Succession Planning Process

Succession Planning is a process by which an organization ensures that employees are recruited and developed to fill each key role within the company.

Succession planning is not just about promotion paths to the top. It's about getting the right person in place for every job. If a firm plans to double in size in three years, they will need more talented managers and must plan accordingly.

This process of succession planning enables your organization to:

1. Assess if you have the right skills mix to achieve company goals – and determine what gaps exist that must be closed.
2. Identify talented employees and provide education to develop them for future higher level and broader responsibilities
3. Identify which employees are at risk of leaving.
4. Retain superior employees
5. Build “bench strength."
6. Determine where people belong on the bus.
7. Determine if they should be on your bus - or someone else’s.

If you want to effectively do succession planning in your organization, you must first identify your organization’s long term goals. In the process you will also need to understand the developmental needs and goals of your employees. Then you need to make sure that your key employees understand the roles, responsibilities, and career paths of the positions that they are being developed to fill. There needs to be a match.
Also be mindful of the job employment trends in your industry and area so that you have a good appreciation for the roles that you may have a particularly difficult time filling externally.

To help everyone get a clear picture on the workforce a diagnostic organizational chart must be developed. Any organizational charting software tool that helps you visualize the organization and its personnel ‘hot spots’ will greatly help in a successful planning process. OrgChart Pro is an organizational charting software that automates the organization mapping and visualization process.

Here is a Basic Succession Planning Organization Chart

One of the deliverables from the succession planning process is a diagnostic organization chart. Using OrgChart Pro and the succession planning process, here (below) is a basic chart showing positions that are filled, currently vacant, expected to be vacant, ready-now for promotion, and contractor. Additional fields may be added for length of time on the job, expected departure date, skill sets, etc. But this basic chart becomes an important visual to communicate the urgency for sound planning and taking action to protect your company’s greatest asset.

Your goal is to hire superior people that have the passion, character, capability and track record for the job. Good people that fit are tough to find, which makes the succession planning and hiring so critical.

OrgChart Pro provides the perfect visual ‘heat map’ to facilitate an effective succession planning process. Visit www.orgchartpro.com for details and a free trial.

Organizational Charting Software and Excel

Need to create an organizational chart for your company? While Excel and PowerPoint can be used they’re really made to do the job – hence it’s a slow and tedious process. OrgChart Pro is specifically designed for the complex job of drawing, formatting, and publishing organizational charts in a fraction of the time. Plus, the entire process of creating org charts can be automated. OrgChart Pro can easily import excel data to create the chart and then keep it up-to-date. OrgChart Pro makes chart formatting, data changes and personnel calculations quick and easy.

You can draw charts using drag and drop, or create your chart with a simple import from Excel.

Try OrgChart Pro for free and see how this org chart software solution can work for you. Details at www.orgchartpro.com

Organizational Charting Software LDAP

OrgChart Professional will connect directly to Active Directory (AD or LDAP), allowing you to make organization charts the easy way. OrgChart Pro easily imports from AD (any data source) to automatically create professional organizational charts. Especially if you are looking for a way to automate the org chart creation process from beginning to end - OrgChart Pro can be scheduled to run on a daily basis to pick up changes that are made to AD, update the charts, and publish output to PowerPoint or a Flash web site.

Organizational Charting Software LDAP is the Powerful Organizational Chart Software helps you to build Succession Planning Chart, Organizational Structure, Enable Resource Planning and Employee Communications.

OrgChart Pro is the new, world-wide standard in organizational charting software, supporting all of the functions of charting, succession planning, re-organization, budget analysis, and much more. Details are at www.orgchartpro.com.

OrgChart Professional by OrgChartPro.com

OrgChart Professional sets the new standard in organizational charting software. Combining easy-to-use tools with powerful database functionality, OrgChart is a top choice for anyone responsible for management of employees, employee communications and employee data. With the extended data management capabilities you can now track assets, perform succession planning, analyze the team for strategic fit, and even have a compliance view, showing employees who need to be brought current in their training, EEO, and company policy coverage.

• OrgChart Pro100 Chart up to 100 people
• OrgChart Pro250 Chart up to 250 people
• OrgChart Pro500 Chart up to 500 people
• OrgChart Pro750 Chart up to 750 people
• OrgChart Pro1000 Chart up to 1000 people

Features:

• Chart up to 1000 people, in various divisions and teams.
• Automatically create charts using existing data from Excel®, Outlook®, XML, LDAP & any database source such as PeopleSoft, Oracle, Sap, Kronos, ADP, Meridian, and more.
• Automatically update your Org Chart by simply updating your data source (database, Excel spread sheet, etc.) Click once and your chart will instantly reflect changes you made to your data source.
• Search and sort data within charts to locate and change information fast.
• Powerful formatting tools change box appearance - color, font, borders globally or conditionally (based on any employee criteria) with one click. Eliminates the fuss with trying to make all boxes the same size and appearance.
• Display matrix relationships, vacant positions, contractor vs. permanent status, co-managers, and partner relationships.
• Publish your Org Chart to PowerPoint and Flash (web).
• Calculate headcount and salary summaries for any group. Any hierarchical summaries are now possible.
• Distribute phone directories, asset management reports and company reference data showing as much – or as little information about the people.
• Attach employee job evaluations, job descriptions, and asset records to each employee as an MS-Office document attachment or link.
• Display employee photos
• Breakdown larger charts into smaller sub-charts or divisions, for ease of use.
• Hide sensitive information as needed with password protection.
• Choose from dozens of professionally designed templates or create your own.
• Edit line colors, shading effects, border styles, backgrounds and more.
• Add corporate logos, images, and employee photos to enhance visual impact.
• Create Org Charts from Multiple Files. Create a master chart by combining one or more chart files. Or divide/break down a larger chart into smaller chart files for easier distribution and communication.
• Auditing Compare Tool for scenario planning and change management. The Compare tool creates a color-coded, visual presentation revealing ‘what has changed’ as you continue to make chart updates. You can compare charts within one chart file, or compare charts in two separate files.
• Flexible Data Import Supports both One and Two Column Hierarchy Methods. Hierarchies are typically built on Subordinate / Supervisor reporting relationships. A single column hierarchy, such as an Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) or Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) can be used to develop the chart hierarchy.
• Publish to Flash with powerful search and find function.
• Apply titles, graphics, logos and other universal elements to the Master Page and they will appear on every sheet of your chart.
• Display the entire chart and the enlarged view of the area you are in. Navigate through large, complex organization charts, without getting lost.
• Auto fill in information supplied by your computer's operating system (such as Current Time and Current Date).
• Enhance your visual presentation with newly included clipart library. Search by topic or import your own image libraries to create appealing charts and presentations.
• Move and resize your entire chart as a whole. Drag and drop anywhere on your page, or expand and contract to suit your needs.
• Microsoft Project Import and Export for WBS View. Reads MS Project Schedule (.mpp) files, presenting the project outline in a work breakdown structure (WBS) format.
• Full Unicode Symbols Support. OrgChart Professional supports Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Greek, and other languages requiring Unicode.

System Requirements

• Pentium III Class PC
• Windows 98SE, Me, NT4, SP6, 2000, XP, XP Pro, Vista
• 40 MB hard drive space
• 5 MB RAM
• CD-ROM 8x
• VGA video card with 32MB RAM
• 1024 x 768 display

Checkout the more at: www.orgchartpro.com .

OfficeWork Software ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF ORGCHART™ PROFESSIONAL V5 ANALYTICS

New Software for Automating Organizational Charting Incorporates Powerful Data Import Features for Talent Management, Succession Planning, and Organizational Development.

NOVATO, Calif., July 2, 2010 – OfficeWork Software a leading developer and publisher of human resources, project management, and office productivity software, today announced the release of it’s new business organization charting product, OrgChart^™ Professional Analytics.

“Continuing OfficeWork Software’s commitment to providing innovative technology and easy-to-use, high-quality software at reasonable prices, OrgChart Professional Analytics fits the niche of medium to large-sized companies that require labor-saving and efficient solutions for Succession Planning, Talent Management, and the frequent re-organizations that are so common in today’s economy,” said Gordon Landies, President of OfficeWork Software. “This product adds to our award-winning Business Solutions line of products, which includes OrgChart Professional, TurboProject^® and FlowCharts&More^®.

OrgChart Professional Analytics is a powerful workforce visualization tool used in talent management, succession planning and workforce reorganizations. Analytic’s programmable display capabilities give a complete ‘heat map’ visualization of the workforce for easier and more effective people management. Using your HR data, rules are created that automatically format and color individual chart boxes to your specification. With Analytics you will quickly and accurately communicate and evaluate the vitality of your organizations’ talent.

Robust Drawing Toolbox

An extensive graphic design toolbox enables quick and easy organization chart creation and customization using drag-and-drop components.

Unlimited Data Entries

The OrgChart Professional database can handle an unlimited number of employees as well as an unlimited number of custom database fields, attachments, graphics, and links. This allows users to keep all of their personnel data in one place.

Custom Template Creation

Users may quickly and easily enrich the communication power of the organization charts they create by adding color schemes, box shapes, line styles and fonts. Predefined and custom template components make this simple.

Powerful Scenario / What if Planning Tools

“What-if” financial scenarios can be compared to understand the impacts of adding new positions or performing a re-organization.

Audit and Compare Tools

Special tools to show the specific differences between staffing scenarios at a record or data field level are now possible. OrgChart Analytics cuts scenario planning from days and weeks down to minutes.

Powerful Conditional Formatting

Generate custom-colored views quickly and easily with programmable rules.

Powerful Data Import and Database Integration

Users can save time by importing any organization data from Excel, CSV, and a myriad of other popular database applications. Then, with just a few mouse clicks, an organization chart is generated with the supporting personnel database. OrgChart Professional Analytics also allows users to leverage data already stored in corporate personnel databases, including Active Directory, LDAP, SQL, Oracle, and MS Project databases.

Flexible, Ad Hoc Report Creation

The process of report creation is dynamic and flexible, enabling instant creation of phone lists and over 20 project personnel reports. Report output can be exported to PDF, Excel, and more.

Powerful Publishing Options

Organization charts are easily distributed throughout the organization—direct to a corporate intranet, FTP, or website. Managers can distribute whole charts or hyperlinked, sub-charts, depending on the desired level of detail.

Availability and Pricing

OrgChart Professional Analytics pricing can be obtained at our sales department. Call 1-866.331.4534 or visit online at www.officeworksoftware.com and www.orgchartpro.com.

About OfficeWork Software

OfficeWork Software is an industry leader specializing in software technology solutions for that help business professionals do their jobs with greater ease, efficiency, and accuracy. Our software and consulting services are specifically focused on supporting the ever expanding demands of project managers and human resource managers.

Although our users include a full spectrum of Human Resource managers, consultants, and professionals in corporations of all sizes.

IBM Acquires Automation Software Intelliden

Tech giant IBM announced on Tuesday it has acquired network automation software firm Intelliden. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Intelliden provides network automation solutions, which helps enterprises automate the configuration of different manually managed network devices such as hubs, routers and switches from dozens of vendors.These solutions also can automate a range of network services that play an integral role in virtual and cloud-based applications.

By acquiring Intelliden's automation technology, IBM seeks to help customers "improve network service availability, decrease risk through compliance reporting and improve staff efficiency," says IBM.Intelliden's solutions are used by many service providers and enterprises including Cbeyond, Scotia Capital, Telecom Italia and TELUS.

The acquisition will also further strengthen the IBM service management portfolio by offering solutions for automation and optimization of digital and physical assets.This includes full-service lifecycle management of network devices, IT, data center and physical assets as diverse as water mains, railway cars and even door locks.

Succession Planning Tool
Succession Planning Process

Organization Chart Ranking with Org Chart Software

Get Top-Ranking Org Chart Software with OrgChart Professional

Let’s face it. Every manager wants to get their hands on the organization chart, but everybody hates making them. Extend some pity to the worker who has the assignment of making all of the org charts for the company. Typically this person goes through about 15 iterations for each group, and gets plenty of complaints that their box is smaller than another person’s – or that they are not high enough on the chart. There’s a lot of fuss in making the org chart for a larger organization or group of organizations. But then the fun continues as people move in the company and the charts need to be redrawn. And can you every be sure that you didn’t miss somebody? How would you know?

But it doesn’t have to be that difficult if you take advantage of software that actually automates the job of making organization charts.

The top-ranking organization chart software will allow you to accomplish the following:

• Automate the organization charts by importing company HR data.
• Allow charts to be broken up into sub-charts or divisions so that the chart is readable.
• Automatic calculations for headcount, load count and budget summaries that change as the input changes.
• Ability to contain hyperlinks and attachments to each member on the chart
• Ability to add an unlimited number of custom fields (text, numeric, currency, date, calculation, dropdown, etc.)
• Publishing in formats that everyone’s computer can read.
• Publishing to the Inter/Intranet so that anyone can see the org chart.
• Automatically updating the chart and outputs on a scheduled basis, without operator intervention.
• Ability to produce an audit trail of changes
• Ability to compare charts by record and even by field for scenario planning or validation.

Top-ranking organization chart software will do these things, making the org chart a hands-free system once you have set it up.

One recommended solution is OrgChart Professional by OfficeWork Software. Details are at http://www.orgchartpro.com

CNET Editors' Review for OrgChart Professional Software

OrgChart Professional is a feature-packed program that allows users to create impressive organizational charts. Because of the number of features it contains will allow the users to master the program's many functions.

The interface is a bit cluttered and can be overwhelming at first, with lots of menus and buttons everywhere. Although it's possible to create an organizational chart just by fooling around with the program, beginners should really start with the Help file, a 282-page PDF that contains plenty of detailed tutorials and screenshots. Within 15 minutes you'll be creating attractive 3D charts and learning about the program's features at the same time. We very much enjoyed the fact that so much of the chart creation process simply involves dragging and dropping various components; although there are many advanced features, the program's interface makes it quite simple to perform the basics.

OrgChart Professional delivers everything you'd expect from such a program in terms of features. Users can easily customize the appearance of both the chart components and background. A variety of shapes, components, and alignment options make it possible to create charts representative of any organization, no matter how complex. The program allows the users to import and export data in a variety of formats.

OrgChart Professional is free to try, but the trial version limits users to 30 boxes. The program installs and uninstalls without issues. We recommend this program to all users.