October bonus workflow

Bonus allocation workbook

Estimated pool → neutral HR baseline → senior discussion → department proposals → senior re-simulation → actual pool final run → approval/export.

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How to Use

Simulation phase

Estimated Pool — Post-Department Senior Review

Bonus model

Senior Adjusted Layer

Estimated-pool workflow is active. Start with a Neutral HR Baseline or continue the sample scenario.
Sample scenario loaded

This scenario is already in an estimated-pool senior discussion state. To start real HR work, create a Neutral HR Baseline.

Guided Demo Run

Practise the full bonus cycle as one user

A coach panel will tell you which hat you are wearing, where to key things in, what to export, when department heads respond, when senior comes in, and what to verify.

Demo role switchesHR → Dept → Senior → FinanceNo authentication needed
Solo-user gap coveredDepartment returnsSimulated safely
Training dataSafeDoes not use real HR data
Next best action

Start fresh from Neutral HR Baseline

The current scenario is an estimated-pool senior discussion sample. Start clean before real HR setup.

After that: Review Inputs, then run the baseline simulation.

HR focus: Start with estimated-pool simulation, keep HR neutral first, support senior discussions, collect department proposals, then do the actual-pool final run.

✓Neutral HR BaselineComplete
✓Estimated SimulationComplete
✓Department ProposalsComplete
✓HR ReviewedComplete
✓Senior DiscussionCurrent
•Actual Pool / FinanceNot started
•ApprovalNot started
•ExportNot started
Estimated Pool Mode

The actual bonus pool is not known yet. You are simulating with an assumed pool and can test senior management thinking freely.

Primary workflow phase

Estimated Pool — Post-Department Senior Review

Follow this phase first. Governance stage, save state, and IDs stay secondary in Audit Details.

Normal state: rough senior direction not formed yet

This is expected during early estimated-pool simulation. Mark direction formed only when HR and senior management are ready to send department proposal sheets.

What changed since last saved round?

No comparison round yet

Save a simulation round, make changes, then run simulation to see the before/after story.

Actual pool transition check

Actual pool not known yet

This is expected during October planning. Convert only when the confirmed pool arrives.

Department proposal package status

Package statusNot ready — form senior direction firstMiddle phase control
Exports sent0Department sheets
Imports received0Returned files

Reserve / Captain's Pool usage story

Captain's Pool Budget$20,000Reserve available for exceptions
Captain's Pool Used$20,000Used by senior overrides
Captain's Pool Remaining$0Still available
EmployeeReserve UsedFallback CoveredFunding Impact
Alice$19,576$0After reserve, covered by division
Kai$424$3,486After reserve, covered by department

Department proposal outlier review

Use this after department returns are imported. These are proposal signals for senior discussion, not final payouts.

EmployeeBaselineDepartment ProposalDifferenceStatus
Alice$35,424$52,000$16,576 (47%)accepted_as_senior_override
Kai$11,090$15,000$3,910 (35%)accepted_as_senior_override

Round compare mode

Compare saved rounds when senior management changes direction.

Senior decision log

No senior decisions recorded yet

Saving rounds, forming direction, tier changes, and actual-pool conversion add plain-language decision records.

Traceability chain

Scenario versionhe8fe9f98Calculation version
Latest export batchNot sentDepartment package
Latest import batchNot importedDepartment return
Approval packageNot approvedFinal approval
Workflow status

Estimated Pool — Post-Department Senior Review

Bonus model: Senior Adjusted Layer • Save status: not_saved • 4 blockers

Simulation phaseEstimated Pool — Post-Department Senior ReviewWhere this round sits in the October cycle
Round labelOctober estimated pool — post-department senior discussion sampleSaved with simulation rounds
Blocked actions4Fix before approval
Final exportBlockedNeeds saved approval package
Archive Scenario is disabled until final export is complete.

Before approval, fix these items

Each blocker includes the recovery path. You can still browse the app, but risky completion actions stay blocked.

Critical blockerCurrent inputs have not been simulated

Senior discussion and department exports may be looking at stale numbers.

Workflow blockerRough senior direction not recorded

Department proposal sheets should only go out after early senior direction is formed.

Data consistency blockerWorkflow says returns imported, but no import batch exists.

Post-department senior discussion should not continue with missing or unresolved department returns.

Review blockerManager proposals need HR decisions

Department head proposals are non-binding until HR accepts, rejects, or escalates them.

Governance warning

Reserve / Captain's Pool usage is high but does not block approval when reconciliation is controlled.

Total Budget$200,000Estimated pool simulation
Allocated After Reserve$180,000Budget distributed to teams
Reserve / Captain's Pool Remaining$0Leadership exception buffer
Pool Reconciliation$0Pool minus payouts and reserve
Workflow 1

How to Use

Plain-English guide to the October bonus simulation workflow.

You are viewing

How to Use

Current simulation phase

Estimated Pool — Post-Department Senior Review

Current bonus model

Senior Adjusted Layer

Start from HR inputs

For the October cycle, start in estimated-pool mode with neutral HR weightage. Use the guided demo to practise the entire flow as one person.

Real bonus workflow map

Estimated pool → neutral HR baseline → first senior discussion → department proposal collection → post-department senior discussion → actual pool final run → approval/export.

1Estimated Pool
2Neutral HR Baseline
3Senior Discussion
4Department Proposals
5Senior Re-simulation
6Actual Pool Final Run
7Approved
8Exported