How to Use Profile Templates

What Are Profile Templates?

Timecloud includes built-in groups (e.g. Basic, Demographics, Contact, Pay Details) with standard fields that are ready to use out of the box. You can also create your own custom groups and fields to capture any additional information your organisation needs.

With multi-template support, you can create separate templates for different types of employees (e.g. Manager, Contractor, Casual) and assign them to Company Roles. Each template can have its own set of custom groups and fields — employees inherit the template associated with their role.

---

How Templates Work

• Generic (Default) — Every company starts with a built-in "Generic" template. Fields in Generic apply to all employees regardless of role.
• Named templates — Additional templates you create (e.g. "Manager", "Contractor"). Their fields only appear on profiles of employees whose role maps to that template.
• Role assignment — You link a template to a Company Role in Settings. Employees with that role see both the Generic fields and the linked template's fields.

---

How to Create a New Template

1. Navigate to Human Resources → Organisation View → Profile Template.
2. Click the + New Template button at the end of the tab strip.
   
   
3. Enter a Template name (minimum 2 characters, e.g. "Manager").
4. Click Create.
   
   

Your new template appears as a tab. Add groups and fields the same way you do for Generic.

---

How to Rename a Template

• Double-click the template tab name to edit it inline, then press Enter to save.
  
  
• Or click the ⋮ (three-dot menu) on the tab and choose Rename.
  

---

How to Duplicate a Template

1. Click the ⋮ menu on the template tab you want to copy.
2. Choose Duplicate.
   
   
3. Edit the suggested name (defaults to "Original Name COPY") and click Duplicate.
   

All groups, fields, and settings from the source template are copied to the new one.

---

How to Archive a Template

1. Click the ⋮ menu on the template tab.
   
   
2. Choose Archive and confirm.

Archived templates are removed from the tab strip. Existing employee data is preserved — if you later reassign the template, values reappear.

---

How to Assign a Template to a Company Role

1. Navigate to Settings → Roster → Company Roles.
   
   
2. Click Add Role or edit an existing role.
   
3. In the Profile Template dropdown, select the template this role should use.
4. Click Save.
   
   

Employees assigned to that role will now see the Generic fields plus the fields from the selected template on their profile.

---

What Happens When a Role Is Removed from an Employee?

If you remove a role from an employee and that role was linked to a template, the template-specific fields will be hidden from their profile. However:

• Existing data is never deleted — values are preserved in the background.
• If the role (or an equivalent role with the same template) is re-added, the fields and values reappear automatically.

Timecloud shows a confirmation message listing which fields will be hidden before the role removal is applied.

---

How to Configure Compliance Items Per Template

Each profile template (including the Generic/Default tier) has a Compliance panel where you can attach compliance items. When an employee is assigned a role with that template, the configured compliance items are automatically added to their profile going forward.

Opening the Compliance Panel

1. Navigate to Human Resources → Organisation View → Profile Template.
2. Select the template tab you want to configure (or stay on Generic for items that apply to all employees).
   
   
3. Expand the Compliance accordion panel. The header shows the number of items currently attached (e.g. "Compliance (3 items)").
   

Adding a Compliance Item

1. In the Add compliance item search field, start typing the name of the compliance item you want to attach.
2. Select the item from the dropdown list.
3. Click the Add button.
   

The item appears in the compliance table below. Only compliance items that are not already attached to this template appear in the search results.

Setting the Requirement Level

Each attached compliance item has a Requirement dropdown with three options:

• Required — The employee must complete this item.
• Optional — The item is shown on the employee's profile but is not mandatory.
• Not Required — The item is tracked but not enforced.

To change the level, click the Requirement dropdown on the item's row and select a new value. The change saves automatically.

Preboarding Toggle

Each compliance item has a Preboarding toggle. When turned on, the item is flagged as part of the employee's preboarding checklist — meaning it should be completed before the employee's start date.

Slide the toggle on or off as needed. The change saves automatically.

Removing a Compliance Item

1. Click the delete (trash) icon on the compliance item's row.
2. Confirm the removal in the dialog that appears.

Understanding the Compliance Table Columns

---

Built-in Groups vs Custom Groups

• Built-in groups (Basic, Demographics, Contact, Pay Details) contain standard employee fields. You cannot rename, reorder, or delete these groups — but you can mark individual fields as Sensitive to restrict who can see them.
• Custom groups are groups you create yourself. You have full control to add, rename, and delete custom groups and their fields.
  
  

---

How to Create a Custom Group

1. Navigate to Human Resources → Organisation View → Profile Template.
2. Select the template tab you want to add the group to (or stay on Generic if it should apply to everyone).
3. Click the New Group button (top-right).
   
   
4. 
5. In the dialog that appears:
   • Choose an optional icon for the group.
   • Enter a Group Name (required, minimum 2 characters).
   • Add a Description (optional, up to 120 characters).
6. Click Create Group.
   
   

---

How to Add Fields to a Group

1. Expand a group by clicking its name in the accordion.
2. Click Add Property.
   
3. In the inline editor row that appears, select a field type: Text, Number, Date, True/False, File, or Dropdown.
   
4. Enter the field name.
5. Toggle Sensitive on or off to control visibility (see below).
   
6. For Dropdown fields, add your option values and choose whether to Allow multiple selections.
   
7. Click Save to confirm.

---

How to Edit a Field

• Rename a field inline — Click the pencil icon next to any custom field's name. Type the new name, then press Enter or click the tick icon to save. Press Escape or click the cross icon to cancel.
  
  

---

How to Manage Available Options for Dropdown Fields

Some built-in dropdown fields — such as Ethnicity — come with an expanded set of options. Admins can choose which of those options are available in the employee profile dropdown.

1. Navigate to Human Resources → Organisation View → Profile Template.
2. Expand the group containing the dropdown field (e.g. Demographics)
3. Look for the checklist icon next to the field name and click it.
   
   
4. In the Manage available options dialogue:
   • Use the Search bar to find specific options.
   • Tick or untick checkboxes to enable or disable individual options.
   • The active count at the top shows how many options are currently enabled.
5. Click Save to apply your changes.
   
   

---

How to Delete Groups and Fields

• Click the delete (trash) icon on a group header to remove the entire group and all its fields.
• Click the delete (trash) icon on an individual field row to remove just that field.
• Built-in groups and their standard fields cannot be deleted.
  
  

---

Marking Fields as Sensitive

The Sensitive toggle controls who can view a field's value on employee profiles.

• When Sensitive is turned on, only company admins (and users with the appropriate permissions) can see the field's value.
• Use the Sensitive slide toggle directly on any field row to quickly change its sensitivity.
• You can also set the Sensitive flag when adding a field.
  
  

---

Editing Group Settings

• Click the settings (gear) icon on a custom group header to edit the group's name, icon, or description.
• Built-in groups do not show settings or delete controls.
  
  

---

Searching Fields

Use the search bar at the top to quickly find fields across all groups. A results banner shows how many matches were found. Click Clear Search to reset.

---

How to Plan the Employee Lifecycle

The Lifecycle panel lets you plan the entire employee journey — from preboarding before day one, through onboarding, offboarding, and post-termination tasks. Each template (including Generic) has its own lifecycle timeline, so you can tailor the process for different roles.

Opening the Lifecycle Panel

1. Navigate to Human Resources → Organization View → Profile Template.
2. Select the template tab you want to configure.
3. Expand the Lifecycle accordion panel.

The lifecycle timeline is always visible once the accordion is open — no additional toggle is required. The timeline is divided into four phases, separated by anchor dates:

• Preboarding — Tasks before the employee's start date
• Onboarding — Tasks after the employee starts
• Offboarding — Tasks after notice is given
• Post Termination — Tasks after the employee's end date

Two anchor dividers mark the key dates: Start Date (between Preboarding and Onboarding) and Termination Date (between Offboarding and Post Termination).

Adding a Lifecycle Task

1. Click the + Add [Phase] Task button under the phase where you want the task.
   
2. Choose the Task Type:
   • Admin Task — An internal task assigned to one or more admins (e.g. "Order laptop", "Schedule orientation").
   • User Task — A task sent to the employee themselves, optionally including form(s) to complete.
3. Fill in the task details (see below for each type).
4. Click Save Task.

Admin Task Fields

• Name — A short label for the task (e.g. "Collect equipment").
• Description — Additional context or instructions.
• File Upload — Click the upload area to select files or drag and drop. Uploaded files appear in a list below the dropzone with a remove button. Up to 100 files, max 5 MB each.
• Assign Admin(s) — Search and select which admin(s) are responsible.
• Due Date — Number of days relative to the anchor date (e.g. "7" means 7 days after start).
• Warning Threshold — Days before the due date to trigger a reminder notification to assignees.

User Task Fields

• Select Form(s) — Choose one or more public form templates the employee must fill out.
• Name — Task label shown to the employee.
• Subject — Email subject line for the notification.
• Body — Rich-text email body using the built-in editor (supports bold, links, lists, and placeholder tokens).
• Send Date — Days relative to the anchor date when the notification is sent.
• Reminder Threshold — Days before the send date to trigger a follow-up.
  
  

Editing a Lifecycle Task

• Click the pencil icon on any task row to reopen the task modal with the current values pre-filled.
• Make your changes and click Save Task.
• Use the X button in the top-right corner to close without saving.

Removing a Lifecycle Task

1. Click the trash icon on the task row.
2. Confirm removal in the dialogue.

When a task is removed from the template, any pending notification alerts for that task are automatically cancelled across all affected employees.

Understanding the Timeline Display

Each task row shows:

• The task name
• A colour-coded badge: amber for Admin Task, green for User Task, blue for Automation
• Assignee chips showing who is responsible (up to 3 shown, then a "+N" overflow chip)
• A friendly timing label: "First Day", "Week 1", "Week 2", … or "N days prior / after"

Tasks are automatically sorted by their due offset so you can see the sequence at a glance.

---

Lifecycle Task Notifications

Timecloud automatically sends email notifications to task assignees based on lifecycle task due dates. No additional setup is required — notifications are triggered whenever a task has a Due Date and Warning Threshold configured.

Notification Types

  How It Works

• Notifications are sent to all assigned admins on the task.
• Each email includes the task name, employee name, and due date.
• Overdue notifications are sent only once per task per employee — you won't receive duplicate alerts.
• If a lifecycle task is deleted from the template, any pending warning or overdue alerts for that task are automatically cancelled.
• When task dates change (e.g. an employee's start date is updated), notifications are rescheduled automatically.

Tip: Set the Warning Threshold on your tasks to receive early reminders. For example, a threshold of 3 days on a task due 7 days after start means assignees get an email 4 days after start.

---

How to Configure the Preboarding Package

The Preboarding Package is an automated bundle sent to new employees before their start date. It always appears as the first item in the Preboarding phase (shown with a blue "Automation" badge).

Opening the Preboarding Package

• In the Lifecycle timeline, click the pencil icon on the Preboarding Package row.

Package Contents

Toggle on or off which items are included in the package:

 

• Assigned To — The admin responsible for overseeing package completion.
• CC Recipients — Additional admins copied on package delivery notifications.
• Due Date — Number of days before the employee's start date.
• Warning Threshold — Days before due date to send a reminder.

Click Save Package when done.

Writing a Welcome Letter

1. In the Preboarding Package modal, click the pencil icon next to Welcome Letter.
2. Enter a Subject line (e.g. "Welcome to {company_name}").
3. Write the letter Body using the rich-text editor. You can use placeholder tokens like {employee_first_name} that will be replaced with real data when sent.
4. Click Save Letter.

Configuring Acknowledgements

1. In the Preboarding Package modal, click the pencil icon next to Acknowledgements.
   
2. Enter an Intro Message shown above the policies.
3. Under Company Policies, click Add Policy to create items the employee must acknowledge. Each policy has a name, description, and an enabled toggle.
4. Under Custom Instructions, click Add Instruction for any additional items.
5. Configure Signature Settings:
   • Require Employee Signature — Employee must sign off.
   • Require Manager Countersignature — A manager must countersign after the employee.
   • Signature Type — Choose between E-Sign, Typed, or Checkbox.
6. Click Save.

Removing a Preboarding Package

If you no longer need a configured preboarding package on a template, you can remove it to reset to the default unconfigured state.

1. In the Lifecycle timeline, click the trash icon on the Preboarding Package row.
   
2. A confirmation dialogue appears — click Remove to confirm.

Once removed:

• The package resets to its default unconfigured state.
• All acknowledgement policies attached to this tier are also removed.
• Any pending notifications for the package are automatically cancelled.

Note: The remove button only appears when the package has been previously configured (saved at least once). You can reconfigure the package at any time by clicking the pencil icon again.

Tip: Lifecycle configuration applies per template. Tasks and packages set on the Generic template apply to all employees, while tasks on named templates (e.g. "Manager") only apply to employees in the matching role.

---

How to Track an Employee's Lifecycle Progress

Once you have configured lifecycle tasks on a profile template, every employee who matches that template gets a live Lifecycle tab on their profile. This tab shows the computed timeline, lets admins mark tasks as done, and provides a one-click way to send the onboarding package email.

Opening the Lifecycle Tab

1. Navigate to Employees/Profiles and open an employee's profile.
2. Click the Lifecycle tab.

The tab displays the employee's full timeline, organised into collapsible phase panels.

Understanding the Timeline

The timeline is split into the same four phases you configured on the template. Each phase appears as a collapsible panel — active phases expand by default, inactive ones are collapsed. Phases with no configured tasks are hidden automatically.

• Preboarding — Tasks due before the employee's start date. Activates when a Work Start Date is set.
• Onboarding — Tasks due after the employee starts. Activates when a Work Start Date is set.
• Offboarding — Tasks leading up to the employee's departure. Activates when a Work End Date is set on the Operations tab.
• Post-termination — Tasks after the employee's end date. Activates when a Work End Date is set on the Operations tab.

Tip: To unlock the Offboarding and Post-termination phases, set the employee's Work End Date on the Operations tab of their profile. Due dates for tasks in those phases are calculated from this date.

Phase Status Indicators

Each phase header shows a numbered indicator and a status pill:

Task Row Layout

Each task row within a phase shows:

• A colour-coded status icon — green check (completed), red warning (overdue), orange clock (due soon), or grey circle (not started)
• The task name
• Assignee chips — displayed as @Name badges showing who is responsible for the task
• File attachments — clickable file links that download the attached documents (if any were added when creating the task)
• The due date — calculated from the employee's Work Start Date or Work End Date
• A Complete checkbox — for admin tasks in active phases, to mark the task as done

Completing Admin Tasks

Admin tasks in an active phase have a Complete checkbox at the end of their row. To mark one as done:

1. Tick the Complete checkbox on the task row.
2. The status updates to Completed (green check) immediately.
3. A confirmation notification is sent to all assigned admins.

To undo, untick the checkbox — the status reverts based on the current date and due date.

Note: Only Admin tasks can be toggled by admins. Employee tasks are completed when the employee submits the associated form(s). Package items are tracked automatically.

Sending the Preboarding Package

The Send Package button at the top-right of the Lifecycle tab sends the onboarding welcome email to the employee. The email includes the welcome letter and links to any forms they need to complete.

1. Click Send Package. A confirmation dialog appears — click Send to confirm.
2. Once sent, a green "Package sent" chip appears next to the tab header and the button changes to Resend Package.

You can resend at any time — for example, if the employee didn't receive the first email or needs a reminder with updated form links.

Tip: Make sure the employee has a valid email address on their profile before sending the package.