How a Mid Wales Agricultural Supplier Streamlined Probation Reviews with People Inc. HR

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CASESTUDY

From spreadsheets to automated HR workflows:

How a leading Mid Wales agricultural supplier eliminated manual probation tracking by using People Inc. HR’s built-in Action List (included in support).

Delivered by PeopleFirstHR — UK HR software implementation specialists

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Results at a glance

Probation reviews and key milestones automatically triggered (no spreadsheets or manual reminders)

Timely email prompts sent to HR and managers based on employee data (e.g., start date, probation end date)

Clear visibility of upcoming and overdue actions across the organisation and on each employee record

Improved consistency, data security, and auditability—using functionality already included in support

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BACKGROUND

Client snapshot

Organisation: Leading agricultural products and services supplier

Location: Mid Wales (serving customers across the UK)

HR system: People Inc. HR (in place since 2012)

Review point: 2022 customer review identified under-used functionality

Primary goal: Streamline probation reviews and reduce admin effort

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THE CHALLENGE

Manual probation tracking created avoidable admin and risk

The client’s probation review process was being tracked manually using spreadsheets and reminder systems. Over time, this created familiar HR pain points:

• Time-consuming admin: duplicated effort maintaining trackers and chasing reviews
• Higher error risk: missed dates, inconsistent follow-up, and spreadsheet version issues
• Limited visibility: harder for managers and HR to stay aligned on what was due and when

They needed a way to keep probation reviews (and other key review milestones) on track—without adding tools, complexity, or cost.

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THE SOLUTION

Use People Inc. HR’s Action List to automate probation reviews

PeopleFirstHR recommended using People Inc. HR’s built-in Action List functionality to centralise and automate the process.

The Action List can track HR events such as:

• Probation reviews
• Training renewals
• Vehicle checks
• Other time-based or date-triggered tasks

In 2022, Action List Manager enhanced this capability with more user-friendly tools to create, manage, and monitor actions and notifications—and it’s included in the annual support package at no additional cost.

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IMPLEMENTATION

Configure triggers, reminders, and views—then let the system do the chasing

How it works (in practice)

• Triggers are set up using employee data (e.g., Probation End Date, Start Date)
• When criteria are met, People Inc. automatically creates an action record
• Email reminders are sent to the right people (HR, managers, or named users)
• Actions are visible centrally and on the employee record
• Custom views and reports highlight what’s upcoming and what’s overdue

What we configured for this client

• An Action List Trigger based on Probation End Date (calculated from each employee’s probation period)
• Additional triggers for performance review milestones at:
  • 1 year
  • 5 years
  • 10 years

from the employee’s Start Date

What changed for the HR team

Instead of maintaining spreadsheets and reminders, HR and managers receive timely prompts automatically—making the process consistent, trackable, and far less admin-heavy.

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IMPACT

Less admin. More consistency. Better control.

By fully utilising People Inc. HR’s Action List functionality, the client achieved:

• Reduced administrative overhead: no manual trackers or duplicated reminders
• Improved reliability: fewer missed review dates and less reliance on individuals
• Stronger governance: actions and completion status are visible and reportable
• Better data security: less HR-critical data stored in shared spreadsheets

All delivered using functionality already available within their People Inc. HR support package.

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Why PeopleFirstHR for People Inc. HR optimisation?

PeopleFirstHR has 25+ years’ experience delivering HR software solutions and support. That means we don’t just implement systems—we help organisations get the full value from the features they already own, often unlocking quick wins without additional spend.

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Ready to streamline HR processes in People Inc. HR?

If you’re using People Inc. HR but still relying on spreadsheets for probation reviews, training renewals, or key HR milestones, we can help you automate those processes quickly and cleanly.

Talk to PeopleFirstHR today about optimising your People Inc. HR setup.

☎ 0330 223 6180	✉ enquiries@peoplefirsthr.co.uk

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FAQ’s

Can People Inc. HR automate probation review reminders?

Yes. Using Action List triggers based on employee data (such as probation end date), People Inc. HR can automatically generate actions and send email reminders to HR and/or managers.

Is Action List Manager included in People Inc. HR support?

Yes—Action List Manager is included as part of the annual support package at no additional cost (introduced in 2022).

What other HR milestones can be automated?

Common examples include training renewals, vehicle checks, and scheduled performance review milestones (e.g., 1-year, 5-year, 10-year reviews)—all based on employee record data.

How quickly can this be implemented?

In many cases, configuration can be completed quickly once the required employee fields and rules are confirmed.