactorily in
        a job.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Library**: Click this button if you wish to select an Assessment
    from your Organization Library. Assessments in the Library are
    read-only, but you can copy an Assessment from the Library and then
    modify your copy.

-   **Rating Method**.  Select the rating method from the drop down
    list. Your choices include:

    -   KSA-Based

    -   A-C-E (Rating Method III). More details.

    -   Task-Based

    -   Job Element

    -   Written Test

-   **Interdisciplinary**: Check the box if this assessment is for a
    position that is classified to more than one series.

-   **ACWA**: Check this box if the position is covered by the
    Administrative Careers With America exam. This pertains only to
    Federal positions subject to the *Luevano Consent Decree*.

-   **Complete**: A check appears in this box automatically after the
    Assessment has been tested. No changes can be made to the Assessment
    if there is a check in the box. If you wish to modify an Assessment
    that is marked as Complete, click to remove the check mark first,
    then modify the Assessment and re-test it. If there is no check in
    this box and it is grayed out, you can not place a check in the box
    directly. Rather, you must first Test the Assessment, and then at
    the end of the test process, confirm that the system should mark the
    Assessment as \"Complete\". (See the bullet below for more
    information about the Test function.)

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Test:** Click this button to test the Assessment to make sure it
    is complete and ready to go into production mode. ***Questionnaire
    type Assessments can not be put into production and used to rate
    until they have been tested.*** This test performs very basic checks
    to help you determine whether the rating process will work as you
    intended. More details.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Notes:**  You can add multiple notes to the Assessment record.
    More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Step 3: The partially built Assessment Plan page

![](media/image55.jpeg){width="4.135416666666667in"
height="0.8229166666666666in"}

> *Figure 3: The Assessment Plan page*

Terms:

-   **Min Quals Only**: If this box is checked, it means that the
    Assessment will be used only for determining minimum qualifications.
    The system will not assign a numeric rating for this assessment. It
    will only apply the screen outs specified in the Assessment, and if
    the applicants pass all screen outs for the grade, then they are
    rated eligible (EL). Also, if this box is checked, you cannot assign
    a weight, because there is no numeric score for the Assessment.
    *Note: If you make a change in this column after applications have
    been received for the VIN, the system will automatically re-rate
    them all.*

-   **Req for Cert**: This designation means that an applicant must
    complete the Assessment in order to be in AA status (eligible to go
    on a certificate). Until the Assessment is completed, the applicant
    can go no farther than PL status (pending completion of assessment).
    When a certificate (or final referral list)  is generated, the
    system looks for records that are in AA status and includes only
    them on the list. However, this designation has no effect when the
    user requests a \"pre-cert\", \"pull list\", \"ranking list\", or
    other informal referral list because applicants do not need to be in
    AA status to go on these types of referrals. *Note: If you make a
    change in this column after applications have been received for the
    VIN, the system will automatically re-rate them all.*

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Weight**:If multiple Assessments are listed on the Plan, you must
    specify their weight relative to one another. Weights for
    Assessments that are not marked as *Min Quals Only* must total 100%.
    If there is only one Assessment, enter 100% for its weight.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

Upon our return to the Assessment Plan page (by clicking the white
Assessment button on the left menu), we see that the table has been
updated to reflect all the individual Assessments we have added to the
Plan so far. We would come back to this page to:

-   Add another Assessment to the Plan: Click **New**.

-   Provide the necessary information on the table in the columns for
    **Min Qual Only**, **Req for Cert**, and Weight. See the box on this
    page for an explanation of these terms.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Deleting an Assessment Component

To delete an Assessment Component from your Assessment Plan, follow the
steps for one of these two methods.

Method A

**From the Assessment Plan page** (Figure 3 above):

1.  Click on the row of the Assessment Component that you wish to
    delete. The cursor arrow
    ![](media/image37.jpeg){width="0.22916666666666666in"
    height="0.22916666666666666in"} will appear in the first column to
    show you have selected the row.

2.  Click the **Delete** button. You may receive a warning that states
    that you will have to re-choose the Specialty and Grade on the
    Announcement menu; make a note of this to remind yourself to follow
    up on this later, because if you click OK to confirm this step, the
    Announcement Specialty and Grade choices may be cleared and would
    have to be re-entered.

Method B

**From the Assessment Builder (Assessment Information) page** (see
Figure 2 above):

1.  Click the **Delete** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Assessment Types  

Topic Map

-   About Assessment Types

-   Ability Test

-   Awards

-   Customized Processing

-   Job Knowledge Test

    -   Recompetition

    -   Schedule Applicants

    -   Test Locations

-   Manual

-   Other Test

-   Performance Appraisal

-   Work Sample

-   Written Test

####  

#### About Assessment Types

This Help topic provides detailed information about the pages used to
set up various types of assessments.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Ability Test

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Awards

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Customized Processing

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Job Knowledge Test

![](media/image57.jpeg){width="4.21875in" height="3.0520833333333335in"}

##### Recompetition

This whole section allows you to determine whether applicants can take
the test repeatedly, under what conditions, and what happens to the
results.

-   **Recompetition drop down box**:

    -   **Highest Score**: If the applicant takes the test more than
        once, the highest score is used. Others are stored for
        historical purposes.

    -   **Most Recent Score**: If the applicant takes the test more than
        once, the most recent score is used. Others are stored for
        historical purposes.

    -   **None**: Applicants are not allowed to take the test more than
        once. If this is selected, the remaining fields for Number of
        Times and Period of Time are cleared and disabled.

    -   **Number of Times** and **Period of Time**: Unless *None* is
        selected in the *Recompetition* drop down box, you must provide
        the number of times Eligibles and Ineligibles may recompete
        (take the test again) over what Periods of Time.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Schedule Applicants

USA Staffing can optionally interface with test scheduling systems such
as ARTS, or some other system as arranged by your organization.

-   For OPM users, ARTS is always used.

-   Users in other organizations should check with their USA Staffing
    coordinator to determine if an automated test scheduling system is
    being used.

Click to put a check in the **Schedule Applicants** box if you want the
automated test scheduling system (ARTS or otherwise) to schedule
applicants for you.  ***If no automated test scheduling system is being
used by your Organization, your checking this box and your selections in
the rest of this section will have no effect.***

-   **Who should be scheduled?** Indicate whom you want to schedule from
    among these options:

    -   All

    -   Eligibles Only

    -   None

-   **Select Test Type**: Your response here governs the Test Type in
    ARTS. (For Postal Service, this response also governs what appears
    in the Applicant record for Inventory.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Test Locations

On the Test Locations table, you determine where applicants may be
scheduled for testing. This section may only appear on the page after
you put a check in the box for Schedule Applicants.

-   **To add a location**:

    1.  Click the New button to the right of the Test Locations table.

    2.  Click to place your mouse cursor in the cell for the Location
        Code and type in a code. Your Office may have a list of codes
        you should pick from; otherwise you are free to make up an
        appropriate code.

    3.  Click to place your mouse cursor in the cell for Location
        Description, and type the city or other location name as it will
        appear in the scheduling notice.

    4.  Click the cell for Destination Office, and select the Office to
        which the test results are to be sent.

    5.  Click **Save**.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **To delete a location**:

    1.  Click the row you wish to delete.

    2.  Click the **Delete** button to the right of the Test Locations
        table.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Manual

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Other Test

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Performance Appraisal

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Work Sample

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Written Test

![](media/image58.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in"
height="2.1770833333333335in"}

> *Figure WT-1: The Assessment page when Written Test is the Type
> selected.*
>
> You can create an Assessment Component that is a Written Test. Figure
> WT-1 depicts the page as it appears immediately after you select
> Written Test as the Type. To set up this type of component, follow
> these steps:

1.  In the **Type** dropdown selection box, select **Written Test** if
    it does not already appear in the box.

2.  **Assessment Name:** Give the Assessment Component a name that will
    help you identify it later.

3.  Click **Save**.

4.  **Recompetition:** The settings in this section determine what will
    happen when applicants attempt to take the assessment repeatedly.
    For eligible and ineligible applicants, enter the number of months
    in the **Period of Time** boxes and the **Number of Times** they can
    take the test within those periods of time.  See Recompetition
    above.

5.  **Schedule Applicants:** See Schedule Applicants above.

6.  **Test Locations:** See Test Locations above. (This part of the form
    does not appear on the page until after you put a check in the box
    for Schedule Applicants. When Schedule Applicants is checked, the
    page form changes to look like Figure WT-2.)

> ![](media/image59.jpeg){width="4.385416666666667in"
> height="3.0520833333333335in"}
>
> *Figure WT-2: Schedule Applicants is checked, and the page is
> refreshed to accept locations. We have already added one location.*

7.  **Rating Import:** You can use this feature to import scores from
    tests, such as those from a test vendor or tests you administer and
    score. For more details, see Rating Import in Chapter 11 \--
    Technical Matters.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Assessment Notes  

Topic Map

-   About Assessment Notes

-   Creating a Note

-   Editing a Note

-   Closing the Notes Window

#### About Assessment Notes

You can add annotations to an Assessment record in your Assessment Plan,
using the Assessment Notes feature. Your notes can be of unlimited
length. Notes are useful for documenting the steps you took in
determining what competencies to assess and how to assess them.

![](media/image56.jpeg){width="4.145833333333333in"
height="1.3645833333333333in"}

While you are on the individual Assessment record page, click the
**Notes** button. This will open a new window for you to create and edit
notes, as shown in the picture below.

![](media/image60.jpeg){width="4.239583333333333in" height="0.625in"}

View Flash movie. ![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
height="0.3333333333333333in"}

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} Getting there: Follow the steps for
Assessment Plan. Then either open an existing Assessment record or
create a new one. While that Assessment record is open in your work
area, click on the **Notes** button on the Assessment Select and Define
form. (If the Assessment record is itself new, you must first **Save**
it in order for the Notes button to be enabled.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Creating a Note

To add a note, click on the **New** button. A new row will appear on the
Note List, as shown below.

![](media/image61.jpeg){width="4.25in" height="0.6666666666666666in"}

Click in any cell on the new row.  This will cause the Note edit form to
appear below the Note List, as in the picture below.

![](media/image62.jpeg){width="4.21875in" height="3.6458333333333335in"}

Type the Subject of the Note and the Note itself in the spaces provided.

Select the Note Type from the drop down list. (Click on the down arrow
to see all the choices of Note Types. Then click on your choice.)

Click **OK** to end the Note creation process. The Note Edit form will
close and your Note will appear on the Note List, as in the picture
below. Click **Save** to save all your changes.

![](media/image63.jpeg){width="4.40625in" height="0.7604166666666666in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Editing a Note

On the Note List, click on the Subject of the Note you wish to edit. The
Note Edit form will open. Make your changes, and then click OK and Save.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Closing the Notes Window

The Note List and Note Edit forms appear in a new window, not the one
you were working in when you selected the individual Assessment record.
To close the window when you are finished adding or modifying Notes,
click the **X** in the upper right corner of the browser window. Then
locate the main USA Staffing work window on your desktop and continue
your work.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Source Information  

Topic Map

-   About Source Information

-   Completing the Source Information page

#### About Source Information 

The Source Information page is one of the places where you document the
sources you used in developing the Assessment, and how you used them.
Accurate documentation is important for later reconstruction and
demonstration of the validity of the Assessment if it is challenged.

**At least one Principal source is must be identified on this page in
order for the Assessment Component to be tested or marked *Complete* so
that it can be used to rate.**

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Completing the Source Information page

For each of the sources on this page that you used, select in the Source
column whether the source was a principal contributor or a supporting
contributor of information you used. To do this, click once in the box
to make the dropdown control appear, then click the down arrow and click
on your selection.

You can add notes for any source. To view or modify the notes later, you
must the same source selected.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Specific Information  

Topic Map

-   About Specific Information

-   Completing the Specific Information page

#### About Specific Information 

The Specific Information page is one of the places where you document
the sources you used in developing the Assessment. Accurate
documentation is important for later reconstruction and demonstration of
the validity of the Assessment if it is challenged.

![](media/image64.jpeg){width="4.208333333333333in"
height="2.5833333333333335in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Completing the Specific Information page

Click to place a check in the box for each description that reflects a
source of information you used in developing the Assessment.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Preparation  

Topic Map

-   About the Preparation page

-   Completing the Preparation page

#### About the Preparation page

The Preparation Information page is one of the places where you document
the sources you used in developing the Assessment. Accurate
documentation is important for later reconstruction and demonstration of
the validity of the Assessment if it is challenged.

![](media/image65.jpeg){width="4.21875in" height="2.7604166666666665in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Completing the Preparation page

Click to the radio button for each description that reflects the source
of information you used in developing the Assessment.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Assessment History  

Topic Map

-   About Assessment History

#### About Assessment History

The Assessment History page tells you key things about the history of
the Assessment \-- how it has been modified over time and how it has
been used. The information is clustered in three headings:

-   Modifications: If changes are made to the Assessment, the log will
    show who made them and when.

-   Tests: When the Assessment is tested, the log will show this.

-   Processing: Each time the Assessment is used, the system log will
    reflect the SSN of the application, the time stamp of the
    processing, and the User Name of the person who initiated the
    process \-- such as a Re-Rate or an Undo of an Override.

![](media/image66.jpeg){width="4.322916666666667in"
height="2.6354166666666665in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Assessment Library  

Topic Map

-   About the Assessment Library

-   Searching the Assessment Library

-   Copying Assessments

#### About the Assessment Library

Each Organization has its own library of Assessments. The Assessments in
the library are available only to members of the same Organization, and
only for viewing and copying. You can save time by copying an Assessment
from the Library, but of course, you must assure that it is appropriate,
and modify your copy of it as needed.

When setting up new Organizations, OPM places copies of the Assessments
for *ACWA* positions in the Organization\'s library. Other Assessments
created by users in your own Organization are automatically added to the
library once they are put into production mode \-- that is, once you
finish them and use them. Administrators can manage the Assessment
Library.

Users with the appropriate permissions profiles can manage the contents
of the Assessment Library in the Administration work area, using the
pages of the Template Libraries menu. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Searching the Assessment Library

By default, a search for Assessments will include only those from your
own Office. To include Assessments that are in your Organization\'s
library, check the Organization Library box on the search form.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Copying Assessments

There is a Copy option on the Assessment page to copy an Assessment from
the library, or to send a copy of an Assessment to another Office.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Specialty and Grade (in Assessment)  

Topic Map

-   About the Specialty and Grade page (in Assessment)

-   Completing the Specialty and Grade (in Assessment) page

    -   What is a Specialty Code?

### About the Specialty and Grade page (in Assessment)

The purpose of the Specialty and Grade page is to permit you to specify
all the series, grades, and specialties that are to be covered by the
Assessment that you are building.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} Getting there: Follow the steps for
Assessment Plan. Then either open an existing Assessment or create a new
one. While that assessment is in use in your work area, click
**Specialty/Grade** on the menu on the left. The Assessment you put in
use by following these directions is the Assessment that will be
affected by your choices on the Specialty and Grade page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Completing the Specialty and Grade (in Assessment) page

![](media/image67.jpeg){width="5.46875in" height="1.96875in"}

This is the Specialty and Grade page for an Assessment. Add the
specialty and grade for each series by following these steps:

What is a Specialty Code?

Specialty codes are 3-digit numbers. There are no standard codes that
are used on a global level. Your organization may have you use certain
codes; if not, you can make up your own. It is common practice for the
first code to be 001.

Case example:

Your Staffing Action is for computer specialists. You have 3 positions.
One is a database administrator, one is Web designer, and one is a
network administrator. So you make up and enter these Specialty Codes
and Specialty Names:

-   001 \-- Database Administrator

-   002 \-- Web Designer

-   003 \-- Network Administrator

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

1.  **Series.** Click the dark gray **Series** button and select a
    series. (It may take a few seconds for the Series selection box to
    get ready.) If you need help determining what series is appropriate,
    you may consult the online Handbook of Occupational Groups and
    Series.

2.  **Specialty.** Click the dark gray **Specialty** button and type in
    a Specialty Code and a Specialty Name. Click the button again to add
    more specialties to the Series you are working on. To add
    Specialties for a different Series on your list, click the name of
    that Series first to select it. The Specialty will be added to the
    Series that is selected.

3.  **Grade.** Click the dark gray **Grade** button and type in a grade.
    Click the Grade button again to add more grades for the Specialty.
    To add grades for a different Specialty on your list, click the name
    of that Specialty first to select it. The Grade will be added to the
    Specialty that is selected.

-   **Save.** Click the white **Save** button. ***Note: You must have
    entered at least one grade and have a complete set of Series +
    Specialty + Grade in order for your record to be saved.***

View the Flash movie.
![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
height="0.3333333333333333in"}

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  You need to specify the Specialty and
Grade for each Assessment in your Assessment Plan.

Here is a picture of a completed Specialty and Grade page:

![](media/image68.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="1.6458333333333333in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Questionnaire Builder  

Topic Map

-   About Questionnaire Builder

-   Working with the Questionnaire Builder

    -   Related topic: HR Manager

-   The Item Editor page

    -   Using **Online Screening** and **Valid Value**

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   Assigning Responses to Questions

        -   Adding, Modifying, or Deleting a Response to a Question

        -   Using a Default Scale

    -   Adding a Narrative Text Response Item

-   Importing a document

    -   About Importing a document

    -   Procedure for importing a document

    -   Sample file for import

### About Questionnaire Builder

Using the Questionnaire Builder and its associated Item Editor page, you
determine the questions and acceptable responses, the instructions, and
other items that will be part of your questionnaire. The questionnaire
appears in the Online Application when applicants apply via USAJOBS and
in printed copies of the Job Announcement. The Questionnaire Builder
page is pictured below as it would appear when you first arrive. You can
use the controls on the bottom of the page to do the following things:

-   Add or modify Factors (competencies or KSAs) and Items
    (Instructions, Narrative text response boxes, Questions and their
    associated Response options or Default Scales).

-   Import an existing questionnaire text file. *Note that many users
    find it much quicker to Import a Word document than to use the
    Questionnaire Builder to create the questionnaire from scratch in
    USA Staffing.*

-   Preview the questionnaire.

![](media/image69.jpeg){width="4.25in" height="3.71875in"}

*Figure 1 \-- the blank Questionnaire Builder*

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}Getting there: Before you can get to
Assessments, you must already have opened at least one Staffing Action
(Vacancy) in the current session. Then click the **Assessments** button
on the left navigation panel, then **Assessment Information**. (You must
have previously created a Questionnaire type of Assessment.) Click the
name of your Questionnaire type assessment. Click the white
**Questionnaire Builder** button on the left menu.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with the Questionnaire Builder

Here are instructions for using the Questionnaire Builder page:

-   To use the HR Manager system to help identify appropriate
    competencies, tasks, benchmarks, and questions, click the **HR
    Manager** button at the bottom of the Questionnaire Builder page.

-   **To import** a text file that contains an existing questionnaire,
    skip the rest of this section and jump to the section on Importing a
    document below.

-   **To build a questionnaire from scratch**, follow these steps:

> Terms

-   **Factor:** the name of competency or KSA (knowledge, skill,
    ability). In most questionnaires, the questions relate to a Factor
    so that you can keep them organized and show their job relatedness.
    Factor names do not normally appear in the actual questionnaire, but
    it is possible to make them appear.

-   **Item:** a question (including self-report response options), set
    of instructions, default scale, or narrative text box that can be
    placed on a questionnaire. An Item is always associated with a
    specific Factor.

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

1.  **Add the Factors:** To do this, follow these steps:

    a.  Click on the **Add Factor** button. This takes you to the
        *Competency Factor* page and a new row will be added to the
        table. Click in the new row under the *Competency/Factor*
        heading, and type in the name of the Factor.

    b.  To add additional factors while you are on the *Competency
        Factor* page, click **New**.

    c.  When you are finished adding factors, click **Save**. This saves
        your added Competencies/Factors, and returns you to the
        *Questionnaire Builder* page.   

> Figure 2 below shows what the Questionnaire Builder looks like after
> some factors have been added.
>
> View the Flash
> movie.![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
> height="0.3333333333333333in"}  

![](media/image70.jpeg){width="4.239583333333333in" height="3.65625in"}

*Figure 2 \-- The Questionnaire Builder after three factors have been
added.*

2.  **Add the questions and responses,** instructions, narrative, and
    scales. To do this,

    a.  Click the dark gray column to the left of the Factor name. The
        arrow ![](media/image37.jpeg){width="0.22916666666666666in"
        height="0.22916666666666666in"} will come on to show that you
        have selected the Factor.

    b.  Click the **Add Item** button. This will take you to the Item
        Editor page. More details. View the Flash
        movie.![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
        height="0.3333333333333333in"}  

> The picture below shows what the Questionnaire Builder would look like
> after you have added some Factors and Items. We have already clicked
> on the plus signs to show the items associated with the first factor,
> and the responses associated with the first question.

![](media/image71.jpeg){width="4.260416666666667in"
height="3.6666666666666665in"}

*Figure 3 \-- The first factor and question have been expanded to show
their contents.*

3.  **Preview the Questionnaire:** To do this, click on the **Preview**
    button. (Note: The preview does not show a space for the
    applicant\'s response to Narrative Text Questions, but a box for the
    response will appear in the actual Online Application
    Questionnaire.)

Here is information about other things you can do on the Questionnaire
Builder page:

-   **To modify a Factor** \-- to change its name or its position on the
    table, click the name of the Factor. This takes you to the
    Competency Factor editor page. Then:

    -   **To change the Factor name**, click on the factor name and type
        your change. Click **Save** when you are finished making
        changes. View the Flash
        movie.![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
        height="0.3333333333333333in"}

    -   **To move the Factor up or down**, click the up or down arrow at
        the right of the Factor. Click **Save** when you are finished
        making changes. View the Flash
        movie.![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
        height="0.3333333333333333in"}

-   **To view all Items associated with a Factor:** Click the plus sign
    to the left of the Factor name.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **To Edit an Item**: To modify a question or its responses,
    narrative text box, instruction, or default scale, follow these
    steps:

    1.  Click the Item name. For example, if our screen looked like
        Figure 3 above, we could click *Instruction* or *Question1* to
        open either of those in the Item Editor.

    2.  Follow the instructions for the Item Editor Page (below) for
        making and saving your changes.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### The Item Editor page

On the Item Editor page, you create and modify the items that are part
of the questionnaire. Here are the types of Items you can work with on
this page:

-   **Questions**: You can have multiple choice questions. When you use
    multiple choice questions, you must provide corresponding response
    options. To do this, you can do one of the following:

    -   Create **Responses**.

    -   Create one or more **Default Scales**. You can also use existing
        Default Scales from the Template Library.

-   **Narrative:**  You can insert a Narrative response question and its
    corresponding answer box. Typically, you would have a multiple
    choice response question immediately preceding the Narrative one.
    (More details below.)

-   **Instruction:** Use this type of item to provide directions to the
    applicant about how to complete the questionnaire.

![](media/image72.jpeg){width="4.208333333333333in"
height="3.3854166666666665in"}

*Figure 4 \-- the Item Editor page*

***Note: You must click Save or Cancel before trying to leave this page.
Other menu options will not work if you do not.***

To add or modify an Item, follow these steps:

1.  If you are creating a new Item, use the **Description** drop down
    box to select the type of item you are creating \-- Question,
    Instruction, Narrative text question, or Default Scale (see also
    Understanding Default Scales). If you are modifying an existing
    Item, the Description box is disabled and you skip this step.

![](media/image73.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="3.3958333333333335in"}

*Figure 5: the Item Editor page showing the Description options (the
kinds of Items you can create and edit)*

2.  Enter the text for the item in the text box. You can format the text
    using the format toolbar above the text box. More details. You can
    also paste text in from some other source \-- including questions,
    benchmarks, and examples from HR Manager \-- and then edit them to
    fit the context.

![](media/image74.jpeg){width="4.083333333333333in"
height="2.0520833333333335in"}

*Figure 6 \-- the Item Editor page with text typed in the text box*

3.  If the Item you are working on is a Question, you can add response
    options or a Default Scale.

4.  Click **Save** to save your work and return to the Questionnaire
    Builder page.

Also on this page:

Using Screenout and Valid Value

Use the combination of **Online Screening for Valid Value** and the
**Valid Value** setting for individual response options to have USA
Staffing determine immediately \-- at any point during the Online
Application \-- if the applicant is disqualified or should continue with
the Online Application.

When you put a check in the *Online Screening for Valid Value* box on
the *Item Editor* page, this makes the Online Application system
evaluate responses almost as soon as they are entered by an applicant.
(Technically, it is when the applicant clicks a button at the bottom of
the page to move forward or backward.) Only applicants who select a
response that is a *Valid Value* are permitted to continue to the next
page or section. Applicants who do not select a *Valid Value* response
to a question for which you have checked *Online Screening for Valid
Value* will see a message telling them that they are not eligible, and
that the Online Application session has ended. ***USA Staffing will have
no record for people whose application terminates this way.***

A person whose Online Application was terminated in this manner may
return to start a new application without regard to the whether or not
Allow Multiple Applications Per Applicant is checked on the Assessment
Information page of the Vacancy menu.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **Online Screening for Valid Value**: If this box is checked, the
    question is used by the Online Application to immediately determine
    whether the applicant should be allowed to continue. This means the
    applicant must select a response that is set as a Valid Value in
    order to be rated eligible ***and in order to continue with the
    Online Application***.  (You set up the Valid Value on the Item
    Editor page when you create the Question Item and its associated
    Response options \-- see Adding or Modifying a Response below.)   

-   **Question Type**: Use this selection box to indicate whether a
    question is to be used for Recency or Extra Points. (This box only
    appears when the Rating Method on the Assessment page is set to
    A-C-E Rating Method III.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Assigning Responses to Questions

Each multiple choice question you create must have a set of Responses
associated with it. You can create a set of responses unique to the
question, or you can create a Default Scale and assign it to a range of
questions. You can also retrieve a Default Scale from the Templates
Library and assign it to a range of questions. The following sections
provide instructions for each of these options.

A.  Adding or Modifying a Response to a Question

B.  Using a Default Scale

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

###### A.  Adding, Modifying, or Deleting a Response to a Question

When the Item displayed in the Item Editor is a (multiple choice)
Question, a table of the response options currently assigned \-- if
there are any \-- will appear at the bottom of the Item Editor page.
(See Figure 4 above or Figure 8 below for an illustration of the
Response table.)

**To delete a response,** follow these steps:

1.  Click the row of the Response that you wish to Delete. This will
    make the Response Editor box appear.

2.  Click **OK** in the Response Editor box. This will close the
    Response Editor box without any changes, but it will also leave your
    cursor on the row where you clicked in step 1, so that the row
    remains selected.

3.  Click the **Delete** button that appears on the bottom half of the
    page, immediately above the Response table.

4.  Click **OK** when asked to confirm that you wish to delete the row.

5.  Click **Save** if you have no more changes to make to the Item.

**To add or modify** response choices, follow these steps:

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| 1.  **Creating a new Response:**  | 1.  **Modifying an existing       |
|     Click the **New** button at   |     Response**: Click the text of |
|     the top of the Item Editor    |     the Response itself on the    |
|     page. A new row will appear   |     Response table. The Response  |
|     on the table, and the         |     editor dialog box will        |
|     Response editor dialog box    |     appear.                       |
|     will appear.                  |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

![](media/image75.jpeg){width="4.239583333333333in" height="3.4375in"}

*Figure 7 \-- the Response editor box appears on top of the Response
table.*

2.  Use the Response editor box to create or modify the response text
    and options. The Response editor box contains these items that you
    use to determine how the response will appear on the Questionnaire
    and how it will affect the assessment of the applicant:

> Tip
>
> You can paste text into the Response box by using the keyboard
> combination  CONTROL + V.
>
> Use CONTROL + C to copy selected text.
>
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **Letter**: Enter the letter you wish to assign to the response as
    it will appear on the Questionnaire. Typically, this would be A, B,
    C, etc.

-   **Response**: Enter the text of the response as you want it to
    appear on the Questionnaire. You may enter an unlimited amount of
    text.

-   **Valid Value**: If you wish to designate the response as one that
    passes the *Online Screening for Valid Value*, click to put a check
    in the Valid Value box. (More details in the above green box *Using
    Screenout and Valid Value*.)

-   **Applicant Flag**: If you wish for an Applicant Flag to be set when
    the applicant selects this response, select the appropriate flag
    from the dropdown selection box. (The flags that are available to
    you at this point are the ones established on the Applicant Flags
    page on the Preferences menu of the Administration work area. If a
    flag you want to use is not available, it can be added there by a
    person with an appropriate Permissions Profile.)

-   **OK**: Click this to accept the information in the Response editor
    box and put it away. ***This does not save your work.*** Your new or
    modified response will appear on the Response table at the bottom of
    the page, as shown below.

![](media/image76.jpeg){width="4.239583333333333in"
height="3.3958333333333335in"}

*Figure 8: The Response editor box closes and existing responses are
listed on the response table at the bottom of the page.*

3.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### B.  Using a Default Scale

If you wish to assign a Default Scale to a question, the Default Scale
must already exist, either elsewhere in the Questionnaire you are
building, or in the Templates Library. See also Understanding Default
Scales.

You can assign a Default Scale in two different ways:

-   With a *question* displayed in the Item Editor, use the *Use Scale*
    function:

    -   **Use Scale:** Click to place a check in this box if you wish to
        have the question use the Default Scale that appears closest
        above it on the Questionnaire Builder. Click to remove the check
        to turn off the Default Scale. ***Note: Turning a Default Scale
        on or off with this checkbox may result in having a blend of two
        scales \-- if you already created a scale for the question and
        then check the box to apply a default scale \-- or no scales \--
        if you uncheck the box to remove the link to a default scale and
        then do not create a scale for the question. Check your work to
        make sure you attain the desired result.***

-   With a *Default Scale* displayed in the Item Editor, use the **Apply
    Scale To\...** dropdown selection box to assign the scale to a range
    of questions.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Adding a Narrative Text Response Item

A Narrative Text Response item provides a box on the Online Application
where applicants can type sentences or paragraphs. This is an excellent
way to collect more details about an applicant\'s claimed level of
experience on self-report questions, or to collect writing samples. More
details. Note that a Narrative Text Response question does not have a
response scale or default scale assigned to it. However, you may place a
Narrative question directly below a question that has a response scale.
For example, after a group of multiple choice questions, you might
insert a Narrative question in which you ask the applicant to provide
details that support their responses on the multiple choice questions.
(See Figure 10 below.)  Figure 11 below shows how the Narrative question
will look to the applicant.

To insert a narrative response box, follow these steps:

1.  On the Questionnaire Builder page, click Add Item.

2.  On the Item Editor page, select **Narrative** from the Description
    dropdown selection box.

3.  In the text editor space on the Item Editor page, enter the question
    that will prompt the applicants to type a response in the text box.

4.  If you wish to require that the applicant type a response before
    being able to continue the Online Application Questionnaire, click
    to place a check in the **Is Mandatory** check box.

5.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image77.jpeg){width="4.208333333333333in"
height="3.1979166666666665in"}

*Figure 9: On the Item Editor page, we have selected Narrative as the
Description of the Item. The question we will use to prompt the
applicant begins with \"Please provide\...\" in the text edit box.*

![](media/image78.jpeg){width="4.114583333333333in" height="1.1875in"}

*Figure 10: We have arrange in the Questionnaire Builder for the order
of items to be Instruction, Question 1, and then the Narrative, which
the applicant will answer in support of Question 1.*

![](media/image79.jpeg){width="4.333333333333333in"
height="3.0729166666666665in"}

*Figure 11: The Narrative question as it appears to the applicant in the
Online Application.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Importing a document

#### About Importing a document

Text files of self-report applicant questionnaires can be imported into
USA Staffing. Here are some uses for this function:

-   You can import Assessment Tools from older versions of USA Staffing.

-   If you prefer to work in your favorite word processor, you can
    create the questionnaire there.

-   Members of your team can draft questionnaires even if they do not
    have access to USA Staffing.

To use the *Import Document* function, you must follow certain
guidelines.

Saving as a Text file in MS Word®

To save your MS Word document as a text file, follow these steps:

1.  Type your document.

2.  Click the **File** menu button.

3.  Click **Save As**. The Save As dialog box will appear.

4.  In the drop down selection box labeled \"Save as type:\" \-- located
    at the bottom of the Save As dialog box \-- click to select the
    appropriate choice:

    -   in MS Word 2002: Plain Text (\*.txt)

    -   in MS Word 97: Text Only (\*.txt)

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
5.  Enter a file name in the space provided.

6.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   The questionnaire to be imported must be in a single file.

-   The file must be saved in text file format. (See box at right.)

-   Each part of your questionnaire text document must be preceded by an
    identifier so that USA Staffing knows what it is. You can specify on
    the Process Document page what the identifiers will be, but if you
    do not specify, the system defaults are used. Assuming you leave the
    identifiers at their default settings, your text file must adhere to
    these default format requirements to be imported correctly:

    -   **Competency/Factor:** Precede each one with FACTOR:

    -   **Instructions:** Precede each set of instructions with:
        INSTRUCTIONS:

    -   **Default Scales:** For each item in your default scales (your
        A - E responses), use a capital letter followed immediately by a
        dash, then one or more spaces and the text of the item. E.g.:

> A- I have never done this.   

-   **Question type items:** Precede each question item with a number
    followed immediately by a period, then one or more spaces and the
    text. E.g.,

> 6\. Integrate the fundamental principles of applied ecological and
> earth sciences.

-   **Responses:** Precede each response item with a capital letter
    followed immediately by a period, then one or more spaces and the
    response text. E.g.:

> C. I have a combination of appropriate specialized experience as
> described in \"A\" and graduate level education as described in \"B\"
> above to equal 100% of the requirement. Submit a copy of your college
> transcripts.
>
> View sample.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Procedure for importing a document

To import your document, follow these steps:

1.  Click the **Import Document** button. The Process Document page is
    displayed.

![](media/image80.jpeg){width="4.197916666666667in"
height="1.3645833333333333in"}

Selecting a file using the Browse button

After you click the Browse button on the Process Document page, the
*Choose file* dialog box appears.

![](media/image81.jpeg){width="3.5625in" height="2.21875in"}

1.  Use the *Look in:* drop down of this dialog to select the folder
    where your text file is stored \-- or, if it is located in a folder
    that appears in the list of folders (the big white area in the above
    picture), double click the folder to select it.

2.  Note what is displayed on the bottom line of the dialog box for the
    *Files of type:*. This filters the types of files that will appear
    in the list (the large white area in the above picture). It should
    say either \"All Files (\*.\*)\" or Text Files (\*.txt)\". If not,
    click the down arrow to select one of these two types.

3.  Once you are in the correct folder, use the scroll bar along the
    bottom of the file list (the big white area in the picture above)
     to bring the file name into view.

4.  Double click the file name \-- or click it once and click on
    **Open**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

2.  **Select the File to Process:** You can either type the full path
    and filename of the file in the space provided, or you can navigate
    to it, using the Browse button and its dialog. See box at right for
    details.

3.  Click the **Process** button. The document file will be read into
    USA Staffing and loaded into the Questionnaire Builder. The
    Questionnaire Builder page will be presented to you for your review.

4.  Click the **Save** button.

You can continue to work in Questionnaire Builder as described above.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

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#### Sample file for import 

In the box below is an example of a questionnaire file properly
formatted for use with the Import Document function. You can review this
sample to see how the identifiers have been placed in the body of the
document.

You can also use this sample to try out the Import Document feature, by
following these steps:

1.  Use your mouse to select the text in the box below.

2.  On your keyboard, hold down the Control key and press C.

3.  Open MS Word or a similar program. Open a new document in it.

4.  Click in the new document to designate an insertion point.

5.  On your keyboard, hold down the Control key and press V. The text
    should appear pasted into your new document.

6.  Click the **File** menu in MS Word, and click to select **Save As**.

7.  In the Save As dialog box, at the bottom, in the Save as type box,
    select **Plain Text (\*.txt)** or any other that mentions
    \"\*.txt\". Save the file to your My Documents folder.

8.  Follow the above procedures for importing a document.

FACTOR: BASIC QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR GEOGRAPHER, GS-150

INSTRUCTIONS:

1\.  Select the one statement below that best describes your education
or combination of experience and education to meet the basic
requirements for this position.

A.  Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an
accredited college or university leading to a bachelor\'s degree in
geography or related physical or social science such as geology,
meteorology, economics, statistics, sociology, anthropology, political
science, history, cartography, computer science, urban studies, or
planning that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or
related fields.  Submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of college
courses.

B.  A combination of education and experience - courses equivalent to a
major in geography, or a related field that included at least 24
semester hours in geography or related fields, PLUS appropriate
experience or additional education.  Submit a copy of your transcripts
or a list of college courses.

C.  None of the above applies to me.

FACTOR: BASIC QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE
BIOLOGIST, GS-401

INSTRUCTIONS: Basic Qualification Requirements for Fish and Wildlife
Biologist

2\.  Select the one statement below that best describes your education
or combination of experience and education to meet the basic
requirements for this position.

A.  Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an
accredited college or university leading to a bachelor\'s or higher
degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management,
chemistry, or related discipline appropriate to this position. Submit a
copy of your transcripts or a list of college courses.

B.  Combination of undergraduate education and experience\--Courses
equivalent to a major (24 semester hours) as shown in A above, plus
appropriate experience and/or additional education. Submit a copy of
your transcripts or a list of college courses.

C.  None of the above applies to me.

FACTOR: BASIC QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PHYSICAL SCIENTIST, GS-1301

INSTRUCTIONS: Basic Qualification Requirements for Physical Scientist

3\.  Select the one statement below that best describes your education
or combination of experience and education to meet the basic
requirements for this position.

A.  Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an
accredited college or university leading to a bachelor\'s or higher
degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24
semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science
such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials and electronics.
 Submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of college courses.

B.  Combination of undergraduate education and experience\--Courses
equivalent to a major (24 semester hours) as shown in A above, plus
appropriate experience and/or additional education. Submit a copy of
your transcripts or a list of college courses.

C.  None of the above applies to me.

FACTOR: ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

INSTRUCTIONS: Additional Qualification Requirements

4\.  Select the ONE statement below that best describes your education
or experience.

A.  I have one year of specialized experience in habitat conservation,
species listing and recovery plans included proficiency in performing
all of the following:  1) planning, creating and maintaining GIS
databases utilizing ArcInfo software including Arc, ArcView and AML
while developing and maintaining natural resource data bases; 2)
analyzing requirements and data needs necessary to create GIS products;
3) writing non-complex special data processing software applications; 4)
evaluating, importing and maintaining data processing software
applications; 5) scanning, and importing data from various data bases
using existing guidelines; 6) creating standard and repeatable GIS map
products depicting resource data.

B.  I have 2 years of progressively higher education leading to a master
degree or equivalent in a field as described in the Basic Requirement
for Geographer, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, or Physical Scientist
listed above.  Please submit a copy of your college transcripts.

C.  I have a combination of appropriate specialized experience as
described in \"A\" and graduate level education as described in \"B\"
above to equal 100% of the requirement.  Submit a copy of your college
transcripts.

D.  Have one year of specialized experience in habitat conservation,
species listing and recovery plans and cartographic production including
proficiency in performing all of the following: 1) planning, creating
and maintaining GIS databases utilizing ArcInfo software including Arc,
ArcView and AML while developing and maintaining natural resource data
bases; 2) analyzing requirements and data needs necessary to create GIS
products; 3) writing non-complex special data processing software
applications; 4) evaluating, importing and maintaining data processing
software applications; 5) scanning, and importing data from various data
bases using existing guidelines; 6) creating standard and repeatable GIS
map products depicting resource data;

E.  I have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education
leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a field as described
in the Basic Requirements for Geographer, Fish & Wildlife Biologist, or
Physical Scientist.  Submit a copy of your college transcripts.

F.  I have a combination of appropriate specialized experience as
described in \"D\" and graduate level education as described in \"E\"
above to equal 100% of the requirement.  Submit a copy of your college
transcripts.

G.  None of the above applies to me.

FACTOR: KNOWLEDGE OF BIOLOGY, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, ECOLOGY, GEOGRAPHY,
OR A RELATED SCIENCE

INSTRUCTIONS: For the following item, choose the ONE statement from the
list below that best describes your experience and/or training. Please
select only one letter for each item.

A-  I have not had education, training or experience in performing this
task.

B-  I have education or training in this task, but have not performed it
on the job.

C-  I have performed this task on the job.  My work on this task was
monitored closely by a supervisor or senior employee to ensure
compliance with proper procedures.

D-  I have performed this task as a regular part of a job. I have
performed it independently and normally without review by a supervisor
or senior employee.

E-  I am considered an expert in performing this task.  I have
supervised this task or am normally the person consulted by others to
assist them in doing this task.

INSTRUCTIONS: Knowledge of biology, environmental science, ecology,
geography, or a related science

5\.  Integrate biology, geography, physical science, remote sensing and
cartography in the development, analysis, and use of natural resource
data.

6\.  Integrate the fundamental principles of applied ecological and
earth sciences.

7\.  Conduct field studies, literature reviews, and interagency
coordination to obtain data on life history, habitat requirements, and
management practices for fish, wildlife, and plant species of concern.

8\.  Use scientific methodology and data evaluation to independently
study fish, wildlife, and plant species and write technical reports.

9\.  Apply census and survey methods and techniques to determine species
populations.

10\.  Conduct analysis of natural resource data to determine resource
conditions

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Rating Criteria  

Topic Map

-   About Rating Criteria

-   Working with the Rating Criteria page

    -   Group by Specialty

    -   Group by Factor

-   Completing the Rating Criteria page

    -   View the Flash movie.
        ![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
        height="0.3333333333333333in"}

    -   Shortcuts \-- Apply Values To

### About the Rating Criteria page

The Rating Criteria page is where you set up how each possible response
an applicant gives on the Questionnaire will be treated by USA Staffing
in the rating process. USA Staffing is very flexible and allows you to
specify for each combination of Factor/Specialty/Grade whether or not
points from the Factor will be taken into account in arriving at a score
and whether the Factor will be a Screen Out Factor. The system provides
shortcuts to keep your effort to a minimum.

Depending upon choices you make for how you prefer to view the
information on the Rating Criteria page, the location of fields may
vary. However, you have three ultimate objectives on the Rating Criteria
page:

1.  Enter values as appropriate for Used, Rating, Screen Out, Minimum
    Qualifying Score, and Ineligible Code. The place where you do this
    will look like the picture below.

![](media/image82.jpeg){width="2.0416666666666665in"
height="0.7708333333333334in"}

2.  Enter the appropriate point values for each of the Responses to the
    Questions. The place where you do this will look like the picture
    below.

![](media/image83.jpeg){width="4.90625in" height="1.0104166666666667in"}

3.  Test the Assessment Component.

More information about how to complete these three steps is provided
below in the section titled Completing the Rating Criteria page, and in
the separate topic Testing an Assessment Component*.* Before that,
however, our next section \-- Working with the Rating Criteria page \--
discusses various ways you may opt to view the information on the Rating
Criteria page.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}Getting to the Rating Criteria page in
USA Staffing: Before you can get to Assessments, you must already have
opened at least one Staffing Action (Vacancy) in the current session.
Then click the **Assessments** button on the left navigation panel, then
**Assessment Information**. Click the name of your Questionnaire type
assessment. Click the white Rating Criteria button on the left menu.
(You must have previously created a Questionnaire type of Assessment,
and must have already added Factors on the Questionnaire Builder page in
order to do any work here.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with the Rating Criteria page

The Rating Criteria page has two views, depending upon whether you
prefer to see all the information grouped by Specialty or by
Competency/Factor. By default, when you arrive at the page, information
is grouped by Specialty, as shown in Figure 1 below, where our
Assessment covers only one Specialty. Below, we will look at **Group By:
Specialty** and **Group By: Factor**.

#### Group By: Specialty

![](media/image84.jpeg){width="4.302083333333333in"
height="1.7083333333333333in"}

*Figure 1 \-- Default view of Rating Criteria page*

To view all the Rating Criteria information for the Specialty, we would
click the plus signs \--
![](media/image35.jpeg){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"} \-- to expand parts of the tree.  Figure
2 shows an example of what we might see.

![](media/image85.jpeg){width="4.322916666666667in"
height="3.7083333333333335in"}

*Figure 2 \-- The tree is partially expanded.*

In Figure 2 above, note these details:

-   We have expanded the tree for the Specialty by clicking the plus
    sign to the left of the Specialty name. This gives us a view of all
    the Factors for all the Grades in this Specialty.

-   We have also expanded the trees for Factor 3 and Factor 6 by
    clicking the plus signs in front of them. This gives us a view of
    all the Questions for Factor 3 \-- Questions 9-11, and all the
    Questions for Factor 6 \-- Questions 26-29.

-   Note the position of the cursor arrow at the beginning of
    Question 26. Placing the mouse there and holding it still for a few
    seconds caused the gray text box to pop up under the mouse arrow. It
    shows us all the text for Question 26. This is handy because on the
    table, Question 26 is lengthy and scrolls off the screen.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Group By: Factor

If we click on the *Group By\... Competency/Factor* radio button, the
Rating Criteria information is displayed in collapsed view as a list of
all the Factors. Naturally, as you can see in Figure 3 below, these are
the same Factors that appeared in the above example when we looked at
them grouped by Specialty.

![](media/image86.jpeg){width="4.302083333333333in" height="2.375in"}

*Figure 3 \-- Grouped by Competency/Factor*

To view all the Rating Criteria information for a Factor, we would click
the plus signs to expand parts of the tree.  Figure 4 shows an example
of what we might see.

![](media/image87.jpeg){width="4.333333333333333in"
height="3.2916666666666665in"}

*Figure 4 \-- The tree is partially expanded.*

In Figure 4 above, note these details:

-   We have expanded the tree for Factor 3 by clicking the plus sign to
    the left of the its name. This gives us a view of all the Specialty
    and Grade combinations for this Factor (only one, in this example).

-   We have also expanded the tree for the only Specialty/Grade
    combination we have \-- 001 \-- by clicking the plus signs in front
    of it. This gives us a view of all the Questions 9-11, which are the
    ones that belong to this combination of Factor/Specialty/Grade.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Completing the Rating Criteria page

Follow these steps to set up the Rating Criteria, beginning with the
first Factor:

How to use Used

-   ***Used*** controls whether or not the Factor is being used at all
    by the system \-- either for Screening Out ineligible applicants or
    for part of the numerical score.

-   If ***Rating*** is checked, the Factor will be taken into account
    when the numeric score is calculated.

-   If ***Screen Out*** is checked, the Factor will be used to
    disqualify applicants who do not select a response the value of
    which is at or above the *Valid Value*. If Screen Out is checked but
    Rating is not, then the Factor will be used only for determining
    whether minimum qualifications are met.

-   A ***Valid Value*** and an ***Ineligible Code*** must be specified
    if *Screen Out* is checked.

-   By default, *Used* is turned on and so is *Rating*.

-   Both *Rating* and *Screen Out*  may be checked if you want the
    Factor to be used for both scoring (Rating) and screening.

-   If you remove the check from *Used*, then *Rating* and *Screen Out*
    are also turned off.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

1.  Enter appropriate values for the following items on the first row of
    the table, which is your first Specialty/Grade combination:

    a.  **Used:** The system puts a check in this box by default to
        indicate that the Factor is going to be used as part of the
        assessment process. If you wish to prevent the Factor from being
        used for a certain Factor/Specialty/Grade combination to assess
        applicants, click this box to remove the check and turn off the
        Factor.

    b.  **Rating:** The system puts a check in this box by default to
        indicate that the Factor is going to be used as part of the
        numeric score.

    c.  **Screen Out:** Click to place a check in the box if the Factor
        will be used as a screen out in the Assessment. If this box is
        checked, you must also supply a value in the *Minimum Qualifying
        Value* box and an *Ineligible Code*.

    d.  **Minimum Qualifying Value**: Enter the number of points an
        applicant must attain on this Factor to pass the Screen Out, and
        below which the applicant is considered ineligible. To do this,
        make sure there is a check in the *Screen Out* box, then click
        in the *Minimum Qualifying Value* box and type a number.

    e.  **Ineligible Code:** Select from the drop down box the code you
        want the system to assign when an applicant is ineligible on
        account of failing the Screen Out Factor you are working on. To
        do this, make sure there is a check in the *Screen Out* box, and
        a number in the *Minimum Qualifying Value* box. Then click the
        *Ineligible Code* box. When the drop-down selection arrow
        appears, use it to find the appropriate code. Then click on it.
        (View the code list.)

 

> In the illustration below, we have made the first Factor a screen out,
> and set the Minimum Qualifying Value to 2 and the Ineligible Code for
> the Notice of Results to IQ.
>
> ![](media/image82.jpeg){width="2.0416666666666665in"
> height="0.7708333333333334in"}

2.  Enter in the Value box the number of points you want the system to
    assign to each possible response the applicant may give to a
    question. To do this:

    a.  Fully expand the tree view for the Factor/Specialty/Grade you
        are working on, by clicking the plus signs in front of them.

    b.  Click on the text of the question for which you wish to assign
        point values.

    c.  Click the **Value** box and type in the number of points.

    d.  Click **Save**.

    e.  Repeat this step for all responses for all questions for the
        Factor.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
3.  Click **Save**.

4.  Repeat steps 1 - 3 for each grade in the covered by Questionnaire.

5.  Select the next Factor from the Factor selection box. Repeat steps
    1 - 4 for each Factor. View the Flash movie.
    ![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
    height="0.3333333333333333in"}

6.  You can test the Assessment by clicking the Test button. (See also
    Testing an Assessment Component.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Shortcuts \-- Apply Values To

If your Assessment covers multiple Specialties or grades, then you will
need to determine whether or not the Values you assign to the responses
for a particular question for one specialty/grade combination should be
used for the same question in other specialty/grade combinations. If
they are, then there are shortcuts you can use to apply the values to
the responses for entire groups of questions.

To speed up the process of the completing the Rating Criteria page, the
following shortcuts are available at the bottom of the page. To use one
of the shortcuts follow these steps:

1.  With the Response Value table still displayed for a Question for
    which you have already entered Response Values, select the desired
    shortcut option from the drop down box at the bottom right of the
    page.

2.  Click the **Apply** button.

![](media/image88.jpeg){width="1.0833333333333333in"
height="0.7708333333333334in"}

There are four options in the *Apply Values To:* box, and they have
these meanings:

-   **Question \-- All:** Apply the Values from the Responses to this
    Question to this *same Question* at *All grades and specialties*
    that this question is linked to.

-   **Question \-- Grade:** Apply the Values of the Responses to this
    Question only at this grade level. This is the default if no other
    option is selected, and it essentially tells the system not to do
    anything else with the Values you entered for the Responses to the
    Question you are working on. You can use it to reset back to the
    default if you select one of the other options and then change your
    mind.

-   **Scale \-- Grade:** Apply the values in this default *scale* to
    every question *using this scale and linked to this grade*.

-   **Scale \-- All:** Apply these response values in *this default
    scale* to all questions that use this scale for *all specialties and
    grades.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

# 5 Announcement

## Announcement Menu and Pages  

Topic Map

-   About the Announcement Menu and Pages

-   The Announcement Menu

-   Announcement Pages

### About the Announcement Menu and Pages

The purpose of the Announcement pages is to give you a way to manage the
content and the appearance of your Job Announcements. The information
you provide and formatting you select are forwarded to USAJOBS for the
online job announcement. You may include links and pictures, and you
have complete control over the appearance of the announcement. You can
save templates for your announcements so that you can reuse them in the
future.

Use these features to create a great first impression of your agency in
the mind of the applicant.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### The Announcement Menu

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} Before you can use the Announcement
menu, you must already have opened at least one Staffing Action record
(*Vacancy*) in the current session.

![](media/image89.jpeg){width="1.4583333333333333in"
height="3.3020833333333335in"}

When you are working on Announcement pages, the left navigation bar
looks like this. Note that the number in the drop-down box at the top
shows you the Vacancy (*Staffing Action*) record that is open and has
the system\'s focus. As you open other Staffing Action records (VINs) in
your USA Staffing session, they are added to a history list in the
dropdown box. You can use the drop down box to quickly switch from one
*VIN* to another \-- that is, from one Staffing Action record to
another.

Whatever work you do on any of the Announcement pages will affect the
Vacancy (Staffing Action) whose number shows at the top of the menu. If
you want to work on the Job Announcement for a different Staffing Action
(Vacancy) that you opened in the current session, select it from the
drop-down box *before* you click the Announcement button.

When you log off USA Staffing, the history of VINs in the drop down box
is cleared.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Announcement Pages

The following page are where you will do all work relating to preparing
the job announcement:

-   Announcement Information

-   Announcement Home Page

-   Assignments

-   Specialty and Grade (in Announcement)

-   Locations

-   Templates

    -   Overview Template

    -   Duties Template

    -   Qualifications and Evaluation Template

    -   How to Apply Template

    -   Benefits and Other Information Template

    -   Questionnaire Template

-   Preview of Announcement

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Announcement Home Page  

![](media/image90.jpeg){width="4.104166666666667in"
height="1.5729166666666667in"}

This is the Announcement Home page. If you already have more than one
announcement for the Staffing Action you have open, they will be listed
here, and you must select one of them in order to perform any tasks on
the Announcement menu.

-   Click the word Open to open the Announcement Information record
    described.

-   Click **New** to add an Announcement to the Staffing Action record
    (Vacancy) you have open.

If you have only one Announcement Record for your Staffing Action, or
none at all, you will not see this page, but will be taken directly to
the Announcement Information page.

## Announcement Information  

Topic Map

-   About the Announcement Information page

-   Completing the Announcement Information page

-   Deleting an Announcement record

**Related topics:**

-   Troubleshooting Job Announcements

-   Collecting Résumés and Applications

### About the Announcement Information page

The Announcement Information page is where you begin the process of
composing your Job Announcement by giving it an Announcement Number (or
name) and enter certain other information that is used for
administrative purposes.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} To get to this page in USA Staffing, you
must already have opened at least one Vacancy (Staffing Action record).
Then click on the white **Announcement** button on the left menu. If you
do not already have a Vacancy (Staffing Action) record open, you will be
taken to the Vacancy (Staffing Action) Home page so you can indicate the
VIN you wish to work on. Next, click the white **Announcement** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Completing the Announcement Information page

![](media/image91.jpeg){width="4.447916666666667in"
height="3.5520833333333335in"}

This is the Announcement Information page. If you do not already have at
least two announcement records for the Vacancy (Staffing Action) you
have open, you will be taken directly to this page when you click the
Announcement button. The fields on the page will blank, ready for your
entries.

If you have two or more announcement records for the Vacancy (Staffing
Action), you will be taken to the Announcement Home page so you can
select the Announcement you wish to work on.

-   **New**: Click this button to add a second or subsequent
    announcement. (You do not need to click New for your first
    Announcement for the VIN.

-   **Announcement Number**: Type in a number or name for your
    announcement. This number will appear on USAJOBS and will be used to
    locate this Job Announcement record by applicants and USA Staffing
    users. *We suggest using a combination of the Office code, VIN and
    your initials \-- because this makes it easier for you to remember
    and for Help Desk staff to locate when you have questions \--
    although any other number you wish to use is allowed.*

-   **Work Schedule**: Select the proper work schedule for the Job
    Announcement.

-   **Part Time Hours**: If you select Part Time as the Work Schedule,
    enter the number of hours in the part time schedule.

-   **Send applicants to USAJOBS Résumé Builder** checkbox:

    -   **Checked:** Applicants who click the Apply Online button
        ![](media/image92.jpeg){width="0.8958333333333334in"
        height="0.1875in"} at the bottom of the announcement will be
        directed to the USAJOBS login page to select an existing résumé
        or create a new one. From there, applicants will be directed to
        the Online Questionnaire for that VIN. *This forces applicants
        to use the USAJOBS Résumé Builder, even though they may have a
        prepared résumé they might want to upload instead.*

    -   **Unchecked:** Applicants who click the Apply Online button
        ![](media/image92.jpeg){width="0.8958333333333334in"
        height="0.1875in"} will be taken directly to the USA Staffing
        Online Questionnaire for that VIN and will not have the option
        to submit a résumé via USAJOBS Résumé Builder.

> **Note**: If you indicate that you will not accept résumés from
> applicants on the Supporting Documents page, this checkbox will be
> disabled by default.

-   **Accept Online Applications** checkbox**:**

    -   **Checked:** The *Apply Online* button
        ![](media/image92.jpeg){width="0.8958333333333334in"
        height="0.1875in"} appears in USAJOBS and applicants can click
        it to begin the Online Application process. This is the default.

    -   **Unchecked:** No *Apply Online* button appears. Applicants who
        get to the Online Application page in USA Staffing via the Start
        URL will see a message that says \"This announcement does not
        accept online applications.\" Unchecking this box also removes
        the check from *Send applicants to USAJOBS Résumé Builder*.

-   **Agency URL**: Enter the full URL of your Agency\'s Web site that
    you want published when the Job Announcement appears on USAJOBS.

-   **URL Description**: Enter the description of the Agency URL that
    you want to appear next to its link on USAJOBS. The description you
    provide will help applicants decide whether to click the link to
    visit your Web site or not.

-   **TDD Phone**: Enter the phone number to be used by hearing impaired
    applicants who use TDD devices when they seek more information.

-   **Customer**: Click this button to select the Customer record that
    will indicate the organization for which the job is being announced.

-   **Internal Contact**: Click this button to select the name of the
    person who should be contacted for more information about this Job
    Announcement. This contact information *is not* published.

-   **External Contact**: Click this button to select the name of the
    person who should be contacted for more information about this Job
    Announcement. This contact information *is* published.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Deleting an Announcement record

A Job Announcement can only be deleted after **Release to USAJOBS** and
**Complete** have been unchecked on the Announcement Preview page. Then,
from the Announcement Information page (this topic) click the **Delete**
button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Assignments  

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page in USA Staffing,
follow the steps for Announcement Information. Then click **Next** on
the bottom of the Announcement Information page or **Assignments** on
the left navigation menu.

![](media/image93.jpeg){width="4.145833333333333in" height="1.09375in"}

You can assign some of the tasks related to the announcement to other
staff members or workgroups.

To make an assignment, follow these steps:

-   Click one of the two radio buttons to indicate whether you will
    assign to a named individual or to a workgroup. Whichever you select
    will be used for all assignments. (Note: If you change from one to
    the other, all existing assignments will be cleared and you will
    have to re-assign them.)

-   Click **New** to create an Assignment record. A new row will appear
    at the bottom of the form on the screen.

-   Under the Task heading, type in the name of the task you are
    assigning.

-   Under the Employee or Workgroup, click in the box. A drop down
    choice list will appear. Click on the Employee or Workgroup to
    select it.

To delete an assignment, click on the Task name, and then click
**Delete**.

## Specialty and Grade (in Announcement)  

Topic Map

-   About the Specialty and Grade (in Announcement) page

-   Completing the Announcement Information page

    -   View the Flash movie.

### About the Specialty and Grade (in Announcement) page

Use this Specialties and Grades (in Announcement) page to specify which
combinations of specialties and grades will be covered by the Job
Announcement you are working on.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} To get to this page in USA Staffing,
follow the steps for Announcement Information. Then click **Specialty
/Grade** on the left navigation menu.

Note: If an message appears on the Specialty and Grades page that says
\"Assessment Specialties/Grades must be established first\", this means
that these settings were cleared because a change was made to the
Assessment Plan after the Job Announcement was marked Complete. You must
return to Specialty/Grade on the **Assessments** menu \-- and make sure
there are valid entries there \-- before you can set Specialty/Grade in
your Job Announcement.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Completing the Announcement Information page

![](media/image94.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="2.7604166666666665in"}

The above picture shows the default collapsed view.

-   To expand the list to see all the specialties and grades, click the
    small plus sign to the left of the series check box. When the
    specialties are visible, you can further expand the display to show
    the grades for each specialty by clicking on the plus signs for
    each. The picture below depicts a fully expanded hierarchical tree.

![](media/image95.jpeg){width="4.145833333333333in"
height="2.7604166666666665in"}

-   To include a grade or specialty, click in its check box to add a
    check mark. Options lower in the hierarchy \-- that is, options that
    are indented \-- are automatically checked for you when you add a
    check mark at a higher level.  For example, in the above picture, if
    you were to put a check in the box for \"1710\" all options below
    that level will be checked for you.

-   You can remove any individual check mark by clicking in the check
    box again.

**Promotion Potential Grade:** Enter the highest grade to which
incumbents would normally progress without further competition.

View the Flash movie.
![](media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in"
height="0.3333333333333333in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Job Announcements on USAJOBS  

Topic Map

-   About Job Announcements on USAJOBS

-   Tab 1: Overview

-   Tab 2: Duties

-   Tab 3: Qualifications and Evaluation

-   Tab 4: How to Apply

-   Tab 5: Benefits and other Information

### About Job Announcements on USAJOBS

USA Staffing makes it easy to prepare your job announcement for
publication on the Internet at USAJOBS. Information you already entered
in USA Staffing is automatically incorporated in appropriate places in
the job announcement. Use the Announcement Templates pages in USA
Staffing to enter additional information or instructions for applicants,
and to format it into an attractive and professional quality job
announcement that will make a great first impression on job applicants.

A sample of a job announcement on USAJOBS is provided below for your
reference. The Announcement Templates in USA Staffing correlate with
these tabbed pages in the job announcement.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Tab 1: Overview

![](media/image96.jpeg){width="4.156944444444444in"
height="4.688888888888889in"}

View the Overview Template topic in a new Help window.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Tab 2: Duties

![](media/image97.jpeg){width="4.227777777777778in"
height="4.977777777777778in"}

View the Duties Template topic in a new Help window.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Tab 3: Qualifications and Evaluation

![](media/image98.jpeg){width="4.209027777777778in"
height="12.70138888888889in"}

    

View the Qualifications and Evaluation Template topic in a new Help
window.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Tab 4: How to Apply 

![](media/image99.jpeg){width="4.196527777777778in"
height="10.83611111111111in"}

View the How to Apply Template topic in a new Help window.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Tab 5: Benefits and Other Information

![](media/image100.jpeg){width="4.196527777777778in" height="7.41875in"}

View the Benefits and Other Information Template topic in a new Help
window.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Format Tips

Topic Map

-   Styles \-- The Building Blocks of Proper Formatting

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Copying from Microsoft Word Documents

-   How did they do that?

-   Heading Styles

-   Font Sizes and Colors

-   Underlining

-   Shading and Background

-   Numbered and Bulleted Lists

-   Address Style

-   Normal Style

-   HTML Editor Mode

You can make your job announcements easier to read and more attractive
through the judicious use of fonts, colors, and styles. Each of the
Announcement Templates gives you a toolbar to control font colors and
sizes, as well as styles. Of special significance is the use of styles
to aid all persons \-- including those with disabilities \-- to easily
navigate and use the information you provide.

*Note that USA Staffing may permit you to add formatting that may be
ignored by USAJOBS. If this occurs, it would be due to a limitation of
USAJOBS. USA Staffing contains added flexibility for the benefit of
users who publish their Job Announcements to systems other than
USAJOBS.*

###  

### Styles \-- The Building Blocks of Proper Formatting

A style is a named category for text. Examples of common style names are
Paragraph, Heading1, Heading2, Normal, Bulleted List, Address, and Body
Text.  The names of these styles matter very much to people with
disabilities who rely upon adaptive technology to browse the Internet.
They also matter to people who access the internet using handheld
devices that may be unable to display all the colors and sizes you may
intend. When you use styles correctly in your job announcement, readers
can quickly identify the structure of the document and find their way
through it. Proper use of styles also is important to make sure that
documents viewed in a browser or printed as a PDF file will format
correctly. The correct use of styles assures your job announcement meets
the requirements for accessibility under Section 508, as required of all
Federal Government agencies.

Note that the *appearance* of a given style is secondary and is
something each individual reader can adjust. It is the responsibility of
the author to assure the correct style is assigned to the sentence or
paragraph; it is the job of the browser to display the document using
styles as defined by the person reading the document.  For example, the
default font size of 10 for text entered in the Normal style may be what
you see on the screen, but a job applicant who has difficulty reading
that size font can set her browser to display all Normal style text in
14 point, and the job announcement automatically converts to their
preferred way of viewing it.

For this reason, avoid merely bolding or italicizing words or phrases
that you intend as section headings. Instead, be sure to apply a Heading
style, or other appropriate styles. If you also wish to change the color
or the size, you may do so, but know that, at the option of the job
applicant, the style is what is controlling, and the job applicant\'s
style definitions may override settings you apply to individual letters
and words. Do not rely upon the bolding, italicizing, sizing or coloring
of individual letters or words; always attach a style to assure full
accessibility and portability.

You have the ability to use colors in your job announcements in USA
Staffing and USAJOBS, and we recommend that you take advantage of these
capabilities. However, keep these rules in mind:

-   Avoid color combinations that provide little contrast between text
    and background.

-   Do not rely upon color or size or other visual cues alone. Always
    assign a style.

-   If you are using an HTML editor that gives you the ability to
    override the user preferences of the reader, avoid doing so. To
    assure usability, let the reader\'s preferences take precedence.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Copying From Microsoft Word Documents

If you have Microsoft Word XP or 2002, you can create your document in
Word, format it there, including applying styles to the text, and then
copy and paste it from Word into the USA Staffing template. In most
cases your format will be retained in USA Staffing. Always check to make
sure, however. Our tests with Microsoft Word versions prior to 2002/XP
show that much formatting is lost when you copy from older versions of
Word.

For more details on using styles in Word, consult Word\'s online Help.
To do this, while Word is open, click on the Help icon on the toolbar
\-- ![](media/image101.jpeg){width="0.22916666666666666in"
height="0.15625in"} \-- and search on the term \"styles\", then read the
topics that are displayed as search results.

You will have much more control over the styles in documents created in
Word than what is possible in the template editor in USA Staffing.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### How did they do that?

In the topic Job Announcements on USAJOBS, you will see a sample of how
the text can be formatted to make it attractive and to assist the
reader. Notice these characteristics of the format:

-   All section headings in the announcement text have a Heading style
    applied. In this example, the headings are also set in bold red font
    and underlined.

-   On pages where there are multiple subtopics, a shading color behind
    the text alternates between white and light gray to help the reader
    quickly identify where one section ends and a new one begins.

-   Numbered and bulleted lists are used to make lists more readable and
    easier to find.

-   The address given at the bottom of  the How to Apply page has the
    Address style applied so that it lines up correctly.

In addition, it is possible in USA Staffing to include pictures, links
to other Web pages, and horizontal lines (or \"rules\"). The sections
below will tell you how to include these features in your own job
announcements.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Heading Styles

To apply a Heading style, type your text first. Then place the cursor
anywhere on the line. From the Style Selection dropdown box on the
template toolbar, select a heading style of your choice \-- from Heading
1 (the largest) to Heading 6 (the smallest). Note that Heading6 may be
very small, but it still applies a Heading style to the line of text,
and the Heading style is used by adaptive software to navigate the
document.

***Do not use a Heading style merely to add emphasis*** to text that is
not really a section heading. This will confuse people who rely upon
adaptive devices, and it may cause your job announcement to format
incorrectly when viewed on handheld devices or converted to a PDF file.

Applying a Heading style tends to undo other attributes, such as size,
color, underline, bold, and italic. If you intend to use any of these
other attributes, apply them *after* you apply the Heading style.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

#### Font Sizes and Colors

To change the size or color of certain text, you will apply size and
color attributes.

To apply a size attribute to your text, select the text (How?). Then
from the Font Size Selection dropdown box (What?), select a new size.

To apply a color attribute to change the color of certain text, first
select the text (How?). Then from the Font Color Selection dropdown box
(What?), select the new color.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

#### Underlining

To apply the Underline attribute, first select the text (How?). Then
click the ![](media/image102.jpeg){width="0.1875in"
height="0.13541666666666666in"} on the toolbar.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Shading and Background

\"Shading\" refers to a color used behind a particular paragraph.
\"Background\" refers to a color or a picture used behind an entire Web
page. It is not currently possible to add shading or a background color
or graphics in the word processing mode in USA Staffing. However, you
*can* do these things two other ways:

-   If you know HTML or can get assistance from someone who does, you
    can use the HTML Editor Mode in the job announcement templates in
    USA Staffing to directly enter the appropriate codes to create
    shading or a background.

-   You can create a document in Microsoft Word XP (or 2002) and format
    it to include Shading behind select paragraphs. Follow these steps:

    1.  Type the text.

    2.  Select the section for which you wish to have shading. (That is,
        click with the left mouse button and hold it down while you drag
        to select the section. Then release the mouse.)

    3.  Click **Format** on the MS Word menu bar. From the Format menu
        in MS Word, select **Borders and Shading** (not Background).

    4.  Click on the **Shading** tab.

    5.  Click on the \"Fill\" color of your choice \-- or \-- to turn
        off shading that has already been applied, click the bar at the
        top that says \"No Fill\". Remember to choose a color that will
        provide high contrast to any text in the affected section.
        (Note: You can change the color of the font in Word: Format \>
         Font \> Font Color.)

    6.  Click **OK**. The dialog window closes and your color is applied
        to the section you had selected.

    7.  Copy and paste the result into the appropriate job announcement
        template in USA Staffing. (Hold the left mouse button down while
        you drag across the section you want to copy. On the MS Word
        toolbar, click the copy button \--
        ![](media/image103.jpeg){width="0.25in" height="0.21875in"}.
        Click in the template in USA Staffing at the position to which
        you want to paste your selection. On the USA Staffing toolbar,
        click the paste button \--
        ![](media/image104.jpeg){width="0.2916666666666667in"
        height="0.23958333333333334in"}.)

    8.  Be sure to check your results in two ways:

        1.  Look at the text you have pasted in, to make sure that the
            colors for both the shading and the font are the ones you
            intended and that they provide sufficient contrast.

        2.  Preview the result on PCs set to low screen resolution,
            monochrome, and 16-color. This is important because certain
            colors will shift to other colors when viewed on such
            devices. ***You must check confirm that your text remains
            readable by job seekers no matter what devices they use to
            access USAJOBS. You must also confirm that a copy printed on
            black and white printer is readable.***

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Numbered and Bulleted Lists

To create a list, type the first item of the list on a line by itself.
If the cursor is not still on this first item you just typed, click
anywhere on the line of text. Click the Numbered List button on the tool
bar to turn on the Numbered List attribute or click on the Bulleted List
button on the tool bar to turn on the Bulleted List attribute.

> ![](media/image105.jpeg){width="0.5in" height="0.23958333333333334in"}

Then position the cursor at the end of the line. When you press the
Enter key, the next number or bullet will appear for you to type the
next item of the list.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Address Style

When you type an address, you want the address to appear together as a
block of text. The Address style is for this purpose. To use it, type
the first line of the address. Then, with the cursor still on the first
line of the address, select the Address style from the Style Selection
dropdown box.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Normal Style

The Normal style is the basic font of the document. When you apply the
Normal style to text, it turns off any previously applied styles, and
may turn off bold, italic, underline, and colors. You can apply the
Normal style to end a Numbered or Bulleted List, as well as to undo any
styles and attributes you have previously applied.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### The HTML Editor Mode

USA Staffing templates have an HTML Editor mode that lets you directly
modify the underlying HTML code that controls the look and placement of
every item on the page. To turn on the HTML Editor mode, simply click
the HTML checkbox at the bottom of a template page to put a check in
it.![](media/image106.jpeg){width="0.6666666666666666in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}

 The page will refresh to show you all the HTML code. This is a good way
for you to start to learn what HTML codes look like and how they work.
For instance, you will notice that many \"tags\" are embedded into the
text you typed.

Tags are codes that begin with \< and end with \>. For example, if you
applied the Heading2 style to a line of text, you will see \<h2\> where
the style is turned on and \</h2\> where it is turned off. In this
example, the \"/\" in front of the second \"h2\" means it is being
turned off. Note that all tags come in pairs, like quotation marks; one
turns on the style or attribute, and another turns it off. However,
there are some \"wild cards\". For example, \</font\> can turn off a
wide variety of styles and attributes.

In the HTML mode, you can troubleshoot the appearance of your text. If
the italic you inserted is turned off too early, you can see in the HTML
code that the \</i\> or \</font\> is in the wrong place, and you can
move it (delete it from one place and retype it somewhere else) to fix
the problem. But you must be sure that you correctly type or paste in
the same tag in its proper location. If you do not do this correctly,
you may end up with an unpaired tag. This can cause a style or attribute
to get turned on and never be turned off. In some browsers the page may
display the text incorrectly, and in other browsers, the page will not
display at all. Note also, that the effect of tags is not limited to a
particular template. If you break a tag pair by removing one of the pair
and not correctly replacing it, this may affect text anywhere else in
the entire job announcement.

Unless you already know HTML, our advice is to \"Look, but don\'t
touch.\" An experienced HTML developer can do some very fancy things in
the HTML mode by directly entering tags that are not part of the
toolbars in USA Staffing templates pages. But if you are not careful,
you can also create a big mess.

To learn more about HTML, you can study any of the many tutorials freely
available on the Internet. An extensive list will appear if you search
using the phrase \"learn html\".

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##   Locations (in Announcement)  

Topic Map

This topic covers the following subtopics:

-   About Locations (in Announcement)

-   Working with Locations (in Announcement)

    -   Viewing Locations Already Added to the Announcement

    -   Finding Locations to Add

        -   How are location codes used?

    -   Adding a Location to the Job Announcement

        -   Managing many locations

    -   Deleting a Location from the Job Announcement

### About Locations (in Announcement)

Use the table on the bottom of the Locations page to indicate the
locations that should appear in the Job Announcement, and how many
Openings there are for each location. Above the table are tools you can
use to quickly find locations on the table.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} To get to this page in USA Staffing,
follow the steps for Announcement Information. Then click **Locations**
on the left navigation menu.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with Locations (in Announcement)

![](media/image107.jpeg){width="4.364583333333333in"
height="3.3854166666666665in"}

#### Viewing Locations Already Added to the Announcement

Click the checkbox to place a checkmark for \"Selected Locations Only\"
to make the table show only those locations you have already included in
the job announcement.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Finding Locations to Add

How are location codes used?

Geographic codes are used for two purposes:

-   **USAJOBS** uses the geographic codes to select the Job
    Announcements that match job seekers\' search criteria.

-   **USA Staffing** uses geographic codes to show in the Job
    Announcement where the positions are located.

These two uses explain the choices available to you in the Apply
Location to drop down selection box.

If you select **Both \-- USAJOBS and Job Announcement**, you only need
to specify your locations one time for both purposes. However, if you
have many locations, this will also cause the job to appear multiple
times when a job seeker does a search in USAJOBS \-- one time for each
location. This can be confusing to job seekers.

To prevent this from happening, do not use the option for *Both*, but
select the codes for each purpose separately, following these steps:

1.  In **Apply Location to**, select **Location Search Code**. Then in
    the table where you specify locations, select either a nationwide or
    regional code as appropriate. Save your work.

2.  **In Apply Location to**, select **Applicant Geographic
    Availability**. Enter all of your multiple locations. Save your
    work.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

If Selected Locations Only has a checkmark, click on it to remove it.
 The table will refresh to show you all locations. Then use the tools
described below to find the locations you want.

**Apply Location to:** The purpose of this selection box is to let you
control which locations on this page will be used for what purposes.
Choices are:

-   **Location Search Code (USAJOBS):** Select this option to begin the
    process of selecting the location codes that USAJOBS will use when
    performing searches.

-   **Applicant Geographic Availability (Job Announcement):** Select
    this option to being the process of selecting the locations that
    will appear in the Job Announcement itself.

-   **Both \-- USAJOBS and Job Announcement:** Select this option to
    begin the process of selecting the same locations to be used for
    both a) searches performed by USAJOBS and b) the Job Announcement.

**Location Code:** If you know the four digit location code, you can
type it into this box and click **Find**. The table will refresh to show
the row with the code for which you searched. It will also update the
Filter by State selector to show the state that corresponds to the code.

**Filter by State:** You can look for the location in the table
yourself. If *Selected Records Only* is not checked, then Records
appearing in the table are limited to those that are in the state that
shows in the *Filter by State* box. To make the table show locations
from a different state, click the *Filter by State* box and pick the
state you want.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Adding a Location to the Job Announcement

To include a location, follow these steps:

1.  Click the check box to place a check mark to select it.

2.  **\# of Vacancies:**  Enter a number or descriptive text to indicate
    to the job applicant how many opportunities there are for that
    location.  For example, acceptable entries include \"Few\" and
     \"Many\", as well as any actual number.  

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  Managing many locations

USAJOBS uses the duty location codes in job searches. When applicants
perform searches in USAJOBS, they will see the announcement one time for
each location that matches their search criteria. In other words, if the
Job Announcement contains ten locations, and the job seeker searches on
5 of those locations, USAJOBS will list the Job Announcement 5 times in
the search results it displays to the job seeker.

This can be confusing for job seekers.  Therefore, if you have a large
number of locations to publicize (over 20), consider these alternatives:

-   Use the Nationwide code \-- i.e., 1000, Continental United States,
    Throughout.

-   Use a Region wide code \-- such as 0801, Southeastern States.

-   Use a Statewide code \-- such as 0015, Throughout Florida.

Careful selection of codes can make job searches easier for applicants,
while reducing your workload from duplicate applications against
multiple control numbers.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Deleting a Location from the Job Announcement

To remove a location that has previously been selected, click the check
box to remove the check.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## The Format Toolbar

Several of the Announcement Templates pages give you a word processor
type of workspace to enter text and graphics. Items you may see on the
toolbar for such pages are explained below.

*Note that USA Staffing may permit you to add formatting that may be
ignored by USAJOBS. If this occurs, it would be due to a limitation of
USAJOBS. USA Staffing contains added flexibility for the benefit of
users who publish their Job Announcements to systems other than
USAJOBS.*

![](media/image108.jpeg){width="5.177083333333333in"
height="0.5104166666666666in"}

+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![                | ###### Style Selection:                          |
| ](media/image109. |                                                  |
| jpeg){width="1.02 | Use this drop down style selector to apply a     |
| 08333333333333in" | pre-set style to the **paragraph** where your    |
| height="1.885     | cursor is.                                       |
| 4166666666667in"} |                                                  |
|                   | **Normal** removes all styles.                   |
|                   |                                                  |
|                   | **Headings 1-6** convert the entire paragraph to |
|                   | a pre-set font type and size.                    |
|                   |                                                  |
|                   | **Directory List** gives begins a bulleted list. |
|                   | Press Enter to get a new bullet.                 |
|                   |                                                  |
|                   | (You do not need to select all text to apply the |
|                   | style to a paragraph.)                           |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![                | ###### Font Selection:                           |
| ](media/image110. |                                                  |
| jpeg){width="1.17 | Use this drop down selector to apply a font type |
| 70833333333333in" | to whatever **text** you have selected. Unlike   |
| height="1.645     | the paragraph styles above, you must use your    |
| 8333333333333in"} | mouse to select all the text you want changed    |
|                   | before you apply a new font from this list.      |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![                | ###### Font Size Selection:                      |
| ](media/image111. |                                                  |
| jpeg){width="0.38 | Use this drop down selector to choose the font   |
| 54166666666667in" | size for the text you have selected.             |
| height="0.979     |                                                  |
| 1666666666666in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![                | ###### Font Color Selection:                     |
| ](media/image112. |                                                  |
| jpeg){width="0.73 | Use this drop down selector to change the color  |
| 95833333333334in" | of the font for the text that is selected.       |
| h                 |                                                  |
| eight="1.4375in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![                | Makes the selected text **bold**.                |
| ](media/image113. |                                                  |
| jpeg){width="0.27 |                                                  |
| 08333333333333in" |                                                  |
| height="0.260     |                                                  |
| 4166666666667in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![](m             | Makes the selected text *italic.*                |
| edia/image114.jpe |                                                  |
| g){width="0.25in" |                                                  |
| height="0.270     |                                                  |
| 8333333333333in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![](medi          | [Underlines]{.underline} the selected text       |
| a/image115.jpeg){ |                                                  |
| width="0.28125in" |                                                  |
| height="0.2395    |                                                  |
| 8333333333334in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![](med           | Justifies the paragraph to the left, center or   |
| ia/image116.jpeg) | right.                                           |
| {width="0.8125in" |                                                  |
| height="0.270     |                                                  |
| 8333333333333in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![](              | Begins either a numbered or bulleted list.       |
| media/image105.jp |                                                  |
| eg){width="0.5in" |                                                  |
| height="0.2395    |                                                  |
| 8333333333334in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![                | **Indent** or \"outdent\"  paragraph one tab     |
| ](media/image117. | stop in the direction indicated by the arrows.   |
| jpeg){width="0.54 |                                                  |
| 16666666666666in" |                                                  |
| he                |                                                  |
| ight="0.21875in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![](medi          | **Cut** (remove) the selected text. The text     |
| a/image118.jpeg){ | that has been removed is stored by the system in |
| width="0.28125in" | a place called the \"clipboard\", and can be     |
| height="0.2291    | pasted somewhere else using the Paste tool.      |
| 6666666666666in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![](m             | **Copy** the selected text to the \"clipboard\"  |
| edia/image103.jpe | without deleting it.                             |
| g){width="0.25in" |                                                  |
| he                |                                                  |
| ight="0.21875in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![                | **Paste** text from the clipboard to the place   |
| ](media/image104. | where the cursor is. (Hint: Use *Cut* or *Copy*  |
| jpeg){width="0.29 | first.)                                          |
| 16666666666667in" |                                                  |
| height="0.2395    |                                                  |
| 8333333333334in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![](med           | **Undo** the last change. Each time you click    |
| ia/image119.jpeg) | this button, your text reverts to an earlier     |
| {width="0.3125in" | stage, until you exhaust the \"undo buffer.\"    |
| height="0.25in"}  |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![                | **Redo** a previously Undone change. Each time   |
| ](media/image120. | you click this button, you restore one more      |
| jpeg){width="0.27 | change that was removed by an Undo action.       |
| 08333333333333in" |                                                  |
| height="0.25in"}  |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![                | **Insert an Image File**: You can use this       |
| ](media/image121. | feature to insert images, like your corporate    |
| jpeg){width="0.30 | logo. To use this feature, you must already have |
| 20833333333333in" | the image saved as one of these file types: GIF, |
| height="0.260     | JPG, BMP, WMF, XPM, or ART.                      |
| 4166666666667in"} |                                                  |
|                   | You must also know where the file is located on  |
|                   | your system, in order to navigate to it in the   |
|                   | Insert Image dialog box.                         |
|                   |                                                  |
|                   | More details.         View the Flash movie.      |
|                   | ![]                                              |
|                   | (media/image14.png){width="0.3333333333333333in" |
|                   | height="0.3333333333333333in"}                   |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![                | **Insert Link:** You can use this feature to     |
| ](media/image122. | insert links to Web pages or email addresses.    |
| jpeg){width="0.27 | You must already know the URL or email address   |
| 08333333333333in" | you want the link to point to. More details.     |
| height="0.260     |                                                  |
| 4166666666667in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![                | **Insert Rule (Horizontal Line):** Use this      |
| ](media/image123. | feature to insert a horizontal line across the   |
| jpeg){width="0.30 | page. This can make the job announcement easier  |
| 20833333333333in" | to read by breaking it up into sections.         |
| height="0.270     |                                                  |
| 8333333333333in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| ![                | **HTML:** Place a check in this box if you wish  |
| ](media/image106. | to directly edit the HTML code for the template. |
| jpeg){width="0.66 | This option is provided for people with HTML     |
| 66666666666666in" | expertise. You need to already be familiar with  |
| height="0.2395    | HTML code; no help or tools are provided.        |
| 8333333333334in"} |                                                  |
+-------------------+--------------------------------------------------+

## Insert Image \-- detailed instructions

### Disclaimers

This topic will help you learn how to insert an image into your job
announcement. It assumes, however, that you already have an image file
that you want to use, and that you know its filename and its location on
your computer or network.

This topic does not discuss how to create an image file. Your agency\'s
office of communications or public relations may have a collection of
agency logos and other images prepared for your use, or your information
technology department may be able to assist you.

This topic also assumes that you already have a basic knowledge of where
files are stored on your computer or network and how to find them. For
assistance with this, contact your information technology specialists,
your office\'s own Help Desk, or your training department.

*Note that USA Staffing may permit you to add formatting that may be
ignored by USAJOBS. If this occurs, it would be due to a limitation of
USAJOBS. USA Staffing contains added flexibility for the benefit of
users who publish their Job Announcements to systems other than
USAJOBS.*

### Instructions

To insert an image follow these steps:

1.  Click the Insert Image button on the toolbar. The Picture dialog box
    will appear.

![](media/image124.jpeg){width="4.458333333333333in" height="2.0in"}

2.  You will use the Browse button in the Picture dialog box to navigate
    your own computer and point to where the image file is located.
    Click the **Browse** button. Another Picture dialog box will appear
    that looks more or less like this:

![](media/image125.jpeg){width="4.458333333333333in"
height="2.7708333333333335in"}

3.  Use the *Look in:* drop down of this dialog to select the folder
    where your image file is stored \-- or, if it is located in a folder
    that appears in the list of folders (the big white area in the above
    picture), double click the folder to select it.

4.  Note what is displayed on the bottom line of the dialog box for the
    *Files of type:*. This filters the types of files that will appear
    in the list (the large white area in the above picture). If the 3
    letter file extension of your image file is not appearing in the
    *Files of type:* box, click the down arrow to select the file type
    that matches.

5.  Once you are in the correct folder, use the scroll bar to bring the
    file name into view.

6.  Double click the file name \-- or click it once and click on
    **Open**.

7.  The file name will appear in the File name: box, and the second
    dialog window will close, taking you back to the first dialog
    window, shown again below. The file name you selected will appear in
    the *Picture Source:* box.

![](media/image126.jpeg){width="4.458333333333333in" height="2.0in"}

8.  In the *Alternate Text:* box, click and type a brief description of
    the image file. Blind people will rely upon the descriptive text you
    type in order to know what the image conveys. Alternate text is
    required by 508 regulations, and must convey to persons without the
    ability to see the image the same information as would be obtained
    by those who see it.

9.  You can control layout and spacing. In the above picture, Border
    Thickness has been set to 3 pixels to create a black border around
    the image. Horizontal spacing has been set to 200 pixels to place
    the image near the center of the page.

10. Click OK to close the dialog. The image will be placed in your
    template.

## Insert Link (detailed instructions)

Topic Map

-   Getting Ready

-   Creating Links to URLS \-- HTTP and HTTPS

-   Creating Links to create email messages

-   Check your link to make sure it works as intended

-   Modifying a link

-   Deleting a link

### Getting Ready

You can insert a hyperlink that will take the reader to a Web page, or
create an email. This can be helpful when you want to provide optional
additional information or means of contact, but you should never make a
link be the *only* means of obtaining or providing essential
information. Many job seekers do not have Internet access and will be
reading a paper copy of your job announcement.

You must know the URL or email address before you insert the link.

First type the text into the template.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Creating Links to URLs \-- HTTP and HTTPS

#### URL Option 1: Transforming existing text into a link to an HTTP or HTTPS address:

1.  Highlight the words that will become the link. (In other words,
    click with the mouse at the beginning of the word or phrase, and \--
    while holding down the mouse button \-- drag the mouse over the
    remainder of the word or phrase. Release the mouse button, and the
    word or phrase will remain highlighted.)

> Example: Click here to visit OPM\'s home page.
>
> The word \"here\" in the above sentence would be highlighted, and will
> be made into a link.

2.  Click on the Insert Link button
    ![](media/image122.jpeg){width="0.2708333333333333in"
    height="0.2604166666666667in"} on the toolbar. The Hyperlink dialog
    window will open like the picture below, except that the spaces
    where we show OPM specific information will be blank.

![](media/image127.jpeg){width="4.135416666666667in" height="1.625in"}

3.  Type the full URL in the Address space. A full URL must include
    *http://* \-- just as in the picture above.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
3.  Click to place a check in the box and type the name that you want to
    appear on the border of the new browser window that opens to show
    the page you are linking to. In our example, we are linking to
    OPM\'s home page so that the applicant can learn more about OPM as
    an employer. Therefore, we help the applicant keep navigate the
    browser windows on her desktop by giving the window the name OPM.
    The name of the place to which you are linking is appropriate to go
    in this space.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
3.  Click **OK**. The dialog window will close. The text you had
    highlighted will change color \-- typically blue \-- and be
    underlined.

4.  Click **Save**.

> Example: Click here to visit OPM\'s home page.
>
> Note that the URL is not displayed when you use this method. It is
> hidden in the underlined word \"here\".

7.  Check your link to make sure it works as intended.

> ***Remember: When you use this method, your URL does not appear at all
> on printed copies. Readers of printed copies may not know how to
> obtain the information you link to unless you tell them in some other
> way.***

#### URL Option  2: Placing  the URL in the text.

Instead of hiding the URL, you may want it to display in the text.

Example: Click this link to go to OPM\'s home page: http://www.opm.gov

***Note: This method is not recommended for lengthy URLs. In no case
should you use this method if the URL is long enough that it will wrap
to the next line on the page. A link that wraps on the page may not work
correctly for the applicant who must use it. If the URL is long, follow
the steps for URL Option 1 instead.***

To use this option, follow these steps:

1.  Place the cursor at the end of a line of text, typically following
    something like: *To visit our Web site, click here:*

2.  Click on the Insert Link button
    ![](media/image122.jpeg){width="0.2708333333333333in"
    height="0.2604166666666667in"} on the toolbar. The Hyperlink dialog
    window will open like the picture below.

![](media/image127.jpeg){width="4.135416666666667in" height="1.625in"}

 

3.  Type the full URL in the Address space. A full URL must include
    *http://* \-- just as in the picture above.

4.  Click to place a check in the box and type the name that you want to
    appear on the border of the new browser window that opens to show
    the page you are linking to. In our example, we are linking to
    OPM\'s home page so that the applicant can learn more about OPM as
    an employer. Therefore, we help the applicant keep navigate the
    browser windows on her desktop by giving the window the name OPM.
    The name of the place to which you are linking is appropriate to go
    in this space.

5.  Click **OK**. The dialog window will close. The URL you typed will
    be placed where you had left the cursor, and it will be a link to
    the URL \-- typically blue \-- and be underlined.

6.  Click **Save**.

7.  Check your link to make sure it works as intended.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Creating Links to create email messages

*Mailto* is an HTML command that can be embedded in a link. When the
reader clicks the link, an email message composing window opens and the
address to which the email is to be sent automatically appears on the
*To:* line.

Note: This feature may not work correctly for applicants if the default
email program on the computer they are using is not properly configured
\-- such as if they use computers in public libraries, or if they rely
upon browser based email such as Yahoo or Hotmail. For this reason, do
not rely Mailto alone; always type the email address into your text so
the applicant can copy it to the email client if necessary. This will
also make it possible for persons who read printed copies of the
announcement to see the full email address.

**Examples:**

-   Do this: Send your completed applications to this email address:
    jobs@agency.gov

> Notice that the email address is visible to the reader.

-   Do ***not*** do this: Send your completed applications here.

> Notice that the address is not visible to the reader.

To create an email address link in your text, simply type the email
address. By the time you finish a properly formatted email address, it
will turn to blue font and be underlined, showing that it has become an
active link.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

### Check your link to make sure it works as intended.

Follow these steps to test the links you created:

1.  Click **Preview** under Announcement \-- Templates on the left
    navigation panel.

2.  Locate your each link you created and click on it. HTTP: and HTTPS:
    links should take you to the correct Web page. Mailto: links should
    open an email composing window if your computer is properly
    configured; otherwise you should be able to copy and paste the email
    address and send an email and have it delivered.

3.  If your test succeeded in taking you to a Web site, return to where
    you left off in the USA Staffing Announcement Preview page by
    pressing the backspace key on your keyboard.

#### Troubleshooting:

**Problem:** My link does not appear.

**Cause:** You may have forgotten to save the change before leaving the
template page you were on. Go back to that page and make sure the link
is still there, or add it again if necessary.

**Problem:** My link takes me to a \"page not found\" error, or \"page
cannot be displayed\".

**Cause:** The URL you typed is not correct. Check to make sure it is
the correct URL, and that you can reach the page when you type or paste
the URL directly into your browser location bar. If this works, then
make sure the link you created is validly formatted. It must begin with
http:// or https://, followed by the rest of the address without spaces.
Note: The slash \-- / \--  is not the same as the backslash \-- \\.  The
backslash is never valid in a URL. URLs can not contain blank spaces.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###  

### Modifying a link

You can modify a link you have already created.

1.  Select the text of the link.

2.  Click the create link toolbar button \--
    ![](media/image122.jpeg){width="0.2708333333333333in"
    height="0.2604166666666667in"}.

3.  Make your changes in the Insert Hyperlink dialog box.

4.  Click **OK** in the dialog box.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Deleting a link

You can delete a link without deleting the text it is tied to.

1.  Select the text of the link.

2.  Click the delete link toolbar button \--
    ![](media/image128.jpeg){width="0.23958333333333334in"
    height="0.20833333333333334in"}.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Templates

### Templates (in Announcement)

Topic Map

This topic covers the Templates pages in the Staffing Work Area for a
specific job announcement \-- including using copies of templates in the
Global, Office, or Organization libraries.  If you are looking for
information about managing the template libraries used by a whole office
or organization, see Template Libraries in the Administration Work Area.

-   About Templates

-   What are the differences between templates in the Administration
    Work Area and the ones in the Staffing Work Area?

-   The Blank Templates Page

-   Related topic: Troubleshooting Job Announcements

#### About Templates

The job announcement templates allow you to specify what will appear in
the job announcement that the applicant sees on USAJOBS. There is one
template for each of the sections of a job announcement, and each has
its own topic in this Help file. They are:

-   Overview Template

-   Duties Template

-   Qualifications and Evaluation Template

-   How to Apply Template

-   Benefits and Other Information Template

-   Questionnaire Template

Each of these templates corresponds to one of the tabbed pages of the
job announcement as it will appear on USAJOBS. (Jump to Job
Announcements on USAJOBS to see a sample of what the job announcement
will look like.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### What are the differences between the templates in the Administration Work Area and the ones in the Staffing Work Area?

Individual users of USA Staffing can create from scratch their own
templates to control the text of a job announcement. Or, they can copy
templates that have been placed in the Global, Office, or Organization
template libraries. These libraries are managed by persons with
Administrative level permissions in their Permissions Profiles. To find
and copy an existing template from the template libraries, follow the
instructions below for the Blank Templates page.

The templates that you work with while you are in the Staffing Work Area
affect specific job announcements and can only be accessed and modified
by the users who create and own them. On the other hand, if you wish to
make the template available to other users, ask your USA Staffing
Administrator to place it in the Administration Work Area. Templates in
the Administration Work Area can be available to everyone across your
office or organization.   More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### The Blank Templates Page

![](media/image129.jpeg){width="4.197916666666667in" height="2.65625in"}

*Figure 1: The Templates page when you first arrive.*

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} To get to this page in USA Staffing,
follow the instructions for Announcement Information. Then click the
white **Templates** button on the left menu.

When you first arrive on the Templates page, it looks like the Figure 1
above.

**Note:** Some functions on this page are disabled if the announcement
has already been published.

1.  Select the library from which you wish to select your source
    template \-- **Global**, **Organization**, or **Office**. The page
    will refresh so that the Templates dropdown selection box is
    populated with the names of the templates for the library you just
    selected.

2.  Find the name of the template you plan to use in the **Templates**
    drop down list. To do this, click the down arrow to display all the
    choices, then move the mouse to your choice and click on it. When
    you release the mouse button, your choice will appear in the box.
     USA Staffing will respond by copying the contents of the template
    you selected into the bottom portion of the page. The picture below
    shows an example of this.

3.  In the space provided, give your template a unique **Name** that
    will help you find it later.

4.  Click the **Save** button to save your template.

5.  The tree that appears on the bottom half of the page lists the
    headings of all main sections and subsections that could appear in
    your Job Announcement. Items that are checked are section or
    subsection headings will appear in your Job Announcement. To prevent
    a heading from appearing, click the check to remove it. Note: This
    page deals only with the section headings, not the text that belongs
    under the headings. The text is managed on subsequent template
    pages, such as the *Duties* or *How to Apply* templates.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  Click on a plus sign (+) to expand that
part of the tree and see the choices.

![](media/image130.jpeg){width="4.145833333333333in"
height="3.6041666666666665in"}

*Figure 2: The Templates page after we have selected a template and
named it. The tree appears on the bottom half to show all the sections
of the Announcement Questionnaire.*

-   **Name:** Type in a name for the template you are creating, even if
    the template is copy of a template that already exists. Give your
    template a name that will distinguish it from others and to help you
    find it again later.

-   **Image Based Form:** By default, this box is set to FORM 1203-FX.
    This means that your Online Application Questionnaire will be built
    to accommodate the same types of data that would be collected on the
    OPM Form 1203-FX if that were going to be used. (If your agency
    enters into an agreement with OPM to provide for a custom form that
    is different from the Form 1203-FX, you may be able to select a
    different option here.)

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Sort Location By State:** A check in this box means that the
    locations that appear on your job announcement will be sorted by
    state. Without a check, the locations will be in location code
    order. Click on the box to add or remove check.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

### Overview Template (in Announcement)

Topic Map

-   About the Overview template

-   About TAGs

-   Working with the Overview Template

-   Job Summary \-- Agency Marketing Statement and Job Summary

-   Key Requirements

-   Related topic: Troubleshooting Job Announcements

#### About the Overview template

![](media/image131.jpeg){width="4.3125in" height="3.5625in"}

The Overview template is where you manage the information that will
appear on the first tabbed page of your Job Announcement when it is
published on USAJOBS. See what this page looks like on USAJOBS. This
template contains three sections:

-   **Job Summary \-- Agency Marketing Statement**. This optional
    section is intended to be a statement of up to 500 characters,
    briefly describing the agency, its mission, and any points of
    special interest to applicants. This statement will appear on
    USAJOBS as the first paragraph in the Job Summary Section of the
    Overview tab. It does not have its own section heading on USAJOBS,
    but appears as the first paragraph of the Job Summary section. If
    you leave this item blank, USAJOBS will move up the Job Summary text
    so that it does not appear that something is missing. Although this
    section is optional, from a systems point of view, it is generally a
    good idea to use this feature to introduce job seekers to your
    agency.

-   **Job Summary** \--  This can be up to 5000 characters in length,
    and is intended to give a quick general idea of what the job is
    about so an applicant can decide whether or not to read the Job
    Announcement further.

-   **Key Requirements \--** There may be up to six of these. They will
    appear in bullet form at the bottom of the first tabbed page of the
    Job Announcement on USAJOBS.

To work on any of these three sections, click its name on the table at
the top of the page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### About TAGs

The bottom half of the page is a text editing area. In the illustration
below, the TAG items represent data elements in USA Staffing that the
system can automatically populate with the appropriate term. For
example, where *TAG:Announcement Number* appears, the system is going to
show the Announcement Number you entered on the Announcement Information
page. And where *TAG:VacancyID* appears, the system will show the VIN.

-   **To delete a TAG**: Select it with your mouse and press the Delete
    key on your keyboard.

-   **To Insert a TAG**: Place the mouse cursor where you want the TAG
    to appear, and click. This sets your *insertion point*. Then use the
    **Insert** drop down selection box to select the data element for
    which you want to insert a TAG.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### Working with the Overview Template

##### Job Summary \-- Agency Marketing Statement and Job Summary

To add or modify text in either of these two sections, click its name on
the table. The text editor window will appear for your use. Help with
the Toolbars on this page

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

##### Key Requirements

If any Key Requirements already exist, a plus sign will appear on the
table to the left of the Key Requirements row.

-   To **modify** a Key Requirement, follow these steps:

    1.  Click the plus sign to expand the tree view.

    2.  Click the row of the Requirement you wish to modify.

    3.  Type your changes, observing the 75 character limit.

    4.  Click the **Save** button.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   To **add** a Key Requirement, follow these steps:

    1.  Click the **Insert Key Requirement** button. A plus sign will be
        added to the left of the Key Requirement row on the table to
        signify that a new Key Requirement row has been added.

    2.  Click the plus sign to expand the tree view.

    3.  In the new empty row that has been provided, click, then type
        your Key Requirement, not to exceed 75 characters.

    4.  Click the **Save** button.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   To **delete** a Key Requirement, follow these steps:

    1.  Click the plus sign to expand the tree view.

    2.  Click the row of the Requirement you wish to delete.

    3.  Click the **Delete** button at the top of the page.

    4.  Click the **Save** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

### Duties Template

Topic Map

-   About the Duties template

-   Working with the Duties template

-   Related topic: Troubleshooting Job Announcements

#### About the Duties template

![](media/image132.jpeg){width="4.427083333333333in"
height="3.6979166666666665in"}

The Duties template is where you manage the text that will appear in the
*Duties* tabbed page of your Job Announcement when it is published on
USAJOBS. See what this page looks like on USAJOBS.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### Working with the Duties template

Delete the text that says *Enter your duties here\...* and type your
text there. Help with the Toolbars on this page

Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

### Qualifications and Evaluation Template

Topic Map

-   About the Qualifications and Evaluation template

-   Working with the Qualifications and Evaluation template

-   Related topic: Troubleshooting Job Announcements

#### About the Qualifications and Evaluation template

The Qualifications and Evaluation template is where you manage the text
that will appear in the *Qualifications and Evaluation* tabbed page of
your Job Announcement when it is published on USAJOBS. See what this
page looks like on USAJOBS.

![](media/image133.jpeg){width="4.364583333333333in"
height="3.6770833333333335in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### Working with the Qualifications and Evaluations template

There are four sections to this template.

To add or modify content for these sections, follow these steps:

1.  Click the name of a Section in the table at the top of the page to
    select that section to work on. The one that is selected has a black
    arrowhead in the first column. For example, in the above, the
    selected row is *Education*.

2.  Enter the text in the text box on the bottom half of the page.  For
    example, in the picture above, you would delete the text that says
    *Enter required qualifications here\...* and type your text there.

3.  Repeat these steps for all the remaining sections listed on the
    table.

Help with the Toolbars on this page

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

### How to Apply Template

Topic Map

-   About the How to Apply template

-   Working with the How to Apply template

-   Faxes and Forms 1203-FX

-   Related topics:

-   Troubleshooting Job Announcements

-   Help with the Toolbars on this page

-   URLs for the Online Application

#### About the How to Apply template

The How to Apply template is where you manage the text that will appear
in the *How to Apply* tabbed page of your Job Announcement when it is
published on USAJOBS. See what this page looks like on USAJOBS.

![](media/image134.jpeg){width="4.302083333333333in"
height="3.6979166666666665in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### Working with the How to Apply template

Faxes and Forms 1203-FX

-   **Faxes:** If you are inviting applicants to fax documents to OPM\'s
    fax server, tell them the phone number to use is **478-757-3144.**
    The fax cover sheet that they need is at the end of the Online
    Application. ***Explain in your Job Announcement that their
    documents may appear upside down in our viewing system unless they
    are careful to feed in them into the fax machine so that the top of
    each page goes in first.***

-   **Form 1203-FX:** For purposes of accommodation, the Form 1203-FX
    should be mentioned as an alternative to the Online Application.
    Here are the URL\'s that you should use:

    -   Information that states that Acrobat version 5.0 or higher is
        required to open the file, and how to obtain this version:
        http://www.opm.gov/forms/html/opm.asp.

    -   The actual Form 1203-FX itself:
        http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/OPM1203fx.pdf.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

There are three sections to this template.

To add or modify content for these sections, follow these steps:

1.  Click the name of a Section in the table at the top of the page to
    select that section to work on. The one that is selected has a black
    arrowhead in the first column. For example, in the above, the
    selected row is *How to Apply*.

2.  Enter the text in the text box on the bottom half of the page.

3.  Repeat these steps for all the remaining sections listed on the
    table.

Help with the Toolbars on this page

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

### Benefits and Other Information Template

Topic Map

-   About the Benefits and Other Information template

-   Working with the Benefits and Other Information template

-   Related topic: Troubleshooting Job Announcements

#### About the Benefits and Other Information template

The Benefits and Other Information template is where you manage the text
that will appear in the *Benefits and Other Information* tabbed page of
your Job Announcement when it is published on USAJOBS. See what this
page looks like on USAJOBS.

![](media/image135.jpeg){width="4.34375in" height="3.6875in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### Working with the Benefits and Other Information template

There are two sections to this template.

To add or modify content for these sections, follow these steps:

1.  Click the name of a Section in the table at the top of the page to
    select that section to work on. The one that is selected has a black
    arrowhead in the first column. For example, in the above picture,
    the selected row is *Benefits*.

2.  Enter the text in the text box on the bottom half of the page. For
    example, with reference to the above picture, you would remove the
    text that says \"Enter benefits here\...\" and type in the real
    benefits information.

3.  Repeat these steps for all the remaining sections listed on the
    table.

Help with the Toolbars on this page

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

## Preview of the Announcement

Topic Map

-   About the Job Announcement Preview page

-   Publishing your Job Announcement to USAJOBS

-   Viewing your published Job Announcement

-   Making changes to your published announcement

-   Deleting a published Job Announcement from USAJOBS

### About the Job Announcement Preview page

The Job Announcement Preview page shows you all the content that will
appear on your Job Announcement once it is published to USAJOBS. It
gives you an opportunity to review all the text. Then, when you are
satisfied with the content, you can mark the Job Announcement as
Complete, and Release it to USAJOBS.

Below is a sample of the Preview page. Our example shows that some
sections are not complete. Job Summary, Duties, Qualifications, and
other information that we still need to provide show only the default
placeholders in the Preview.

Note that items that appeared as TAG items on various template pages
have been populated with real data.  For instance the Vacancy ID shows
the actual VIN.

![](media/image136.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in"
height="7.479166666666667in"}

*Figure 1: The Job Announcement Preview page when you first arrive.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

### Publishing your Job Announcement to USAJOBS

To publish your Job Announcement to USAJOBS you must perform these
steps:

1.  Click the **Complete** check box to mark the Job Announcement
    complete. The system will check for errors that may prevent your
    announcement from actually being marked complete. If errors are
    found the Complete check box will revert to being unchecked, and the
    errors will be listed in the preview area. The picture below shows a
    list of errors in red font in the Preview window. These errors were
    generated because, as we stated above, we neglected to provide many
    of the required texts.

![](media/image137.jpeg){width="4.145833333333333in" height="3.28125in"}

*Figure 2: The Preview page after we click Complete. Errors preventing
the Job Announcement from going into Complete status are displayed and
must be fixed.*

Warning messages about ACWA

At this point in the process, after you click the **Complete** button,
the system may issue various warnings and reminders pertaining to ACWA
positions.

-   A warning that the full performance grade is not high enough or is
    missing means that you have selected an ACWA assessment component,
    for a position that appears not to be ACWA. Make sure the grade of
    the position and its full performance grade are correct. If they
    are, then make sure it is proper for you to use an ACWA assessment.

-   A warning that the position is ACWA is simply to notify you that the
    system has noticed an ACWA assessment is being used and the grades
    and series are appropriate. Because of this, the system has loaded
    special procedures it follows for ACWA positions, and it has placed
    a check in the ACWA Position checkbox on the Position Information
    page. No corrective action is required.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

2.  If errors were found, correct them all, and repeat step 1.

3.  Click to place a check in the **Release to USAJOBS** check box. The
    system will refresh the Last Released information. It will also
    cause the **USAJOBS Reference Code** to appear in the upper right
    corner of the page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### Viewing your published Job Announcement

Once you have released your Job Announcement to USAJOBS, you can view it
through USAJOBS so that you can see it the same way applicants see it
\-- even before the opening date. To do this, follow these steps:

1.  Leave the Preview page and then come back to it a few seconds later.

2.  Click on the number that appears under **USAJOBS Reference Code** in
    the upper right corner of the page. (See Figure 3 below.)

![](media/image138.jpeg){width="4.125in" height="4.625in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### Making changes to your published Job Announcement

**Question:**

Do I need to remove a Job Announcement from USAJOBS to edit it?

**Answer:**

No. Simply make whatever changes you want on the Job Announcement pages
in USA Staffing. Then go to the Announcement Preview page.  At the
bottom of that page, right under the \"Release\" checkbox, click the
**Update USAJOBS** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

You can modify a Job Announcement after you have released it to USAJOBS.
To do this, follow these steps:

1.  In USA Staffing, select from the list of pages under the
    **Announcement** menu button the page that holds the information you
    need to edit. Make your changes. Be sure to **Save** your changes.

2.  Return to the Preview page and click **Update USAJOBS**. This will
    cause the version appearing on USAJOBS to reflect your changes
    instantly.

Note: If you save your changes but neglect to click Update USAJOBS, your
changes will automatically be published during the next automatic update
cycle, typically every two hours.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### Deleting a published Job Announcement from USAJOBS

To remove a Job Announcement that has already been released to USAJOBS
without waiting for its closing date \-- regardless of whether before or
after the Opening date, follow these steps:

1.  Click to remove the check from the **Release to USAJOBS** box.

2.  Click **Save**.

***Note: If you uncheck the Release to USAJOBS box and then check it
again, it will release the Job Announcement and issue to you a
[new]{.underline} USAJOBS Reference Code. Keep in mind, therefore, that
the code that appears at the top of the page will be different, although
you will not see the new code until you go away and come back to the
Preview page.***

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

## Questionnaire Template

Topic Map

-   About the Questionnaire template

-   Working with the Questionnaire template

    -   Questions and Responses you can modify

-   Working with the Item Editor for the Questionnaire template

    -   Case Example: Combine Narrative and multiple choice response

### About the Questionnaire template

Some items that go on the Questionnaire are not part of the Assessment.
They deal with such matters as certain contact information the applicant
may be asked to provide, citizenship, and veteran preference claims. On
this page, you control the non-Assessment related Questionnaire items
that will appear in the Online Application, and determine how you will
ask for the information you are collecting. Some items on this page may
be disabled because of the Job Announcement template it is based upon.

The Questionnaire template page looks like the picture below when you
arrive, with all sections that were part of your chosen Announcement
listed, and with the tree view collapsed.

![](media/image139.jpeg){width="4.291666666666667in"
height="3.2395833333333335in"}

*Figure 1: The Questionnaire template page.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

### Working with the Questionnaire template

To see the Items and Responses associated with a Section, click the plus
signs to the left of the row for that Section. The  picture below shows
that the Citizenship row has been expanded to reveal the Item. This Item
has been further expanded to show the Response choices that are offered
to the applicant.

![](media/image140.jpeg){width="4.270833333333333in" height="3.09375in"}

*Figure 2: The Questionnaire template page with a section fully expanded
to show its items and responses.*

Here are explanations of some elements on this page:

-   **Show Section**: A check in this box means the Section will appear
    in the Online Application Questionnaire. To suppress a Section,
    click the check to remove it.

-   **Show Online**:  A check in this box means the Question Item will
    appear in the Online Application Questionnaire. To  suppress the
    Question Item from the Online Application, click the check to remove
    it.

-   **Mandatory**: A check in this box means that the applicant must
    provide a response in order to continue on to the next question in
    the Online Application. This control has no effect when the
    applicant does not use the Online Application.

-   **Assessment Questionnaires**: These are links to other
    questionnaires you have associated with the Job Announcement. You
    can click a link to switch to one of your other questionnaires if
    you wish to view or modify them.

-   **Insert Item**: Click this button if you wish to add an Item \--
    typically a question \-- to one of the selected section. To do this,
    follow these steps:

> Questions and Responses you can modify
>
> The following Items allow you to add responses to the Questionnaire
> that permit the user to check one or more response boxes:

-   Languages

-   Miscellaneous Information

-   Special Knowledge

-   Job Preference

-   Personal Background Information (except that for ACWA positions,
    this type is not user modifiable)

> The following Items have Response types that are Yes/No. The Responses
> can not be changed, but the text of the Item itself can be modified
> for a variety of uses.

-   Other Employment Questions (under Employment Availability)

-   Background Information

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

1.  Click the name of the section to which you wish to add an Item. An
    arrowhead will appear to the left of the name to show that the
    section has been selected.

2.  Click the **Insert Item** button. The Item Editor page will appear.
    (See next section for details.)

-   **Edit Item:** Click this button if you wish to modify an Item. To
    do this, follow these steps:

    1.  Click the row of the Item you wish to modify. An  arrowhead will
        appear to the left of the name to show that the Item has been
        selected.

    2.  Click the **Edit Item** button. The Item Editor page will
        appear. (See next section for details.)

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Insert Response:** For questions that you create that are not a
    standard part of the Form 1203-FX template, you can create multiple
    response options. To do this, follow these steps:

    1.  Click the row of the item to which a response is to be added. An
        arrowhead will appear to the left of the name to show that the
        item has been selected.

    2.  Click the **Insert Response** button. This will create a new
        response row below the Item.

    3.  Click (or double-click, as may be necessary) in the Code cell to
        activate it and type in the code you wish to assign. More
        details.

    4.  Click (or double-click, as may be necessary) in the Response
        cell to activate it and type in the Response value you wish to
        assign. This is the text of the response choice the applicant
        will see when completing

        -   **Valid Value:** Check this box if you have checked the
            Screen Out box on the Item Editor page (see below), and the
            response will be one that allows the applicant to continue.
            The box should be unchecked if choosing the response is
            supposed to screen the applicant out and terminate the
            Online Application process. (More information on using Valid
            Value and Screen Out.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### Working with the Item Editor for the Questionnaire template

When you are on the Questionnaire template page of the Announcement
menu, and you click either Insert Item or Edit Item, the Item Editor
opens, and looks like the picture below.

![](media/image141.jpeg){width="4.322916666666667in"
height="2.5729166666666665in"}

*Figure 3: The Item Editor of the Questionnaire template.*

Here are the steps to creating your Item:

1.  **Description:** Type in a name for the item you are creating.

2.  In the **text editing area**, type the question or instructions you
    want the applicant to follow. Normal word processor features are
    available to you via the toolbar buttons.

> Here is an explanation of optional items on this page and how to use
> them.

-   **Show Online:** Click to place a check in this box to have the item
    appear on the Online Application, or remove the check to prevent the
    item from appearing there.

-   **Screen Out:** Click to place a check in this box if you want USA
    Staffing to end the Online Application process on the basis of the
    way the applicant answers this Item. If you check this box, then \--

    -   **If the question is one that permits a choice of responses**,
        you must also designate as \"Valid Value\" at least one of the
        response options on the basic Questionnaire page (see Figure 2
        above to for examples showing where the Valid Value box is
        located.) For example, Citizenship is a Yes/No question, and you
        might make Yes be the Valid Value.

    -   **If the question does not involve a choice**, then an answer is
        automatically interpreted as a Valid Value, and applicants are
        screened out if they do not provide a response. For example, if
        Email was set to be a screen out, only applicants who provide
        email addresses are screened in.

Case Example: Combine Narrative and multiple choice response

This example illustrates how you might use a combination of multiple
choice responses and a narrative response.

Our situation is that we are looking for someone with a special
knowledge of the computer language Java. So, in the Announcement
Questionnaire, we added an Item in Special Knowledge section, called Web
Platform Certifications.

On the Item Editor page, we typed the question: \"Please give us the
details of your training and certification in Java, Oracle, and/or .NET,
and other Web design languages or platforms.\"

We placed a check in the box for \"Request Narrative from Applicant\".

Then when we returned to the Questionnaire page, we created these
responses using the Insert Response button: \"Java certified\", \"Oracle
certified\", and \".NET\" certified.

Now the applicant will see the question and the multiple choice options,
followed by the text box for the narrative answer.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **Request Narrative from Applicant:** Click to place a check in this
    box if you wish to provide a text box on the Online Application in
    which applicants will be asked to enter a response in their own
    words. You must provide in the text editing area described in step 2
    above any instructions that the applicant is to follow when
    providing the narrative response. You can also provide multiple
    choice response options. *Note: You can only make an Item a
    Narrative Text Item if you create the Item yourself. If you open an
    existing Item from the Form 1203-FX in the Item Editor, you can not
    make it a Narrative Text Item.*

3.  Click **OK** at the bottom of the page to save your Item and close
    the Item Editor, or click **Cancel** at the bottom of the page to
    close the Item Editor without saving your changes.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

## Troubleshooting Job Announcements

Topic Map

-   About Troubleshooting Job Announcements

-   Too many characters

-   error message: Vacancy Identification Number is blank but is
    required by USAJobs

### About Troubleshooting Job Announcements

This topic covers issues that may come up that need to be resolved in
order for your Job Announcement to get published properly.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Too many characters

**Q:** Why do I get an error message that says I have too many
characters in a Job Announcement text box? It does not look like too
many to me.

**A:** The number of characters is not always obvious at first glance
\--especially if you cut and paste text from Word. To see the actual
count, click on the HTML checkbox in the rich text editor on the
overview page. You will see a lot of \"hidden\" html tags in there \--
enclosed in brackets \-- \< and \>. For example:  

> *\<SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: \'Times New Roman\';*
>
> *mso-fareast-font-family: \'Times New Roman\'; mso-ansi-language:
> EN-US;*
>
> *mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA\"\>*

All of that text counts against the total you are allowed. You\'ll need
to delete all those extraneous tags \-- everything in between a \< and a
\> unless you know you want it for accepted format control \-- in order
for it to get the count under 500. Also, please be sure to use the
**Paste from Microsoft Word** icon on the rich text box when you are
pasting text in from Word. It doesn\'t always strip everything that it
would be best to remove, but it does yield an improvement.

Another "quick and dirty" way is to copy the text to Windows Notepad and
then copy it back. However, ***be aware that this method strips* all
*formatting***, so you'll need to go back in and add bolds and such, as
appropriate.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

### Error: Vacancy Identification Number is blank but is required by USAJOBS

**Q:** Why am I seeing this error message when I check Release to
USAJOBS for my Job Announcement: \"Vacancy Identification Number is
blank but is required by USAJOBS\"?

**A:** The template you are using is missing **TAG Vacancy ID**, and so
no Vacancy Identification Number is present. This might occur if you are
using a template that is not based upon the Global Template or you have
deleted the TAG.

To solve this problem, you should insert **TAG Vacancy ID**, following
these steps:

1.  With the VIN showing in the Session History box, so that the VIN is
    currently in use and selected, click the **Announcement** menu
    button.

2.  From the Announcement menu, click **Questionnaire** to get to the
    Questionnaire page.

3.  Click the \"**+**\" to the left of Vacancy Identification Number.
    This will expand the tree to show you the Vacancy Identification
    Number item.   

4.  Click the row for the **Vacancy Identification Number** item to
    select it.

5.  Click the white **Edit Item** button to get to the item editor page
    where you can enter the VIN in the text box.

6.  The text in the box normally already says \"The Vacancy
    Identification Number is \". If this text is missing, type it in.
    This text is used to explain to applicants how to fill out the Form
    1203-FX, so if you prefer to word the text differently, you may.

7.  Click the **Insert** drop-down item on the tool bar above the text
    box, and select **VacancyID**.

8.  Click **OK** to save your changes and close the Item Editor.

This should clear the error and when you return to the Preview page, you
should be able to release the Job Announcement to USAJOBS.

If your Job Announcement is based on an Office Template, you might want
to make this correction in the Office Template also, to prevent the
problem in the future.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

 

# 6 Applicants

## Applications List

Topic Map

-   About the Applications List page

-   Working with the Applications List page

-   Related Topic: Key Entry of a New Applicant

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, you must already
have a opened a Vacancy (Staffing Action) record. Then click on the
white **Applicants** button on the left menu.

###  

###  

### About the Applications List page

Facts about Applicant records in USA Staffing

-   When people submit job applications by completing the Online
    Application, or by submitting a Form 1203 FX by mail or fax, USA
    Staffing receives the applications and automatically creates an
    Applicant record for each person. You can also manually create an
    Applicant record by key entering an application.

-   Applicant records are always tied to the Staffing Action (Vacancy)
    record number \-- the VIN \-- under which they were created.

-   When people apply for multiple positions, they have multiple
    Applicant records, one for each VIN.

-   Each time a person submits a new or revised application, a new
    Applicant record is created.

-   If an applicant submits multiple applications for the same VIN, only
    one of them can be active at a time. Whether it is the most recently
    received or the first received application that is the active one
    depends upon whether or not the \"Allow Multiple Applications Per
    Applicant\" check box on the Assessment Plan page is checked. All
    other Applicant records for the same VIN and applicant are
    automatically marked as duplicates. They can be viewed but are not
    used in the rating and referral processes.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

The Applications List shows all the Applicant records received for the
VIN you are currently working on.

On the Applications List page, you can view and edit information in
Applicant records. You can also begin the process of manually key
entering information into a new Applicant record on this page.

The pictures below depict the ways the Applications List page may
appear:

-   no Applicant records yet received

-   several received

-   Incomplete Applications listed on a second table at the bottom of
    the page

If **Incomplete Applications** are listed, they are there because either
the applicant or the person who was doing manual key entry did not
complete the application. To modify it and complete it, click Open on
its row.

![](media/image142.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in" height="0.90625in"}

Figure 1: The Applications List page when there are no Applicant records
for the VIN.

![](media/image143.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in"
height="3.5520833333333335in"}

Figure 2: The Applications List page when there are records for the VIN.

![](media/image144.jpeg){width="4.177083333333333in"
height="3.2916666666666665in"}

Figure 3: The Applications List page showing some records that are
incomplete and need to be edited.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with the Applications List page

You can initiate these activities:

-   **Open** an existing Applicant record for viewing or modifying.
    Click **Open** on the row containing the applicant\'s name. More
    details.

-   **Create** a new Applicant record via **manual key entry**: Click
    the **New** button. More details.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  To return to the Applications List at
any time to select another name to work on, you can click the white
Applicants button. (USA Staffing assumes you are still working with the
same VIN. If no VIN is selected, you will have to select one first. More
details.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Key Entry of a New Applicant

Topic Map

-   About Key Entry of a New Applicant

-   Key Entering an Applicant Record

### About Key Entry of a New Applicant

Key entry of a new applicant is used to manually enter applicant
information, such as when you receive forms that have been damaged and
can not be scanned properly. The form you use to enter the applicant
information manually is the same as the Online Application form. Note:
You can perform actions here that were formerly performed in the
Applicant Data Utility.

If you have hard copies of supporting documents from the applicant, such
as a résumé, transcript, or veteran forms, fax them into USA Staffing
after you have key entered the applicant record.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} To get to this page in USA Staffing,
click the **New** button on the Applicant List page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Key Entering an Applicant record

Enter the appropriate information in the fields. Click **Next** to move
through the form and **Finish** to complete the form.  When the form is
complete, click **Submit** to send the information to USA Staffing for
processing.  (See picture below.)

![](media/image145.jpeg){width="5.760416666666667in"
height="4.604166666666667in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Application Information

### Application Information

Topic Map

-   About the Application Information page

-   Working with the Application Information page

    -   Notes

####  

#### About the Application Information page

The Application Information page gives you a way to view and modify
certain information about the applications an applicant has submitted,
including record status, eligibility, locations, and processing dates.

![](media/image146.jpeg){width="4.197916666666667in"
height="5.114583333333333in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Working with Applicant Information

Here is an explanation of the elements on this page.

-   **Record Status**: This box shows the current record status. The
    code in this box determines whether the applicant will appear on a
    Referral List/certificate. To change the record status, click the
    down arrow and click on one of the options in the drop down
    selection list. View the code list.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Other Applications**: This drop down selection list displays all
    VINs owned by the Office to which you are connected for which the
    applicant has ever applied, and the record status code for each of
    the Applicant records associated with those VINs. To switch to
    another Applicant record you see on the list, click it. This makes
    it easy to view and modify an applicant\'s records across all VINs
    that your Office controls.

-   **Eligibility Dates \-- Begin/End**: The system automatically fills
    in the Begin date when the application is rated. It calculates the
    End date based upon the value appearing in Period of Eligibility on
    the Position Information page. You can manually enter a date if the
    application has been rated. To do this, type in a date or click the
    down arrow on the date box to use the calendar.

-   **CTAP/ICTAP Claimed**: The system will automatically check the
    appropriate box if the applicant claimed CTAP/ICTAP eligibility on
    the Questionnaire. You can manually set the check box on or off by
    clicking on it, as might be appropriate when the applicant failed to
    check the box on the Questionnaire, but you know he clearly intended
    to because he also submitted proof of eligibility for CTAP or ICTAP.

-   **CTAP/ICTAP Qualified**: Click the down arrow on the box and select
    the correct statement to reflect your finding that the applicant is
    or is not qualified for CTAP or ICTAP consideration. ***If the
    selection is set to \"Not Reviewed\", the Referral process will
    treat the applicant as qualified for CTAP or ICTAP if he meets the
    Well Qualified Score set on the*** Ordering Criteria page***.***

-   **Locations**: This table lists all duty locations from
    Announcements associated with the VIN. Locations for which the
    applicant requested consideration will automatically have a check in
    the first column. Click a location\'s check box to manually turn it
    on or off for the applicant. If **Open** appears under Status, it
    means\....?

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Status/Value/Date**: This table at the bottom of the page is a log
    of all activity affecting the Applicant record. The information is
    \"read only\".

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Notes

**Notes**: Click the white **Notes** button to enter notes for the
applicant record. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Questionnaire Responses in Applicant Records

Topic Map

-   About the Questionnaire responses in Applicant Records page

-   Working with Questionnaire responses in the Applicant Record

#### About the Questionnaire responses in Applicant Records page

On this page, you can inspect and, if appropriate, modify the values of
the responses that the applicant provided on the questionnaire. The page
initially looks like this:

![](media/image147.jpeg){width="4.145833333333333in"
height="1.0520833333333333in"}

-   **Record Status:** This tells you the current record status for the
    applicant record. You can modify the Record Status Code on the
    Application Information page. Record Status Code List

-   **Section**: Select from this drop down box to see the applicant\'s
    responses to each section of the Questionnaire.

-   **Notes**: Click this button to enter notes for the applicant
    record. More details.

-   **Print Narratives**: If the Questionnaire included Narrative Text
    Questions, you can view or print a PDF file showing what the
    applicant wrote.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Working with Questionnaire responses in the Applicant Record

-   **To display** a section of the Questionnaire with the applicant\'s
    responses, click the down arrow on the Section box and click on the
    name of the section you wish to display.

-   **To modify** the applicant\'s responses, simply click and enter the
    appropriate new responses. Click the Notes button to enter a note
    explaining your rationale for the changes you are making. Then Save
    the record.

Below are pictures that show how some of the sections would be
displayed. Yours may look different, depending upon the way you designed
your questionnaire.

![](media/image148.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="3.7291666666666665in"}

![](media/image149.jpeg){width="4.145833333333333in"
height="3.6770833333333335in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

### Referral Information in the Applicant Record

Topic Map

-   About the Referral Information page

-   Working with Referral Information

#### About the Referral Information page

This page will show a list of all Referral Lists/Certificates upon which
the applicant appeared for the VIN and Announcement numbers shown at the
top of the page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Working with Referral Information

Below is a picture that shows how the Referral Information page might
look for an applicant who has been on two Stored Lists.

![](media/image150.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="2.7604166666666665in"}

-   **Certificate Number** or **\"Stored List\"**: Click this link if
    you wish to view the Referral List/Certificate or the Stored List
    that was created.

-   **Rating**: This shows the rating the applicant had on the Referral
    List/Certificate or the Stored List.

-   **Rank Order**: This shows the position the applicant had on the
    Referral List/Certificate or Stored List.

-   **Certified**:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Audit Code**: If the Referral List/Certificate has been audited,
    the audit results are displayed.

-   **Return Status**: If there are audit results, the Return Status
    shows the status of the Applicant record after the audit. Record
    Status Code List

-   **Name Request**: If the applicant was entered as a Name Request on
    the Referral List/Certificate when the Ordering Criteria page was
    completed prior to generation of the Referral List/Certificate,
    there will be a check in this box.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Applicant Flags (in Application Information)

Topic Map

-   About the Applicant Flags page

-   Working with Applicant Flags

-   

#### About the Applicant Flags page

![](media/image151.jpeg){width="4.208333333333333in"
height="2.7291666666666665in"}

This page lists all available Applicant Flags (definition) and their
corresponding descriptions. Flags that are turned on have a check in the
first column. If you tied any Questionnaire responses to applicant flags
on the Questionnaire Builder page, the system will automatically set
flags based upon the applicant\'s responses.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Working with Applicant Flags

-   **To turn a flag on**, click a check box to add a check.

-   **To turn a flag off**, click a check box to remove the check.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Notice of Results (NOR) Messages in the Applicant Record

Topic Map

-   About NOR Messages

-   Working with NOR Messages

#### About NOR Messages

You can notify applicants about special circumstances concerning their
applications by inserting a message into the Notice of Results (NOR)
that the individual applicant receives. To insert a NOR message, you
would turn on its code. The message will be inserted at the bottom of
the NOR under the heading Special Messages.

You can use NOR Messages to do these kinds of things:

-   Provide specific information to the applicant about the vacancy.

-   Request additional documents or information.

-   Inform an applicant that you have completed changes he requested.

-   Explain additional steps the applicant must take to complete direct
    hire applications.

Several codes are built into USA Staffing as system level codes. (View
the NOR Message Codes List.) Your Organization or Office may add other
codes. (More details).

![](media/image152.jpeg){width="4.177083333333333in"
height="3.2604166666666665in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Working with NOR Messages

-   **To turn on** a message to appear on an applicant\'s Notice of
    Results (NOR), click the box for the appropriate Message Code to
    place a check there.  

-   **To turn off** a message, click its checkbox to remove the check.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Report Information (in Applicant Record)

Topic Map

-   About the Report Information page

-   Working with Report Information

#### About the Report Information page

The Report Information page shows all the reports that have been
generated for the applicant, including both print and email format, such
as Notices of Results.  

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Working with Report Information

![](media/image153.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="1.9270833333333333in"}

Record Status Code List

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Assessment Information

### Assessment Information (in the Applicant Record)

Topic Map

-   About the Assessment Information page

-   Working with the Assessment Information page

    -   Override a rating

    -   Undo an Override action

    -   Re-Rate

#### About the Assessment Information page

The Assessment Information page shows information about the assessments
the applicant completed and the ratings assigned. You can use the
controls on this page to override ratings and to make the system re-rate
an applicant.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, you must already
have a opened a Vacancy (Staffing Action) record. Then click on the
white **Applicants** button on the left menu. From the Applications
List, open an Applicant record by clicking **Open** on its row.

 ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Working with the Assessment Information page

When you arrive at the Assessment Information page, it will look like
the picture below. Note that the bottom half of the screen is devoted to
a table containing the Specialty (or Specialties) for which the
applicant has been rated. (The table may be collapsed by clicking the
minus signs in the leftmost columns.)

![](media/image154.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in"
height="2.5833333333333335in"}

The following information is displayed on the top part of the page, and
can not be modified from here:

-   Announcement Number

-   Applicant Social Security Number and Name

-   Claimed and Adjudicated Veteran Preference

Here is the meaning of other items on the page:

-   **Applications:** This dropdown box contains a combination of all
    VIN (Vacancy) numbers for which the applicant has applied, plus the
    record status code for each one, respectively. You can view the same
    applicant\'s Assessment Information pertaining to a different VIN by
    selecting it from the dropdown. All of a person\'s applications will
    be on this list, provided the SSN is the same.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Lowest Acceptable Grade**: The applicant will not be referred for
    any grades below the one shown. You can modify this by selecting a
    different grade from the drop down selection box.

-   **Filer Status**: This box displays the nature of the receipt of the
    application relative to the open period. The status that shows is
    the one that was assigned when the application was created. This
    field can not be changed from here. The four possible status
    indicators that may appear are:

    -   **Regular**: This application came in during a normal open
        period.

    -   **Delayed Filer**: This application came in after the open
        period, but the person is entitled to be rated. Uses:The
        application may have been delayed in the mail or is from a
        recently discharged Veteran.

    -   **Late**: This application came in after the closing date and
        the applicant is *not* entitled to be rated. (Late applications
        are automatically given a Notice of Results code of IZ, with the
        message: \"We can not establish your eligibility for this
        specialty and grade because we are closed to receipt of new
        applications at this time.\")

    -   **Re-Opener**: The applicant is entitled to re-open
        announcements that are closed. For example, disabled veterans.

-   **Series**: This box displays the series of the rating information
    on the lower half of the page. If more than one series was used in
    the Vacancy (Staffing Action) record \-- because it was
    interdisciplinary \-- you can switch to view assessment information
    for a different series. To do this, click the down arrow on the
    Series drop down box, and click on the series you wish to switch to.
    The table will refresh. If the position is not interdisciplinary,
    this box simply shows the series.  

-   **Request**: If the Vacancy (Staffing Action) record is
    interdisciplinary or uses Deferred Rating, multiple Referral
    Requests are associated with it, and an applicant may have different
    ratings for each of the Requests. The Request box shows the Request
    number for the rating information on the table at the bottom of the
    page. To see the rating information for a different Request, select
    the Request number from the Request drop down box.

-   **Status:** This field tells you whether the OSP/Grade combination
    is currently open or closed. This is determined by whether or not
    there is a Job Announcement currently open.

-   **Override button**: Use this feature when your quality review of an
    application necessitates a different rating than the one originally
    assigned, such as when you are using Deferred Rating or when your
    quality review of the application surfaces a discrepancy. More
    details are below. These items are connected to the Override button
    and will change based upon Override actions:

    -   **Override checkbox:** The system places a check in this box to
        tell you that Override has been turned on. You can turn it off
        to return to the original rating. More details are below.

    -   **Rating Source:** The system will show one of two possible
        values here.

        -   Rating: This means that the source of the Rating that
            appears is from the automatic rating performed by the
            system.

        -   Override: This means that the source of the Rating that
            appears is from an Override action taken by a USA Staffing
            user.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#####  

#####  

##### Override a rating

Follow these steps to override a rating:

1.  Click the **Override** button for the Specialty and Grade you want
    to override. The page will refresh and the system will place a check
    in the Override check box to show later on that the rating that
    appears is the result of an Override action.

2.  Double-click the cell in the **Override Rating** column that is on
    the row for either **Minimum Qualifications** or **Final Rating**
    \-- whichever you wish to override, and select the new rating you
    wish to assign. (Override Rating is not intended for use on the
    Augmented Rating and can not be selected on that row.)

3.  Click either the **Re-Rate** or the **Save** button. The page will
    refresh and the Rating Source will be updated to say *Override*.

4.  If you wish to document your reason for the override, you can click
    the **Notes** button and add any notations you desire.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Undo an Override action

Follow these steps to undo Override of a rating:

1.  Click the **Override** checkbox to remove the check.

2.  Click the **Re-Rate** button. The page will refresh: the Rating
    Source will say *Rating* and the Rating for Minimum Qualifications
    will show the original value from the automatic rating performed by
    the system.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Re-Rate

Click this button when changes have been made to the Applicant record
that will impact on the rating, such as when you make changes to
applicant responses on a Questionnaire to reflect new or corrected
information you receive. The system will rate the application again and
will change the Record Status Code and Rating to reflect the latest
results. There is a Re-Rate button on this page (Assessment Information
in the Applicant Record \-- see above) to re-rate individual applicants
\-- and another one on the Position Information page of the Vacancy
menu, which can be used to re-rate all applicants for the VIN.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Assessments of the Applicant

Topic Map

-   About Assessments of the Applicant

-   Working with Assessments of the Applicant

#### About Assessments of the Applicant

The purpose of this list is to show you all the Assessments for an
Applicant for a specific VIN and Announcement. To view the detailed
results from any of the Assessments on the list, click the Assessment
Name.

This page is where you would enter the results for any Assessment
Component that does not get automatically matched by the Assessment
Matching Process, including scores from Manual Rating. Information on
this page will be read-only in the following situations:

-   Scores are for a Questionnaire.

-   Your Permissions Profile may not allow you to write data on this
    page.

-   The Record Status Code is EX, DP, or DU.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, you must start from
the Assessment Information page. If on the left menu the ***Assessment
Information*** option has a plus sign in front of it, click the plus
sign to expand the tree, which will expose the Assessments menu option.
Click **Assessments** on this menu.

![](media/image155.jpeg){width="4.177083333333333in"
height="1.6145833333333333in"}

-   **Rate for Quals Only** and **Required for Certification** display
    the values that are in the record, based upon the values that were
    specified in the Assessment Plan.

-   **Inventory** displays the Applicant Inventory to which the
    Assessment is linked, if any. (This feature is used by the Postal
    Service now, and is reserved for other users in the future.)

Record Status Code List

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Working with Assessments of the Applicant

To view the detailed results from any of the Assessments on the list,
click the Assessment Name.

Example 1 \-- Questionnaire

In the example below, we selected a Questionnaire Type of assessment \--
which, in this case was the only Assessment on the list. The bottom half
of the page refreshed with a table, and we clicked on the plus sign in
front of the Specialty Code to expand the tree. If this were a Manual
Rating, instead of a Questionnaire, we would be able to type in the
score on the lower half of the page (see Example 3 below).

![](media/image156.jpeg){width="4.145833333333333in"
height="3.2708333333333335in"}

Example 2 \-- Job Knowledge Test

In the example below, we selected a Job Knowledge test by clicking on
its row on the top table. The page refreshed to show the applicant\'s
rating for this Assessment.

![](media/image157.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in" height="3.53125in"}

Example 3 \-- Manual Rating

Manual ratings are entered in the cells on the lower part of the page
after you click the name of the Assessment on the top.

![](media/image158.jpeg){width="4.15625in"
height="2.8645833333333335in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Scheduling of the Applicant

Topic Map

-   About Scheduling of the Applicant

-   Working with Scheduling of the Applicant

#### About Scheduling of the Applicant

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Working with Scheduling of the Applicant

When you use Assessments that require that the applicant be scheduled,
they will be listed on this page. In the example pictured below, the
Assessment called Kim\'s Test is the only entry on the list for this
applicant for this Job Announcement.

![](media/image159.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="1.3645833333333333in"}

Record Status Code List

-   The value that appears in **Scheduling Type** reflects the
    determination made in the Assessment setup, in answer to the
    question \"Who should be scheduled?\" The possible values are:

    -   All

    -   Eligibles Only

    -   None

-   Click the **+** to expand the view so that you can see the locations
    and the scheduling office for the assessment. Below is a picture
    that depicts an expanded view.

![](media/image160.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in"
height="1.9479166666666667in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Vet Preference (in the Applicant record)

Topic Map

-   About the Veteran Preference page

-   Working with the Veteran Preference page

    -   Automatic Re-Rates

### About the Veteran Preference page

When applicants claim Veteran Preference, you need to adjudicate the
claim. The Veteran Preference page is where you do that.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with the Veteran Preference page

![](media/image161.jpeg){width="4.135416666666667in"
height="3.0208333333333335in"}

Automatic Re-Rates

> Whenever a claimed veteran preference is adjudicated to a different
> preference that can impact the applicant's rating or certification,
> the system will automatically re-rate when you click **Save**. More
> details.
>
> Here is a list of adjudications that will cause the automatic re-rate
> when you click **Save**.
>
>          From XP to TP or NV
>
>          From XPP to TP or NV
>
>          From CP to TP or NV
>
>          From CPS to TP or NV
>
>          From NV to XP, XPP, CP, CPS, or TP
>
>          From TP to XP, XPP, CP, or CPS or NV.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

**To adjudicate veteran\'s preference**, follow this step:

1.  Click on the Adjudicated Preference field drop down arrow and select
    the appropriate veteran\'s preference category.  The system will
    document the date and time the veteran\'s preference was
    adjudicated.  

You can also document the dates of Active Duty Military Service that you
used to adjudicate the preference and the date of the VA Certification
Letter by clicking the Date fields drop down arrow and selecting the
dates from a pop-up window calendar.  

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Documents Submitted by the Applicant

Topic Map

-   About Documents Submitted by the Applicant

-   Working with Documents Submitted by the Applicant

    -   Notes

    -   Tips: Upside down documents

-   Related topics:

    -   Document Upload Service (DUS)

    -   Documents Submitted by the Applicant

    -   Faxing Applicant Documents

    -   Faxing Tips for Best Results

    -   Faxes and the Document Matching Process

    -   Mismatched Documents

    -   Understanding Document Matching

### About Documents Submitted by the Applicant

Below the display of the applicant name and the Vacancy and Announcement
numbers are two tables.

-   **Document Information**: This table lists the document types you
    indicated on the Supporting Documents page in Vacancy were to be
    accepted or required, and when each document was received. You can
    edit the date a document was submitted.

-   **DRS Information**: This table shows the date each was received and
    matched.

![](media/image162.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in"
height="3.0520833333333335in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

Tips: Upside down documents

Documents may appear upside down or sideways if that is the way they
were faxed in.

-   You can rotate them for viewing by using the Rotate feature in Adobe
    Acrobat Viewer when. Look for this icon on your toolbar in Acrobat
    version 6 and
    later:![](media/image163.jpeg){width="0.6354166666666666in"
    height="0.34375in"}. Use this icon to rotate the document clockwise
    or counter clockwise.  In most cases the document can be corrected
    with two mouse clicks.  If this icon does not appear on the toolbar,
    right-click on the toolbar and click to place a check in front of
    the menu option for **Rotate View**.

-   You can also help to reduce the number of documents that are faxed
    in upside down. Encourage applicants and members of your staff to
    feed documents into the fax machine with the top of the page going
    in first.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with Documents Submitted by the Applicant

**To change a Date** Submitted by Applicant, follow these steps:

1.  Click the appropriate cell in the Date Submitted by Applicant
    column.

2.  Type in a date \-- or \-- click the down arrow to use the calendar
    to select a date.

**To view a document,** click on the document type on the list on the
lower half of the page. It will open in an Acrobat window.

### Notes

**Notes**: Click this button to enter notes for the applicant record.
More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

## Biographical Information About the Applicant

Topic Map

-   About Biographical Information About the Applicant

-   Working with Biographical Information About the Applicant

###  

### About Biographical Information About the Applicant

The applicant biographical information on this page comes from the
applicant responses in the Online Application or the Form 1203-FX. It
lists the applicant\'s name, address and contact information, Social
security Number and citizenship status.

There are actually three addresses that can be stored in the Applicant
record. You can view or modify each of them from this page by selecting
the appropriate Address Type.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with Biographical Information About the Applicant

To modify the information on this page, simply enter the new information
and click **Save**.

-   **SSN:** Type in the correct SSN. Note that if there are documents
    in DRS that are matched to the former SSN, their links to the
    Applicant record will be broken when you change the SSN on the
    Biographical Information page. You will need to re-link them on the
    Mismatched Documents page.

-   **Address Type:** This box tells you which address is displayed on
    the lower part of the page. The possible choices are Home, Work and
    Other. Click to select which one of the three you wish to view or
    modify.

![](media/image164.jpeg){width="4.239583333333333in"
height="2.9270833333333335in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###  

### Notes

**Notes**: Click this button to enter notes for the applicant record.
More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Mismatched Assessments

Topic Map

-   About Mismatched Assessments

-   Working with Mismatched Assessments

###  

### About Mismatched Assessments

When your Assessment Plan calls for multiple Assessments, a mismatch
occurs when an applicant does not complete them all. The Mismatched
Assessments page shows you Applicant records that are in this condition.
for more details, see Assessment Matching.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with Mismatched Assessments

![](media/image165.jpeg){width="4.177083333333333in"
height="1.5833333333333333in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Mismatched Documents

Topic Map

-   About Mismatched Documents

-   Working with Mismatched Documents

-   Expired and Purged Mismatched Documents

    -   How do I match an expired document?

    -   When will mismatched documents be purged?

-   Related topics:

    -   Document Upload Service (DUS)

    -   Documents Submitted by the Applicant

    -   Faxing Applicant Documents

    -   Faxing Tips for Best Results

    -   Faxes and the Document Matching Process

    -   Mismatched Documents

    -   Understanding Document Matching

###  

### About Mismatched Documents

USA Staffing attempts to automatically match incoming documents from
applicants with the proper applicant record, on the basis of these
criteria:

-   name

-   VIN

-   SSN

If applicants submit documents that do not fully match all three
criteria, a mismatch occurs. Typically, this happens because the
applicant makes a typographical error in one of these items. Because the
system can not tell which is the correct response, you must determine
which is correct and modify those that are wrong. The Mismatched
Documents page lists the documents that are waiting for your corrective
action.

Documents that remain in Mismatched status for prolonged periods are
eventually expired and purged from the system. Details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with Mismatched Documents

To change the SSN or Name on the *document,* follow these steps:

1.  Double-click the cell with the incorrect information.

2.  Type the correct information.

3.  Click **Save.**

![](media/image166.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="2.4479166666666665in"}

> *Figure 1: the Mismatched Documents page, showing two applicants whose
> documents need to be corrected in order for the Match Process to match
> them.*

**Other elements on this page:**

-   **Vacancy ID:** This box shows the VIN for which the Mismatched
    Documents are currently listed. You can switch to the mismatched
    documents of a different VIN by selecting a VIN from the dropdown
    box selection box.

-   **SSN:** When you have a long list of mismatched documents, you can
    quickly locate a particular applicant by typing in the SSN and
    clicking **Find**.

Detailed information about correcting mismatches can be found in the
topic Understanding Document Matching.  The section that deals
specifically with correcting names and SSNs is 9 \-- Making Corrections.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###  

### Expired and Purged Mismatched Documents

USA Staffing has added expiration and purge processes for mismatched
documents to prevent matching old documents to new applications and
improve performance of the match process.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### How do I match an expired document?

A document that has been expired from matching will not match up to an
application on its own.  If you would like to match an expired document
with an application, simply uncheck the \"expired from matching\"
checkbox on the mismatch documents page.  This will allow the document
to be matched that day only.  If the document is not matched that day,
then the nightly process that marks documents as expired from matching
will expire it again.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### When will mismatched documents be purged?

Mismatched documents in the system will now be marked as expired from
matching and eventually purged from the system according to the
following schedule:

-   Documents that have been expired from matching will be purged from
    the system 270 days after the document was marked as expired from
    matching.

-   VINs that have supporting documentation marked as required:
     Documents for VINS that have a document receipt date older than 56
    days will be marked as expired from matching.

-   VINs that have supporting documentation marked as accepted but not
    required:

    -   Case Exams:  VINs with announcement close dates older than 180
        days will have all documents for that VIN marked as expired from
        matching regardless of the document\'s receipt date.

    -   Standing Registers:  Documents with a receipt date older than
        180 days will be marked as expired from matching.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

# 7 Referral

## Referral of Candidates / Certification (Overview) 

Topic Map

-   About Referral of Candidates

-   Working with the Referral Home Page

    -   What is a Referral List?

    -   Viewing or modifying an existing Request

    -   Creating a new Request

### About Referral of Candidates

You will use the pages on the Referral menu to produce and issue lists
of qualified candidates for a given Vacancy (Staffing Action) record
 The type of certificate or referral list that you will be able to
produce will be based on information in the Staffing Action record about
the nature of the job and the referral request, such as:

-   whether it is for a competitive or merit promotion list

-   the grades, locations, work schedule, and other criteria

In Referral, you will also be able to perform these activities with
certificates and referral lists:

-   view and edit

-   issue supplements

-   audit

Map of the Referral Process

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  [Complete Request Information]{.underline}

  Create Ordering Criteria record

  Generate Stored List

  Preview Stored List

  Issue Certificate or Supplement
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

The Referral process occurs in these stages:

1.  **Request Information** must be completed. In some offices, this is
    done as soon as the request is received. Whether or not this is the
    case in your office, the required information on the Request
    Information page must be present before you can move on to the
    following stages.

2.  An **Ordering Criteria** record is created on the Ordering Criteria
    page. You may optionally include Advanced Criteria as part of the
    Ordering Criteria record.

3.  After your Ordering Criteria record is created, completed, and
    saved, you will **Generate a Stored List**  on the Ordering Criteria
    page. The system will prepare a Stored List that contains all the
    names that are to appear on your Referral List/Certificate (or
    supplement), in proposed order according to the Ordering Criteria
    record used.

4.  On the **Certificate** page, you may preview the names on the Stored
    List, or add or delete names.

5.  When you are satisfied with names to be referred, you click the
    **Issue Certificate** or Issue Supplemental button. The system will
    generate a Certificate Number, which will appear in place of Stored
    List

The Map of the Referral Process on the right appears with all related
Help topics to help you see where you are in the description of the
process. You can open other topics on the map by clicking them.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page in USA Staffing,
follow the instructions for Use or Create a Vacancy (Staffing Action)
Record. Then click the **Referral** button on the left menu.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with the Referral Home page

FAQ about viewing records

**Why can\'t I see the record I\'m looking for?**

The record you seek may be marked as Deleted. Click to place a check in
Show Deleted Request to have these records added to your view of the
list.

**Why am I able to view deleted records?**  

If a record marked for deletion is still needed by the system because it
is linked to other records, the system retains the record but hides it
from normal view. Only records that have not been linked to other
records are actually purged from the file.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

All actions you take and all information you see on the Referral Home
page are related to the Vacancy number that appears in the Session
History box.

-   If there are any Requests for Referral already associated with the
    Vacancy (Staffing Action) record, they will appear on the table on
    the Referral Home page \-- both issued and pending. (See Figure 1,
    below.)

-   Requests are displayed in chronological order by Request Date with
    the most recent request at the top of the list. Because Request Date
    is an optional field, Requests without a Request Date are sorted to
    the top.

-   If there were any requests marked for deletion, they will be hidden
    from view unless you click to put a check in the box for **Show
    Deleted Requests**.

-   If there are many Requests associated with the Vacancy, they will be
    displayed 20 per page. You can page through each group of 20
    requests. Displaying the list of Requests 20 at a time ensures the
    Referral Home page will load quickly.

The table contains these two check boxes:

-   **Complete**: If this box is checked, it is because a user has
    entered a check here or on the Request Information page. It is an
    *optional* field that can be updated when all Referral lists called
    for by the Request have been issued. Then, when you are running
    searches or reports, you can filter the records that appear based
    upon whether or not they are designated as Complete.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Deleted**: Click to add a check in order to delete an active
    request and hide it from normal view, or to remove a check from a
    deleted request to make it active again.

![](media/image167.jpeg){width="4.343055555555556in"
height="3.5520833333333335in"}

> *Figure 1: Referral Home page*

What is a Referral List?

Referral lists that would appear on the Referral Home page include the
following:

-   Certificate for a competitive position

-   Non-competitive referral list

-   Merit Promotion list

-   Non traditional referral list

-   Outstanding scholar referral list

A *pre-cert* is not considered a referral list for this purpose, and
will not appear on the Referral Home page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

To view summary information about a Request listed on table, click its
plus sign \-- ![](media/image35.jpeg){width="0.16666666666666666in"
height="0.16666666666666666in"} \-- to expand the table to show the
Criteria for the Request. The list will show requests pending issuance
of a referral list and those for which referral lists have already been
issued. If a certificate or referral list has been issued, clicking the
plus sign at the left of the Criteria row will expand the view further,
so that you can see the Referral Number. Click **Open** in the first
column of any row on the table to open the record and go to a page where
you can view the information in greater detail or modify it.

The picture below shows one request for which we have already clicked
the plus signs so its \"tree\" is fully expanded. For the first request
\-- *123-456* \--

-   If we were to click on the Open on the first row, we would be taken
    to the Request Information page.

-   Clicking Open on the second row would take us to the Ordering
    Criteria page.

-   Clicking Open on the third row would take us to the Certificate
    page.

In the picture below, we can tell that the second and third requests \--
*dn03* and *dn04*  \-- have no Ordering Criteria or Certificate
information, because they do not have plus signs.

![](media/image168.jpeg){width="4.341666666666667in"
height="3.5409722222222224in"}

> *Figure 2: Referral Home page showing a row fully expanded*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Viewing or modifying an existing Request

-   **Request Information page**: To go to the Request Information page,
    where you can view or modify an existing Request, click on the
    **Open** link to the left of the Request Number

-   **Ordering Criteria or Certificate pages**: If there are plus signs
    on the table on the Referral Home page, you can expand the tree and
    go directly to the Ordering Criteria or Certificate pages by
    clicking their respective **Open** links.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Creating a new Request

To create a new Request, click the **New Request** button at the bottom
of the page. This will take you to the Request Information page. From
there, you will get to successive steps by clicking the **Next** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Request Information

Topic Map

-   About the Request Information page

-   Completing the Request Information page

    -   Notes

### About the Request Information page

Map of the Referral Process

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  ***Complete Request Information***

  Create Ordering Criteria record

  Generate Stored List

  Preview Stored List

  Issue Certificate or Supplement
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

The Request Information page is where you provide information about a
particular request for a referral list, including:

-   request number

-   date of request

-   personnel action date

-   number of vacancies

-   position title

-   series code

-   grade(s)

-   duty location(s)

-   type of appointment

-   work schedule

-   contact persons

-   name requests, if any

All actions you take and all information you see on the Request
Information page are related to the Vacancy number that appears in the
Session History box.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page in USA Staffing, you
need to follow the in instructions for the Referral Home page. You may
need to have made a choice from the Referral Home page in order to get
to the Request Information page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Completing the Request Information page

![](media/image169.jpeg){width="4.21875in" height="3.6875in"}

What is the Complete check box for?

Although the **Complete** check box appears on the Request Information
page, it is not normally checked when you are first entering information
for a new Request. It is an *optional* field that can later be updated
when all Referral lists called for by the Request have been issued.
Then, when you are running searches or reports, you can filter the
records that appear based upon whether or not they are designated as
Complete.  

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

1.  Enter the **Request Number**. This field is intended to collect the
    number your customer assigned to the SF-39 or other requesting
    document. There are no format rules. In order to make this field
    useful in searches, you should take care to make sure you enter the
    information accurately.

2.  Enter the **Date Request Received** and **Personnel Action Date**.
    You can type the date in directly, or you may click on the down
    arrow for each date and a calendar will appear for you to click the
    appropriate dates.

3.  Click on **Save**.

4.  The **Send To** and **Submitted By** buttons will be enabled after
    you have saved the record. Click on each one to search for the
    appropriate contacts so they can be copied into the Request record.
    The **Send To** box may contain multiple names. Each name must have
    an email address in the Contact record (more details). If they have
    ADV access turned on, they will be notified by email when you change
    the ADV Certificate Status to \"Sent to Contact\". More details.

5.  If there are any **Name Requests** for the Referral Request, click
    on **Add** and a new row will be added to the Name Request table,
    with a pointer \--
    ![](media/image37.jpeg){width="0.22916666666666666in"
    height="0.22916666666666666in"} \-- to indicate the row you are on.
    Click the SSN cell and enter the SSN of the individual; the system
    will look up the name for you after you type in the SSN and click
    **Save**. For any additional name requests, repeat this step. To
    delete a name request, click on its row to make sure the pointer \--
    ![](media/image37.jpeg){width="0.22916666666666666in"
    height="0.22916666666666666in"} \-- is on that row, then click the
    **Delete** button.

6.  If this will be a Multistage Certificate, e.g., questionnaire and
    interview, click in the box.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
7.  Click **Save**

8.  Click on the **Next** button at the bottom, which will then take you
    to the Ordering Criteria page.

 ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.\\

#### Notes

**Notes**: Click this button to enter notes for the record. More
details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Ordering Criteria

Topic Map

-   About the Ordering Criteria page

-   Working with Ordering Criteria

    -   Notes

-   Advanced Criteria

    -   ***Highly Recommended*** related topic: Tutorial: Building
        Certificate Conditions in Advanced Criteria

    -   About Advanced Criteria

    -   Working With Advanced Criteria

        -   Creating a new Certificate Condition

        -   Viewing and Modifying a Certificate Condition

### About the Ordering Criteria page

On the Ordering Criteria page, you specify how names are to be selected
for inclusion on the Referral or Certificate, and in what order they are
to appear. You make these decisions on the basis of the intended use of
the Referral List and the rules that govern it. You can issue your
Referral List/Certificate immediately, or save the Ordering Criteria
record and use it later, or both. You are saving the Ordering Criteria
record, and you must give it a name.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page in USA Staffing, you
need to already be on the Request Information page. Click the **Next**
button at the bottom of that page. (Note: You can not get to the
Ordering Criteria by clicking the menu on the left.)

Map of the Referral Process

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Complete Request Information

  ***Create Ordering Criteria record***

  Generate Stored List

  Preview Stored List

  Issue Certificate or Supplement
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with Ordering Criteria

![](media/image170.jpeg){width="4.145833333333333in"
height="5.385416666666667in"}

*Figure 1: Ordering Criteria page*

-   **Defined Criteria:** If you are creating a new Ordering Criteria
    record, the box is where you enter the name you are giving it. If
    you are retrieving an existing Ordering Criteria record, this will
    be a drop down box from which you can select the Ordering Criteria
    record you want to use from among all that may be saved in
    connection with Request record you have in use.

-   **Applicant Referral Status**: Select the applicants you want to
    refer, choosing from among these options:

> Record Status Codes

-   **AA**: Eligible for Certificate, and not currently out on any
    certificate/referral list

-   **AC**: Currently on a Career or Career Conditional certificate

-   **HA**: Hired from a Temporary/Term Certificate, but still active.

-   **HC**: Hired from a Temporary/Term Certificate, and currently on a
    Career/Career Conditional certificate

-   **TA**: Currently on a certificate for a temporary or term position

-   **TC**: Currently on *both* a Temporary or Term certificate *and
    also* on a Career/Career Conditional certificate.

> More details.
>
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **Active Applicants Only**: This option is usually selected when the
    Referral List or Certificate is for filling a Temporary or Term
    position. The system will only include applicants whose Record
    Status Code is  AA \-- not currently on any Referral.

-   **Active on Temp/Term Certificates**: This option is usually
    selected when the Referral List or Certificate is for filling a
    permanent position. The system will include only applicants whose
    Record Status Code is one of the following:

    -   AA

    -   HA

    -   TA  

-   **Open Dual Certify - All Qualified applicants**: This option is
    selected when it is desirable to include names without regard to
    their already being on one or more Certificates or Referral Lists,
    and without regard to whether they have already been hired for a
    Temporary or Term position. Usually, the position to be filled is a
    permanent job. The system will include only applicants whose Record
    Status code is one of the following:

    -   AA

    -   AC  

    -   HA

    -   HC

    -   TA

    -   TC  

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Certificate Type**: Select the appropriate response to determine
    the type of certificate you want prepared, based upon how it will be
    used. Not all options listed below may be presented to you; they
    vary according to the choice previously made on the Position
    Information page concerning whether the position is Competitive,
    Merit Promotion, or Internal Merit Promotion. The selection made in
    this box determines the choices that will appear in the subsequent
    Rank By and Priority Order boxes.  

> Map of the Referral Process

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Complete Request Information

  ***Create Ordering Criteria record***

  Generate Stored List

  Preview Stored List

  Issue Certificate or Supplement
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

-   **Competitive for outside hires**: (This appears in the Certificate
    Type box as simply \"Competitive\".) Choose this option to get a
    competitive Certificate for a Delegated Examining Unit (DEU). This
    type of certificate is sometimes referred to as \"outside hiring\"
    or \"all sources\".

-   **Merit Promotion**: Choose this option for a Merit Promotion
    Certificate that contains names of current employees, who are
    referred on the basis of a qualifications review that results in
    candidates being placed in groups, such as \"Best Qualified\",
    \"Highly Qualified\", or similar ranking designations under the
    terms of an agency Merit Promotion Plan.

-   **Non-Competitive Referral under a Merit Promotion Plan**: (This
    option appears in the system as \"Merit Referral List\".) This
    option provides a referral list of people eligible for appointment
    under authorities for reassignment, transfer, reinstatement, or
    other non-competitive actions covered by the Merit Promotion Plan.

-   **Non-Traditional**: This option is will provide a list that is
    determined entirely by other Ordering Criteria choices you make,
    such as the number of names to refer, the score range to refer,
    whether they are in score order, etc.  This option is suitable for
    use in Demonstration Projects and similar situations where greater
    flexibility in preparing the list is allowed. ***Note: With greater
    freedom comes greater risk and  responsibility. Because this option
    essentially turns off all rules and restrictions that are normally
    applied when preparing a referral list, the user must take care to
    assure that Ordering Criteria are valid and appropriate under the
    circumstances.***

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Rank By:** This drop down control determines how the applicants
    will be ranked on the Referral List/Certificate. If the Certificate
    is other than \"Competitive\", you can choose the Rank By options
    from the dropdown list. The choices available depend upon the rules
    that govern the Certificate Type you selected. The most flexible
    Certificate Type is Non-Traditional, which gives you all these Rank
    By options:

    -   **Rating (include Veteran Preference):** This option is the
        default when you select *Competitive for outside hires* as your
        Certificate Type. (This appears in the Certificate Type box as
        simply \"Competitive\".) Applicants appear in score order with
        scores showing.  Veteran preference may be included or excluded.

    -   **Rating (exclude Veteran Preference)**

    -   **Raw Score**

    -   **Eligibles Only:** Numeric Ratings will not appear. The list
        will show applicants as \"Eligible\" and will show any veteran
        preference to which they may be entitled.

-   **Priority Order**: Choose the Priority Order from the dropdown
    lists.

    -   Priority Referrals, Compensable Veterans

    -   Compensable Veterans Only

    -   Priority Referrals Only

    -   Absolute Veteran Preference

    -   None

-   **Tie Breaker**: Select the tie breaker to be associated with this
    referral from the drop-down list.

    -   Random Number applied to the last digit of the SSN

    -   Service Computation Date

    -   Searchable Date Fields

-   **Refer Method**: If you make a selection here, it works with the
    adjacent Number/Score box to control how the system will limit the
    number of applicants on the Referral List/Certificate.

    -   **Number of names**: When you choose this option, enter the
        number of names in the Number/Score box.

    -   **Cut Off Score**: When you choose this option, enter the cut
        off score in the Number/Score box.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Number/Score:** Enter the Number of Names or the Cut Score,
    depending upon your choice of Referral Method (above).

-   **Order**: This controls the order in which the names appear. The
    choices are:

    -   **Rating**: This choice puts the names in order by their
        ratings. This choice is mandatory if the *Certificate Type* is
        *Competitive for outside hires*

    -   **Name**: Names are listed alphabetically by last name,
        secondarily by first name and middle initial.

    -   **SSN**: Names are listed in SSN order.

-   **Categorize Applicants**: Select this box if you are using category
    rating procedures. (You must have already set up Categories on the
    Categories page of the Vacancy menu. Overview of the Staffing
    Process has more details.)

-   **Well Qualified Score**: Enter the score that CTAP and ICTAP
    applicants must attain in order to be considered well-qualified.
    This score does not include veteran preference points. ***Note:
    Applicants who claimed CTAP or ICTAP eligibility will be referred as
    CTAP or ICTAP eligibles if they meet the Well Qualified score,
    unless you specifically indicate on the*** Application Information
    page ***that you find them to be \"Not Qualified\".***

-   **Print Preferences**: Check the appropriate boxes to include each
    of the optional types of information on the Referral
    List/Certificate \-- both in printed form and in the ADV. The
    preferences include:

    -   Home Address

    -   Work Address

    -   Other Address

    -   Rating

    -   Veteran Preference

-   **Specialty/Grade**: From the drop down list select the grade for
    the referral you are preparing. Then click the check box to add a
    checkmark for each specialty you wish to include on the Referral
    List/Certificate. The specialty and grades available at this point
    are the ones previously entered on the Specialty and Grade page on
    the *Assessment* menu limited to the ones specified on the Specialty
    and Grade page of the *Announcement* menu.

-   **Locations**: Click to place a check in the box for each location
    covered by the Referral List/Certificate you are preparing. You can
    select all locations at one time by pressing the **Select All**
    button.   

-   **Advanced Criteria**: Click this button to go to the Advanced
    Criteria page, where you can specify more detailed criteria for
    preparing the Referral List.

Map of the Referral Process

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Complete Request Information

  Create Ordering Criteria record

  ***Generate Stored List***

  Preview Stored List

  Issue Certificate or Supplement
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

-   **Issue Certificate / Generate Stored List**: This button appears
    near the bottom of the page if no Referral List/Certificate has been
    issued against the Request. *It is disabled until you click*
    **Save**. Click the **Issue Certificate** button when you are
    finished entering your Ordering Criteria and are ready to move to
    the next step. If your Ordering Criteria are complete and there are
    names that meet the criteria, the system will generate a \"stored
    list\" containing the names in the order in which they will appear
    on the Referral List/Certificate if you continue. You can preview
    the Stored List on the Certificate page; it will take you there
    automatically.

-   **Issue Supplemental**: This button appears near the bottom of the
    page if a Referral List/Certificate has been issued against the
    Request. *It is disabled until you click* **Save**. If your Ordering
    Criteria are complete and there are names that meet the criteria,
    the system will present them for you to preview on the Certificate
    page; it will take you there automatically.

A list of Referral Lists/Certificates and Supplements that have been
issued will appear on a table at the bottom of this page if there are
any. By clicking on the Certificate number, you can jump to the
Certificate page to view the names referred and certain information from
the Ordering Criteria. (See the picture below.)

![](media/image171.jpeg){width="4.135416666666667in" height="1.84375in"}

*Figure 2: The list of Referral Lists/Certificates that have been
issued, at the bottom of the Ordering Criteria page.*

####  

#### Notes

**Notes**: Click this button to enter notes for the applicant record.
More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Advanced Criteria

#### About Advanced Criteria

The purpose of the Advanced Criteria page is to give you the flexibility
to filter eligible applicants in or out of the referral process on the
basis of virtually unlimited individual or combined Certificate
Conditions. For example, you may filter applicants on the basis of such
criteria as the following, either alone or in any combination:

-   availability for seasonal work

-   willingness to accept a temporary appointment

-   willingness to travel

-   ability in a specific foreign language

Certificate conditions you build on the Advanced Criteria page are
expressions of Boolean logic, which means you can combine them with
operators like AND and OR. More details about the steps of creating
Certificate Conditions is below. More details about how to use AND and
OR to properly combine conditions is found in the topic Tutorial:
Building Certificate Conditions in Advanced Criteria.

If you have no special conditions, you do not need to do anything on
this page.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page in USA Staffing, you
need to already be on the Ordering Criteria page. Click the **Advanced
Criteria** button at the bottom of that page. (Note: You can not get to
the Advanced Criteria by clicking the menu on the left.)

-   **To return to the Basic Criteria page**: Click the **Basic
    Criteria** button, or press the Backspace key on your keyboard.

![](media/image172.jpeg){width="4.145833333333333in"
height="1.5416666666666667in"}

*Figure 3: The blank Advanced Criteria page.*

On your first visit to the Advanced Criteria page for a Request, it will
appear as above. The table of Certification Conditions will be empty
until you actually create one or more conditions. The picture below
shows the same table after some conditions have been created. *Note that
you must scroll to the right to see the columns that are not initially
visible*.

![](media/image173.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in" height="1.5625in"}

*Figure 4: The Advanced Criteria page with some Boolean expressions
created.*

If we wanted to view or modify the details of the condition, we would
click on its row and it would be displayed for us in the lower part of
the page.

![](media/image174.jpeg){width="4.15625in"
height="3.9583333333333335in"}

*Figure 5: The Advanced Criteria page. The bottom half of the page shows
the details of the first expression, which is on the first row of the
table at the top.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Working with Advanced Criteria

This section explains how to use the Certificate Condition builder on
the Advanced Criteria page. Before reading this section, you are
encouraged to read the Help topic Tutorial: Building Certificate
Conditions in Advanced Criteria to get an understanding of how the
Certificate Conditions work.

###### Creating a new Certificate Condition

**Example:**

Suppose you want to certify only applicants who have an availability
date on or before April, 30, 2004.

1.  In the Source drop down box, select Job Announcement.

2.  On the Item table, select Availability Date.

3.  In the Operator drop down box, select the \"less than or equal to
    sign\" (\<=).

4.  From the Calendar drop down box, click the down arrow and select
    4-30-2004.

5.  Click OK.

More details: Tutorial: Building Certificate Conditions in Advanced
Criteria

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

To create a new Certificate Condition, follow these steps:

1.  Click the **New** button. The page will refresh, presenting the
    Certificate Condition Builder form on the lower half of the page.

2.  If this is your first Condition, skip to step 3 and leave the
    Logical field blank. If this is your second or higher Condition, you
    must begin it with a Logical AND or OR. To do this, click to select
    either AND or OR from the **Logical** drop down box See Tutorial:
    Building Certificate Conditions in Advanced Criteria for guidance on
    which is the appropriate choice. Notes:

    -   Never have a Logical AND or OR in your first Condition.

    -   Be sure to use the optional parentheses at the start and end of
        each condition when the Logical OR is used. For guidance, see
        Using Parentheses to clarify a complex combination of
        conditions.

3.  **Source**: Click to select from the drop down box the name of the
    source that contains the data element upon which your condition is
    based. After you make this selection, the form will refresh to show
    you the Items that were part of that source \-- including the
    factors and questions you used in the Online Application.

4.  Click to select the **Item** upon which your Condition is based. The
    form will refresh to display the appropriate Operator and Response
    set for the Item you chose.

5.  Click to select the appropriate **Operator** for your Item.

6.  Click to select the appropriate **Response** value or values. If
    more than one value is permitted and you wish to select multiple
    responses, hold down the Control key on your keyboard while you
    click each of the responses you wish to select for inclusion in the
    response set.

7.  Look to make sure you have both an Open Parenthesis and a Close
    Parenthesis if you have a Logical OR.

8.  Click the **OK** button. This will save your Certificate Condition
    and add it to the table at the top of the page.

9.  If you have more Conditions to add, repeat steps 1-8.

When you are finished adding Conditions, click the **Basic Criteria**
button to return to the Basic Criteria page, where you can Save your
Ordering Criteria or Issue your Referral List/Certificate or Supplement.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### Viewing and Modifying a Certificate Condition

1.  Click to select the record you wish to view or modify from the
    Certificate Conditions table at the top of the page. The Certificate
    Condition Builder form on the page will be refreshed to show you all
    the elements of the Condition.

2.  Follow steps 2 through 8 of the above steps for Creating a new
    certificate condition, as needed, to accomplish the modification you
    desire.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Certificate

Topic Map

-   About the Certificate page

-   Previewing a List

-   Issuing a Referral List/Certificate

-   Amending a Referral List/Certificate

    -   Adding a name

    -   Removing a name

-   Printing a List

-   Issuing a Supplement

-   Reissuing a Referral List/Certificate

### About the Certificate page

Use the Certificate page to:

-   preview a Referral List/Certificate or pre-cert before it is issued

-   jump to the Applicant records of persons on the list

-   generate a Referral List/Certificate or Supplement based upon the
    Ordering Criteria you established

-   generate a \"pull list\" or a \"ranking list\"

-   make changes to a Referral List/Certificate, even after it is issued

-   reissue a list (start over)

Below is a picture of the Certificate page, which we got to
automatically by clicking on the Issue Certificate button when we were
on the Ordering Criteria page. Note that the Certificate Name that
appears at this point is \"Stored List\".  This will be replaced by the
Certificate Number generated by the system once we have clicked the
Issue Certificate button on this page.

The remainder of the top two boxes on this page, as illustrated below,
display information carried over from your Ordering Criteria page. These
items cannot be modified here.

The third box contains no information relevant at this point. After the
Referral List/Certificate is actually issued, it will be populated with
useful information.

![](media/image175.jpeg){width="4.15625in" height="4.583333333333333in"}

Here is an overview of the remaining elements on this page. In the
sections below, you will find instructions for how to use them to
accomplish your work.

-   The fourth box on the page contains the preview of your list. In the
    illustration above, there is one applicant. More details.

-   **Print Ranking List / Print Certificate**: The label on the Print
    button will change to reflect the context you are in at any given
    time. Click the Print button to generate a copy of the list to send
    to the Customer.

-   **Amend Certificate**

    -   **Add Name**: Use this with the Placement After and Before
        buttons to amend a list that is in

> Amend vs. Reissue
>
> Q.  What is the difference between Amend and Reissue?
>
> A.  **Amend** a Referral List/Certificate when you only wish to make a
> correction \-- such as adding or removing a name \-- but you want the
> rest of the list to be the same. The original Issued date is used, and
> the random number and the general order of the list remain the same.
>
> **Reissue** a list when you want to start over as if the first list
> had never been issued. The names and random number that the system
> uses will be those that are currently appropriate, without regard to
> what was on any previous version of the list.
>
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-    preview or that has been issued.

-   **Delete Name**: Use this with the Placement After and Before
    buttons to amend a list that is in preview or that has been issued.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Reissue**: Click this button when you want to \"do it over\" for a
    Referral List/Certificate. This function automatically cancels the
    first version of the Referral List/Certificate that was previously
    generated, and replaces it with a new one.  The new Referral
    List/Certificate will have a new Issued date, and will include any
    new people who have been added to the inventory. A new random number
    will be used. The names on the reissued list may be different and/or
    they may be in a different order from the previous version of the
    list. ***Note: Be sure that all obsolete versions of the list are
    identified as such and not used for making selections, or invalid
    selections may result. Only the names and the rank order of the
    reissued list are valid for selection purposes.***

-   **Issue a Certificate**: Click this button to issue the certificate.
    The system will create a Certificate Number and a Date Issued and
    will display them on the page. The updated page is illustrated
    below.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

####  

### Previewing a list

Map of the Referral Process

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Complete Request Information

  Create Ordering Criteria record

  Generate Stored List

  ***Preview Stored List***

  Issue Certificate or Supplement
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

In the fourth box (see above illustration) appears a table showing the
names, in order, as they will appear on the Referral List/Certificate if
you proceed to issue it.

-   You can view an Applicant record by clicking **Open** on the row on
    which the applicant\'s name appears. *Note: Clicking Open to view an
    Applicant record will take you to the Applicant Information page. To
    return to the Certificate page, you will need to press the Backspace
    key on your keyboard one or more times. Or, see* [Opening multiple
    windows]{.underline}*.*

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   If an eligible is highlighted in red, i.e., ICTAP, CTAP or 10 Point
    Veteran, you will need to go back to the Applicant\'s record to
    verify that the applicant meets the criteria for ICTAP or CTAP
    preference or to adjudicate veteran\'s preference.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   If you wish to add or remove names before the Referral
    List/Certificate is issued, the steps are the same as for Amending a
    Referral List/Certificate.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###  

###  

###  

### Issuing a Referral List/Certificate

Map of the Referral Process

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Complete Request Information

  Create Ordering Criteria record

  Generate Stored List

  Preview Stored List

  ***Issue Certificate or Supplement***
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

-   **Issuing the Certificate/Referral List:** Click the **Issue
    Certificate** button when you are satisfied that the names appearing
    in the preview box are correct and are in the order you expected.
    This will cause the Certificate State and Due Date fields to be
    updated by the system.

    -   Note: The system may alert you with this message: *There is one
        applicant still in Pending status. If you issue this certificate
        now, you may cause this applicant to lose consideration to which
        they may be entitled. Do you still want to issue this
        certificate? (Y/N)* This message means that you have one or more
        applicants with a status code of one of the following:

        -   PF: A required form has not been received.

        -   PL: A required assessment has either not been completed or
            is not linked. There may be a mismatch for you to resolve.

        -   PQ: The record is still waiting for Quality Review.

        -   PJ: An error in the Assessment may be causing an incorrect
            or suspect rating.

        -   PM: A manual rating process has been specified, but the
            applicant\'s rating has not been entered.

        -   PE: There is an error in the applicant\'s record.

> For guidance on the actions you should take with each of these codes,
> see Record Status Codes.

-   **ADV Certificate Status:**  The three possible statuses are:

    -   Not Sent to Customer

    -   Sent to Customer

    -   Customer Audit Received

> When enabled, this drop down selection box is where you make a change
> in the status \-- from *Not Sent to Customer* to *Sent to Customer* so
> that the system sends the Referral List/Certificate to ADV, and sends
> email notification to the names you put in *Send To*.

-   **Due Date**: The system automatically fills in this field, based
    upon options set in Preferences \-- Configurations in the
    Administration work area. You can override the date by typing a
    different date, or by clicking the down-arrow on the date box and
    selecting a date from the calendar.

![](media/image176.jpeg){width="4.15625in" height="4.614583333333333in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Amending a Referral List/Certificate

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}Getting There

To get to the Certificate page in USA Staffing, you have some options.

**When you know the Certificate Number or the Request Number**:

1.  Click on **Advanced** on the top navigation bar.

2.  From *Look In,* select **Referral Certificate**.

3.  Type in the Certificate Number or the Request Number in the space
    provided for it.

4.  Click Go.  

**When you know the VIN:**

1.  Type the VIN in the Basic Search box and click **Go**.

2.  Click the white **Referral** button on the left menu. This will get
    you to the Referral Home, as illustrated below.

![](media/image177.jpeg){width="3.6875in" height="1.3333333333333333in"}

3.  Locate on the list the Request Number, and click the plus sign on
    its row to reveal the criteria, and then on the plus sign for the
    appropriate criteria, to reveal the Certificate Number.

![](media/image178.jpeg){width="3.6458333333333335in"
height="1.9270833333333333in"}

4.  Click Open on the row of the Certificate Number for which you wish
    to issue the Supplement.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

To amend a Referral List/Certificate after it has been issued:

1.  Get to the Certificate page by one of the means described in the
    *Getting There* box at right.

2.  Follow the instructions below for Adding a name or Removing a name,
    as appropriate.

3.  Click **Save**.

4.  Click **Print**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Adding a name

To add a name to the list:

1.  Click somewhere (other than the word *Open*) on the row of the name
    on the list that you want to insert a name before or after. The
    black cursor arrow will appear in the leftmost column to show that
    row is selected, as in the illustration above.

2.  Click to select the appropriate radio button for either After \-- if
    you intend to insert a name after the one you pointed to in step 1,
    or Before, if you intend to insert the name before the one you
    pointed to in step 1.

3.  Click the **Add Name** button. The page will refresh to include the
    Add Name section illustrated below.

![](media/image179.jpeg){width="4.15625in"
height="1.1979166666666667in"}

> If there are any names available for you to add, they will appear on
> the Add Applicants table.

4.  If you wish to review the Applicant record for any person on the Add
    Applicants list, click **Open** on that applicant\'s row. Otherwise,
    skip to the next step.

5.  Click somewhere (other than the word *Open*) on the row of the name
    of the applicant on the list that you want to insert into your
    Referral List/Certificate. The black cursor arrow will appear in the
    leftmost column to show that row is selected.

6.  Click the **Add** button at the bottom of the page to move the name
    onto the list of candidates to be referred.

7.  Click **Save**.

8.  Click **Print**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Removing a name

To remove a name to the list:

1.  Click somewhere (other than the word *Open*) on the row of the name
    on the list that you want to remove. The black cursor arrow will
    appear in the leftmost column to show that row is selected.

2.  Click **Delete Name**. The name will be removed from the Referral
    List/Certificate preview list, and be added to the Add Applicants
    table at the bottom of the page.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
3.  Click **Save**.

4.  Click **Print**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Printing a List

Depending upon the type of list the Request is for, one of the following
options may be present.

-   **Print Certificate**: Click this button to generate a printed or
    electronic file copy of the list.

-   **Print Ranking List**  Click the Print button to generate a copy of
    the list to send to the Customer. The system will generate a cover
    sheet indicating vacancy information, i.e., ordering criteria,
    selection criteria, position, etc., and a list of the eligible
    candidates for the position. The system does not consider this to be
    issuing a certificate and no Issued Date is recorded for this.

In either case, the system will generate the report as a PDF file and
display it in a new browser window. From there, you can use the Acrobat
toolbar controls to save the file to your computer or to send the report
to a connected printer of your choice. They are pictured here:

![](media/image180.jpeg){width="1.0416666666666667in"
height="0.3125in"}![](media/image181.jpeg){width="0.5833333333333334in"
height="0.3125in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Issuing a Supplement

When more names are needed for a Referral List/Certificate that has
already been issued, and there are names available to refer, you can
usually issue a Supplement. (Note: Supplements can not be issued when
Category Rating is used. Instead, the first certificate must be audited,
and a new one issued.)

To issue a Supplement:

1.  Get to the Certificate page by one of the means described in the
    *Getting There* box at right.

2.  Click the **Issue Supplement** button. (It may be necessary to
    scroll the page down in order to see this button.

3.  Click **Preview**.

4.  Click **Issue Certificate**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Reissuing a Referral List/Certificate

To reissue a Referral List/Certificate, click the Reissue button.
***Caution: Please see the above discussion of the* Reissue *function
before clicking this button.***

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Audit Actions

Topic Map

-   About the Audit Actions page

    -   What is auditing?

    -   Why enter Audit Actions?

    -   Which Audit Type do I choose?

-   Entering Audit Action information

    -   Audit Type = Each Applicant

        -   Audit Code Definitions

        -   Shortcut: Set Remaining Applicants

    -   Audit Type = Cancelled

    -   Audit Type = Unused

### About the Audit Actions page

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}Getting There

To get to the Audit Actions page in USA Staffing, you have some options.

**When you know the Certificate Number or the Request Number**:

1.  Click on **Advanced** on the top navigation bar.

2.  From *Look In,* select **Referral Certificate**.

3.  Type in the Certificate Number or the Request Number in the space
    provided for it.

4.  Click Go.  

5.  Click the **Audit Actions** menu item under the white Referral
    button on the left menu

**When you know the VIN:**

1.  Type the VIN in the Basic Search box and click **Go**.

2.  Click the white **Referral** button on the left menu. This will get
    you to the Referral Home, as illustrated below.

![](media/image177.jpeg){width="3.6875in" height="1.3333333333333333in"}

3.  Locate on the list the Request Number, and click the plus sign on
    its row to reveal the criteria, and then on the plus sign for the
    appropriate criteria, to reveal the Certificate Number.

![](media/image178.jpeg){width="3.6458333333333335in"
height="1.9270833333333333in"}

4.  Click Open on the row of the Certificate Number for which you wish
    to issue the Supplement.

5.  Click the **Audit Actions** menu item under the white Referral
    button on the left menu

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### What is auditing?

Auditing is the process of reviewing a returned Referral
List/Certificate to assuring that the action taken by the selecting
official complies with legal and regulatory requirements. For more
details on the legal requirements and the procedures to follow for
performing the audit for Certificates for competitive outside hires in
the Federal Government, refer to the Delegated Examining Operations
Handbook (DEOH).

The Audit Actions page is where you will enter the results of the audit
process after you have completed it.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Why enter Audit Actions?

Even in situations that do not involve outside hiring in the Federal
Government \-- which, therefore, are not bound to follow the DEOH \-- it
is important to complete the Audit Actions page promptly when the
selecting official is finished with the list. Completing the audit has
the following results:

-   The records of selected applicants are coded so that they no longer
    are referred for other requests on the same VIN that are of equal or
    less value.

-   The records of non-selected applicants are coded to make them
    available for future referrals.

-   The records of applicants that should not be referred due to
    declining location or salary may be coded to prevent referral to
    similar offers.

Failure to enter audit actions will cause your records for the selection
and disposition of all affected applicants to be inaccurate. It may lead
to applicants losing consideration for other positions to which they may
be entitled. For best results, enter Audit Actions promptly, and strive
to enter Audit Actions before issuing subsequent Referral
Lists/Certificates or Supplements.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

####  

####  

####  

####  

#### Which Audit Type do I choose?

![](media/image182.jpeg){width="4.197916666666667in"
height="2.8541666666666665in"}

There are three Audit Types:

-   **Each Applicant**: Select this Audit Type when a selection has been
    made. You may also use this Audit type when the Referral List has
    been canceled or returned unused, but there are results to be
    entered for individual applicants who were contacted

-   **Canceled**: Select this type when the Referral List/Certificate
    was canceled after being issued, and there are no results to entered
    for any applicants.

-   **Unused**: Select this type when the Referral List/Certificate have
    been returned unused,  and there are no results to entered for any
    applicants.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Entering Audit Action information

Below you will find instructions for completing each Audit Type.

#### Audit Type = Each Applicant

1.  Click to select **Each Applicant** from the Audit Type drop down box
    if it is not already selected. (Each Applicant is the default.)

> Audit Code Definitions
>
> A   -- Selected
>
> CA -- Certificate Cancelled
>
> CE -- Career or Career Conditional Employee
>
> CR -- Communication Returned Unclaimed
>
> DA -- Declined Employment With Agency
>
> DD -- Declined Until A Future Date
>
> DE -- Declined Examination Program
>
> DG -- Declined Grade or Salary Considerations
>
> DL -- Declined Location
>
> DP -- Declined Position
>
> DX -- Declined Federal Employment
>
> DZ -- Declined Other Reason
>
> FR -- Fail To Reply To Their Inquiry
>
> NC -- Appointed By Non-Competitive Action
>
> NN -- Not Selected -- Not Contacted
>
> NS -- Not Selected
>
> RM -- Removed From Certificate Medical
>
> RQ -- Removed From Certificate Not Qualified
>
> RS -- Removed From Certificate Suitability
>
> TE --Temporary Employee
>
> UN --Certificate Unused
>
> RD -- Removed From Certificate Driving
>
> RX --Removed From Certificate Drug Screen
>
> NP -- Not Available Pending
>
> RE -- Removed From Certificate Eligibility
>
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

2.  For a name on the list, click on the cell under the heading **Audit
    Code**. This will cause the cell to turn into a drop down selection
    box. Select the appropriate code. (To do this, click the down arrow
    to display all options. Use the scroll bar to move through the
    options. Click on the appropriate code to select it.)

> *Hint: If the column is too narrow to read the entire text of the
> code, you can widen the column by clicking and dragging the border
> line between the headings. To do this, mouse over the border line
> between the headings until the double headed arrow appears, then click
> and drag the line. Or simply refer to the code list in the green box
> here.*

![](media/image183.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in" height="2.84375in"}

3.  Click on the cell under **Return Status**, and select the
    appropriate status \-- Active, Hired, Inactive or Suspended.

![](media/image184.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="2.8541666666666665in"}

4.  Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each remaining applicant \-- or \-- if you
    reach a point where all subsequent applicants will have the exact
    same Audit Code and Return Status, you can use the shortcut \-- Set
    Remaining Applicants \-- described in the box at right.  

> Shortcut: Set Remaining Applicants
>
> You can quickly apply one person\'s audit results to all subsequent
> names on a list.

1.  Click on the name of the applicant whose results are to be copied to
    applicants lower on the list. This will make the black cursor arrow
    ![](media/image37.jpeg){width="0.22916666666666666in"
    height="0.22916666666666666in"} appear in the leftmost column to
    show you the row has been selected.

2.  Click the **Set Remaining Applicants** button.

3.  Click OK when asked to confirm this action.

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

5.  Click **Save** at any time to save your work. It is a good idea to
    save often.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Audit Type = Cancelled

1.  Click to select **Cancelled** from the Audit Type drop down box if
    it is not already selected. The page will refresh with the proper
    form for this Audit Type.

![](media/image185.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="2.90625in"}

2.  Click to select the appropriate **Other Action** to document why the
    Referral List/Certificate was cancelled.

3.  Click to select a **Date of Action**.

4.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Audit Type = Unused

1.  Click to select **Unused** from the Audit Type drop down box if it
    is not already selected. The page will refresh with the proper form
    for this Audit Type.

![](media/image186.jpeg){width="4.364583333333333in"
height="2.8854166666666665in"}

2.  Click to select the appropriate **Other Action** to document why the
    Referral List/Certificate was returned unused.

3.  Click to select a **Date of Action**.

4.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

# 8 Reports Work Area

## Reports Menu

Topic Map

-   About the Reports Menu

-   Using the Reports Menu

    -   Related topic: Reports Pages

### About the Reports Menu

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to the Reports menu, click the
**Reports** work area button on the top navigation bar.  

![](media/image187.jpeg){width="1.625in" height="0.19791666666666666in"}

Below is a picture of the way the Reports menu looks when you first
arrive in the Reports work area. Note that the menu contains a white
button corresponding with each major work process \-- just like the menu
for the Staffing work area \-- plus a few from the Administration work
area, with one additional button for DRS (Document Repository System).

Under the Vacancy white button, you can see the list of all the types of
standard reports that are available for Vacancy.

![](media/image188.jpeg){width="1.46875in" height="3.8125in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Using the Reports Menu

To see the types of reports available for major report category, click
the white button. To see a description of the report itself, click on
the menu options under the white buttons.

The report types include:

-   Vacancy

    -   Applicant labels by date

    -   Applicant labels by VIN

    -   Applicant status

    -   CARP (Complete Applicant Record Printout)

    -   Cancellation Letter

    -   Inventory Status

    -   Matching Cert Requests

    -   Notices of Results (NORs)

    -   Rating Sheets

    -   Rating Summary

    -   Veterans Preference by Score

    -   Written Test Mismatch

-   Assessments

    -   Assessment Report

    -   Benchmarks

    -   Notes

    -   Test Data Entry

    -   Test Rating Summary

-   Applicants

    -   ACWA Race/National Origin

    -   Accession Transaction List

    -   Applicant Address Labels

    -   Applicant Status

    -   Applicants by RSC (record status code)

    -   Applicants Pending Review

    -   CARP (Complete Applicant Record Printout)

    -   Manual Correspondence

    -   Narrative Response

    -   Notice of Results (NORs)

    -   Rating Sheets

-   Referral

    -   Audited Certificates

    -   Availability Letter

    -   Certificate

    -   Certificate Timeliness

    -   DEU Workload (Delegated Examining Unit)

    -   Disposition Letter

    -   Dual Certification Report

    -   Individual Certificate Audit

    -   Notification Letter

    -   Ranking List

    -   Vacancy Dual Cert

-   Office

    -   List of Reports

    -   NOR Message Codes

    -   Office Staff

-   Customer

    -   Customer Labels

    -   Overdue Certificate

    -   Vacancy Information

-   DRS (Document Repository System)

    -   Applicant Expiration

    -   Applicant Mismatch

    -   Matched Applicants

    -   Mismatched Documents

    -   Mismatch Review

Next suggested topic: Reports Pages

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

**Was this helpful to you?**

Send your comments to the address on the bottom of the Welcome page. If
you need an immediate reply, use the Help Desk powered by FootPrints
instead.

## Reports Pages

Topic Map

-   About Reports pages

    -   Results \-- now or later?

-   Creating a report

    -   The Create Report page

        -   Navigation controls

        -   Report Criteria

            -   Tips for emailing reports

        -   Letter Filter

        -   Report destination and action

            -   PDF or HTML \-- which should I choose?

        -   What happens next?

-   Retrieving your report

-   Printing a report

-   Saving a report file

-   Troubleshooting Reports

### About Reports pages

Results \-- now or later?

When you use one of the Create Report pages to generate a report, your
report criteria are turned into a request that is offloaded to a
separate server. This keeps resource-intensive reports from slowing down
system response time for other users. By default, therefore, *all
reports from Create Report pages are sent to* **Stored Reports**,
*rather than printing immediately.*

On the other hand, you can immediately view and print these types of
reports:\
 

-   **Certificates of Eligibles** and Referral Lists *when you request
    the report from* Certificate *page of the Referral menu* rather than
    from the Create Report page.

-   the **Assessment Test Rating Summary Report** *that is produced from
    the* Test Component *page* rather than from the Create Report page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

USA Staffing provides a wide variety of standard reports. Using the
Reports pages, you can generate (\"Create\") reports, store them, email
them, and schedule them to be generated later one or more set times.
This topic deals only with *standard* reports; information on *ad hoc*
reporting is found in Chapter 13 \-- Ad Hoc Reports with Oracle
Discoverer.

There are three modes for the Reports pages. The grey tab tells you
which mode you are in.

-   **Create Report:** This is the default mode when you arrive at the
    Reports work area. The grey tab says Create Report
    ![](media/image189.jpeg){width="1.0104166666666667in"
    height="0.20833333333333334in"}, and all the menu options on the
    left determine the type of report you will be able to generate. To
    return to this mode from one of the other modes, click the **Create
    Reports** or **Create** white button at the top of the page. A
    typical Create Report page is shown below in Figure 1.

-   **Stored Reports:** This mode displays for you a list of the reports
    that have been created and stored by any member of your Office,
    which you can preview or print. The grey tab will say Stored Reports
    ![](media/image190.jpeg){width="1.3541666666666667in"
    height="0.20833333333333334in"}, and all the menu options on the
    left determine the type of Stored Reports you will see listed, if
    there are any for the type. To get to this mode, click the **Stored
    Reports** or **Stored** white button at the top of the page.  A
    typical Stored Reports page is shown below in Figure 2.

-   **Scheduled Reports:** This mode  displays for you a list of the
    reports that have been created and scheduled by any member of your
    Office, which you can preview or print. The grey tab will say
    Scheduled Reports ![](media/image191.jpeg){width="1.34375in"
    height="0.20833333333333334in"}, and all the menu options on the
    left determine the type of Scheduled Reports you will see listed, if
    there are any for the type. To get to this mode, click the
    **Scheduled Reports** or **Scheduled** white button at the top of
    the page. The Scheduled Reports page looks and operates similar to
    the Stored Reports page shown in Figure 2.

![](media/image192.jpeg){width="4.25in" height="4.40625in"}

> *Figure 1: a typical Create Report page.*
>
> ![](media/image193.jpeg){width="4.260416666666667in"
> height="1.0104166666666667in"}
>
> *Figure 2: a typical Stored Reports page.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Creating a report

#### The Create Report Page

Here is an explanation of elements you see on the Create Report page.
(See Figure 1 above.)

###### Navigation controls

-   **Stored Reports** button: Click this button to change to the Stored
    Reports mode and see a list of reports that are waiting in the
    Stored Reports area.

-   **Scheduled Reports** button: Click this button to change to the
    Scheduled Reports mode and see a list of reports that are waiting in
    the Scheduled Reports area.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### Report Criteria

In this section, you specify the kinds of records to include in the
report. The types of choices you can specify depend upon the type of
report you are generating. Below are explanations for several criteria.
Not all of these will necessarily appear on the Create Report page for
the report type you are creating.  

-   **Vacancy ID:** Type in the VIN for which you wish to generate the
    report.

-   **Certificate:** Type in the Referral List/Certificate number for
    which you wish to generate the report.

-   **SSN:** You may specify the SSNs for the applicants you want
    included in the report.

-   **Get List** or **Show List:** Click this button to display a list
    of available choices for the box next to the button. This may be
    certificate numbers, SSNs, names, or the like.

-   **Sort By:** You may select one or more ordering criteria. To select
    more than one, hold the Control key down while you click each
    choice.

-   **De-select All:**  This button will clear all choices in the
    selection box with which it is associated.

-   **Include Eligibles:** A check in this box will add eligible
    applicants to the report, unless they are filtered out by Letter
    Filter criteria you may specify at the bottom of the page, if Letter
    Filter options appear on the page.

-   **Include Ineligibles:** A check in this box will add ineligible
    applicants to the report, unless they are filtered out by Letter
    Filter criteria you may specify at the bottom of the page, if Letter
    Filter options appear on the page.

-   **Duplex NORs:** A check in this box means that the system will
    instruct the printer to print Notices of Results on both sides of a
    sheet of paper, with the back side containing a form applicants can
    use to request changes to their records. For this to work as
    intended, the printer you use must be capable of \"duplex
    printing\", or else the back side is likely to print on a second
    sheet of paper.

-   **Include geographic availability:** A check in this box means that
    the NOR will show the locations that were advertised on the Job
    Announcement and for which the applicant expressed interest.

-   **Show Quals rating:** A check in this box means that the NOR will
    print, instead of the numeric score, either EL for \"eligible\" or
    the assigned ineligible code. This is based upon the standard NOR
    Message Codes, plus any that your Office may have added in
    Preferences. You can print out a report of your Office\'s codes as a
    reference; this report called NOR Message Codes, and it is under the
    Office white button on the left menu.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Include applicants** **specifying email address:** This item
    appears on the Create Report pages for reports that are intended to
    be sent to applicants, including Notices of Results, Notification
    Letters, Cancellation Letters, and Availability Letters.

> Tips for Emailing reports
>
> You may want to send NORs or other applicant mail by email whenever
> possible. Here are some tips to make the most of the flexible options.
> For our examples, we\'ll use NORs.

1.  If you want USA Staffing to email the report to the applicant
    whenever possible, be sure that there is a check in the box for
    **Include applicants specifying email address** \-- and \-- in the
    Report destination box, click to select the **Email** radio button.
    USA Staffing will send a NOR by email to each applicant with an
    email address. Applicants without email addresses will be skipped.

2.  After completing the above step, you will want to create printed
    copies for mailing to at least those applicants who did not receive
    an email. You may also want to send hard copy to the ones that did
    get the email.

-   -   **To create hard copy NORs for only those applicants who were
        not sent emails**, run the NOR report again with *no check* for
        **Include applicants specifying email address**, and in the
        Letter Filter box, select **Not Generated**.

    -   **To create hard copy NORs for all applicants, even if they got
        an email,** run the NOR report again with no check for **Include
        applicants specifying email address**, and in the Letter Filter
        box, select **All**.

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **A check** in this box means that the report should be prepared for
    applicants who provided an email address *as well as* for those who
    did not.

-   **No check** in this box means the system should prepare a copy of
    the report *only* for applicants with *no email address*.

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### Letter Filter

> This section only appears for those reports that are intended to be
> mailed or emailed to applicants. The filter you set further may narrow
> down the scope of which letters or NORs are created, ***and may
> override certain aspects of the selections you entered in the Report
> Criteria section.*** For example, if you may have checked *Include
> Eligibles* in the Report Criteria section, and also select *Not
> Generated* in the Letter Filter box, some eligibles may not get a new
> letter if one was created for them previously.
>
> Here is an explanation of your choices in the Letter Filter:

-   **All:**  Generate a copy for all applicants who otherwise meet the
    Report Criteria.

-   **Not Generated:** When this option is selected, the system will
    skip over applicants for whom the report was generated previously,
    regardless of the Report Criteria you specify.

-   **By Date:** When this option is selected, you will specify a date
    range \-- either for the date any previous copy of the report was
    generated, or for the date the application was processed.

    -   **Generated:** A copy of the report is prepared only for
        applicants who already had a copy generated between (and
        including) the dates you specify.

    -   **Processed:** A copy of the report is prepared only for
        applicants who were processed in USA Staffing between (and
        including) the dates you specify.

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### Report destination and action

-   **Store \-- Email \-- Schedule**: Click in one of the radio buttons
    to select a report destination.

    -   **Store**: This option sends your reports to the Stored Reports
        area. The Stored Reports area is where you will later preview
        and/or print the requested reports. (This is the default
        destination.)

    -   **Email:** Choose this option to have the system send the report
        to the applicants\' email addresses. (This is not appropriate
        for all report types.)

    -   **Schedule**: The report may be scheduled to run at a later day
        and time.

> PDF or HTML \-- which should I choose?

-   Choose **PDF** (the default)\...

-   if you want the report content to be non-modifiable. The full
    version Adobe Acrobat is required to modify a PDF file, and even
    then, only very limited editing can occur. However, users with the
    full Adobe Acrobat can add annotations, bookmarks, and highlights.

-   if you want to assure the exact layout and fonts of the report.

-   Choose **HTML**\...

-   when you wish to be able to edit the content of the report in MS
    Word or some other editor.

-   if your report is intended for a person who needs a 508 compliant
    report and they tell you they prefer HTML over PDF.

-   when you wish to allow the persons reading the report to adjust font
    selection, font sizes and font and background colors to suit their
    own preferences, as they can do in their browser.

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **Store in PDF format**: A check in this box will cause the report
    to be prepared as a PDF file for viewing or printing using Adobe
    Acrobat. Without a check, the report is prepared in HTML format. You
    must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed for in order to read the
    reports stored in PDF format. Adobe Acrobat Reader is free from
    Adobe. Click here to obtain a free copy of the latest Acrobat Reader
    from Adobe ![](media/image194.png){width="0.9166666666666666in"
    height="0.3229166666666667in"}.

-   **Print to Macon**: If your organization has arranged for printing
    and mailing to be performed by the OPM Technical Services Group in
    Macon, Georgia, this option will be enabled.   

-   **Email user when request is created and completed:** A check in
    this box will cause the system to notify you by email when your
    report is ready.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Run Report** button: Click this button after you have made all
    selections and are ready to generate the report.

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### What happens next?

> After you click Run Report, the following take place:

1.  A pop-up window will give you information about the report you have
    run. Make note of the Stored Report ID so that you can easily
    identify it on the Stored Report list later. Then click **OK**. Your
    report request is forwarded automatically to the report server.  See
    Figure 3 below. ![](media/image195.png){width="4.168055555555555in"
    height="1.2284722222222222in"}

> *Figure 3: This message tells you the Stored Report ID for your
> report.*

2.  The report server will send you an email to let you know it has
    received the request and is working on it, unless you have unchecked
    the box for **Email user when request is created and completed.**

3.  The report server will send you a second email to let you know the
    report is ready and waiting for you in Stored Reports, unless you
    have unchecked the box for **Email user when request is created and
    completed.**

4.  Follow the steps below for *Retrieving your report*.

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Retrieving your report

> To retrieve your report, follow these steps.

1.  Click the **Reports** work area button on the top menu bar.

2.  Click the white **Stored Reports** button at the top of the page.

3.  Select from the left menu the type of report you wish to view. The
    subject line of the email you received will tell you what the type
    of report is, as a reminder. (See the Subject line in Figure 4
    below, as an example.)

> ![](media/image196.png){width="5.427777777777778in"
> height="2.259027777777778in"}
>
> *Figure 4: A sample of the second email, which tells you your report
> is ready. The subject line reminds you of the type of report it is.*

4.  The Stored Reports list will contain all stored reports of your
    chosen type for your Office. See Figure 5 below.

> ![](media/image197.png){width="5.416666666666667in"
> height="1.7916666666666667in"}
>
> *Figure 5: The Stored Reports page*

5.  Find the report you are looking for on the list. The easiest way to
    do this may be to match the Stored Report ID from the email with the
    ID number in the Stored Report column.

6.  Click the report name on the row for your Stored Report. The report
    will open in a new window in Adobe Acrobat viewer for you to preview
    or print.

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Printing a Report

> To print a report, follow these steps:

1.  Complete the steps outlined above for Retrieving your report.

2.  You will use the Print feature of either your browser or Adobe
    Acrobat, depending upon whether you kept the default **Store in PDF
    format** when you created the report not. You can opt to print
    select pages, rather than the full report, on the printer dialog
    that appears in either method below.

    -   **PDF:** You will use the print function built into Adobe
        Acrobat reader.
        ![](media/image181.jpeg){width="0.5833333333333334in"
        height="0.3125in"}

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   **HTML:** You will use the print function of your browser. Click
        the printer icon
        ![](media/image198.jpeg){width="0.5833333333333334in"
        height="0.4479166666666667in"} on your browser toolbar, or click
        **File**, then click **Print**. If your browser File menu gives
        you an option for Print Preview, you can use it to view how the
        page breaks will occur, and also to select individual pages to
        print.

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Saving a Report

> To save a report as a file, follow these steps:

1.  Complete the steps outlined above for Retrieving your report.

2.  The next step depends upon whether you had the file created in the
    default PDF format or the optional HTML format.

    -   **PDF:** Click **Save a Copy**
        ![](media/image180.jpeg){width="1.0416666666666667in"
        height="0.3125in"}on the Acrobat toolbar.

    -   **HTML:** Click the browser\'s file menu and select **Save
        As\...**

> ![](media/image199.jpeg){width="3.5520833333333335in"
> height="2.4791666666666665in"}
>
> The Save Web Page dialog opens.

-   The default file name is \"Preview\". Type in a different File name
    if you wish.

-   Notice the default folder that appears at the top after the words
    \"Save in:\". This is where the file will be stored unless you
    change the destination.

> ![](media/image200.jpeg){width="3.5520833333333335in"
> height="2.4791666666666665in"}

-   You may wish to save your file to your \"Desktop\", where you can
    easily find it. If so, click the folders drop down box arrow, as
    shown in this picture. Then click on Desktop.

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Troubleshooting Reports

> **Question:** When I try to print a report, I get this error from
> Adobe Acrobat: \'Could Not Start Print Job\'. What\'s wrong?
>
> **Answer:** This error occurs with Acrobat versions below version
> 6.0.1.
>
> Check to see what version you are running. The version number displays
> on the splash screen on its startup or, once Acrobat Reader is open,
> you can find it on the Help menu (About Acrobat Reader \...). If you
> have an earlier version, you will need to install at least version
> 6.0.1. Get free downloads of the latest Acrobat reader from
> http://adobe.com .
>
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

# 9 Administration Work Area

## Administration Menus and Pages

The Administration Work Area is where you will perform tasks related to:

-   Templates

-   Maintenance of records related to customers, users, offices,
    permissions profiles, and workgroups

-   Locations

-   Preferences \-- including configurations, default texts, applicant
    flags, NOR messages, and screening elements

-   Financial information

-   Processing \-- importing and exporting data

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  Some topics in *Chapter 4 \--
Administration Work Area* have names that are very similar to some that
are in *Chapter 2 \-- Staffing Work Area*. The difference is that in the
Administration Work Area, the settings are the defaults for whole
Organizations or Offices. These defaults can be overridden for
individual customers, vacancies, or certificates by selections made in
the Staffing Work Area.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  When you are in the Administration Work
Area, USA Staffing does not anticipate what page you want to work on.
So, when you click a white button on the left navigation bar, you must
also click a menu option under it in order to go to the page you want to
work on. This differs from the Staffing Work Area, where USA Staffing
takes you automatically to the first page of the process you are
starting.

## Template Libraries

### Template Libraries

Topic Map

This topic covers the Template Libraries pages in the Administration
Work Area, where Announcement, Questionnaire, and Default Scale
Templates are initially set up and maintained \-- but not where most
users will do their day-to-day work.  If you are looking for information
about the templates used in a specific job announcement, see Templates
in the Staffing Work Area.

-   About the Template Libraries

-   Using the Template Libraries

-   Managing the Template Libraries

#### About the Template Libraries

Templates are reusable sets of content for Questionnaire Assessment
Components, Job Announcements, and Default Scales. By using templates,
Organizations and Offices have an easy way to standardize the content of
Job Announcements and Questionnaires. Users can also save time by using
templates to eliminate repetitious work that is common to all
Announcements and Questionnaires.

All templates are grouped according to who is responsible for
maintaining them and who can access them:

-   **System:** These templates are maintained by the USA Staffing
    Program Office in OPM, and are available to all users.

-   **Organization:** These templates are created and maintained by the
    Organization Administrator of the Organization to which you belong.
    Only members of your organization and the USA Staffing Program
    Office can see them or use them.

-   **Office:** These templates are created and maintained by users of
    the Office who have either the Standard User Permissions Profile, or
    a custom Permissions Profile that grants Office Access or higher.
    These templates can only be seen and used by members of your Office,
    your Organization, and the USA Staffing Program Office in OPM. They
    can not be seen by members of other Offices unless they have the
    ability in their Permissions Profile and User record to connect to
    your Office. If you have access to more than one Office in USA
    Staffing, you may see different templates when you switch your
    Office Connection from one Office to another.

Templates are stored in the Template Libraries by users who have
Permissions Profiles that grant them the ability to create new
templates.

*Templates in the Library can not be modified* by most users of the
library. However, when a user accesses a template from the library, it
is copied to the user\'s VIN, and *the copy can be modified*. When you
use a template from the library for your Job Announcement or Assessment,
you are asked to give it a unique name. Use the name and notations you
add to the template to indicate any modifications you make from the
original, and what your rationale is.

The Template Libraries give you a way to create and maintain these
templates even when you do not have a specific VIN in mind, such as when
you start advance work on a questionnaire before actually receiving a
formal request or recruit action.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Using the Template Libraries

When you are working with actual Assessments, Announcements, and
Questionnaires in the Staffing work area, you can access the templates
in the Libraries to include copies of them in your own work.

-   **Assessment Template:** When you are creating a Assessment
    Questionnaire on the Assessment Builder page, click the **Library**
    button. Then use the resulting Advanced Search form to locate the
    appropriate template and make a copy of it and use it for your
    Assessment Plan. More details.

-   **Announcement Template:** When you are creating a Job Announcement,
    the Templates page on the Announcement menu lets you indicate the
    group in which your desired template is stored in the Library \--
    Global, Organization, or Office. Then it lets you pick the template
    from a list the templates in that library. The Job Announcement on
    which you are working will then have the same content as the
    template you opened unless you modify it. This is an excellent way
    for Offices and Organizations to standardize the content of Job
    Announcements.

-   **Default Scale Template:** When you are creating a Questionnaire in
    the Questionnaire Builder, you can use any existing Default Scales
    you see in the Library. Available scales appear in a dropdown list
    the Item Editor page of the Questionnaire Builder. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Managing the Template Libraries

Information on how to create, modify, and delete templates is found in
the topics for the individual libraries:

-   Announcement Template Library

-   Questionnaire Template Library

-   Default Scale Template Library

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Announcements (in Templates Libraries)

#### Announcements (in Templates Library)

Topic Map

This topic deals with the Announcements Template in the Templates
Library in the Administration Work Area. If you are looking for
information about Announcement Templates for a particular Vacancy
(Staffing Action) that you are working on, click here to change to the
Announcements topic in the Staffing Work Area.

-   About the Announcement Templates Library

-   Working with Announcement Templates in the Library

    -   Creating an Announcement Template

    -   Modifying an Announcement Template

    -   Deleting an Announcement Template

##### About the Announcement Templates Library

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, click the
**Administration** work area button on the top menu bar. Then click the
white **Template Libraries** button on the left menu. The click
**Announcements (not the plus sign).**

![](media/image201.jpeg){width="4.15625in"
height="3.3020833333333335in"}

*Figure 1: The Announcement Template page in the Template Library. The
tree of items shown here does not actually appear until after you have
made a selection in the Image Based Form box.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Working with Announcement Templates in the Library

###### Creating an Announcement Template

To create an Announcement template, follow these steps:

***Caution!***

You can not create a template from an existing template. This is not a
\"Save As\...\" function.  If you open a template, make changes to it,
and click **Save**, you will be changing the template, not creating a
new one, even if you have changed the name.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

1.  Click **New**.

2.  Type in the name you wish to give the new template in the space
    labelled **Name**. The name must be unique.

3.  In the **Image Based Form** dropdown box, select either Form:
    1203-FX or Custom Processing. ***Note: In almost all cases, the
    correct choice is* Form: 1203-FX*. Do not select* Custom Processing
    *unless you know that your Organization has entered into a special
    agreement with OPM that includes Custom Processing for unique
    forms.*** The page will refresh to display the tree of items
    appropriate to the form you chose.

4.  **Template Level:** Click to indicate the level (or category) of the
    template you are creating \-- Organization, Office, or Global. (Only
    OPM staff in the USA Staffing Program Office can select Global.)

5.  **Sort Location by State:** Click to place a check in this box to
    force job locations to sort by state when they appear in the Job
    Announcement Preview, on USAJOBS, and in the Online Application.
    Without a check, they will appear in order according to location
    code. This setting in the template can be overridden by a similar
    box on the Templates page of the Announcement menu in the Staffing
    work area.

6.  In the tree of items that appears on the bottom half of the page
    (see Figure 1 above), you can control which items appear on the
    Online Application.

    -   Click a plus sign to expand an item to see which sub-items are
        associated with it. Figure 1 above shows that we have done this
        with the Work Information item to reveal the two items under it
        \-- Place of Employment and Work Address.

    -   Click to remove a check for any sub-item you wish to suppress.
        In Figure 1, if we click to remove the check from Work Address,
        the Work Address sub-item will not appear on the Questionnaire.

    -   Click to remove a check for any item you wish to suppress, along
        with all its sub-items. For example, in Figure 1 above, if we
        remove the check from Work Information, both Place of Employment
        and Work Address will be suppressed as well.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
7.  Click **Next** when you are finished with this page. This will save
    your work up to this point, and take you to the Overview template
    page. It will also expand the Announcement menu on the left so that
    you can jump to other pages as you may desire.

All remaining pages for the various parts of the Announcement Template
work the same way as their corresponding pages in the Staffing work
area, except for Preview, which differs only in that it does not permit
transmitting to USAJOBS from the Library. For more details, click the
link on the list below:

-   Overview

-   Duties

-   Qualifications

-   How to Apply

-   Benefits/Other

-   Questionnaire

-   Preview

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### Modifying an Announcement Template

To modify an existing Announcement Template, follow these steps:

1.  Click the category of the template you wish to modify \-- Global,
    Organization, or Office. The page will refresh and the Templates
    dropdown selection box will be populated with the names of the
    existing templates for that category.

2.  Click the Templates dropdown box to select the template upon which
    you wish to base your new one. The name of the template you selected
    will appear in the Name box.

3.  Make the changes you desire. For an explanation of the items on this
    page, see the above topic on Creating an Announcement Template.

4.  Click **Save** if you are finished, or click the **Next** button to
    continue on to the next page of the Job Announcement Menu, which is
    the Overview page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### Deleting an Announcement Template

To delete an existing Announcement Template, follow these steps:

1.  Click the category of the template you wish to delete \-- Global,
    Organization, or Office. The page will refresh and the Templates
    dropdown selection box will be populated with the names of the
    existing templates for that category.

2.  Click the Templates dropdown box to select the template upon which
    you wish to base your new one. The name of the template you selected
    will appear in the Name box.

3.  Click the **Delete** button and confirm with **OK**.

#### Templates (in Announcements Library)

See Announcement Templates in the Staffing work area.

#### Overview (in Announcements Library)

See Announcement Overview in the Staffing work area.

#### Duties (in Announcements Library) 

See Announcement Duties in the Staffing work area.

#### Qualifications Evaluation (in Announcements Library)

See Announcement Qualifications in the Staffing work area.

#### How to Apply (in Announcements Library)

See Announcement How to Apply in the Staffing work area.

#### Benefits and Other (in Announcements Library)

See Announcement Benefits/Other in the Staffing work area.

#### Questionnaire (in Announcement Templates Library)

See Announcement Questionnaire in the Staffing work area.

#### Preview (in Announcements Library)

See Announcement Preview in the Staffing work area. The only difference
between Preview in the Template Libraries and in the Staffing work area
 is that the Preview page does not permit transmitting to USAJOBS from
the Library.

### Questionnaires (in Templates Libraries) 

#### Assessment (in Questionnaires Library)

##### Assessment in Questionnaire Templates Library

Topic Map

-   About the Assessment Information page in the Questionnaire Template
    Library

-   Working with the Assessment Information Page in the Questionnaire
    Template Library

###### About the Assessment Information page in the Questionnaire Template Library

The purpose of the Assessment page in the Questionnaire Template Library
is to permit you to either create a new Assessment Component or modify
or delete an existing one. The ability to perform these functions may be
restricted by your Permissions Profile.

Assessment Components created in the Library need not be linked to any
particular VIN. This gives you a way to build an Assessment even before
you have a VIN created.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### Working with the Assessment Information Page in the Questionnaire Template Library

When you select the Assessment option under Questionnaires on the
Template Libraries menu, the system will present the Advanced Search
page for Assessments. From this page, you can either search for an
existing Assessment, or you can create a new Assessment by clicking the
**New** button.

If you are creating a new Assessment, the process is the same as if you
were doing it in the Staffing work area except that the resulting
Assessment Component is saved in the Library and it is not linked to a
VIN until you open a copy of it from within the Staffing work area for a
VIN you are working on. For more details for the page you are on, select
the corresponding page name:

-   Assessment Information

-   Source Information

-   Specific Information

-   Preparation

-   History

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Specialty and Grade (in Questionnaires Library)

See Specialty and Grade in the Staffing work area.

#### Questionnaire Builder (Library)

See Questionnaire Builder in the Staffing work area.

#### Rating Criteria (in Questionnaires Library)

See Rating Criteria in the Staffing work area.

### Default Scales (in Templates Libraries)

#### Default Scales (in Template Libraries)

Topic Map

-   About Default Scales in the Template Libraries

-   Working with Default Scales in the Template Libraries

    -   Creating a Default Scale

    -   Modifying a Default Scale

    -   Deleting a Scale or Response

##### About Default Scales in the Template Libraries

If your Permissions Profile gives you the access rights, you can create,
store, edit, and delete any number of default scales for use in your
questionnaires. Depending upon your Permissions Profile, you may be able
to create or edit scales that can be used by other users in your Office,
or even across your Organization. Only OPM users in the USA Staffing
Program Office can create or edit default scales at the System level.

When users are creating Questionnaires, they can use any of the Default
Scales. The system ***copies*** the scale into the Questionnaire. At
that point, the user can modify the scale if desired, but the changes
made while working on a Questionnaire in the Staffing work area only
pertain to the Questionnaire in which they are made; the original
remains in the Templates Library unmodified. To modify the Default Scale
in the Templates Library, you must have the appropriate Permissions
Profile, and you must make the modifications in the Templates Library of
the Administration work area.

The Default Scales in the Templates Library do not have Rating Criteria
(points) assigned to them. You must assign the points on the Rating
Criteria page after you select the Default Scale while you are working
on the Questionnaire Builder.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, click the
**Administration** work area button on the top menu bar. Then click the
white **Template Libraries** button on the left menu. The click
**Default Scales**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Working with Default Scales in the Template Libraries

When you first arrive at the Default Scales page in the Templates
Library, the tree view display of all the existing scales will be
collapsed and show only the 3 levels at which Default Scales are managed
in three categories:

-   **System:** Templates stored at this level are available to all
    users when creating Questionnaires. They can only be created,
    modified, or deleted by OPM staff in the USA Staffing Program
    Office.

-   **Organization:** Templates stored at this level are available to
    all users in the same Organization, and all Offices of the
    Organization.

-   **Office:** Templates stored at this level are available to all
    users in the same Office only.

###### Creating a Default Scale

1.  Click the category where you want to add the scale. (Only OPM staff
    in the USA Staffing Program Office can select the System category.)
    The cell will have a slightly darker border when it is selected.

2.  Click **New**. Two rows will be added \-- one for the Name and
    Description, and one for the Response. (See Figure 3 below.)

3.  Click and type in in each cell for Name, Description and Response,
    the information that belongs there. (See Figure 4.) A cell will have
    a slightly darker border when it is selected.

![](media/image202.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in"
height="0.8645833333333334in"}

*Figure 1: The Default Scales page when you first arrive.*

![](media/image203.jpeg){width="4.15625in"
height="1.8854166666666667in"}

*Figure 2: The Office level is expanded to show all the Default Scales
that already exist at that level.*

![](media/image204.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in"
height="2.3333333333333335in"}

*Figure 3: We clicked on Office and New and added two rows \-- one for
the Scale Name and Description, and one for the first Response of the
new Scale.*

![](media/image205.jpeg){width="4.15625in" height="2.65625in"}

*Figure 4:  We have entered a Name and Description and the first 3
Responses.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### Modifying a Scale

To modify a scale, follow these steps:

1.  Double-click the cell you wish to modify.

2.  Type the new content for the cell.

3.  Repeat steps 1 and 2 for any other cells you wish to modify.

4.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### Deleting a Scale or Response

To delete either an entire scale or a response, follow these steps:

1.  Click on the row you wish to delete.

2.  Click the Delete button, and click OK to confirm.

3.  Repeat steps 1 and 2 for any other rows you wish to delete.

4.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Maintenance 

### Customer Records

#### Customer Maintenance

Topic Map

-   About Customer Maintenance

-   Customer List

    -   FAQ about viewing records

-   Customer Edit

##### About Customer Maintenance

If your Permissions Profile gives you access, you can use the Customer
Maintenance pages to add new Customer records, edit or delete
information about your Customers, and view the Contacts records for your
Customers. This topic covers Customer List and Customer Edit.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Customer List

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} To get to this page, click the
**Administration** button on the top bar, then the **Maintenance**
button and **Customer Maintenance** on the navigation bar on the left.

![](media/image206.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="3.6041666666666665in"}

This page lists all Customer records for the Office name that appears in
the Office Connection drop down box. By default, Customer records that
are marked as \"deleted\" are not included on the list.

FAQ about viewing records

**Why can\'t I see the record I\'m looking for?**

The record you seek may be marked as Disabled or Deleted. Click to place
a check in either Display Disabled or Display Deleted to have these
records added to your view of the list.

**Why am I able to view deleted records?**

If a record marked for deletion is still needed by the system because it
is linked to other records, the system retains the record but hides it
from normal view. Only records that have not been linked to other
records are actually purged from the file.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **Display Deleted**: Click to place a check in this box if you wish
    to have records marked as \"deleted\" included on the list that is
    displayed.

From this page you can:

-   Open a customer record by clicking on the Customer Name.

-   Create a new customer record by clicking the **New** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Customer Edit

The Customer Edit page opens when you click New or the Customer\'s name
while you are on the Customer List page.  On the Customer Edit page you
can:

-   Create a new Customer record

-   Edit an existing Customer record \-- including adding or changing
    Contact information

-   Delete a Customer record

![](media/image207.jpeg){width="4.208333333333333in"
height="2.1458333333333335in"}

######  

###### Creating or modifying a Customer record

-   **Customer Name**: Enter the name of the customer as you want them
    to appear in the system. There is a limit of 50 characters.

-   **Contacts**: Click this button to view or modify Contact records
    associated with the Customer record you have displayed.

-   **Category**: Select the type of organization from the options:
    Federal, State, or USPS (Postal Service).

-   **CPDF Organization** and **CPDF Agency**: These boxes are present
    only when the Category selected is Federal. For Federal agencies,
    select the appropriate designations that identify the agency in
    OPM\'s CPDF database.

> Note: If a user has created a customer *prior* to the deletion of the
> CPDF code, and links the Customer to a VIN, and releases the Job
> Announcement to USAJOBS, you will receive an error message at the
> bottom of the Preview screen that states:
>
> *Release Failed: Unable to authenticate via CAT (userName= userId=
> channel=2192), error=The ticket presented for authentication has
> expired.*
>
> If the you receive this message, it indicates the Organization and/or
> Agency codes previously selected for this Customer are no longer valid
> or recognized by USAJOBS, and you will have to go back to
> Administration/Customer Maintenance/Select Customer and correct the
> CPDF Customer Organization or CPDF Agency Codes.  

-   **Address fields:** All the address fields pertain to the Customer
    record, although there may be different addresses and phone numbers
    for each Contact you add. This makes it possible for you to have
    contacts whose addresses differ from the address in the Customer
    record. More details on format requirements.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  Remember to click **Save** to save the
changes you make.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Customer Contact

Topic Map

-   About Customer Contact

-   Create or Edit a Contact

    -   FAQ about viewing records

-   Delete a Contact

##### About Customer Contact

Customer Contact is the second step of creating a Customer record in USA
Staffing. The Contact is the person within the Customer organization or
agency who is responsible for providing information about a staffing
request. Typically, the contact is name on the Standard Form 39 in block
23 or 24. You can create as many Contacts as you need for each Customer
your Office serves.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, follow the steps to
get to Customer Maintenance. Then click the **Contact**  button in the
upper right corner of the Customer Edit page.

 On the Customer Contact pages you can:

-   Create a new Contact record for a Customer or Edit an existing
    record.

-   Edit or delete an existing Contact.

Use the **Back** button to return to the Customer page when you are
finished working with the Contact record.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"} The Customer record must already exist in
order for you to create a Contact for it.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Create or Edit a Contact

![](media/image208.jpeg){width="4.239583333333333in"
height="3.5833333333333335in"}

The Contact List page lists all Contacts for the Customer record you
have in use at the moment.

FAQ about viewing records

**Why can\'t I see the record I\'m looking for?**

The record you seek may be marked as Disabled or Deleted. Click to place
a check in either Display Disabled or Display Deleted to have these
records added to your view of the list.

**Why am I able to view deleted records?**  

If a record marked for deletion is still needed by the system because it
is linked to other records, the system retains the record but hides it
from normal view. Only records that have not been linked to other
records are actually purged from the file.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

By default, the Contact List displays only Contact records that are not
marked as Deleted or Disabled records. To include Contact records that
have been marked as Deleted or Disabled, click the appropriate checkbox
\-- **Display Deleted** or **Display Disabled** \-- at the bottom of the
screen. A check in the box means that those records have been included
in the Contact List that is displayed.

-   To create a new Contact, click **New**.

-   To edit an existing Contact, click **Edit** on its row.

![](media/image209.jpeg){width="4.21875in"
height="2.9479166666666665in"}

The Contact Edit form is pictured above. Complete the Contact Edit form,
and click **Save**.

Here are the meanings of certain fields on the form:

-   **User Name**: This is a free form field that will accept from 6 to
    10 characters. Type in the User Name you wish to assign to the
    contact if the contact will have access to the system. This field
    may be blank if the contact will not have access to the system.

-   **Use Customer Address**: If you check this box, the address
    information below will be copied from the Customer record, replacing
    any address information that may already be there. While this box is
    checked, the address fields below are disabled and can not be
    modified. If you remove the check from this box, you can modify the
    address to make it different from the address in the Customer
    record.

-   **Allow ADV Access**: A check in this box enables the contact to use
    the OPM Agency Document Viewer. (Note: Customer Contacts are not
    assigned to a Permissions Profile the way Users are. This check box
    itself has the effect of granting ADV permission.)

-   **Address fields:** All the address fields pertain to the contact
    personally, and are a part of the contact record. This makes it
    possible for you to have contacts whose addresses differ from the
    address in the Customer record. More details on format requirements.

-   **Disabled from logging in:** If this box is checked, the user is
    prevented from logging in to USA Staffing. To disable a user, click
    the box to add a checkmark to it. To enable the user, click the box
    to remove the checkmark.

-   **Reset Password:** The reset password button resets the Contact\'s
    password to the default password. After you reset a Contact
    password, you should advise the person to log in immediately, at
    which point USA Staffing will require the person to create a unique
    new password. The default password might easily be guessed, so it is
    important that the user log in promptly after the password is reset.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Delete a Contact

This function marks a record as deleted. It may or may not actually
remove the Contact record from the database permanently, depending upon
whether any other records in USA Staffing have been linked to the
Contact record. Only Contact records that have not been linked to other
USA Staffing records are actually removed entirely from USA Staffing.
Contact records that are linked to other USA Staffing records will
disappear from normal view, but you can still see them by clicking
Display Deleted on the Contact List page (see the figure at the top of
this topic).

To mark a Contact record as deleted, open the record for editing, as
described above. Then click the white **Delete** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Office Records

#### Office Maintenance

Topic Map

-   About Office Maintenance

-   Office List

-   Office Edit and Delete

    -   How is the Office Address used by USA Staffing?

##### About Office Maintenance

Each Organization that uses USA Staffing may have multiple Offices, and
each Office will have its own record that contains the Office\'s
address, phones, fax, and email information. The Office Maintenance
pages are where users whose Permissions Profiles give them access can
add, modify, or delete Office records.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} To get to this page, click the
**Administration** work area button on the top navigation bar. Then
click the white **Maintenance** button on the left menu. Then click
**Office Maintenance** on the left menu.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#####  

#####  

##### Office List

If you have appropriate permissions in more than one office, you will be
presented with a list of offices like the one below. Click on the name
of the office whose record you wish to modify.

What are the appropriate permissions?

![](media/image210.jpeg){width="2.9270833333333335in"
height="3.3020833333333335in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Office Edit and Delete

Below is a picture of the Office Edit form. Use this form to create new
office records and to modify or delete existing office records.

![](media/image211.jpeg){width="4.541666666666667in"
height="2.1770833333333335in"}

How is the Office Address used by USA Staffing?

The office address, phone, and email information you enter on this form
will be used on any output that includes or requires a return address,
such as:

-   Notices of Results sent to applicants

-   Notification Letters sent to applicants

-   benchmark reports

-   user initiated Correspondence Letters, Cancellation Letters, or
    Disposition Letters

-   automatically generated correspondence

-   assessments

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

**Address fields:** All the address fields pertain to the Office record.
More details on format requirements.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### User Records

#### User Maintenance

Topic Map

-   About User Maintenance

-   User List

    -   FAQ about viewing records

-   User Edit

    -   Creating a User account

    -   Assigning Offices and Permissions on the Permissions table

    -   Specifying an Address

        -   How is the Office Address used by USA Staffing?

        -   Tips for working with Addresses

    -   Enabling Login

    -   Changing or Resetting a Password

        -   Tips for Resetting Password

##### About User Maintenance

Information about all users of USA Staffing is contained in User
records. You can view and modify information in User records to the
extent allowed by your own Permissions Profile, including adding,
modifying, and deleting Users. This is also where the permissions of the
User are managed.

Users can make limited changes to their own records, including changing
their passwords.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to the User Maintenance page,
click the **Administration** work area button on the top bar, then the
white **Maintenance** button and **User Maintenance** on the navigation
bar on the left.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### User List

*Figure 1: The User List page.*

The User List shows all users for your Organization.

FAQ about viewing a list of records

**What order are the records in?**

By default, the User List is alphabetical by last name. To sort by some
other column, click its heading. More details.

**Why can\'t I see the record I\'m looking for?**

The record you seek may be marked as Disabled or Deleted. Click to place
a check in either Display Disabled or Display Deleted to have these
records added to your view of the list.

**Why am I able to view deleted records?**  

If a record marked for deletion is still needed by the system because it
is linked to other records, the system retains the record but hides it
from normal view. Only records that have not been linked to other
records are actually purged from the file.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   To add a User: Click the **New** button. This will take you to a
    blank User Edit page, so you can enter the information.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   To modify a User record: Click **Edit**.  This will take you to a
    User Edit page with the information ready for you to modify.

By default, the User List only shows Users who are active.

-   To include in the display Users whose accounts have been disabled,
    click **Display Disabled**.

-   To include in the display Users whose records are marked for
    deletion, click **Display Deleted**.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  You can control the layout of the User
List table. See Working With Browse Tables for details.

#####  

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#####  

#####  

##### User Edit 

On the User Edit page, provide all the information needed to establish
the User record. Details for each part of the form on this page are
below.

![](media/image212.jpeg){width="4.21875in" height="4.541666666666667in"}

How is the Office Address used by USA Staffing?

The office address, phone, and email information you enter on this form
will be used on any output that includes or requires a return address,
such as:

-   Notices of Results sent to applicants

-   Notification Letters sent to applicants

-   benchmark reports

-   user initiated Correspondence Letters, Cancellation Letters, or
    Disposition Letters

-   automatically generated correspondence

-   assessments

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

*Figure 2: The User Edit page.*

###### Creating a User Account

-   **User Name:** You must create a User Name according to the rules
    that govern user names.

-   **Title:** Enter the User\'s job title.

-   **Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial:** Enter the User\'s name.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### Assigning Offices and Permissions on the Permissions table 

This table in the middle of the page is used to:

-   Enable or disable access for the user to records owned by Offices
    within the Organization. Click to place a check in the box in the
    first column to assign the user to the office.

-   Select an Office Address to use for contacting the User, if one of
    them is the correct address. More details on how to do this are
    below.

-   Assign a Permissions Profile to the user *for each Office* to which
    he or she is assigned. To do this, click the Permissions Profile
    cell for the Office for which are assigning a Permissions Profile,
    and the cell will become a drop-down selection box from which you
    will select the appropriate Permissions Profile.

> More details about the Permissions table.
>
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### Specifying a User Address

The purpose of this section of the User Edit page is to specify which
address to use when contacting the User. You have already assigned the
user to at least one Office \-- perhaps several Offices. Now you may
either specify that the address for one of those Offices is the one to
use for contacting the User, or you may click Do Not Use Office Address,
and instead, type in a completely different address record. More details
on format requirements.

Tips for working with addresses

-   All the radio buttons for *Use Address* in the table and the one for
    *Do Not Use Office Address* form a single set of choices. That is,
    from among all these radio buttons, one and only one must be
    selected.

-   You can only choose one Office Address \-- or \-- you can choose Do
    Not Use Office Address.

-   The selection you make by clicking one of the radio buttons in the
    set will not take effect until you click the **Apply Address
    Changes** button.

-   If you select one of the Office addresses and click Apply Address
    Changes, the address will be copied into the address information
    portion of the page, and it will become read-only.

-   If you wish to modify an address that is \"read only\" on the page,
    you must select **Do Not Use Office Address**, then click **Apply
    Address Changes** to enable editing of the address.

-   Click **Save** to save your address changes.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **To use an address for one of the Offices** to whom you assigned
    the User, click **Use Address** on the row for the appropriate
    Office on the Permissions table. Then click **Apply Address
    Changes**, and the address information for that Office will appear
    in the form at the bottom of the page. This part of the page will
    also be put in read-only mode.

-   **To specify an address other than one of the Offices** to whom you
    assigned the User, click **Do Not Use Office Address**. Then click
    **Apply Address Changes**. This will put the form in edit mode. If
    Address information is already present, you can modify it; if the
    form is blank, you must provide all entries from scratch.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### Enabling Login

-   **Disabled from logging in**. If this box is checked, the user is
    prevented from logging in to USA Staffing. To disable a user, click
    the box to add a checkmark to it. To enable the user, click the box
    to remove the checkmark. The system may automatically check this box
    and disable a user if someone unsuccessfully attempts to log in with
    the User\'s name multiple times.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###### Changing or Resetting a Password

Tips for Resetting Password

-   If you are resetting a password for a user and *Disabled from
    logging* in is checked, you must also remove the check from
    *Disabled from logging in*, or the user will have to wait 30 minutes
    before logging in.

-   You can also remove the check from *Disabled from logging in*
    without resetting the password.

-   Remember to click **Save** to save the changes you make.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

By default, the User is assigned a temporary password that is the
User\'s last name, as you specified on this page, with normal
capitalization \-- such as \"Smith\" or \"Jones\". When you create a new
User record, you do not need to do anything to make this happen. When
the user logs in the first time, the user will be forced to change to a
regular password that meets the Password Rules.

**Change Password or Reset Password**. If you are viewing your own
record, the button will say Change Password. If you are viewing the
record of another user, the button will say Reset Password.

-   **Reset Password** will change the User\'s password to their last
    name, with normal capitalization (e.g., Smith \-- not SMITH or
    smith). The user should be instructed to log on immediately so that
    they can change the password to something more secure.

-   **Change Password** permits users to change their own passwords at
    any time. More details: Change Password.

    ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

###### Log User Off

Tips for Log User Off

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

At the bottom of the User Edit page is a pair of radio buttons that tell
you whether the User is currently logged in, and a button to Log User
Off. (See Figure 2 above.)

-   **Is the User Currently Logged In?** These radio buttons are read
    only. They tell you whether the system believes there is an active
    session for the user. If the radio button says Yes, the white button
    Log User Off is enabled.

-   **Log User Off:** If you click this button, you will immediately
    terminate any session the user has running.

 \
 \
 \
 \
 

#### Permissions Table

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, follow the
instructions on the User Maintenance Help topic and open a User record.
Your own permissions profile may limit or prevent your access to this
section.

The Permissions Table is where you manage a user\'s permission to access
data in one or more offices. To give a user access to an office\'s data,
click the Assign box for the office, and assign a Permissions Profile
that grants the user appropriate permissions.

Below is a picture of the Permissions Table located in the middle of the
User Edit page. All Offices that belong to your Organization will appear
on the Permissions Table. (Offices are added to the list or removed from
it by taking action on the Office Maintenance page.)

![](media/image213.jpeg){width="3.3229166666666665in"
height="0.4479166666666667in"}

-   **Assign:** Click to add or remove a check. A check indicates you
    are giving the user permission to connect to that Office to view or
    edit information in the Office\'s data set. Exactly what the user
    can do when connected to the Office depends upon the Permissions
    Profile you assign to the user for that office.

> How is the Office Address used by USA Staffing?
>
> The office address, phone, and email information you enter on this
> form will be used on any output that includes or requires a return
> address, such as:

-   Notices of Results sent to applicants

-   Notification Letters sent to applicants

-   benchmark reports

-   user initiated Correspondence Letters, Cancellation Letters, or
    Disposition Letters

-   automatically generated correspondence

-   assessments

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **Use Address:** The radio buttons in this column form a set of
    choices that includes the option \-- located below the Permissions
    Table \--  \"Do Not Use Office Address\". Only one of the radio
    buttons may be selected. The radio buttons, together with the Apply
    Address Changes button and the address fields at the bottom of the
    page, are how you specify the address USA Staffing uses for
    correspondence related to the user.

    -   To make USA Staffing use a given Office\'s Address \--
        ***exactly as it appears in the Office Record*** \-- for
        correspondence involving the User, click the radio button for
        that Office. Then click the white **Apply Address Changes**
        button. The page will refresh and the Office Address for the
        Office you indicated will appear in the bottom of the form for
        your verification, replacing the information that may have
        appeared there previously. The address information fields are
        disabled and cannot be edited as long as the Office\'s radio
        button is selected. Click **Save** to make this change
        permanent.

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   To make USA Staffing use a given Office\'s Address \-- ***as it
        appears in the Office Record, but with some differences*** \--
        for correspondence involving the User, click the radio button
        for that Office. Then click the white **Apply Address Changes**
        button. The page will refresh and the Office Address for the
        Office you indicated will appear in the bottom of the form \--
        but at this point all address fields are read-only. Then click
        to select the **Do Not Use Office Address** radio button, and
        again click the white **Apply Address Changes** button. This
        will put the address fields in the edit mode so you can modify
        them. After typing in your changes in the appropriate fields,
        click the **Save** button.

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   To make USA Staffing ***use an address that is not similar to
        one of the Offices*** on the Permissions Table, click to select
        **Do Not Use Office Address**. Then click the white **Apply
        Address Changes** button. Then type the correct address in the
        in the Address form at the bottom of the page, if necessary,
        removing any inappropriate information from a previous address.
        After typing in your changes in the appropriate fields, click
        the **Save** button.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  You must always be sure to click the
Apply Address Changes button and the Save button, or the Office Address
you selected via the radio button may not be the one stored.

-   **Profile:** This column shows the Permissions Profile assigned to
    this user for each office to which you have granted access. To
    change a profile assigned, click in the cell. This turns the cell
    into a drop-down selection box. Click a second time to display all
    the Permissions Profiles from which you may select.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  Users can not change their own profiles.
The Permissions Profiles column does not appear for users who do not
have permission to view it.

### Permissions Profiles

#### An Administrator\'s Quick Start Guide to Permissions Profiles

Topic Map

-   About this Quick Start Guide

-   Who can perform this action?

-   What are Permissions Profiles?

-   What are the Standard Permissions Profiles?

-   What should an Administrator do to get started?

##### About this Quick Start Guide

This topic is to provide Administrators with some very basic information
about *Permissions* Profiles so they can quickly get users enrolled in
USA Staffing. It is not meant to be a complete and thorough discussion
of the topic. For more in depth coverage of this subject matter, see the
topic Permissions Profiles \-- An Overview for Administrators.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Who can perform this action?

These instructions are intended for USA Staffing Administrators. Only
users with Permissions Profiles that grant Organization or Office level
permission to the Permissions Profiles page are able to perform this
task.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### What are Permissions Profiles?

Permissions Profiles are a powerful feature of USA Staffing, and the
more you know about them, the more you can use the flexibility they
offer. Detailed information about Permissions Profiles is provided in
this Help file, but to get you up and running quickly, we\'ve boiled it
down to some bare essentials for this Quick Start Guide.

When you add users to USA Staffing, you must assign them to a
Permissions Profile. The Permissions Profile you select for the users
controls what pages and records they can see and modify.

Some *Standard Permissions Profiles* are built into USA Staffing. To get
started quickly, you can simply assign each of your users to one of the
Standard Permissions Profiles. You can always come back later to add new
profiles that give you more flexibility.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### What are the Standard Permissions Profiles?

The standard permissions profiles built into USA Staffing and ready for
your immediate use are:

*Remember*: In addition to the Standard Permissions Profiles shown at
here, you can create any number of your own profiles. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **System Administrator:** This profile is restricted to USA Staffing
    program managers in OPM, and it may not appear for all users. The
    parameters are:

> Agency Document Viewer \-- No Access
>
> Applicants \-- Organization Access
>
> Assessments \-- ACWA Developer
>
> Customer \-- Office Access
>
> Office \-- Organization Access
>
> Permission Profiles \-- Organization Access
>
> Preferences \-- Organization Access
>
> Referral \-- Certificate Access
>
> Templates - Program Office Only \-- Make system Templates
>
> User \-- Organization Access
>
> Vacancy \-- Organization Access

-   **Organization Administrator:** This profile is intended for the
    primary person or persons within an *agency or organization* who
    oversee the use of USA Staffing across their entire organization.
    The permissions turned on in this profile give them unique rights to
    establish other users as Administrators at the Organization and
    Office level, to manage all options that affect the entire
    organization, and to manage templates that are available throughout
    the organization. The parameters are:

> Agency Document Viewer \-- No Access
>
> Applicants \-- Organization Access
>
> Assessments \-- Questionnaire Template Developer
>
> Customer \-- Office Access
>
> Office \-- Organization Access
>
> Permission Profiles \-- Organization Access
>
> Preferences \-- Organization Access
>
> Referral \-- Certificate Access
>
> Templates \-- Organization Access
>
> User \-- Organization Access
>
> Vacancy \-- Organization Access

-   **Office Administrator:** This profile is intended for the primary
    person or persons within an *office* who oversee the use of USA
    Staffing across their entire office. The permissions turned on in
    this profile give them rights to establish other users as
    Administrators at the Office level, to manage all options that
    affect their entire office, and to manage templates that are
    available throughout your office. The parameters are:

> Agency Document Viewer \-- No Access
>
> Applicants \-- Organization Access
>
> Assessments \-- Questionnaire Template Developer
>
> Customer \-- Office Access
>
> Office \-- Office Access
>
> Permission Profiles \-- Organization Access
>
> Preferences \-- Office Access
>
> Referral \-- Certificate Access
>
> Templates \-- Office Access
>
> User \-- Office Access
>
> Vacancy \-- Office Access

-   **Standard User:** This profile is for typical users. It gives them
    the access a fully trained user would typically need and want in
    order to perform all normal staffing functions at the full
    performance level.

> Agency Document Viewer \-- No Access
>
> Applicants \-- Organization Access
>
> Assessments \-- Questionnaire Template User
>
> Customer \-- Office Access
>
> Office \-- Office Access
>
> Permission Profiles \-- View Only Access
>
> Preferences \-- Office Access
>
> Referral \-- Certificate Access
>
> Templates \-- Office Access
>
> User \-- View Only Access
>
> Vacancy \-- Office Access

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### What should an Administrator do to get started?

-   **In a hurry?** Assign each of your users to one of the Standard
    Permissions Profiles for each Office to which you give them access.
    More details.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Want more flexibility?** Learn more about managing user access
    with a variety of Permissions Profiles. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Permissions Profiles \-- An Overview for Users

Topic Map

-   Introduction

-   What is a Permissions Profile?

-   How do Permissions Profiles matter to me?

-   How do I know what Permissions I have?

-   How are Permissions Profiles managed?

#####  

##### Introduction

This Help topic describes the *management of the permissions profiles
themselves*. If you are seeking information on *assigning a permissions
profile to a user*, see the User Maintenance topic Permissions Table.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to the Permissions Profiles page,
click the **Administration** button on the top bar, then the
**Maintenance** button and **Profiles** on the navigation bar on the
left.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### What is a Permissions Profile?

A Permissions Profile is a list of permissions that defines the limits
of access to USA Staffing\'s many features and functions. It is applied
to a class of users. USA Staffing comes with some standard permissions
profiles:

-   The **Admin** profile conveys very broad access to all parts of USA
    Staffing, including global features that affect the entire
    organization or office, and the ability to manage the permissions of
    other users.

-   The **Basic** profile is intended for most users who work in USA
    Staffing to perform routine announcement and applicant referral
    work. Users assigned to this profile can

-   The **Read Only** profile can be given to staff members who want to
    check the status of work, but are not allowed to make any changes or
    enter new data.

-   The **ADV** profile provides very limited permissions to managers
    and their assistants who will be accessing the Agency Document
    Viewer (ADV) as part of the process of considering qualified
    candidates who are referred to them.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### How do Permissions Profiles matter to me?

All users are assigned to a Permissions Profile for the office in which
they work. If you have permission to connect to another office so you
can work with its data, then you have a separate Permissions Profile
there. The Permissions Profile limits what you can do on each page in
USA Staffing. For example, you may be able to create an Assessment Plan
in your own office, but only view Assessment Plans in another office to
which you connect.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### How do I know what permissions I have?

Your USA Staffing administrator can tell you which Permissions Profile
is assigned to you for each office to which you connect. Users can not
view or edit their own Permissions Profiles.

You can see what permissions are a part of your profile, once you have
been told the profile name, by consulting the Permissions Profiles page.
To get there, click the Administration Work Area button on the top
navigation bar. Then click Maintenance and Profiles on the left
navigation bar.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### How are the Permissions Profiles managed?

Users who have Permissions Profiles that include settings for the
Permissions Profiles page that are at either the Organization or Office
level can create new profiles. They can also change existing profiles
other than the standard profiles built into USA Staffing. Normally, this
ability is restricted to the USA Staffing Administrator for an
organization or office.

If you are a USA Staffing Administrator, consult the related Help topics
in this section.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Permissions Profiles \-- An Overview for Administrators

There are still questions below that need answers to complete this
topic\...

Topic Map

-   About Permissions Profiles

-   What can an Administrator control in a Permissions Profile?

    -   Permission Levels include the levels below them.

-   What do Administrators do with Permissions Profiles?

##### About Permissions Profiles

Permissions Profiles give you the flexibility you need to be able to
give your users varying degrees of access to the features and data of
USA Staffing. There are some Standard Permissions Profiles built into
USA Staffing anticipate that in a typical situation:

-   One or a few users may be designated as **Organization
    Administrators**, who manage the use of USA Staffing and have full
    access for all functions that affect the entire organization.

-   One or a few users may be designated as **Office Administrators**,
    who manage the use of USA Staffing for an office within an
    organization. They have full access to the functions that affect the
    entire office.

-   Most users will be assigned to the **Standard User** profile, which
    gives users access to their own work and all normal user functions
    so that they can use USA Staffing to perform day to day staffing
    operations.

-   Others may be people who should have restricted access to view a
    very limited set of pages or reports.

You can create additional profiles that give your users the exact
combinations of permissions you need. Keep in mind that Permissions
Profiles are designed to manage the access rights of *whole groups* of
users. Here is what you will do as Administrator:

-   First, you will determine which profile fits your needs best for the
    users you have in mind. If the profile you want does not exist, you
    can create it.

-   Then you will assign users to the appropriate Permissions Profiles.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### What can an Administrator control in a Permissions Profile?

Each Permissions Profile allows you to set the permissions that control
access to these functions (the pages, the information they contain, and
the processes involved):

-   Agency Document Viewer (ADV)

-   Applicants \-- in the Staffing work area

-   Assessments \-- in the Staffing work area

-   Customer \-- in the Administration work area

-   Office \-- in the Administration work area

-   Permission Profiles \-- in the Administration work area

-   Preferences \-- in the Administration work area

-   Referral \-- in the Staffing work area

-   Templates \-- in the Administration work area

-   User \-- in the Administration work area

-   Vacancy \-- in the Staffing work area

For most pages on the above list, you can choose from among these common
permission levels:

Permission Levels include the levels below them.

When you set permission levels in a profile, turning on a higher level
automatically turns on the features of those lower on the list. Lower
options do not need to be individually turned on if a higher one is
turned on. For example, if Office Access is turned on, users assigned to
that Permissions Profile will automatically also have View Access for
those pages.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **Organizational Access:** Users will be able to create or modify
    information on the pages of the function for which you are setting
    the permissions. If the page is in the Administration work area, the
    user may set defaults that affect the entire *organization.* If the
    page is in the Staffing work area, the user may use the specified
    page to perform work on any record in the entire *organization* \--
    for example, any  Staffing Action (Vacancy), Assessment Plan,
    Applicant Record, or Referral \-- depending on the page for which
    the Organizational Access is turned on.

-   **Office Access:** Users will be able to create or modify
    information on the pages of the function for which you are setting
    the permissions. If the page is in the Administration work area, the
    user may set defaults that affect the entire *office*. If the page
    is in the Staffing work area, the user may use the specified page to
    perform work on any record in the entire *office* \-- for example,
    any  Staffing Action (Vacancy), Assessment Plan, Applicant Record,
    or Referral \-- depending on the page for which the Office Access is
    turned on.

-   **View Access:** Users will be able to view the pages of the
    function for which you are setting the permissions. If this is the
    only level turned on in the profile for the page for which you are
    setting the permissions, then users will not be able to create or
    modify records on the specified page. View Access is not available
    for the Vacancy (Staffing Action) and Assessment pages, but a
    similar purpose is served by the Visitor Organization and Visitor
    Office levels.

-   No Access.

-   Program Office Access?

What about Program Office Access?

> *()*

*David: Make this note a box on the right.*

In addition to the above common permission levels, two pages have
additional access level choices:

-   Vacancy (Staffing Action):

    -   **Visitor Organization Access:** The user can view Vacancy
        (Staffing Action) information from anywhere in the
        *organization*. If this is the only access level turned on for
        Vacancy (Staffing Action), the user can not create or modify
        Vacancy (Staffing Action) records.

    -   **Visitor Office Access:** The user can view Vacancy (Staffing
        Action) information from anywhere in the *office*. If this is
        the only access level turned on for Vacancy (Staffing Action),
        the user can not create or modify Vacancy (Staffing Action)
        records.

-   Assessment:

    -   Assessment Developer Access: The user can develop and modify
        Assessments.

    -   Assessment User Access: The user can use Assessments created by
        others but can not make changes or create new Assessments.

Are the two above items talking about Assessment Plans, or individual
Assessments?

-   Questionnaire Developer Access: The user can develop and modify
    questionnaires.

-   Questionnaire User Access: The user can use questionnaires created
    by others but can not make changes or create new ones.

-   ***ACWA* Developer Access:** This level is for select OPM users in
    the program office only. Users can create and modify Assessments
    that are designated as ACWA assessments.

The above do not quite match what currently appears on the screen. Are
they correct as worded above?

 Not addressed, for instance, is \"Template User\" \-- maybe we plan to
drop that term???  The ones I see on the screen now are ACWA, Template
Developer, Developer, Template User, User, Modify, View \-- so what are
we really going to do here?  I also see in the Admin profile, for FTVA,
a level called \"Global\" that is not mentioned.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### What do Administrators do with Permissions Profiles?

If you are an Administrator, in addition to the Standard Permissions
Profiles that come with USA Staffing, you can create an unlimited number
of other profiles to meet the needs of your organization. You can not
change the Standard Permissions Profiles, but you can copy them to new
profiles and then modify the copies you create. Or you can create new
profiles from scratch.

For instance, you could create an Expert Users profile and a Novice
Users profile so that some users have more access than others who are
still learning their way around.

As Administrator, you will have these responsibilities:

1.  Determine which Permissions Profile is appropriate for each of your
    users \-- whether it is one of the Standard Permissions Profiles or
    one you create.

2.  If the profiles do not already exist \-- either the standard ones
    provided with USA Staffing or ones your organization created \--
    create them.

3.  Assign each of your users to one of the profiles for each office to
    which you wish to allow them to access. This task is performed on
    the Permissions Table in User Maintenance.

4.  Notify your users what Permissions Profile(s) you have assigned to
    them. They need to know the Permissions Profile for each office to
    which they can connect.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  Keep in mind that the profiles are for
*whole classes of users*. Resist the temptation to create a separate
profile for each user, because that will create a lot more work in the
long run, and may be time consuming to manage.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Creating, Editing, and Assigning Permissions Profiles

Topic Map

-   About Creating, Editing, and Assigning Permissions Profiles

-   Who can work with Permissions Profiles?

-   Profile List

-   Permissions Profile facts

-   View a Permissions Profile

-   Creating or Editing a Permissions Profile

-   Assigning Users to Permissions Profiles

##### About Creating, Editing, and Assigning Permissions Profiles

This topic provides instructions for managing Permissions Profiles. For
a fuller understanding of the purpose and use of Permissions Profiles,
you will want to read all of the related topics.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Who can work with Permissions Profiles ?

These instructions are intended for USA Staffing Administrators. Only
users with Permissions Profiles that grant Organization or Office level
permission to the Permissions Profiles page are able to perform the
actions described in this topic.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Profile List

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page: Click the
**Administration** work area button on the top bar of USA Staffing.
Click the white **Maintenance** button, and then **Permissions
Profiles** on the left menu.

The Profile List will display all existing Permissions Profiles by name
and type. The Profile Type tells you whether it is a profile that was
created by your own Organization or is a standard USA Staffing profile.
Standard profiles can not be modified, but those owned by you or your
organization can.

![](media/image214.jpeg){width="4.208333333333333in"
height="3.6145833333333335in"}

From the Profile List you can:

-   **View** a Permissions Profile. To view a Permissions Profile, click
    the **+** in the first column of the table.

-   **Edit** a Permissions Profile. Click **Edit** to begin.

-   **Create** a Permissions Profile. Click the **New** button to begin.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### View a Permissions Profile

![](media/image215.jpeg){width="4.260416666666667in"
height="3.6354166666666665in"}

In the above picture, the Assessments row of the table has been expanded
to show all the choices of Access Levels that can be assigned, along
with a description of each. These Access Levels are in a hierarchical
order, with the broadest access being at the top of the group, and the
most restrictive choice at the bottom of the group.

You may select only one Access Level for each functional area like
Assessments.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

**Permissions Profile facts**

-   Whichever Access Level you select, all Access Levels below that one
    in the same activity area are automatically included. In the example
    pictured, \"Program Office Access Only\" is selected, and therefore,
    all levels below it \-- such as *Questionnaire Templates \--
    Developer* and *Assessment Components \-- User* are included.

-   One exception to this rule is in the Agency Document Viewer activity
    area, where your only choices are to turn Agency Document Viewer
    access on or off.

-   Agency Document Viewer access is intended to be turned on only for
    Customer Contacts who will view referral list information online. If
    it is turned on, all other permissions are turned off, no matter
    what Access Level settings appear in the remainder of the Profile.
    Therefore, ***regular Users of USA Staffing who must create and work
    with VINs (staffing actions), job announcements and applicant
    records, should not be assigned to any Permissions Profile that has
    Agency Document Viewer turned on or they may be unable to use the
    system properly. Set the ADV permission level to No Access.***

-   You can not edit the Standard Permissions Profiles built into USA
    Staffing \-- i.e., those that are System type profiles \-- but you
    can Copy them to new profiles using the Copy button, and then modify
    the copies.

##### Creating or Editing a Permissions Profile

A Profile Edit page like the one shown above for \"Viewing\" appears.
Follow these steps to complete the creation of your new profile or
editing of an existing one.

1.  **Profile**: Name the profile with a unique profile name.

2.  **Profile Type**: Select Organization unless you have System level
    access as a program office administrator in OPM.

    -   *Organization Profile* types are available to be assigned to any
        User or Customer Contact in your Organization.

    -   *System Profiles* are public, and are available for use by all
        users of USA Staffing without limits.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
3.  One at a time, click on the **+** for a row on the table for each
    activity area. Click the radio button that pertains the highest
    Access Level you wish to grant to every user who will eventually be
    assigned to the profile. (See the Permissions Profile facts box on
    this page for other considerations when making your selections.

4.  Click **Save**. Your new profile is ready to be assigned to Users.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Assigning Users to Permissions Profiles

All standard users and administrators in the system must have a
permission profile assigned to their records under User Maintenance in
the Administration work area. More details. Permissions Profiles are
*not* assigned to Customer Contacts who are granted ADV Access; that is
handled entirely on the Customer Contact page by checking the box for
Allow ADV Access.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Workgroup Maintenance

#### Workgroups

Topic Map

-   About Workgroups

-   Workgroup List

-   Adding a Workgroup

-   Modifying a Workgroup

-   Deleting a Workgroup

##### About Workgroups

Instead of assigning all work in USA Staffing to individuals, you can
assign work to workgroups made up of as many people as you like. This
Workgroups page in USA Staffing is where you will assign individual
people to one \-- and only one \-- workgroups.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, click the
**Administration** button on the top bar, then the **Maintenance**
button and **Workgroups** on the navigation bar on the left.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Workgroup List

![](media/image216.jpeg){width="4.197916666666667in" height="1.71875in"}

The Workgroup List shows your existing workgroups. Note: *A person can
only belong to one workgroup. If a person is already assigned to a
workgroup and you make them part of a another workgroup, the first
workgroup assignment is terminated*.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Adding  a Workgroup

Follow these steps:

1.  Click **New.**  A new row is added to the Workgroup List, with the
    text .

2.  Click on the new row where it says *Must Enter Workgroup Name,*
    replace those words with the name you are calling the workgroup. The
    form will expand to show you a list of all potential workgroup
    members, as shown in the picture below.

3.  Click to place a check mark in the Member box to add the named
    individual to the workgroup.

4.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image217.jpeg){width="4.208333333333333in" height="3.5625in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Modifying a Workgroup

Follow these steps:

1.  Click the name of the workgroup you wish to modify.

2.  Click to place a check mark in the Member box to add the named
    individual to the workgroup, or click a check mark to remove it and
    remove the person from the workgroup.

3.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Deleting a Workgroup

Follow these steps:

1.  Click the name of the workgroup you wish to delete.

2.  Click the **Delete** button. Answer \"yes\" to confirm the delete
    action.

3.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Assessment Inventory

#### Assessment Inventory

Topic Map

-   

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in" height="0.3854166666666667in"}  D

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Locations

### Locations By Office (in Administration)

Topic Map

-   About Locations By Office

-   Who can perform these actions?

-   Creating New Locations

-   Modifying Location records

-   Deleting Location records

#### About Locations By Office

When users are creating Job Announcements in the Staffing work area,
they select appropriate locations to appear in the Job Announcement. The
locations they select may come from one of two sources:

-   the Nationwide Geographic Locations List built into USA Staffing and
    used by USAJOBS

-   the Office\'s own Location List, which is managed on the pages
    called *Locations By Office* and *Locations By Customer*.

Each location added to your Office\'s list must be \"mapped\" to a code
on the USAJOBS Nationwide Geographic Locations List so that USAJOBS can
perform searches properly when requested to do so by job applicants.
Take care when creating new locations that the \"City\" name is a clear
description of the location and that you link it to the proper
Nationwide location code.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, click the
**Administration** work area button on the top bar, then the
**Locations** button and **By Office** on the menu on the left.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Who can perform these actions?

The ability to add, modify or delete location records is limited to
users who have Permissions Profiles with these capabilities enabled.
Typically, this work is done by administrators.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Creating New Locations

![](media/image218.jpeg){width="4.363194444444445in"
height="3.5520833333333335in"}

To create a new location, follow these steps:

1.  Click the **New** button.

2.  Position the mouse cursor arrow on the new blank row that appears on
    the table and click in the cell under the Code heading. Type in the
    location code. The code you type must be numeric, with a minimum of
    3 digits and a maximum of 9 digits.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
3.  Click in the cell for city, and type the city name. The name you
    type for City is the name that will appear in your Job Announcements
    when this code is included.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
4.  Use the dropdown selection box in the lower left corner of the page
    to select the proper entry for the State cell. This will cause the
    name of the state to appear in the proper column on the table for
    the record you are creating. It will also cause the proper locations
    to appear in the Nationwide Geographic Locations dropdown selection
    box.

5.  Click to select from the Nationwide Geographic Locations dropdown
    selection box the location that USAJOBS should use when searching
    for positions that use your new location code. The numeric code for
    your selection will appear in the Nationwide column on the table.

6.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Modifying Location records

-   To modify a location record\'s Code or City, click in its cell on
    the table and type in you new entry.

-   To change the State or Nationwide Geographic Location:

    1.  Select a new State from the State dropdown box.

    2.  Make an appropriate selection from the Nationwide Geographic
        Location dropdown box.

-   Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Deleting Location records

To delete a location from your table,

1.  Click anywhere on the row of the record you wish to delete.

2.  Click **Delete**.

3.  Click **OK** when you are asked to confirm the Delete action.

4.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Locations By Customer (in Administration)

Topic Map

-   About Locations By Customer

-   Who can perform these actions?

-   Creating New Locations

-   Modifying Location records

-   Deleting Location records

#### About Locations By Customer

When users are creating Job Announcements in the Staffing work area,
they select appropriate locations to appear in the Job Announcement. The
locations they select may come from one of two sources:

-   the Nationwide Geographic Locations List built into USA Staffing and
    used by USAJOBS

-   the Office\'s own Location List, which is managed on the pages
    called *Locations By Office* and *Locations By Customer*.

Each location added to your Office\'s list must be \"mapped\" to a code
on the USAJOBS Nationwide Geographic Locations List so that USAJOBS can
perform searches properly when requested to do so by job applicants.
Take care when creating new locations that the \"City\" name is a clear
description of the location and that you link it to the proper
Nationwide location code.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, click the
**Administration** work area button on the top bar, then the
**Locations** button and **By Customer** on the menu on the left.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Who can perform these actions?

The ability to add, modify or delete location records is limited to
users who have Permissions Profiles with these capabilities enabled.
Typically, this work is done by administrators.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Creating New Locations

![](media/image219.jpeg){width="4.333333333333333in"
height="3.5833333333333335in"}

To create a new location, follow these steps:

1.  Click Find Customer. This will take you to the Customer Search form,
    which acts like the Advanced Search form you may have encountered in
    other parts of USA Staffing.

![](media/image220.jpeg){width="4.229166666666667in" height="1.5in"}

-   Enter any information about the Customer that you may know.

-   Any fields you leave blank are not used in the search.

-   Click **Go** to execute the search.

-   To include records that partially match the information you provide,
    click to put a check in the **Partial Search** box. For example, to
    include all records in that have \"dep\" anywhere in the Customer
    Name, type dep in the Customer Name box, click to place a check in
    **Partial Search**, and click **Go**.

-   When you see the Customer record you were looking on the search
    results table, click Open to select it. This will close the Search
    page and return you to the Location Admin page, and it will place
    the name of your Customer at the top of that page.

2.  Click the **New** button.

3.  Position the mouse cursor arrow on the new blank row that appears on
    the table and click in the cell under the Code heading. Type in the
    location code. The code you type must be numeric, with a minimum of
    3 digits and a maximum of 9 digits.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
4.  Click in the cell for city, and type the city name. The name you
    type for City is the name that will appear in your Job Announcements
    when this code is included.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
5.  Use the dropdown selection box in the lower left corner of the page
    to select the proper entry for the State cell. This will cause the
    name of the state to appear in the proper column on the table for
    the record you are creating. It will also cause the proper locations
    to appear in the Nationwide Geographic Locations dropdown selection
    box.

6.  Click to select from the Nationwide Geographic Locations dropdown
    selection box the location that USAJOBS should use when searching
    for positions that use your new location code. The numeric code for
    your selection will appear in the Nationwide column on the table.

7.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Modifying Location records

-   To modify a location record\'s Code or City, click in its cell on
    the table and type in you new entry.

-   To change the State or Nationwide Geographic Location:

    1.  Select a new State from the State dropdown box.

    2.  Make an appropriate selection from the Nationwide Geographic
        Location dropdown box.

-   Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Deleting Location records

To delete a location from your table,

1.  Click anywhere on the row of the record you wish to delete.

2.  Click **Delete**.

3.  Click **OK** when you are asked to confirm the Delete action.

4.  Click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Location Codes

Topic Map

-   State codes

-   Overseas location codes

These are the location codes used for Customer and User records.

#### State codes

  -------------------------------------------------- --------------------
  ***State***                                        ***Code***

  Alabama                                            AL

  Alaska                                             AK

  Arizona                                            AZ

  Arkansas                                           AR

  California                                         CA

  Colorado                                           CO

  Connecticut                                        CT

  Delaware                                           DE

  District Of Columbia                               DC

  Florida                                            FL

  Georgia                                            GA

  Guam                                               GU

  Hawaii                                             HI

  Idaho                                              ID

  Illinois                                           IL

  Indiana                                            IN

  Iowa                                               IA

  Kansas                                             KS

  Kentucky                                           KY

  Louisiana                                          LA

  Maine                                              ME

  Maryland                                           MD

  Massachusetts                                      MA

  Michigan                                           MI

  Minnesota                                          MN

  Mississippi                                        MS

  Missouri                                           MO

  Montana                                            MT

  Nebraska                                           NE

  Nevada                                             NV

  New Hampshire                                      NH

  New Jersey                                         NJ

  New Mexico                                         NM

  New York                                           NY

  North Carolina                                     NC

  North Dakota                                       ND

  Ohio                                               OH

  Oklahoma                                           OK

  Oregon                                             OR

  Pennsylvania                                       PA

  Puerto Rico                                        PR

  Rhode Island                                       RI

  South Carolina                                     SC

  South Dakota                                       SD

  Tennessee                                          TN

  Texas                                              TX

  Utah                                               UT

  Vermont                                            VT

  Virgin Islands                                     VI

  Virginia                                           VA

  Washington                                         WA

  West Virginia                                      WV

  Wisconsin                                          WI

  Wyoming                                            WY
  -------------------------------------------------- --------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Overseas location codes

  -------------------------------------------------- --------------------
  ***Location***                                     ***Code***

  American Samoa                                     AS

  Armed Forces America                               AA

  Armed Forces Europe                                AE

  Armed Forces Pacific                               AP

  Fed State Micronesia                               FM

  Marshall Island                                    MH

  North Mariana Island                               MP

  Palau Island                                       PW
  -------------------------------------------------- --------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Preferences

### Preferences Overview

Topic Map

-   What do Preferences do?

-   Who can change Preferences?

-   Working with Preferences

-   Category

-   Preference Level

-   Descriptions of Configurable Items

#### What do Preferences do?

Many processes in USA Staffing have default behaviors or texts. These
can be controlled for individual Staffing Actions (Vacancies),
Certificates, or Applicants in pages located in the *Staffing Work
Area*. If no selections are made in the Staffing Work Area for the
affected system behaviors or texts for individual situations, the global
settings in the *Administration Work Area* serve as defaults for your
Office or Organization. This feature makes it possible for USA Staffing
Administrators or other users with the appropriate Permissions Profiles
\-- those with Organization or Office permission level access \-- to
control the global default settings, and gives individual users the
flexibility to override them for specific situations.

You can use the links on the table below to immediately jump to a
particular topic in Chapter 4 \-- Administration Work Area, or its
related topic in Chapter 2 \-- Staffing Work Area.

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Global Default settings in the    | Related pages for individual      |
| Administration Work Area          | situations in the Staffing Work   |
|                                   | Area                              |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Configurations                    |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Default Text                      |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Applicant Flags                   | Applicant Flags                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Notice of Results (NOR) Messages  | Notice of Results (NOR) Messages  |
| (in Administration)               | (in Staffing \-- Applicants)      |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Screening Elements (in            | Screening Elements (in Vacancy)   |
| Administration)                   |                                   |
|                                   | and                               |
|                                   |                                   |
|                                   | Screening Element Results for the |
|                                   | Applicant                         |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### Who can change the Preferences?

Only users with Organization or Office permission level in their
*Permissions* Profiles can make changes on the Preferences pages.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### Working with Preferences

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} To get to the Preference pages to
control global defaults, click the **Administration** Work Area button
on the top navigation bar. Then click the white **Preferences** button
on the left menu to reveal the pages you can go to.

Below is a picture of the Preferences menu showing the choice of pages:

![](media/image221.jpeg){width="1.375in" height="2.8854166666666665in"}

On each Preference page, you can alter the settings by manipulating a
combination of drop-down boxes and fields, such as:

-   Category

-   Preference Level

-   Description of Configurable Items

Here is a picture of the Configurations Preferences page where you can
see examples of the fields mentioned above:

![](media/image222.jpeg){width="5.833333333333333in" height="2.65625in"}

When you click to select a Preference option, such as Category or
Preference Level, the other fields, such as Description of Configurable
Items and Value, will change to show the options available for the
configurable items you have selected.

Below is a discussion of some fields that appear on more than one page,
but may not appear on all pages.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

##### Category 

![](media/image223.jpeg){width="3.125in" height="1.40625in"}When there
is a Category drop-down box, use it to indicate the pages or process
types to which you want your settings changes to apply. Available
categories are:

-   Applicants

-   Correspondence

-   Rating

-   Referral

-   Reports

When you select a Category, a description of each of the configurable
preference items for that category will appear on other parts of the
page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

##### Preference Level 

![](media/image224.jpeg){width="3.09375in"
height="1.3958333333333333in"}The Preference Level you select will
control how the Preference changes you make are applied by USA Staffing.
There are five Preference Level choices. Below are their descriptions
and information about how to use them.

-   **Organization.**  When this Preference Level is selected, the name
    of the Organization will appear to the right \-- Office of Personnel
    Management in the above picture \-- but your organization name will
    appear in its place. The Preferences you change will apply to the
    organization shown.

-   **Office.** When Office is the Preference Level you select, the name
    of the Office for which you will be making the modifications is
    shown to the right, in the spot where Office of Personnel Management
    appears in the above picture.  The Preferences you change will apply
    to the office shown.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Customer.** The Preferences you change will apply to the Customer
    you selected, as shown to the right of the Preference Level
    selection box.

-   **Vacancy.** The Preferences you change will apply to the Vacancy
    (Staffing Action) you selected, as shown to the right of the
    Preference Level selection box.

-   **Certificate.** The Preferences you change will apply to the
    Vacancy (Staffing Action) you selected, as shown to the right of the
    Preference Level selection box.

![](media/image225.jpeg){width="3.1041666666666665in"
height="1.375in"}When your Preference Level choice is Customer, Vacancy,
or Certificate, you will be prompted to search for and select the
appropriate *Customer*, *Vacancy* (*Staffing Action*), or *Certificate*,
using the Advanced Search page. Once you select the Customer, Vacancy
(Staffing Action), or Certificate, the search page will close and your
selection will appear to the right of the Preference Level field,
together with a white Select button. If you wish to change your
selection for the Preference Level for which you are setting
preferences, click the white **Select** button (not shown), and repeat
the selection process on the Advanced Search page that appears.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

##### Descriptions of Configurable Items 

![](media/image226.jpeg){width="3.1354166666666665in"
height="1.5625in"}Each Preference page has a table showing the
Description of Configurable Items you can manage from there.

The number of configurable items you see on the table will vary
according to the choices you made when you selected Category and
Preference Level.

So, if you were to have selected the Preference Level of Organization or
Office, the table would show the full list of all the configurable
items. On the other hand, if the Preference level you chose was
Customer, Vacancy or Certificate, the table would show you only the
configurable items that you could set for these levels.

For example, Veterans Preference adjudication can only be configured at
the Organization or Office level, not at the  Customer, Vacancy or
Certificate levels.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

### Configurations

Topic Map

-   The Configurations Page

-   Configurations by Category

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Applicants

-   Correspondence

-   Rating

-   Referral

-   Reports

-   How to set Configurations

#### The Configurations Page

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page in USA Staffing,
click the **Administration** work area button on the top navigation bar.
Then click the white **Preferences** button on the left menu bar. Click
**Configurations** on the left menu.  Note: If you will be setting
preferences for a certain Office, make sure that Office name appears in
the Office Connection dropdown box on the top navigation bar before you
click Configurations on the left menu. If you change your Office
Connection while you are on a Preferences page, the screen will refresh,
and you will have to start the process over.

![](media/image227.jpeg){width="5.729166666666667in"
height="2.2708333333333335in"}

The above picture shows the Configurations page. The fields shown in the
picture have these meanings:

-   **Category:** Choose the category of the process for which you wish
    to modify the configuration. The choices are:

    -   Applicants

    -   Correspondence

    -   Rating

    -   Referral

    -   Reports

-   **Preference Level:** Choose the level at which you want your
    modified configurations to have an impact. More details.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Description:** This table gives you all of the configurable items
    for the Category you selected. The black arrow in the first column
    of the table identifies the row for the item you have currently
    selected.  

-   **Value:** The Value field always changes when you select a
    different row on the table of configurable items (Description) so
    that it reflects the type of response appropriate for item selected
    on the table.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  Note: Click the **Save** button
immediately after changing a Value. If you change Category, Preference
Level, Customer , Office Connection, or move to a different row on the
table of configurable items (Description), the page will be refreshed,
and any changes to Value that have not been saved will be lost.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### Configurations by Category

The sections below provide details on the configuration choices you can
make in each Category and how they affect system processes.

##### Applicants 

In the Applicants category, the configurations apply to all Vacancies
(Staffing Actions) for the Organization, Office or Customer indicated by
the Preference Level.

+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| Description of        | Values Accepted       | Results              |
| Configurable Item     |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| At which level do you | 1.  Applicant         | 1.  Applies initial  |
| wish to apply         |     Organization      |     veterans\'       |
| **Veterans            |                       |     adjudication to  |
| Preference**          | ```{=html}            |     all subsequent   |
| adjudication?         | <!-- -->              |     vacancies across |
|                       | ```                   |     the              |
|                       | 2.  Applicant Vacancy |     Organization.    |
|                       |                       |                      |
|                       |                       | 2.  Requires         |
|                       |                       |     veterans\'       |
|                       |                       |     preference       |
|                       |                       |     adjudication for |
|                       |                       |     each vacancy.    |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| Enter the maximum     | Unlimited             | This Value sets the  |
| **number of           |                       | limit on the number  |
| geographic            |  \-- OR \--           | of locations for     |
| locations** allowed   |                       | which an applicant   |
| per application.      | 1-20                  | may apply on a given |
|                       |                       | application.         |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

##### Correspondence

In the Correspondence category, the configurations apply to all
correspondence letters generated by USA Staffing for the Organization,
Office or Customer indicated by the Preference Level.

  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------
  Description of          Values Accepted         Results
  Configurable Item                               

  Enter the number of     The number of days      Produces a first
  days after receipt of   elapsed before letter   applicant notice
  application to generate is produced.            requesting applicants
  the first notice to                             to complete the
  submit missing                                  application process by
  application materials.                          submitting the required
                                                  documents, e.g. résumé,
                                                  transcripts, vet
                                                  preference (DD-214),
                                                  etc.

  Enter the number of     The number of total     Produces a second
  days after receipt of   days elapsed since      applicant notice
  application to generate receipt of application  requesting applicants
  the second notice to    before the second       to complete the
  submit missing          letter is produced.     application process by
  application materials.                          submitting the required
                                                  documents, e.g. résumé,
                                                  transcripts, vet
                                                  preference (DD-214),
                                                  etc.

  Enter the number of     The number of total     Produces a third and
  days after receipt of   days elapsed since      final applicant notice
  application to generate receipt of application  requesting applicants
  the final notice to     before the last letter  to complete the
  submit missing          is produced.            application process by
  application materials.                          submitting the required
                                                  documents, e.g. résumé,
                                                  transcripts, vet
                                                  preference (DD-214),
                                                  etc.
  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#####  

##### Rating 

In the Rating category, the configurations apply to all Vacancies
(Staffing Actions) for the Organization, Office or Customer indicated by
the Preference Level.

+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| Description of        | Values Accepted       | Results              |
| Configurable Item     |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| In what order should  | -   IK, IJ, IA        | When the screening   |
| USA Staffing apply    |                       | process includes a   |
| screenouts when a     | -   IK, IA, IJ        | minimum age, a       |
| test is involved?     |                       | maximum age, and a   |
|  (IJ = Failed Minimum | -   IJ, IA, IK        | test, this           |
| Age, IK = Failed      |                       | configuration        |
| Maximum Age, IA       | -   IA, IK, IJ        | determines which one |
| =Failed Written Test) |                       | code will show up on |
|                       | -   IA, IJ, IK        | a Notice of Results  |
|                       |                       | (NOR) for an         |
|                       | -   IJ, IK, IA        | ineligible           |
|                       |                       | applicant.           |
|                       |                       |                      |
|                       |                       | Practical            |
|                       |                       | applications for     |
|                       |                       | this feature include |
|                       |                       | scenarios like       |
|                       |                       | these:               |
|                       |                       |                      |
|                       |                       | 1.  If an applicant  |
|                       |                       |     is found to be   |
|                       |                       |     under the        |
|                       |                       |     minimum age and  |
|                       |                       |     also fails the   |
|                       |                       |     test, IA would   |
|                       |                       |     be the preferred |
|                       |                       |     NOR code because |
|                       |                       |     although the     |
|                       |                       |     applicant may    |
|                       |                       |     eventually reach |
|                       |                       |     the qualifying   |
|                       |                       |     minimum age, he  |
|                       |                       |     can not qualify  |
|                       |                       |     until he passes  |
|                       |                       |     the test.        |
|                       |                       |                      |
|                       |                       | 2.  If an applicant  |
|                       |                       |     is over the      |
|                       |                       |     maximum age, and |
|                       |                       |     fails the test,  |
|                       |                       |     IK is the        |
|                       |                       |     preferred NOR    |
|                       |                       |     code because,    |
|                       |                       |     although she may |
|                       |                       |     wish to re-take  |
|                       |                       |     the test, she    |
|                       |                       |     will never be    |
|                       |                       |     eligible because |
|                       |                       |     she is already   |
|                       |                       |     over the age     |
|                       |                       |     limit.           |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

##### Referral

In the Referral category, the configurations apply to all Vacancies
(Staffing Actions) for the Organization, Office or Customer indicated by
the Preference Level.

  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------
  Description of          Values Accepted         Results
  Configurable Item                               

  Enter the standard      1 - 30 Days             Controls the number of
  default time for                                days before a
  auditing certificates.                          certificate is due for
                                                  audit.

  Enter the default time  1-12 Months             Controls the number of
  standard for returning                          months that a
  certificates.                                   certificate must be
                                                  returned from the
                                                  hiring official.

  Enter the number of     Numeric Value           Controls the number of
  days after a Request is representing the \# of  days before a
  received that           days                    certificate is
  Certificates should be                          considered delinquent
  issued.                                         for reporting purposes.
  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

##### Reports

In the Reports category, the configurations apply to all Vacancies
(Staffing Actions) for the Organization, Office or Customer indicated by
the Preference Level.

+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| Description of        | Values Accepted       | Results              |
| Configurable Item     |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
|                       |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| At which level should | -   Organization      | Controls the Dual    |
| the Dual              |                       | Certification Report |
| Certification Report  | -   Vacancy           | content by           |
| be produced?          |                       | displaying the       |
|                       |                       | applicant            |
|                       |                       | certification        |
|                       |                       | activity at either   |
|                       |                       | the organizational   |
|                       |                       | level or at the      |
|                       |                       | vacancy level.       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| Indicate which rating | -   None              | Controls the display |
| or score to display   |                       | of applicant         |
| on applicant          | -   Raw Score         | rating(s) on         |
| Notification Letters. |                       | Notification         |
|                       | -   Minimum           | Letters.             |
|                       |     Qualifications    |                      |
|                       |     Rating            |                      |
|                       |                       |                      |
|                       | -   Augmented Rating  |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| Display applicant     | -   Yes               | Controls the display |
| address and phone     |                       | of applicant address |
| number on Ranking     | -   No                | and phone number on  |
| List?                 |                       | Ranking Lists. The   |
|                       |                       | certificate          |
|                       |                       | selection criterion  |
|                       |                       | determines the       |
|                       |                       | address displayed.   |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| Tag name request on   | -   Yes               | Controls the display |
| Certificates?         |                       | of \"Name Request\"  |
|                       | -   No                | title on the         |
|                       |                       | certificate under    |
|                       |                       | the name of the      |
|                       |                       | requested applicant. |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| Display name of       | -   Yes               | Permits the name of  |
| selected candidate(s) |                       | a selected           |
| on disposition        | -   No                | applicant(s) to      |
| Letters?              |                       | display on           |
|                       |                       | Disposition Letters  |
|                       |                       | sent to non-selected |
|                       |                       | applicants.          |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
| Which envelope to be  | -   OPM CON 158-89-6  | Controls the layout  |
| used for applicant    |                       | of your mailed       |
| correspondence? (This | -   WE 14075          | letters. See         |
| affects page layout.  |                       | Envelopes for a      |
| See Help.)            |                       | description of the   |
|                       |                       | two envelope choices |
|                       |                       | and how to obtain    |
|                       |                       | the envelopes.       |
|                       |                       |                      |
|                       |                       |                      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### How to set Configurations

To set the Preferences on the Configurations page, follow these steps:

1.  **Select a Category.** To do this, click the Category dropdown box
    and click on a category. More details.

2.  **Select a Preference Level.** To do this, click on the Preference
    Level dropdown box and click on a level. If you select Customer,
    Vacancy , or *Certificate*, specify which on you mean by using the
    Advanced Search page that appears.

3.  **Select the Configurable Item Descriptions** by clicking on its row
    on the table.

4.  **Enter or select your desired Value.**

Remember, only certain users are allowed to make changes to information
on any of the Preference pages in the Administration work area.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

### Default Text

Topic Map

-   About Default Texts

-   Modifying Default Texts

    -   What will be affected by changes you make

#### About Default Texts

The USA Staffing Program Office has provided default texts for all types
of text documents the system generate. The defaults can be modified by
users with the appropriate Permissions Profiles, as required by your
office or organization. Many of the texts covered are described in
detail in the topic Correspondence Types.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} To get to the Default Texts page, click
the **Administration** Work Area button on the top navigation bar. Then
click the white **Preferences** button on the left menu. Then click the
**Default Text** menu item on the left, below the white Preferences
button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

#### Modifying Default Texts

What will be affected by changes you make

For any component that existed at the time of the changes, the
preference text has to be changed for that component at its appropriate
level.

-   Changes that you make at **Organization** level are applicable to
    this level only and will be the initial text for any *new* lower
    level component (office, customer, vacancy, and certificate) for the
    organization created *after* the changes have been made.

-   Changes that you make at **Office** level are applicable to this
    level only and will be the initial text for any *new* lower level
    component (customer, vacancy, and certificate) for the office
    created *after* the changes have been made.

-   Changes that you make at **Customer** level are applicable to this
    level only and will be the initial text for any *new* lower level
    component (vacancy and certificate) for the customer  created
    *after* the changes have been made.

-   Changes that you make at **Vacancy** level are applicable to this
    level only and will be the initial text for any *new* lower level
    component (certificate) for the vacancy created *after* the changes
    have been made.

-   Changes that you make at **Certificate** level are applicable to
    this level only for the Certificates/Referral Lists created *after*
    the changes have been made.

**Example:**

If you make a change at the Organization level, you need to ask
yourself: Do you want this updated text to appear for all offices,
customers, and vacancies? If so, the new text at Organization level
needs to be changed at Office level for all your existing offices, at
Customer level for all existing customers, at Vacancy level for all
existing vacancies.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

To change a Default Text, follow these steps:

1.  Select the Preference Level from the drop down box to reflect the
    level to which you want your settings to be applied.

2.  Select the type of text document that you want to affect from the
    Category drop down list. The choices of text documents include:

    -   Acknowledgement Email

    -   Availability Letters

    -   Cancellation Letters

    -   Certificate of Eligibles

    -   Correspondence Text

    -   Disposition Letters

    -   Notification Letter \-- Competitive

    -   Notification Letter \-- Merit Promotion

    -   Notice of Results (NOR)

    -   Online Application \-- You can customize the message on the
        Thank You page at the end of the Online Application.

    -   Overdue Notices

    -   Rating

 ![](media/image228.jpeg){width="5.739583333333333in"
height="3.65625in"}

3.  From the table that shows the Description of Configurable Items,
    select the item you wish to change. The current default text for
    your selection appears in the text box below the table, on the
    bottom half of the page.

![](media/image229.jpeg){width="5.552083333333333in"
height="3.9583333333333335in"}

4.  Enter your desired text in the text box at the bottom of the page.

5.  Click **Save**.

Repeat the above steps for each type of Default Text you wish to modify.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to Top of Page.

### Applicant Flags (in Administration \-- Preferences)

Topic Map

-   What are Applicant Flags?

-   How are Applicant Flags set?

-   Setting Up Automated Applicant Flags in Preferences

    -   Create

    -   Modify

    -   Delete

#### What are Applicant Flags?

Applicant Flags are ways of marking individual applicant records to
distinguish them from others. Applicant Flags can highlight either a
desired or undesirable attribute. Applicant Flags are commonly used, for
example, to indicate an applicant is an Outstanding Scholar or is in a
Pending Completion of Education status.

If a Flag has been set for a given applicant, it will appear in the
following places:

-   In the applicant record

-   On the referral list or *certificate*, together with text that
    describes and explains the meaning of the Flag

-   On the Rating Summary Report

 ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### How are Applicant Flags set?

Applicant Flags can be set in two ways:

-   A user can ***manually*** turn on a flag for an applicant. More
    details.

-   USA Staffing can ***automatically*** turn on a flag on the basis of
    responses the applicant gives to a questionnaire. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Setting Up Automated Applicant Flags in Preferences

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, follow the
instructions in Preferences Overview. Then click the **Applicant Flags**
menu item on the left, below the white Preferences button.

The Applicant Flags are displayed in a tree view format. You can expand
the tree by clicking on a plus sign. Applicant Flags are available at
three different levels (see picture below).

-   The **System** level flags are created and managed by the USA
    Staffing Program Office and are available to all users. They can not
    be modified by users.

-   The **Organization** and **Office** level flags can be created and
    modified by users with the appropriate Permissions Profiles.

![](media/image230.jpeg){width="5.770833333333333in"
height="2.1041666666666665in"}

Below is a picture that illustrates the expanded view of the System
level flags. To collapse the view again, click on  the minus sign.

![](media/image231.jpeg){width="5.768055555555556in"
height="2.2395833333333335in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### To create a flag, follow these steps:

1.  Select the **New** button at the top the page. A new blank row will
    appear under the Name and Description column headings.

2.  Enter the Flag Name and Description in the new blank row.

3.  Click the white **Save** button.

Repeat the above steps to add more flags.

![](media/image232.jpeg){width="5.760416666666667in"
height="2.1145833333333335in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### To modify a flag, follow these steps:

1.  Expand the level that the flag is on, by clicking its plus sign.

2.  Click on the row that contains the flag you wish to modify.

3.  Enter the Flag\'s new Name and Description.

4.  Click the white **Save** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### To delete a flag, follow these steps:

1.  Expand the level that the flag is on, by clicking its plus sign.

2.  Click on the row that contains the flag you wish to modify.

3.  Click the white **Delete** button at the top of the page.

4.  Click the white **Save** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Notice Of Results (NOR) Messages (in Administration \-- Preferences)

Topic Map

-   What are NOR Message Codes?

-   How are NOR Message Codes applied to applicant records?

-   Setting Up NOR Message Codes in Preferences

    -   Create

    -   Modify

    -   Delete

#### What are NOR Message Codes?

NOR Message Codes are codes that control the messages that appear on the
Notice of Results for a given applicant. These codes advise applicants
of their eligibility or ineligibility for each specialty and grade. They
may also provide special rating messages to help explain an applicant\'s
status in the hiring process. Users can develop customized codes to
supplement the ones built into USA Staffing.

There are four types of NOR Message Codes:

-   Eligible

-   Ineligible

-   Message

-   Not Rated

NOR Message Codes appear in two places:

-   In the applicant\'s record

-   In the Notice of Results (NOR) for the applicant.  This is the only
    correspondence that uses the NOR Message Code.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### How are NOR Message Codes applied to applicant records?

NOR Message Codes can be set two ways:

-   A user can ***manually*** set a NOR Message Code for an applicant.
     More details.

-   USA Staffing can ***automatically*** assign NOR Message Codes to
    applicants based upon their responses to a questionnaire.

 and apply them to a applicant records.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Setting Up NOR Message Codes in Preferences

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}To get to this page, follow the
instructions in Preferences Overview. Then click the **NOR Messages**
menu item on the left, below the white Preferences button.

The NOR Messages Code are displayed in a tree view format. You can
expand the tree by clicking on a plus sign. NOR Message Codes are
available at three different levels (see picture below).

-   The **System** level messages are provided by the Program Office and
    are available to all users. They can not be modified by users. A
    list of all the System level message codes is here.

-   The **Organization** and **Office** level messages can be created by
    users with the appropriate Permission Profiles.

![](media/image233.jpeg){width="5.697916666666667in"
height="2.1041666666666665in"}

> *Figure 1: NOR Messages, with all rows collapsed, the default view
> when you arrive. The \"Categories\" on this page are the rows labeled
> \"System\", \"Organization\", and \"Office\".  *

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### To create a NOR Message Code, follow these steps:

1.  Select a Category by clicking one of the rows \-- System,
    Organization, or Office.  (See Figure 1 above.) Note: You can only
    select a category with the tree view completely collapsed. If you
    have already expanded one of the categories by clicking a plus sign,
    either Save or Cancel to restore the collapsed view before
    attempting to select a category.

2.  Click the **New** button at the top of the page. A new blank row
    will appear under the Name and Description column headings.

3.  In the new blank row, type in the new NOR Message Code in the Name
    column, and the description in its column. These are the rules for
    NOR Message Codes:

    -   Message Codes it must start with one of these four letters:

        -   E = Eligible

        -   I = Ineligible

        -   M = Message

        -   N = Not Rated.

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   The code can be a maximum of four characters.

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   The Description should contain the text that explains the code
        in plain language to the applicant.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
3.  Click the **Save** button at the top of the page.

Repeat the above steps for any additional NOR Message Codes you wish to
create.

![](media/image234.jpeg){width="5.78125in"
height="2.1041666666666665in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### To modify a NOR Message Code, follow these steps:

1.  Expand the level that the NOR Message Code is on, by clicking its
    plus sign.

2.  Click on the row that contains the NOR Message Code you wish to
    modify.

3.  Enter the NOR Message Code\'s new Name and Description.

4.  Click the white **Save** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### To delete a NOR Message Code, follow these steps:

1.  Expand the level that the NOR Message Code is on, by clicking its
    plus sign.

2.  Click on the row that contains the NOR Message Code you wish to
    modify.

3.  Click the white **Delete** button at the top of the page.

4.  Click the white **Save** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Financial

### Financial Information

Type topic text here.

## Processing

### Imports

Type topic text here.

### Exports

Topic Map

-   About Exports

-   Export Data Layouts

    -   ACWA RNO Data

    -   Applicant Counts by GEO Location

    -   Applicant Data by VIN

    -   Applicant Lists

    -   Applicant Narratives

    -   Applicant Responses

    -   Assessment Data Export

    -   Complete Applicant Record

    -   Discrete Applicant GEOs

    -   Generic Applicant Export

    -   Generic Certificate

    -   Summary Counts by Specialty, Grade, Location

    -   Supporting Documents Export

#### About Exports

The Exports function lets you save USA Staffing data in a file format
that can be opened and read by other software applications. Below are
the types of exports available. Click on an export type to see the field
layout in detail.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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#### Export Data Layouts

  --------------------------------------- -------------------------------
   ACWA RNO DATA                          

  **FIELDLIST**                           **FIELDSIZE**

  ORDER                                   VARCHAR2(50)

  ORIGIN                                  VARCHAR2(300)

  RNO_TYPE                                VARCHAR2(250)

  RESPONSE COUNT                          NUMBER

  MALE COUNT                              NUMBER

  FEMALE COUNT                            NUMBER

                                          
  --------------------------------------- -------------------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
   APPLICANT COUNTS BY GEO LOCATION           

  **FIELDLIST**                               **FIELDSIZE**

  LOCATIONCODE                                NUMBER

  CITY                                        VARCHAR2(60)

  STATE                                       VARCHAR2(10)

  APPLICANTCOUNT                              NUMBER

                                              
  ------------------------------------------- ---------------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------
   APPLICANT DATA BY VIN                         

  **FIELDLIST**                                  **FIELDSIZE**

  APPLICANTID                                    NUMBER

  SSN                                            CHAR(9)

  FIRSTNAME                                      VARCHAR2(15)

  MIDDLEINITIAL                                  CHAR(1)

  LASTNAME                                       VARCHAR2(20)

  ADDRESS1                                       VARCHAR2(40)

  ADDRESS2                                       VARCHAR2(40)

  APT                                            VARCHAR2(40)

  CITY                                           VARCHAR2(30)

  STATE                                          VARCHAR2(10)

  ZIP                                            VARCHAR2(10)

  COUNTRY                                        VARCHAR2(40)

  PERMANENT PHONE                                VARCHAR2(30)

  FAX                                            VARCHAR2(30)

  EMAIL                                          VARCHAR2(120)

  PRESENT PHONE                                  VARCHAR2(30)

  VETPREFERENCE                                  VARCHAR2(3)

  ACTIVE SERVICE DATEFROM                        DATE

  ACTIVE SERVICE DATETO                          DATE

  LANGUAGES                                      VARCHAR2(2000)

  FINAL RATING FOR ASSESSMENT                    VARCHAR2(10)

  GRADUATE DEGREE DATE                           DATE

  SPECIAL_KNOWLEDGE                              VARCHAR2(2000)

  OTHER EMPLOYMENT QUESTION                      VARCHAR2(2000)

  JOB PREFERENCE                                 VARCHAR2(2000)

  MISCELLANEOUS_FIELDS                           VARCHAR2(2000)

  OCCUPATIONAL_QUESTIONS                         VARCHAR2(2000)

                                                 
  ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------

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height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
   APPLICANT LISTS                            

  **FIELDLIST**                               **FIELDSIZE**

  LASTNAME                                    VARCHAR2(20)

  MIDDLEINITIAL                               CHAR(1)

  FIRSTNAME                                   VARCHAR2(15)

  RECORD STATUS CODE                          VARCHAR2(50)

  SSN                                         CHAR(9)

                                              
  ------------------------------------------- ---------------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ----------------------------------------- -----------------------------
   APPLICANT NARRATIVES                     

  **FIELDLIST**                             **FIELDSIZE**

  APPLICANT ID                              NUMBER

  ITEM ID                                   NUMBER

  NARRATIVE DESC                            CLOB

  NARRATIVE TEXT                            CLOB

                                            
  ----------------------------------------- -----------------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ------------------------------------------ ----------------------------
   APPLICANT RESPONSES                       

  **FIELDLIST**                              **FIELDSIZE**

  CITY                                       VARCHAR2(60)

  STATE                                      VARCHAR2(10)

  SPECIALTY CODE                             VARCHAR2(3)

  GRADE                                      CHAR(2)

  RESPONSE CODE                              VARCHAR2(10)

  RESPONSE COUNT                             NUMBER

                                             
  ------------------------------------------ ----------------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ----------------------------------------------- -----------------------
   ASSESSMENT DATA EXPORT                         

  **FIELDLIST**                                   **FIELDSIZE**

  VACANCYID                                       NUMBER

  COMPONENTNAME                                   VARCHAR2(40)

  APPLICATIONID                                   NUMBER

  SSN                                             CHAR(9)

  FIRSTNAME                                       VARCHAR2(15)

  LASTNAME                                        VARCHAR2(20)

  MIDDLEINITIAL                                   CHAR(1)

  COMPETENCY                                      VARCHAR2(100)

  TEAMNAME                                        VARCHAR2(80)

  USER                                            VARCHAR2(10)

  SCORE                                           NUMBER(7,4)

  OLDSCORE                                        NUMBER(7,4)

  RATING                                          VARCHAR2(10)

                                                  
  ----------------------------------------------- -----------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
   COMPLETE APPLICANT RECORD                  

  **FIELDLIST**                               **FIELDSIZE**

  APPLICANTID                                 NUMBER

  SSN                                         CHAR(9)

  FIRSTNAME                                   VARCHAR2(15)

  MIDDLEINITIAL                               CHAR(1)

  LASTNAME                                    VARCHAR2(20)

  ISCITIZEN                                   CHAR(1)

  ADDRESS1                                    VARCHAR2(40)

  ADDRESS2                                    VARCHAR2(40)

  ADDRESS3                                    VARCHAR2(40)

  CITY                                        VARCHAR2(30)

  STATE                                       VARCHAR2(10)

  ZIP                                         VARCHAR2(10)

  COUNTRY                                     VARCHAR2(40)

  PHONE                                       VARCHAR2(30)

  FAX                                         VARCHAR2(30)

  EMAIL                                       VARCHAR2(120)

  WORKADDRESS1                                VARCHAR2(40)

  WORKADDRESS2                                VARCHAR2(40)

  WORKADDRESS3                                VARCHAR2(40)

  WORKCITY                                    VARCHAR2(30)

  WORKSTATE                                   CHAR(2)

  WORKZIP                                     VARCHAR2(10)

  WORKCOUNTRY                                 VARCHAR2(40)

  WORKPHONE                                   VARCHAR2(30)

  WORKFAX                                     VARCHAR2(30)

  WORKEMAIL                                   VARCHAR2(120)

  LOWESTACCEPTABLEGRADE                       CHAR(2)

  ELIGIBLITYBEGINDATE                         DATE

  ELIGIBLITYENDDATE                           DATE

  VETPREFERENCE                               VARCHAR2(3)

  ADJVETPREFERENCE                            VARCHAR2(3)

  CTAP_CLAIMED                                CHAR(1)

  CTAP_ADJUDICATED                            VARCHAR2(50)

  ICTAP_CLAIMED                               CHAR(1)

  ICTAP_ADJUDICATED                           VARCHAR2(50)

  RECORD STATUS CODE                          VARCHAR2(50)

  APPLICATION SOURCE                          VARCHAR2(50)

  FILERSTATUS                                 VARCHAR2(50)

  APPLICATION_RECEIVED_DATE                   DATE

  BIRTHDATE                                   VARCHAR2(10)

  GENDER                                      CHAR(1)

  FULLTIME                                    NUMBER

  PARTTIME                                    NUMBER

  TEMPORARY                                   NUMBER

  TRAVEL                                      NUMBER

  OTHER_EMPLOYMENT_QUES                       CHAR(1)

  ACTIVE SERVICE DATEFROM                     DATE

  ACTIVE SERVICE DATETO                       DATE

  SERVICE COMPUTATION DATE                    DATE

  JOB_PREFERENCE                              VARCHAR2(70)

  BACKGROUND                                  CHAR(1)

  LANGUAGES                                   VARCHAR2(2)

  MISCELLANEOUS_INFORMATION                   VARCHAR2(3)

  SPECIAL_KNOWLEDGE                           VARCHAR2(2)

  AVAILABILTY_DATE                            DATE

  SEARCHABLE_DATE1                            DATE

  SEARCHABLE_DATE2                            DATE

  SEARCHABLE_DATE3                            DATE

  SCHEDULINGLOCATIONS                         VARCHAR2(70)

  JOBEXPMONTHS                                NUMBER

  JOBEXPYEARS                                 NUMBER

  RATINGS                                     NUMBER

  APPLICANT_LOCATIONS                         VARCHAR2(80)

  OCCUPATIONAL_QUESTIONS                      CHAR(1)

                                              
  ------------------------------------------- ---------------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------
   DISCRETE APPLICANT GEOS                 

  **FIELDLIST**                            **FIELDSIZE**

  SSN                                      CHAR(9)

  LASTNAME                                 VARCHAR2(20)

  MIDDLEINITIAL                            CHAR(1)

  FIRSTNAME                                VARCHAR2(15)

  RECORD STATUS CODE                       VARCHAR2(50)

  EMAIL                                    VARCHAR2(120)

  LOCATION CODE                            NUMBER

  CITY                                     VARCHAR2(30)

  STATE                                    CHAR(2)

                                           
  ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  -------------------------------------------- --------------------------
   GENERIC APPLICANT EXPORT                    

  **FIELDLIST**                                **FIELDSIZE**

  VACANCYID                                    NUMBER

  SSN                                          CHAR(9)

  FIRSTNAME                                    VARCHAR2(15)

  MIDDLE_INITIAL                               CHAR(1)

  LASTNAME                                     VARCHAR2(20)

  BIRTHDATE                                    VARCHAR2(10)

  ADDRESS1                                     VARCHAR2(40)

  ADDRESS2                                     VARCHAR2(40)

  ADDRESS3                                     VARCHAR2(40)

  CITY                                         VARCHAR2(30)

  STATE                                        CHAR(2)

  ZIP                                          VARCHAR2(10)

  COUNTRY                                      VARCHAR2(40)

  PHONE                                        VARCHAR2(30)

  FAX                                          VARCHAR2(30)

  EMAIL                                        VARCHAR2(120)

  WORKADDRESS1                                 VARCHAR2(40)

  WORKADDRESS2                                 VARCHAR2(40)

  WORKADDRESS3                                 VARCHAR2(40)

  WORKCITY                                     VARCHAR2(30)

  WORKSTATE                                    CHAR(2)

  WORKZIP                                      VARCHAR2(10)

  WORKCOUNTRY                                  VARCHAR2(40)

  WORKPHONE                                    VARCHAR2(30)

  WORKFAX                                      VARCHAR2(30)

  WORKEMAIL                                    VARCHAR2(120)

  RECORD STATUS CODE                           VARCHAR2(50)

  APPLICATION SOURCE                           VARCHAR2(50)

  VETERANS_PREFERENCE_CLAIMED                  VARCHAR2(3)

  VETERANS_PREFERENCE_ADJUDICATED              VARCHAR2(3)

  CTAP_CLAIMED                                 CHAR(1)

  CTAP_ADJUDICATED                             VARCHAR2(50)

  ICTAP_CLAIMED                                CHAR(1)

  ICTAP_ADJUDICATED                            VARCHAR2(50)

  VET_DOCUMENTATION_DATE                       DATE

  FULLTIME_EMPLOYMENT                          NUMBER

  PARTTIME_EMPLOYMENT                          NUMBER

  TEMPORARY_EMPLOYMENT                         NUMBER

  SPECIALTY_GRADE_RATINGS                      VARCHAR2(23)

  COMPONENT_DATE                               DATE

  COMPONENT_PROCESSING_DATES                   DATE

  APPLICATION_LOCATIONS                        VARCHAR2(80)

  JOB_PREFERENCE                               VARCHAR2(10)

  MISCELLANEOUS_FIELDS                         VARCHAR2(10)

                                               
  -------------------------------------------- --------------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------
   GENERIC CERTIFICATE                           

  **FIELDLIST**                                  **FIELDSIZE**

  VACANCYID                                      NUMBER

  SSN                                            CHAR(9)

  FIRSTNAME                                      VARCHAR2(15)

  MIDDLEINITIAL                                  CHAR(1)

  LASTNAME                                       VARCHAR2(20)

  DATE OF BIRTH                                  VARCHAR2(10)

  ADDRESS1                                       VARCHAR2(40)

  ADDRESS2                                       VARCHAR2(40)

  ADDRESS3                                       VARCHAR2(40)

  CITY                                           VARCHAR2(30)

  STATE                                          CHAR(2)

  ZIP                                            VARCHAR2(10)

  COUNTRY                                        VARCHAR2(40)

  PHONE                                          VARCHAR2(30)

  FAX                                            VARCHAR2(30)

  EMAIL                                          VARCHAR2(120)

  WORKADDRESS1                                   VARCHAR2(40)

  WORKADDRESS2                                   VARCHAR2(40)

  WORKADDRESS3                                   VARCHAR2(40)

  WORKCITY                                       VARCHAR2(30)

  WORKSTATE                                      CHAR(2)

  WORKZIP                                        VARCHAR2(10)

  WORKCOUNTRY                                    VARCHAR2(40)

  WORKPHONE                                      VARCHAR2(30)

  WORKFAX                                        VARCHAR2(30)

  WORKEMAIL                                      VARCHAR2(120)

  RECORD STATUS CODE                             VARCHAR2(50)

  VETPREFERENCE                                  VARCHAR2(3)

  ADJVETPREFERENCE                               VARCHAR2(3)

  CTAP_CLAIMED                                   CHAR(1)

  CTAP_ADJUDICATED                               VARCHAR2(50)

  ICTAP_CLAIMED                                  CHAR(1)

  ICTAP_ADJUDICATED                              VARCHAR2(50)

  VET_DOCUMENTATION_DATE                         DATE

  RATING                                         VARCHAR2(5)

  CERTFICATENAME                                 VARCHAR2(17)

  SUPPLEMENTNO                                   NUMBER

  CERTIFICATIONDATE                              DATE

  ISSUEDATE                                      DATE

  SERIES                                         NUMBER

  RANKORDER                                      NUMBER

                                                 
  ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ----------------------------------------------- -----------------------
   SUMMARY COUNTS BY SPECIALTY, GRADE, LOCATION   

  **FIELDLIST**                                   **FIELDSIZE**

  VACANCY ID                                      NUMBER

  ITEM NAME                                       VARCHAR2(50)

  CITY                                            VARCHAR2(60)

  STATE                                           VARCHAR2(10)

  SPECIALTY CODE                                  VARCHAR2(3)

  GRADE                                           CHAR(2)

  RESPONSE                                        CLOB

  APPLICANT COUNT                                 NUMBER

                                                  
  ----------------------------------------------- -----------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ----------------------------------------------- -----------------------
   SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS EXPORT                    

  FIELDLIST                                       FIELDSIZE

  APPLICANTID                                     NUMBER

  DOCUMENTATIONID                                 NUMBER

  DATE TIME RECEIVED                              DATE

  PROCESS DATE                                    DATE

  MATCH DATE                                      DATE

  PAGE COUNT                                      NUMBER

  FILE NAME                                       VARCHAR2(128)

  FILE FORMAT                                     VARCHAR2(4)

  IS ARCHIVED                                     CHAR(1)

  ARCHIVE DATE                                    DATE

  VACANCYID                                       NUMBER

  DOCUMENTATION TYPE                              VARCHAR2(50)

  APPLICATIONID                                   NUMBER

  SOURCE                                          VARCHAR2(50)

  DRSFILEID                                       NUMBER

  ORIGINAL FILE NAME                              VARCHAR2(128)

                                                  
  ----------------------------------------------- -----------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### Assessment Migration

Topic Map

-   About Assessment Migration

-   Getting Ready

-   How to Migrate Assessments

-   Finding and Using Assessment Tools you have migrated

-   Error Message \-- Questions are out of order.

#### About Assessment Migration

These instructions are for migrating assessment tools from the Citrix
version of USA Staffing system to USA Staffing Web version.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Getting Ready

-   Only Citrix Assessment Tools ***in Production status*** can be
    migrated to the Web version of USA Staffing.

-   The Assessment Tool Migration Utility will be available until
    further notice, but users may want to identify the tools they want
    to migrate in Citrix before the Citrix shutdown date: **September
    30, 2005**. After the Citrix version is shut down, users will not be
    able to use the Citrix version to locate or identify assessment
    tools.

-   You may want to write out a list of Citrix Tool IDs before you begin
    migration. Doing so will help you make sure you have migrated all
    assessment tools you want and avoid migrating tools you will not
    need in USA Staffing Web.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### How to Migrate Assessments

![](media/image235.jpeg){width="5.927777777777778in" height="2.34375in"}

1.  Click the **Administration** Work Area button on the top menu. Click
    the **Processing** button and click **Assessment Migration**.

![](media/image236.jpeg){width="5.917361111111111in"
height="1.1833333333333333in"}

2.  Select how you want to Search for Citrix Assessment Tools in the
    dropdown menu. Choose one of the following:

    -   Tool ID

    -   User Name (the Citrix UserID of the tool's author)

    -   Assessment Name

 

![](media/image237.jpeg){width="5.927777777777778in"
height="1.7083333333333333in"}

3.  Enter your Search criteria.

    -   To search for a specific Assessment Tool, select "Tool ID" or
        "Assessment Name" in the drop-down. Then type in the ***exact***
        Tool ID or Assessment Name into the search field.

    -   To search for a list of all the Citrix Assessment Tools created
        by a Citrix user, select "User Name" and enter the exact Citrix
        UserID in the search field.

> **Note:** Partial search is not available.

4.  Click **Search.  **A list of Citrix Assessment Tools will load in a
    grid.

![](media/image238.jpeg){width="5.927777777777778in"
height="1.7597222222222222in"}

5.  Find the tool you want to migrate and click **Migrate**. A pop-up
    message will appear to confirm the tool was migrated successfully.
    You can only migrate one tool at a time.

![](media/image239.jpeg){width="6.0in" height="2.8854166666666665in"}

6.  Click **OK** and the pop-up message will close.

If your search results grid has multiple tools that you want to migrate,
repeat steps 5 and 6 for each tool.  If you searched by Assessment Name
or Tool ID, repeat steps 3-6 for each tool you  wish to migrate.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Finding and Using Assessment Tools you have migrated

**Note:** All Citrix Assessment Tools migrated to the Web version of USA
Staffing will arrive as Questionnaire Templates.

![](media/image240.jpeg){width="5.917361111111111in"
height="0.7819444444444444in"}

1.  Click the **Administration** Work Area button on the top menu. Click
    the **Template Libraries** button.

![](media/image241.jpeg){width="5.927777777777778in" height="1.28125in"}

2.  Click **Questionnaires** on the left menu.

![](media/image242.jpeg){width="5.927777777777778in"
height="2.6034722222222224in"}

3.   You will be presented with the Assessment Tool Search screen.

4.  Since all migrated assessment tools are given new Assessment IDs in
    USAS Web, search by any combination of the following:

    -   Author's User Name

    -   Assessment Name

    -   Series

    -   Grade

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
5.   If you search by "Author," type the user name of the person who
    migrated the tool, not necessarily the person who created the tool
    in Citrix USA Staffing. 

6.  You ***must*** click ***both*** the **Template** and **Show Copies**
    check boxes to return migrated Assessment Tools in your search.

7.   Click "Go."

![](media/image243.jpeg){width="6.0in" height="2.8229166666666665in"}

8.  One or more Assessment Tools will load in a grid below the search
    screen. You will be able to identify the tool by its Author and
    Name.

9.  Click "Open."

![](media/image244.jpeg){width="6.0in" height="1.9895833333333333in"}

10. Test the Assessment and put it in *Complete* status. Notice this
    migrated assessment tool is not in *Complete* status when you
    migrate it, even if it was Complete in the Citrix version. You must
    test the tool before attaching it to a USA Staffing Web vacancy. You
    can either test all your migrated assessment tools right away or
    wait until you decide to use one for a particular vacancy and test
    it then. See below for information on a possible error message you
    may see when you test the assessment.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Error Message \-- Questions are out of order

![](media/image245.jpeg){width="5.927777777777778in"
height="2.511111111111111in"}

If you click the **Test** button and receive a pop-up error message
saying "The questions are out of order", please contact the USA Staffing
Help Desk. A Help Desk representative will walk you through the steps
necessary to correct the order of the questions and get your Assessment
Tool into Complete status.

**Note:** This error is infrequent and is caused by the Questions in the
assessment tool from the Citrix system being out of order when the
assessment tool was created.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

# 10 Overview of the Staffing Process

## Overview of the Staffing Process

The staffing process comprises these steps:

#### Before you start your Vacancy (Staffing Action) in USA Staffing:

     Define the job, and document its requirements.

     Determine how you will assess applicants to see the extent to which
they meet the requirements.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  Federal agencies must adhere to the OPM
*[Delegated Examining Operations Handbook]{.underline}*, which provides
detailed guidance on these steps. In addition, assessments must meet the
standards of validity of the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection
Procedures. If you plan to use Category Rating procedures, consult OPM
resources on Category Rating for policy guidance.

#### In USA Staffing:

Set up the Vacancy (*Staffing Action*), Assessment, and Announcement.

     Announce the position and accept applications.

     Assess applicants.\*

     Issue lists of qualified candidates.\*

     Record the results of the selection process.\*

     Perform appropriate applicant record maintenance.

\* USA Staffing can notify applicants of their status at each of these
stages.

## USAJOBS: Apply Online and Résumé Builder

Topic Map

-   About Apply Online and Résumé Builder in USAJOBS

-   The Apply Online button in USAJOBS

    -   Q and A

-   Overview of the Apply Online Process

-   Related topic: URLs for the Online Application

### About Apply Online and Résumé Builder in USAJOBS

When your Job Announcement appears on USAJOBS, options you control
within USA Staffing affect the way applicants are routed through the
application process and the choices your applicants will have along the
way. This topic explains the way applicants experience the application
process and how you can influence that experience.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### The Apply Online button in USAJOBS 

The purpose of the Apply Online button in USAJOBS is to provide an
attractive, simple, convenient, and uniform way for applicants who are
looking at your Job Announcement to take the next steps necessary to
apply. When applicants click Apply Online, here\'s what will happen:

-   If there is a ***check*** in the **Send applicants to USAJOBS Résumé
    Builder** checkbox on the Announcement Information page, applicants
    will be taken to the USAJOBS Résumé Builder, where they must select
    an existing résumé to attach to their application. If they do not
    have a résumé in the USAJOBS Résumé Builder, they must create one.
    They are not permitted to start the Online Application Questionnaire
    until they attach a résumé. This may be a handy tool for some
    applicants, but may cause frustration for applicants who have
    already prepared \-- outside of USAJOBS Résumé Builder \-- résumés
    they intend to upload or fax.

-   If there is ***no check*** in the **Send applicants to USAJOBS
    Résumé Builder** checkbox on the Announcement Information page,
    applicants will not be taken to the USAJOBS Résumé Builder. They
    will have no opportunity to use the USAJOBS Résumé Builder to either
    create a new résumé or attach an existing one. They will go directly
    to the USA Staffing Online Application Questionnaire, where they
    will either begin a new questionnaire or finish one they already
    started.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Q and A

**Question:** Can I turn off the Apply Online button so that it is not
there at all?

**Answer:** Yes, if you do not want to accept applications
electronically. See Announcement Information.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

**Question:** How do applicants attach USAJOBS résumés to their
applications?

**Answer:** When applicants click the Apply Online button, if you have
opted to send applicants to the USAJOBS Résumé Builder, USAJOBS asks
them to select a résumé to forward to USA Staffing as part of their
application. Applicants who have no résumé in USAJOBS are *required* to
create one in the Résumé Builder. Once they have a résumé to attach to
their application, the system takes the applicant to the USA Staffing
Online Application Questionnaire to either start a new one or continue
one that has already been started but not finished. When the applicant
finishes the Questionnaire and submits it, the résumé is then attached.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

**Question:** Why am I getting applications without résumés? Is the
system broken?

**Answer:** If applicants start the Online Application Questionnaire
without clicking the Apply Online button in USAJOBS, they bypass the
USAJOBS Résumé Builder. This may occur when you mention a URL for the
Online Application Questionnaire in your Job Announcement or the
applicant uses a URL they retained from some other Job Announcement.
USAJOBS résumés are sent only when the applicant clicks the Apply Online
button *and also* completes the Online Application by clicking *Finish*
and *Submit*.

Here are some scenarios that can prevent you from receiving an
applicant's USAJOBS résumé:

-   If you include URLs in your Job Announcement -- either by using the
    Online Questionnaire TAG or by typing in the USA Staffing Online
    Application URL directly -- you enable applicants to bypass the
    Apply Online button that allows them to select a USAJOBS résumé. If
    an applicant is routed to the Online Questionnaire via the TAG or
    URL, they do not have the chance to select a USAJOBS résumé unless
    they return to the announcement and reapply using the Apply Online
    button. But in this case, the applicant is starting from scratch.

-   Many applicants have saved a URL for the USA Staffing Online
    Questionnaire as a Favorite or Bookmark in their browsers. If an
    applicant uses this Favorite or Bookmark to apply to your vacancy,
    they bypass the Apply Online button even though you may not have
    provided URLs in your Job Announcement.

-   If an applicant does not click *both* **Finish** *and* then
    **Submit** at the end of the Online Application Questionnaire, the
    USAJOBS résumé will not attach to the applicant's record in USA
    Staffing.

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**Question:** Is there a way to prevent applicants from submitting a
USAJOBS résumé, even if they click the Apply Online button?

**Answer:** You can prevent applicants from submitting USAJOBS résumés
by unchecking the checkbox labeled *Send applicants to USAJOBS Résumé
Builder* on the Announcement Information page in USA Staffing. If you
uncheck this checkbox, applicants who click Apply Online on the Job
Announcement will be taken directly to the first page of the USA
Staffing Online Questionnaire without being asked to select a USAJOBS
résumé.

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**Question:** Is there anything I can do to encourage applicants to
submit USAJOBS résumés?

**Answer:  **Yes, you may want to do the following:

-   Refrain from putting USA Staffing Online Application URLs in your
    Job Announcement.

-   Encourage applicants to click **Apply Online** instead of going
    directly to the USA Staffing Online Application via a URL. Remind
    them that the only way to send their USAJOBS résumé is to click
    **Apply Online**.

-   Remind applicants to click both *Finish* and then *Submit* when they
    are finished working on their Questionnaire.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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**Question:** If I choose not to put USA Staffing Online Application
URLs in my announcement, how will my applicants know how to get back to
a saved application?

**Answer:** This is only an issue if you accept supporting documents
because applicants can get back to a saved application by clicking Apply
Online in the announcement. If the applicant has finished and submitted
their Questionnaire but still needs to upload supporting documents, they
will not be able to access the Document Upload Page by clicking the
Apply Online button in the announcement. So, if your vacancy is set up
to accept supporting documents and you wish to encourage applicants to
submit a USAJOBS résumé, you can do the following:

-   Encourage applicants to click Apply Online instead of going directly
    to the USA Staffing Online Application. Remind them the only way to
    send their USAJOBS résumé is to click Apply Online.

-   Remind applicants to click Finish and Submit when they are finished
    working on the Online Application Questionnaire.

-   Include a URL for applicants to return to the Document Upload
    Service page and explain when to use it with this suggested language
    or similar:

> *After you have completed the Online Application Questionnaire and
> have clicked **Finish** and the **Submit** button, you will be taken
> to the Document Upload Service page, where you can upload documents to
> complete your application package. To return to the Document Upload
> Service page at a later time after you have **Finished** and
> **Submitted** your Online Application Questionnaire, click this URL or
> copy it into your browser location bar---
> https://www.hr-services.org/USASOnlineApp/USASOnlineApp.aspx . When
> you get there, follow the instructions on the right hand side of the
> page.*
>
> Note: This is not the URL from the Online Questionnaire TAG. If you
> use the Online Questionnaire TAG or its URL, the applicant will be
> forced to start a separate new Online Application. Applicants will
> only be allowed to upload documents if you have indicated that you are
> accepting documents on the Supporting Documents page.
>
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.
>
> **Question:** When is it advisable to use the Online Questionnaire TAG
> or Online Application URLs?
>
> **Answer:** In two cases:

1.  When you announce internal merit promotion jobs that are not
    displayed in USAJOBS search results.

2.  If you want to give applicants the option to either submit a USAJOBS
    résumé or upload a résumé from a saved file such as a Word document.
    Giving the applicant this choice means you do not force them to use
    the USAJOBS Résumé Builder. If you want to give your applicants this
    choice, explain the two résumé submission methods to them in the
    announcement using language similar to the following:

    -   *To create a résumé in the USAJOBS Résumé Builder, or to select
        one you already created there and attach it to your application,
        click the Apply Online button to start your application.*

    -   *If you want to use a résumé you have in a computer file instead
        of a USAJOBS Résumé, click this link* \<insert here the Online
        Questionnaire TAG\> *to start you application. When you have
        completed the Questionnaire, you will have the opportunity to
        upload your résumé.*

> In both cases you can also include the separate URL applicants need to
> come back to a saved or completed application and upload supporting
> documents.
> (https://www.hr-services.org/USASOnlineApp/USASOnlineApp.aspx)

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### Overview of the Apply Online Process

To see how the process flows, refer to the following chart. The numbers
in parentheses in the discussion below refer to the boxes in that chart.

Applicants can get to the USA Staffing Online Application and
Questionnaire three ways:

-   By clicking the Apply Online button (1a)

-   By clicking a URL in the Job Announcement (the Online Questionnaire
    TAG) (1b)

-   By going directly to
    https://www.hr-services.org/USASOnlineApp/USASOnlineApp.aspx.  Note
    that many applicants have saved this URL as a Favorite on their
    browser, and can use it even if you do not mention it in your Job
    Announcement. (1c)

Only the *Apply Online* button gives the applicant an opportunity to
create or select a USAJOBS résumé to attach to their application (3). At
this point, the applicant is forced to either create a résumé using the
Résumé Builder, or select an existing USAJOBS résumé. If you uncheck the
**Send applicants to USAJOBS Résumé Builder** checkbox on the
Announcement Information page of your VIN, applicants will be taken
directly your Questionnaire when they click the *Apply Online* button.
(4)

USAJOBS routes the applicant to the USA Staffing Online Application
Questionnaire (4, 5 and 6). When applicants click *Apply Online*, the
system will check to see if they have a *Saved* but not yet *Finished*
and *Submitted* application. If they do, it puts them back in that one
to continue it; otherwise the applicant can begin a new one.

If the applicant has previously started a Questionnaire via the *Apply
Online* button, and has *Saved* it but not *Submitted* it as final, the
system automatically takes the applicant into the saved session to
resume it (6); otherwise, it begins a new application for the applicant
for that VIN.

When the applicant clicks *Finish* and then clicks *Submit*, the system
checks to see if the applicant selected a USAJOBS résumé to attach to
the application (8). But if the applicant begins the USA Staffing Online
Application Questionnaire via a URL (1b or 1c), they may have never gone
through the USAJOBS Résumé Builder (3) and, therefore, no USAJOBS résumé
is available to be attached to their application by the time they click
*Finish* and *Submit* (7 and 8).

![](media/image246.jpeg){width="5.385416666666667in" height="5.78125in"}

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## Overview of the Staffing Process \-- part 2

Topic Map

-   Terms Used

-   Steps of the Staffing Process

    -   The Customer sends a Referral Request.

    -   The Examining Office prepares to receive applications.

        -   Key Concept: One VIN with multiple Announcements,
            Assessments, Referrals

    -   Applicants Apply.

        -   Online Application and Document Upload Service

    -   The Examining Office receives and processes applications.

        -   Correspondence With Applicants

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   The Examining Office refers candidates.

    -   The selecting officials make and report selections.

    -   The Examining Office audits the referral list.

    -   Reports

### Terms Used

This section describes the entire process of staffing, from receiving a
customer vacancy request to issuing the *certificate* and filling the
vacancy.

For the purpose of this discussion, the following terms have the
meanings shown:

-   User: any person using the USA Staffing system.

-   Customer: the person or organization for whom the staffing work is
    being performed.

-   Examiner: a staffing expert with overall responsibility for the
    correctness of the examining process.

-   Examining Office: The office that has responsibility for posting the
    job announcement, managing the applicant inventory, and issuing the
    referral list to the selecting official.

In some situations, the same person may be in multiple roles.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### Steps of the Staffing Process

#### The Customer sends a Referral Request.

The customer submits a request for referral of candidates. In Federal
agencies, this is typically in the form of the SF39.

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#### The Examining Office prepares to receive applications.

Once the request is received in the examining office, here are the steps
of the staffing process.

###### Key Concept:

One VIN (Vacancy or Staffing Action) record with multiple Announcements,
Assessments, Referrals

The VIN (Vacancy or Staffing Action) record is the key record of the
staffing process.

-   **Announcements**: You can have multiple announcements tied to the
    same VIN, although only one of them may have an open period at a
    time.

-   **Assessments**: You can also have multiple Assessments linked to
    the VIN, each of them being for different series, specialties, or
    grades.

-   **Referral Lists (Certificates)**: You can issue multiple referral
    lists against multiple requests, all belonging to the same VIN.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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1.  Check to see if the customer information is already in the Customer
    database. If not, create a new customer record. More details.

2.  Create a VIN (Vacancy or *Staffing Action*) record in USA Staffing.
    Use the pages grouped under the white Vacancy button to enter the
    information from the referral request. More details.

3.  Set up an Assessment Plan. Use the pages grouped under the white
    Assessments button to build an assessment plan containing one or
    more assessments. If you will use a self-report questionnaire,
    create it and test it from the pages of the Assessment menu. More
    details.

4.  Build a Job Announcement. Use the pages grouped under the white
    Announcement button to control content and formatting. Then send the
    job announcement to USAJOBS. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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####  

####  

####  

####  

####  

#### Applicants apply.

Applicants see the job announcement on USAJOBS and respond, using any
one or more of the following means:

-   Online Application linked to the Job Announcement on USAJOBS.

    -   Applicants can go directly to the Online Application if they
        already know the VIN; this URL gets them there \--
        https://www.hr-services.org/usasonlineapp/usasonlineapp.aspx.

    -   Applicants can click the **Apply Online** button in USAJOBS.

    -   Applicants can click a URL that you have included in the text of
        the Job Announcement.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   OPM Form 1203-FX. Applicants can obtain this form from USAJOBS, from
    the OPM main Web site, or by calling a phone number provided for
    this purpose. The applicant mails the resulting paper copy. ***Note:
    It is technically possible for the applicant to fax a Form 1203-FX.
    However, this is discouraged because faxing quite often produces
    unclear or distorted results that require significant manual effort
    to correct before the data can be moved into USA Staffing.***

-   Telephone Application Processing System (TAPS) is still used only in
    very limited situations by special arrangement. It no longer
    pertains to most USA Staffing users or most applicants.

###### Online Application and Document Upload Service

When applicants use the Online Application, they will have these
features available:

-   They can save a partially completed application and come back later
    to finish it any time during the open period of the Job
    Announcement.

-   When an applicant returns to the Online Application system, he will
    be asked for his name and SSN, and the system will present a list of
    the applicant\'s complete and incomplete applications from which he
    will choose the one he wants to work on. He can only work on
    applications for which the Job Announcement is still open.

-   When an applicant completes the Online Application, she will be
    invited to use the **Document Upload Service** to upload document
    files that may contain any of the types of documents you specify are
    allowed for the Vacancy (Staffing Action) record on the Supporting
    Documents page. More details. Alternatively, the applicant may fax
    documents using the Fax Cover Sheet that is available on the
    Document Upload page.

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![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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####  

#### The Examining Office receives and processes applications.

###### Correspondence with Applicants

USA Staffing can send email and prepare numerous letters to communicate
with applicant throughout the life cycle of the VIN ( Vacancy or
Staffing Action). The contents of the letters can be customized at the
level of Organization, Office, Customer, or VIN. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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Applicant information is loaded into USA Staffing in one or more of the
following ways.

-   Information from Online Applications is loaded automatically into
    USA Staffing. If your organization has arranged for OPM to deploy a
    custom Interactive Voice Recognition (IVR) application process,
    these are also automatically loaded.

-   Examining offices may scan paper copies of the Form 1203-FX, and the
    data is loaded automatically into USA Staffing.

-   Examining offices may opt to manually key enter information from
    Forms 1203-FX. The page for doing this is in the group under the
    white Applicants button. More details.

USA Staffing creates an applicant record once it has the basic
information from the Online Application, TAPS, or Form 1203-FX. If other
documents are required, the system places the applicant record in PF
(Pending Forms) status until they arrive. If additional information is
needed, the examining office may opt to send one or more letters to
applicants reminding them to submit what is missing. When additional
information arrives, a user may enter it in the appropriate pages
grouped under the white Applicants button.

When all information is in, USA Staffing rates the application and
removes the PF from the status indicator if one was present. The system
will issue one of the following types of ratings and change the record
status indicator to one of the following, based upon choices the user
made when setting up the Vacancy (Staffing Action).

-   Numerical score, such as 70 or 95.2

-   Minimum qualifications ratings, such as EL for eligible or IN for
    ineligible.

-   Pending Qualifications Review (PQ), if the Staffing Action record
    (Vacancy) was set up to require a minimum qualifications review.
    Once the review is completed, the record status changes to AA for
    eligible and active applicant records, and IN for ineligible
    applicants.

-   The system generates Notices of Results (NORs), which are emailed or
    printed and mailed to applicants.

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#### The Examining Office refers candidates.

When the closing date has been reached, or when the examining office
determines there is a sufficient number of qualified applicants, they
refer candidates.

-   A **certificate** of eligibles is the official list of qualified
    candidates in Federal competitive hiring situations.

-   A **pre-cert** is a list of candidates pending further assessment in
    a deferred rating situation.

-   A **merit promotion list** or other non-competitive hiring list may
    also be issued.

These lists may be issued on paper or by email, or may be sent to the
Agency Document Viewer (ADV ).

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#### The selecting officials make and report selections.

The selecting officials review applicant information and conduct
interviews

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#### The Examining Office audits the referral list.

The Examining Office verifies that the selections that have been made
are technically correct, and then enters the results into USA Staffing.
This \"audit\" process closes out the referral list, and updates the
status of all applicants on the list.

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#### Reports

Various reports are available in the Reports Work Area, including
reports about applicants.

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## URLs for the Online Application

Topic Map

-    About URLs for the Online Application

-   Related topic: USAJOBS: Apply Online and Résumé Builder

### About URLs for the Online Application

If you want applicants to be able to get to the Online Application other
than by clicking the Apply Online button in USAJOBS, you need to give
them at least one URL to start a new Online Application, and a second
one to return to a Saved application so they can resume work on it to
upload documents.

-   **Start URL:** The TAG that you can insert into the Job Announcement
    is for the URL to start a new Online Application. It includes the
    VIN, so it is unique to each Job Announcement, and it will take that
    applicant directly to the start of a new application.

-   **Return URL:** To provide a way for the applicant to return to a
    Saved Online Application, you should also provide this URL, which
    you have to copy into your Job Announcement:
     https://www.hr-services.org/USASOnlineApp/USASOnlineApp.aspx .
    (Click the link to see what the applicant will see.) There is no TAG
    for this.

-   ***Note: The following URL takes applicants to the Online
    Application for the old Citrix version of USA Staffing. You cannot
    use it with Job Announcements issued from the Web version*** \--
    https://www.hr-services.org/USAWeb/USAWeb.aspx .

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## Collecting Resumes and Applications

Topic Map

-   About this topic

-   Options for collecting résumés and applications

    -   The Apply Online button

    -   The Start and Return URLs

        -   Start URL

        -   Return URL

-   Questions and Answers

    -   get more information

    -   suppress the Apply Online button

    -   why use the Start URL

    -   USAJOBS résumés and uploaded résumés \-- both?

    -   rely solely upon the Apply Online button

    -   how long for résumé to show up

    -   why not copy and paste

    -   promoting use of Start URL

    -   Return URL

    -   instructing applicants about returning to Online Application

### About this topic

There are two ways that applicants may begin the application process --
either the Apply Online button in USAJOBS, or the **Start URL** that is
placed in your Job Announcement when you insert the Online Questionnaire
TAG. This article discusses:

-   the *Apply Online* button

-   the *Start URL* and the *Return URL*

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### Options for collecting résumés and applications

USA Staffing gives you several options that control the way applicants
experience the application process. Use these options to tailor the
process to meet your needs. (For the purposes of this discussion, we
will use the term Online Application Questionnaire to refer to what has
at various times in the past been referred to as the USA Staffing Online
App, the Online Questionnaire, or the SQS.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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#### The Apply Online button ![](media/image92.jpeg){width="0.8958333333333334in" height="0.1875in"}

The Apply Online button appears in USAJOBS with every Job Announcement.
Applicants who click this button are taken to the USA Staffing Online
Application Questionnaire.

-   Before applicants get to the USA Staffing Online Application
    Questionnaire, they will first go to the USAJOBS Résumé Builder
    unless you have turned this feature off. (More details: Send
    applicant to USAJOBS Résumé Builder.)

-   Applicants can click *Apply Online* again to return to work on an
    unfinished Online Application Questionnaire.

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#### The Start URL and the Return URLs

As their names imply, the *Start URL* is the URL applicants can use to
start a new Online Application Questionnaire in USA Staffing, and the
*Return URL* is the URL they use to get back to an already started
application afterwards.

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###### Start URL

The Online Application Questionnaire ***Start URL*** will appear in your
Job Announcement if you insert the Online Questionnaire TAG when you
create the Job Announcement in USA Staffing. Applicants who click the
*Start URL* will be taken directly to the USA Staffing Online
Application Questionnaire. They will never see the USAJOBS Résumé
Builder if they click the *Start UR*L instead of the *Apply Online*
button. Also, as its name implies, the *Start URL* always starts a new
Online Application Questionnaire; in order to resume work on an
unfinished application, the applicant would use the *Return URL*
instead.

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###### Return URL

The ***Return URL*** takes the applicants to unfinished Online
Application Questionnaires so that they can

-   Finish the questionnaire

-   Upload documents

-   Obtain a fax cover sheet

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### Questions and Answers

*1.  Where can I get more information on this subject?*  See USAJOBS:
Apply Online and Résumé Builder.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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*2.  If I do not want the Apply Online button to appear, can I remove
it?* Yes. You can remove the check from the Accept Online Applications
checkbox.

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*3.  If the Apply Online button appears by default and applicants can
use it to start a new USA Staffing Online Application Questionnaire, why
would I ever want to include the Start URL in my Job Announcement?* If
your Job Announcement is for a merit promotion job that does not show up
in USAJOBS search results, applicants will need the Start URL because
there will be no Apply Online button for them. Also, if you wish to
offer applicants the option of either uploading a résumé file or
creating a new résumé in the USAJOBS Résumé Builder, you can provide the
Start and Return URLs. Then explain in your Job Announcement that the
Apply Online will allow them to create a résumé online -- and, by the
way, it won't let them move on to the USA Staffing Online Application
Questionnaire until they have done so -- and if they want to skip the
USAJOBS Résumé Builder, they should click the Start URL instead.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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*4.  Can an applicant do both -- attach a USAJOBS Résumé Builder résumé
and also upload a résumé file?* Yes, and if they do, both will be stored
in USA Staffing as résumés.

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*5.  Can I leave out the Start and Return URLs and just rely upon the
USAJOBS Apply Online button, so that applicants do not have to make this
decision?* Yes, but there is one situation where the applicant will
still need the Return URL, even if they do not use the Start URL:
applicants who use the USAJOBS Apply Online button and then finish and
submit a USA Staffing Online Application Questionnaire can upload any
additional files and obtain fax cover sheets only in that same session.
After the USA Staffing Online Application Questionnaire is submitted,
the applicant will not be able to return to it by clicking the USAJOBS
Apply Online button; at that point, clicking the button will start a
blank new application. So, applicants who have finished and submitted
their USA Staffing Online Application Questionnaire, leave, and then
want to come back to upload files or to obtain the fax cover sheet, will
need to use the Return URL.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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*6.  When an applicant uses the USAJOBS Résumé Builder to attach a
résumé, when will that résumé show up in USA Staffing?*  Although
applicants create and select résumés before filling out the USA Staffing
Online Application Questionnaire, the résumés are not actually sent to
USA Staffing until the applicant finishes and submits the USA Staffing
Online Application Questionnaire. Every time applicants click the
USAJOBS Apply Online button, they have a new opportunity to select a
different résumé, and only the last one chosen is forwarded to USA
Staffing when the USA Staffing Online Application Questionnaire is
submitted as final.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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*7.  I want to include the Start URL in my Job Announcement. Is it OK to
just copy and paste it in from another Job Announcement?*  ***No, don't
ever do this!*** The Start URL that is inserted when you use the Online
Questionnaire TAG in USA Staffing's Job Announcement builder includes
the VIN number. The URL, therefore, takes the applicant to the
Questionnaire for that VIN. If you paste in a URL from a different Job
Announcement, it will try to take the applicant to the wrong
questionnaire, and if that questionnaire is no longer available because
its Job Announcement closed, the applicant will be told the job is
closed. Always use the Online Questionnaire TAG to insert the
appropriate Start URL into your Job Announcement. One more thing to keep
in mind: the URL that is inserted by the Questionnaire TAG is controlled
by the template you use, so if you are making your own templates, you
need to verify that you have the correct URL for the Web version of USA
Staffing. The URL that gets inserted by the TAG should ***not*** contain
the word "USAWeb"; this word in the URL will take the applicants to the
old Citrix version instead of the new Web version.

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*8.  If I include the Start URL in my Job Announcement, how can I assure
that applicants use it instead of the USAJOBS Apply Online button?* You
can suppress the Apply Online button so that it does not appear. If you
leave the Apply Online button on, we suggest that your Job Announcement
explain the options to the applicants.

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*9.  Why would I need to include the Return URL?*  The Start URL will
always take applicants to a blank new Online Application Questionnaire
form, even if they have one or more already started and saved. To
provide a way to get back to an already started Online Application
Questionnaire to complete it, or to an already completed Questionnaire
to upload files for it, or to obtain a fax cover sheet in order to fax
documents to be matched to it, give the applicant the Return URL.

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*10. What is the Return URL that I should publish? What other
instructions should I provide for applicants who are returning?* The
correct Return URL for the Web version of USA Staffing is
https://www.hr-services.org/USASOnlineApp/USASOnlineApp.aspx. You can
click this link now to see what the applicant will see \-- see Figure 1
below. An applicant who is returning to work on a Questionnaire that was
already started, or to upload files or to obtain a fax cover page,
should be instructed to use the Login box on the *right* side of the
screen, by providing their Social Security Number and Last Name, as
requested there. (Note: People who use the box on the left instead will
start a blank new Questionnaire.)

 ![](media/image247.jpeg){width="5.91875in"
height="3.384027777777778in"}

> *Figure 1: The welcome and login page that applicants use when
> starting an Online Application*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Uploading is Better than Faxing!

Encourage applicants to upload their documents using the Document Upload
Service at the end of the Online Application Questionnaire. The table
below shows you the many benefits of uploaded documents.

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **Uploaded documents**            | **Faxed documents**               |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Automatically matched and linked  |  Need to be manually reviewed and |
| to applicant record by VIN and    | placed in the correct folder by   |
| SSN. Little possibility of error  | VIN and SSN. If there is no cover |
| or delay.                         | sheet or Form 1203 FX, or if the  |
|                                   | name, SSN and VIN are not clear   |
|                                   | and accurate, delays will occur   |
|                                   | and documents will not match.     |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Usually very good copies.         | Image may be degraded by the fax  |
|                                   | process. Documents may be upside  |
|                                   | down if they were faxed that way. |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| More convenient for applicants.   | Applicants need to remember to go |
| They can upload documents at the  | from their computer to their fax  |
| end of the Online Application     | machine. They must remember to    |
| Questionnaire -- either           | use the correct cover sheet and   |
| immediately, or at a later time.  | fill it out fully and accurately. |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Available for viewing immediately | Available for viewing typically   |
| -- not affected by volume because | within 24 hours. Wait times may   |
| there is no human intervention    | be extended due to extremely high |
| required.                         | volume.                           |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Applicants are reminded of the    |  Applicants might fax undesired   |
| types of documents that are       | or unrecognized document. Review  |
| allowed, and indicate which type  | staff determine what folder to    |
| is being uploaded, so it goes to  | put it in.                        |
| the appropriate folder.           |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| The enhanced Document Upload      |  The applicant has the fax        |
| Service page now shows a detailed | transmission confirmation, but no |
| list of documents received for    | indication that documents were    |
| the applicant, and the status.    | actually received and processed   |
| (See Figure 1 below.)  The list   | OK.                               |
| includes:                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   Uploaded files                |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   Faxed documents that have     |                                   |
|     been Matched                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   USAJOBS Résumé Builder        |                                   |
|     résumés that have been        |                                   |
|     attached                      |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

![](media/image248.jpeg){width="5.510416666666667in"
height="4.104166666666667in"}

> *Figure 1: The enhanced Document Upload Service page has a table that
> shows applicants the status of every document they have submitted*.
>
> For more information about uploading applicant documents, see Document
> Upload Service (DUS).

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Uploading Documents for Applicants

Topic Map

-   About Uploading Documents for Applicants

-   Uploading the documents

### About Uploading Documents for Applicants

The Document Upload Service makes it easy for applicants to submit
documents themselves. Nevertheless, there may be occasions where you
want to upload documents for an applicant, such as if they are emailed
to you.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Uploading the documents 

Bear in mind that an applicant must already have an Applicant Record for
the VIN before anyone can upload documents for it, because the system
needs to be able to attach the uploaded documents to the Applicant
Record. If the applicant has already completed the Online Application
Questionnaire, you will not need to do that part for him or her.
However, the Online Application Questionnaire must have been completed
-- including clicking **Finish** and **Submit** -- by either the
applicant, or by you on the applicant's behalf -- before you can upload
documents.

Once the Online Application Questionnaire has been completed, as long as
the Job Announcement is still open, you can log in as if you were the
applicant who is returning after having already done an Online
Application Questionnaire. To do this, follow these steps:

1.  Browse to
    https://www.hr-services.org/USASOnlineApp/USASOnlineApp.aspx.

2.  On the right side of the page -- in the box labeled *Work on an
    application I have already started* -- provide the SSN and Last Name
    of the applicant. Click the Login button. See Figure 1.

![](media/image247.jpeg){width="5.91875in" height="3.384027777777778in"}

> *Figure 1: The Online Application login page*

3.  Select the appropriate application from the list that may be
    presented.

4.  Proceed to the Document Upload Service page, rather than to the
    questionnaire.  From here, you simply upload the documents using the
    control on the page.

5.  View the results of the upload process on the table of Documentation
    on File (see Figure 1 above).

*Note: When you upload documents for an applicant, if there is problem
with the file that is uploaded, the email message about the problem is
going to go to the applicant, who may not even be aware anything was
uploaded unless you tell him or her.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Cancel a VIN

Topic Map

-    Question: How do I cancel a VIN?

### Cancel a VIN (Vacancy, Staffing Action) Record 

**Q:** I need to cancel a VIN (a Vacancy/Staffing Action record). How do
I do this in the Web version of USA Staffing?

**A:** If the vacancy is already released to USAJOBS, you need to go
into the Announcement area, Click on **Preview**. Uncheck the **Release
to USAJOBS** checkbox and uncheck the **Complete** box.  

This is all that needs to be done. You do not have to click on the
Update to USAJOBS button.  When you uncheck the checkbox, it will send a
flag to the USAJOBS system and take the Vacancy off of the Web site the
next time the pickup process runs.  You can annotate Notes for this
cancellation.

Note: The Web version of USA Staffing does not have a Status field to
change from Active, Pending, Cancel status.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Diploma Mills

### About Diploma Mills

The Director of OPM has issued guidance to detect and deal with degrees
issued by \"diploma mills\". Federal Government users should consult the
resources found on the OPM Web site for guidance on this subject as it
becomes available.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Questionnaires

Topic Map

-    About Questionnaires

### About Questionnaires

A Questionnaire in USA Staffing is an Assessment Component in which the
applicant is asked to respond to either multiple choice or narrative
text questions. (Users of older versions may be using the term
\"assessment tool\", but because of all the new capabilities of the
system, \"assessment tool\" is not really a precise description and may
lead to confusion.)

As a user of USA Staffing, you can use the Questionnaire Builder page on
the Assessment menu to create the instructions, questions, and scales.
Then, on the Rating Criteria page, you determine how many points each
possible response is worth in the rating process.

Applicants will typically respond to the Questionnaire online as part of
the Online Application. When applicants can not access the Online
Application for some reason, they may answer the multiple choice
questions using the Form 1203-FX. They mail these forms to you, and you
can scan them yourself (if you have the proper hardware and software to
do this) or you can batch them and send them to the OPM Technical
Service Group in Macon, Georgia for processing.

USA Staffing rates the Questionnaire responses using the Rating Criteria
you set up, and it stores the applicant rating in the Applicant Record
on the Assessment Information page of the Applicants menu. This rating
takes place as soon as the applicant clicks the Submit button on the
Online Application Questionnaire, or if the Form 1203-FX is used instead
of the Online Application, as soon as the scanning process is complete.
You can designate certain questions to be Screen Out questions.

Narrative Text Questions are not part of the automated rating process
but you can rate them manually and use them to affect the final rating.
Responses to Narrative Text Questions are stored with the Applicant
Record, and can be viewed from the Questionnaire page of the Applicants
menu. You can view them when you access the record, and you can give ADV
access to hiring officials so that they can view them too. You can use
Narrative responses to corroborate multiple choice responses during the
quality review process. You can also have people rate the narrative
responses and use their ratings to augment the score itself, typically
with Deferred Rating. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Screen Out Questions

Topic Map

-    About Screen Out Questions

### About Screen Out Questions

USA Staffing lets you specify certain questions that can end the Online
Application based on the responses applicants give. When you mark a
question as a Screen Out, only applicants who respond with the Valid
Value are \"screened in\" and continue with the application process. The
system evaluates applicant responses every time they click a button at
the bottom of the page to move to the next page or step in the process
or to a previous one.

-   **Multiple Choice questions:** You must mark at least one of the
    responses as Valid Value \-- the response applicants must select to
    continue with the Online Application.

-   **Text box questions:** The system interprets a response as a valid
    value and the lack of a response \-- leaving the field blank \-- as
    failing the valid value. For this type of question, you do not need
    to indicate a specific Valid Value.

Screen Out questions are set up one way for the questions in a
Questionnaire type of Assessment, and another way for the personal
information questions of the Job Announcement. For more details on each
situation, click the link below:

-   Questionnaire Assessments \-- see Questionnaire Builder in
    Assessment.

-   Job Announcement personal information questions \-- see
    Questionnaire Template in Announcement.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Responses and Codes for the Questionnaire

Topic Map

-    About Responses

    -   Tip: Standardize Code Lists

### About Responses 

Tip: Standardize Code Lists

For each Response type for which USA Staffing does not have pre-defined
codes, you have complete flexibility to establish code lists of any type
that you want, and they may vary from one VIN to another.

Bear in mind, however, that the value of your data will increase
substantially if you establish and adhere to standard code lists
throughout your Organization. For instance, if a future enhancement to
USA Staffing permits you to search across VINs for a person with a
specific skill or job preference, the search would use the codes, and it
would only return meaningful results if your codes were consistently
used.

To illustrate this point, let\'s assume that at some point in the future
you wanted to identify all applicants who ever indicated Spanish
speaking ability. If your organization had a standardized code list such
that for all your VINs, Spanish is always code 04, then a search across
VINs would be constructed something like this: Find all applicants who
indicated Language ability of \"04\".

As you can see, if you have not been careful to assure that code 04 is
always the one used for Spanish speaking ability, and that 04 is never
used to mean anything else, then a search for code 04 would not return
any meaningful results.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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Assessment Questionnaire or the Announcement Questionnaire permit many
types of response. However, many responses that you can offer an
applicant have a numeric code equivalent. When applicants fill out a
Form 1203-FX instead of the Online Application, you must tell them what
numeric codes to use for the responses to certain questions.

It is the numeric code of the response that is actually stored in USA
Staffing, and it is the numeric code that you might use in certain
Advanced Criteria boolean expressions or in other ad hoc searches and
reports. You must decide up front what the meaning of each code will be,
and as explained in the tip on this page, it is often a good idea to
establish standard sets of codes for your organization.

-   In an Assessment Questionnaire, the range of multiple choice
    responses is letters A through I.

-   In an Announcement Questionnaire, there are many different types of
    questions, and they have varying response types.

    -   **Languages** and **Lowest Grade Accepted** \-- The system
        expects a 2-digit number as a response code. In the case of
        Languages, you would establish the codes you need.

    -   **Miscellaneous Information** \-- The system expects a 3-digit
        number as a response code.

    -   **Special Knowledge** \-- The system expects a 2-digit number as
        a response code.

    -   **Test Location** \-- The system expects a 3-digit number as a
        response code.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Form 1203 FX

Topic Map

-    About the OPM Form 1203-FX

-   Working with the Form 1203-FX

    -   The Form 1203-FX is sacred!

### About the OPM Form 1203-FX

The OPM Form 1203-FX is a machine scannable response form. It was
originally developed to collect applicant responses and feed them into
USA Staffing before the Online Application existed, and it can still be
used for those special situations where applicants do not have access to
the Online Application. Note that the Form 1203 FX does not have a way
to collect Narrative Text Responses, but you could have applicants who
are mailing Forms 1203 FX to you include paper copies of their responses
to Narrative Text questions, and you can fax in the responses to USA
Staffing.

You can see what the Form 1203-FX looks like, but this copy is not a
*fillable* PDF and is therefore not 508 compliant. To obtain a 508
compliant version of the form to distribute to applicants, refer to the
OPM Forms Web page.

 ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### Working with the Form 1203-FX

The Form 1203-FX is sacred!

Only OPM and OMB approved Forms 1203-FX are acceptable. Do not modify
the form. The processing software needs the precisely aligned
combinations of symbols, boxes and blank space in order to read the
form. If you modify the form, such as by adding agency logos or other
text, you may render the form void, and that will result in delays or
the inability to process batches that come in with the invalid form.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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By looking at the form, you can see the number and types of responses
are allowed for each type of question. For example, you may notice this
variety in the types of questions and their responses:

-   Citizenship is yes/no (Item 6).

-   Background Information (Item 7) has room for up to 6 Yes/No
    responses. The text of the actual question is left up to your
    discretion.

-   Items 9 and 10 \-- Languages and Lowest Grade Accepted \-- The
    system expects a 2-digit number as a response code. In the case of
    Languages, you would establish the codes you need.\*

-   Item 11 \-- Miscellaneous Information \-- The system expects a
    3-digit number as a response code.\*

-   Item 12 \-- Special Knowledge \-- The system expects a 2-digit
    number as a response code.\*

-   Item 13 \-- Test Location \-- The system expects a 3-digit number as
    a response code.\*

\*There is great flexibility here, and the codes do not necessarily have
to be kept the same from one VIN to the next. But it would be a very
good idea to consider establishing codes lists that are used
organization-wide. More details.

Some of the limits on the number of responses allowed may not pertain if
you know that all applicants will be using the Online Application, and
that you will not be using the Form 1203-FX.

## Understanding Default Scales

Topic Map

-   About Default Scales

    -   Sample Default Scale

-   Using Default Scales

    -   Default Scale Tips

### About Default Scales

Sample Default Scale

Here is an example of a default scale of responses:

A.  I have neither experience nor demonstrated capability in the
    performance of this task. I am unfamiliar with its performance.

B.  I have limited experience and am generally familiar with the
    performance of this task. I would require additional guidance,
    instruction, or experience to perform it well without supervision.

C.  I have some degree of experience in the performance of this task. I
    can perform this task satisfactorily but could benefit from
    additional instruction, guidance, or experience to perform the task
    more effectively.

D.  I have considerable experience and perform this task regularly. I
    can perform this task independently and effectively.

E.  I have substantial experience and have clearly demonstrated my
    capability in the performance of this task. I have received official
    recognition for and/or I am considered an expert in performing this
    task.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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A default scale is a set of responses that is stored and can be reused
and applied to questions throughout the Online Application, even if the
questions are in non-contiguous groups.

As an individual user, you may create new default scales for the
Questionnaire you are building, or you can draw upon Default Scales that
are saved in the Templates Library. Only users who have a Permissions
Profile that allows them to write to the Template Libraries can save new
Default Scales for others to see in the Library.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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###  

###  

###  

###  

###  

###  

###  

> *Figure 1 \-- The arrow indicates we have selected the row above our
> first question.*

###  

### Using Default Scales

Here are the steps for using a Default Scale:

Default Scale Tips

When using a Default Scale, keep these points in mind:

-   A Default Scale must be inserted in the Questionnaire Builder so
    that it appears *before* the questions that use it. Normally, you
    would have the scale apply to all the questions of a
    Competency/Factor, and in order to do this, you should click to
    select the Competency/Factor before you click **Add Item**. This
    will insert the item above all the questions for the
    Competency/Factor.

-   If you accidentally put it in the wrong place, you can move it up or
    down by clicking the up or down arrows at the far right of the row.
    (See Figure 1 above.)

-   When *Apply Scale To\...* appears on the page, you can use it to
    apply the scale to a range of subsequent questions. (This box is not
    on the page when the scale is below the last question of a
    Competency/Factor. Move it higher if you want to use *Apply Scale
    To\...*)

-   A Question or Instruction can not be changed to a Default Scale
    item. If you create the wrong type of item, the way to fix it is to
    delete it and create it again as the correct type of item.

-   If you already have a scale for a question, and then click Use
    Scale, it will *add* the item of the Default Scale above that
    question with the ones that are already attached to the question.
    This may cause a duplication of responses. Check your work to make
    sure you have not inadvertently combined scales.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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1.  On the Questionnaire Builder page, expand the table (by clicking the
    plus sign) so that you can see the first question of the group
    before which you wish to insert the Default Scale.

2.  The item will be inserted on the row *below* the one you select.
     Therefore:

    -   **If the Default Scale is to be used with the first question of
        the Competency/Factor**, click the row of the Competency/Factor
        itself (but *not* the name of the Competency/Factor itself, as
        this will open the Competency/Factor for editing). Or, if you
        have an Instructions item that you want to be above the Default
        Scale and first question \-- as in the Figure 1, above \-- click
        the Instructions row.

    -   **If the Default Scale is to be used starting with a particular
        question** (other than the first question), click the row
        *above* that question. (Do *not* click in the Item column, as
        this will open the item for editing.)

3.  Click the **Add Item** button. The Item Editor page will appear.
    (See Figure 2 below.)

4.  From the **Description** dropdown selection box, click to select
    **Default Scale**.  This causes two new items to display on the page
    \-- *Default Scale Template* and *Apply Scale To*\...

5.  Use a Default Scale Template or create a new scale.

    -   **To use a Default Scale Template** from the Templates Library:
        Click to select it from the **Defaults Scale Template** dropdown
        selection box.  

    -   **To create a new Default Scale:**

        a.  Type in the text editing box any instructions you want to
            appear above the responses.

        b.  Click the **New** button *below the text editing box* to
            create a response choice. This will open the Response Editor
            box, where you type in the text of the response. (The system
            will automatically suggest the next appropriate response
            letter for you.)

        c.  If you wish to associate the response with an Applicant
            Flag, click to select the appropriate one from the
            **Applicant Flag** dropdown box.

        d.  Click **OK** when you are finished creating the response
            choice. The Response Editor box will close.

        e.  Repeat steps b through d for each additional response choice
            you wish to create.

6.  Click the **Apply Scale To** dropdown selection box to specify the
    numbers of the questions that are going to use the Default Scale.

7.  Click **Save**. When you return to the Questionnaire Builder page,
    the scale will be applied to all the questions you specified.

![](media/image249.jpeg){width="4.197916666666667in"
height="2.4270833333333335in"}

> *Figure 2 \-- The Item Editor page. Our choice of Default Scale for
> Description is highlighted.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Understanding Rating Criteria

Topic Map

-   About Screen Out and Rating Factors

-   What is a Screen Out Factor?

-   What is a Rating Factor?

-   What happens if I select a Factor to be both Screen Out and Rating?

-   What happens if I select a Factor to be Screen Out but not for
    Rating?

-   What happens if I have multiple questions in my Screen Out Factor?

### About Screen Out and Rating Factors

This topic is to give some examples of the ways you can use the settings
on the Rating Criteria page on the Assessment menu to make USA Staffing
do what you want it to do with Screen Out and Rating Factors.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### What is a Screen Out Factor?

A Screen Out Factor is one used to determine basic eligibility. If
Rating is not also checked, then this is ***all*** the Screen Out Factor
does.

In most GS occupations, you would use one or more Screen Out Factors to
determine whether the applicants meet the minimum qualifications
requirements. In Wage Grade jobs (or where Job Element Examining is the
method used to rate) you would set up one or more Screen Out Factors to
determine if applicants pass or fail the screen out element of the Job
Element rating plan. If you are setting a Factor to be a Screen Out, you
must also set a value for the Minimum Qualifying Value, which is the
lowest number of points that applicant may receive on the Factor and
still be considered eligible. You also specify the Ineligible Code that
the system will assign to the applicant record and show on the Notice of
Results for an applicant who scores below the screen out Minimum
Qualifying Value.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### What is a Rating Factor?

A Rating Factor is one the points of which are used to help arrive at
the score the applicant receives. Each possible response to the
questions associated with the Factor has a point value. For example, you
may establish a scale of 5 possible responses, and set the point values
in a range from 0 to 4.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### What happens if I set a Factor to be both Screen Out and for Rating?

The system will use the Factor to determine if the applicant is
ineligible based upon his meeting the Minimum Qualifying Value, and will
also use the point value for each response to questions associated with
the Factor in arriving at the applicant\'s score.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### What happens if I set a Factor to be a Screen Out Factor but not for Rating?

The system will use the results of the question only to determine if
minimum qualifications have been met, but will not include the points in
arriving at the applicant\'s score.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### What happens if I have multiple questions in my Screen Out Factor?

When you have multiple questions associated with a Screen Out Factor,
the points from the responses the applicant gives are averaged, and it
is that *average* that must exceed the Minimum Qualifying Value,
although any given response may be below the minimum.

It is useful to have multiple questions that get at different aspects of
a Factor. For example, a professional position may require both a
certain educational background and certain specialized experience. You
could set the Factor to be a Screen Out Factor. You could set the
Minimum Qualifying Value to 2. You could ask both questions as Yes/No
questions along the lines of \"Do you have this type of education?\" and
\"Do you have this type of experience?\" You could set the value of a
Yes response to 2, and the value for a No response to 0. The possible
outcomes for an applicant would be as follows:

-   Both responses are Yes: 2 points + 2 points = 4, divided by 2
    questions = 2 \-- so the applicant passes the Screen Out.

-   One response is No: 2 points + 0 points = 2, divided by 2 questions
    = 1 \-- so the applicant fails the Screen Out.

-   Both responses are No: 0 + 0 = 0, divided by 2questions = 0 \-- so
    the applicant fails the Screen Out.

Thus, the applicant must answer both questions Yes in order to pass this
Screen Out.

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## Testing an Assessment Component

Topic Map

-   About Testing an Assessment Component

-   Testing your Questionnaire type Assessment

-   Tips for assuring accuracy of the Assessment

### About Testing an Assessment Component

When you build a Questionnaire type of Assessment Component, it is
necessary for you to test it before you can put it into \"production
mode\" \-- that is, before the system will see it as ready for use in
rating applicants. This topic explains the test process you will use.

Briefly stated, your objective here is to create any number of imaginary
applicants, enter their responses, and let the system rate them. Then
you compare the results you actually obtained with the results you
expected. This process is streamlined by allowing you to enter the
\"applicant\" responses on a simplified test form, rather than having to
complete an Online Application. You must already know what the questions
are, because as you will see below, they are not shown on the test page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### Testing your Questionnaire type Assessment

When you first click the Test button, the system checks for the presence
of response values for all responses. If these are missing or
contradictory, an error message will appear on the screen, prompting you
to fix them on the Rating Criteria page.

Below is a picture of the assessment component test page that you will
see if there are no pre-test errors caused by missing or contradictory
values. If there are pre-test errors, you must fix them before the test
will run. This may entail returning to other pages earlier in the
assessment development process so that you can supply information that
is missing.

![](media/image250.jpeg){width="4.145833333333333in"
height="3.4583333333333335in"}

> *Figure 1: The Test Component page*

Each question number and will appear in the Question column for your
first default applicant, Applicant 0. The response column will be blank,
but you must supply Response values before you start the test.

Follow these steps to complete the test process:

1.  Enter response values in the Response column for Applicant 0. You
    can type in the values you want, one at a time, or you can click
    **Randomize** to have the system randomly enter some Response values
    for you.

2.  If you wish to have more than the one default test applicant,
    Applicant 0, then one at a time, add any number of new applicants by
    clicking **New**. Enter Response values for all of them. You can
    switch from one applicant to another by using the Applicant dropdown
    selection box.

3.  Click **Rate All** to make the system rate the applicant responses
    and generate a report of their ratings. It will open in Preview mode
    in a separate window. (If you do not see it, look for this window
    hidden behind other ones. Subsequent reports may appear in the same
    window, which may become buried by that time by other windows.)

![](media/image251.jpeg){width="3.7708333333333335in" height="2.4375in"}

> *Figure 2: A sample report when the test is completed and the
> applicant is eligible.*
>
> ![](media/image252.jpeg){width="4.239583333333333in"
> height="2.46875in"}
>
> *Figure 3: A sample report when the test is completed and the
> applicant is ineligible.*

4.  When the test completes successfully and you are satisfied that the
    ratings that appear in the report are correct, you must have the
    system mark the Assessment Component as \"Complete\" (formerly
    referred to as putting the Questionnaire into \"production mode\")
    in order for the Assessment Component to be used for rating
    applicants. To do this, click **Next**, and respond with **OK** as
    you see in the dialog box pictured below. Note that this test
    process does not by itself assure that the rating criteria are set
    up properly; you need to confirm accuracy. Some tips for doing this
    are below.

![](media/image253.jpeg){width="3.96875in" height="1.71875in"}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Tips for assuring accuracy of the Assessment

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Assessment Matching

Topic Map

-   About Assessment Matching

-   PL Status

-   Combining Assessment Types

-   The Automated Assessment Matching Process

-   Manual Assessment Matching

-   Future Enhancement

### About Assessment Matching

This topic provides background information you need to know when your
Assessment Plan has multiple Assessment Components.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### PL Status

When you set up your Assessment Plan, you can designate one or more of
your Assessment Components to be \"required for certification\". If you
do, then applicants are not referred if their records do not have all
the required assessment results.

The way the system manages this process is that as soon as an Applicant
Record is created, the system puts it in PL status. Every time the
Assessment Matching Process runs, it attempts to match results with
records that are still in PL status. When all required results are in
place, the system changes the status from PL to the next appropriate
status.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Combining Assessment Types

For this discussion, we think of Assessment Components as being in
either Group 1 or Group 2, defined as follows:

-   **Group 1 Assessment Types:**

    -   **Questionnaire:** There can only be one Questionnaire in your
        Assessment Plan. You are not required to have a Questionnaire.
        The results are automatically captured from the Online
        Application Questionnaire or from the Form 1203 FX.

    -   **Manual Rating:** You can have multiple Manual Rating
        Assessments. In order for the Automated Match Process to find
        the results, you must manually enter them on the Assessment
        Information page.

    -   Customized Processing

-   **Group 2 Assessment Types:** Any of the other types of Assessment
    Components, such as:

    -   a test

    -   a structured interview

    -   a written demonstration

    -   an assessment center

> The results of Assessments from Group 2 must all be manually entered
> except for *written tests that are*  *processed by OPM\'s Nationwide
> Testing Group.*
>
> ***Do not*** manually enter the results of *written tests that are*
>  *processed by OPM\'s Nationwide Testing Group*, because this will
> take the applicant record out of PL status, and that will cause the
> Automated Assessment Matching Process to skip over the record. It will
> also place a value in the field for the written test that the system
> will not overwrite, and may cause recompetition problems.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### The Automated Assessment Matching Process

The system runs its Automated Assessment Matching Process hourly.

If your Assessment Plan includes a written test *processed by OPM\'s
Nationwide Testing Group* \-- which is an Assessment Component from
Group 2 \-- the Automated Assessment Matching Process runs against all
applicant records in PL status and matches those test results to the
applicant records.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Manual Assessment Matching

You must *manually* match the assessment results in these three
situations:

-   If you have more than one of the Group 2 Assessment Types, you must
    match them manually.

-   If you have any of the Group 2 Assessment Types other than a Written
    Test *processed by OPM's Nationwide Testing Group*, you must match
    them manually.

-   If you do not designate your Group 2 Assessment Type as *Required
    for Certification*, you have to match it manually.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Future Enhancement

The Automated Assessment Matching Process will be enhanced to work with
multiple Group 2 Assessment Types that are designated as Required for
Certification in your Assessment Plan.

We will notify you when this enhancement is ready for your use.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## ACWA Assessments

Topic Map

-   About ACWA Assessments

-   Finding an ACWA Assessment in the Library

-   Creating your own template

    -   Finding a template you created

-   Attaching an ACWA Assessment to your VIN

### About ACWA Assessments

This topic provides information on how you locate and use ACWA
Assessments. All ACWA Assessments are created initially by OPM and
placed in the Organizational Library. When you need to use one, you
locate it and make a copy as instructed below.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Finding an ACWA Assessment in the Library

To find an ACWA Assessment, follow these steps:

1.  Click the **Advanced** button at the top to open the Advanced Search
    page.

2.  Select **Assessment** from the drop down selection box. 

3.  Type the **Series.**

4.  Click to place a check in the **Organization Library** check-box.

5.  Open the ACWA Assessment that appears in the table. (The ACWA
    Assessment may be the only assessment there is for that series, and
    in that case, the assessment itself will appear instead of the table
    of assessments from which to choose).

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

### Creating your own Template

If you wish to create your own template, after completing the steps
above for Finding an ACWA Assessment, follow these steps:

1.  Once the appropriate Assessment is displayed (with the Assessment ID
    number displayed in the upper left corner of the page) click the
    **Copy** button located at the top of the page. The Copy Assessment
    page will be displayed (see Figure 1 below).

 \
![](media/image254.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in"
height="1.2916666666666667in"}

> *Figure 1: the Copy Assessment page*

 

2.  On the Copy Assessment page, click to select the appropriate Office
    from the **Office** dropdown box.

3.  In the **Assessment Name** box, type a name for this copy of the
    assessment.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Finding a Template you created 

 

To locate the copy of the Assessment that you created above, follow
these steps:

1.  Use Advanced Search (click the Advanced button at the top of the
    page) and select Assessments from the Look In dropdown selection
    box.  

2.  Click to put checks in both the **Template** and **Show Copies**
    check boxes. The copied assessment will appear or it will display in
    the table.

3.  Modify this Assessment as needed and click **Save**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###  

### Attaching an ACWA Assessment to your VIN

If you are ready to attach an ACWA Assessment to a Vacancy (Staffing
Action Record or VIN), you must already have the VIN in use and its
number must already appear in the Session History box. Then follow these
steps:

1.  Get to the Assessment Builder page.

2.  Click the **Library** button on the Assessment Builder page. From
    here you will be able to search for the assessment. When you select
    the one you want, the system will make a copy and attach it to your
    VIN, giving it a new ID number.

3.  Develop the experience responses to questions 1 and 2 to complete
    the building of the Assessment.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Category Rating

### About Category Rating

Category Rating is a procedure for rating and referring candidates for
competitive positions in quality groups or categories, rather than the
numerical score order traditionally required for Federal competitive
referrals as part of the \"Rule of 3\".

Click a link below to get more information on related topics.

-   **Policies and procedures** for Category Rating in general: Visit
    OPM\'s Web site for Category Rating Resources.

-   **Using Category Rating procedures in USA Staffing:** Consult the
    Help topic on Category Rating Setup.

Note that it is not advisable to issue supplements to Category Rating
certificates. Instead, issue a single certificate that meets the
customer\'s need. If more names are needed, audit out the first
certificate, then issue a new certificate that combines the previous
category with the next lower category. The certificate will not show
applicant scores.

The system will automatically float CP and CPS vets as appropriate.

## Deferred Rating

Topic Map

-   About Deferred Rating

-   Using Deferred Rating

    -   Position Information

    -   Assessment Plan

    -   Referral

        -   Deferred Assessments

        -   Select Questions

        -   Deferred Criteria

### About Deferred Rating

When multiple positions may be filled from a single VIN (Vacancy /
Staffing Action), it is possible that there are significant differences
among them, even though they have the same basic qualification
requirements. These differences may mean that individual applicants may
be more qualified for certain positions than others. It may be
impractical or uneconomical to take all potential positions into account
when performing the initial rating, so instead, a part of the rating
process is *deferred*.

*Deferred Rating* means that when applications are initially received,
they are subjected only to a part of the rating process, usually a
determination of minimum qualifications. A determination of the final
rating, however, is deferred for a time, usually shortly prior to the
issuance of a referral list. In the meantime, applicants may be reviewed
against selective or quality ranking factors, possibly including
additional assessments, such as structured interviews, in the process.
The results of the additional assessments are entered into USA Staffing,
and used to determine the final rating.

For guidance in Federal policy concerning the use of deferred rating,
please consult the Delegated Examining Operations Handbook.

When Deferred Rating procedures are used, USA Staffing™ does not perform
the normal full rating process all at one time. Instead:

-   USA Staffing rates incoming applications immediately only for
    minimum qualifications, and places applicants who meet the minimum
    qualifications on the register (inventory).

-   USA Staffing assigns final ratings to applicants relative to each
    position being filled from the register (inventory).

> This makes it possible for users to use a single Job Announcement to
> recruit for a wide variety of related positions, and assure that the
> best qualified applicants for a given Referral List / Certificate are
> always at the top of the list. When Deferred Rating procedures are
> used, applicants\' scores will vary from one Referral List /
> Certificate to another, and their Applicant Records show their ratings
> for each Referral List / Certificate, rather than a single rating.

USA Staffing accomplishes Deferred Rating by using a *Parent* Assessment
Component to determine minimum qualifications, and one
*Child* Assessment Component for each Referral List / Certificate. The
Child Assessment Component comprises a subset of the questions that are
in the Parent Assessment Component \-- those particular questions that
matter most for the specific position being filled.

The information below describes the steps that must be followed when
using Deferred Rating procedures.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Using Deferred Rating

When you use Deferred Rating procedures, you follow the same basic
procedures you would for other VINs, as augmented by the instructions
below.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Position Information

You must set the Vacancy Type to Deferred on the Position Information
page (see Figure 1).

![](media/image49.jpeg){width="4.3125in" height="3.2916666666666665in"}

> *Figure 1: The Position Information page with a check in the box for
> Deferred.*
>
> Once you click **Save**, the menu on the left will have an additional
> white button for Deferred Assessments (Figure 2). You will use this
> later when it is time to create a Child Assessment Component.
>
> ![](media/image255.jpeg){width="1.28125in"
> height="2.2916666666666665in"}
>
> *Figure 2: The left menu with the additional white button for Deferred
> Assessments.*
>
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Assessment Plan

When you set up the Assessment Plan, include a Questionnaire type
Assessment Component, which will be referred to as the *Parent*
Assessment Component.

-   Name the Assessment Questionnaire in a way that makes it clear it is
    being used for Deferred Rating, so that later on, users will not try
    to link it to non-deferred VINs.

-   Minimum Quals Only is checked.

-   Required for Cert is checked.

-   Weight is set to 0. (You will weight the Child Assessment later, but
    not the Parent that you are creating at this point.)

![](media/image256.jpeg){width="4.770833333333333in"
height="1.0416666666666667in"}

> *Figure 3: The Assessment Plan*
>
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Referral

![](media/image257.jpeg){width="4.21875in" height="3.53125in"}

> *Figure 4: Request Information page.*

The Referral process differs from what you normally do, in that part of
the process includes defining the Child Assessment. When you receive a
request to refer names for an actual vacancy, you should obtain from
your Subject Matter Expert the list of which questions from the Parent
Assessment should be used to rate applicants for the request, and also
whether any questions should receive double or triple weight because of
their importance.

With this information in hand, you will follow the normal process (see
Referral of Candidates (Certification)) with these differences:

1.  On the Request Information page, you must provide a Request Number,
    Date Request Received, and Personnel Action Date. You may optionally
    supply Send To, Submitted By, Customer, and Appointment Type.

2.  Click **Save**.

3.  Click **Next**. This automatically takes you to the Deferred
    Assessments page (Figure 5).

![](media/image258.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="3.4166666666666665in"}

> *Figure 5: Deferred Assessments page.*

4.  On the Deferred Assessments page:

    -   Minimum Quals Only is unchecked.

    -   Required for Cert is checked.

    -   Weight is set to 100.

    -   Place a check in the box for the appropriate Grades for each
        Specialty covered by the Request.

5.  Click **Next**. This automatically takes you to the **Select
    Questions** page (Figure 6). This is where you will actually create
    the Child Assessment.

![](media/image259.jpeg){width="4.333333333333333in"
height="3.5104166666666665in"}

> *Figure 6: The Select Questions page, showing all Factors from the
> Parent Assessment, and with a Factor expanded and a question checked.*

6.  Click to place a check to select all questions for a Factor on the
    list, or click the plus sign to expand the Factor, and then click to
    place a check for each individual question you wish to include in
    the Child Assessment. You can uncheck **Display All Questions** if
    you wish to view only those you have checked for inclusion in the
    Child Assessment.

7.  Click **Next**. This will automatically take you to the **Deferred
    Criteria** page, where you can modify the weights of questions for
    scoring and/or set a question to Screen Out or have a Minimum
    Qualifying value (Figure 7). If you do not intend to do any of these
    things, skip to step 9 below to Test the Assessment.

![](media/image260.jpeg){width="4.28125in" height="0.875in"}

> *Figure 7: The Deferred Criteria page when you first arrive.*

8.  **Deferred Criteria page**. Here you can optionally perform the
    following tasks. Click the plus sign to expand the Specialty row and
    reveal the Factor(s) of the questions you included in the Child
    Assessment in the previous steps. Click a Factor to display its
    Questions in the lower part of the page. Click a Question to show
    the Response Values. Then the page will look like Figure 8.

![](media/image261.jpeg){width="4.333333333333333in" height="3.4375in"}

> *Figure 8: Deferred Criteria page fully expanded, showing Factors,
> Questions, and Response Values.*

-   **Used, Rating, Screen Out, Minimum Qual.,** and **Inel Code:**
    These work the same as they do on the Rating Criteria page.

-   **Response Values**: By default, the response values in the Child
    are the same as those for the Parent, as shown in the first few rows
    in Figure 8\'s Response Values table. You can modify the weights for
    the Child by replacing the numbers in the first column. In Figure 8,
    the user has begun doubling the weights, as shown for responses D
    and E.

8.  **Test the Child Assessment**. To do this, click the **Test** button
    at the top of the page. (Details about the test process) When the
    test is completed, the system will automatically take you back to
    the Request Information page.

9.  Click **Next** to move on to the Ordering Criteria page.

10. **Ordering Criteria**: On the Ordering Criteria page, provide all
    the information you normally would. Then click **Re-rate
    Applicants** to have the system apply the Child Assessment Component
    and determine the appropriate ratings. The system will send you an
    email when the re-rate process has completed, and then you can issue
    the Referral List / Cert as you would any other (see Certificate.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Rate and Re-Rate Applicant

Topic Map

-   About rating and re-rating

### About rating and re-rating

USA Staffing rates applications as soon as they arrive, and it assigns
each one a record status code. In addition, if all required forms have
been received and properly matched, and if all assessment components
have been completed and properly matched, the system will assign the
application a rating. If the system can not assign a rating, they are
said to be \"pending\" and will have Record Status Codes that start with
a P.

Related topics:

-   Re-Rating one application

-   Re-Rating all applications for the VIN

## Correspondence Types

Topic Map

-   About Correspondence Types

    -   Preference Levels

-   Acknowledgement Email

-   Availability Letter

-   Cancellation Letter

-   Correspondence Letters

-   Disposition Letters

-   Notification Letters

    -   Competitive

    -   Merit Promotion

###  

### About Correspondence Types

This topic discusses all the types of correspondence that USA Staffing
can send to applicants for you. It tells you the name and purpose of
each.

The Body Text and the various Message Texts have defaults that can be
modified in the Administration Work Area. There can be Organization or
Office defaults, for instance, and these can optionally be overridden
for individual Customers, Vacancies (Staffing Actions), or Certificates.
All correspondence types can optionally be  sent as email.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###  

### Acknowledgement Email

Preference Levels

The Preference Level that you select controls how broadly your Default
Texts will be applied.

-   **Organization**: All Staffing Actions (Vacancies) across the
    Organization will have the default texts you specify, unless
    overridden by texts specified at the Office, Customer, or Vacancy
    level.

-   **Office**: All Staffing Actions (Vacancies) for the specified
    Office will have the default texts you specify, unless overridden by
    texts specified at the Customer or Vacancy level.

-   **Customer**: All Staffing Actions (Vacancies) for the specified
    Customer will have the default texts you specify, unless overridden
    by texts specified at the Vacancy level.

-   **Vacancy**: Only correspondence relating to the specified Vacancy
    (Staffing Action) will be affected.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

When this feature is used, the system generates and sends an email
acknowledgment to applicants who provided email addresses in the Online
Application questionnaire. There is no confirmation that the email
transmitted successfully. Body Text and Closing Text may be modified as
a Preference in the Administration Work Area. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Availability Letter 

This letter asks applicants if they are available for a particular
position. Body Text may be modified as a Preference in the
Administration Work Area. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###  

### Cancellation Letter

This letter informs applicants that the position for which they applied
has been cancelled or postponed. Body Text may be modified as a
Preference in the Administration Work Area. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Correspondence Letters 

This type of letter is typically used with standing registers (standing
inventories). There are three letters, intended to be sent in the order,
and containing *Body Text* listed below, which you can modify:

-   **Letter 1** informs applicants that required application materials
    have not been received from them.

-   **Letter 2** reminds applicants that required application materials
    are still absent.

-   **Letter 3** summarizes the previous two letters and informs
    applicants that if the required materials are not submitted in X
    number of days, they will not be considered for the position.

> In addition to the Body Text, each letter can have *Message Text* at
> the bottom, which you can also modify. Message Texts are of the
> following categories:

-   **Request Graduate Transcripts** messages request that applicants
    submit graduate transcripts.

-   **Illegible Transcript** messages request that applicants re-submit
    their transcripts because the transcripts submitted previously are
    unreadable.

-   **Request Résumé** messages request that the applicants submit a
    résumé.

-   **Request Transcript** messages request that the applicants submit
    transcripts.

-   **Request Undergraduate Transcript** messages request that the
    applicants submit undergraduate transcripts.

-   **Other** message types can be used to convey any other information
    to the applicants.

> The Body Text and Message Texts can be modified as a Preference in the
> Administration Work Area. More details.
>
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Disposition Letters

These are letters intended to go out to applicants after a *certificate*
has been returned and audited. There are four types:

-   **Selection Made (Competitive).** This letter informs applicants on
    a Competitive certificate that another candidate was selected for
    the position.

-   **Selection Made (Merit Promotion).** This letter informs applicants
    on a Merit Promotion certificate that another candidate was selected
    for the position.

-   **Unused Certificate (Competitive).** This letter informs applicants
    on a Competitive certificate that the hiring official opted not to
    use the certificate at this time.

-   **Unused Certificate (Merit Promotion).** This letter informs
    applicants on a Merit Promotion certificate that the hiring official
    opted not to use the certificate at this time.

Body Text may be modified as a Preference in the Administration Work
Area. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###  

### Notification Letters

There are two types of Notifications Letters that are intended to go to
applicants when the referral list is closed out \-- one for competitive
referrals and one for Merit Promotion referrals. The texts listed for
each type are typically combined to form the entire letter. Each text
specified below may be modified as a Preference in the Administration
Work Area. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Competitive 

-   **Closing Letter Statement**. This text is the end of the letter.

-   **Eligible \-- Not Referred**. This text informs applicants they
    were rated eligible but were not referred for consideration.

-   **Eligible \-- Referred**. This text informs applicants they were
    rated eligible and were referred for consideration.

-   **Eligible \-- Referred \-- Not Selected**. This text informs
    applicants that they were referred for consideration, but not
    selected.

-   **Eligible \-- Referred \-- Selected**. This text informs applicants
    that they were referred for consideration, and were selected.

-   **Ineligible**. This text informs applicants they were not eligible
    for the position.

-   **Not Rated \-- Cancellation**. This text informs applicants that
    the vacancy was cancelled, and therefore, their applications were
    not rated.

-   **Opening Letter Statement**. This is text that belongs at the
    beginning of the letter as an opening paragraph.

-   **Show Rating**. This text goes just before the applicant rating and
    explains what the rating is.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Merit Promotion

-   **Eligible \-- Not Referred**. This text informs applicants they
    were rated eligible but were not referred for consideration.

-   **Eligible \-- Referred**. This text informs applicants they were
    rated eligible but were referred for consideration.

-   **Ineligible**. This text informs applicants they were not eligible
    for the position.

-   **Non-Competitive \-- Not Referred**. This text informs applicants
    they were rated eligible but were not referred for consideration.

-   **Non-Competitive \-- Referred**. This text informs applicants they
    were rated eligible and were referred for consideration.

-   **Non-Competitive \-- Remarks**. This text is typically the closing
    of the letter.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Tutorial: Building Certificate Conditions in Advanced Criteria

Topic Map

-   About Building Certificate Conditions in Advanced Criteria

    -   Boolean Logic

-   Using AND

-   Using OR

-   Using Parentheses to clarify a complex combination of conditions

### About Building Certificate Conditions in Advanced Criteria

Boolean Logic

Certificate Conditions joined by AND or OR are based on the same Boolean
logic used in many search engines.

Your favorite search engine can give you many references on the subject
of Boolean logic, and its inventor, George Boole.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

The Certificate Conditions you can build on the Advanced Criteria page
are a very powerful and flexible way to control the inclusion or
exclusion of applicants on a Referral List/Certificate, based upon
almost any data element collected \-- alone or in combination with other
elements.

The tutorial will give you a few basic pointers that may help in
deciding how to construct Certificate Conditions on the Advanced
Criteria page of Referral.

Essentially, when you are creating a Certificate Condition, you are
saying: \"On this certificate, I want to limit the group of people
referred to the ones who meet these conditions.\"  On the Advanced
Criteria page, you build one or more condition statements. If there are
multiple conditions, you combine them with AND or OR.

Any time you have at least one OR Logical, you should use Open and Close
Parentheses to group the conditions. When your condition statements
become complex \-- because you have them joined by ***both*** AND
***and*** OR, you clarify them with parentheses that group the entire
expression into bite-size chunks.

For example, you might wish to create conditions like these for your
certificates:

1.  Refer only people who have experience with *both* MS Word *and* MS
    Excel.

2.  Refer only people who have experience with *either* MS Word *or* MS
    Excel.

3.  Refer only people who have experience with *either* MS Word *or* MS
    Excel, and will accept part time work at 20 hours per week or
    part-time work at 32 hours per week, and are willing to travel.

As you can see, by combining conditions, you can have great control over
the way names are selected to appear on your Referral List.

In all of the examples above, note the importance of the words \"AND\"
and \"OR\". As with all  Boolean expressions, it is important to select
the proper word \-- AND or OR so that you get what you intend. And when
we join multiple conditions with a mix of AND and OR, the results are
complex conditions that must be clarified with the proper placement of
parentheses. We\'ll look at how to use AND, OR and parentheses in the
following sections.  

**Remember**: We recommend that you write down the conditions in plain
English, just as we have in the above examples, before you start to
build the Certificate Conditions in Advanced Criteria. This will make it
easier to decide where to use AND, OR and parentheses.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### Using AND

Use AND to join two conditions when you mean that applicants *must meet
**both*** conditions in order to be included. For example, if an office
were hiring people to perform work with documents and spreadsheets, they
might be looking for a person who has experience with both MS Word and
MS Excel. A person with experience in only one or the other application
is not to desired on the Referral List.

So, our plain English statement looks like this:

> Refer only people who have experience with *both* MS Word *and* MS
> Excel.
>
> And, our Certificate Condition, using a Boolean expression, looks like
> this:

  ------------- ------- ------------ --------------- --------------- -------
  **Logical**   **(**   **Item\***   **Operator**    **Response**    **)**

                         MS Word\*   INCLUDES        Yes             

  AND                    MS Excel\*  INCLUDES        Yes             
  ------------- ------- ------------ --------------- --------------- -------

**\*About our examples:**

In all of our examples in this topic, we simplified the view slightly to
highlight the point of the lesson.

In a real USA Staffing session, you would see these differences from the
examples:

-   There would be two columns to the left of Item \-- *Source* and
    *Section*. These are filled in automatically and do not concern us
    in this lesson.

-   In place of the words \"MS Word\" and \"MS Excel\" you would see the
    number of the question which asks about these abilities.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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> Note that even though our plain English statement was a single
> sentence, two Certificate Conditions have been created, but
> parentheses are not needed because the conditions are not complex.
> (Only AND is used to join them.)
>
> **Result:** The certificate that results from these Condition
> statements will have only people who have experience with both
> applications \-- MS Word and MS Excel. An applicant who meets only one
> or the other condition is not included.

**Remember:** AND means that **both** conditions must be met in order
for the name to be included.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### Using OR

Use OR to join two conditions when you mean to include applicants that
meet ***either*** one, but not necessarily both, of the conditions. For
example, if an office were hiring people to work with a mixed type of
work that included preparing documents and using spreadsheets, they
might be looking for a person who has experience with either
application, but they may not need for the same person to know both
applications. The plain English way of expressing this would be:

> Refer only people who have experience with *either* MS Word *or* MS
> Excel.

  ------------- ------- ------------ --------------- --------------- -------
  **Logical**   **(**   **Item\***   **Operator**    **Response**    **)**

                (        MS Word\*   INCLUDES        Yes             )

  OR            (        MS Excel\*  INCLUDES        Yes             )
  ------------- ------- ------------ --------------- --------------- -------

Note that although our plain English version was a single sentence, two
Certificate Conditions have been created. Although in this case, the
combination of conditions would run properly without parentheses, it
will run more efficiently  with parentheses, so we have added them.

**Result:** Assuming these kinds of people applied and are available for
referral, the certificate that results from these Condition statements
will have:

-   some people who have experience only with MS Word

-   some people who have experience only with MS Excel

-   some people who have experience with both applications

**Remember**: OR means **either** condition must be met in order for the
name to be included.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### Using Parentheses to clarify a complex combination of conditions

A complex set of conditions is created when we join condition statements
with a mix of AND and OR. Let us consider the case of an office that
needs people who can travel and work part time, and who have experience
with *either* MS Word *or* MS Excel. The part time tour will switch
between part time 16 hours per week and part time 32 hours per week, so
the office wants people who said yes to *both* part time tours. That is
our plain English expression of the situation. To represent this in our
Advanced Criteria, we would build Certificate Conditions like this:

  ------------- ------- ------------ --------------- --------------- -------
  **Logical**   **(**   **Item\***   **Operator**    **Response**    **)**

                (        MS Word\*   INCLUDES        Yes             

  OR                     MS Excel\*  INCLUDES        Yes             )

  AND           (       Part Time 16 INCLUDES        Yes             
                        Hours                                        

  AND                   Part Time 32 INCLUDES        Yes             
                        Hours                                        

  AND                   Travel       INCLUDES        Yes             )
  ------------- ------- ------------ --------------- --------------- -------

Note that in this case we have built five Certificate Conditions, and we
have used parentheses to group sets of conditions to make clear exactly
what we want. Parentheses must be used to group the first two conditions
\-- the first two rows on the table \-- because we have conditions
joined by a mix of AND and OR.

Why are parentheses needed? Without the parentheses, the above
conditional statements would be open to multiple interpretations:

-   Include people who either have experience with MS Word \-- or \--
    who have experience with MS Excel and work part time and travel. (In
    other words if they have experience with MS Word, they don\'t have
    to work part time or travel. Only the people with MS Excel
    experience have to work part time and travel.)

-   Include people who have experience with MS Word or MS Excel.
    Regardless of which application they know, they also have to be
    available for either part time tour and be able to travel.

The two above interpretations would give us very different certificates
as a result. At the heart of the difference between the two is the
question of whether the OR is meant to parse MS Word experience from all
the other conditions, or whether OR joins MS Word experience with MS
Excel experience, as one of two possibilities.

The first of these two interpretations is definitely not what we want.
But automated systems will by default read the statement from left to
right and make the decision at every OR and AND as it is encountered, so
the first interpretation is what we will get by default. Therefore, we
insert the parentheses to group the two parts of our OR statement to
make clear they belong together. Everything between the first open
parenthesis and first close parenthesis belongs together as parts of a
single condition expression. We are saying, in effect, \"First determine
if the applicant has at least one of these two types of experience.
Then, only if they do, include them, but only if they also meet all the
other conditions of part time employment and travel.\"

In our example Certificate Condition table above, everything between the
second set of parentheses forms the second group of conditions.
Technically, the second pair of parentheses is optional because those
conditions are all joined by AND. The second pair of parentheses in this
example does not make any difference in how the system interprets the
group of conditions that are joined by AND, but placing them where we
have makes it easier for us to see what will happen.

However, if we were to add more conditions to our example, and join them
in a way that creates more combinations of AND and OR, additional
parentheses would be required to assure proper interpretation.

**Remember**: When conditions are joined by a mix of AND and OR, you
must use parentheses to group the conditions for proper interpretation.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Pathways Through Major Process Types

### A-C-E Rating Method

Topic Map

-   About the A-C-E rating method

-   Using the A-C-E rating method

    -   Multiple Questions for a Rating Factor

    -   Recency as a Question Type

#### About the A-C-E rating method

When the A-C-E rating method is selected on the Assessment page,
applicants are placed into broad score ranges. Extra points may then be
assigned, for example, on the basis of answers to specific questions.
More details are in the *Delegated Examining Operations Handbook*.

This Help topic provides more details to consider when you use the A-C-E
rating method in USA Staffing.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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#### Using the A-C-E rating method

The figures below show the locations of controls you use to set up your
A-C-E assessment, as described below. Note that *Used, Rating,* and
*Screen Out* are on the Rating Criteria page (Figure 2), and *Question
Type* is on the Item Editor page of the Questionnaire Builder (Figure 3)
\-- but it is only there if you selected A-C-E as your Rating Method on
the Assessment Information/Assessment Builder page.

Figure 1 shows the default settings when you first arrive at the Rating
Criteria page, but these are not correct for A-C-E. Note the boxes
checked and unchecked for A-C-E in Figure 2. (You can name the factors
anything you want.)

![](media/image262.jpeg){width="4.104166666666667in"
height="0.7604166666666666in"}

> *Figure 1: The Rating Criteria matrix in its default setting when you
> first arrive on the page.*

![](media/image263.jpeg){width="4.104166666666667in"
height="0.7395833333333334in"}

> *Figure 2: The Rating Criteria matrix set up for A-C-E.*

![](media/image74.jpeg){width="4.083333333333333in"
height="2.0520833333333335in"}

> *Figure 3: the Item Editor page for the Questionnaire Builder, showing
> the location of the Question Type dropdown selection box*

The usual approach for setup of A-C-E assessments is:

-   **Minimum Qualifications**: Make this your first factor, with these
    parameters:

    -   **Used** is checked.

    -   **Rating**  is unchecked.

    -   **Screen Out** is checked.

    -   **Min Qual** has a value.

    -   **Inel Code** has a value.

    -   **Question Type** is *None*.

-   **Quality Level:** Make this your second factor, with these
    parameters, so that the system will determine the quality level of
    70, 80 and 90:

> Multiple questions for a Rating Factor
>
> If a factor marked \"Rating\" has multiple questions, the response
> values are averaged and rounded down to obtain the 70, 80, or 90
> quality level. 
>
> For example, an applicant may have a quality level of 80 for
> question 1 and 90 for question 2. These are averaged to 85, and then
> rounded down to 80 for the quality level.
>
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **Used** is checked.

-   **Rating** is checked.

-   **Screen Out**  is unchecked.

-   **Min Qual** has no value.

-   **Inel Code** has no value.

-   **Question Type** is *None*.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Extra points:** You have the option of making the system assign
    extra points to further distinguish among applicants in each Quality
    Level range; consult the OPM *[Delegated Examining Operations
    Handbook]{.underline}* for guidance in making this decision. If you
    will be awarding extra points, create a separate factor that
    contains questions to add points to the Quality Levels of 70, 80, or
    90, so applicants end up with scores ranging from 70 to 79, 80 to
    89, and 90 to 100, respectively. The factor should have these
    parameters:

    -   **Used** is checked.

    -   **Rating** is unchecked.

    -   **Screen Out**  is unchecked.

    -   **Min Qual** has no value.

    -   **Inel Code** has no value.

    -   **Question Type** is *Extra Points.*

> Note: Extra Points never put an applicant in a higher Quality Level.
> These rules are built in the system when it applies extra points:

-   If the Quality Level is 70 or 80, the extra points added cannot
    exceed 9.

-   If the Quality Level is 90, the extra points added cannot exceed 10.

> For questions for which the Question Type is *Extra Points* (see
> Figure 3), the system will sum the response values and add the result
> to the to the Quality Level without exceeding these limits.

Recency as a Question Type

For positions where recency of experience matters and is allowed by
staffing policy \-- such as when the work is in a research and
development position and where \"state of the art\" knowledge is very
valuable, but cannot be fully justified as a screen out item \-- you can
use Recency as a Question Type. ***Caution!*** Recency ***deducts***
points in the amount you specify. This can drop an applicant into a
lower Quality Level.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Key Entry of a New Applicant

Topic Map

-   About Key Entry of a New Applicant

-   Key Entering an Applicant Record

### About Key Entry of a New Applicant

Key entry of a new applicant is used to manually enter applicant
information, such as when you receive forms that have been damaged and
can not be scanned properly. The form you use to enter the applicant
information manually is the same as the Online Application form. Note:
You can perform actions here that were formerly performed in the
Applicant Data Utility.

If you have hard copies of supporting documents from the applicant, such
as a résumé, transcript, or veteran forms, fax them into USA Staffing
after you have key entered the applicant record.

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"} To get to this page in USA Staffing,
click the **New** button on the Applicant List page.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### Key Entering an Applicant record

Enter the appropriate information in the fields. Click **Next** to move
through the form and **Finish** to complete the form.  When the form is
complete, click **Submit** to send the information to USA Staffing for
processing.  (See picture below.)

![](media/image145.jpeg){width="5.760416666666667in"
height="4.604166666666667in"}

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## Applicant Documents

### Document Upload Service (DUS)

Topic Map

-   About the Document Upload Service

-   What are the advantages of the Document Upload Service?

-   What *types of documents* can an applicant upload?

-   What *file types* can an applicant upload?

-   How does an applicant upload files?

-   How can I upload a document for an applicant?

-   What happens to uploaded files?

-   How do we view applicant documents?

-   Related topics:

    -   Document Upload Service (DUS)

    -   Documents Submitted by the Applicant

    -   Faxing Applicant Documents

    -   Faxing Tips for Best Results

    -   Faxes and the Document Matching Process

    -   Mismatched Documents

    -   Understanding Document Matching

 

#### About the Document Upload Service

The Document Upload Service (DUS) makes it possible for applicants who
have electronic file copies of the application documents to upload them
rather than faxing or mailing hard copies. USA Staffing will
automatically match the applicants\' document files with their Online
Application and assessment results. You can view these uploaded
documents in USA Staffing, and you can give other people, like managers
and selecting officials, the ability to view the documents in their
browsers by enrolling them as Contacts with ADV access.   

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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#### What are the advantages of the Document Upload Service?

Although applicants still have the option to mail or fax their
documents, there are several good reasons to promote use of the Document
Upload Service.

-   It is more convenient for the applicant to complete the process when
    they complete their Online Application, so they know they have
    completed all necessary steps and don\'t need to remember to do
    something else.

-   Documents uploaded can be of much better viewing quality than those
    that are faxed.

-   There is less room for error and far less chance of having
    mismatched documents. The applicant provides VIN and SSN information
    at the start of the Online Application, and the system automatically
    uses these to identify the uploaded documents. On the other hand,
    items that are faxed in can end up mismatched if the VIN or SSN are
    wrong or are not clear.

-   Uploaded documents are available for viewing in USA Staffing
    immediately, whereas faxed or mailed documents require some
    processing time.

-   Uploaded documents require less human intervention, and keep
    operating costs down, which in turn, keeps licensing costs lower.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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#### What *types of documents* can an applicant upload?

The applicant can upload any of the types of documents and number of
pages that you specify as accepted or required on the Supporting
Documents page of the Vacancy menu.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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####  

####  

#### What *file types* can an applicant upload?

The file types that are accepted are as follows:

-   Microsoft Word® (.DOC)

-   Corel WordPerfect® (.WPD)

-   Text (.TXT)

-   Rich Text Format (.RTF)

-   Portable Document Format (.PDF)

-   HTM/HTML

-   JPG graphics

The variety of acceptable file types makes it possible for applicants to
transmit files of their résumés, no matter what type of word processors
they use to create them, because all known word processors can save
files in TXT, RTF, or HTML, and some can also create PDF files.

In addition, applicants who have access to a scanner can scan paper
copies of any documents they want to submit, such as a transcript,
DD-214, SF-15, or SF-50. They can save the scanned images in JPG image
format, or can create PDF files of the scanned documents, and then
upload the resulting files.

There is a 1 MB limit on file size.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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#### How does an applicant upload files?

At the end of the Online Application, after the applicant clicks
*Finish* and *Submit*, the system tells the applicant that the
application has been received, and then asks if the applicant wants to
upload files.

![](media/image264.jpeg){width="5.541666666666667in" height="2.65625in"}

> *Figure 1: After the applicant clicks Finish and Submit, the system
> acknowledges receipt and provides the link to the Document Upload
> Service page.*

When the applicant clicks the upload button, the document upload page
appears.

![](media/image248.jpeg){width="5.510416666666667in"
height="4.104166666666667in"}

> *Figure 2: The Document Upload Service page*

The Document Upload page contains these elements:

-   **Document Type:** The applicant selects from the dropdown selection
    box the type of document he plans to upload. The choices the system
    presents in this box correspond with the document types you
    specified on the Supporting Documents page of the Vacancy menu are
    accepted or required.

-   **File Name:** The applicant types in the full path or file name of
    the document, or clicks the Browse button to navigate to the file on
    their computer.

-   **Browse:** Applicants click this button to navigate on their
    computers to the location of the files they intend to upload. At the
    completion of the browse and selection process, the name of the file
    selected appears in the File Name box.

-   **Upload:**  The applicant clicks the Upload button to start the
    transfer of the file.

-   **Documentation on File:** This table contains a list of all the
    documents received from the applicant for the VIN, including:

    -   uploaded files

    -   faxed documents that have been Matched

    -   USAJOBS Résumé Builder résumés that have been attached

> Applicants can see the status of the uploaded document and can know
> that the uploaded file was received OK, and can determine from the
> filename whether they uploaded the file they intended.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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#### How can I upload a document for an applicant?

The Document Upload Service makes it easy for applicants to submit
documents themselves. Nevertheless, there may be occasions where you
want to upload documents for an applicant.

If the applicant has already completed the Online Application
Questionnaire, you will not need to do that part for them. However, the
Online Application Questionnaire must have been completed \-- by either
the applicant or by you on behalf of the applicant -- including clicking
*Finish* and *Submit* -- before you can upload documents. This is
necessary so that the documents have an applicant record to link to.

Once the Online Application Questionnaire has been completed, as long as
the Job Announcement is still open, you can log in as if you were the
applicant who is returning after having already done an Online
Application Questionnaire. To do this, follow these steps:

1.  Browse to
    https://www.hr-services.org/USASOnlineApp/USASOnlineApp.aspx.

2.  On the ***right*** side of the page \-- in the box labeled *Work on
    an application I have already started* \--  provide the SSN and Last
    Name of the applicant. Click the **Login** button.

3.  Select the appropriate application from the list that may be
    presented.

4.  Proceed to the Document Upload Service page, rather than to the
    questionnaire.  From here, you simply upload the documents using the
    control on the page

5.  View the results of the upload process on the table of Documentation
    on File (see Figure 2 above.)

*Note: When you upload documents for an applicant, if there is problem
with the file that is uploaded, the email message about the problem is
going to go to the applicant, who may not even be aware anything was
uploaded.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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#### What happens to uploaded files?

Files that are successfully uploaded go into the Document Repository
System. USA Staffing links them by VIN and SSN to the applicants\'
records. If for any reason it is not possible to match a document with
an applicant record, it will appear on the Mismatched Documents page
until you resolve it. This can occur when documents are faxed and the
VIN or SSN are not correct or are not readable. Mismatches from uploaded
documents should be very rare because there is less room for error.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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#### How do we view applicant documents?

USA Staffing users, and any agency hiring officials with ADV access, can
view documents online, using a Web browser.

1.  Log in to USA Staffing.

2.  Type the VIN number in the Search box and click **Go**.

3.  Click the white **Applicants** button to reveal the Applicants menu.

4.  Find on the list of applicants the applicant whose documents you
    wish to view. Click **Open** on that row.

5.  Click the **Documentation** menu option. The page will display the
    documents received from that applicant.

6.  Click **View** next to any document you wish to view. It will open
    in a new window. You can print the document using the Print function
    of the display window. When you are finished viewing, close the
    window by clicking the **X** in the upper right corner.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### Faxing Applicant Documents

Topic Map

-   About faxing applicant documents

-   Instructions for faxing

    -   The cover sheet is sacred!

-   Related topics:

    -   Document Upload Service (DUS)

    -   Documents Submitted by the Applicant

    -   Faxing Applicant Documents

    -   Faxing Tips for Best Results

    -   Faxes and the Document Matching Process

    -   Mismatched Documents

    -   Understanding Document Matching

#### About faxing applicant documents

This topic covers what you need to do if you are faxing applicant
documents, as would be the case if you have key-entered an application,
or if the applicant has mailed you hard copies that you want to load so
that they will later be available in ADV.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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#### Instructions for faxing 

The cover sheet is sacred!

Only OPM approved Fax cover sheets are acceptable. Do not modify the
cover sheet. The processing software needs the precisely aligned
combinations of symbols, boxes and blank space in order to read the
form. If you modify the form, such as by adding agency logos or other
text, you may render the form void, and that will result in delays or
the inability to process batches that come in with the invalid cover
sheet.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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When you fax documents into USA Staffing for an applicant, follow these
steps.

1.  Obtain a clean copy of the official United States Government
    Application Cover Page from
    http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf.

2.  Fill out one copy of the fax Cover Page for each applicant. The
    fields for which letter boxes are provided \-- Name, SSN, VIN and
    Number of Pages \-- are mandatory fields on the Cover Page; Address
    and Phone are optional.

3.  Batch the documents by applicant, with the cover sheet as the first
    document to be transmitted, ahead of the documents in the batch.

4.  Make each applicant\'s documents a separate fax transmission.
    ***Transmit all the documents for only one applicant per fax
    session***. When that applicant\'s documents have been transmitted,
    end the fax session \-- that is, make the fax machine end the phone
    call \-- and send the documents for any additional applicants in
    separate fax sessions (separate fax calls).

The fax number to use is 478.757.3144.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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### Faxing Tips For Best Results

Topic Map

-   About Faxing Tips

-   How the process works

-   What causes delays

-   What you can do for best results

-   Related topics:

    -   Document Upload Service (DUS)

    -   Documents Submitted by the Applicant

    -   Faxing Applicant Documents

    -   Faxing Tips for Best Results

    -   Faxes and the Document Matching Process

    -   Mismatched Documents

    -   Understanding Document Matching

#### About Faxing Tips 

This topic provides some suggestions for assuring faxed documents get
the fastest possible processing and you get the best possible results.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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#### How the process works

When applicants fax documents to OPM's Technical Support Group (TSG),
the documents are placed in the Document Repository System (DRS), where
they can later be viewed in the Agency Document Viewer (ADV). Before
they go into DRS, however, each document page must be identified in the
system so that it matches with the correct applicant and VIN, and is
credited as the correct document type.

The system reads the fax cover sheet to determine the SSN and VIN of the
applicant, and then a TSG staff person \-- a fax document reviewer \--
decides from looking at each page of the fax to which of the accepted
document types it belongs. Normally, this occurs within hours of when
the document arrives if it comes in during the business day.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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#### What causes delays

The cover sheet is sacred!

Only OPM approved Fax cover sheets are acceptable. Do not modify the
cover sheet. The processing software needs the precisely aligned
combinations of symbols, boxes and blank space in order to read the
form. If you modify the form, such as by adding agency logos or other
text, you may render the form void, and that will result in delays or
the inability to process batches that come in with the invalid cover
sheet.

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There are a number of reasons why more effort may be required and why it
may take more time to get faxed documents into DRS. When faxed documents
are submitted with missing or unreadable information, the added workload
may be substantial enough to cause delays of up to a few days in their
getting processed. For example, during a representative open period, 40%
of the faxes had problems like these:

-   The cover page is missing. A staff person must print and fill out a
    cover sheet, then resubmit the documents.

-   The SSN is missing from the cover sheet. If the SSN appears on one
    of the pages that are faxed, the staff person copies it.  Usually,
    however, a programmer with USA Staffing access needs to research the
    database to try to find an applicant's SSN from the other
    information available in the fax.

-   The name is missing from the cover sheet. If it can not be
    determined with certainty from the content of the documents, a
    programmer with USA Staffing access needs to research the database.

-   Agencies or OPM offices fax documents for multiple applicants in one
    batch instead of one applicant per transmission. This requires TSG
    staff to print the entire faxed batch, sort it, create a cover sheet
    for each applicant, and resubmit each applicant's documents. Pages
    are sideways or upside down.  Each page must be manually turned to
    the correct orientation.

Other situations that prevent faxes from matching up to applicant
records are these:

-   The VIN itself is not set up to accept supporting documents. The
    faxed documents in this case cannot be associated with the VIN or
    applicant records.

-   The faxed documents are received and processed into DRS but
    applicant records have not yet been created.  In particular, when
    you are doing manual rating, you must create each applicant's record
    before attempting to resolve the applicant's Mismatched Documents.

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#### What you can do for best results

The following suggestions may reduce costs and to avoid processing
delays:

1.  Encourage applicants to use the Document Upload Service (DUS)
    instead of faxing, wherever possible. When documents are uploaded
    instead of being faxed, the applicant indicates what the document
    is, and the Online Application supplies the applicant name, SSN, and
    VIN, so there is no need for any human involvement in figuring out
    where an uploaded document goes. The process completes automatically
    within about 30 minutes, and a forthcoming modification will soon
    make this an instantaneous process.

> Take the following considerations into account in your planning and
> communications about documents that will be uploaded:  

-   If you require multiple documents, the applicant will be in PF
    status until the applicant uploads one separate file for each of the
    required documents. If the applicant instead combines multiple
    documents in a single file, the system will have no way of knowing
    that, and the applicant will be in PF status due to the required
    documents that seem to be missing. If you are requiring multiple
    documents, be sure to stress to the applicant that each document
    must be a separate file in the upload process.

-   If you opt to accept documents without requiring them, then the
    situation described in the preceding bullet will not occur. However,
    the trade-off is that you will not be able to determine from PF
    status whether the document is present or not.

-   If the applicant indicates an incorrect document type at the time of
    upload, the document will have the wrong designation when viewed in
    ADV. The incorrect document designation may also put the applicant
    in PF status if it causes the system to think a required document is
    missing.

2.  Provide clear instructions for, and easy access to, the appropriate
    fax cover sheet.

3.  Stress to applicants the importance of using the fax cover sheet and
    filling it out completely and legibly. It is very important that the
    VIN, SSN, and Last Name fields have readable information or the
    documents can not be matched with the applications.

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### Faxes and the Document Matching Process

Topic Map

-   About this topic

-   Frequently Asked Questions

    -   Documents are in the wrong folders. Why?

    -   What can I do to prevent documents going into the wrong folders?

    -   What are the rules for faxes and fax cover sheets?

    -   How long does it take for a fax to get into the system?

    -   Why can\'t I find the documents I\'m looking for?

-   Related topics:

    -   Document Upload Service (DUS)

    -   Documents Submitted by the Applicant

    -   Faxing Applicant Documents

    -   Faxing Tips for Best Results

    -   Faxes and the Document Matching Process

    -   Mismatched Documents

    -   Understanding Document Matching

####  

#### About this topic

This topic is a list of Frequently Asked Questions dealing with faxes
and the Document Matching process. It will help you understand what to
expect and how to make the process go more smoothly.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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#### Frequently Asked Questions

##### Question 1 \-- Documents are in the wrong folders. Why?

When I look at applicant supporting documents that are shown as Résumé
type documents, why do I see things that are not really résumés?

##### Answer 1

Let's start with a little background information on exactly what happens
when applicants fax documents in.

When a fax comes in, it is a person, not a machine, that looks at it and
decides as best as possible into which category to put each page of
it. The only categories available for the reviewer to choose from are
the ones that the owner of the VIN has "turned on" as types of documents
they will accept. (More details about this are in Answer 2 below.)

Current policy is for the fax reviewers not to throw materials away. The
people who review the faxes are only allowed to assign them to document
categories that the VIN owner has turned on, and they do not have the
authority to discard pages as not being "the right type of application
materials". Therefore, we have them facing a dilemma.  They have a batch
of pages faxed in, they can't throw them away, and they may not have
been given a "proper" category to put them in, but they have to put them
*somewhere*.  So, the current practice is that anything that can not
clearly go into one of the specific folders set up for the document
types that have been enabled for the VIN, goes into the Résumé folder. 

This way, if applicants send in unusual types of document that they
intend to be their résumés, they are given the benefit of the doubt, and
the documents are credited to them as résumés. This keeps them from
being in PF status.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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##### Question 2 \-- What can I do to prevent documents going into the wrong folders?

Is there anything I can do to help avoid having documents be classified
as résumés if they are not actually résumés, and also avoid processing
delays?

##### Answer 2

Yes! Give the people who are reviewing the faxes more document types
from which  they can choose when they place the fax in a folder.

-   On the Supporting Documents page on the Vacancy menu, click the
    first column to accept more document types -- in other words, to
    "turn them on". It might be advisable to "turn on" Miscellaneous as
    a catch-all, in addition to Veterans Documentation, and possibly
    Transcript and Qualifications. *Remember: If you do not place a
    check in front of a document type to turn it on, that does not
    prevent a person from faxing that type in. It only means that the
    fax reviewer will have no appropriate folder into which to put that
    type of document, so it will go in the Résumé folder.*

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Only mark a document type as *Required* if you want the absence of
    that document to keep an applicant in PF status.

-   Provide clear instructions in the Job Announcement to encourage
    applicants to submit the proper documents.  In particular, stress
    that if the applicant is faxing a Form 1203-FX, he or she must fax
    all 6 pages, even if some of them are blank. (The system expects a 6
    page form. If fewer are received, a TSG staff person has to manually
    create the missing pages, and this can cause a delay.)

-   If you anticipate that for a particular Job Announcement, applicants
    will fax in forms or documents that are unusual, let the fax review
    team know how you want them handled. To do this, follow these steps
    in order:

    1.  Complete the Supporting Documents page, and turn on the
        appropriate document types.

    2.  Create a ticket at the USA Staffing Help Desk powered by
        FootPrints. Explain the type of document you are expecting and
        what document type you want it to be treated as. Include one or
        more samples if appropriate.  Indicate that the ticket is for
        the attention of Gina McLean.

    3.  Release the Job Announcement any time you are ready, after
        completing the above steps.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Follow the rules for faxes and cover sheets in Answer 3.

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#####  

##### Question 3 \-- What are the rules for faxes and fax cover sheets?

What are the rules concerning faxes and fax cover sheets?

##### Answer 3

Here are the rules for each type of fax:

> a)     **Form 1203-FX:**  If you are faxing Forms 1203-FX (A.K.A. "C
> Forms"), you must fax in *only one form per fax session*.  Then hang
> up and start a new session for the next form.  You do not need to send
> a cover page in order to fax a Form 1203-FX.
>
> b)     **Supporting Documents:  **If you are faxing supporting
> documents for an applicant, you must fax the documents for *only one
> applicant per fax session*. Then hang up and start a new session for
> the next applicant's documents.  You must use a properly completed
> cover sheet for each applicant; do not fax any supporting documents
> without a completed cover sheet, except for the situation described in
> c) below.
>
> c)     **Form 1203-FX and Supporting Documents together:** You can fax
> one applicant's Form 1203-FX and supporting documents together in a
> single session.  If you do this, *do not* use a cover sheet.    

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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##### Question 4 \-- How long does it take for a fax to get into the system?

How long does it take for a fax to get into the system?

##### Answer 4

Allow 24 hours for the fax to show up.

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##### Question 5 \-- Why can\'t I find the documents I\'m looking for?

An applicant says he faxed in documents, and he has a fax transmittal
confirmation from his fax machine, but it is over 24 hours and the
documents are not in the system. Why not?

##### Answer 5

Here are common reasons why the documents might not be in the system, or
might be delayed in processing:

-   **Scenario A:** If the fax arrived before the owner of the VIN has
    turned on the proper Supporting Documents to be accepted, there
    would be no folders for the VIN into which the reviewer could place
    them.

-   **Scenario B:** If there is no cover sheet, or if the cover sheet
    does not provide a readable and valid VIN, SSN, and Name, the
    reviewer can not properly place the documents. This can happen if
    the applicant faxes in documents before the Job Announcement is
    published, for instance.

When Scenario A or B occurs, the faxed documents are set aside in a
temporary holding area *by date*. If you believe that applicant
documents you are looking for are in the holding area, you can open a
Help Desk ticket requesting that they be searched.  Because you must
provide the applicant's SSN, ***you must log in to FootPrints to create
this ticket; do not submit it by email***. Include the SSN, the VIN, the
Name, and the date the person states he or she faxed the documents. The
information you provide will be used to supply the missing information
and activate the documents if they are located. Documents that are not
moved from the holding area may eventually be purged.

Note: There is no process that automatically goes to the holding area to
look for documents that were placed there because of the situation
described in Scenario A or B. For example, the fact that you eventually
post a Job Announcement does not cause the system to look in the holding
area for documents that were faxed in too early. If you do not request a
search of the holding area for missing documents, they will remain there
until they reach their purge date.

-   **Scenario C:** The office faxed in Forms 1203-FX for multiple
    applicants. The reviewers have to separate all the forms and scan
    each one in separately. This can delay processing. The reviewers
    will process the forms as soon as they can perform the extra steps
    needed to separate them and re-scan them.

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### Understanding Document Matching

Topic Map

-   About this topic

-   Q and A

    1.  Why is the document in Mismatched status? I don't see anything
        wrong with it.

    2.  How often does the Match Process run?

    3.  How long does the Match Process take to complete?

    4.  How can I know when I need to act on a Mismatched Document?

    5.  What does *Potential Match Found* mean?

    6.  What is the *Mismatch Review Report* for?

    7.  What is the *Mismatched Documents Report* for?

    8.  What happens if no applicant record ever gets entered?

    9.  How do I make the corrections to SSN or Name?

    10. How do I get help with documents that are in Mismatched Status?

    11. What is the process for documents that have been uploaded
        instead of faxed?

-   Related topics:

    -   Document Upload Service (DUS)

    -   Documents Submitted by the Applicant

    -   Faxing Applicant Documents

    -   Faxing Tips for Best Results

    -   Faxes and the Document Matching Process

    -   Mismatched Documents

    -   Understanding Document Matching  

#### About this topic

This topic provides information you need to know in order to perform
your role in clearing applicant documents out of Mismatched status. It
discusses how the Document Matching Process works so that you can know
what to expect and when.

Below is a diagram that shows what happens to applicant documents that
are faxed in. You can follow the numbered stages to see the steps a
document would go through from start to finish. Below the diagram are
the answers to frequently asked questions.

![](media/image265.jpeg){width="5.260416666666667in"
height="3.6770833333333335in"}

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##### 1 -- Mismatched Status

**Question:** Why is the document in Mismatched status?  I don't see
anything wrong with it.

**Answer:** All documents go into Mismatched status initially until the
next Match Process completes. So, there may indeed be nothing wrong with
the documents, but the Match Process has not had time to complete its
run.

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##### 2 -- Match Process Schedule

**Question:** How often does the Match Process run?

**Answer:**

-   **For applicants in PF status**, the process typically runs every 10
    minutes.

-   **For applicants not in PF status**,the process typically runs every
    30 minutes.  This includes these status codes: AA, AC, HA, HC, TA,
    TC, PL, PQ, IN.

-   **For applicants in PE status:** The Match Process will not run at
    all because the application record itself is Pending Error
    Correction. You must clear all errors from the applicant record
    before the Match Process will look at it.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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##### 3 -- Match Process Duration

**Question:** How long does the Match Process take to complete?

**Answer:** The "short answer" is that it typically takes approximately
30 minutes for the Match Process to run to completion. However, to be
more precise:

-   **For applications in PF status** (5b in the above flow chart), the
    process usually takes less than 10 minutes to complete. 

-    **For applications not in PF status** (5a in the above flow chart),
    the process typically takes about 20 minutes to complete. 

-    In rare instances where the volume of records causes either Match
    Process to take longer to finish, so that it goes past its next
    scheduled start time (every 10 minutes for PF applications and every
    30 minutes for non-PF applications), then the next cycle commences
    immediately at the conclusion of the previous one.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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##### 4 -- Identifying Mismatches

**Question:** My VIN has a large number of applicants. How can I easily
determine which ones I need to correct, and which ones I should leave
alone for now because they are just waiting for the next cycle of the
Match Process to run?

**Answer: ** You can run the Mismatch Review report to see which
applicant documents have known discrepancies in the SSN, Name, or VIN.
To do this, follow these steps:

1.  Click the **Reports** work area button on the top of the USA
    Staffing page.

2.  Click the white **DRS** button on the left menu.

3.  Click **Mismatch Review**.

4.  Follow the instructions on the screen to generate the report.

You can also directly search for a particular applicant to review the
SSN, Name, and VIN directly. To do this, enter on the Mismatched
Documents page the SSN and the VIN, and click the **Search** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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##### 5 -- Potential Match Found

**Question:** When I am on the Mismatched Documents page in USA
Staffing, I see an applicant document that has a check in the box for
*Potential Match Found*. What does this mean?

**Answer: ** This means that for this document, the SSN matches an
application record, but the name does not match. If there is no check in
the box, it means that either the SSN is wrong on either the applicant
record or the document, or that there is no application at all in the
system.

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##### 6 -- Working with the *Mismatch Review* Report

**Question:  **What does this report tell me, and what do I do with this
information?

**Answer: ** A document will appear on the report for one of two
reasons:

-   **Potential Match Found:** The document has an SSN that matches an
    applicant record, but the name does not match. To resolve this, make
    a correction to the name on either the document or the applicant
    record so that they exactly match, including the spacing of letters.

-   **Unmatched Over 7 Days: ** The system can find no applicant record
    to match the SSN on the document, and it has been in this status for
    7 days.  To resolve this situation, you can either have the
    applicant submit an application (if the Job Announcement is still
    open) or you can key-enter the applicant record yourself.  Documents
    that continue to be unmatched will be archived after 90 days of the
    closing date out of the active area.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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##### 7 -- Working with the *Mismatched Documents* Report

**Question:  **What does this report tell me, and what do I do with this
information?

**Answer: ** This report shows all documents that can not be matched to
any application record. The reason is because the SSN on the document
does not match the SSN of any application received for the VIN. This
would either be because the SSN on the document or the application is
incorrect or missing, or because the applicant has not submitted an
application at all. To resolve these cases, fix any incorrect or missing
SSNs or enter the missing applicant information.

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##### 8 -- No Applicant Record

**Question: ** What happens if no applicant record ever gets entered?

**Answer: ** If the applicant does not submit an application, and if you
do not enter one for the applicant, the document will remain unmatched.
 After 90 days of the closing date, the document will be archived off
the active system and will disappear from reports and displays.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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##### 9 -- Making Corrections

**Question: ** How do I make the corrections to SSN or Name?

**Answer:** Here is how you make the changes.

-   **To change the SSN or Name on the *document*:** Go to the
    Mismatched Documents **page.**

-   **To change the SSN or Name on the *Applicant Record*:** Go the
    Biographical Information page of the Applicants menu. Type the
    appropriate changes on the form. Click **Save.**

-   **To manually enter a missing *Applicant Record*: ** Follow the
    instructions for Key Entry of a New Applicant.

After you make the corrections, remember to allow enough time for the
next cycle of the Match Process to start and for it to complete its run
before the documents disappear from the Mismatched Documents page.  (See
sections 2 and 3 above.)

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##### 10 -- Getting Help

**Question: ** How do I get help with documents that are in Mismatched
Status?

**Answer: ** Normally, if you have resolved the problems with incorrect
or missing information or applications, the normal Match Process will
remove the documents from Mismatched status in about an hour.  If
substantially more time has elapsed after you made all appropriate
corrections, and the document is still in Mismatched status, open a Help
Desk ticket in FootPrints to obtain assistance.

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##### 11 -- Uploaded Documents

**Question: ** What is the process for documents that have been uploaded
instead of faxed?

**Answer: ** At the moment, uploaded documents enter the process at box
3 in the above flow chart, and go through the same Match Process as
faxed documents.  

On the Document Upload Service page, the applicant indicates the type of
document, so no one from the Document Review Team needs to look at it. 
The VIN, applicant name and SSN all come from responses the applicant
provides in the Online Application, so the documents can be matched
completely through automation.

A system enhancement is already being developed that will allow uploaded
documents to bypass the Match Process entirely.  They will then be added
to the system as already matched.  This will provide an additional
benefit of using the Document Upload Service instead of faxing
documents. 

Note that until this enhancement is in place, uploaded documents may
appear for a short time in Mismatched Documents status while they wait
for the completion of the next Match Process cycle.  During this short
period of time while they are waiting for the Match Process to run (see
the answer to question 3), you do not need to take any action.

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### Batch Print Documents

Topic Map

-   About Batch Printing

-   Using the Batch Print Documents function

    -   Partial files in a set

#### About Batch Printing

This feature is invoked by a button located on the Certificate page,
which is under the Referral button on the left menu. You can use this
feature to conveniently print all supporting documents for applicants on
a certificate or stored list. Each applicant's documents will be
presented in the following order, assuming they are being accepted for
the VIN:

-   Résumé

-   Transcript

-   Qualifications

-   Miscellaneous

-   Veteran Preference documents

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#### Using the Batch Print Documents function

To use batch printing, follow these steps:

1.  Go to the Certificate page, which is located on the Referral menu.
    (See Figure 1.)

![](media/image266.jpeg){width="4.364583333333333in" height="3.4375in"}

> *Figure 1: The Certificate page.*

2.  Click the **Batch Print Documents** button, which appears below the
    list of applicants. A pop-up message will appear to let you know the
    request for a batch print file of documents was successful (see
    Figure 2). When the Document Print File is ready, you will receive
    notification by email (see Figure 3). Make note of the **Certificate
    ID** in the subject line of the email. This ID will be listed under
    the **Report Name** column when you retrieve and open the print
    file. *Note: There must be applicants on the Certificate or Stored
    List or you will receive an email telling you no documents were
    retrieved.*

> ![](media/image267.jpeg){width="3.3645833333333335in"
> height="1.2395833333333333in"}
>
> *Figure 2: This message tells you the system received your request for
> batch printing.*
>
> ![](media/image268.jpeg){width="5.917361111111111in"
> height="2.027083333333333in"}
>
> *Figure 3: the email notice that the batch print job is ready*

Partial files in a set

If the number of pages in your print file exceeds 200, the system will
break the print file out into a set of multiple partial files of 200
pages each. Each partial file of the set of print files will have the
same Report Name, followed by a numeric suffix showing which part it is.
For example, the print files for a certificate with 450 pages of
applicant supporting documents might be listed in Stored Reports as:

> Print File: 111543 1
>
> Print File: 111543 2
>
> Print File: 111543 3

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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3.  To retrieve your batch print file, follow these steps:

    a.   Click the **Reports** button on the top menu bar to get to the
        Reports work area (see Figure 4).

    b.  Click the **DRS** button on the left menu (see Figure 5).  

    c.  Click **Batch Print Documents** on the left menu (see Figure 5).
        The report(s) will be listed on the Stored Reports table (see
        Figure 6). The Report Name has the same six-digit number as the
        CertificateID listed in the subject line of the confirmation
        email you received (see step 2 above). See also: **Partial files
        in a set** in the green box on this page.

![](media/image269.jpeg){width="5.999305555555556in"
height="0.39444444444444443in"}

> *Figure 4: the Reports button on the top menu bar*

![](media/image270.jpeg){width="1.4375in" height="3.0208333333333335in"}

> *Figure 5: the left menu bar showing the DRS white button and the
> Batch Print Documents option selected*

![](media/image271.jpeg){width="6.0in" height="3.25in"}

> *Figure 6: The Stored Reports table shows reports that are ready.*

4.  Click the Report Name to display the file in Adobe Acrobat. You can
    use the Print function of Adobe Acrobat to send individual or all
    pages to a printer.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Applicant Flags and NOR Message Codes in the Applicant Record

Topic Map

-   About Applicant Flags

    -   What are Applicant Flags?

    -   How do I use Applicant Flags?

    -   What Applicant Flags can I use? How do I add a new one?

-   About Notice of Result (NOR) Messages

### About Applicant Flags

#### What are Applicant Flags?

Applicant Flags are annotations that appear on the certificate. They
typically indicate that the applicant meets certain criteria \-- such as
fluency in a foreign language \-- or that some kind of review or follow
up is needed \-- such as course work which is pending completion. This
is a convenient way to alert the selecting official.

Here are some sample Applicant Flags:

-   Outstanding Scholar

-   VEOA Eligible

-   Bilingual - Spanish

-   Must Provide Transcripts

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#### How do I use Applicant Flags?

You can have Applicant Flags set automatically or you can set them
manually.

-   **Automatically setting Applicant Flags**: You can set up your
    Questionnaire so that if an applicant chooses a particular response,
    a flag is automatically turned on. You would do this on the
    Questionnaire Builder page.

-   **Manually setting Applicant Flags**: You can turn flags on or off
    for a particular applicant. You would do this on the Applicant Flags
    page of the Application Information menu.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

#### What Applicant Flags can I use? How do I add a new one?

The flags that are available to you are the ones established on the
Applicant Flags page on the Preferences menu of the Administration work
area. If a flag you want to use is not available, it can be added there
by a person with an appropriate Permissions Profile.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### About Notice of Result (NOR) Messages

Notice of Result (NOR) Messages are messages that appear on the Notice
of Results that goes to the applicant. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## NOR Message Code List

Topic Map

-   About NOR Message Codes

-   NOR Message Codes table

###  

### About NOR Message Codes

The table below lists all NOR message codes that OPM has provided at the
System level, and that are available to all users.

If you wish to add NOR Message codes of your own at the Organization or
Office level, you may do so from within the Administration Work Area if
you have the appropriate Permissions Profile. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### NOR Message Codes table

Jump to codes starting with:

-   E (Eligible)

-   I (Ineligible)

-   M (Message)

-   N (Not Rated)

+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **Code**      | **Description**                                      |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **EL**        | You are eligible for this specialty and grade.       |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **ER**        | Your eligibility for this grade is for research      |
|               | positions only.                                      |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **ES**        | You are eligible for this specialty and grade based  |
|               | on your claim that you will complete the required    |
|               | education in the near future.                        |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
|               | ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"  |
|               | height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.  |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IA**        | You did not pass the written test.                   |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IAM**       | Ineligible Application Missing (As advertised,       |
|               | applications received without all completed forms    |
|               | will not be considered.)                             |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IB**        | You are not qualified for this specialty at the      |
|               | grade/salary level, which you desire. You may wish   |
|               | to reapply for consideration for positions at lower  |
|               | grade levels.                                        |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IC**        | Your application does not show that you meet the     |
|               | minimum training/education requirements for this     |
|               | specialty and grade.                                 |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **ID**        | You do not meet the minimum education and or         |
|               | experience requirements for this specialty and       |
|               | grade.                                               |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IE**        | Your application does not show that you have the     |
|               | length of specialized experience needed for this     |
|               | specialty and grade.                                 |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IF**        | Your application does not show that you have the     |
|               | required level of knowledge, skills, and abilities   |
|               | for this specialty and grade.                        |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IFM**       | Ineligible Forms Missing (You did not submit the     |
|               | required forms as specified in the announcement.)    |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IG**        | You did not respond to official correspondence.      |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IH**        | Civil Service competitive examinations are open only |
|               | to citizens and nationals of the United States of    |
|               | America. Federal agencies can hire non-citizens      |
|               | under certain conditions. Further information        |
|               | regarding employment of non-citizens is available at |
|               | www.usajobs.gov under Frequently Asked Questions     |
|               | (FAQ) and \"How to Apply.\"                          |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IJ**        | Your application does not show that you meet the     |
|               | minimum age requirements for this position.          |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IK**        | Your application shows your age exceeds the maximum  |
|               | limits established for this position.                |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IM**        | You did not take the test required for this          |
|               | specialty and grade.                                 |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IO**        | No determination of your eligibility could be made   |
|               | because you left the exam room without completing    |
|               | the written test.                                    |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IP**        | You did not pass the oral interview required for     |
|               | this specialty and grade.                            |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IQ**        | Your application does not show that you possess the  |
|               | license required for this specialty and grade.       |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IRM**       | Ineligible Resume Missing (You did not submit the    |
|               | required resume as specified in the announcement.)   |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IS**        | You did not obtain a sufficiently high score on the  |
|               | written test.                                        |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IW**        | Your application does not show that you have the     |
|               | required specialized skills needed for this          |
|               | specialty and grade.                                 |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IX**        | Your eligibility for this occupational specialty and |
|               | grade has been inactivated at your request.          |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IY**        | Your application does not show that you have the     |
|               | required typing and/or stenography skills needed for |
|               | this position.                                       |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **IZ**        | We can not establish your eligibility for this       |
|               | specialty and grade because we are closed to receipt |
|               | of new applications at this time.                    |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
|               | ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"  |
|               | height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.  |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **MB**        | Your rating includes 5-point vet preference. To      |
|               | receive 10 points preference you must submit a       |
|               | Standard Form 15 along with the required proof. The  |
|               | forms are available from your OPM Service Center.    |
|               | When proof is received, you will be notified that 5  |
|               | additional points have been added to your rating.    |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **MC**        | The results shown on the enclosed Notice reflect the |
|               | highest scores you have achieved on the written test |
|               | you have taken for this occupation.                  |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **MD**        | The information shown on this Notice supersedes all  |
|               | information you received in earlier Notices from     |
|               | this examining office for this occupation.           |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **MG**        | You selected one or more geographic codes that were  |
|               | closed at the time you applied. The geographic codes |
|               | shown on the enclosed Notice are the open locations  |
|               | you selected.                                        |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **MK**        | The results shown on the enclosed Notice reflects    |
|               | the most recent scores you have achieved on the      |
|               | assessments for this position.                       |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **ML**        | Your rating(s) takes into account your claim of      |
|               | superior academic achievement for your undergraduate |
|               | coursework. Should you be selected for a position,   |
|               | you will be required to provide the hiring agency    |
|               | with the proof of your superior academic achievement |
|               | before you report to work.                           |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **MM**        | You are eligible based on your indication that you   |
|               | will complete the required education in the near     |
|               | future. If you are selected for a position, you may  |
|               | not begin work until you prove to the hiring agency  |
|               | that you have completed your education.              |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **MN**        | The change(s) you requested has been made and        |
|               | incorporated into your record.                       |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **MO**        | Some Federal jobs for this occupation are filled by  |
|               | direct application to the hiring agency. To find out |
|               | which agencies are accepting applications, contact   |
|               | the USAJOBS website at                               |
|               |                                                      |
|               | http://www.usajobs.gov                               |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **MR**        | Your application indicates that you will not accept  |
|               | the salary for this specialty at this grade. We have |
|               | rated your application for the highest open grade    |
|               | associated with this specialty.                      |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
|               | ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"  |
|               | height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.  |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+
| **NR**        | We have not reviewed your qualifications for this    |
|               | specialty and grade. However, we have accepted your  |
|               | application and will review it when a job exists     |
|               | which matches your availability and skills. If upon  |
|               | later review we find that you are ineligible, we     |
|               | will notify you.                                     |
+---------------+------------------------------------------------------+

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Record Status Codes

Topic Map

-   About Record Status Codes

-   List of Record Status Codes

### About Record Status Codes

Record Status Codes are a part of every Applicant record. The Record
Status Code in an Applicant record determines how the Applicant is seen
by the system, and whether or not that applicant is referred. For
example:

-   For a temporary vacancy, you may wish to exclude applicants who are
    already on a similar temporary referral.

-   For a career or career conditional vacancy, you would normally
    include people who are currently on a referral list for a temporary
    position, but may decide not to include people who are already on
    similar career or career conditional referrals.

Each Applicant record can have only one Record Status Code at a time,
the code will change over the life of the Applicant Record.

-   The system may automatically change the Record Status Code based
    upon user or applicant actions or other business rules. Events that
    cause automatic changes include:

    -   The applicant has submitted some, but not all, forms. (PF)

    -   The applicant is rated eligible. (AA)

    -   A referral list or certificate is issued with the applicant\'s
        name on it. (AC or TA or TC, depending upon the situation)

    -   A certificate with the applicant\'s name on it is audited.  (AA,
        HH, HC, or many other possibilities, depending upon the
        situation)

    -   The applicant\'s eligibility expires. (EX)

-   A user may manually change a record status code as circumstances
    dictate.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### List of Record Status Codes

These are the Record Status Codes for Applicant Records in USA Staffing.

+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| AA   | Eligible for Certificate, and not currently out on any        |
|      | certificate/referral list.                                    |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| AC   | On Career Certificate                                         |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| DP   | Duplicate Processed                                           |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| DU   | Duplicate Unprocessed                                         |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| EX   | Eligibility Expired                                           |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| HA   | Hired for a Temp/Term Certificate.                            |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| HC   | Hired from a Temp/Term Certificate and on a Career\           |
|      | Certificate                                                   |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| HH   | Hired form a Career Certificate                               |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| IN   | Ineligible for Certificate                                    |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| PE   | **Pending Due to Error in the Applicant Record.** Use         |
|      | Advanced Search to find all PE records. To do this, follow    |
|      | these steps:                                                  |
|      |                                                               |
|      | 1.  Click **Advanced**.                                       |
|      |                                                               |
|      | 2.  In the **Look In** drop down selection box, select        |
|      |     **Applicants**.                                           |
|      |                                                               |
|      | 3.  In the **Record Status** drop down selection box, select  |
|      |     **PE**.                                                   |
|      |                                                               |
|      | 4.  In the **Vacancy ID** type the VIN.                       |
|      |                                                               |
|      | 5.  Click **GO**. All PE records for the VIN will be listed   |
|      |     in a search results table at the bottom of the page. (See |
|      |     also Opening Multiple Windows and Working With Browse     |
|      |     Tables.)                                                  |
|      |                                                               |
|      | 6.  For each Applicant Record in the search results table,    |
|      |     click **Open** to get to the Assessment Information page  |
|      |     and proceed from there to make necessary corrections to   |
|      |     the records.                                              |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| PF   | **Pending Form**. This means that one or more required        |
|      | documents was not received, or is mismatched. You can see     |
|      | which forms have been received and matched by visiting the    |
|      | Documents page on the Applicants menu. If the document is     |
|      | mismatched, you can clear this code by visiting the           |
|      | Mismatched Documents page on the Applicants menu and          |
|      | resolving the mismatched documents. More information about    |
|      | working with Mismatched Documents                             |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| PI   | **Pending Rating.** This code is used internally and should   |
|      | never appear by the time you are viewing a record. If it does |
|      | appear, it means an automated process failed and the reason   |
|      | needs to be determined by a technician. Submit a ticket to    |
|      | the Help Desk.                                                |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| PJ   | **Pending Assessment Component Review.** There is an error in |
|      | one of your Assessment Components \-- probably the Rating     |
|      | Criteria for the Questionnaire. To clear this code, you must  |
|      | fix the error in the Assessment Component. Then re-rate the   |
|      | applicants who have the PJ code.                              |
|      |                                                               |
|      | Example: The VIN is for grades 9, 11, and 12. The Assessment  |
|      | Plan is constructed in such a manner that an applicant is     |
|      | rated qualified for grade 9 and 12, but unqualified for grade |
|      | 11. The system detects this as a condition that does not make |
|      | sense, and codes the record as PJ to alert you.               |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| PL   | **Pending Additional Components.** This means that one or     |
|      | more required assessments has not been completed or the       |
|      | results have not been properly matched with the Applicant     |
|      | Record. To clear this code, enter ratings for all required    |
|      | assessments and/or clear any mismatches that appear on the    |
|      | Mismatched Assessment page. If a manual rating is involved,   |
|      | you must enter the rating on the Assessments of the Applicant |
|      | page.                                                         |
|      |                                                               |
|      | For more details, see Assessment Matching.                    |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| PQ   | **Pending Quality Review.** To clear this code, review the    |
|      | application as appropriate, and then select Re-rate in the    |
|      | applicant\'s record.                                          |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| PR   | Pending Rating User Initiated (This code is not used in USA   |
|      | Staffing for the Web, effective August 2004.)                 |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| SS   | Suspended Status                                              |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| TA   | On a Temp/Term Certificate                                    |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| TC   | On a Temp/Term Certificate and on a Career Certificate        |
+------+---------------------------------------------------------------+

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Pay Plans of the U.S. Federal Government

Topic Map

-   About Pay Plans

    -   Browser Search Function

-   Alphabetical Index of Pay Plan Codes

### About Pay Plans

This topic contains a list of the pay plans used in the U.S. Federal
Government, and their corresponding codes as used in USA Staffing and
USAJOBS.

Browser Search Function

You can use the Search or Find function that is built into your browser
to find information on a page.

Typically, you would use the Control key and the letter \"F\" to begin a
search. (Press and hold down the Control key \-- \"Ctrl\" \-- the type
the letter F.)

\"Find\" is also usually on the browser\'s Edit menu.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   To look up by code: Click the letter of the alphabet on the index
    that corresponds with the first letter of the code. Alternatively,
    you can use your browser search function for the two letter code if
    you know it.

-   To search for a code when you know part of the Pay Plan title or the
    name of the agency the to which the pay plan is restricted:

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Alphabetical Index of Pay Plan Codes

  ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
  **A**   **B**   **C**   **D**   **E**   **F**   **G**   **H**   **I**   **J**

  **K**   **L**   **M**   **N**   **O**   **P**   **Q**   **R**   **S**   **T**

  **U**   **V**   **W**   **X**   **Y**   **Z**                           
  ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  AA         Administrative Appeals Judges               

  AD         Administratively Determined Rates, Not      
             Elsewhere Specified                         

  AE         Executive SVC for the AOC                   Administrative Office
                                                         of the US Courts

  AF         American Family Members, Pl 96-465, Sec 311 AID, BBG, State,
                                                         Agriculture,
                                                         Commerce, Peace Corps

  AG         FDIC Summer Program                         FDIC Only

  AJ         Administrative Judges                       Nuclear Regulatory

  AL         Administrative Law Judges                   

  AS         Nonsupervisory negotiated pay employees     

  AT         FAA Air Traffic Controller Compensation     Transportation, FAA
             Plan                                        Only
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  BB         Nonsupervisory - Negotiated Pay Employees   

  BL         Leader - Negotiated Pay Employees           

  BP         Printing And Lithographic - Negotiated Pay  
             Employees                                   

  BS         Supervisory - Negotiated Pay Employees      
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  CA         Board Of Contract Appeals                   Board Of Contract
                                                         Appeals

  CB         FDIC Wage Grade Non-Supervisory Pay         FDIC Only
             Schedules                                   

  CC         Commissioned Corps Of Public Health         EPA, Commerce & HHS
             Service.                                    only

  CD         SES Candidate Development Programs          

  CE         Contract Education\--Year Long              Interior, Indian
                                                         Affairs

  CF         FDIC Wage Grade Supvry Pay Schedules.       FDIC Only

  CG         Corporate Graded                            FDIC Only

  CH         FDIC Wage Grade Supvry Spc Schedule         FDIC Only
             Printing Employees                          

  CI         FDIC Wage Grade Supvry Spc Schedule         FDIC Only
             Printing Employees                          

  CJ         FDIC Wage Grade Non-Supvry Spc Schedule     FDIC Only
             Printing Employees                          

  CL         Court Personnel System                      FDIC Only

  CM         FDIC Supervisory & Managerial Positions     FDIC Only
             below the executive level                   

  CO         Non-Federal County Employees Of The Farm    Agriculture, Farm
             Service Agency                              Service Agency

  CP         Civilian Pay                                US Senate

  CT         Commodity Futures Trading Comm positions    Commodity Futures
             previously under AD, ES, GM, and GS         Trading Commission

  CU         Credit Union Employees                      National Credit Union
                                                         Admin

  CY         Contract Education\--School Year            Interior, Indian
                                                         Affairs

  CZ         Canal Zone General Schedule - Type          
             Positions                                   
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  DA         Demonstration Administrative                Navy

  DB         Demonstration Engineers And Scientists.     Defense Departments

  DE         Demonstration Engineers And Scientists      Defense Departments
             Technicians.                                

  DG         Demonstration General                       Navy

  DH         Demonstration Hourly                        

  DJ         Demonstration Administrative.               Defense Departments

  DK         Demonstration General Support.              Defense Departments

  DL         Applied Skills Demonstration Project.       Veterans Affairs

  DN         Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board     Defense Nuclear
             Excepted Service Employees                  Facilities Safety
                                                         Board

  DP         Demonstration Professional                  Navy

  DQ         Demonstration Artisan Leader.               Defense Departments

  DR         Demonstration Air Force Scientist And       Air Force
             Engineer.                                   

  DS         Demonstration Specialist                    Navy

  DT         Demonstration Technician                    Navy

  DV         Demonstration Artisan.                      Defense Departments

  DW         Demonstration Salaried                      

  DX         Demonstration Supervisory Level             

  DZ         Demonstration Artisan Supervisor.           Defense Departments
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  EA         Administrative Schedule (Excluded)          Tennessee Valley
                                                         Authority (TVA) Only

  EB         Clerical Schedule (Excluded)                TVA Only

  EC         Engineering & Computing Schedule (Excluded) TVA Only

  ED         Expert (5 U.S.C. 3109)                      

  EE         Expert (Other)                              

  EF         Consultant (5 U.S.C. 3109)                  

  EG         Consultant (Other)                          

  EH         Advisory Committee Member (5 U.S.C. 3109)   

  EI         Advisory Committee Member (Other)           

  EJ         Department of Energy Organization Act       Depts Of Energy &
             Excepted Service                            Homeland Security

  EK         National Defense Authorization Act Of 1995  Dept Of Energy
             Excepted Svc                                

  EM         Executive Mobility Opportunities            FDIC Only

  EN         National Nuclear Security Administration    National Nuclear
             Excepted Service                            Security
                                                         Administration

  EO         FDIC Executive Pay                          FDIC Only

  EP         Defense Intelligence Senior Executives      Defense Intelligence
             Service                                     Agency

  ES         Senior Executive Service (SES)              

  ET         GAO Senior Executive Service General        Office Only
             Accounting                                  

  EV         FAA Executive Compensation Plan             Transportation, FAA

  EX         Executive Pay                               

  EZ         Professional Economist                      US Securities &
                                                         Exchange Commission
                                                         Only
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  FA         Foreign Service Chiefs Of Mission, P.L.     AID & State Dept
             94-464, Section 103(1)                      

  FB         FAA SES                                     Transportation, FAA

  FC         Foreign Compensation                        AID under PASA
                                                         assignment

  FD         Foreign Defense                             Defense Departments

  FE         Senior Foreign Service (SFS) P.L. 96-465,   AID, APHIS, BBG,
             Section 103(3)                              State, Agriculture
                                                         FAS, Commerce ITA,
                                                         Peace Corps

  FF         Nonsupervisory Production Facilitators      Transportation, FAA

  FG         Similar To The General Schedule.            Transportation, FAA

  FJ         Officials On Noncareer Appointments         Transportation, FAA

  FL         Wage Leaders                                Transportation, FAA

  FM         Former Performance Management And           Transportation, FAA
             Recognition Service Employees               

  FN         Supervisory Production Facilitators         Transportation, FAA

  FO         Foreign Service Officers                    AID, APHIS, BBG,
                                                         State, Agriculture
                                                         FAS, Commerce ITA,
                                                         Peace Corps

  FP         Foreign Service Personnel, P.L. 96-465,     AID, APHIS, BBG,
             Section 103(5)                              State, Agriculture
                                                         FAS, Commerce ITA,
                                                         Peace Corps

  FS         Wage Supervisors (Similar To Supervisory    Transportation, FAA
             Pay Schedule Under Federal Wage Sys)        

  FT         FAA SES                                     Transportation, FAA

  FV         Federal Aviation Administration Core        Transportation, FAA
             Compensation Plan                           

  FW         Wage Grade                                  Transportation, FAA

  FX         FAA SES                                     Transportation, FAA

  FZ         Consular Agent                              State Dept
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  GG         Grades Similar To General Schedule          

  GH         GG Employees Converted To the PMRS Merit    
             Pay Plan                                    

  GM         Employees covered by PMRS termination       
             provisions                                  

  GN         Nursing At The Warren G. Magnuson Clinical  HHS, NIH
             Center                                      

  GS         General Schedule                            

  GW         Employment Under Schedule A 213.3102(W)     
             Classified Under And Paid A GS Rate         
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  HG         OMHAR Compensation Plan                     

  HS         House Of Representatives Pay Plan           House of
                                                         Representatives

  HU         Haskell Indian Nations University           Interior Only
             Demonstrations Project                      

  HX         OMHAR Executive Compensation Plan           
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  IE         Senior Intelligence Executive Service       Defense Departments
             (SEIS) Program                              

  IJ         Immigration Judge Schedule                  Justice

  IP         Senior Intelligence Professional Service    Defense Departments
             (SIP) Program                               

  IR         Internal Revenue Pay Schedule               Treasury, IRS

  IS         Smithsonian Institution                     
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  JA         Demonstration FBI Scientific And            FBI Only
             Engineering Positions                       

  JB         Demonstration FBI Technical Positions       FBI Only

  JC         Demonstration FBI Intelligence Analyst      FBI Only
             Positions                                   

  JD         Demonstration FBI Language Translator       FBI Only
             Positions                                   

  JE         Demonstration FBI Medical Positions         FBI Only

  JG         Graded Tradesmen & Craftsmen (Excldg        Admin Ofc Of US
             Lithographers/ Printers)                    Courts

  JL         Leaders Of Tradesmen & Craftsmen            Admin Ofc Of US
                                                         Courts

  JP         Non-Supervisory Lithographers And Printers  Admin Ofc Of US
                                                         Courts

  JQ         Lead Lithographers And Printers             Admin Ofc Of US
                                                         Courts

  JR         Supervisory Lithographers And Printers      Admin Ofc Of US
                                                         Courts

  JS         Judicial Salary Plan                        Judicial Branch

  JT         Supervisory Of Tradesmen And Craftsmen      Admin Ofc Of US
                                                         Courts
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  KA         Kiess Act                                   GPO

  KB         GPO negotiated rates for Bookbinders        GPO

  KE         GPO negotiated rates for Electricians       GPO

  KG         Non-Craft Non-Supervisory                   Bureau of Engraving

  KI         GPO negotiated rates for compositors        GPO

  KJ         GPO negotiated rates for machinists         GPO

  KL         Non-Craft - Leader                          Bureau of Engraving

  KM         GPO negotiated rates for presspersons       GPO

  KN         GPO negotiated rates for offset strippers   GPO

  KO         GPO negotiated rates for offset platemaker  GPO
             strippers                                   

  KP         GPO negotiated rates for engineering        GPO
             journeypersons                              

  KS         Non-Craft - Supervisory                     Bureau of Engraving

  KT         GPO negotiated rates for printing plant     GPO
             workers \-- 80%                             

  KU         GPO negotiated rates for printing plant     GPO
             workers \-- 85%                             

  KV         GPO negotiated rates for printing plant     GPO
             workers \-- 90%                             

  KW         GPO negotiated rates for printing plant     GPO
             workers \-- 95%                             

  KX         GPO negotiated rates for printing plant     GPO
             workers 100%                                

  KY         GPO negotiated rates for printing plant     GPO
             workers, Equity Pay                         
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  LE         United States Secret Service Uniform        Secret Service,
             Division                                    Homeland Security

  LG         Liquidation Graded                          FDIC Only

  LP         Law Enforcement Pay                         US Senate
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  MA         Milk Marketing                              Agriculture

  MG         OMHAR Compensation Plan                     Dept Of HUD Only

  MH         Mail Handler                                US Postal Service

  MS         OMHAR Executive Compensation Plan           Dept Of HUD Only

  MX         OMHAR Compensation Plan                     Dept Of HUD Only
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  NA         Nonappropriated Funds - Nonsupervisory And   
             Nonleader - Federal Wage System             

  NB         Office Of The Comptroller Of The Currency   Comptroller of the
             Compensation Plan                           Currency, Treasury

  NC         NRL Administrative Support                  Navy Only

  ND         Demonstration Scientific And Engineering.   Navy Only

  NF         NF Pay Plan                                  

  NG         Demonstration General Support.              Navy Only

  NH         Business Management And Technical           Defense Departments
             Management Professional                     

  NI         National Imagery And Mapping Pay Band       Defense Departments

  NJ         Technical Management Support                Defense Departments

  NK         Administration Support                      Defense Departments

  NL         Nonappropriated Funds - Leader - Federal     
             Wage System                                 

  NO         NRL Administrative Specialist/Professional  Navy Research
                                                         Laboratory

  NP         NRL Science & Engineering Professional      Navy Research
                                                         Laboratory

  NR         NRL Science & Engineering Technical         Navy Research
                                                         Laboratory

  NS         Nonappropriated Funds - Supervisory -        
             Federal Wage System                         

  NT         Demonstration Administrative And Technical. Navy

  NX         Executive-Level & Managerial Positions      Corp For Nat\'l &
                                                         Community Svc.

  NY         All Other Positions                         Corp For Nat\'l &
                                                         Community SVC.
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  OC         Office Of The Comptroller Of The Currency    

  OE         Senior Executive Service Assignment          
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  PA         Attorneys And Law Clerks                    General Accounting
                                                         Office

  PD         Demonstration Project, ATF                  ATF (Justice) and
                                                         ATTTB (Treasury),
                                                         Customs & Secret Svc
                                                         (DHS)

  PE         Evaluator And Evaluator Related             General Accounting
                                                         Office Only

  PG         Printing Office Grades                      GPO

  PJ         GPO, AFGE, 12% night rate                   GPO

  PL         PlAnt Operators Schedule                    TVA Only

  PQ         GPO Police, day rate                        GPO

  PS         Postal Service Employee                     US Postal Service
                                                         Only

  PU         GPO White Collar \-- 10% night rate         GPO

  PZ         GPO Police, 10% night rate                  GPO
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  QC         USPS City Carrier                           US Postal Service
                                                         Only
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  RA         Senior Scientific Research Service          Agriculture

  RC         USPS Rural Carrier                          US Postal Service
                                                         Only

  RS         Senior Biomedical Research Service          HHS, PHS
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  SA         Administrative Schedule                     TVA Only

  SB         Clerical Schedule                           TVA Only

  SC         Engineering And Computing Schedule          TVA Only

  SD         Scientific & Programming Schedule           TVA Only

  SE         Aide And Technician Schedule                TVA Only

  SF         Custodial Schedule                          TVA Only

  SG         Public Safety Schedule                      TVA Only

  SH         Physicians Schedule                         TVA Only

  SJ         Scientific & Programming Schedule           TVA Only
             (Excluded)                                  

  SK         Securities & Exchange Comm. White-Collar    Securities & Exchange
             Employees                                   Commission

  SL         Senior Level Positions                       

  SM         Management Schedule                         TVA Only

  SN         Senior Level System                         Nuclear Regulatory

  SO         Securities & Exchange Comm. Senior          Securities & Exchange
             Executive Level                             Commission

  SP         Park Police                                 Interior

  SR         Statutory Rates Not Elsewhere Specified      

  SS         Senior Staff Positions                      National Credit Union

  ST         Scientific And Professional                  

  SV         TSA Non-Executive Pay System                Transportation
                                                         Security Admin, DHS

  SW         TSA Executive Pay System                    Transportation
                                                         Security Admin, DHS
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  TA         Construction Schedule                       TVA Only

  TB         Maintenance Schedule (Power Generating      TVA Only
             Facilities)                                 

  TC         Chemical Operators Schedule                 TVA Only

  TD         Plant Operators Schedule                    TVA Only

  TE         Operating & Maintenance Schedule (Non-Power TVA Only
             Generating Facility)                        

  TF         Federal Housing Finance Board Executive     Fed Housing Finance
             Level                                       Bd

  TG         Office Of Thrift Supervision Salary         Treasury, Thrift
             Schedule                                    Supervision

  TM         Federal Housing Finance Board Merit Pay     Fed Housing Finance
                                                         Bd

  TP         Teaching Positions                          Defense Education

  TR         Police Forces Of The U.S. Mint And Bureau   Treasury, US Mint &
             Of Engraving and Printing                   Engraving & Printing

  TS         Federal Housing Finance Board Step System   Fed Housing Finance
                                                         Bd

  TW         Bureau Of Engraving & Printing And U.S.     Treasury
             Mint Police Officers In Wash, Dc            
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  UA         General Schedule For Non-Appropriated        
             Agencies                                    
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  VC         Canteen Service                             Veterans Affairs

  VE         Veterans Canteen Service Executives         Veterans Affairs

  VG         Clerical And Administrative Support         Farm Credit & Farm
                                                         Credit Sys Insurance
                                                         Corp

  VH         Professional, Administrative, And           Farm Credit & Farm
             Managerial                                  Credit Sys Insurance
                                                         Corp

  VM         Medical And Dental                          Veterans Affairs

  VN         Nursing                                     Veterans Affairs

  VP         Clinical Podiatrists And Optometrists       Veterans Affairs
             Schedule                                    
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  WA         Navigational Lock And Dam Operations And    Army
             Maintenance In U.S. Army Corps Of           
             Engineers-Super                             

  WB         Wage Positions Under The Federal Wage        
             System Not Otherwise Designated             

  WD         Production Facilitating Non-Supervisory -    
             Federal Wage System                         

  WE         Currency Manufacturing                      Treasury

  WG         Nonsupervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage  
             System                                      

  WJ         Hopper Dredge Schedule, Supervisory         Army

  WK         Hopper Dredge Schedule, Nonsupervisory      Army

  WL         Leader Page Schedule - Federal Wage System   

  WM         Maritime Pay Schedule - Federal Wage System  

  WN         Production Facilitating Supervisory Federal  
             Wage                                        

  WO         Navigational Lock And Dam Operation And     U.S. Army Corps Of
             Maintenance Positions                       Engineers

  WQ         Aircraft, Electronic Equipment, And Optical  
             Instrument Overhaul And Repair In Puerto    
             Rico                                        

  WR         Aircraft, Electronic Equipment, And Optical  
             Instrument Overhaul And Repair In Puerto    
             Rico                                        

  WS         Supervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage     
             System                                      

  WT         Apprentices And Shop Trainees - Federal      
             Wage System                                 

  WU         Aircraft, Electronic Equipment, And Optical  
             Instrument Overhaul And Repair In Puerto    
             Rico                                        

  WW         Employment Under Schedule A 213.3102(W)      
             Classified Under and Paid at a Regularly    
             Establish                                   

  WY         Navigational Lock & Dam Operation &         U.S. Army Corps Of
             Maintenance Positions                       Engineers
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  XA         Special Overlap Area Rate Schedule -        Interior
             Nonsupervisory - Federal Wage System        

  XB         Special Overlap Area Rate Schedule -        Interior
             Leader - Federal Wage System                

  XC         Special Overlap Area Rate Schedule -        Interior
             Supervisory -Federal Wage System            

  XD         Nonsupervisory Production Facilitating       
             Special Schedule Printing Employee          

  XE         Supervisors Of Negotiated Rate Employees -  Interior, Reclamation
             Federal Wage System (Interior Only)         

  XF         Floating Plant Schedule (Other Than Hopper  Army
             Dredge) Schedule \-- Nonsupervisory \--     
             Federal Wage                                

  XG         Floating Plant (Other Than Hopper Dredge)   Army
             Schedule \--Nonsupervisory \-- Federal Wage 

  XH         Floating Plant (Other Than Hopper Dredge)    
             Schedule \--Nonsupervisory \-- Federal Wage 

  XL         Leader Special Schedule Printing Employee    

  XN         Supervisory Production Facilitating Special  
             Schedule Printing Employee                  

  XP         Nonsupervisory Special Schedule Printing     
             Employee                                    

  XS         Supervisory Special Schedule Printing        
             Employee                                    
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  YV         Temporary Summer Aid Employment Under        
             Schedule A 213.3102(V)                      

  YW         Student Aid Employment Under Schedule A      
             213.3102(W), Paid At A Special Rate         
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

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  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------
  **Code**   **Pay Plan Title**                          **Restricted to**

  ZA         Administrative                              Commerce

  ZP         Scientific And Engineering Professional     Commerce

  ZS         Administrative Support                      Commerce

  ZT         Scientific And Engineering Technician       Commerce

  ZZ         Volunteer & Other Unpaid Work Experience    
             \-- Pay basis WC (without compensation)     
  ---------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
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## Narrative Text Questions

Topic Map

-   About Narrative Text Questions

-   Uses for Narrative Text Questions

    -   Need expert assistance developing assessments?

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   Support for Experience Claimed  on a Self-Report Questionnaire

    -   Accomplishment Record

    -   Open-Ended Writing Assessments

-   Viewing and printing Narrative responses

### About Narrative Text Questions

Using Narrative Text Questions as part of the online application, you
can ask applicants to provide responses in their own words in a
Narrative text box that you have the system insert in the Online
Application \-- either with assessment questions or with biographical
information questions.

-   **Assessment questions:** Add a Narrative item, using the
    Questionnaire Builder and its Item Editor. More details.

-   **Biographic and Availability questions:**  On the Questionnaire
    page of the Announcement menu, you can select an Item and edit it.
    The Item Editor page has a box you can check to specify that the
    item will provide for a narrative response. More details.

![](media/image79.jpeg){width="4.333333333333333in"
height="3.0729166666666665in"}

*Figure 1: A sample of a Narrative Text Response box as it appears to
the applicant in the Online Application Questionnaire. The applicant may
be required to enter text into the box in order to move on to the next
question.*

Narrative text questions can be used in a variety of ways, as described
in the following sections. There is no limit on the number of characters
or words the applicant may type in a Narrative box. There is no spell
checking function. Applicants may type directly into the box, or copy
and paste from some other source.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

### Uses for Narrative Text Questions

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  Need expert assistance developing
assessments?

For assistance in developing effective assessments using Accomplishment
Records or Open-Ended Writing Assessments, contact Ernie Paskey in
OPM\'s Assessment and Training Assistance Services Group
(empaskey@opm.gov or 202.606.1160).

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Support for Experience Claimed  on a Self-Report Questionnaire

Users of USA Staffing are accustomed to self-report questionnaires. Now
you can improve the effectiveness of your self-report questionnaire by
placing Narrative Text Questions after one or a group of self-report
questions, asking applicants to provide details that support the
experience levels they have claimed. When the narrative text response is
requested immediately after the self-report questions, applicants do a
better job of selecting the proper benchmark level and telling you why
they chose that level.

The other types of Narrative Text Questions below can assess
competencies even when a self-report questionnaire is ***not*** used.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Accomplishment Record

An accomplishment record requires candidates to describe past
achievements related to job-relevant competencies. Typical instructions
ask candidates to discuss the situation, actions taken, and outcomes
related to the reported accomplishment. Multiple assessors who receive
formal training rate the accomplishments. With accomplishment record
questions, you should allow a candidate to type in roughly one to two
paragraphs worth of text per accomplishment. Several accomplishments may
be collected from individual candidates for a particular job opening.  

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Open-Ended Writing Assessments 

These assessments are traditionally used to measure writing ability or
technical competence. They may be multiple pages in length. Multiple
assessors who receive formal training rate the responses.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Viewing and printing Narrative responses

The information you collect using Narrative Text Questions will be
stored in Adobe Acrobat PDF file format. The responses can be viewed by
USA Staffing users in the Staffing work area, and by ADV users,
following these steps:

1.  Locate the desired applicant record. This may be done in various
    ways, such as by selecting the applicant from a list of names on a
    Referral List/Certificate, or by using Advanced Search.

2.  Click the **Applicants** white button on the left menu.

3.  Click **Questionnaire** under the Applicants white button on the
    left menu.

4.  Click **Print Narratives**. Adobe Acrobat Reader will open in a new
    window with the document displayed for you to preview. If you wish
    to print a copy, click the print button
    ![](media/image181.jpeg){width="0.5833333333333334in"
    height="0.3125in"} on the Adobe Acrobat Reader toolbar, which is
    normally at the top of the window..

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Agency Document Viewer (ADV)

### Agency Document Viewer (ADV)

Topic Map

-   About Agency Document Viewer

-   Setting up use of Agency Document Viewer

    -   ADV URL

See Also: Using Agency Document Viewer (ADV)

#### About Agency Document Viewer

ADV URL

ADV users can log in at https://USAStaffing.DocumentViewer.opm.gov \--
even without the email that the system will send to them. This URL logs
the ADV user in to where they will select the list they wish to view
from among all those they are permitted to see.

The URL in the email that the system sends in step 6 of these
instructions will take the ADV user directly to the list you want them
to work on.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

Agency Document Viewer \-- or ADV \-- is a feature within USA Staffing
that lets properly authorized users log in, using a Web browser, to view
and work with referral lists, certificates, and applicant supporting
documents. Such documents commonly include résumés, veteran preference
forms, and transcripts. ADV can also contain the responses to narrative
text questions if you included any in your Online Application.

Licensed users of USA Staffing, of course, can view referral lists,
certificates, and applicant documents on pages you access from the
Applicants and Referral menus. By giving hiring officials ADV access,
you give them the ability to see and work only these documents.

Here is the typical sequence of events:

1.  Create a Customer record. More details.

2.  Create a Contact record associated with the Customer record \-- one
    Contact record for each person in the Customer organization who will
    be working with ADV. Be sure to turn on ADV access in the Contact
    records. More details.

3.  Tell the people whom you have added as contacts what their User Name
    and Password are. (The Password for the first login will be the
    user\'s last name exactly as it was entered when the record was
    created. The password is case sensitive, so if the last name was
    entered as SMITH, the user must type all caps, and if the last name
    was entered as Smith, the user must capitalize properly.)

4.  When you create the Staffing Action (Vacancy) record, associate the
    Customer record with it. More details.

5.  When you create the Referral Request, use the *Send To* button to
    specify the Contacts to whom you have already given ADV access (in
    step 2 above). More details.

6.  When you issue the Referral List/Certificate, change the ADV
    Certificate Status to \"Sent to Contact\". This will put the
    Referral List/Certificate in ADV. The system will also send an email
    to the Contacts you specified in \"Send To\" on the Request
    Information page, notifying them the list is ready, and also
    providing a URL for them to go to when they are ready to work with
    the list.

7.  Provide your ADV users with any guidance you would like them to have
    as they use ADV and work with the names on the list. We recommend
    that you provide a copy of the PDF version of the Help topic *Using
    Agency Document Viewer (ADV)*. Download the current version of the
    PDF.

8.  The ADV user goes to the URL specified in the email, and logs in.
    USA Staffing offers them menu options limited to what they need to
    do as ADV users.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Setting up use of Agency Document Viewer (ADV)

To send the Referral List/Certificate to ADV and notify an ADV user it
is ready, follow this checklist:

1.  There must be a Contact record  for each person who will be an ADV
    user.

2.  The ADV user must be one of the contacts you select for the Send To
    list on the Request Information page.

3.  The Certificate State must be set to Sent to Customer on the
    Certificate page.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="0.375in"
height="0.3854166666666667in"}  Documents in ADV contain information
covered by the Privacy Act. It is a good idea to make sure your users
know their responsibilities under the Privacy Act to protect
confidential records from unauthorized disclosure.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Using Agency Document Viewer (ADV)

Topic Map

-   About Using ADV

-   Logging In

    -   Password Rules

-   The ADV User Interface

    -   Top row menu bar

    -   Left side menu bar

-   Selecting a Referral List/Certificate

-   Viewing applicant documents

-   Batch Print documents

    -   About Batch Printing

    -   Using the Batch Print Documents function

-   Entering and submitting selection results (Audit Actions)

    -   Audit Code Definitions

-   Ending your session

Download this topic as a PDF

#### About Using ADV

  With access to ADV, you can do all the following:

-   View referral lists, pre-certs, and certificates online.

-   View applicants\' application documents and responses to
    questionnaires.

If you have been set up as an ADV user, you will be issued a User Name
and Password for USA Staffing. Your HR Specialist will provide you with
this information. Your password is case sensitive. On your first login,
you will be required to change your password to one that you will make
up.

Each time a Referral List/Certificate has been placed in ADV for you to
view, you will be sent an email that contains a link to the Referral
List/Certificate. Simply click the link or paste it into your browser,
and log in to see the referral list.

Note: Acrobat Reader version 6.0.1 or higher from Adobe is required to
view applicant documents. You can download the Acrobat Reader for free
from http://www.adobe.com .

#### Logging in 

1.  Go to the ADV URL.

    -   To work on *a particular* Referral List / Certificate about
        which you have been notified in a system generated email, click
        the link in the email message you received, or copy and paste
        the entire URL into the Address or Location block of your Web
        browser.

    -   To view *all* lists you are authorized to see, you can also log
        in at https://USAStaffing.DocumentViewer.opm.gov.

2.  Enter the User Name and Password you were issued. On your first
    login, you will be required to change your password. The password
    you choose must meet the following rules.

#####  

##### Password Rules

USA Staffing passwords must be complex so that they are not easily
guessed.

-   Your password must contain a minimum of 8 characters.

-   Your password must include at least 3 of the following 4 attributes:

    -   Upper Case (A-Z)

    -   Lower Case (a-z)

    -   Numbers (0-9)

    -   Special Characters (#@\$%&\*+=\*?{}\[\]\<\>:\")

-   Your password may not contain your User Name or any part of your
    full name.

-   You must change your system password every 60 days.  The system will
    notify you when it is time to change your password.

-   The system will remember your password for 6 uses.  You may not
    re-use your password until you have used 6 other passwords.

#### The ADV User Interface

After you log in, you will arrive at the page that looks like the one
shown in Figure 1. Note these features of the user interface:

##### Top row menu bar

-   Immediately below the USA Staffing logo banner is a menu bar. The
    **Staffing** button is selected, which shows that you are in the
    *Staffing work area,* where you will do most of your work. This
    button is selected for you by default to put you in the Staffing
    work area as soon as you log in. These instructions may tell you to
    click this button in case you have left the Staffing work area to
    retrieve reports.

-   To the right of the Staffing button is the **Reports** work area
    button. You will click this button to switch to the Reports work
    area when you have reports to retrieve, such as when you print a
    batch of applicant documents.

-   The **Administration** work area button is disabled.

-   The **Help** button will open a new window with the most up to date
    version of these instructions.

-   The **Logout** button will end your ADV session.

##### Left side menu bar

The menu on the left side contains white buttons, and each white button
contains menu options that are presented after you click the white
button (see Figure 1 below). The Referral button is selected for you by
default when as soon as you log in. The options available on this left
menu bar always depend upon which work area button is selected on the
top row menu bar.

![](media/image272.jpeg){width="5.6875in" height="1.34375in"}

*Figure 1 \-- The list of Referral Lists/Certificate waiting for your
action. Note that at the top of the page there is a menu of buttons, and
the* **Staffing** *work area button is selected.*

#### Selecting a Referral List/Certificate

The system will display a list of all the Referral Lists/Certificates
that are waiting for your action, as pictured above in Figure 1.

1.  Click the plus sign to the left of the Vacancy ID number for the
    Referral List / Certificate you wish to work with. The view expands
    as shown in Figure 2 below.

![](media/image273.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="1.0833333333333333in"}

> *Figure 2 \-- After you click the plus sign, the expanded view shows
> more information about the Referral List/Certificate.*

2.  Click **Open** to view the list of candidates. The system will
    display your Referral List/Certificate, which will look like the
    illustration below in Figure 3.

![](media/image274.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in"
height="4.802083333333333in"}

> *Figure 3 \-- The Referral List/Certificate*

-   **To return to this list of names at any time:**

    a.  If the **Staffing** work area button on the top row menu bar is
        not selected, click it.

    b.  Click the white **Referral** button on the left side menu bar.

    c.  Click **Certificate**. If the list of names you are working on
        is not displayed (Figure 3 above), repeat steps 1 and 2 above.

-   **To return to the list of Referral Lists/Certificates** so you can
    select a different list to work with (as in Figure 1):

    a.  Click the **Staffing** work area button on the top row menu bar.

    b.  Click the white **Referral** button.

    c.  Then repeat steps 1 and 2 above.

#### Viewing applicant documents

To see the documents for a name on the Referral List/Certificate, click
the **Open** button to the left of the name (see Figure 3 above). A list
of all the applicant\'s documents will appear on a page like the one
pictured below in Figure 4. To view a document, click **View** to the
left of its name. (Hint: You can right-click **View**, then from the
menu that pops up, click **Open in a New Window**. This permits you to
open multiple applicant records at one time.)

 ![](media/image275.jpeg){width="5.479166666666667in"
height="1.8958333333333333in"}

> * Figure 4 \-- the list of documents for an applicant*

The document will open in a new window like the one pictured below in
Figure 5.  

 \
![](media/image276.jpeg){width="4.84375in" height="4.75in"}

> *Figure 5 \-- Applicant document is displayed in a new window.*

**To print the document:** Click the Print button on the toolbar or
click File, then click Print.

**To close the document window:** Click the X in the upper right corner
of the window frame.

#### Batch Print documents

##### About Batch Printing

 You can use this feature to conveniently print all supporting documents
for applicants on a certificate or stored list. Each applicant's
documents will be presented in the following order, assuming they are
being accepted for the VIN:

-   Résumé

-   Transcript

-   Qualifications

-   Miscellaneous

-   Veteran Preference documents

##### Using the Batch Print Documents function

To use batch printing, follow these steps:

1.  Your starting point is the Certificate page, which is located on the
    Referral menu. (See Figure BP-1.) If this is not the page showing on
    your screen, click the **Staffing** work area button on the top row
    menu bar,  repeat the steps of Selecting a Referral List/Certificate
    above.

![](media/image274.jpeg){width="4.166666666666667in"
height="4.802083333333333in"}

> *Figure BP-1: The Certificate page.*

2.  Click the **Batch Print Documents** button, which appears below the
    list of applicants. A pop-up message will appear to let you know the
    request for a batch print file of documents was successful (see
    Figure BP-2). When the Document Print File is ready, you will
    receive notification by email (see Figure BP-3). Make note of the
    **Certificate ID** in the subject line of the email. This ID will be
    listed under the **Report Name** column when you retrieve and open
    the print file. *Note: There must be applicants on the Certificate
    or Stored List or you will receive an email telling you no documents
    were retrieved.*

> ![](media/image267.jpeg){width="3.3645833333333335in"
> height="1.2395833333333333in"}
>
> *Figure BP-2: This message tells you the system received your request
> for batch printing.*
>
> ![](media/image268.jpeg){width="5.917361111111111in"
> height="2.027083333333333in"}
>
> *Figure BP-3: the email notice that the batch print job is ready*

Partial files in a set

If the number of pages in your print file exceeds 200, the system will
break the print file out into a set of multiple partial files of 200
pages each. Each partial file of the set of print files will have the
same Report Name, followed by a numeric suffix showing which part it is.
For example, the print files for a certificate with 450 pages of
applicant supporting documents might be listed in Stored Reports as:

> Print File: 111543 1
>
> Print File: 111543 2
>
> Print File: 111543 3

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

3.  To retrieve your batch print file, follow these steps:

    a.   Click the **Reports** button on the top menu bar to get to the
        Reports work area (see Figure BP-4).

    b.  Click the **DRS** button on the left menu (see Figure BP-5).  

    c.  Click **Batch Print Documents** on the left menu (see Figure
        BP-5). The report(s) will be listed on the Stored Reports table
        (see Figure BP-6). The Report Name has the same six-digit number
        as the CertificateID listed in the subject line of the
        confirmation email you received (see step 2 above). See also:
        **Partial files in a set** in the green box on this page.

![](media/image269.jpeg){width="5.999305555555556in"
height="0.39444444444444443in"}

> *Figure BP-4: the Reports button on the top menu bar*

![](media/image277.jpeg){width="1.4583333333333333in"
height="2.5104166666666665in"}

> *Figure BP-5: the left side menu bar showing the DRS white button and
> the Batch Print Documents option selected. All other white buttons on
> this menu are disabled.*

![](media/image278.jpeg){width="5.625in" height="2.59375in"}

> *Figure BP-6: The Stored Reports table shows reports that are ready.*

4.  Click the Report Name to display the file in Adobe Acrobat. You can
    use the Print function of Adobe Acrobat to send individual or all
    pages to a printer.

To return to the viewing of a certificate, click the **Staffing** work
area button on the top row menu bar,  repeat the steps of Selecting a
Referral List/Certificate above.

#### Entering and submitting selection results (Audit Actions)

If you are responsible for entering the selection results, follow these
steps:

1.  Go to the Audit page. To do this, click the white **Referral**
    button. Then click **Audit Actions**.

![](media/image279.jpeg){width="5.479166666666667in"
height="2.8541666666666665in"}

2.  Enter the results. There are several ways to accomplish this,
    depending upon which will be most convenient in your situation.

>  Audit Code Definitions
>
> A -- Selected
>
> CA -- Certificate Cancelled
>
> CE -- Career or Career Conditional Employee
>
> CR -- Communication Returned Unclaimed
>
> DA -- Declined Employment With Agency
>
> DD -- Declined Until A Future Date
>
> DE -- Declined Examination Program
>
> DG -- Declined Grade or Salary Considerations
>
> DL -- Declined Location
>
> DP -- Declined Position
>
> DX -- Declined Federal Employment
>
> DZ -- Declined Other Reason
>
> FR -- Fail To Reply To Their Inquiry
>
> NC -- Appointed By Non-Competitive Action
>
> NN -- Not Selected -- Not Contacted
>
> NS -- Not Selected
>
> RM -- Removed From Certificate Medical
>
> RQ -- Removed From Certificate Not Qualified
>
> RS -- Removed From Certificate Suitability
>
> TE --Temporary Employee
>
> UN --Certificate Unused
>
> RD -- Removed From Certificate Driving
>
> RX --Removed From Certificate Drug Screen
>
> NP -- Not Available Pending
>
> RE -- Removed From Certificate Eligibility
>
> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

-   **If your Referral List/Certificate was unused:** Simply click the
    Audit Type box to select **Unused**.  

-   **If your Referral List/Certificate was cancelled:** Simply click
    the Audit Type box to select **Cancelled**.  

-   **If one or more selections were made from the list:**

    a.  Click the Audit Type box to select **Each Applicant** if that is
        not already the choice that appears.

    b.  Click the Audit Code cell to select the appropriate code for
        each name. (If the column is too narrow to read the entire text
        of the code, you can widen the column by clicking and dragging
        the border line between the headings. To do this, mouse over the
        border line between the headings until the double headed arrow
        appears, then click and drag the line. Or simply refer to the
        code list in the green box to the right.)

    c.  If you reach a point where all names below that point will have
        the same Audit Code, you can click the **Set Remaining
        Applicants** button to automatically assign them that code.

2.  Click to enter a check in the **Complete** box when all appropriate
    results have been entered and you wish to submit them to close out
    the record. The system will send an email message to the HR
    Specialist responsible for the list, informing him or her that you
    have finished entering the results.

3.  Click **Save**.

#### Ending your session

When you are finished using ADV, click the **Logout** button on the menu
bar in the upper right corner.

## The Hot Tip Page

###  

### Click Save!

As of 12/17/2005, you need to click **Save** when moving from one page
to another if you are not clicking the **Next** or **Previous** buttons.

### Select Supporting Documents before posting the Job Announcement.

Always double check that you have selected all appropriate document
types on the Supporting Documents page.

If you neglect to select Supporting Documents before you publish the Job
Announcement, applicant documents go to the Holding Area, where they
will not be accessible to you until you submit a Help Desk ticket with
the applicants\' names, SSNs, the VIN,  and the dates of submission.

If you turn on Supporting Documents after the Job Announcement is
posted, the documents that came in before you do that will remain in the
Holding Area until you ask for them in a Help Desk ticket, and the
applicant records will be in PF status. This can be inconvenient for
you, and may be unfair to applicants who submit documents on time.

***The Holding Area is not part of USA Staffing.*** It is not like the
inactive records part of USA Staffing. That is why there is no way for
you to see what documents may be there.

Bear in mind that USA Staffing will have no folders set up for your VIN
if you do not indicate any are being accepted. So if documents come in,
there is no place to put them in USA Staffing.

The Holding Area, therefore, is simply a place where we temporarily
store any documents that probably should be discarded, because your VIN
says you don\'t want them.  We hold on to them for a while just in case
you made a mistake. If you ask us to find these records in the Holding
Area and move them to USA Staffing, we need the name, SSN, VIN and dates
the forms were submitted, in order for us to manually locate them.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

# 11 Technical Matters

## Connecting to USA Staffing

Topic Map

-   Internet Explorer configuration for USA Staffing

-   Connections for telecommuters and travelers

### Internet Explorer configuration for USA Staffing

Follow these steps to set up Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) for use with USA
Staffing.

1.  With IE6 open, click on the **Tools** menu. Click **Internet
    Options**.

2.  In the dialog box that appears, click the **Security** tab.

3.  On the Security page, click on the **Internet** icon to select the
    Internet Zone. (See Figure 1.)

![](media/image280.jpeg){width="3.40625in"
height="3.7708333333333335in"}

**Figure 1**

4.  Set the security level in one of these three ways:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
a.  If in the large box labeled \"Security level for this zone\" there
    is a slider button like the one in Figure 1, set it to **Medium**.
    This will set all appropriate settings automatically.

b.  If in the large box labeled \"Security level for this zone\" there
    appears the word \"Custom\" in bold, click the **Custom Level**
    button. In the Security Settings dialog box that appears (see Figure
    2 ), scroll down to the section called \"Scripting\" and make sure
    that for Active Scripting, **Enabled** is selected. If it is not,
    click the circle next to it to select it. Click **OK**.

> ![](media/image281.jpeg){width="2.9375in" height="3.375in"}
>
> **Figure 2**

c.  If you are unable to set this option on the Internet Zone as
    described in a) or b) above, click on the **Trusted Sites** icon
    instead of the Internet icon, as instructed in step 3 above. Click
    the **Sites** button, and type in the URL for USA Staffing. Then
    click the **Add** button, and click the **OK** button. Then repeat
    steps a) and b) above.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
5.  Enable temporary cookies from USA Staffing. To do this, click on the
    **Privacy** tab. The dialog looks like the one in Figure 3 below.

![](media/image282.jpeg){width="3.3645833333333335in"
height="3.7604166666666665in"}

**Figure 3**

a.  If the slider switch is not set to **Medium**, move it to that
    position.

b.  If you are unable to move the slider switch to Medium, or if USA
    Staffing does not work properly after you have done so, click the
    **Edit** button. Then on the form that appears, type in the URL for
    USA Staffing, and click the **Allow** button and click **OK**.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
6.  Click **OK** again to close the Internet Options dialog box.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Connections for telecommuters and travelers

To maintain system security, OPM\'s firewall will accept connections
only from known IP addresses, as provided by your organization when you
subscribed. By remotely connecting to your own agency\'s network \-- via
VPN, for example \-- you can have access to USA Staffing from anywhere,
just as if you were in your office.

Each Federal agency has its own policies and practices covering remote
connectivity for telecommuters and travelers. Consult your
organization\'s own Help Desk or IT support team for more information.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Document Repository System (DRS)

Topic Map

-   About the Document Repository System

-   Understanding DRS and application processing

    -   How do applicant records move from a Pending Forms (PF) status
        to AA or IN?

-   Getting documents into DRS

-   Checklist for using DRS

-   

### About the Document Repository System (DRS)

The Document Repository System (DRS) is a warehouse of documents
submitted by applicants, such as résumés, transcripts, veteran
preference supporting documents, awards, and responses to Narrative Text
Questions. DRS is running behind the scenes and is indirectly involved
in these activities:

-   When you are creating your Staffing Action record (Vacancy), you
    enter information on the Supporting Documents page. Your choices
    there determine the types of applicant supporting documents DRS will
    allow, whether or not each of the document types is required or
    optional, and what page limits to enforce.

-   When you direct selecting officials and other people in your
    Customer Contact database to view a referral list or certificate
    online in the Agency Document Viewer (ADV), the ADV will retrieve
    and display the applicant documents that are stored in DRS.

 Here are some benefits of using DRS and ADV:

-   They help make the staffing process paperless. Your selecting
    officials can view applicant documents right on their desktops.

-   DRS and USA Staffing keep track for you of the documents that have
    been received for each applicant. No need to sort and match paper
    copies.

-   Documents submitted electronically to OPM can be available
    immediately for review by multiple people on your team, even in
    diverse locations.

All documents loaded into DRS must be \"indexed\" to identify the proper
Applicant, Vacancy (Staffing Action), and document type. This indexing
process may be automatic or may require human intervention by OPM staff,
depending upon the way the document is received.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Understanding DRS and application processing

-   USA Staffing and DRS manage applicant supporting documents by
    linking them to Applicant Records on the basis of the VIN, the SSN
    and the last name. Therefore, the applicant must submit either the
    Online Application or a Form 1203 FX \-- or you must create an
    Applicant record via key entry \-- in order to create the Applicant
    record, so that the system can match and link documents to it.
    Getting the Online Application or Form 1203 FX submitted *first*
    assures that you have complete contact information in case you need
    to reach the applicant, such as to send reminders to submit missing
    documents.

-   When applicants fax documents, they must include a DRS cover sheet
    that is designed specifically for this purpose. The layout of the
    DRS fax cover sheet assures that the VIN, SSN and last name are
    included and are located on the cover sheet where the system expects
    them to be when it scans the page. Only in this way can it
    automatically pick up the information it requires so that it can
    match the documents to the Applicant record. You must make sure that
    fax cover sheet is available to the applicant.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   A mismatch occurs if there are Applicant records without required
    documents, or if documents are received and there is no
    corresponding Applicant record. The system automatically places
    mismatched Applicant records in PF (Pending Forms) status until the
    mismatch is resolved. There are three ways an applicant\'s record
    may be mismatched.

    -   The applicant completed the online questionnaire but did not
        submit the required supporting documents. The system will list
        these applicants on the **Applicant Mismatch report**. When the
        missing documents arrive and match, the system will move the
        applicant from PF status to the appropriate status.

    -   The applicant completed the Online Application or Form 1203 FX,
        and submitted the required supporting documents. However, there
        is a discrepancy between vital information in the Applicant
        record for the VIN and the information on the supporting
        documents. Typically, these discrepancies involve misspellings
        of the last name or an incorrect SSN. When this occurs these
        applicants will be listed under the **Mismatch Review report**.
        You must modify the records to make them match. The system will
        then put the record in the proper status.

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   The applicant submitted documents, but did not submit a
        completed Online Application or Form 1203 FX, so there is no
        Applicant record for the VIN. These will be listed on the
        **Support Documents Mismatch report**. If the applicant submits
        a completed Online Application or Form 1203 FX \-- or if you
        create an Applicant record via key entry \-- the system will
        match the records and clear these mismatches, then put the
        Applicant record in the proper status.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Applicant records that are in PF status are neither eligible nor
    ineligible. They will not receive consideration in the referral
    process. You can see which applicants are in PF status by generating
    the Applicant Mismatched report (DRS menu button in the Reports work
    area.)

-   People with Agency Document Viewer (ADV) access \-- including
    managers and HR specialists in agencies who are not regular USA
    Staffing users \-- will be able to view or print the documents from
    within their browsers, once the Referral List/Certificate is issued.
    (More details.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### How do applicant records move from a Pending Forms (PF) status to AA or IN? 

When an applicant completes the application process by submitting either
the Online Application or Form 1203 FX \-- or you create an Applicant
record for them via key entry \-- and the applicant has submitted all
*required* documents (as indicated on the Supporting Documents page on
the Vacancy menu), the system will automatically change the status of
the Applicant Record from Pending Forms (PF), with one of these results:

-   If all Assessments have been completed \-- or \-- if the applicant
    has already been determined to be ineligible:

    -   **AA** if the applicant is eligible

    -   **IN** if the applicant is ineligible

-   If additional Assessments remain to be completed, and the applicant
    is potentially eligible:

    -   **PL** \-- indicating it is pending the completion of additional
        components. When the additional component is complete, the
        system will automatically change the status to:

        -   **AA** if the applicant is eligible

        -   **IN** if the applicant is ineligible

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Getting documents into DRS

Documents arrive and are loaded into DRS in various ways, as indicated
on the table below.

  -------------------- ----------- -------------- --------- -----------------
  How Document is      Indexing    Availability   Display   Special
  Received             Process                    Format    Requirements /
                                                            Remarks

  Résumés created in   Automatic   To be          Text      
  USAJOBS will be                  determined.              
  automatically loaded             Consult the              
  into DRS.                        OPM USA                  
                                   Staffing                 
                                   Program                  
                                   Office.                  

  Responses to         Automatic   Now            Text      
  Narrative Text                                            
  Questions entered                                         
  via the Online                                            
  Application                                               

  Text documents       Automatic   To be          Text      
  uploaded via OPM\'s              determined.              
  Document Upload                  Consult the              
  Service                          OPM USA                  
                                   Staffing                 
                                   Program                  
                                   Office.                  

  Any document         Automatic   To be          PDF       
  uploaded via OPM\'s              determined.              
  Document Upload                  Consult the              
  Service in PDF                   OPM USA                  
  format                           Staffing                 
                                   Program                  
                                   Office.                  

  Any image file, such Automatic   To be          Native    
  as a scan of a                   determined.    format or 
  veteran preference               Consult the    PDF       
  document,                        OPM USA                  
  transcript, or                   Staffing                 
  award, when uploaded             Program                  
  via OPM\'s Document              Office.                  
  Upload Service                                            

  Any faxed document   Manual      Now            Image or  The person
  \--  whether faxed                              PDF       sending the fax
  by the applicant                                          \-- whether
  directly to OPM, or                                       applicant or
  faxed by the agency                                       agency staff \--
  to OPM.                                                   must use the
                                                            appropriate fax
                                                            cover sheet for
                                                            each
                                                            transmission, to
                                                            assure that
                                                            proper indexing
                                                            can occur. The
                                                            USA Staffing
                                                            Program Office
                                                            should be
                                                            consulted to
                                                            arrange for an
                                                            appropriate cover
                                                            sheet.

                                                            
  -------------------- ----------- -------------- --------- -----------------

Notes:

-   Automatic indexing occurs instantaneously.

-   Manual indexing may entail labor charges to be paid to OPM by the
    customer organization. Consult the USA Staffing Program Office in
    OPM for details.

-   USA Staffing and the Agency Document Viewer are built to be fully
    compliant with the accessibility standards of Section 508. Certain
    documents stored in DRS and viewed in ADV may not be fully 508
    compliant if the applicant submits them in a 508 non-compliant
    format and they can not be converted. Text documents will generally
    be highly compliant, but persons with visual impairments may need
    customary accommodations to work with documents that an applicant
    submits via fax or other image format.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Checklist for using DRS

This checklist will help you be mindful of all the steps you should take
when you are using DRS features.

1.  Decide which document types you want to accept and which ones you
    will establish as required documents, above and beyond the Online
    Application or Form 1203 FX.

2.  After creating your Staffing Action (Vacancy) record, complete the
    form on the Supporting Documents page.

3.  Be sure when creating your Job Announcement that you explain to
    applicants which documents are accepted, which ones are required,
    and what page limits there may be.

    -   Explain that the first step will always be the Online
        Application or Form 1203 FX. (It  is not technically necessary
        that this be the applicant\'s first step, but it will help
        assure that applicants remember to do it, and that you will have
        a way to contact them.)

    -   Tell the applicants that they may upload document files, the
        file formats accepted, and how to initiate this process. It is
        usually faster and less costly if this option is available to
        the applicant. Documents received in this manner are more
        reliably indexed and matched.

    -   Tell the applicants they also have the option to fax some or all
        of their documents, even if they have uploaded others. Explain
        that faxes must include the special fax cover sheet, and how to
        obtain it. They may fax their documents separately or in a
        single batch.

    -   Explain that excess pages will be deleted before storing.

    -   Explain that they will not be rated if required documents are
        not received.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
1.  Before issuing Referral Lists/Certificates, review and resolve
    missing document issues.

    -   Generate and review the mismatch reports from the DRS menu in
        the Reports work area.

        -   **Applicant Mismatched**: This report will show you
            applicants who are in PF status because they started an
            application but did not submit all required documents. (This
            may be because a document could not be identified properly.)

        -   **Mismatch Review**: This report will show you applicant
            records for which the documents do not agree in either name
            or SSN, possibly due to typos.

        ```{=html}
        <!-- -->
        ```
        -   **Support Documents Mismatch**: This report will show the
            names of people who submitted documents but who did not
            complete the Online Application or Form 1203 FX.

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    -   Resolve mismatches. In some cases, this will entail making
        corrections to the SSN or the spelling of the name so that the
        documents properly match. If you wish to send reminders to
        applicants, you can use the contact information in the Applicant
        record if the applicant completed the Online Application or Form
        1203-FX.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Envelopes

Topic Map

-   About Envelopes

    -   Envelopes from the OPM Rider

    -   Envelopes on the open market

        -   WE14075 envelope specifications

### About Envelopes 

Notices of Results and other correspondence produced as hard copy from
USA Staffing can most easily be mailed in window envelopes. This topic
describes the two types of envelopes that you can use and how to obtain
them. The two types are:

-   Envelopes from the OPM Rider \-- referred to as OPM CON 158-89-6

-   Envelopes on the open market \-- referred to as WE14075

To make your reports print in the format that corresponds with the type
of envelope you are using, you must make sure you have set the correct
option on the Report section of Configurations page of the
Administration work area.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

#### Envelopes from the OPM Rider

You can obtain envelopes using the OPM Rider process. See this page to
subscribe to receive more details  \--
http://apps.opm.gov/publications/pages/availability/opm_rider.htm. If
you use this type of envelope, select envelope type **OPM CON 158-89-6**
in the Report section of Configurations page of the Administration work
area.

There may be time constraints as to when you can place your orders for
envelopes on the OPM Rider.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Envelopes on the open market

WE14075 envelope specifications

Vendor Web site: www.windowenvelopes.com

Description:

-   #10 - size (4-1/8 x 9-1/2) Self-Seal Double Window Envelope with
    inside security tint

-   Double Window Envelopes with self-seal. 24 lb. white wove, blue
    inside security tint.

-   Top Window Size: 1-1/8\" x 3\"

-   Top Window Position: 1/2\" from the left, 2-5/8\" from the bottom.

-   Bottom Window Size: 1-1/8\" x 3-3/4\"

-   Bottom Window Position: 7/8\" from the left, 1/2\" from the bottom

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

You can purchase envelopes on the open market at any time. When you
purchase envelopes, make sure they meet the specifications in the box at
right so that the documents fit and line up properly with the windows in
the envelope. Although you may find suitable envelopes from a variety of
sources, and you are encouraged to shop for the best value, we have
tested envelope number WE14075 from www.windowenvelopes.com and found
them to be satisfactory.

When you use envelopes that meet these specifications, select envelope
type **WE 14075** in the Report section of Configurations page of the
Administration work area.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Fiscal Year

Topic Map

-    About Fiscal Year

### About Fiscal Year

The Fiscal Year is set up for you initially by our technicians when your
organization first subscribes to USA Staffing. From that point on, USA
Staffing changes to the new fiscal year at the appropriate time without
any action required on your part. There is no adjustment for you to
make.

If it appears to you that the Fiscal Year is not correct when you are
using the system, please submit a Help Desk ticket.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Font Sizes on USA Staffing Menus and Pages

Topic Map

-   About Font Sizes

-   Controlling Fonts in Microsoft Internet Explorer

-   Controlling Fonts in Netscape

### About Font Sizes

The size and type of font you see on USA Staffing menus and pages is
controlled by your Web browser. If you want to make the fonts larger or
smaller or of a different type, you do this from within the browser
itself.

If your font is set to too small a size, it may be difficult to read. If
it is set to too large a size, you may see scroll bars on the menu to
accommodate the fact that the menu options no longer fit in the space
allowed for them, and the labels of items on the page forms may wrap to
the next line.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

###  

###  

### Controlling Fonts in Microsoft® Internet Explorer

There are two places to make adjustments that affect the size and
appearance of fonts.

-   Open a new Internet Explorer window, since you need to use its menu,
    and USA Staffing has turned it off for its own window.

-   On the **Tools** menu of Internet Explorer, click **Internet
    Options**, then **Fonts**. Then select your font preferences, and
    click **OK**.

-   On the **View** menu, click **Text Size**, and then click to select
    the size you prefer. Font size changes do not always have an
    immediate affect on USA Staffing pages that are already displayed,
    because you will have made this change from a browser window other
    than the one USA Staffing is in. You can force the change to take
    effect either by doing the above step, using the Tools menu, or by
    logging out and then logging in again.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Controlling Fonts in Netscape

To adjust font preferences in Netscape, click Edit, then Preferences,
then Appearance, then Fonts. Make all your selections from this page,
and they should be reflected immediately after you click **OK**. Note
the following in particular:

-   Open a new Netscape window, since you need to use its menu, and USA
    Staffing has turned it off for its own window.

-   **Minimum font size:** If this is set too high, it may force all USA
    Staffing fonts to be too large. 10 is the smallest many people feel
    comfortable with; you may prefer a higher or lower number.

-   **Allow documents to use other fonts:** If this box is checked, Web
    pages can override your preferences. If not, then your preferences
    are always used.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Rating Import

Topic Map

-   About Rating Import

-   Import File Format

-   Importing the Ratings

-   After the Import

    -   Record Status

    -   Mismatches

Download this topic as a PDF

### About Rating Import

You can use Rating Import to import assessment Ratings and Part Scores
from tests or other Assessment Components you administer or have
administered by a vendor. The scores to be imported must be in one or
more specially formatted Import Files as detailed below. If you are
working with a test vendor and wish to have them prepare the Import
File(s) for you, you can provide them with a PDF copy of this topic for
them to follow the instructions below under the heading of Import File
Format.

If the scores to be imported are for an Assessment Component in an
Assessment Plan with multiple Assessment Components, and the Assessment
Component is marked *Required for Certification*, the Record Status Code
of each applicant will be PL (Pending Linking) until their ratings are
imported. After the scores are imported, the Record Status Code can
change from PL to AA (Eligible for Certificate) or any other appropriate
code.

You can include all applicants in a single Import File, or use multiple
Import Files at various times to gradually import the Ratings as they
become available (but see the bullet below about *Duplicates*).

-   **One Assessment Component and one VIN per Import File:** The Import
    File must contain records for a single Assessment Component for a
    single VIN; do not attempt to mix in a single file results from
    separate Assessment Components or separate VINs. When applicants
    take multiple tests or parts of tests for a given Assessment
    Component, all their part scores can be combined in the same file,
    as detailed below.

-   **Applicants without Ratings:** The Import process will ignore an
    applicant in the Import File if that applicant\'s record has no
    Rating. So, for example, if the Import File has 100 applicants, but
    only 75 of them have Ratings, the Import process will ignore the 25
    without Ratings.

-   **Mismatched Applicants:** If there are applicants in the Import
    File that do not have an Applicant Record already in USA Staffing
    prior to the Import, they will go into Mismatched Status. If you
    select the wrong Import File during the Import process, but the file
    is in the proper format, all the applicants will be in Mismatched
    Status.

-   **Duplicates:** The Import File should not contain data for
    applicants who already have Ratings in USA Staffing for the same
    Assessment Component and the same VIN. Only the first rating
    imported will be used, and all subsequent ones will go into
    Mismatched Status. You cannot replace a Rating by Importing a new
    record for the Applicant; such changes need to be accomplished
    through the normal methods for changing or overriding ratings.

The system will automatically perform a virus scan of the Import File
during the process.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Import File Format

The file of scores you wish to import must be a plain text, comma
delimited file with the following Record Layout. Do not include headers
or titles in the document.

#### Record Layout

Arrange the record layout of the Import File in this manner:

  ------------ ------------ --------------- ------------------------------------
  **Field      **Length**   **Required?**   **Remarks**
  Name**                                    

  Social       9 exactly    Yes             Digits only \-- no dashes or spaces
  Security                                  
  Number (SSN)                              

  First Name   15 max       Yes             

  Middle       1            No for          Can be blank, but you must put a
  Initial                   applicant, yes  comma there as the delimiter
                            for file format regardless of whether data for
                                            Middle Initials are included (see
                                            example below).

  Last Name    20 max       Yes             

  Rating       10 max       Yes             This can be a number with one
                                            decimal place, ranging from 70.0 to
                                            100.0 \-- or \-- an ineligible
                                            rating code.

  Assessment   10 exactly   Yes             The format is mm/dd/yyyy, including
  Date                                      the slashes.

  Score        unlimited    No              At the end of the row, you may
               (see                         provide any number of part scores,
               Remarks)                     or none at all. Each part score is
                                            limited to 12 numeric characters,
                                            including a decimal point if there
                                            is one. The decimal value may go to
                                            4 places (e.g., *90.1234*).  If
                                            there are multiple scores for a
                                            given individual, separate the
                                            scores with commas. (Alphabet
                                            characters are prohibited.)
  ------------ ------------ --------------- ------------------------------------

#### Examples

These are acceptable records, with each example being from a different
Import File:

-   No Score data, and the applicant has no middle initial, but note the
    provision for a middle initial between first and last names:

> 123456789,Jane,,Doe,IA,02/01/2006

-   With Score data:

> 234567890,jane,a,doe,85.0,02/01/2006,66,120,45,11,100.1234

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Importing the Ratings

To import Ratings from the Import File, follow these steps:

1.  Open the VIN and the Assessment (already created in advance). See
    Figure 1.

![](media/image283.jpeg){width="4.333333333333333in"
height="3.7604166666666665in"}

> *Figure 1: the Assessment Component page with the Rating Import box at
> the bottom*

2.  Click the **Browse** button and locate the Import File you wish to
    import.

3.  Click the **Import** button. The system will display a message about
    the import process. After you have read it, click **OK**. You may
    immediately navigate away from the page and continue with other work
    in USA Staffing™.

4.  You will receive an email telling you that the Rating Import is
    either Successful or Not Successful. If the import is not
    successful, check the Import File again to make sure the formatting
    is correct, and repeat steps 2 - 4.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### After the Import

#### Record Status 

> When a properly formatted Import File is successfully processed, the
> system will match each set of results with the appropriate applicant
> record. When you receive the email telling you your Import was
> Successful, you can open up the Applicant List and see that each
> applicant that had a Rating in the Import File now has the Record
> Status of "AA" or whatever else may be appropriate under the
> circumstances.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Mismatches

> If you have imported a rating for an applicant and the Record Status
> Code did not change, resolve it using the procedures for Assessment
> Matching. In particular, check to make sure the Name and SSN are the
> same in Rating Import file and the applicant\'s response to the
> Qualifications Questionnaire.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Scanning Applicant Forms 1203-FX

Topic Map

-   About Scanning Forms

-   Instructions for processing Forms 1203 FX using TELEform®

    -   Scanning

    -   Verifying

    -   Error Resolution

### About Scanning Forms

USA Staffing can accept applicant records created by scanning paper
copies of the OPM Form 1203 FX \-- also known as the  Qualifications and
Availability Form, and formerly called the Form C. The forms submitted
by applicants are scanned through TELEform® software published by
Cardiff®. The necessary scanning equipment and software is not included
in the standard USA Staffing subscription, but can be purchased
separately. For information on the hardware and software required,
contact your services coordinator at OPM.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Instructions for processing Forms 1203 FX using TELEform®

#### Scanning

To scan applicant forms into USA Staffing using TELEform®, follow these
steps.

1.  Open TELEform® Verifier and minimize it.

2.  Open TELEform® Reader.

    a.  Load one or more of the 6-page TELEform® OPM Form 1203 FX into
        the scanner \-- face down, head forward. The scanner can handle
        up to 50 pages, so you can load up to eight 6-page forms per
        batch.

    b.  Click on **Scan**, then **Launch Scan Station** \-- or click on
        the **Launch Scan Station** button on the toolbar.

![](media/image284.jpeg){width="5.5in" height="1.4583333333333333in"}

c.  In the Scan Station window, click on **File**, then click on **New
    Batch** \-- or click on the **New Batch** button on the toolbar.

![](media/image285.jpeg){width="5.833333333333333in"
height="4.197916666666667in"}

d.  Click on the **Process** tab. Make sure **Scanner** is designated in
    the Source box.

e.  Click the **Start** button in the lower left hand corner. The batch
    number will display in the **Active Title Bar.**

f.  When the batch is finished scanning,

    -   If all the pages scanned are displayed, click
        **[A]{.underline}ccept**.

    -   If pages are missing and need to be scanned, click on
        **Continue** (in the lower left hand corner).

    -   If the scan is no good and needs to be discarded, click
        **Dis[c]{.underline}ard**.

g.  You can go to TELEform® Reader to see information about the form
    being evaluated flash across bottom status bar. Then minimize
    window.

h.  Continue with Verifying, below.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

####  

#### Verifying

1.  Maximize TELEform® Verifier

    a.  Click on the drop down button () to drop down the list of batch
        numbers. Find the number for the batch you want to verify, and
        double click on it to select it. The list should contain 6 pages
        for one form, or multiples of 6 if more than one form has been
        scanned. These will all show as Missing Page(s) until you finish
        the verification process.

    b.  If the list does not contain the correct number of pages, and
        you know that some of the pages did not scan, click on **Batch
        Options** and then click on **Batch Discard**.

    c.  If the list has the correct number of pages, or if there are not
        the correct number of pages but you know that all of the forms
        were scanned, click on **Correct.** (**Do not** highlight any or
        all of the pages.)

    d.  TELEform® will highlight possible errors. SSN and VIN are always
        verified.

        -   If data is correct in the field, press Tab key on your
            keyboard.

        -   If data is not correct in the field, make necessary
            corrections. Check all characters, but especially those in
            red. Then press the Tab key on your keyboard.

        -   To back up a field, press the **Shift** and Tab keys on your
            keyboard simultaneously.

        -   If the applicant has indicated he or she wants notification
            by email, when the verifier stops on that field, you need to
            manually type in the email address.

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    e.  At end of each page, you are asked to Save corrections to
        results file -- click **OK**.

    f.  After the last page has been verified, you will return to the
        main Verifier screen.

        -   If any pages still show as missing, double click on it to
            correct. Usually the reason is that the SSN or VIN does not
            match the rest of the batch.

        -   If all pages are verified correctly, list will show
            \"Evaluated OK\". There will be one line entry for each 6
            page form scanned.

    ```{=html}
    <!-- -->
    ```
    g.  After all pages are verified, click on **Batch Options**, then
        click on **Commit**.

    h.  You will be asked \"Commit data batch?\" Click on **Yes**.

    i.  Minimize the window.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
2.  Close TELEform® Verifier, Reader and Scan Station by clicking on the
    **X** in the upper right hand corner.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Error Resolution

1.  ![](media/image286.png){width="0.1875in"
    height="0.19791666666666666in"}will appear because TELEform® will
    not accept certain characters, e.g., #, \*, \<, \>. If it encounters
    these in the scan process, it will substitute a **\~** symbol. You
    will need to delete the \~ and replace with appropriate information.
    For example, if the applicant used \# instead of writing number,
    type in Number instead.

2.  If you get the error message **Path not found -- Script Line 32**,
    this means the last page of the form does not have the SSN or VIN
    filled in. You can fill in this information during the verify
    process, or delete the batch, fill in the data, then scan the form
    again.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

# 12 HR Manager

## HR Manager

Topic Map

-    About HR Manager

    -   What is HR Manager?

    -   What information does HR Manager have?

    -   Where does the information come from?

    -   What is the purpose of the information in HR Manager?

    -   How can I benefit from HR Manager?

-   Using HR Manager

### About HR Manager

#### What is HR Manager?

OPM\'s HR Manager is a Web-based system that can help you identify
appropriate competencies for your position. Then based upon the
competencies for which you will examine, HR Manager can help you
identify appropriate questions and benchmarks. This system, once
available only by separate purchase, is now linked in USA Staffing and
is available for use by all USA Staffing users.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### What information does HR Manager have?

At this time, the system contains competencies and tasks for Clerical
and Technical, Information Technology, Professional and Administrative,
Science and Engineering and Trades and Labor occupations, as well as for
Supervisor, Manager, and Executive positions.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Where does the information come from?

OPM collaborated with many Federal agencies and State and local
governments to design and develop HR Manager.  

The data in HR Manager were collected using OPM's MOSAIC (Multipurpose
Occupational Systems Analysis Inventory\--Closed-ended) methodology,
which facilitates collecting a large amount of information for a variety
of HR functions using one survey.  As a first step in each of the
studies, extensive literature reviews were conducted and information was
collected from Federal, State, and local agencies, non-profit
organizations, associations, colleges/universities, and the private
sector.  The results of the literature review and subsequent focus
groups of subject matter experts (SMEs) were used to construct surveys
that were then administered to employees and their supervisors in
Federal agencies nationwide.

The data in HR Manager are based on the responses from thousands of
surveys returned by Federal employees in the occupations included in the
study and by supervisors of employees in these occupations.
 Specifically, HR Manager contains the mean scores for each task and
competency by occupation and grade level.  The rating scales used in the
occupational studies were developed to meet the Uniform Guidelines on
Employee Selection Procedures and other professional and legal
requirements.  The survey results have been analyzed and the means for
all of the rating scales are provided in the system.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### What is the purpose of the information in HR Manager?

The occupational data in HR Manager serve as the *foundation* for
integrating HR functions (e.g., classification, recruitment, selection,
and training) under a competency-based approach.  The competency-based
approach allows organizations to send a consistent message to employees
regarding the competencies on which they will be recruited, selected,
appraised, trained, and compensated.

Note our use of the word *foundation*. You should always consult with
subject matter experts who have direct knowledge of the position to be
filled in order to confirm that the competencies, questions, and
benchmarks you propose to use are indeed appropriate. You should always
thoroughly document the relevance of the competencies and the names of
subject matter experts you consulted. USA Staffing provides

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### How can I benefit from HR Manager?

HR Manager's Recruitment and Selection module provides competencies
required for a given occupation, questions related to those
competencies, and benchmarks to be used for evaluating proficiency on
the competencies. You can use this module to identify competencies for
recruitment and to develop structured interviews and crediting plans for
selection. As is always true in the employee selection context, you must
ensure that selection tools developed using HR Manager meet government
regulations and the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures.
You should consult with subject matter experts to confirm the relevance
of competencies, benchmark examples, and questions.

Here are some practical uses for the information in HR Manager:

-   **Structured Interview**: The behavioral questions in the
    Recruitment and Selection module of HR Manager provide a starting
    point or framework for assessing the competencies. The questions can
    be modified to make them job-specific by examining occupational
    profiles, task-competency linkages, and your own job analysis
    information. Follow-up questions can be used to probe for additional
    in-depth information.

-   **Crediting Plan:** To create a crediting plan using HR Manager, use
    the Recruitment and Selection module to view the benchmarks related
    to the competencies being assessed. Use the appropriate benchmark
    levels, depending upon the occupation and grade being rated, to
    assess (i.e., assign points) applicants\' responses to the
    associated competency-based questions.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Using HR Manager

![](media/image5.png){width="0.34375in"
height="0.14583333333333334in"}Getting there: The **HR Manager** button
is located on the Questionnaire Builder page of the Assessment menu.

 Click the **HR Manager** button, and the OPM HR Manager system will
open a new browser window.

When HR Manager starts a new session, it displays a page like the one
shown in Figure 1.

![](media/image287.jpeg){width="5.917361111111111in"
height="4.205555555555556in"}

*Figure 1: The HR Manager General Information page and menu.*

-   **To pursue any of the topics mentioned in the text of the General
    Information page:**  Click the appropriate link in HR Manager.

-   **To learn how to get around in HR Manager and how to save
    information:**  See Tips for Using HR Manager.

-   **To get competencies, questions and benchmarks for your position:**
    See Recruitment and Selection in HR Manager.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

Next Topic: Tips for Using HR Manager

## Tips for Using HR Manager

Topic Map

-   About Tips for Using HR Manager

-   Going places in HR Manager

-   Editing HR Manager data

-   Saving HR Manager data

    -   The Shopping Cart

    -   Adding items to the Shopping Cart

    -   Saving Shopping Cart content

-   Alternative Save methods

    -   Pasting to a document

    -   Saving as an HTML file

### About Tips for Using HR Manager

The information in this topic will help you navigate HR Manager and save
copies of the information you find in the system for use with your USA
Staffing work. Much of the information in this topic can also be found
in HR Manager itself on the "Getting Started" page of the HR Manager
menu.  Additional information about specific pages can be found by
clicking the "Help" button on the blue frame at the top right-hand
corner of the HR Manager window.    

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Going places in HR Manager

A menu on the left side of the HR Manager lets you go directly to any
part of HR Manager.  

![](media/image288.jpeg){width="1.301388888888889in"
height="1.9881944444444444in"}

*Figure 1: The HR Manager menu. The plus signs remind you that there may
be additional options you can see by clicking the plus sign, as is
depicted for Job Design in this picture.*

-   Click "**+**" to expand menus to show any additional options that
    may be available.

-   Click on a section name on the **menu** to go to that section in HR
    Manager.

-   Use the **Back** and **Forward** buttons on your browser to move
    backward and forward one page at a time.

-   Click the **Help** link in the upper right corner of any page to get
    more help on the use of that page.

-   Click the **Shopping Cart** link in the upper right corner of any
    page to work with the items in your Shopping Cart.

-   When you wish to **exit the HR Manager** system, simply close your
    web browser by clicking the X in the upper right corner of the
    browser window, or clicking File on the browser\'s menu bar, and
    then either Exit or Close, as may be appropriate. ***Note: Do not
    quit* USA Staffing *this way; always click the USA Staffing* Logout
    *button to end your* USA Staffing *session.***

![](media/image289.jpeg){width="1.1041666666666667in"
height="0.3229166666666667in"}

*Figure 2: The Shopping Cart link and the Help link.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Editing HR Manager data

Document your changes!

If you make any edits that include changes from the data (for example,
adding a competency to an occupational profile), document the
justification for these changes.  Suggested documentation includes date
of change, name of person making the change, and the reason for the
change (for example: SME panel, survey). An ideal place to record these
notations is in USA Staffing, on the Remarks section of the Source
Information page, found on the Assessment menu.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

You cannot change the data *within* the HR Manager system itself.
However, you can make and save copies of HR Manager data, and modify
your copy.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Saving HR Manager data

You can use any of the methods below to save information from the HR
Manager.

#### The Shopping Cart

The Shopping Cart in HR Manager works in much the same way as it does
with online shopping Web sites, and is analogous to a supermarket
shopping cart. As you go through various pages and activities in HR
Manager, you can place results in your Shopping Cart temporarily, and
then later on decide to save them. Items you place in the Shopping Cart
remain only for the current HR Manager session; the Shopping Cart is
emptied when you end your HR Manager session.

To work with items already in your shopping cart or add items to your
Shopping Cart, click the Shopping Cart link in the upper right corner of
any HR Manager page (see Figure 2). A dialog window will open offering
you these options:

-   **Add this page to the Shopping Cart**. The text contents of the
    page are added.

-   **Clear the Shopping Cart**. All content is removed.

-   **Download Shopping Cart**. Items you placed in the Shopping Cart
    are saved to a text file on your computer.

![](media/image290.jpeg){width="2.53125in" height="1.34375in"}

*Figure 3: The Shopping Cart dialog box.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Adding items to the Shopping Cart

On any screen where the Page Available icon
![](media/image291.jpeg){width="0.6868055555555556in"
height="0.3645833333333333in"} is displayed, you may save the text by
clicking on the Shopping Cart option found at the top right corner of
the screen. The Shopping Cart will save text from the screen but note:

-   It will not retain formatting.

-   All text placed in your Shopping Cart will end up in a single text
    file when you save it.

For these reasons, you may prefer one of the Alternative Save methods
described below.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Saving Shopping Cart content

At the end of your session \-- or at any time \-- you can use the
"Shopping Cart" option to download the saved text to your computer. To
do this, follow these steps:

1.  Click the **Shopping Cart** link in the upper right corner of the
    page.

2.  Click Download Shopping Cart. The text that you have saved in the
    Shopping Cart will be displayed in a new window.  

3.  On your browser menu bar, click **File.**

4.  Click **Save As**. The browser Save As dialog box will appear
    similar to the one in Figure 4.
     ![](media/image292.jpeg){width="4.09375in" height="3.28125in"}

*Figure 4: A typical Save As dialog box.*

5.  Note the folder name that appears in the **Save in:** selection box
    (near the top). Unless you change it by picking a different folder,
    this is where your saved file will be stored on your computer or
    network.

    -   **To change to a different folder:** Click the down arrow at the
        right of the dropdown selection box (the one in Figure 4 that
        shows My Documents as the current folder). From the list of
        folders that appears, click on the one of your choice. Or, you
        can navigate to other places shown in icons on the left.

6.  Note the file name that appears in the **File name** selection box
    (near the bottom). Unless you change it, this is the filename that
    will be given to the file in which your data is saved.

    -   **To give the file a different name**: Click in the File name
        space, and the file name will become highlighted to show it is
        selected. While it is selected, type the new file name you
        desire. The file name may be as long as you may reasonably
        require \-- over 200 characters and spaces.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
7.  Click the **Save** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Alternative Save methods

When you wish to save the content you see on an HR Manager page with its
format instead of the simple text content, use one of these methods.

#### Pasting to a document

If your intent is to copy and paste formatted content from HR Manager
into a document in an application like MS Word, Corel WordPerfect,
OpenOffice.org, or similar, follow these steps:

1.  Select the content you wish to copy. To do this, use one of these
    procedures:

    -   **To select *all* the content on the page:** Click **Edit** on
        the browser\'s menu bar. Then click **Select All**.

    -   **To select *portions* of the content on the page:** Click *and
        hold down* the mouse button, and drag to the end of the portion
        you want. Then release the mouse button, and the selected
        content will remain highlighted. *Do not select buttons or menu
        items. These can not be pasted into your document and may cause
        errors.*

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
2.  On the browser\'s menu bar, click **Edit**.

3.  Click **Copy**.

4.  Click in the document window into which you wish to past the
    content, and *that* application\'s menu bar, click **Edit**. Then
    click **Paste**.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Saving as an HTML file

To save an HR Manager page as an HTML file, follow these steps:

1.  On the browser\'s menu bar, click **File**.

2.  Click **Save As**. The browser Save As dialog box will appear
    similar to the one in Figure 5.
     ![](media/image292.jpeg){width="4.09375in" height="3.28125in"}

*Figure 5: A typical Save As dialog box.*

3.  Note the folder name that appears in the **Save in:** selection box
    (near the top). Unless you change it by picking a different folder,
    this is where your saved file will be stored on your computer or
    network.

    -   **To change to a different folder:** Click the down arrow at the
        right of the dropdown selection box (the one in Figure 4 that
        shows My Documents as the current folder). From the list of
        folders that appears, click on the one of your choice. Or, you
        can navigate to other places shown in icons on the left.

4.  Note the file name that appears in the **File name** selection box
    (near the bottom). Unless you change it, this is the filename that
    will be given to the file in which your data is saved.

    -   **To give the file a different name**: Click in the File name
        space, and the file name will become highlighted to show it is
        selected. While it is selected, type the new file name you
        desire. The file name may be as long as you may reasonably
        require \-- over 200 characters and spaces.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
5.  By default, the Save as type box will show HTML as the file type. If
    it does not, click the down arrow to the right of the dropdown
    selection box, and click to select the HTML type.

6.  Click the **Save** button.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

Next Topic: Recruitment and Selection in HR Manager

  

## Recruitment and Selection in HR Manager

Topic Map

-   About *Recruitment and Selection* in HR Manager

-   Working with *Recruitment and Selection* in HR Manager

### About Recruitment and Selection in HR Manager 

The Recruitment and Selection module of HR Manager identifies the
competencies required for successful job performance.  This module also
provides competency-based benchmarks and related questions to assist in
recruitment and selection processes.  In addition, HR Manager can
generate some text that may be useful in composing a Job (Vacancy)
Announcement to use for recruitment purposes.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Working with Recruitment and Selection in HR Manager

To get competencies, questions and benchmarks for your position, follow
these steps:

1.  Click **Recruitment and Selection** on the menu (Figure 1). This
    will take you to the Select a Job page (Figure 2).

![](media/image288.jpeg){width="1.301388888888889in"
height="1.9881944444444444in"}

*Figure 1: The HR Manager menu* 

2.   **Organization** is pre-selected for you to Governmentwide.

> ![](media/image293.jpeg){width="3.3020833333333335in"
> height="2.2291666666666665in"}

*Figure 2: Select a Job.*

3.  Select the appropriate **Occupational Group**.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
3.  Select a **Job Series/Job Title**. You can choose to display the
    listings by Job Series or Job Title by clicking on the downward
    facing arrow under **Sort By** and making a selection.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
3.  Select the grade range from the **Grade** selection box.  Choices
    are Entry, Intermediate, Full Performance, Senior Expert, or All
    Grades.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
3.  Click **Submit**. The Competency List page appears.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### The Competency list

![](media/image294.jpeg){width="4.436111111111111in"
height="2.5506944444444444in"}

*Figure 3: The Competency list.*

Saving HR Manager information

See Tips for Using HR Manager.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

The Competency list contains the competencies and their definitions for
the occupational group you selected. Competencies are listed in
descending order of importance (i.e., the most important competencies
are listed first). The critical competencies are the same as those found
on the Occupational Profile for the same position criteria.  The
competencies that are not critical to the position (based on the
occupational studies) are listed after the critical competencies in
descending order of importance.

-   **Critical:** The critical competencies are indicated by a check in
    this column. To change which competencies are checked as Critical
    follow these procedures:

    -   Click to add a check or remove a check if the critical
        competencies for the job on which you are working differ from
        those checked by default in HR Manager.

    -   **Uncheck all Competencies:** Click this button to clear all the
        checks that appear on the page.

    -   **Reset Initial Values:** Click this button to restore the
        settings for all Competencies to the settings they originally
        have in HR Manager, based on the occupational survey data.

> *Remember to document the rationale for your changes* on the USA
> Staffing Source Information page with job analysis information that
> supports your changes. The changes you make are *not* stored
> permanently in the HR Manager data.

-   **Benchmark:** A \"Y\" in this column means HR Manager has
    benchmarks and questions for the competency.

-   **Shopping Cart:** You can place the list in your Shopping Cart for
    later retrieval. More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

Next topic: Benchmarks in HR Manager

## Benchmarks in HR Manager

Topic Map

-    About Benchmarks

    -   Benchmark Levels and Benchmark Examples

-   Viewing Benchmarks for Critical Competencies

### About Benchmarks

Benchmarks are behavioral indicators associated with each competency
that provide descriptions and examples of proficiency levels. They can
be used to assess the degree to which a person possesses a competency
and to establish selection criteria, performance evaluation criteria,
and training and development measures. This Online Help System provides
guidance pertaining to recruitment and selection only. For more details
on other uses of benchmarks, consult the full HR Manager User Manual.
More details.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Benchmark Levels and Benchmark Examples

The competency benchmarks in HR Manager have five levels, ranging from
the most basic (Level 1) to the most challenging (Level 5). Note that
not all proficiency levels are appropriate for all jobs at all grade
levels. Levels 1 through 3 may be appropriate for Entry level, levels 2
through 4 may be appropriate for Intermediate level, and levels 3
through 5 may be appropriate for the Full Performance level. Differences
across the levels are based on increasing scope and/or complexity of the
work, and/or, consequences of error. Not all levels will be used to
assess a particular job.  Rather, the benchmarks are intended to be used
on a sliding scale, with levels 1-3 typically most appropriate for Entry
level positions, 2-4 for Intermediate positions, and 3-5 for Full
Performance level positions, depending on the requirements of the
position. For occupations  with senior expert level data (e.g.
Information Technology), the benchmarks should be adjusted accordingly.

While the **benchmark definitions** should remain the same, the
**benchmark examples** can, and should be, customized to fit the
position being assessed. You are encouraged to develop appropriate
benchmark examples in consultation with subject matter experts.

Some competencies (for example, Integrity/Honesty and Self-Esteem) may
not have benchmarks because they cannot be sufficiently assessed via
benchmarks. These competencies can be measured by other methods
including tests, biographical data, reference checks, and assessment
centers. All critical competencies, including those that do not have
benchmarks in HR Manager, can be assessed in various other ways such as
selection tests, biographical data, reference checks, and/or assessment
centers.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Viewing Benchmarks for Critical Competencies

To view the benchmarks for the competencies, click **View Benchmarks**
at the end of the competency list.  HR Manager will list the benchmarks
for all of the critical competencies, in descending order of competency
importance for that occupation.

HR Manager provides competency benchmark definitions and examples for
the following levels:

  ------------------------------------- ----------------- ----------------
  **Level**                             **Level           **Level
                                        Definitions**     Examples**

  Clerical and Technical                1-5               1-5

  Information Technology                1,3,4,5           1,3,4,5

  Professional and  Administrative,     1,3,5             1-5
  Science and Engineering, and Trades                     
  and Labor                                               

  Supervisory, Managerial, and          1-5               1,3,5
  Executive                                               
  ------------------------------------- ----------------- ----------------

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

Next topic: Questions Based Upon Competencies in HR Manager

## Questions Based on Competencies in HR Manager

Topic Map

-   About Questions based upon Competencies

-   Viewing Questions based upon Competencies

-   Creating a Competency Question Form

### About Questions based upon Competencies

HR Manager contains competency based questions designed to solicit
information from applicants that can be compared to the benchmark
definitions and your benchmark examples in a competency-based assessment
process. You can use the questions provided in the HR Manager to assess
a job candidate\'s proficiency level on the competencies. You can
include these questions in a structured interview, and/or in a vacancy
announcement. You can also develop new questions tailored to your needs
using the competency definitions and benchmarks.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Viewing Questions based upon Competencies

-   **To view the questions**, scroll to the bottom of the Competency
    list, and click **View Questions**. HR Manager will list the
    critical competencies for that occupation for which there are
    questions.  This list includes the competency, its definition, and
    questions related to the competency.

-   **To save the questions:** Use the Shopping Cart feature.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Creating a Competency Question Form 

You can produce a competency question form for the critical
competencies. This form may be used in the development of a structured
interview. To do this, follow these steps:

1.  Click on the **Competency Question Form** button at the end of the
    list of critical competencies.  

2.  To select the optional items for your Competency Question Form,
    click on the box to add or remove the checkmark and click on the
    **Submit** button at the bottom of the page.  

3.  Print a copy of the Competency Question Form or copy and paste it
    into your word processing software. (Note that the Competency
    Question form cannot be saved to the Shopping Cart.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

Next topic: User Manual for HR Manager

## User Manual for HR Manager

Topic Map

-    About the User Manual

### About the User Manual 

The guidance provide in this Online Help System is limited to using HR
Manager for Recruitment and Selection purposes. The User Manual also
explains how to use the information in HR Manager for other purposes.

The User Manual is available for download in a PDF file. It is 277
pages, and the file size is approximately 2 MB.

Click this link to download the User Manual for HR Manager.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

# 13 Ad Hoc Reports with Oracle Discoverer

## Introducing Discoverer

Topic Map

-   About Oracle Discoverer®

-   Viewer

-   Plus

### About Oracle Discoverer®

Oracle Discoverer® is a tool that lets you run queries to access data in
USA Staffing tables above and beyond what are in the standard USA
Staffing reports (Reports Menu and Pages). With the initial availability
of Discoverer in October 2005, authorized users will have received
accounts for accessing data from the old Citrix version of USA Staffing.
Accounts for accessing data from the Web version of USA Staffing are
expected later.

Discoverer presents the results of your *ad hoc* queries in workbooks
and worksheets that are similar to their counterparts in Microsoft
Excel. There are two levels of users of Discoverer:

-   **Viewer Users** can open existing workbooks and worksheets and view
    the results of the queries they represent.

-   **Plus Users** can use the Discoverer Wizard to create workbooks and
    worksheets, save them for reuse, and share them with other users.

More information about the two types of users is provided below to help
you determine the type of user you want to be if you are given the
choice by your Administrator.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Viewer

When you connect to *Viewer*, you have a simple Web page display with a
limited number of options. Figure 1 below shows the Viewer with an
Applicant workbook open to the default worksheet for Application
Information. Note the simple user interface with choices that are
clearly labeled and offer most users just the choices they want, without
the need for in-depth training.

You can switch to other worksheets contained in the open workbook by
clicking their names on the *Worksheets* list in the upper left corner.

Here is a list of what you can do in *Viewer*:

-   Change to a different worksheet or workbook.

-   Rerun the query with different parameters, such as a different VIN.

-   Change the appearance of the spreadsheet in certain ways, such as
    turning row numbers on and off or changing how many rows are
    displayed at one time, by clicking Presentation Options.

-   Export the data to other common file formats, including Excel
    spreadsheets and HTML, which you can save on your local drive and
    email to others.

-   Print the report.

-   Change the table layout, such as rearranging or hiding columns.

-   Use online Help to learn more about the features.

![](media/image295.jpeg){width="5.913888888888889in"
height="4.368055555555555in"}

> *Figure 1: Discoverer Viewer*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Plus

Users who connect to *Plus* find themselves in an environment that
somewhat resembles a blank spreadsheet with a toolbar and menu across
the top, as in Figure 2 below. By using the toolbar and menu options, a
*Plus* user can open existing workbooks or create new ones from scratch.
To do this effectively, a Plus user will want to learn more about the
many functions and options. See Learning Discoverer Plus for more
details.

By use of the *Worksheet Wizard* (Figure 3 below), *Plus* users can
create varied and complex reports in table or crosstab format, and can
even include charts and graphs. They can save workbooks for reuse, and
publish them for other *Plus* and *Viewer* users to access. Figure 4
below shows the same Application Information worksheet the *Viewer*
shows, but from the perspective of a *Plus* user; compare Figure 4 below
with Figure 1 above.

![](media/image296.jpeg){width="5.929861111111111in"
height="4.449305555555555in"}

> *Figure 2: Discoverer Plus blank page*
>
> ![](media/image297.jpeg){width="5.914583333333334in"
> height="3.8444444444444446in"}
>
> *Figure 3: The Discoverer Worksheet Wizard walks the Plus user through
> the steps of creating elaborate queries for new worksheets.*
>
> ![](media/image298.jpeg){width="5.914583333333334in"
> height="4.438194444444444in"}
>
> *Figure 4: Discoverer Plus showing the Application Information
> worksheet.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Viewer

### Learning Discoverer Viewer

Topic Map

-   About this topic

-   Online Training

-   Classroom Training

-   Other Resources

#### About this topic

This topic provides information about how to learn to use Oracle
Discoverer® *Viewer*. If you will be using Discoverer *Plus*, you should
see the separate topic for Plus \-- Learning Discoverer *Plus*.

Discoverer *Viewer* is a intended for use by people who need to obtain
updated reports based upon report criteria that have already been
defined by a *Plus* user. All report criteria are contained in workbooks
and worksheets that have already been placed for you in Viewer. Your
agency may provide detailed instructions for you that describe which
workbooks and worksheets you are to use for various purposes.

With the online Help in Viewer and any agency-specific guidance that may
be provided, many users will not feel the need for additional training
to use Discoverer *Viewer.* Because the needs and requirements of users
and organizations vary so widely, training in the use of Oracle
Discoverer *Viewer* is not included in your subscription for USA
Staffing. There are many free and for-a-fee training options available.

When visiting the Oracle Web site and looking for training information,
here are some things to be aware of:

-   Oracle Discoverer is alternately referred to as Oracle Business
    Intelligence Discoverer, OracleAS, Oracle Application Server, and
    OracleBI Discoverer.

-   The version number of Oracle Discoverer that you are looking for can
    be found by clicking the **Help** button *at the top of the
    **Discoverer** page,* and then clicking **About Discoverer**. If you
    do not have access to Discoverer, look for materials related to
    release 10g (10.1.2.1).

-   Some portions of the Oracle Web site require you to register by
    setting up an account, which is free.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Online Training

Once you are connected to Oracle Discoverer *Viewer*, you can click the
**Help** button *at the top of the **Discoverer** page* to access the
user guide.

Or, even if not connected to Oracle Discover, you can obtain information
Discoverer documentation \-- Tutorial and user guides are available in
PDF and HTML formats.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Classroom Training

Training is widely available from Oracle and from value added resellers.

-   Classroom Training provided by Oracle.  See also the Oracle
    University \-- Application Server page.

-   Use your favorite search engine to identify providers for \"oracle
    discoverer training\".

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Other Resources

For Oracle-provided information, consult the many menu options at
http://www.oracle.com/technology for articles, forums, training, demos,
books, etc. Search engines \-- including Google *Groups*, Yahoo
*Groups*, and the like \-- can also lead you to a wealth of online
resources.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Getting Started with Discoverer Viewer®

Topic Map

-   About Getting Started with Discoverer Viewer

-   Starting your Discoverer Viewer session

    -   Current Web version of USA Staffing

    -   Old Citrix version of USA Staffing

-   Working with Discoverer Viewer

#### About Getting Started with Discoverer® Viewer®

This topic discusses how to establish a secure connection and log into
Discoverer *Viewer*. For information about how to use Discoverer *Plus*,
see the topic Learning Discoverer Plus.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page. 

#### Starting your Discoverer® Viewer® Session

The way you start your Discoverer Viewer session depends upon whether
you are going to be querying data from the old Citrix version of USA
Staffing or the current Web version of USA Staffing.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page. 

##### Current Web version of USA Staffing

To begin your Discoverer session, be logged into USA Staffing, then
follow these steps:

1.  Click on the **Administration** work area button at the top of the
    screen.

2.  Click on the **Processing** white button on the left menu bar.

3.  Click **Ad hoc Reports**.

4.  Respond to the prompt to allow Discoverer to open in a new window.

USA Staffing will automatically log you in to the proper account in
Discoverer Viewer, and will continue to run in a window underneath your
Discoverer Viewer window. (Continue reading: Working with Discoverer
Viewer.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page. 

##### Old Citrix version of USA Staffing

To begin your Discoverer session, follow these steps:

1.  Use your Web browser to go to the Discoverer *Viewer* URL \--
    https://usasadhoc.hr-services.org/discoverer/viewer. The *Connect to
    OracleBI Discoverer* page will appear for you to log in. (See Figure
    1 below.)

 ![](media/image299.jpeg){width="4.864583333333333in"
height="4.03125in"}

> *Figure 1: the Connect to OracleBI Discoverer page*

2.  Enter your login information.

    a.  **Connect To:** OracleBI Discoverer

    b.  **User Name:** Your USA Staffing User Name, unless a separate
        Discoverer User Name was given to you.

    c.  **Password:** Your Discoverer password (this was sent to you via
        email).

    d.  **Database:** discopro

    e.  **End User Layer:** Enter the EUL code you were given.

    f.  **Locale:** Locale retrieved from browser.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page. 

#### Working with Discoverer Viewer

The Worksheet List will be displayed like the one in Figure 2 below.

![](media/image300.jpeg){width="5.91875in" height="3.34375in"}

> *Figure 2: The Worksheet List in Oracle Discoverer Viewer.*

-   **To see the Worksheets in each Workbook**: Click the plus sign to
    expand the Workbook tree. An illustration showing the Worksheets for
    a Workbook is Figure 3 below.

-   **To use a Worksheet to run a report query**: Click the Worksheet
    name. Then provide the VIN, Assessment ID, or other parameters as
    prompted on subsequent pages. For an illustration of the results
    page, see Figure 4 below.

![](media/image301.jpeg){width="3.0625in" height="2.1041666666666665in"}

> *Figure 3: The Applicant Summary workbook has been expanded to show
> its worksheets.*
>
> ![](media/image295.jpeg){width="5.913888888888889in"
> height="4.368055555555555in"}
>
> *Figure 4: Query results in Viewer.*

 

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

## Plus

### Learning Discoverer Learning Discoverer Plus

Topic Map

-   About this topic

-   Online Training

-   Classroom Training

-   Other Resources

#### About this topic

This topic provides information on how to learn to use Oracle
Discoverer® Plus.

Because the needs and requirements of users and organizations vary so
widely, training in the use of Oracle Discoverer Plus is not included in
your subscription for USA Staffing. There are many free and for-a-fee
training options available.

When visiting the Oracle Web site and looking for training information,
here are some things to be aware of:

-   Oracle Discoverer® is alternately referred to as Oracle Business
    Intelligence Discoverer, OracleAS, Oracle Application Server, and
    OracleBI Discoverer.

-   The version number of Oracle Discoverer that you are looking for can
    be found by clicking the **Help** button *at the top of the
    **Discoverer** page,* and then clicking **About Discoverer**. If you
    do not have access to Discoverer, look for materials related to
    release 10g (10.1.2.1).

-   Some portions of the Oracle Web site require you to register by
    setting up an account, which is free.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Online Training

Once you are connected to Oracle Discoverer, you can click the **Help**
button *at the top of the **Discoverer** page* to access the user guide.

Or, even if not connected to Oracle Discover, you can obtain information
using these links:

-   Discoverer documentation \-- Tutorial and user guides are available
    in PDF and HTML formats.

-   *Oracle by Example* online Tutorial \-- Extracting Business
    Intelligence \-- walks through an example.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Classroom Training

Training is widely available from Oracle and from value added resellers.

-   Classroom Training provided by Oracle.  See also the Oracle
    University \-- Application Server page.

-   Use your favorite search engine to identify providers for \"oracle
    discoverer training\".

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Other Resources

For Oracle-provided information, consult the many menu options at
http://www.oracle.com/technology for articles, forums, training, demos,
books, etc. Search engines \-- including Google *Groups*, Yahoo
*Groups*, and the like \-- can also lead you to a wealth of online
resources.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

### Getting Started with Discoverer Plus

Topic Map

-   About Getting Started with Discoverer Plus

-   Preparing Your Computer

    -   Installing the Java Runtime Environment

    -   Creating the Security Certificate file

    -   Importing the Security Certificate file

-   Starting your Discoverer Plus session

    -   Current Web version of USA Staffing

    -   Old Citrix version of USA Staffing

-   Working with Discoverer Plus

#### About Getting Started with Discoverer Plus

This topic takes you through the steps of getting your computer ready
for Discoverer *Plus*. It also discusses the log in procedure for
Discoverer *Plus \--* see the last bullet on the above Topic Map \--
Starting your Discoverer Plus session.

This information *does not pertain to Discoverer Viewer*.  

For information about how to use the features and controls of Discoverer
*Plus*, see the topic Learning Discoverer Plus.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Preparing Your Computer 

Before you can log in to Discoverer Plus for the first time on any give
computer, you must prepare the computer. The following sections tell you
how to do this:

-   Installing the Java Runtime Environment

-   Creating the Security Certificate file

-   Importing the Security Certificate file

If your computer has already been prepared, you can log in by following
the instructions below in the section Starting your Discoverer Plus
session.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#####  

#####  

##### Installing the Java Runtime Environment

To use Discoverer, your computer must have a recent copy of the Java
Runtime Environment (JRE) installed. We have thoroughly tested
Discoverer Plus with JRE version 1.4.2_06.

*Note: We also tested with the newer JRE version 1.5.0_04, and had
unsatisfactory results. We do not recommend using this version with
Discoverer Plus version 10.1.2.*

If your computer has other versions of JRE installed already, it may be
necessary for you to remove them prior to installing JRE 1.4.2_06, in
order to assure the correct one is loaded when Discoverer starts. We
recommend that you coordinate with your IT department when adding or
removing software from your computer, to assure you do not remove
anything required by agency systems, and because Administrative
privileges may be required to complete the process successfully. For
users with the appropriate privileges, the Add/Remove Software function
of the Windows Control Panel can be used to identify currently installed
versions, and to remove them if appropriate. If you remove versions, you
must then shut down your computer and restart it.

 To obtain the recommended version of JRE, follow these steps:

1.  Use your browser to get to
    https://usasadhoc.hr-services.org/jpi/j2re.exe.

2.  In the dialog box that appears, specify the location to which you
    want to save the installation program file, and make a note of the
    location for reference in the next step.

3.  Double click the file you downloaded and follow the instructions on
    the screen.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
4.  Restart your computer.

Now you are ready to install the security certificate, as directed
below.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Creating the Security Certificate file

You will be accessing Discoverer over a Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
connection to assure the privacy and security of the data used during
your work. This type of connection uses a security certificate which you
must generate and install the first time you use Discoverer from any
given computer. To do so, follow these steps:

1.  Start a Web browser and enter the Discoverer Plus HTTPS URL \--

> https://usasadhoc.hr-services.org/discoverer/plus

2.  On the top menu bar of Microsoft Internet Explorer, click **File**,
    then click **Properties**. The Properties dialog box is displayed
    (Figure SC-1).

![](media/image302.jpeg){width="3.0in" height="3.7395833333333335in"}

> *Figure SC-1: the Properties dialog box*

3.  Click the **Certificates** button. The Certificate dialog box is
    displayed (Figure SC-2).

![](media/image303.jpeg){width="3.3958333333333335in"
height="3.9583333333333335in"}

> *Figure SC-2: The Certificate dialog box with the Details tab on top*

4.  Click the **Details** tab to bring the Details page to the top.

5.  Click the **Copy to File** button to start the Certificate Export
    Wizard, which is depicted in Figure SC-3.

![](media/image304.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="3.1979166666666665in"}

> *Figure SC-3: the Certificate Export Wizard startup dialog*

6.  Click **Next** to display the Export File Format page in the
    Certificate Export Wizard (depicted in Figure SC-4.)

![](media/image305.jpeg){width="5.21875in" height="4.0in"}

> *Figure SC-4: the Export File Format page*

7.  Click to select the radio button for **Base-64 encoded X.509
    (.CER)**, as shown in Figure SC-4.

8.  Click **Next** to display the File to Export page in the Certificate
    Export Wizard, which is shown in Figure SC-5.

![](media/image306.jpeg){width="4.177083333333333in" height="3.1875in"}F

> *Figure SC-5: the File to Export page*

9.  Type in the **File name** box a name for the exported security
    certificate file you are creating. Give the file a \"**.cer**\"
    extension. You can use the **Browse** button to specify a folder for
    the file to go in; by default, it will likely be saved to the
    Desktop folder.

10. Click **Next** to display the final page of the Certificate Export
    Wizard dialog (Figure SC-6).

![](media/image307.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="3.1979166666666665in"}

> *Figure SC-6: the final Wizard page \-- Completing the Certificate
> Export Wizard*

11. Click Finish to complete the certificate installation. A
    confirmation box will appear, telling you the export was successful
    (see Figure SC-7).

![](media/image308.jpeg){width="4.1875in" height="3.1979166666666665in"}

> *Figure SC-7: A confirmation message appears to tell you the export
> was successful.*

12. Click **OK** to close the confirmation dialog, and again click
    **OK** to close the Certificate Export Wizard.

Now, continue on to the next section below to import the security
certificate information into the Java Plug-in certificate store.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

##### Importing the Security Certificate file

Now you will import the details from the file you created above into the
Java Plug-in Certificate Store so that the Java Plug-in 1.4 can use the
information to run Discoverer Plus over HTTPS and provide a secure
connection. To do this, follow these steps:

13. Display the Java Plug-in Control Panel, which is located in the
    Windows Control Panel. How you get to the Windows Control Panel will
    vary slightly depending upon the version of Windows you are using.
    In Windows XP, you can access the Windows Control Panel directly
    from the Windows Start button. In other versions, you will find the
    Control Panel on the Settings Menu that appears when you click the
    Start button, or you might find it in the My Computer folder that
    may be located on the desktop. Once you have located the Windows
    Control Panel, open the Windows Control Panel \-- click or double
    click as required on your computer (see Figure SC-8).

![](media/image309.jpeg){width="5.919444444444444in"
height="4.439583333333333in"}

> *Figure SC-8: The Windows Control Panel window is open and the Java
> Plug-in Control Panel is highlighted.*

14. Locate the **Java Plug-in Control Panel** and open it \-- \-- click
    or double click as required on your computer.

15. Click on the **Certificates** tab to bring that page to the top (see
    Figure SC-9).

![](media/image310.jpeg){width="5.364583333333333in"
height="2.6354166666666665in"}

> *Figure SC-9: The Java Plug-in Control Panel, with the Certificates
> tab on top. The Signed Applet radio button is selected.*

16. Click to select the **Signed Applet** radio button if it is not
    already selected.

17. Click the **Import** button and specify the file you saved earlier
    in step 9 above. The Open dialog box (Figure SC-10) will appear for
    you to browse to the file you saved in step 9.

![](media/image311.jpeg){width="4.229166666666667in" height="3.03125in"}

> *Figure SC-10: the Open dialog box. Note: **Files of Type** must be
> set to **All Files**.*

18. Click the drop down selection box for **Files of Type** to select
    **All Files**.

19. Use the controls to navigate to the folder where you saved the file
    in step 9 and click the file name so that it appears in the **File
    Name** box.

20. Click the **Open** button. The security certificate is displayed on
    the list of certificates in the Java Plug-in 1.4 certificate store
    (Figure SC-11).

![](media/image312.jpeg){width="4.802083333333333in"
height="2.4166666666666665in"}

> *Figure SC-11: The security certificate appears in the text box.*

21. Click **Apply**.  (Note: The file you created in step 9 is no longer
    needed, and you can delete it  from your hard drive if you want to.)

At this point, your computer is ready to run Discoverer *Plus*.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Starting your Discoverer Plus session

-   The following instructions tell you how you will log in to
    Discoverer Plus each time you wish to use it. They presume that you
    have already completed all the above steps at some time in the past
    to prepare the computer.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   The way you start your Discoverer Viewer session depends upon
    whether you are going to be querying data from the old Citrix
    version of USA Staffing or the current Web version of USA Staffing.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page. 

##### Current Web version of USA Staffing

To begin your Discoverer session, be logged into USA Staffing, then
follow these steps:

1.  Click on the **Administration** work area button at the top of the
    screen.

2.  Click on the **Processing** white button on the left menu bar.

3.  Click **Ad hoc Reports**.

4.  Respond to the prompt to allow Discoverer to open in a new window.

USA Staffing will automatically log you in to the proper account in
Discoverer Plus, and will continue to run in a window underneath your
Discoverer Plus window. (Continue reading: Working with Discoverer
Plus.)

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page. 

##### Old Citrix version of USA Staffing

To begin your Discoverer session, follow these steps:

1.  Use your Web browser to go to the Discoverer *Plus* URL \--

> https://usasadhoc.hr-services.org/discoverer/plus.
>
> The *Connect to OracleBI Discoverer* page will appear for you to log
> in. (See Figure 3 below.)

![](media/image313.jpeg){width="5.291666666666667in"
height="5.197916666666667in"}

> *Figure 3: the Connect to OracleBI Discoverer page*

2.  In the section of the page labeled **Connect Directly**, enter your
    login information as shown in Figure 3.

    a.  **Connect To:** OracleBI Discoverer

    b.  **User Name:** Your USA Staffing User Name, unless a separate
        Discoverer User Name was given to you. (When accessing data from
        the Citrix version of USA Staffing, use your Citrix version User
        Name. When accessing data from the Web version of USA Staffing,
        use your Web version User Name.)

    c.  **Password:** Your Discoverer password.

    d.  **Database:** discopro

    e.  **End User Layer:** Enter the EUL code you were given.

    f.  **Locale:** Locale retrieved from browser.

> ![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
> height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

#### Working with Discoverer Plus

> The Loading Java Applet progress bar will appear in a new browser
> window within seconds (Figure 4 below). This window may be underneath
> the Connect to OracleBI Discoverer window. Move the windows as needed.
>
> *Note: It is common for first-time connections to take a bit longer
> than usual because more information is being downloaded. Some users
> report up to 10 minutes to begin the first session, although this is
> relatively rare. Subsequent logons will typically be much faster.*
>
> ![](media/image314.jpeg){width="5.083333333333333in"
> height="3.0104166666666665in"}
>
> *Figure 4: Loading Java Applet progress bar*

1.  You may see a box with the \"Warning \-- Security\" message shown in
    Figure 5 below. Click **Yes**. Within seconds, the Oracle splash
    screen (Figure 6) will appear, followed shortly by the Discoverer
    Plus desktop (Figure 7) and the Workbook Wizard (Figure 8). *Note:
    This box may get hidden beneath other windows on your desktop. If
    the progress bar in Figure 4 appears to stop, move windows around
    and look for this warning dialog, because until you answer Yes, the
    system is waiting for you to respond.*

> ![](media/image315.jpeg){width="5.34375in" height="3.53125in"}
>
> *Figure 5: Security Certificate*
>
> ![](media/image316.jpeg){width="3.4166666666666665in"
> height="2.3229166666666665in"}
>
> *Figure 6: the Oracle Discoverer splash screen*
>
> ![](media/image317.jpeg){width="5.914583333333334in"
> height="4.438194444444444in"}
>
> *Figure 7: Discoverer desktop loaded*
>
> ![](media/image318.jpeg){width="5.915972222222222in"
> height="3.8430555555555554in"}
>
> *Figure 8: the Workbook Wizard*

2.  From the Workbook Wizard, open an existing workbook by selecting one
    from the **Recently Used** list or by clicking the **Browse** button
    \-- or \-- create a new workbook by selecting **Create a new
    workbook**. Then click **Next**. For more details on how to create
    or modify workbooks, see Learning Discoverer Plus; only authorized
    Plus users can perform these operations.

3.  If the workbook you opened requires that you supply information to
    narrow down the query, the **Edit Parameter Values** dialog box will
    appear (see Figure 9). Enter the information requested in the blanks
    and click **OK**. The system will perform the query and display the
    results in a table on the desktop, as is depicted in Figure 10
    below.

> ![](media/image319.jpeg){width="5.09375in" height="3.46875in"}
>
> *Figure 9: the Parameters dialog box*
>
> ![](media/image320.jpeg){width="5.914583333333334in"
> height="4.438194444444444in"}
>
> *Figure 10: Query results appear in a table.*

![](media/image3.png){width="0.20833333333333334in"
height="0.23958333333333334in"}Back to top of page.

 

# What\'s New in Online Help?

### Build 93  11/07/2006

-   Updated language about VINs in Overview of the Staffing Process part
    2.

-   Added information on Written Test to Assessment Types.

-   New topic: Rating Import.

-   Updated information in Assessment Information in the Vacancy
    (Staffing Action) record.

-   Updated Customer Maintenance.

-   Updated What\'s New in USA Staffing to cover all changes through
    FY2006.

-   Updated Position Information content on *Re-rate*.

###  

### Build 92  9/22/2006

-   Updated Deferred Rating.

-   Updated the photo in Position Information and provided a new link to
    Deferred Rating.

-   Changed ATAS contact to Patrick Sharpe in Assessment Plan.

-   Changed link in Assessment Plan Related Topics to the new Deferred
    Rating topic.

###  

### Build 91  09/21/2006

-   Modified Customer Maintenance to show there is a 50 character limit
    on the name of the Customer.

-   Added Envelopes to the table of contents in Chapter 11.

-   Spelling correction on Referral of Candidates (Certification).

-   Added Training Materials and Documents topic. Moved the link for
    downloading a copy of the Online Help System to that topic. Added
    link to the new topic to the Welcome page to replace the one that
    was formerly just for the Online Help System file.

### Build 90  08/08/2006

-   Assessment Migration assigned context sensitive Map ID 416.

###  

### Build 89  08/07/2006

-   Updated Getting Started with Discoverer Viewer and Getting Started
    with Discoverer Plus to reflect the difference between starting a
    session in Viewer for data in the Web version of USA Staffing versus
    data from the Citrix version.

###  

### Build 88  08/07/2006

-   Updated Veteran Preference (in the Applicant Record) to reflect that
    some code changes now cause re-rates to occur automatically.

-   Updated text and photos on Referral of Candidates (Certification).

-   Updated Mismatched Documents to explain how the system now expires
    and purges mismatched documents that remain unmatched for prolonged
    periods.

-   Updated Configurations. Users now select which type of window
    envelopes Reports need to fit.

-   New topic: Envelopes \-- describes envelope options and how to
    obtain window envelopes to fit the letters generated by USA
    Staffing.

-   Updated Assessment Information (in the Applicant Record) to remove
    an example of needing to initiate a re-rate for veteran preference
    changes. Re-rates for changes in veteran preference are now
    automatic (see Veteran Preference (in the Applicant Record)

###  

### Build 87  08/04/2006

-   Added text to Default Text to clarify that only Certificates created
    after a change to Default Text will show the new text.

-   Added to topic map: 114 = Introducing Discoverer.

-   Exports layouts added.

###  

### Build 86b  12/20/2005

-   Amended A-C-E Rating Method to state that Recency points that are
    deducted may drop an applicant into a lower quality level.

### Build 86   12/19/2005

-   Updated What\'s New in USA Staffing to include the list of changes
    for the December 17, 2005 system update.

-   Added information to A-C-E Rating Method.

-   Corrected a typo in Announcement Information.

-   Updated the Q and A portion \-- answer to the first question \--  of
    USAJOBS: Apply Online and Résumé Builder to state it is possible to
    suppress the Apply Online button.

-   Updated Going Places in the Staffing Work Area to mention the need
    to click Save if you are not leaving a page via the Next or Previous
    buttons. Also deleted outdated references.

-   The topic *Use or Create a Vacancy (Staffing Action) record* has
    been renamed to Use or Create a Vacancy (VIN) and content updated.

### Build 85  12/08/2005

-   Corrected typo in Searches.

-   Changed the number of pages in a part of a batch from 50 to 200 in
    Using Agency Document Viewer (ADV) and Batch Print Documents.

-   Removed link to outdated movie: Inserting an Image in a Job
    Announcement.

-   Updated the version number to 10.1.2.1 for Oracle Discoverer in
    Learning Discoverer Plus.

-   Added topics: Learning Discoverer Viewer and Getting Started with
    Discoverer Viewer.

-   Updated pictures in Introducing Discoverer.

-   Added mention of the chapter on *ad hoc* reporting to Reports Pages.

### Build 84   11/01/2005

-   Added hint about using right click menu to view multiple applicant
    records from the Certificate page to Using Agency Document Viewer
    (ADV).

-   Turned off hard coded dimensions of the \"Tip\" box in User
    Maintenance to fix a compatibility issue with Mozilla browsers.

-   Added these new sections to Getting More Help:

    -   I forgot my password for FootPrints. What do I do now?

    -   Why do I get \"append error\" when I reply to a ticket via
        email?

    -   I have a new FootPrints account, but I keep getting logged in to
        my old one before I can even enter my new User ID and password.
        Why?

-   Added What will be affected by changes you make to Default Text.

-   Added information on the importance of turning on document types to
    be accepted in Supporting Documents.

-   New topic: The Hot Tip page.

-   Hot Tip added: Select Supporting Documents *before* posting the Job
    Announcement.

###  

### Build 83   10/24/2005

-   Corrected missing navigation aids in the Discoverer topics.

-   Updated Plus pictures in Introducing Discoverer.

-   Updated Using Agency Document Viewer (ADV) to incorporate
    instructions for using the Batch Print documents function.

### Build 82  10/21/2005

-   Added content to Category Rating.

-   Questionnaire Builder: Typo corrected.

-   New topic: Fiscal Year.

-   New topic: Getting Started with Discoverer.

-   New topic: Batch Print Documents.

-   Updated What\'s New in USA Staffing to include the list of changes
    for the October 14, 2005 system update.

-   Updated Introducing Discoverer to make clear that current accounts
    are for access to the data of the old Citrix version, and Web
    version accounts are yet to be created.

### Build 81   9/26/2005

-   What\'s New in USA Staffing updated. Reference to Netscape removed.

-   Learning Discoverer Plus: updated version number to 10.1.2.0.0.

-   Updated Default Text to reflect the new category for Thank You
    message in the Online Application.

-   Updated information about file size in Using Help.

###  

### Build 80   09/21/2005

-   New topic: Assessment Migration

-   Corrected font and format issues on Understanding Document Matching,
    and updated content.

-   Updated content of vacancy.htm.

-   Added content to Mismatched Documents.

-   Added Chapter 13: Ad Hoc Reports with Oracle Discoverer.

-   Added topic: Introducing Discoverer.

-   Added topic: Learning Discoverer Plus.

###  

### Build 79   09/07/2005

-   Announcement Information text and picture updated to include the new
    feature to turn off the *Apply Online* button in USAJOBS.

-   New topic: Collecting Résumés and Applications

-   New topic: Uploading Documents for Applicants

-   New topic: Uploading is Better than Faxing!

-   Corrected text for PL code on Record Status Codes.

-   Added content to Assessments of the Applicant to include an example
    for Manual Rating.

-   Clarified the use of Screen Out and Valid Value on Questionnaire
    Template.

-   New topic: Screen Out Questions.

-   Added reference to Screen Out Questions topic to Questionnaires.

-   Corrected Questionnaire Builder to state the evaluation of Screen
    Out questions occurs when the applicant clicks a navigation button.

-   Assessment Plan: Added information about how to delete an Assessment
    Component from an Assessment Plan, and explaining the meaning of the
    warning that doing so may result in a need to reset the Announcement
    Specialty and Grade.

###  

### Build 78  9/01/2005

-   Corrected broken links to PDF file on Using Agency Document Viewer
    (ADV) and Agency Document Viewer.

-   Updated Record Status Codes to remove CV, DV, FM, and PM as obsolete
    codes. Added info on the PI code, and modified PL.

-   Updated Index to remove entries for obsolete record status codes:
    CV, DV, FM, PM.

-   New topic: Assessment Matching.

-   Created link from Assessment Plan to Assessment Matching.

-   Cosmetic changes to Help: In all topics where blank \"push-up\"
    space is used for Online, it is now suppressed in Printed and
    Editor. Keywords are suppressed in Printed and Online. Some notes
    incorrectly tagged have been corrected.

###  

### Build 77   8/31/2005

-   Added content to Assessment Information in the Vacancy (Staffing
    Action) record. Clarified Notes usage.

-   Added content to Category Rating.

-   Category Rating Setup now has a link to Category Rating in Overview
    of the Staffing Process.

-   New topic: Sorting by a column

-   Tips added to Questionnaire Builder, including suggestion to use
    Import instead of starting from scratch, and to copy and paste from
    other sources, including HR Manager.

-   [Announcement Information]{.underline} page: New content suggests
    using an Announcement number that includes the VIN and Office code.

-   Updated Locations (in Announcement) with newer terminology and a tip
    to avoid having jobs appear multiple times in USAJOBS search
    results.

-   Added content to Form 1203 FX to make clear that the form must not
    be modified. Also updated topic map.

-   Added content to Faxing Tips For Best Results and Faxing Applicant
    Documents to make clear that the cover sheet must not be modified.

-   Example added to description of PJ code in Record Status Codes.

-   The terms *Start URL* and *Return URL* have been added to URLs for
    the Online Application.

-   Corrected green box dimensions for proper display in
    Mozilla/Firefox/Netscape on Audit Actions.

-   Clarified Notice Of Results (NOR) Messages in Administration to
    state that the tree view must be collapsed and the user must select
    a category before clicking New.

-   Added the generic URL for ADV to Using Agency Document Viewer (ADV)
    and Agency Document Viewer. Provided a link to download the PDF of
    *Using Agency Document Viewer (ADV)* in both topics. Updated the PDF
    document to state the URL for direct access, and turned on the
    bookmarks and hypertext links within the file for improved
    navigation within the PDF.

-   Certificate: Added tip to use multiple windows when viewing
    applicant information. Updated content to reflect purpose of ADV
    Certificate Status. Updated instructions for printing a certificate.

-   Added PE code to Record Status Codes with instructions on how to
    identify records in this condition.

### Build 76   07/14/2005

-   Document Upload Service (DUS) modified to specify the document types
    that now appear in the status table.

-   Updated Configurations to reflect the current wording for the
    preference for Rating.

-   Added information on how to view and print the responses to
    Narrative Text Questions.

-   Content of Questionnaire Builder modified to indicate that the
    Preview screen is not intended to show the boxes in which applicants
    would type responses to Narrative Text Questions, but that such
    boxes will indeed appear on the Online Application Questionnaire
    itself.

-   User Name updated to state the punctuation is not allowed.

-   Customer Contact modified to state that checking the Allow ADV
    Access box has the effect of assigning ADV permission; no Permission
    Profile is involved.

-   Creating, Editing, and Assigning Permissions Profiles modified to
    remind users that ADV access for their customers is handled entirely
    on the Customer Contact page, not in Permissions Profiles.

### Build 75   07/12/2005

-   Certificate has been updated to reflect that the feature for adding
    names is working.

-   Request Information has been revised to indicate that the names
    added to Send To must have email addresses in their contact records.

-   Updated What\'s New in USA Staffing to include the list of changes
    for the July 10, 2005 system update.

-   Provided more detail on Reports Pages.

-   Document Upload Service (DUS) topic updated to include a picture of
    the new Documentation on File table that shows the status of all the
    applicant\'s documents for the VIN. Also, information has been added
    to guide users who wish to upload documents for applicants.

###  

### Build 74   06/16/2005

-   Fixed broken link to http://adobe.com in Reports Pages.

-   Corrected flow chart and added information to USAJOBS: Apply Online
    and Résumé Builder. Added Related topic link to URLs for the Online
    Application.

-   Information about Override corrected on Assessment Information (in
    the Applicant Record).

-   Understanding Document Matching has been amended to state that
    records in PE status are never looked at by the Match Process, but
    must be corrected and moved out of PE status.

-   Added info to Documents Submitted by the Applicant, including a tip
    box that tells what to do about upside down documents.

-   New topic: Opening multiple windows

-   Completely revised Reports Pages to reflect current processes.

-   Added Glossary entries for CARP and DRS.

-   New topic: Reports Menu

### Build 73   05/19/2005

-   Added information to Troubleshooting Job Announcements.

-   Information added to Time-Out.

-   Added information from Knowledge Base Solution 3846 to Preview of
    the Job Announcement.

-   New topic: Cancel a VIN.

-   Added info on Troubleshooting Reports to Reports Pages.

-   Added information to How to Apply template topic stating that
    applicants should be instructed to feed pages into the fax machine
    top of page first, in order for them not to be upside down in ADV.

-   New topic: URLs for the Online Application. Created link in How to
    Apply.

-   Added information about using the Staffing button to get back the
    Referral List/Certificate to Using Agency Document Viewer (ADV).

-   Added link from PF in Record Status Codes to Understanding Document
    Matching.

-   Updated information and pictures for Announcement Information \--
    the new check box for Send Applicants to USAJOBS Résumé Builder.

-   Updated What\'s New in USA Staffing to include the list of changes
    for the May 21, 2005 system update.

-   New topic: USAJOBS: Apply Online and Résumé Builder

### Build 72   04/13/2005

-   Global replacement of usajobs.opm.gov with usajobs.gov.

-   Added \"Key Entry\" to the index.

-   Updated pictures and instructions in Using Agency Document Viewer
    (ADV).

-   Added Audit Code Definitions in Using Agency Document Viewer (ADV)
    and Audit Actions.

-   New topic: ACWA Assessments.

-   New topic: Troubleshooting Job Announcements.

-   Created a new \"book\" to contain all topics related to Applicant
    Documents.

-   New topic: Understanding Document Matching.

-   Linked from Mismatched Documents and Frequently Asked Questions to
    Understanding Document Matching and related topics.

###  

### Build 71   03/08/2005

-   Information about Deleting a VIN has been added to Position
    Information.

-   Added \"Next topic:\" links to all topics in Chapter 12.

-   New topic: Faxing Tips For Best Results.  Added link to this topic
    from the topic map in Faxing Applicant Documents.

-   Added logo to Welcome page.

-   New topic: Faxes and the Document Matching Process.

-   What\'s New in USA Staffing has been updated to include a History of
    Changes. Added link to it on the Welcome page.

-   Content has been added to Getting More Help to make more clear the
    benefits of creating new tickets by logging in to FootPrints instead
    of via email.

-   A tip box has been added to Supporting Documents to encourage users
    to read the new topics about faxing and the Matching process.

## Build 70   11/05/2004

-   Minor editorial changes made to Getting More Help.

-   Deleted reference to Screening Elements from Vacancy.

-   Corrected the example and added info on the types of Questions and
    Responses the user can modify on Questionnaire Template. Added
    clarification that only new Items can be Narrative type, not those
    from the Form 1203-FX.

-   Added topic: Form 1203 FX.

-   Added topic and content: Responses and Codes for the Questionnaire.

-   Updated content and pictures in Templates (in Announcement).

-   Information about how an applicant can get to the Online Application
    without necessarily linking to it from the Job Announcement on
    USAJOBS has been added to Overview of the Staffing Process part 2.

-   Mention of the link to HR Manager has been added to What\'s New in
    USA Staffing and Questionnaire Builder.

-   Added Chapter 12 to contain HR Manager information.

-   Clarified the section heading for Deleting a Published Job
    Announcement from USAJOBS in Preview of the Job Announcement.

-   Corrected the information about the function of the ACWA checkbox on
    Position Information.

-   Added information to explain the ACWA warnings the system gives in
    Preview of the Job Announcement.

###  

### Build 69  10/12/2004

-   Added content and simplified instructions for adding responses or
    using Default Scales \-- Questionnaire Builder.

-   Added information about the function of Test and Complete in the
    Assessment \-- Assessment Plan.

-   Revised the Glossary definition of Template.

-   Added to Glossary a definition of FTVA for the benefit of user who
    maintain Permissions Profiles, where the language in the system has
    not yet been updated to Job Announcement.

-   Added the term \"Assessment Component\" to the index.

-   Created topic for the Overview of the Staffing Process \--
    Questionnaires.

-   Added content to Narrative Text Questions.

-   Created content for Default Scales (in Template Libraries).

-   Changed topic headings and table of contents from \"Templates
    Library\" to \"Template Libraries\".

-   Corrected information about the length of the contact user name in
    Customer Contact.

-   Added content and updated pictures for Announcement Questionnaire
    Template.

-   Created content for Announcement (in Template Libraries).

-   Provided content for the following topics on the Administration /
    Template Libraries menu: Templates, Overview, Duties,
    Qualifications, How to Apply, Benefits and Other, Questionnaire,
    Preview. All of these point back to their counterparts in the
    Staffing work area because they work substantially the same way.

-   Created content for Assessment (in the Questionnaire Library).

-   Added *Was this helpful to you?* box on all substantive topic pages.

-   Getting More Help revised to explain that new tickets can now be
    created by sending an email message. Also the details of the ticket
    form in FootPrints have been updated.

-   Updated Assessment Library to include mention of, and link to,
    Template Libraries.

-   Provided topic mapping for context sensitive Help for the topics
    that were earlier missing from the Template Libraries.

-   Changed Supporting Documents to state that page limits only pertain
    to faxed documents, not those that are uploaded.

-   Revised Ordering Criteria text and pictures to reflect revisions to
    the way this page looks and works \-- namely, the Logical has been
    moved to the left column and the user is warned not to use a Logical
    on the first Condition.

-   Revised Tutorial: Building Certificate Conditions in Advanced
    Criteria to reflect changes in the way this function currently
    works.

-   Revised Overview of the Staffing Process part 2 to mention that the
    applicant has the option to fax documents at the end of the Online
    Application, as well as to upload them.

-   Created new topic: Faxing Applicant Documents. Created a link to
    this topic from Key Entry of a New Applicant.

###  

### Build 68  9/14/2004

-   Added pictures to Understanding Default Scales.

-   Added Use Scale content to Questionnaire Builder.

-   Added \"Complete\" as a new term \-- New Terms and Concepts.

-   Added explanation that certain information must be provided in order
    to mark an Assessment *Complete* \-- Source Information.

-   Revised and completed Preview of the Job Announcement.

-   Added picture and completed Narrative Text Questions.

-   Added Narrative Text Box instructions and pictures to Questionnaire
    Builder.

-   Added subtopic on Smart Menus and Pages. Renamed topic to Work
    Areas, Smart Menus and Pages in USA Staffing.

### Build 67  9/13/2004

-   Removed Deferred Rating, pending update.

-   Added content for Testing an Assessment Component.

-   Hid link to ADV movie on Movie List until the movie can be updated.

-   Added content to Assessment Information in the Vacancy (Staffing
    Action) record.

-   Corrected topic title \-- Scanning Applicant Forms 1203-FX.

-   Created new topic and content: Understanding Default Scales.

-   Added Use Scale content to Questionnaire Builder.

### Build 66  9/02/2004

-   Corrected typo in Document Upload Service (DUS).

-   Added information about address format to Address, Phone and Fax.

-   Fixed alignment problem in Correspondence Types.

-   Fax and Form 1203-FX info added to How to Apply Template.

-   Updated pictures for Work Areas in USA Staffing and Session History
    topic.

-   Created topic and content: Font Sizes on USA Staffing Menus and
    Pages.

-   Corrected error in RoboHelp template 002 and fixed the  \"Back to
    Top\" links that were broken because of the error.

-   Clarified some terms on New Terms and Concepts.

-   Fixed the error in the Tour sequence that had split up DUS and ADV
    topics.

-   Added information about Assessments (Show Copies) to Advanced Search
    page.

-   Added information to Deferred Rating.

-   Added information to Assessment Information (in the Applicant
    Record).

-   Added information to Ordering Criteria.

-   Corrected picture in Categories.

-   Revised and added information to User Maintenance.

-   Corrections and changes to Questionnaire Builder.

-   Corrections and changes to Using Agency Document Viewer (ADV).

-   New topic: Assessment Information in the Vacancy (Staffing Action)
    record.

-   New topic: Testing an Assessment Component.

### Build 65  8/26/2004

-   Added information to Getting More Help.

-   Removed Screening Elements from New Terms and Concepts.

-   Added pictures of the two possible types of arrows the user will see
    on the Guided Tour.

-   Performed global replacement of Staffing Action (Vacancy) with
    Vacancy (Staffing Action) \-- 85 instances.

-   Added Q and A to Frequently Asked Questions about finding all
    applications for an applicant.

-   Assessment Information (in the Applicant Record) is updated with new
    pictures and information on how to perform Override, Undo Override,
    and Re-Rate.

-   Provided content for Source Information, Specific Information,
    Preparation, History.

-   Added content for Rate and Re-Rate Applicant.

-   Added topic: Deferred Rating.

-   Updated Agency Document Viewer.

###  

### Build 64  08/25/2004

-   Editor conditional tag applied to topics in these folders: Finance,
    Locations, Maintenance, Preferences.

-   Updated information on Permission Profiles in these topics: Quick
    Start Guide, Permissions Profiles \-- An Overview for
    Administrators, Creating, Editing, and Assigning Permissions
    Profiles.

-   Added explanation that Marketing Statement is optional \-- Overview
    Template.

-   Document Upload Service has been added \-- New Terms and Concepts
    and Overview of the Staffing Process part 2.

-   Global replacement of \"View the movie\" with \"View the Flash
    movie\".

-   Links to Category Rating resources on opm.gov added to Vacancy \>
    Categories and Overview of the Staffing Process.

-   Category Rating and Document Upload Service added to What\'s New in
    USA Staffing.

-   Modified pictures and content to indicate the new way to insert HTML
    and mailto links in Insert Link. Added Deleting and Modifying
    subtopics.

-   Applied conditional build tags to Referral \> Certificate. Removed
    editor\'s note referring to a now-closed ticket.

-   Added info about a known bug to Certificate.

-   Certificate: Added information about what to do when warned that
    applicant records are still in a Pending status.

-   Record Status Codes \-- Added details to the P codes to help the
    user know what to do to resolve them.

-   Added definition of \"template\" to Glossary.

-   Added Category Rating topic to Overview chapter.

-   Added topic and content: Document Upload Service (DUS).

-   Added topic and content: Diploma Mills.

-   Updated Agency Document Viewer.

-   Updated Customer Contact.

-   Updated Request Information.

-   Created content for Using Agency Document Viewer (ADV).

-   Created Guided Tour page and arranged browse sequence for the tour.

###  

### Build 63  06/18/2004

-   Created content for Overview Template on the Announcement menu.

-   Created content for Preview of the Job Announcement.

-   Created content for Duties Template.

-   Created content for Qualifications and Evaluation Template.

-   Created content for How to Apply Template.

-   Created content for Benefits and Other Information Template.

-   Updated content in Questionnaire Template.

-   Updated picture in Assessment Notes.

-   Updated the navigation controls in Job Announcements in USAJOBS,
    Specialty and Grade (in Announcement), Format Tips, and Insert Link.

-   Inserted statement that certain Job Announcement texts created in
    USA Staffing may have some formatting that may be ignored by USAJOBS
    due to USAJOBS limitations: Insert Image, The Format Toolbar, and
    Format Tips.

### Build 62a  06/17/2004

-   Updated picture for Search: Assessment.

-   Updated picture and content in Assessment Plan. \"Assessment Select
    and Define\" page is renamed to \"Assessment Builder\".

### Build 61  06/16/2004

-   Minor text corrections in Questionnaire Builder. Also corrected
    movie dimensions to fix blotchy letters.

-   Updated picture and text on Position Information.

-   Completely replaced pictures and text on Rating Criteria, to reflect
    the new page design. Recreated movie.

-   Added topic Understanding Rating Criteria.

-   Ordering Criteria page has new pictures to reflect system changes to
    this page.

-   Tutorial: Building Certificate Conditions in Advanced Criteria
    revised to provide better examples in light of system changes.

### Build 60  06/09/2004

-   Added movies and updated content to Questionnaire Builder.

-   Moved to Chapter 5 Narrative Text Questions and Agency Document
    Viewer.

### Build 59a  06/08/2004

-   Updated pictures in Referral of Candidates (Certification).

-   Updated Position Information.

-   Updated Use or Create a Vacancy (Staffing Action) to reflect the
    fact that you can now create a new Vacancy (Staffing Action) record
    from the Position Information page of the Vacancy menu.

-   Added information to Applicant Flags and NOR Message Codes in the
    Applicant Record and put it on the Table of Contents in Chapter 5.

-   Added information and updated pictures to all topics relating to
    pages on the Applicants menu.

-   Added Mouse-over topic.

-   New Terms and Concepts now points out that SSN changes can be made
    directly.

-   Mouse-over tips for links within Help topics is explained in Using
    Help

### Build 58   05/21/2004

-   Suppressed Screening Elements in print and online versions.

-   Updated picture of Assessment menu in Assessments Menu and Pages.

-   Corrected Supporting Documents text.

-   Corrected and rearranged Certificate.

-   Added content to Search: Assessment.

-   Moved all books in the Staffing work area to the top level of the
    Table of Contents.

-   Updated Questionnaire Builder and added Import Document.

-   Updated Rating Criteria, including a movie.

-   New topic: Assessment Information (in the Applicant Record).

### Build 57a   05/14/2004

-   Updated and revised Supporting Documents.

-   Revised Document Repository System.

-   Finished draft of all topics in Referral, including Referral of
    Candidates (Certification), Request Information, Ordering Criteria,
    Certificate, and Audit Actions.

### Build 56a   05/13/2004

-   \"Complete\" is explained in Referral of Candidates (Certification).

-   Clarified Specialty and Grade in Ordering Criteria.

-   Clarified Tutorial: Building Certificate Conditions in Advanced
    Criteria to indicate that in real life, languages are referenced by
    code.

-   Clarified Ordering Criteria to make clear that the Issue Certificate
    is disabled until the Criteria Record is saved and that it takes you
    to a preview of the cert on the Certificate page.

-   Added information to Certificate.

-   Added process maps to Referral of Candidates (Certification),
    Request Information, Ordering Criteria, Certificate.

-   Added information to Audit Actions

### Build 55   05/07/2004

-   Moved Location Codes to the Locations book in Administration.

-   Updated information in Using Help to explain how to print when using
    IE6, and also why printing the whole Help file is not recommended.

-   Updated Record Status Codes.

-   Updated pictures and text for Searches.

-   Created and completed topic: Tutorial: Building Certificate
    Conditions in Advanced Criteria.

-   Added content to these topics under Referral: Referral of Candidates
    (Certification), Request Information, Ordering Criteria.

### Build 54   04/28/2004

-   Corrected typos in Customer Contact, Customer Maintenance, Office
    Maintenance, User Maintenance.

-   Completed rebuild of the index, as far as existing topics permit.

-   Updated User Maintenance to reflect that the default order is by
    last name.

-   Modified skin dn01 to have a buff background on Table of Contents
    pane.

-   Added information about navigation without a mouse to Making Choices
    and Entering Information.

### Build 53   04/27/2004

-   Deleted index and began rebuild.

-   Changed from Task Group to Work Area in Administration Menus and
    Pages.

-   Removed \"tasks\" from Frequently Asked Questions, and substituted
    \"work areas\".

-   Updated Workgroup Maintenance topic.

-   Updated and corrected  Reports Pages, Customer Contact, Customer
    Maintenance, Office Maintenance, User Maintenance, Permissions
    Table.

### Build 52a   04/26/2004

-   Updated index.

-   Drafted content for Questionnaire Builder.

-   Updated all Announcement Templates with new pictures and some
    content.

-   Information about Assessment naming added to Assessment Plan.

-   Added mention of Applicant Data Utility to New Terms and Concepts as
    a discontinued term.

-   Information added to Report Information (in Applicant Record).

### Build 51b  04/23/2004

-   Renamed picture files that had commas in them; Word does not print
    them correctly.

### Build 51a   04/23/2004

-   Corrected typos in headings for Mismatched Documents and Mismatched
    Assessments.

-   Created a multi-use topic explaining Address, Phone and Fax fields.
    It is referenced by Customer, Contact, Office, and User.

-   Added information about the difference between switching to a
    different VIN and switching to a different Announcement or
    Assessment to Going Places in the Staffing Work Area.

-   Updated picture for Assessment History, and corrected heading.

-   Removed extraneous menu picture from Assessment Plan.  Also, added
    info for Completed.

-   Added pictures to Specialty and Grade (in Assessment), Questionnaire
    Builder, and Rating Criteria.

### Build 50a  04/22/2004  

-   Updated Staffing Menus and Pages.

-   Removed all embedded Hotspots pointing to Glossary terms.

-   Updated Working With Browse Tables.

-   Added information to Key Entry of a New Applicant.

-   Added outline format with topic map to topics in Assessment,
    Announcement, Applicant, Referral, and New Features.

### Build 49   4/20/2004

-   Updated Customer Contact, Customer Maintenance, and User Maintenance
    with FAQ about \"deleted\" records.

-   Marked Postal-only items as such in Configurations. Conditional
    Build tags added to Configurations\> Applicants to suppress
    information that pertains only to Postal Service.

-   Revised order of \"What can an Administrator control\...?\" and
    added text box with info about lower permission levels automatically
    being included when a higher one is selected \--  in Permissions
    Profiles \-- An Overview for Administrators.

-   Pictures added to Certificate and Audit Actions.

-   Added link from What\'s New in USA Staffing to Connecting to USA
    Staffing.

### Build 48   4/19/2004

-   Work Units changed to Workgroups in New Terms and Concepts,
    Assignments, Work Areas in USA Staffing, Workgroups and
    Administration Menus and Pages.

-   Provided link to an example of a red border, and emphasized size of
    printed doc file in the Using Help topic.

-   Work Areas and Pages are identified as new terms in New Terms and
    Concepts.

-   Removed Service Center Director from Configurations.

-   Permissions Profiles topics are gradually changing.

-   Created topic Applicant Flags and NOR Messages in the Applicant
    Record. This topic is invisible from the Table of Contents
    perspective, but it is needed to facilitate the context sensitive
    function.

-   Created topic Office, User, Customer, and Contact Records. This
    topic is invisible from the Table of Contents perspective, but it is
    needed to facilitate the context sensitive function.

-   Created topic Locations (in Administration). This topic is invisible
    from the Table of Contents perspective, but it is needed to
    facilitate the context sensitive function.

### Build 47   04/05/2004

-   Position Information has an experimental version of the \"Getting
    There\" box. Is this good?

-   Other topics throughout the Staffing work area have just the work
    area buttons at the top. Is this good? Is it better than putting
    both menus in the Getting There box?

-   Updated Searches to reflect the fact that you now must enter at
    least some search criteria.

-   Created a multi-use topic called Working with Notes that will be
    referenced by all Help topics for pages that have Notes features.

-   Created Applicant Questionnaire.

-   Inserted pictures for these Applicant topics: Applicant Information,
    Questionnaire, Referral Information, Applicant Flags, NOR Messages,
    Report Information. They still need text.

-   Created content for Scheduling of the Applicant. Not completed.

-   Created topic Assessment Types to provide the details for how to set
    up each type of Assessment. Completed only the Job Knowledge Test.

-   Created topic Key Entry of New Applicant. Not completed.

-   Added these topics to correspond to new menu options and pages:
    Categories; Request Information; Ordering Criteria; Certificate;
    Audit Actions. Content needed for all.

-   Updated Session History topic and subtopic to include information on
    what happens when you change work areas.

-   Repaired broken links as of 4/2/2004.

-   Added topic Making Choices and Entering Information.

-   Changed terminology from Units to Workgroups on Table of Contents
    and Workgroups topic. (New pictures still needed).

-   New topic: Pay Plans of the U.S. Federal Government.

-   Updated Position Information to include link to Pay Plans, and
    updated picture.

-   Added pictures for: Documents Submitted by the Applicant, Mismatch
    Assessments, Biographic Info, Screening Elements in the Applicant
    Record.

-   Moved Re-Rate Applicant to Chapter 5.

-   Moved Scanning Applicant Forms to Chapter 6.

-   Updated Customer Maintenance.

-   Updated Office Maintenance.

### Build 46   03/31/2004

-   Updated picture to show a pressed work area button in Work Areas in
    USA Staffing.

-   Completely updated User Maintenance \-- content, pictures, format.

-   Added a question about Permissions Profiles to Frequently Asked
    Questions.

-   Completely updated Creating, Editing, and Assigning Permissions
    Profiles.

-   Renamed Documents to Submit to Supporting Documents, and completely
    updated its contents.

-   Created new topic \-- Document Repository System.

-   Created content for Locations By Office.

-   Created content for Locations By Customer.

-   Competed NOR Message Codes.

-   Updated Correspondence Types to state that all can be sent as email.

-   Updated Position Information page to state that IT Job box is to get
    jobs in non-IT series to be included in USAJOBS searches for IT
    positions.

-   Updated Screening Elements in Vacancy.

-   Updated discussion of Req for Cert checkbox in Assessment Plan.

### Build 45a  03/29/2004

-   Amended tip on Advanced Search page.

-   Fixed broken links that resulted from moving certain Administration
    topics to subfolders.

-   Added red border to an Administration topic where it was missing.

-   Added information from 3/7/04 meeting to Searches.

-   Added info to Customer Contact based upon 3/7/04.

-   Updated User Maintenance based upon 3/7/04.

### Build 44a   03/17/2004

-   Category Rating added to What\'s New in USA Staffing and New Terms
    and Concepts.

-   What\'s New in USA Staffing updated to reflect that telecommute
    connections need to be made through the agency\'s network.

-   Created new book: Chapter 6 \-- Technical Matters

-   Created new topic in chapter 6: Connecting to USA Staffing, and
    included the info on IE6 configuration, as well as info for setting
    up for telecommuters.

-   Added \"Organizational Library\" and \"DRS\" to New Terms and
    Concepts.

-   Added mention that you can create new Vacancy and Assessment from
    the Advanced Search page.

-   Map IDs have been added to prepare the Help system to be context
    sensitive. (This is invisible to the user at the moment, but will be
    used by the developer team to link in their source code.)

### Build 43b  03/05/2004

-   Added red border to all topics in the Administration Work Area to
    help readers distinguish them from topics in the Staffing Work Area
    that have similar titles.

-   Added new topic pages for all new menu options in the Administration
    Work Area, including Templates and a 3 in Maintenance.

-   Completed Correspondence Types topic.

-   Updated Default Text.

-   Updated NOR Message Codes in Administration Preferences.

-   Created a Chapter 5 for all the Overview of Staffing topics.

-   Added topic: Record Status Codes.

-   Added topic: NOR Message Codes to Chapter 5 \-- Overview of the
    Staffing Process.

### Build 42 03/04/2004

-   Corrected text in New Terms and Concepts.

-   Created topic content: Session History.

-   Created topic content: Reports Pages.

-   Removed references to Form C in Overview of the Staffing Process
    part 2, and substituted Form 1203-FX.

-   Added Key Concept to Overview of the Staffing Process part 2 and New
    Terms and Concepts.

-   Corrected layout error in Work Areas in USA Staffing.

-   Updated Assessment Plan.

-   Updated Specialty and Grade (in Assessment).

-   Added topic: Assessment Library.

-   Updated Staffing Navigation and renamed the topic to Going Places in
    the Staffing Work Area.

-   Renamed \"Navigating USA Staffing\" to Going Places in USA Staffing.

-   Updated screen shot in Customer Maintenance.

-   Changed Open or Create a Vacancy to Use or Create a Vacancy
    (Staffing Action) and provided all new content.

### Build 41b \-- 03/02/2004

-   Added Location Codes topic.

-   Added info to Specialty and Grade (in Assessment), to make clear the
    user has to have a complete Series/Specialty/Grade set in order to
    Save. Also added box \"What is a Specialty code?\"

-   Added pictures highlighting each of the parts of the Preferences
    pages. Corrected the link target for Advanced Searches from this
    page.

-   Added material to Assessment Plan to clarify Assessment Plan and
    individual Assessments, versus Assessment Tool.

-   Updated Customer Contact, and the Permissions Profiles topics.

-   Added topic New Terms and Concepts.

### Build 40b

-   Revamped folder structure (not visible to user).

-   Added background to Welcome page.

-   Added to the Overview of the Staffing Process a link to the Uniform
    Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures. It is the same link
    that is in the DEOH.

-   Established topic map and up arrows as Help template standard.

-   Moved Correspondence Types topic to Administration work area.

-   References to C Forms changed to OPM Form 1203 FX in Scanning
    Applicant C Forms.

-   Added Searches topic.

-   Added new topics to index.

-   Added Glossary terms to hotspots in topics.

### Build 40 \-- 02/ 27/2004

-   Added envelope information to Unconfirmed topics.

-   Added Assessment Library topic.

-   Added Deferred Rating Assessment Plan topic.

-   Overview of the Staffing Process \-- part 2 completed. ***Might this
    serve as the framework for the Pathways topics?***

-   Added Scanning Applicant C Forms.

-   Created topic Re-Rate Applicant. It needs finishing.

-   Added Time-Out topic.

-   Updated the screen shots in Work Areas in USA Staffing.

### Build 39 \-- Feb 25, 2004

-   Added a topic for Templates in the Administration Work Area.

-   Added some content for Templates in the Staffing Work Area. (It is
    still not finished, and it will need a new picture when the Form C
    label has been removed.)

-   Added the topic Getting More Help, including an intro to FootPrints
    and a link to launch a FootPrints session.

-   Globally replaced \"Staffing Project\" with \"*Staffing Action*\".

-   Changed topic name from \"Screening Elements (*Vacancy*)\" to
    \"Screening Elements (in Vacancy)\".

-   Changed topic name from \"Specialty and Grade (Assessment)\" to
    \"Specialty and Grade (in Assessment).

-   Changed references to the Templates in Administration to \"Template
    Libraries\", in anticipation of this change in the label on the
    white button in the Administration work area (ticket 389).

-   Added topic: Overview of the Staffing Process \-- part 2.

-   Added Tip to Locations topic.  Also revised page layout.

### Build 38 

-   Wording change in Applicant Flags (Administration) \-- per Dennis.

-   Added Map and Up arrows to Preferences Overview.

### Build 37

-   Added info to Configurations topic.

-   Added Topic Map to Configurations topic and Format Tips topic.

-   Added the test topic temporarily to test text boxes in various
    browser versions.

### Build 36a

-   Test of text box in Format Tips.

-   Added links and details to Format Tips.

### Build 35

-   Removed redundant link to Assessments Menu and Pages.

-   Added links in Instructions for Administrators.

-   Clarified language in Work Areas in USA Staffing.

-   Corrected language on the popup for \"*Permissions*\" on the Office
    Connection page to say \"work area\" instead of \"task group\".

-   Added topic: Job Announcements in USAJOBS.

-   Added topic: Format Tips.

-   Added topic: The Format Toolbar.

-   Added all alt texts required for 508 to all links and all images.

### Build 34

-   Removed references to \"task group\" from the Announcement and
    Assessment topics.

-   Added link to Narrative Text Questions to What\'s New in USA
    Staffing.

-   Added topic: Assessment Menu and Pages.

-   Added topic: Announcement Menu and Pages.

-   Replaced autosizing popup in Contacts with a specified size \-- as a
    test to fix a problem occurring in Netscape 7.1.

### Build 33 

-   Updated language on Administration Menus and Pages, and removed the
    word \"task\" from the topic name.

-   Added Dennis\' and Sherron\'s text to Preferences pages. (Needs
    review to make sure I didn\'t distort their meaning, and some more
    info.)

### Build 32

-   Added a topic for Assessment Notes.

-   Added movie Demo of Assessment Notes.

-   Added a tip to Open or Create a Vacancy (Staffing Action).

-   Added information to Staffing Navigation to explain that the first
    step of the process appears by default when you click a white
    button.

-   Added a tip to the Administration Work Area to point out that in
    this work area, USA Staffing does not anticipate your next step.

-   Updated information in Customer Contact.

-   Updated information on the Permissions Table page. Includes detailed
    instructions about selecting the address.

### Build 31

-   Corrected typos on Permissions Profiles topics.

###  

### Build 30b 12/17/2003

-   Deleted mention of reports from the ADV bullet in the What\'s New in
    USA Staffing topic.

-   Added Dennis\' info on Permissions Profiles. Created multiple topics
    on the subject, including a Quick Start Guide.

-   Added mention of Permissions Profiles to What\'s New in USA
    Staffing?

-   Added an outline for the new topic Instructions for Administrators.

### Build 29a 12/12/2003

-   Added some content for Administration \> Maintenance \>Office and
    Administration \> Maintenance \> Units.

### Build 28a 12/11/2003

-   Added explanation of the toolbars in the Announcement Templates.
    Included are detailed instructions on inserting images and
    hyperlinks.

-   Added detailed instructions and movie for Insert Image.

-   Updated browse sequence to reflect all new topics.

### Build 27a  12/10/2003

-   Created HiddenText style for use with Keywords.

-   Added placeholder language for Announcement Templates page.

-   Added information about printing the Help document.

### Build 26   12/09/2003

-   Added reference to Handbook of Occupational Groups and Series in the
    Specialty and Grade (Assessment) topic.

-   Added placeholder pages for Pathways Through Major Staffing Process
    Types.

-   Reorganized Table of Contents hierarchy. Renamed Chapters.

-   Created dedicated style sheet for printing with all heading sizes
    allocated and assigned to Arial.

-   Replaced the \"Task Groups on the Top Navigation Bar\" topic with
    \"Work Areas in USA Staffing\". This contains less abstract, more
    plain language.

-   Created placeholder topics for all Administration menus.

-   Created print-specific style sheet and linked it.

### Build 25   12/08/2003

-   Added Announcement Locations.

### Build 24    12/05/2003

-   Added Announcement Specialty and Grade pages and demo.

### Build 23

-   Added topics and pages for the Announcement and Applicants menus.

### Build 22a   12/03/2003

-   Added Assessment Information pages.

### Build 19

-   User Name has been replaced with User ID. User ID instructions
    corrected to say it is *not* case sensitive.

-   Resetting passwords is clarified.

-   Font sizes are smaller. (They can still be adjusted by the users in
    their browser preferences, but the new font size keeps them from
    looking too big when the user has a lower screen resolution.)

-   All references to Profiles are now Permissions Profiles. \"Rights\"
    has been dropped.

-   Assessments pages have been added, but more content is still needed.

 

# Movie List

Here is a list of all the movies in this Help system.

Adding Factors in Questionnaire Builder

Moving Factors in Questionnaire Builder

Adding Items in Questionnaire Builder

Rating Criteria demo

Specialty and Grade in Assessment

Task buttons demo

Office Connection demo

Group by a column demo

Rearranging columns demo

Resizing columns demo

Inserting an Image

Specialty and Grade (Announcement)

Assessment Notes

 

# Glossary

A

**ACWA:** Administrative Careers With America \-- certain positions at
the grade 5 or 7 level that are subject to the provisions of the Luevano
Consent Decree. The use of the prescribed assessment process is required
for all ACWA positions.

**ADV:** Agency Document Viewer \-- an online system for agency staff to
view documents that have been submitted by applicants, such as resumes,
transcripts, and narrative text responses to competency questions.

**Agency Document Viewer:** an online system for agency staff to view
documents that have been submitted by applicants, such as resumes,
transcripts, and narrative text responses to competency questions.

C

**CARP:** Complete Applicant Record Printout. This report gives you
comprehensive information about the the applicant.

**Case Exam:** A Case Exam is a recruitment process undertaken for a
limited number of vacancies. The candidates are referred on one or more
lists over a relatively short period of time \-- generally 90 days. A
case exam may be preferred over a register because there is less
applicant maintenance and the names for referral tend to remain fresher.
However, there is often a greater lead time before names can be referred
because the vacancy is only announced upon receipt of a request.

**Cert:** Certificate of eligibles, the official referral of candidates
for competitive positions.

**Certificate:** Certificate of eligibles, the official referral of
candidates for competitive positions.

**Contact:** A person in one of your Customer organizations.

**Customer:** A user of your service \-- for example, a recipient of the
referral lists you issue in USA Staffing.

D

**Deferred Rating:** Deferred rating means that applicants are screened
for basic qualifications, but not are not immediately assigned a final
rating until additional assessments are applied at a later time. This
permits the final rating to be more responsive to the unique
requirements of the specific position being filled.

**DEOH:** The Delegated Examining Operations Handbook, published by OPM
as guidance for Federal agencies.

**DRS:** Document Repository System. This is where documents that
applicants upload or fax are stored.

F

**FTVA:** Full Text Vacancy Announcement. This is an older term for what
is now referred to as a Job Announcement.

I

**IT Job:** A job in the Information Technology field. Jobs coded as IT
Job in USA Staffing are more easily identified in USAJOBS searches.

K

**KSA:** Knowledge, Skill, or Ability

P

**Permissions:** Permission to access certain features in USA Staffing.
Permissions are controlled in the Administration task group by your
administrator.

**Pre-cert:** Pre-cert is short for \"pre-certificate\". This is a list
issued in deferred rating situations. It contains all the names that
need to be ranked by some process usually performed by a panel of
trained raters.

Q

**Questionnaire:** An assessment component in which the applicant is
asked to respond to either multiple choice or narrative text quesitons.
It is built in the Questionnaire Builder.

R

**Register:** An inventory of qualified candidates ready for immediate
referral. A register is usually used when many vacancies are expected to
be filled over a sustained period of time, and there is likelihood that
candidates will remain available during the life of the inventory.
Registers may be established in advance of actual requests to fill
vacancies so that candidates can be quickly referred when the requests
do come in. A register is the opposite of a Case Exam.

S

**Staffing Action:** In USA Staffing, your work is organized by Staffing
Action Records, also referred to as \"vacancies\", each with its own
identification number, or VIN.

T

**Template:** A reusable set of content for a Questionnaire type of
Assessment Component, a Job Announcement, or a Default Scale. Templates
are stored in the Template Libraries, and can be reused from one VIN to
another.

V

**Vacancy:** As used in USA Staffing, this term refers to a Staffing
Action record file for tracking all the processes associated with a job
announcement for a given job title, series, and often, for a particular
agency and set of locations.

**Vacancy ID:** See VIN.

**VIN:** Vacancy Identification Number. This number is used to track
your Staffing Action (Vacancy) through its life cycle.

 

# Index

\+

\+ 70

1

1203 FX 538

5

508 169

5-point 487

A

AA 405, 491

Ability Test 107

AC 491

access

USA Staffing 32

access 32

access 45

access 47

access 85

access 328

access 334

access 336

access 339

access 341

access 345

access ADV 508

access certain features

Permission 32, 363

access certain features 32

access certain features 363

Access Levels 341, 345

Accession Transaction List 281

Accomplishment Records 505

accomplishments 505

A-C-E 457

Acknowledgement Email 372, 449

Active Duty Military Service 239

Active Scripting 521

ACWA

Race/National Origin report 281

ACWA 94, 107

ACWA 339

ACWA 341

ACWA Assessments 438

ad hoc queries 561

Ad Hoc Reporting 8

ad hoc reporting with Oracle Discoverer 561

Add

Factors 128

Response 128

add an assessment 107

Add Factor 128

Add Item 128

Add Item button 128

Add Name 266

Add Response 128

Add Response button 128

Add/Modify Item 128

Additional Components

Pending 491

Additional Components 491

Address

of Customer Contact 321

Address 243

Address 321

Address 325

Address 328

Address 367

Adjudicated Preference 239

Admin 336

Administration 33, 88, 341

Administration Menus 293

Administration Work Area 52, 293

Administrative Careers With America 94

Administrators 8, 32, 33, 336, 341, 345

Administrator\'s Quick Start Guide 336

Adobe Acrobat 284

Adobe Acrobat PDF 284

Adobe Acrobat Reader 284

ADV 8, 33, 321, 339, 341, 405, 462, 508, 510, 524

ADV access 321, 508

ADV URL 508

Advanced 57, 88, 257

Advanced Criteria 257, 453

Advanced Search 33, 57, 88

Agency Document Viewer 8, 33, 339, 341, 345, 405, 508, 510, 524

Agency URL 154

All Qualified applicants 257

Allow Multiple Applications Per Applicant 98, 128

Alternate Text 179

AND (in Certificate Condition statements) 257

AND (in Certificate Conditions) 453

Announcement 88, 151, 153, 154, 158, 160, 169, 181, 186, 200, 399, 405

Announcement Home Page 153

Announcement Information 151, 153, 154, 158

Announcement menu 151, 153

Announcement Number 154

Announcement Pages 151

Announcement Preview 8, 200

Announcement Record 153

Announcement Templates Library 296

append error from FootPrints 38

Applicant

Biographical Information About 243

NOR Message Codes 378

Scheduling 237

Applicant 88, 100, 216, 227

Applicant 237

Applicant 243

Applicant 378

Applicant 399

Applicant 405

Applicant 448

Applicant 460

Applicant Address Labels 281

Applicant Data Utility 33, 216, 460

Applicant Expiration (report) 281

Applicant Flags 128, 225, 375, 485

Applicant Information 216, 218, 225, 405, 460

Applicant Inventory 234, 405

Applicant labels 281

Applicant List 213

Applicant Mismatch (report) 281

applicant Notification Letters 367

Applicant Questionnaire 107

applicant rating 367, 449

Applicant Record 100, 218, 227, 241, 243, 378, 399, 405, 485

Applicant status (report) 281

Applicant, Matched (report) 281

Applicants by RSC (report) 281

Applicants Pending Review (report) 281

applicants submit

résumé 449

applicants submit 449

Application Information 218

Application Information page 218

Application Missing 487

Applications 230

Applications Per Applicant 98

Apply

How 151, 160, 186

Apply 151

Apply 160

Apply 186

Apply 196

Apply 405

Apply Online 400, 405, 410, 411

Apply Online button 154

Apply Scale 128

apply screenouts 367

Appointment Type 154

Assessment 8, 33, 57, 88, 107, 234, 245, 399, 405, 505

Assessment Builder 107

Assessment Component 107

Assessment documentation 121, 122, 123

Assessment History 124

Assessment Information 98

Assessment Migration 392

Assessment Name 234

Assessment Plan 33, 88, 107, 405

Assessment Report 281

Assessment Template 107

Assessment Tool 33

Assessment Types 436

Assessor Module 8

assigning

Profiles 32

Users 345

assigning 32

assigning 345

Assignments 151, 157

audit 249

Audit Actions 274

Audit Code 274

Audit Code Definitions 274, 510

Audit Type 274

Audited Certificates (report) 281

auditing 274

Augmented Rating 367

Automated Assessment Matching Process 436

Automated Matching Process 436

Automatic Re-Rates 239

Availability Letter 281, 449

Availability Letters 372

Awards 107

B

Background 169

Backspace key 51

Basic Criteria button 257

Basic Search 33, 57

Batch Discard 538

Batch Options 538

Batch Print Documents 481, 510

Batch Printing 8

Benchmark 552

benchmark definitions 555

Benchmark Examples 555

Benchmarks (report) 281, 555

Benefits 33, 151, 160, 198

Best Qualified 257

Biographical Information About

Applicant 243

Biographical Information About 243

Body Text 169, 449

Boolean Logic 257, 453

Border Thickness 179

browse tables

group by a column 82

browse tables 82

browse tables 83

browse tables 84

bulleted 169

Bulleted List 169, 177

Business Intelligence Discoverer 571

C

cancel a VIN 420

Canceled 274

Cancellation Letter 281, 449

Cancellation Letters 372

candidates

official referral 367

candidates 367

candidates 399

candidates 405

candidates pending 405

Cardiff® 538

Career/Career Conditional certificate 257

CARP 281

Case Exam 94

categories \-- in Category Rating Setup 102

category (of a system preference)

select 363

category (of a system preference) 363

Category (of Configuration in Administration) 367

Category Rating 8, 33, 102, 441

Certificate

overdue (report) 281

timeliness (report) 281

Certificate 281

Certificate 367

Certificate 405

Certificate Condition Builder 257

Certificate Conditions 257, 453

Certificate Conditions table 257

Certificate Status 266

Certificate Type 257

CertificateID 481

Certification

Dual Certification report 281

Required 234

Certification 234

Certification 367

Certification Conditions 257

change

color attribute 169

Preferences 363

change 169

change 363

Change Your Password 47, 49

changes 8

Child Assessment Component 442

choose

Priority Order 257

Rank By 257

Civilian Pay 494

Close Parenthesis 257

Closing

Letter Statement 449

Closing 449

Closing Date 154, 405

Closing Text 449

Codes 424

collapsing the tree view 70

Colors 75, 169, 177, 181

columns

Resizing 84

columns 84

Combining Assessment Types 436

Commit 538

Competencies 128

competency based questions 557

Competency list 552

Competency/Factor 128

competitive positions 405

Complete 107, 121, 128, 151

Complete Applicant Record Printout 281

Component Developer 339

Condition 257

Configurable Items 363, 367

Configurations 367

Configurations Preferences 363

Connecting

USA Staffing 521

Connecting 521

Contact 321

Contact Edit 321

copies

Form 1203-FX 405

copy 128

Copying

From Microsoft Word Documents 169

Copying 169

Correspondence 367, 372, 405, 449

Correspondence Letters 449

Correspondence Text 372

Correspondence Types 449

cover sheet 196

cover sheets 472

Create

Staffing Action record 92

Vacancy 92

Create 92

Creating an Announcement Template 296

Criteria

Rating 144

Criteria 144

Criteria 257

Criteria (Rating) 431

CTAP 218, 257

CTAP/ICTAP 218

CTAP/ICTAP Claimed 218

CTAP/ICTAP Qualified 218

Customer

Contacts 321

Customer 321

Customer 363

Customer 367

Customer 405

Customer Contacted 154

Customer Labels 281

Customized Processing 107

Cut Off Score 257

D

Date Issued 266

DD-214 367

Default Scale 128

Default Scales 428

Default Scales in the Template Libraries 313

Default Text

Modifying 372

Default Text 372

Default Texts 372, 449

Deferred Assessments 442

Deferred Assessments page 442

Deferred Criteria page 442

Deferred Rating 94, 442

Delayed Filer 230

Delete Name 266

Deleted

User 328

Deleted 328

Deleting 200

Deleting a Vacancy 94

Deleting an Announcement Template 296

Deleting an Assessment Component 107

DEU Workload (report) 281

Developer 339

Diploma Mills 421

Disabled 328

Discard 538

Discoverer 561, 571

Discoverer Viewer 565, 567

Display Deleted 328

Display Disabled 328

displays

Applicant Inventory 234

displays 234

Disposition Letters

report 281

Disposition Letters 367

Disposition Letters 372

Disposition Letters 449

DOC 462

Document 241

Document Matching 476

Document Matching process 472

Document Repository System 33, 100, 462, 469, 524

Document Upload Service 405, 462, 469

Documentation of an Assessment 123

Documenting an Assessment 121, 122

Documents Submitted 241

DP 491

Drop Down Selection Boxes 70

DRS 33, 241, 469, 524

DU 491

Dual Certification Report 281, 367

Due Date 266

Duplicate Processed 491

Duplicate Unprocessed 491

DUS 462, 469

Duties 151, 160, 186, 192

E

Edit Item 128, 205

Education

Pending Completion 375

Education 194

Education 375

EL 405, 487

Eligibility

Period 94

Eligibility 94

Eligibility 128

Eligibility 218

Eligibility 491

Eligibility Dates 218

Eligibility Expired 491

Eligible \-- Not Referred 449

Eligible \-- Referred 449

eligibles 405, 491

email 405, 449

email addresses 177, 449

email addresses \-- inserting 181

Employee 157

Employer Type 94

Entering Information 70

Entry

New Applicant 216, 460

Entry 216

Entry 460

envelope specifications 529

Envelopes 529

Envelopes from the OPM Rider 529

Envelopes on the open market 529

ER 487

Error Resolution 538

ES 487

Evaluated OK 538

Evaluation 151, 160, 194

EX 491

Examining Office 405

Excepted Service 154

expanding the tree view 70

Experience Claimed

Support 505

Experience Claimed 505

Expiration (report of applicant expiration) 281

Expired and Purged Mismatched Documents 246

expired document 246

Exports 8, 383

External Contact 154

F

Factors 431

Failed Maximum Age 367

Failed Minimum Age 367

Failed Written Test 367

FAQ 85

Fax 196, 405

fax Cover Page 467

fax cover sheets 472

faxed documents 469

faxes 472

Faxing 416, 469

faxing applicant documents 467

Features 8

Federal Wage System 494

file types accepted by Document Upload Service 462

Filer Status 230

Fill (color) 169

Fiscal Year 531

Flag 128, 225, 375, 485

Flag Name 375

Font Color 169, 177

Font Selection 177

Font Size Selection 177

Font Sizes 169, 177

FootPrints 38

FootPrints emails 38

FootPrints Home Page 38

Forget Your Password for USA Staffing 47

forgot my password for Footprints 38

form

Pending 405

SF39 405

form 100

form 405

form 538

Form 1203-FX 405, 426, 472

Format menu 169

Format of Import File (Rating Import) 534

Format Tips 169

Format Toolbar 177

Forms Missing 487, 491

Frequently Asked Questions 85

From Microsoft Word Documents

Copying 169

From Microsoft Word Documents 169

FTVA 33

Full Text 33

Full Time 154

G

General Schedule 494

Generate Referral List/Certificate 257

Generate report 284

Generic TAP 33

Generic Telephone Application Processing 33

Getting

More Help 38

Getting 38

Global 339, 341

Global Default 363

Global Library 33

Glossary 5, 8

Going Places 51, 88

Grade 151, 158, 487

grade/salary 487

grid (browse table) 79

Grids 70

GS 494

GS Rate 494

H

HA 491

handheld 169

HC 491

Heading

Styles 169

use 169

Heading 169

Heading1 169

Heading2 169

Help 1, 5, 8

Help button 69

Help Desk 38

Help file 5

HH 491

History (of an Assessment) 124

Holding Area 100

Horizontal Line 177

hot spots 73

Hours 154

How

Apply 151, 160

How 151

How 160

How to Apply 160, 196

HR Manager 543

HTML 169, 177, 181

HTML checkbox 169

HTML Editor 169

HTML Editor Mode 169

HTTP 181

HTTPS 181

HTTPS address 181

hyperlink

insert 181

hyperlink 181

I

IA 367, 487

IAM 487

IB 487

IC 487

ICTAP 218, 257

ID 487

IE 487

IE6 521

IF 487

IFM 487

IG 487

IH 487

IJ 367, 487

IK 367, 487

Illegible Transcript 449

IM 487

Image File 177

Import Document 128

Importing a document 128

Importing the Ratings 534

IN

ineligible 405

IN 405

IN 491

Index 5, 8

Indexing

Process 524

Indexing 524

Individual Certificate Audit (report) 281

Ineligible

Application Missing 487

Forms Missing 487

IN 405

Resume Missing 487

Ineligible 378

Ineligible 405

Ineligible 487

Ineligible 491

Ineligible Code 144

Information Technology 94

insert

hyperlink 181

TAGs 189

insert 181

insert 189

Insert Image 179

Insert Image button

toolbar 179

Insert Image button 179

Insert Link 177, 181

Insert Link button 181

Interdisciplinary 107

Intermittent 154

Internal Contact 154

Internal Merit Promotion 257

Internet Explorer 521

Internet Options 521

Internet Zone 521

Inventory Status 281

Inventory Type 94

IO 487

IP 487

IP addresses 521

IQ 487

IRM 487

IS 487

Issue Certificate 257, 266

Issue Supplemental 257

issue supplements 249, 266

IT 94

IT Job 94

Item Editor 128

Items 128, 205

IW 487

IX 487

IY 487

IZ 487

J

Job Announcement

format tips 169

Preview 200

troubleshooting 210

Job Announcement 33, 128, 151, 158, 160

Job Announcement 169

Job Announcement 177

Job Announcement 179

Job Announcement 181

Job Announcement 186

Job Announcement 194

Job Announcement 196

Job Announcement 205

Job Announcement 405

Job Announcement Returned 154

Job Announcement Sent 154

Job Knowledge Test 107

Job Type 94

JPG 462

Judicial Salary Plan 494

K

Key 216, 460

Key Entry of a New Applicant 216, 460

Knowledge Base

Solutions 38

Knowledge Base 38

L

Labels

Applicant Address 281

Customer 281

Labels 281

Late 230

Late applications 230

Launch Scan Station 538

Learning Discoverer Plus 571

Letter Statement

Closing 449

Opening 449

Letter Statement 449

Library 107

Links

colors 75

Links 75

Links 177

Links 181

Location Codes 174, 353, 359

Location List 353

locations 151, 174, 218, 353, 356, 367

Locations By Customer 356

Locations By Office 353

Logout 74

Look In 57

Lowest Acceptable Grade 230

Luevano Consent Decree 107

M

Mailto 181

Mandatory 205

Manual

Pending 491

Manual 491

Manual Assessment Matching 436

Manual Correspondence (report) 281

Manual rating 107, 234

Match Process 476

Matched Applicants (report) 281

Matching 472

Matching Cert Requests 281

Maximize TELEform® Verifier 538

Maximum Age Screened 98

MB 487

MC 487

MD 487

meets

Well Qualified Score 218

meets 218

Menus 52

Merit Promotion Certificate 257

merit promotion list 249

Message Codes 378

Message Texts 449

MG 487

Microsoft Word 128, 169

migrating assessment tools 392

Minimum Age Screened 98

Minimum Qualifying Value 144

minus sign 70

Mismatch Review Report 476

Mismatched Assessments 245

Mismatched Documents 8, 246

Mismatched Documents Report 476

Mismatched status 476

Mismatched, Applicants report 281

Missing Page 538

MK 487

ML 487

MM 487

MN 487

MO 487

Modifications (of an Assessment) 124

modify a Factor 128

Modifying

Default Texts 372

Modifying 372

Modifying an Announcement Template 296

More Help

Getting 38

More Help 38

mouse 70

mouse-overs 73

MR 487

MS Word 169

MS Word menu bar 169

MS Word toolbar 169

Multiple Applications Per Applicant 98

Multistage Certificate 254

N

Name Request 254, 367

Narrative Response (report) 281

Narrative responses 505

Narrative Text

placing 205, 505

report of responses 281

types 505

Narrative Text 8, 33, 128

Narrative Text 505

Narrative Text Questions 128, 205, 505, 524

Nationwide 353

Nationwide Geographic Location 353

Nationwide Geographic Locations List 353, 356

New Applicant

About Key Entry 216, 460

Entry 216, 460

New Applicant 216

New Applicant 460

New Batch 538

New Terms 33

Next 88

non-competitive 257, 405

Non-Traditional 257

NOR 227, 367, 372, 378, 485, 487

NOR Message 378, 487

NOR Message Codes

applicants 378

report of 281

NOR Message Codes 281

NOR Message Codes 378

NOR Message Codes 485

NOR Message Codes 487

NOR Messages 227

Normal font 169

Normal Style 169

NORs 281

Not Referred 449

Not Selected 449

Notes

Notes report 281

Notes 281

Notice

Results 485

Notice 227, 367

Notice 485

Notice 487

Notice Of Results 378

Notices of Results 281

Notification Letter 281, 372

Notification Letters

types 449

Notification Letters 367

Notification Letters 449

Novice 341

NR 487

Numbered List 169

Numbered List button

tool bar 169

Numbered List button 169

O

Office 33, 66, 325, 328, 336, 367

Office Connection 33, 66, 367

Office Edit 325

Office List 325

Office Maintenance 325

Office Staff 281

official referral

candidates 367

official referral 367

online 151, 405

Online Application 8, 33, 128, 405, 410

Online Help 8, 69

Online Screening 128

Online Screening for Valid Value 128

Open Indefinitely 154

Open-Ended Writing 505

Open-Ended Writing Assessments 505

Opening

Letter Statement 449

Opening 449

Opening Date 154

Opens, Closes 154

OPM Form 1203 FX 538

OPM Form 1203-FX 405

OPM Help Desk Agent 38

OPM\'s firewall 521

OR (in Certificate Conditions statements) 257

OR (in Certificate Conditions) 453

Oracle Discoverer 561, 571

OracleBI 571

Ordering Criteria 257

Organization 336

Organization Library 57

Organizational Access 341

Organizational Library 33

Other Applications 218

Other Information 160

Other Information Template 198

Outstanding Scholar 375

Overdue Certificate (report) 281

Override a rating 230

Overview 151, 160, 399, 405

Overview Template 189

P

Page Limit 100

Pages 33

paperless 524

Paragraph 169

Parent Assessment Component 442

Part Time 154

Partial Search 57

password for Footprints, reset 38

Password for USA Staffing

change 49

Password for USA Staffing 47

Password for USA Staffing 49

Password for USA Staffing 85

Password for USA Staffing 328

Password Rules 47

paste 128

Pay 494

Pay Plan 94

Pay Plan Codes

Alphabetical Index 494

Pay Plan Codes 494

Pay Plans 494

PDF 169, 462, 524

PDF Format for reports 284

Pending

Additional Components 491

Forms 405

Manual 491

Quality 491

Rating 491

Rating Immediately 491

Pending 405

Pending 491

Pending Completion

Education 375

Pending Completion 375

Period

Eligibility 94

Period 94

Permission

access certain features 32, 363

Permission 32

Permission 33

Permission 328

Permission 334

Permission 336

Permission 339

Permission 341

Permission 345

Permission 363

Permissions Table 328, 334

Personnel Action Date 254

PF

removes 405

PF 100

PF 405

PF 491

Phone 325, 328, 367, 405

PI 491

Picture dialog 179

Picture Source 179

PJ 491

PL 491

PL Status 436

Plus 561

plus sign 70

Position Information 88, 94

Position Title 94

Postal 94

Postal Service 367

Potential Match Found 476

PQ 405, 491

PR 491

Pre-cert 33, 405

pre-certificate 405

Preference Level 363

Preference Level (in Configurations in Administration) 367

Preferences

change 363

Preferences 33, 341

Preferences 363

Preferences 367

Preferences 378

Preferences Overview 363

Preparation 123

Preview 151, 200

Preview Job Announcement 200

Preview Stored List 266

Preview the Questionnaire 128

Previous 88

Principal source 121

Print 284

Print Narratives 220

Print Preview 284

Priority Order 257

Processing History (for an Assessment) 124

Profile Edit 345

Profile List 345

Profile Type 345

Profiles

assigning 32

Profiles 32

Profiles 33

Profiles 325

Profiles 336

Profiles 339

Profiles 341

Profiles 345

Profiles 363

Promotion Potential Grade 158

Promotional Potential Grade 158

Proper Formatting

Styles \-- The Building Blocks 169

Proper Formatting 169

Publish/to USAJOBS 200

purged documents 246

Purged Mismatched Documents 246

Q

Qualifications 100, 107, 128, 151, 160, 194, 405, 487

Qualifications Review Required 98

Quality

Pending 491

Quality 491

quality categories 102

quality groups 441

Quals Only

Rate 234

Quals Only 234

Question \-- All 144

Question \-- Grade 144

Question Type 128

Questionnaire 8, 107, 128, 151, 205, 220, 405, 505

Questionnaire Builder 128

Questionnaire Developer Access 341

Questionnaire template 205

questions

for OPM experts 38

questions 38

questions 128

questions 205

questions 505

Questions are out of order 392

Questions based upon Competencies 557

Quick Start Guide 336

R

Race and National Origin 94

Rank By 257

Ranking List 266, 281, 367

Rate

Quals Only 234

Rate 234

Rate 405

Rate 448

Rate 494

Rating

Criteria 144

Pending 491

Rating 144

Rating 491

Rating (in Configurations) 367

Rating Criteria 144, 431

Rating Factors 431

Rating Immediately

Pending 491

Rating Immediately 491

Rating Import 534

Rating Method 107

Rating Sheets (report) 281

Rating Source 230

Rating Summary 281

Rating Summary Report 375

Read Only 336

Rearrange columns 83

Record Layout for Rating Import 534

Record Status 218, 257

Record Status Codes

report of applicants by RSC 281

Record Status Codes 491

Recruitment and Selection in HR Manager 552

Refer Method 257

Referral 8, 88, 249, 405

Referral (in Configurations) 367

Referral Home page 249

referral list 254, 257

Referral List/Certificate 257, 266

Referral Lists 405

Referral Status 257

Reissue button 266

Release to USAJOBS 200

Released 153, 154

removes

PF 405

removes 405

Re-Opener 230

Reports 52, 88, 281, 284, 405

Reports (in Configuations) 367

Reports work area 510

Request

customer submits 405

issued 367

Request 205, 249, 254

Request 367

Request 405

Request Graduate Transcripts 449

Request Information 254

Request Information page

Request Information page 254

Request Transcript 449

Request Undergraduate Transcript 449

Requests for Referral 249

Required

Certification 234

Required 100, 194

Required 234

Required 405

required typing 487

Re-Rate 107, 448

re-rate an applicant 230

Re-Rate Applicant 448

Re-Rates 239

Reset USA Staffing Password 47, 321, 328

reset your FootPrints password 38

Resizing

columns 84

Resizing 84

Response

Add 128

Response 128

Response 144

Responses 424

responsibilities 32, 405

Result

Notice 485

Result 227, 405

Result 485

Result 487

résumé 367

Résumé Builder 400

Resume Email 154

Resume Missing 487

Résumé URL 154

résumés 508, 524

Return Status 274

Return URL 410, 411

Review 405, 491

RNO 94

Rotate View of upside down documents 241

RSCs 218

RTF 462

Rules

Use 45

Rules 45

Run Report 284

S

Salary 94

Save As 284

Save Web Page dialog 284

Scale 128

Scale \-- All 144

Scale \-- Grade 144

Scan 538

Scan Station 538

Scanner 538

Scheduled Reports button 284

Scheduling

Applicant 237

Scheduling 237

Scheduling 284

Screen Out 128, 144, 205, 431

Screen Out Factor 144

Screen Out item 128

Screen Out Questions 423

Screening Elements 88

Search

use 88

Search 5, 8, 57

Search 88

Search 92

Seasonal 154, 257

Section 508 169

Security Precautions 47

Security Settings dialog 521

Select Questions 442

Select Questions page 442

Selected 405, 449

Selection Made 449

Send applicants to USAJOBS Résumé Builder 154

Send To 254

sends

email 449

sends 449

series 107, 151, 158, 405

Session History 33, 67, 88

Session History dropdown 88

set

locations 151

set 151

set Configurations 367

Set Remaining Applicants 274

Setting Up Automated Applicant Flags 375

SF39

form 405

SF39 405

Shading 169

Shopping Cart in HR Manager 546

Show Online 205

Show Rating 449

Show Section 205

Show Support Users 8

Sites button 521

Smart Menus and Pages 52

Solutions

Knowledge Base 38

Solutions 38

Source Inrformation (documenting an Assessment) 121

Specialty 151, 158, 405, 487

Specialty/Grade 257

Specific Information (documenting an Assessment) 122

SS 491

SSN 257, 476, 538

Staffing 87

Staffing Action 33, 91, 92, 94, 399, 405

Staffing Action record file 88

Staffing Action Records

create 92

Staffing Action Records 33, 57, 88, 91

Staffing Action Records 92

Staffing Action Records 399

Staffing Action Records 405

Staffing menu 88

Staffing Process 399, 405

Staffing Work Area 33, 52, 87, 88, 341, 510

Standard 336

Start URL 410, 411

Stored List 257, 266

Stored Reports button 284

Storing 284

Structured Interview 543

Structured Interview Questions 107

Style Selection 177

Styles

Heading 169

Styles 169

Styles 177

Styles \-- The Building Blocks

Proper Formatting 169

Styles \-- The Building Blocks 169

Summer Job 154

Supervisory Questionnaire 107

supplements 249, 257, 266

Support

Experience Claimed 505

Support 505

Supporting Documents 100, 472

Suspended Status 491

T

TA 491

Tab key 70

Table

Contents 5

Table 5

TAGs 189, 200

TAPS 405

Task 157

TC 491

TDD 154

Telecommuter 154

telecommuters 521

telecommuting 8

TELEform® 538

TELEform® Reader 538

Telephone Application Processing System 405

Temp/Term Certificate 491

Temp/Term Certificates 257

Template Developer 339

Templates 33, 57, 107, 151, 169, 177, 181, 186, 189, 192, 194, 196, 198,
205

Temporary 154, 257

Term 154, 257

Terms Used 5, 405

Test Data Entry (report) 281

Test Rating Summary (report) 281

Testing an Assessment Component 433

Tests (of an Assessment) 124

Tie Breaker 257

Timeout 8

Time-Out 50

Too many characters 210

tool bar

Bulleted List button 169

Numbered List button 169

tool bar 169

tool tips 73

toolbar

Insert Image button 179

toolbar 179

training/education 487

tree view 70

Troubleshooting Job Announcements 210

Troubleshooting Reports 284

Trusted Sites icon 521

TXT 462

U

Underline 169, 177

Undo an Override 230

Unmatched Over 7 Days 476

Unused 274

upload 462

uploaded 476

Uploading 416, 418

upside down \-- ADV and faxes 196

Upside down documents 241

URL

USA Staffing 521

URL 177, 181, 410

URL 521

URL Option 181

USA Staffing

access 32

Administrators 32

Connecting 521

URL 521

USA Staffing 32

USA Staffing 521

USA Staffing Administrator 33, 85

USA Staffing Administrators 336, 345, 363

USA Staffing apply screenouts 367

USA Staffing Help Desk 38

USA Staffing passwords 47

USAJOBS 33, 128, 151, 160, 169, 194, 196, 198, 400, 405

USAJOBS Nationwide Geographic Locations List 353, 356

USAJOBS Reference Code 200

USAJOBS Résumé Builder 154

Use

Rules 45

Use 45

Used 144

User

Assigning 345

User 46, 328, 339, 341

User 345

User Edit 328

User Edit page 328

User List 8, 328

User Maintenance 328, 339, 345

User Manual for HR Manager 559

User Name

Customer Contact 321

User Name 46, 47

User Name 321

User Name 328

User records 328

Using Help 5

V

vacancies 88, 151, 154, 399, 405

vacancy

canceled 491

Create 92

deleted 491

vacancy 91

vacancy 92

vacancy 491

Vacancy Dual Cert (report) 281

Vacancy Identification Number 88, 151

Vacancy Information (report) 281

Valid Value 128, 144, 205

Value 144

Verifying 538

Veteran Preference 239

veteran preference supporting documents 524

Veterans Preference

adjudication 367

Veterans Preference 363

Veterans Preference 367

Veterans Preference 508

Veterans Preference by Score (report) 281

Viewer 561, 565, 567

Viewing Narrative responses 505

VIN 33, 57, 88, 91, 92, 151, 399, 405

Visitor Office 341

Visitor Organization 341

VPN 521

W

WE14075 529

Well Qualified Score 257

What You Need

Finding 5

What You Need 5

What\'s New 8

windows, working with multiple windows 78

Work Area 33, 52

Work Areas 51

Work Sample 107

Work Schedule 154, 254

Workbook 567

workgroup

name 349

workgroup 33, 157

workgroup 349

Workgroup List 349

Workgroups

change 349

Workgroups 157

Workgroups 349

Workgroups List 349

Worksheets 567

Written Test 107

Written Test Mismatch (report) 281