Getting Started

From the Plans tab, which serves as balanceAAP's landing page, the Create Plan tab displays in the tab header as the access point for generating a new Affirmative Action plan.

Once you have made selections in response to the preliminary questions below, click [Create Plan]. The system will then take you to the plan's Home page, where you can continue developing the more comprehensive AAP components. The information entered when creating a plan may be reviewed and edited later on, by accessing: Plan Information, within the plan.

Select Plan Type

Select whether you are creating an Annual Plan or an interim Update Plan.

Enter Plan Dates

Plan Date

The plan date is the effective date for the annual Affirmative Action plan. Data from the year prior will be used in the plan's calculations (as described below). Contractors must also complete at least a six-month Update Plan to monitor interim progress.

Example: The January 1, 2024 Annual Plan will be accompanied by a six-month Update Plan, dated July 1, 2024.

Archive Date

Just below the Plan Effective Date is the date when the AAP will be archived, or removed from client access, typically three years ahead from the Plan Effective Date.

Cross-reference: For more information on records retention (by the user and Berkshire), how archiving works, and related tools, please see: Plan Information / Administering the Plan Archive Date.

Enter Personnel Action Date Range

The personnel action date range for an Annual Plan will be the 12-month period prior to the Plan Date.

Example: For a January 1, 2024 plan, the personnel action date range will span from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023.

The personnel action date range for an Update Plan will span the time between the Annual Plan date and the Update Plan date.

Example: For an Annual Plan, effective January 1, 2024, the six-month Update Plan date is July 1, 2024. Therefore, the personnel action date range will go from January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024.

General Information

Type in the following:

• Company Name: Enter the name as you would like it to appear on plan reports.
• Plan Name: The Plan Name should include the effective plan date, and indicate Annual or Update 
  • Example:  January 1, 2018 Annual Affirmative Action Plan
• Establishment Name: A geographical location may be entered
  • Example: Vienna, VA

Multiple Plans

"Will you be creating multiple plans from a master plan data set?"

• If your organization has multiple establishments or locations, sharing a common data set, select: Yes.
• If a single plan will be created for one establishment or location, or if the organization only has one location, select: No.

Availability

"Will you be using zip code information to determine recruitment areas for your job groups?"

• If No, other tools are available in the Availability module.
• If Yes, Which zip code would you like to use when calculating External Availability in your plan?
  • Roster Work Code
  • Roster Home Zip Code
  • Applicant Zip Code
  • Plan Code Zip Code (Master plan with sub plans only)

Prior Year Plan

"Do you have a prior year plan in balanceAAP?"

• I do not have a prior year plan in balanceAAP.
  • If chosen, an alternate History method can be chosen later through History > Source.
• I want to use a prior year plan from balanceAAP.
  • If chosen, select the correct History Annual Plan from the Company, Establishment, and Plan drop-downs.

Note:  If you are creating an Update Plan, import the settings from the corresponding Annual Plan from the Company, Establishment, and Plan drop-downs.

Individuals with Disabilities / Veterans

The option to include Individuals with Disabilities (IWDs) and Veterans will be automatically selected. 

EEO Schedule

Select your plan's EEO Schedule from the provided list. 

• 1-Private
• 4-Governmental
• 5-Educational (Elementary & Secondary Education)
• 6-Educational (Postsecondary Education)
• IPEDS [[Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System] — When working in the plan's Data Tables, "IPEDS Code" will supplant "EEO Code."

Cross-references: Please find information on related EEO job classifications on the following pages: 

• Private Organizations
• Government and Educational Institutions

Audit Status

• A filter option on the Plans > Open Plan tab to show OFCCP-audit versus unaudited AAPs, plus audit-plan highlighting on both the Recent Plans list and the Open Plan tab.
• An available Dashboard filter by this parameter, applied when creating sub plans.

For most plans, the box will remain unchecked in answer to: Is this plan under audit?

Create Plan

After all the selections have been made, use the [Create] button to save and create your plan.