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Smooth HR

Smooth HR

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Desk Navigation

Desk Navigation in Smooth HR

Help URL: https://smoothhiring.com/help/hrms/getting-started/desk-navigation

Smooth HR uses a modern desktop workspace: a desktop of module icons, a persistent left workspace sidebar per module, and a global Awesome Bar for instant navigation. This guide documents every desktop icon, typical sidebar links, keyboard shortcuts, and how HR Settings tabs map to each module.

Table of Contents

  1. Desk layout
  2. Smooth HR app entry
  3. Desktop icons reference
  4. Workspace sidebars
  5. People sidebar
  6. Recruitment sidebar
  7. Leaves sidebar
  8. Shift & Attendance sidebar
  9. Payroll sidebar
  10. Tax & Benefits sidebar
  11. Expenses sidebar
  12. Performance sidebar
  13. Tenure sidebar
  14. Awesome Bar (Ctrl+K)
  15. HR Settings tabs and deep links
  16. Legacy redirects
  17. Troubleshooting
  18. Related guides

Desk layout

After login, the desk has three navigation layers:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Top bar: breadcrumbs · actions · search · notifications    │
├──────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Desktop  │  Main content: List / Form / Dashboard / Page    │
│ icons    │                                                   │
│ (left    │                                                   │
│  rail)   │                                                   │
├──────────┤                                                   │
│ Workspace│                                                   │
│ sidebar  │                                                   │
│ (module) │                                                   │
└──────────┴──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Layer What it does
Desktop icons Switch between HR modules (People, Payroll, Tenure, …)
Workspace sidebar records, dashboards, reports, setup for the active module
Main area Records, charts, custom pages (org chart, roster, onboarding portal)

Smooth HR app entry

Element Value
App title Smooth HR (hrms)
App home /desk/people
Parent desktop icon Smooth HR → opens People sidebar
Child icons People, Recruitment, Leaves, Shift & Attendance, Payroll, Tax & Benefits, Expenses, Performance, Tenure

Click Smooth HR on the app switcher or desktop to return to People from anywhere.

Desktop icons reference

These desktop icons are included with Smooth HR:

Icon label Opens sidebar Logo / theme
Smooth HR People SmoothHiring logo (app launcher)
People People people.svg
Recruitment Recruitment recruitment.svg
Leaves Leaves leaves.svg
Shift & Attendance Shift & Attendance shift_&_attendance.svg
Payroll Payroll payroll.svg
Tax & Benefits Tax & Benefits tax_&_benefits.svg
Expenses Expenses expenses.svg
Performance Performance performance.svg
Tenure Tenure employee_lifecycle.svg

Older layouts may have shown separate HR, HR Home, Onboarding, Attendance, Time Off, Hiring, Employee Lifecycle, Benefits & Expenses, NextAI top-level) — use the module icons above instead.

Workspace sidebars

Each sidebar JSON lives in hrms/workspace_sidebar/. Common patterns:

Item type Behavior
Home Module workspace landing (shortcuts, links)
Dashboard Charts filtered to HR module
DocType links Open list views at /app/list name
Reports Collapsible Reports section
Setup Collapsible master data (Branch, Leave Type, …)
Settings Opens HR Settings with optional tab anchor

People sidebar

Route: /desk/people

| Label | Type | Desk path | |-------|------|-----------| | Home | Workspace People | /desk/people | | Dashboard | Human Resource dashboard | Dashboard view | | Employee | record | /app/employee | | Organizational Chart | Page | /app/organizational-chart | | Setup → Company | /app/company | | Setup → Branch | /app/branch | | Setup → Department | /app/department | | Setup → Designation | /app/designation | | Setup → Employee Group | /app/employee-group | | Setup → Employee Grade | /app/employee-grade | | Settings | HR Settings (employee tab) | /app/hr-settings · /desk/hr-settings#employee_tab |

People is the default home for administrators and HR staff.

Recruitment sidebar

Route: /desk/recruitment

Label Desk path
Home /desk/recruitment
Dashboard Recruitment dashboard
Job Applicant /app/job-applicant
Interview /app/interview
Job Offer /app/job-offer
Appointment Letter /app/appointment-letter
Setup → Staffing Plan, Job Requisition, Job Opening, Interview Type, Interview Round, Appointment Letter Template respective /app/... lists
Settings HR Settings (recruitment tab anchor when configured)

Connect accepted applicants to Employee Onboarding in Tenure.

Leaves sidebar

Route: /desk/leaves

Label Desk path
Home /desk/leaves
Leave Application /app/leave-application
Leave Encashment /app/leave-encashment
Leave Control Panel /app/leave-control-panel
Leave Policy Assignment /app/leave-policy-assignment
Leave Allocation /app/leave-allocation
Setup → Leave Type, Leave Period, Leave Policy, Holiday List /app/...
Settings HR Settings

Configure leave approvers and notifications under HR Settings → Leave and Expense Claim Settings.

Shift & Attendance sidebar

Route: /desk/shift-&-attendance (URL-encoded in browser)

Label Desk path
Home Shift & Attendance workspace
Roster /hr/roster (dedicated roster UI)
Dashboard Attendance dashboard
Employee Attendance Tool /app/employee-attendance-tool
Employee Checkin /app/employee-checkin
Shift Request /app/shift-request
Attendance Request /app/attendance-request
Overtime section Overtime Type, Overtime Slip, etc.
Setup → Shift Type, Shift Location, Attendance /app/...
Settings HR Settings (shift / attendance sections)

Enable mobile check-in under HR Settings → Attendance Settings (allow_employee_checkin_from_mobile_app, allow_geolocation_tracking).

Payroll sidebar

Route: /desk/payroll

Label Desk path
Home /desk/payroll
Dashboard Payroll dashboard
Payroll Entry /app/payroll-entry
Salary Structure Assignment /app/salary-structure-assignment
Salary Slip /app/salary-slip
Additional Salary /app/additional-salary
Setup → Salary Component, Salary Structure, Payroll Period /app/...
Settings HR Settings

Payroll connects to your company's accounting setup — ensure Company and cost centers exist first.

Tax & Benefits sidebar

Route: /desk/tax-&-benefits

Label Desk path
Home Tax & Benefits workspace
Exemption Declaration /app/employee-tax-exemption-declaration
Exemption Submission Proof /app/employee-tax-exemption-proof-submission
Benefit Application /app/employee-benefit-application
Benefit Claim /app/employee-benefit-claim
Reports Income Tax Deductions, etc.

Expenses sidebar

Route: /desk/expenses

Label Desk path
Home /desk/expenses
Dashboard Expense Claims dashboard
Employee Advance /app/employee-advance
Expense Claim /app/expense-claim
Travel → Purpose of Travel, Travel Request, Vehicle Log /app/...
Setup → Expense Claim Type, Expense Taxes and Charges /app/...
Settings HR Settings → expenses_tab

HR Settings → Expenses controls whether expense approver is mandatory and self-approval rules (prevent_self_expense_approval).

Performance sidebar

Route: /desk/performance

Label Desk path
Home /desk/performance
Goal /app/goal
Appraisal Cycle /app/appraisal-cycle
Appraisal /app/appraisal
Employee Performance Feedback /app/employee-performance-feedback
Employee Promotion /app/employee-promotion
Employee Transfer /app/employee-transfer

Tenure sidebar

Route: /desk/tenure

Label Desk path
Home /desk/tenure
Dashboard Employee Lifecycle dashboard
Employee Onboarding /app/employee-onboarding
Employee Separation /app/employee-separation
Employee Grievance /app/employee-grievance
Reports → Employee Exits, Birthday, Information, Analytics Report builder
Setup → Training Program, Training Event, Grievance Type, Employee Skill Map /app/...
Settings HR Settings (hiring / onboarding fields)

Employee Onboarding Template list: /app/employee-onboarding-template (search from Awesome Bar or open from template links on onboarding forms).

Employee-facing portal: /app/onboarding-portal (role Onboarding User).

Awesome Bar (Ctrl+K)

Shortcut Action
Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux) Open Awesome Bar
Cmd+K (macOS) Open Awesome Bar
Type + Enter Open matching route
+ prefix Quick create (when supported)

Search tips:

  • Use exact list names: Employee Onboarding, Signature Envelope.
  • Search partial words: onboard → Employee Onboarding, Onboarding Portal page.
  • Open desk paths directly if you know them: paste /app/hr-settings in browser address bar on your site domain.

Frequently opened paths:

Goal Path
HR configuration /app/hr-settings
New hire checklist /app/employee-onboarding
Template library /app/employee-onboarding-template
E-sign templates /app/signature-template
Org chart /app/organizational-chart
Shift roster /hr/roster

HR Settings is a single record at /app/hr-settings. Module sidebars link to tab fieldnames where configured.

Employee tab (employee_tab)

Contains the majority of HR-wide options:

Section Notable fields
Employee Settings Employee Naming By, Standard Working Hours, Retirement Age
Reminders Birthday, work anniversary, holiday reminders; sender email
Leave and Expense Claim Settings Leave notifications, backdated leave restriction, prevent self-approval
Shift Settings Allow multiple shift assignments
Hiring Settings Vacancy checks, interview reminders, Onboarding Token Expiry Days, Onboarding Portal Email Template
Employee Exit Exit questionnaire web form and templates
Attendance Settings Mobile check-in, geolocation tracking
Unlink Payment Employee advance payment behavior on cancel

People sidebar Settings → navigate_to_tab: employee_tab → /desk/hr-settings#employee_tab.

Expenses tab (expenses_tab)

Section Notable fields
Expenses Settings Expense approver mandatory, show department leaves in calendar, auto leave encashment

Expenses sidebar opens this tab directly.

Some sidebars reference additional tab anchors (recruitment_tab, tenure_tab, shift_and_attendance_tab). If a tab is not visible on your site version, open HR Settings manually and use the sections above — hiring and onboarding fields live under Hiring Settings on the employee tab.

Onboarding-specific settings:

Field Purpose
Onboarding Token Expiry Days How long portal/sign links remain valid
Onboarding Portal Email Template Email sent when portal access is granted

Legacy redirects

Smooth HR hooks register website redirects for old bookmarks:

Old path Redirects to
/apps, /index /desk/people
/desk/home /desk/people
/app/hr, /desk/hr /desk/people
/desk/hr-home /desk/people

Update internal documentation and bookmarks to People as the canonical entry.

Troubleshooting

Issue What to do
Sidebar empty after upgrade Contact Smooth support to restore the workspace sidebar
Wrong module opens Click correct desktop icon; parent icon is Smooth HR → People
Settings link does not open tab Go to /app/hr-settings and select tab manually
Roster 404 Confirm hrms installed; use /hr/roster not /app/roster
Duplicate legacy HR icon Hidden by migrate; clear desk cache if still visible
Onboarding User sees full desk User should only have Onboarding User role; home is /desk/onboarding-portal

Last updated: May 2026

Last updated 1 week ago
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