the Reference Collection module can be accessed by navigating to Admin > Reference Collection.
There are four elements that make up the Reference Collection module.
Details
Available on the Settings tab, this section allows you to specify some global settings that impact all References captured within Eploy.
Completed Reference File Type - When a reference is provided, Eploy will automatically create a document and save it using this file type. This means its easier to then download & share the content of the reference as required.
Expires in (Days) - If a reference is requested but not provided, the reference will automatically expire after this number of days. Keep this in mind for when you configure the number of reminder emails you want to accompany your reference requests.
Show Right to Contact File - The right to contact file is a signable document for your candidate to complete. This signed consent will then be automatically included with the reference request, meaning that the recipient referee will have the candidates consent to release the information. This can be particularly useful for organisations that require written consent from the candidate.
Allow HM to view references - This will give your Hiring Managers visibility of any relevant references in the portal. Once this option has been selected, you will also be able to:
Allow HM to update reference status - Once a reference has been received, this setting allows the HM to change the status and sign the reference off i.e. changing it to Suitable to Not Suitable.
Allow HM to download reference files - As files are created when a reference is provided, this settings will allow the HM to download the document when viewing the reference.
Allow HM to submit references - References that are not automatically requested can be submitted from the application dialogue, whilst this setting makes the function available in the Hiring Manager portal.
Reference Collection Settings
The Reference Collection Settings allow you to configure exactly which email templates, forms and types of reference are available when references are submitted. However, you can have multiple different options or collection settings, which can be used at different times as required.
For example, during onboarding, you may need two employment references for all roles, except for any apprentice or graduate recruitment, where only personal or academic references may be required. By configuring two different settings within Reference Collection, you can trigger different forms to show, different emails to send and have different validation (i.e. minimum requirements) in place for both types of recruitment.
Forms
Reference Collection forms are used to capture information from a referee, once the candidate has provided their details. You can create different forms for each type of reference (employment, personal or academic, etc), all of which will use our Eploy Discover Form Builders.
Fundamentally, building the reference collection form is the same as any forms you build for application or onboarding.
Forms Hints and Tips
As a reference collection form, there are a couple of additional things to consider when using the form builders so keep these in mind:
You can add standard fields from the database into the form, but these will be read only for the referee. This can be particularly useful for including details re the candidate they are providing the reference for, or details of the role that the candidate is being referenced against.
Any fields for the referee to complete need to be added as Discover Fields, which are then only stored within the reference itself and the resulting document (which can be created automatically once the reference is provided).
Depending on the information you require, consider the use of paging to simplify the process. Also factor in mandatory fields as the more required of a referee, the greater the impact on referee engagement.
As a reference, there are no auto grading or scoring options but once the reference has been provided, you will be able to update the status and give the reference an outcome i.e. Suitable / not Suitable.
Emails
Email templates that are used during the reference collection process can all be found within the Emails tab of the module.
When creating a new References email template (New on the toolbar), you'll need to specify who the recipient is - Candidates, Candidate Referee or Users. It's important to make the right choice here as this links directly with the email options available within the Reference Collection Settings page.
Emails - Hints and Tips
Whilst the process for creating a template may be the same as other templates on Eploy, there are a couple of extra things to consider when managing your reference collection emails:
Reference Collection email templates include a Sender field - if reference request emails should come from a specific email address, add this here. If left blank, reference request emails will be sent from your system default email address (shown within the help text below the field).
The reference collection form needs to be added to the template as a merge field. This allows you to design the content of the email fully, before embedding the appropriate hyperlink to the form. The specific merge field is Reference Collection URL. With this in mind, consider what information needs to be in the email and what information is already displayed within the form.
Adding Merge Fields is available for both the email content and the subject, so you can personalise the template as required. It can be effective to include the candidate name in the subject, so that the recipient recognises the email and doesn't disregard as spam (especially if the candidate hasn't forewarned them about the reference request!)
No cc/bcc options available on reference request emails, as this would impact on being able to track who has received / completed the reference. If you are looking to be notified / receive confirmations throughout the reference process, you can do this within the Reference Collection Settings.
If you have given the referee the ability to upload their own reference on a letter head within the reference form, it can be helpful to mention this in the email. You might also want to let them know that if they do not wish to provide a reference, for whatever reason, they can indicate as such within the form and explain their reasons why.