The Users menu includes several options including creating a user in the system, establishing groups that will be linked into group chains (aka workflows) and API Access Tokens for third-party integration.

Users

A "user" is a person that the software is designed for and is using it.   Users are assigned one or more Roles.  The roles assigned to the user determines the access that user will have in the ESS system. Please refer to Roles under More Information on Users for the list of available Roles in ESS.

Create a User

The username entered when creating the user account is the username used when logging into Employee Self Service. Currently, only users with ADMIN role can create users but users with District Manger role can view users. There is no user self registration yet in ESS. (ESS-246)

1. From the Users menu, select 'Users'.

2. Click

   1. Enter/Select desired user information. Field denoted with a ^. are required fields.

      1. If the user account being created is for an employee of the district, select the employee by clicking on the drop down arrow under ‘Select Employee’ or enter a name to start filtering on an employee. Once selected it will auto-populate full name and email address from the USPS Employee record. (Primary email address from USPS is pulled by default.)

      2. If user is using Active Directory, enter their active directory username in the ‘Username’ field. Also check the ‘External Authentication’ box.

      3. If user is using DUO, check the ‘Two Factor Authentication’ box.

      4. Password Expiration date and time is automatically set when the ‘change password’ option is used.

      5. Select role(s). User Roles are defined under ‘More Information on Users’

3. Click on to create the user or to cancel out of the window without saving changes.

Users Grid Options

The User grid allows Admin and District Manager users to search for existing accounts by clicking in the filter row in the grid columns and entering in the desired information.

• view entire user record.

• edit a user record

• change a user’s existing password. NOTE: This password option can only be used for local or Two Factor authentication. If you are set up for external authentication, please contact your AD manager.

  

• locks user account.  The user will not be able to log into the application. A user with Admin or District Manager role can log into the application and access a user’s account in order to unlock it.

• unlocks a user account that is currently locked.

• deletes a user account.  If a user is part of a group/group chain and/or has leave requests entered in the system, their user account cannot be deleted. However, their account may be disabled by unchecking the ‘enabled’ box.

• Bulk Reset Passwords: Allows mass reset of passwords for selected users. Checkmark specific users or use the top checkbox to select all users based on the filter you entered. A pop-up window appears with a grid listing the selected users and when their passwords are set to expire (if applicable). Click ‘Confirm’ to reset their passwords. The Password Expiration date and time will auto-populate in the User’s account forcing the user to reset their password at the ESS login page (by selecting the ‘Forgot Password’ option).

• Export Grid Items: Checkmark specific users or use the top checkbox to select all users based on the filter you entered. Click to generate a CSV formatted spreadsheet based on the users you filtered.  For more information on updating user information via a spreadsheet, please refer to the System>Mass Load option.

Groups

Groups are made up of users within the ESS system who are responsible for approving and/or receiving notification of a leave request. Once a group is created, it can be added to a Group Chain. Users with Admin, District Manager or Leave Approval Automated Workflow Admin roles are able to create and maintain groups and group chains.

Create a Group

From User>Groups,

1. click . Fields denoted with a ^. are required fields.

2. Name: Enter the desired name of the Group and description.

3. Select And/Or:

   1. AND requires all Approver Group Member Types to approve the leave request

   2. OR requires only 1 Approver member to approve the leave request

4. Select the group members to be included. The list to choose from will include active ESS users as well as two unique users:

   1. Supervisor will automatically include the supervisor listed on the user's USPS Position record.

   2. Manager will automatically include users with Leave Manager role in ESS.

   3. NOTE: When adding a Supervisor or Manager group member to a Group, you must use OR option otherwise, it will attempt to flow to ALL supervisors or managers instead of the one specific to this position.

5. Once a member is selected, click Add to add the member to the grid. It will display their Username, Name and allow you to select their access to the group.

   1. Approver: member is an approver and will be sent an email notification when the leave request needs approval

   2. Read-only Access: member is not an approver but is allowed to view the leave request.

   3. Read-only Access with Notifications: member is not an approver but will be sent an email notification when a leave request is awaiting approval.

6. Click on to create the group or to cancel out of the window without saving changes.

Groups Grid Options

The Groups grid allows the user to filter group information by clicking in the filter row in the grid columns and entering in the desired search query

• view entire group record.

• edit a group record. Editing will allow you to add/remove members or update group member type to an existing group.

• delete a group record.  NOTE: If the group is attached to a Group Chain, you will not be able to delete the group.

Group Chains

A Group Chain defines the leave approval workflow by linking selected (approver) Groups with specified employees, groups, departments, etc. that are included in the workflow. Users with Admin, District Manager or Leave Approval Automated Workflow Admin roles are able to create and maintain groups and group chains.

Create a Group Chain

From User>Groups Chains,

1. click . Fields denoted with a ^. are required fields.

2. Name: Enter the desired name of the Group Chain and description.

3. Priority: Must be specified to determine the order of the workflow for each group chain

4. Select and drag Available (Approval) Groups from the left to the right (Selected) groups area.

5. Once the approval groups are in the proper order, select the Specific Leave Types you want included in the group chain. If left blank, all leave types will be included:

6. You have the option of including one or more of the following to be included in the workflow:

• Specific Employees:

• Specific Pay Groups

• Specific Departments Codes

• Specific Building Codes

• Specific Sub Category (leave type sub categories)

7. Once the group chain is set, click ‘Create’ to save it and it will be added to the Group Chains grid.

Group Chain Grid Options

• view entire group chain record.

• edit a group chain. NOTE: If you edit the original settings of the group chain so that it is no longer applies to any outstanding leave requests tied to this group chain, you will receive an error message and the changes will not take place. Otherwise, if the edit was successful, it will restart the workflow on the leave request and the leave request’s approval trail will display ‘Group Chain Edited’.

• or allow you to reorder the priority of the district existing workflows. Group priority can be shared (meaning you can assign the same prior to multiple group chains. It will flow by priority first and then alphabetically.

• delete a group chain.  If you attempt to delete a group chain that contain outstanding leave requests, if another applicable group chain exist (i.e. 'catch all' group chain), the workflow for the leave request will restart. Otherwise, you will receive an error message and you will not be able to delete the group chain.

API Access Token

API Access Tokens inform the API that the bearer of the token is authorized to access ESS.  It requires an existing ESS user account who needs to integrate with ESS identifying the user (third party) using the application. 

Creating an API Access Token

1. From User>API Access token, click .

2. Created by, date and time will auto fill

3. Select the existing User account created for the third-party vendor along with a description.

4. Click to create the API Access Token or to cancel out of the window without saving changes.

More Information on Users

Roles

Users may be assigned one or more roles. All users by default will be assigned the ‘User’ role. Listed below are the available Roles in ESS, it’s Kiosk counterpart, definition and example of the role.