How to Manage Designations in CrmLeaf
All editions. Core feature - no add-on required. In the Payroll and HR edition, Designations is a step in the edition's Getting Started checklist.
Availability: All editions. Core feature - no add-on required. In the Payroll and HR edition, Designations is a step in the edition's Getting Started checklist.
Overview
Designations are the job titles used across your employee records. In CrmLeaf designations are hierarchical: a designation can sit under a parent designation, so the designation master is also the data behind your organisation chart. Setting designations up before you add or import employees keeps your people data consistent and reportable.
How It Works
You create each designation, place it under a parent where a reporting level applies, then select it on employee records.
Plan the levels → Create designations → Set the parent → Assign to employees → Maintain
- A designation with no parent is a top-level title. A designation with a parent sits one level below it.
- The parent relationships across all designations form the organisation-chart hierarchy.
- Employee records select a designation from this master, so a designation you have not created cannot be chosen or imported.
- The designation hierarchy is job-title structure. It is separate from the reporting manager on the employee record, which names a specific person.
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Create, edit and delete designations.
- Set the parent designation to build the hierarchy.
- Review which designations are in use before changing them.
This functionality is available only to Administrators.
Prerequisites
- You have a list of the job titles your organisation uses.
- You know which titles report into which, if you want the hierarchy to reflect your organisation chart.
For Administrators
Step 1: Open the designation master
What to do: Review the designations that already exist so you do not create near-duplicates such as two spellings of the same title.
What to verify: The designation list opens and shows the current titles.
Step 2: Create the top-level designations
What to do: Select Add, enter the designation name, and leave the parent empty for a top-level title. Select Save. Repeat for each top-level title.
What to verify: Each new title appears in the list without a parent.
Step 3: Create the lower levels and set their parent
What to do: Select Add, enter the designation name, and select the parent designation it reports into. Select Save. Work down one level at a time so the parent always exists before its children.
What to verify: Each new title shows under the expected parent in the list.
Step 4: Assign designations to employees
What to do: Open each employee and select the designation, or set it during an employee import.
What to verify: The employee record shows the designation, and the designation appears against the person in the Employees list.
Step 5: Maintain the master
What to do: When a title changes, use Edit to rename it rather than creating a second entry, so historical records stay attached. Before you use Delete, move any employees on that designation to another one.
What to verify: No employee is left without a designation after a change.
Field and Option Reference
| Field / Option | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Designation name | The job title as it will appear on employee records. | Yes |
| Parent designation | The designation this title sits under. Leave empty for a top-level title. | No |
Expected Result
The designation is saved and appears in Designation under its parent, and it becomes selectable on employee records and in employee imports.
Service Organisation Context
Designations are hierarchical, which is where a consulting grade ladder belongs — Analyst under Consultant under Manager under Partner, or the equivalent for a creative or legal practice. Keeping it accurate matters for two service-specific reasons: the grade is what a delivery lead reads when judging whether a person can hold a client-facing role, and the shipped industry project templates express staffing as an Owner Role per task, so a designation set that recognises those roles makes a methodology reusable. The hierarchy is job-title structure only; approvals still follow the reporting manager. The same master serves any organisation's job titles.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- Create designations before importing employees. Import rows referencing a designation that does not exist cannot be matched.
- The designation hierarchy is your organisation-chart data. Keep it accurate if you rely on it for structure reporting.
- CrmLeaf does not ship a fixed list of designations for your industry. You define the titles your organisation uses.
Common Scenarios
Example: building a three-level structure. Create the top-level title first, save it, then create the mid-level title with the top-level title as its parent, then the junior title with the mid-level title as its parent. Working top-down avoids having to revisit records to attach a parent.
Example: a title is renamed company-wide. Edit the existing designation instead of adding a new one. Every employee on that designation moves with the rename, and no record is left on an obsolete title.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| A designation cannot be selected on an employee record. | The designation has not been created, or the name differs from what you expect. | Create or rename the designation in Designation. |
| A designation cannot be placed under the intended parent. | The parent designation does not exist yet. | Create the parent first, then set it on the child. |
| A designation cannot be deleted. | Employees or child designations are still attached to it. | Reassign those employees and child designations, then delete. |
| The organisation structure looks flat. | No parent designation has been set on any record. | Edit each designation and set its parent. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a designation the same as a department?
No. A designation is the job title. A department is the organisational unit. Both are hierarchical and both are set on the employee record.
Does the designation hierarchy control approvals?
No. Approval routing uses the reporting manager on the employee record and the approval permissions configured for the role.
Can I change a designation after employees are assigned to it?
Yes. Renaming a designation keeps the employees attached to it.
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