Distinguishing Incumbent and Position Data

These topics discuss:

• Considerations.

• Position data changes.

• Incumbent data changes.

• Position and incumbent data changes.

Considerations

Depending on the type of information that you're updating, you make changes in the Position Data pages or in the Job Data pages. Before you begin, consider what kind of action that you are taking because the action controls whether your changes affect incumbent data, position data, or both position and incumbent data. Furthermore, the type of data determines where you make your changes in Human Resources.

Position Data Changes

If you are making changes to the position, such as changing the position's DeptID, Salary Plan, or Title, make these changes in the Position Data pages. These changes are applied to the position and the incumbent.

Changes to some fields in the Position Data component update the incumbent's job record. In the Updating Position Changes to the Job Data Component section of Setting Up Positions, there is a table of fields that are common to the Position Data component and the incumbent's job record. The table indicates which of those fields are updated in the job record when changed in the Position Data component.

Incumbent Data Changes

If you want to make a change that affects only the employee and not the position, make the changes on the incumbent's job record. Note that these are changes that aren't going to be associated with the position and applied to future incumbents, or they are changes independent of the position. This includes changes in the incumbent's employee status, such as Leave of Absence or Rehire, or position assignment, such as a transfer or promotion.

Position and Incumbent Data Changes

If you change the work phone on a position and Update Incumbents is switched on (select the Update Incumbents check box in Position Data - Specific Information page), the Position Phone is automatically updated on the Job Data - Employment page for the employees.

If you are making a change to a Position Data field that doesn't update the incumbent's job record, make your change in both the Position Data pages and the incumbent's Job Data record. For instance, if you change a position's Work Phone, the system does not update the incumbent's job record with the new value if you have deselected the Update Incumbents check box. In this case you need to update the job record manually.