This article gathers the most frequently asked questions by Personio users about a wide range of topics.

 

General technical issues

Personio is running slowly. How can I improve its performance?

Employees

Clear your browser cache and cookies to enhance performance. Ensure that your internet connection is stable and try using a different browser. Disable any browser extensions that might interfere with Personio. If the issue persists, ask your Personio Administrator to contact our Customer Support Team.

 

Parts of the Personio interface are unresponsive. How can I fix this?

Employees

Refresh the page or try accessing Personio from another browser. Ensure your browser is updated to the latest version. If the issue remains, disable any interfering browser extensions and restart your computer.

There might be a service issue with Personio. Visit the status page (https://status.personio.de/) to see whether there is a disruption and how extensive it is.

 

Time off and time management

How do I enter a time off adjustment and update the entitlement balance for an employee?

HR Managers

To update or adjust the time off balance for an employee, go to the employee profile and then the Time off tab. Go to the relevant time off type, for example, “Paid vacation”, and click Adjust balance. You can either choose a relative or expiring adjustment by selecting Adjust balance by the number of days or hours, or an absolute adjustment by selecting Set balance to a certain value. Complete the relevant fields and confirm your adjustment.

You can also adjust employee balances in bulk by going to the Imports section of your Personio account and selecting the Time off balance import type.

Learn about adjusting time off balances manually.

 

How do I set public holidays and define working hours for my organization?

Administrators

Set public holidays

In Settings, go to Organization > Company. Scroll to Public holidays and select a public holiday calendar from the drop-down. 

To create a custom public holiday calendar, you can duplicate an existing one or start from scratch. Go to Settings and then to Work Hours and Time off > Public Holidays. You can also add a holiday to a custom public holiday calendar. Note that if you add, remove, or edit a holiday in a custom bank holiday calendar already in use, the system recalculates all past attendance and time off balances accordingly.

Once you’ve created a custom bank holiday calendar, you can assign it to your whole company or specific offices.

Learn more about how to manage custom public holiday calendars.

 

Define working hours

Create a work schedule to define how many hours your employees are expected to work, and on which days. You can create a work schedule via Settings > Work Hours and Time off > Attendance. Learn more about creating and assigning work schedules.

 

How can I manage employee schedules and track vacation accruals?

Administrators

To manage employee work schedules, go to Settings and Work Hours and Time off > Attendance > Work Schedules. Here, you can create work schedules for your employees, assign work schedules and set a default one, and update or duplicate existing work schedules. Learn more about creating and assigning work schedules.

To review your accrual policies, go to Settings > Time off. Select a time off type from the left, for example, “Paid Vacation” and scroll down to check the related accrual policies and number of employees assigned to it. For employees on a part-time working schedule, you can prorate their vacation entitlement accordingly.

 

How do I implement company-wide leave policies?

Administrators

If there is a limit on the number of times an employee can take a certain time off type, then you need to create an accrual policy. For example, it is common to have a company-wide accrual policy for paid vacation.

To create an accrual policy, go to Settings > Work Hours and Time off > Time off. Select the time off type you want to create an accrual policy for and click Add new accrual policy to open the creation drawer. Fill out each of the sections and click Confirm and create.

You can decide if and how to pro-rate entitlements for part-time employees and whether employees can carry over unused entitlements. Once you are done, you can assign the accrual policy to your employees. To assign an accrual policy to a single employee, go to their profile and click Time off > relevant time off > Assign policy. You can assign the accrual policy to several employees at once via the People list. Learn more about creating accrual policies.

 

What is the process for handling different time off types in Personio?

Administrators

To effectively manage your employees’ time off, you need to create different time off types in Personio. To create a new time off type, go to Settings > Work Hours and Time off > Time off. Next to Time off types on the left, click Add new. Fill out the required fields and create your new time off type. Learn more about creating time off types.

After creating a new time off type, ensure your employees can see and request it. Go to Settings > People > Employee Roles. Under the All employees role, click Access rights. Scroll down and click Time off. Locate the new time off type you just created, and tick Own under Propose. Review the changes and save.

If you want to set a limit to the amount of time employees receive for this time off type, create an accrual policy for it. To create an accrual policy, go to Settings > Work Hours and Time off > Time off. Select the time off type you want to create an accrual policy for and click Add new accrual policy to open the creation drawer. Fill out each of the sections and click Confirm and create.

Once you are finished creating an accrual policy, you can assign it to employees. You can't edit an accrual policy once it is assigned. To assign an accrual policy to a single employee, go to ​their profile and click Time off > relevant time off > Assign policy. To assign the accrual policy to several employees at once, go to the People list, select the relevant employees, and click Edit time policies. Select the option to change accrual policies. You can then choose the relevant time off type and accrual policy. Learn more about creating accrual policies.

 

How do I manage time off requests and approvals in Personio?

Supervisors

If an employee requests time off, Personio triggers an approval workflow. If you're a request approver, the task appears in your Home. Go to your Inbox to see more details on the time off and approve or reject it. Learn more about approving employee requests.

 

Why are time off calculations incorrect for some employees?

Administrators

Review the employee’s time off settings by going to their employee profile and clicking the Time off tab. Click the arrow next to the relevant time off type. In the Policies tab, check that the accrual policy assigned to the employee is correct, and assigned from the right date.

If this is not the cause of the issue, check the accrual policy’s country template, the employee’s Activity tab, and the accrual policy’s part-time proration settings. Refer to our article on understanding the time off balance for a detailed overview of these solutions.

 

Data security

How does Personio ensure my data is secure and confidential?

Administrators
Employees

Personio uses advanced encryption and access controls to protect your data. As an organization and in terms of our software, Personio is fully compliant with the GDPR. Regular audits and compliance checks are conducted to maintain security standards. Learn more about data security in Personio.

 

Employee management and access rights

How do I register a new employee in Personio and manage their HR records?

Supervisors

You can register a new employee in Personio via Employees > People list. Click the Add people button at the top-right and enter the relevant employee information. Check the box to send a Personio login and invitation email to the new employee. Fill out the remaining fields, assign an onboarding template, a work schedule (including its validity date), and the accrual policy for the new employee. Learn more about the People list.

You can manage an employee’s HR data from their Employee profile.

 

How can I manage roles and set permissions in Personio?

Administrators

With roles and access rights, you can customize what information is available to employees to maintain security and confidentiality.

To manage employee roles, go to Settings > Employee Roles. You can create and assign roles to employees based on their job functions. Personio comes with two types of employee roles: Preset employee roles (including the All Employees role and Administrator role) and custom employee roles (for example, “HR Manager”, “Intern”, etc.). Learn how to manage employee roles.

Once you assign all the employees to their corresponding roles, you can set up access rights for each employee role.

 

How can I efficiently manage and update employee data in Personio?

Administrators

There are multiple ways to update employee data in Personio. You can update employee attributes by going to the employee’s profile and clicking the Personal Info tab. You can also use the People list to efficiently manage and update employee data—this option is useful for bulk updates. Another option is to update an attribute retroactively via the employee's History tab. Alternatively, you can also update employee data through other features, such as via the Employee import, the Public API, an onboarding step, or when accepting a candidate in the Recruiting module.

Learn more about updating employee data in Personio.

 

My employees are getting an ‘Access Denied’ error when trying to view certain sections. How can I resolve this?

Administrators

Check your employee’s roles and access rights in Settings > Employee Roles. Ensure they have the necessary access rights for the sections they’re attempting to view. Make adjustments as necessary. Refer to our dedicated article on access rights for more information.

 

I am getting an ‘Access Denied’ error when trying to view certain sections. How can I resolve this?

Employees

If you are getting an “Access Denied” error, then you have not been granted adequate permissions. Contact your Personio Administrator for more information.

 

I’m facing errors while trying to export employee data. What should I do?

Administrators

First, check that you have the correct data export access rights. You can find this by going to Settings and Employee Roles > Access rights > People data. You may only export data you have access to.

To export employee data, go to Employees > People list. Click the three dots icon in the top-right corner > Export list. Ensure you have selected the correct data range and format for export. Learn more about exporting from the People list.

To export all company data and documents, go to Settings > Organization > Company. Click Create new data export. Download the file as a .zip file once the export is complete. Right-click the .zip folder saved to your computer, and click Extract All... for the extraction wizard to start. Learn more about exporting company data.

Try exporting smaller batches to isolate the issue if necessary. If the issue persists, contact our Customer Support Team via Help in your Personio account.

 

My employees can’t access features they should have permission for. What can I do?

Administrators

Check your employee’s roles and access rights in Settings > Employee Roles. Ensure they have the necessary access rights for the sections they’re attempting to view. Make adjustments as necessary. Refer to our dedicated article on access rights for more information.

 

Integrations

How do I create interviews and synchronize them with Cronofy in Personio?

Administrators
Recruiters

First, you must integrate your company calendar with Cronofy. Refer to our dedicated article on how to integrate your company calendar. Check that Cronofy is active via Settings > Integrations > Calendar integration.

Next, create an interview in Personio using Cronofy. Go to Recruiting > Applications. In the candidate’s application, click the Interviews tab, select New interview, and choose an interview type. Select the participants. Click Find a slot in the calendar to schedule the interview using Cronofy. Select a slot and finish setting up the interview. Learn more about creating an interview using the integrated calendar.

 

What are the steps to connect Personio with external tools like Microsoft Dynamics?

Administrators

The Marketplace is where you can find all the integrations you can use with Personio. Click Marketplace in the sidebar of your Personio account. Use the search bar and filter to find a specific integration. Select an integration, click Connect, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Microsoft Dynamics is not currently available in the Marketplace. However, you can request it. Scroll to the bottom of the Marketplace page and click Request integration. If you can’t find an integration, you can also build your own using our public APIs. Visit our article on how to build your own integrations.

 

My calendar events aren’t syncing with Cronofy. How can I troubleshoot this?

Administrators

Verify that your Cronofy integration is active. Go to Settings and Integrations > Calendar integration. Next, ensure your calendar permissions are set correctly. Go to Settings > Employee roles > Access rights. Select the employee role assigned to your calendar Administrator, or create a new role. Click Account configuration. Next to Calendars, select All.

If syncing is still an issue, it can help to close the calendar application and reopen it. If the issue persists, please contact our Customer Support Team via Help & Feedback in your Personio account.

 

I can’t set up an integration with an external service. How can I troubleshoot this?

Administrators

Check that the API credentials for the external service are correctly entered in Settings > Integrations > API credentials. Ensure the external service is operational and that you have the necessary access rights for Personio Marketplace and API. To do this, go to Settings> Employee Roles > Access Rights. Under Account Configuration, you can set the necessary permissions. If the connection fails, consult the integration guide for specific setup steps.

 

Login issues

I’m receiving an error message when trying to log into Personio. What can I do to fix this?

Employees

• If you see a message indicating that the username or password you entered wasn't correct:
  ▶︎ The password you entered doesn't match the one stored in your Personio account. If you can't remember it, click Forgot your password? Then, enter the email address used for your account. We will email you with instructions on how to reset your password.
  ▶︎ You have changed the email address in your Personio account. In this case, you need to click Forgot your password? Then, enter your new email address.
• If you see a message that something went wrong, there might be a service issue with Personio. Visit the status page (https://status.personio.de/) to see whether there is a disruption and how extensive it is.

 

Performance and development

How do I conduct performance reviews and gather feedback using Personio?

Administrators

Supervisors

You can use performance review cycles to structure your organization's performance management. First, you need to set up feedback forms to collect standardized feedback across the organization. You can do this through Performance & Development > Settings. Then, create a performance review cycle via Performance & Development > Cycles. Learn more about creating a performance review cycle.

You can gather continuous feedback for an employee via Performance & Development > Feedback. You can also write performance notes for your direct reports in this area.

 

Recruiting

What are the steps to recruit a new employee using Personio?

Recruiters

Go to Recruiting > Jobs and click Create job. Fill out the required fields and publish the job on your Personio career page. You can then view and manage all applications from the Applications List. Manage all aspects of a candidate’s application from their candidate profile, for example, schedule interviews and transfer the candidate between recruiting stages. Once you reach an agreement with a candidate and accept them, an employee profile is created automatically.

 

How can I post a job and integrate it with platforms like LinkedIn?

Recruiters

Once you have created a job in Personio, you can publish it on external job boards using our Promote feature. The Promote feature offers free and premium posting types.

Go to Recruiting > Jobs and click on the title of the relevant job. Click the Promotion tab and Promote this job to go to the list of available job boards.

 

Workflows, reminders, and notifications

How can I set up notifications for leave approvals?

Administrators

First, activate the global delivery of email notifications via Settings > Company > Email notifications enabled. Unless this has been activated, no emails will be sent from Personio to employees.

Employees can then choose to activate email notifications via Personal Settings > Notifications. Here, employees can set notifications for approvals that they are responsible for. Ensure the correct email address is listed in the Personal Info tab.

 

How can I configure email alerts for important updates in Personio?

Employees

Hover over your name in the bottom-left corner and go to Personal Settings > Notifications. Here, you can activate email notifications. Ensure the correct email address is listed in your Personal Info tab.

For email notifications to be available, your Administrator must activate the global delivery of email notifications in the Settings.

 

Why am I not receiving email notifications from Personio?

Employees

First, check your spam or junk folder for misplaced emails. Confirm that your email address is correct in your employee profile.

Next, ensure that notification preferences are activated in Personal Settings > Notifications. Check if your Administrator has activated the global delivery of email notifications in the Settings. Unless this has been activated, no emails will be sent from Personio to employees.

If the issue persists, we suggest you add the email address “info@m.personio.de” to your contacts and unblock the domains “m.personio.de” and “mailjet.com” in your email provider. You can also ask the person responsible to allowlist Personio IP addresses on your side. Learn more about these options in our article on receiving system emails from Personio.

 

What are the steps for onboarding new employees in Personio?

Administrators
HR Managers
Supervisors

You can create an onboarding workflow to automate the onboarding process for your employees. Go to Settings > Automations > Onboarding/Offboarding. Here, you can create onboarding steps, groups, and templates. Once you have created an onboarding template, the next step is to assign it to your employees. To assign a template, go to the employee’s profile, and click the Onboarding tab.
A list of the templates that you have created appears. Select the template that you want to assign.