Introduction

A well-structured onboarding experience plays a crucial role in helping new employees settle into an organization quickly and confidently.

One effective way to support new joiners is by assigning them a buddy—someone they can approach for guidance, questions, and day-to-day support during their initial phase.

In uKnowva HRMS, a buddy is not a separate module or feature but a configurable profile field that HR teams manage through the Profile Fields Manager.

This buddy field is typically filled by HR during the onboarding process and is stored as part of the employee’s profile information.

Once configured, uKnowva can also set up automated reminders for buddies based on client-specific requirements, ensuring they stay informed and actively engaged in supporting new employees throughout the onboarding journey.

This article explains how to create the Buddy profile field, assign a buddy during user onboarding, and verify the buddy information from the employee profile.

Step 1: Creating the Buddy Profile Field

To begin, you first need to create a new profile field named Buddy. If you are unfamiliar with creating profile fields, you can refer to this detailed guide.

Navigate to the Profile Fields Manager in your uKnowva HRMS instance.

Once you reach the page, click on the plus (+) button located above the list of existing fields.

This action opens a pop-up window where you can start configuring the Buddy field.

In this configuration screen, start by ensuring that the Category is set to User.

Enter the field name as Buddy and select Users from the field type drop-down, as this allows you to choose users directly from the system.

Next, assign the field to an appropriate group, such as Employment Information, ensuring it appears in the correct section of the employee profile.

The field code is automatically generated, and if required, you can make the field unique by selecting Yes in the Is Unique option along with the necessary permissions.

Make sure the Published toggle is set to Yes so the field becomes active. If assigning a buddy is mandatory for your organization, enable the Required toggle.

In the Visible To field, select who should be able to view this information based on your organization’s policy.

Next, configure the user-specific settings for the buddy field.

Here, decide whether the field should allow multiple users, depending on whether you want to assign more than one buddy.

You can also choose whether to include self, allowing or restricting users from selecting themselves as buddies.

Once all details are reviewed and configured, click on the Save button to create the Buddy profile field, or click Cancel to discard the changes.

Step 2: Assigning a Buddy During User Onboarding

After creating the Buddy profile field, you can now see it in action during user onboarding.

Go to the User Manager in uKnowva HRMS.

From the top of the employee list, click on the Add New User button.

This opens a pop-up window with multiple tabs such as Account Information, Basic Information, Personal Information, Contact Information, Educational Information, and Employment Information.

Fill in all the required details in each tab as needed.

When you move to the Employment Information section, you will notice the Buddy field available, since it was configured under this group.

Continue entering employment details such as Date of Joining, Employment Status, Notice period, Department, and Business Head.

In the Buddy field, select the appropriate employee who will act as the buddy for the new joiner.

Once all details across all tabs are filled, click on the Save button to complete the onboarding process.

Step 3: Assigning or Updating a Buddy from an Existing User Profile

You can also assign or update a buddy for an existing employee directly from their profile.

To do this, locate the employee in the instance and open their profile.

If you are unsure how to find a user profile, you can follow this guide.

Click on the Edit Profile button available above the user details.

This allows you to modify the employee’s information.

Navigate to the Employment Information tab, where the Buddy field is available.

Select the appropriate user in the Buddy field to assign or change the buddy.

After making the update, click on the Save button to apply the changes, or click Cancel to discard them.

This approach is useful when buddy assignments need to be changed after onboarding.

Step 4: Viewing the Buddy Field in the Employee Profile

To verify that the Buddy field is working correctly, locate the newly added employee in the system.

Once you open the employee’s profile, scroll to the Employment Information section.

Here, you will be able to see the assigned buddy’s name displayed clearly.

This confirms that the Buddy profile field is successfully configured and functioning as expected.

Conclusion

That’s it!

You’ve now successfully created, configured, and used the Buddy profile field in uKnowva HRMS.

By following this process, you ensure that every employee receives structured support through a clearly assigned buddy.

If you have any questions or need additional support, feel free to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..