USA Staffing Upgrade Onboarding Frequently Asked Questions

U.S. Office of Personnel Management

1900 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20415

USA Staffing

Onboarding Features

Frequently Asked Questions

OFFICIAL USE NOTICE: This material is intended exclusively for use by USA Staffing Customers and is not to be distributed

without approval from the USA Staffing Program Office. This communication may contain information that is proprietary,

privileged or confidential or otherwise legally exempt from disclosure. If you have received this document in error, please

notify the USA Staffing Program Office immediately and delete all copies of the presentation.

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Contents

Overview 2

System Access 3

System Use 3

Forms 6

Tasks and Workflows 6

Interconnectivity 7

Training and Online Help 8

General System Questions 9

Helpful Links 9

Overview

What is Onboarding?

USA Staffing’s Onboarding features help to automate the Agencies’ entry-on-duty processes. The Onboarding features,

together with the other capabilities within USA Staffing, help Agencies streamline the hiring process and move toward

end-to-end automated hiring. Using the Onboarding features can improve the user experience for New Hires and HR

Professionals by reducing duplication in data entry, improving communication related to required tasks, and tracking

progress. The onboarding features are flexible and can be used to onboard applicants selected inside or outside of USA

Staffing.

Features of USA Staffing Onboarding Functionality



Fully integrated within USA Staffing to allow

seamless end-to-end hiring and onboarding

 USA Staffing and Onboarding seamlessly

integrate data flow from USAJOBS to the new

hire record

 Shared Sign-on with USAJOBS for Applicants/New

Hires reduces login burden

 Allows creation of New Hire records from outside

of USA Staffing

 Enables HR Users to assign government-wide and

Agency specific forms to a New Hire

 Guides New Hires through simple questionnaires

that automatically populate a wide array of forms

 Validates user input

 Allows New Hires and HR Users to e-sign eligible

forms

 Allows New Hires and HR Users to upload

documents



Transmits directly to eOPF

 Allows HR User role customization to allow for

flexibilities in unique hiring processes

 Allows for creation of customizable tasks and

workflows to support Agency’s entrance-on-duty

process

 Provides customizable notifications to increase

and improve New Hire communication

 Permits HR Users to monitor New Hire processes

 Includes streamlined end-to-end reporting

 Includes online help and access to user support

 Included in USA Staffing license fee

 Onboarding only users do not count towards

Agency USA Staffing license limit

 Complies with Enterprise Human Resource

Integration (EHRI) requirements

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System Access

What internet browsers are compatible with the Onboarding Features?

USA Staffing requires HTML5 compatible browsers including:

• Chrome 25+ (i.e., version 25.0.1364.172)

• Firefox 19+ (i.e., 19.0.2)

• Internet Explorer (i.e., version 11)

• Edge 44+

The Onboarding interface supports the current and major releases of: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer, and

Safari.

Some Agency HR personnel don’t need access to the Staffing features in core USA Staffing. Can they access the

Onboarding features?

Yes. Onboarding Only User profiles can be created for individuals who will only be accessing the Onboarding features.

Individuals with this access cannot be granted paid features therefore they will not count towards the Agency’s USA

Staffing license count.

What options are available for user authentication?

HR Users access USA Staffing and authenticate using a username and password or PIV/CAC card. New Hires access the

website by registering and using their USAJOBS/Login.gov login credentials. New Hires will have access only while they

are active in the onboarding process.

System Use

How can I create a New Hire record?

There are two ways New Hire records can be created. A New Hire record is created when HR Users audit a certificate

and designate an applicant with Audit Code as ‘Selected,’ Return Status as ‘Hired’ or ‘Vetting,’ and select an option for

the remaining audit fields (Customer, Request Number [if Return Status is Vetting then no Request Number is needed]

Location, Workflow, Position Description Number, and Series). HR Users can also create an Onboard New Hire Request

to manually create a New Hire record without a certificate.

Why would I use the Return Status of ‘Vetting’ when auditing an applicant on a certificate?

This status allows agencies to begin the onboarding process for applicants who are tentatively selected but must go

through a vetting process before a formal offer can be extended. New Hire records can be created en masse for those in

a vetting status and do not require a linked request number in the audit for the record to be created. However, in order

to send a final/official job offer and complete the New Hire record, a request must to be tied to the new hire at that

point.

Can I use the Onboarding features if a candidate was selected using a hiring authority outside of USA Staffing?

Yes. The Onboarding features can be used even if a selection was not made within USA Staffing. HR Users can manually

create a New Hire record to onboard an individual via USA Staffing using the Onboard New Hire request type.

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What if I don’t know the New Hire’s EOD date?

The projected EOD date can be entered and modified at any point in the process. The completion date of the Verify New

Hire Arrived for First Day of Duty task serves as the actual EOD in the time to hire model. In order to ensure data

integrity, once this task is completed, it can only be modified to a date on or prior to the current system date.

If a New Hire doesn’t come on board, can I delete the individual in the system?

Currently, New Hires cannot be deleted from the system. New Hires can be assigned a status of Cancelled which will

stop their onboarding process within USA Staffing. By default, the New Hire tab on the Dashboard only displays active

new hire records, but an HR User can use filtering to view cancelled records if needed.

How do I cancel a New Hire record?

If the New Hire was not created from a certificate, the HR User can change the Status drop-down field on the New Hire

record from ‘Active’ to ‘Cancelled’. HR Users are restricted from manually cancelling a New Hire record that was created

from a certificate. HR Users must update the certificate audit to reflect that the person is no longer ‘Selected’ and

‘Hired.’ Doing so will automatically cancel the related New Hire record. New Hires may be cancelled by these methods as

long as the New Hire has not entered on duty as indicated by completion of the ‘Verify New Hire Arrived for First Day of

Duty’ task.

Can I send custom notifications to the New Hire?

Yes. Office Administrators and/or HR Users with the appropriate permissions can customize, add attachments, and copy

notification templates. HR and Onboarding Users can send notifications to New Hires based on the customizable

notification templates. HR and Onboarding Users may then edit the notification, attach more/remove documents as

necessary, and save a draft of the notification before sending the notification to the New Hire. HR Users can also send

various types of new hire notifications en masse from the certificate to a group of new hires at one time.

Are supporting documents available from a New Hire’s USA Staffing record?

Yes. Supporting documents submitted or uploaded during the applicant process are visible in a new hire record created

as a result of an applicant being selected from a certificate. HR Users with access to the applicant record can control

which documents are visible in the New Hire record.

Can I view the New Hire’s live questionnaire?

Yes. You can view the New Hire’s questionnaire as they complete the information. New Hires may contact you to

troubleshoot questions about their questionnaire. HR Users will have read-only access to questions that have been

designated as editable only by the New Hire.

Can a New Hire upload documents into USA Staffing?

Yes. Both New Hires and HR Users can upload documents into USA Staffing. The HR User can also select or modify the

document type so it is transmittable to eOPF.

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Is USA Staffing a system of record?

USA Staffing’s onboarding module is a transactional system that captures data from the New Hire and HR Users to

populate and generate forms. All forms generated by the system and documents uploaded into the system are purged

when an HR User purges the record. USA Staffing is not a system of record for the PDF form/documents.

In accordance with the archive process established by the NARA disposition schedules, data captured from a New Hire is

not retained by the system for use in subsequent onboarding processes. However, an audit trail tracks when data was

inserted, modified, or deleted in case of litigation. All data retention is covered under the GOVT-1 System of Record

Notice (SORN).

If the New Hire’s EOD date changes during onboarding, will the 90-day clock start over?

The 90-day time period is calculated based on the actual EOD date, which is determined by the completion date of the

‘Verify New Hire Arrived for First Day of Duty’ task. This task should be completed the day a new hire shows up for their

first day of work and someone has physically verified their presence. After the task is completed, the system only allows

a user to enter a date on or prior to the current system date; therefore, the clock cannot be extended, only reduced.

What happens if I complete the ‘Verify New Hire Arrived for First Day of Duty’ task prematurely or by mistake?

If the New Hire is still scheduled to come on board at a later date, the HR User can update the Completion Date of this

task on the day the new hire actually arrives on duty. This can be done from the Assignments > Manage Tasks tab of the

New Hire record. Updating the completion date of this task will also update the New Hire’s Actual EOD Date/Start Date

as displayed on the Overview tab in the record.

If the New Hire is no longer coming on board (i.e. declined the position) and you need to update the certificate audit to

reflect the applicant declined or is unavailable, you will need to submit a help desk ticket from within the system to have

this task manually re-set by our technical team.

Once a New Hire is in Complete status, how do I reactivate the record for them to log in and complete additional

tasks?

New Hires can only log into Onboarding when their record is in Active status. New Hire records automatically ‘Complete’

when all Human Resources tasks are in a complete status. To reactive a record in Complete status, simply add a new

Human Resources task to the New Hire record. We recommend adding a task that will remain in Active status until the

New Hire has completed the onboarding process. Once a new active Human Resources task is added and then saved, the

record will update from ‘Complete’ to ‘Active’ and the New Hire will be able to log in.

What should I do if my New Hire is having trouble logging into the system to accept an offer, complete tasks, or

submit forms?

New Hires have their own Help Center link that they can access at any time. As a first step, we recommend that the HR

or Onboarding User send them this link: https://help.usastaffing.gov/NewHire/index.php?title=Welcome_New_Hire

. On

this New Hire specific Online Help, there are many Frequently Asked Questions and Answers. One topic is “What if I

can’t log in?” Have the New Hire follow the steps outlined in that article first. If the New Hire still cannot log into the

system, please submit a help desk ticket from within the system on their behalf so that the technical team can

troubleshoot the issue.

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Forms

How are Agency-specific forms added to the system?

The USA Staffing Program Office will review, prioritize and develop appropriate forms. Agencies can request Agency-

specific forms be added to USA Staffing by working with their Account Manager. If the form is to be transferred to eOPF,

the Agency must provide the USA Staffing Program Office with specific transmission settings based on the Agency’s EHRI

approved Agency Form List for their instance of eOPF.

What is a form workflow and why do I need to designate one when requesting an Agency-specific form to be

developed in USA Staffing?

Form workflows are used by the system to determine, communicate, and control what actions the specific role (New

Hire, Appointee, Human Resources, Authorizing Official, Certifying Official, Approving Official) can perform at various

steps of the form completion process. The USA Staffing Program Office highly recommends using the

Onboarding Forms

Configuration Guide when determining which form workflow to select and configure for your Agency-specific form so

that the form will function as desired.

Are state tax forms available in USA Staffing?

Yes. All state tax withholding forms are available in USA Staffing. We recommend confirming the current year available

on each form and that your payroll office will accept the current year form in the system. We strive to have the latest

version of each state tax form available as soon as possible, but there may be delays due to unknown revision dates

from each state at different times of the year.

Can digital signatures be used for forms in USA Staffing?

Yes. USA Staffing uses its own electronic signature process in accordance with EHRI’s electronic signature requirements.

Some forms still require a “wet signature.” These forms can be completed through USA Staffing, printed for signature,

and uploaded into USA Staffing for eOPF transmission as documents.

How do I make a correction on a form?

The HR User can return forms for correction and use the associated notification template to explain what needs to be

corrected and resubmitted. HR is required to select the question(s) that need correction so the system can automatically

return any other submitted forms that use the same question(s), thereby unlocking the question(s). When the form

being returned shares a question with another form that has already been submitted to eOPF, the HR User will be

unable to unlock that question for correction.

Tasks and Workflows

What are task assignments?

Tasks are activities that must be completed to onboard a New Hire. Tasks can be designated as owned by the HR User

Only or the New Hire. Tasks assigned to the HR User can serve as internal reminders and checklists for the HR staff to

ensure all onboarding requirements are completed. Tasks assigned to the New Hire serve as a way to communicate to

the New Hire that specific actions need to be completed in order to finalize the onboarding process (e.g. fulfilling various

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background investigation requirements, drug testing, physical fitness tests and other pre-employment obligations).

What are workflows?

A workflow is a set of tasks that can be assigned to HR Users or the New Hire. Workflows provide HR Users with an

option to simultaneously assign tasks that are routinely assigned to New Hires. This feature eliminates the need to

individually assign tasks and reduces inadvertent omission of assignments to New Hires. Additionally, workflows are

used to create a schedule for when each task should be complete to ensure timely entry on duty.

Can a New Hire mark tasks as complete?

Yes. Except for form and questionnaire related tasks, New Hires may mark tasks as complete by entering a completion

date. This Completion Date will also populate on the HR User interface indicating to the HR User the task is complete.

Who can create tasks and workflows?

HR Users with the appropriate permissions can view, create, edit, and delete tasks and workflows using the Manage

Tasks or Manage Workflows pages. However, any user within an organization or office with access to use a task or

workflow can assign them to a New Hire record.

Can an HR User edit the task once it has been assigned to the New Hire?

Yes. HR Users can edit the name, instructions, and due date of tasks that have been assigned but not yet completed by a

New Hire.

Interconnectivity

How is USA Staffing integrated with other systems (e.g., Agency payroll system, eOPF, etc.)?

USA Staffing provides electronic forms and data to the eOPF system as defined by EHRI EOD requirements. The data

feed is accomplished through a secure interconnection with eOPF. Various Agency personnel systems are

interconnected with USA Staffing and are able to receive status updates about the onboarding process. In the future,

USA Staffing will interconnect with E-Verify, e-QIP and other 3

party systems. Please contact your USA Staffing Account

Manager for additional information on Agency specific interconnections.

What is the current process for creating an employee record in eOPF?

USA Staffing does not create employee records in eOPF. An Agency must create the employee eOPF record first using

the manual or automated process the Agency has in place. The employee record must be active in eOPF before any

forms can be transmitted using USA Staffing.

How are forms/documents pushed to eOPF?

HR Users add eOPF eligible forms/documents to an eOPF transmission queue. When files are queued, a transmit date is

calculated and set based on the completion date of the ‘Verify New Hire Arrived’ task and the delay time frame

configured for your organization. Once in the queue, the transmission service will process the transmission and update

the transmission status to one of these values, as appropriate: Queued, Transmission in Progress, Error, or Confirmed.

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What do the different eOPF transmission statuses mean?

Ready to Transmit. The form/document is eligible and ready for transmission to the new hire's eOPF.

Ineligible for Transmission. The form/document has been flagged by your agency as ineligible for transmission to the

new hire's eOPF.

Elected Not to Transmit. The form/document has been marked by an HR user to not transmit to the new hire's eOPF.

Queued. The form/document is added and awaiting transmission to the new hire's eOPF. The form/document is queued

to give the agency time to create the new hire's eOPF and process the required actions. The Queued status indicates the

form/document is on hold. The length of time a form/document is queued is determined by your agency.

Transmission in Progress. The form/document has been transmitted and is awaiting confirmation from the eOPF

system.

Confirmed. The form/document has been successfully transmitted to the new hire's eOPF.

Error. The transmission process received an error from the eOPF system. This status will display the error code

associated with the transmission issue. Please check USA Staffing’s Online Help to determine how to correct an error.

What is the Scheduled Transmit Date and how is it determined?

The Scheduled Transmit Date column on both the forms and documents subtabs within a New Hire record displays the

date that new hire forms/documents will be transmitted to eOPF. The calculation of this date is: [New Hire Actual EOD

Date/Start Date] + [eOPF Transmission Delay Period configured for your organization]. When a file is queued for

transmission and the calculated transmit date is before the current system date, then the Scheduled Transmit Date will

be the current system date (today’s date). If the calculated date is on or after the current system date, the Scheduled

Transmit Date will be the calculated date.

How are beneficiary forms uploaded into eOPF?

Both New Hires and HR/Onboarding Users may upload documents, including signed beneficiary forms requiring wet

signatures, into USA Staffing. If the document type selected at the time of upload is eligible for transmission to eOPF, the

file can be added to the eOPF transmission queue.

Training and Online Help

What type of online help is available in the system?

USA Staffing’s Online Help

includes additional information for all pages and detailed instructions for performing

common activities. For technical issues, there is a ticket-oriented help desk which is accessed by clicking the ? icon at the

upper right-hand corner of all USA Staffing pages.

Does USA Staffing offer training for the Onboarding features?

Yes. Structured online and custom training is available. The structured online Onboarding course provides an overview

of the Onboarding features within the system. During this course, HR Users will learn how to initiate the onboarding

process, assist New Hires, and complete New Hire records. Please contact your USA Staffing Account Manager for more

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information or to schedule Onboarding training.

General System Questions

Is there a timeout feature in USA Staffing?

Yes. For security reasons, the system is set to timeout 15 minutes after the last action performed by the user, excluding

mouse clicks and text entry. Users should click “Save” after they enter data to ensure information is not lost when the

system times out.

What reporting capabilities are available in USA Staffing for Onboarding?

USA Staffing provides both standard reports and ad hoc reporting capability exclusively through the business intelligence

tool Cognos. Standard reports on New Hire information, forms, transmissions, and time to hire are available, and new

reports are continuously being added. Ad hoc reporting is supported on both transactional and warehouse data

structures, giving users access to either real time data, or faster report execution on data loaded nightly, whichever is

more appropriate. Both standard and ad hoc reporting capabilities allow for tabular reporting as well as integrated

visualizations. Automated reporting using Cognos is also available through an API. For more information regarding the

reports available in Cognos for Onboarding, please contact your USA Staffing Account Manager.

Is USA Staffing 508 compliant?

Yes. USA Staffing is continually tested for security and 508 compliance prior to each system release.

How does USA Staffing comply with Government mandates and guidance, OPM requirements, etc.?

The system complies with all aspects of EHRI guidance and follows the HRLOB Concept of Operations. USA Staffing

meets all Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),

and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) security and compliance requirements.

Who should I contact with questions about USA Staffing’s Onboarding features?

Contact your USA Staffing Account Manager with questions or for additional information about the Onboarding features

available in USA Staffing.

Helpful Links

• USA Staffing Resource Center: https://go.usa.gov/xVe8P

• USA Staffing Online Help: https://help.usastaffing.gov/

• New Hire Online Help: https://help.usastaffing.gov/NewHire/index.php?title=Welcome_New_Hire

• USA Staffing Production url: https://www.usastaffing.gov

• USA Staffing Stage url: https://stage.usastaffing.gov/

• eOPF Test Environment: https://qeopf.opm.gov/qa_eod/

• USAJOBS Test url: https://www.uat.usajobs.gov

• USAJOBS Production url: https://www.usajobs.gov/

• USA Staffing Online Course Portal: https://usastaffing.golearnportal.org/portal.php