Guide: Admins Getting Started Part 32 - Delegate User Experience

This article explains how delegates interact with SimplyMerit, how they use the system to act on behalf of managers, and how they access and complete tasks in their assigned roles.

Delegates help managers who may not directly use SimplyMerit or who need assistance completing compensation tasks. A delegate can be assigned to multiple managers, and a manager can have multiple delegates assigned to them.

What a Delegate Is

A delegate is a user who has been assigned to support a manager in SimplyMerit.

Delegates can:

• view and enter compensation data on behalf of an assigned manager
• switch into a manager’s context when assigned to that manager
• complete manager workflow steps based on the access granted to them

Delegates do not automatically gain access to every manager or every area of SimplyMerit. Their access depends on their delegate assignments and user access settings.

How Delegates Are Assigned and Invited

Delegates must be assigned before they can act on behalf of a manager.

Delegate assignments can be managed through:

• Configuration → Data Import → Delegates CSV Import
• Configuration → Employee Information

After delegates have been assigned, use Send Delegate Invitations under Configuration → System Control when invitations need to be sent.

Delegate Login

Delegates log in using the same interface as managers:

https://app.simplymerit.com

They use their email and password unless SSO is enabled, in which case they authenticate through your identity provider.

A delegate should have the appropriate access enabled on Configuration → User Control. Core Access lets the delegate sign in. Planning Access controls whether the delegate can access planning areas directly.

Delegate Switching

A delegate who is assigned to one or more managers can use the delegate dropdown in the top-right area of SimplyMerit. The dropdown lists managers for whom the user is a delegate.

When the delegate selects a manager, SimplyMerit switches them into that manager’s context so they can view and work with the manager’s applicable planning pages.

If a delegate has limited direct access when not acting for a manager, they may see a limited-access message after logging in. This does not necessarily mean the delegate is blocked; they may still use the delegate switcher if they are assigned to a manager.

Delegate Home and Navigation

Delegates may see different screens depending on their access and assignment context. When acting for a manager, they may use manager-facing areas such as:

• My Org
• My Team
• My Account

The available pages depend on the manager’s configuration, the delegate’s access, and the company’s active settings.

Performing Manager Tasks as a Delegate

Delegates can typically perform the same actions as the manager for the team they are assigned to, including:

• recommending merit increases
• entering bonus and equity adjustments
• viewing employee details
• downloading letters or exports, based on configuration

Actions are performed under the manager’s context. When the delegate submits changes, they are submitted as if the manager entered them.

Limits of Delegate Access

Delegates do not:

• gain access to other managers’ data unless explicitly assigned
• see or manage tasks outside the scope of the assigned manager’s team
• see performance review data if it is not exposed to managers
• create a separate approval layer
• bypass approval requirements

Managing Delegate Access

Use Configuration → User Control to review or adjust a delegate’s access settings, including:

• Core Access
• Planning Access
• Portal Access, if applicable
• View Only
• Receive Emails

Use Configuration → Employee Information or the Delegates CSV Import to manage which managers the delegate supports.

Delegate Alerts and Reminders

Delegates can receive system alerts and reminders that a manager would receive, depending on:

• company configuration
• the delegate’s assignment to the manager
• Receive Emails and company-wide email settings
• whether manager emails are configured to also go to delegates

Delegate Logout and Lockout

Admins can restrict a delegate’s access through User Control. Locking or disabling access prevents the delegate from using SimplyMerit while preserving the delegate assignment unless the assignment itself is removed.

Delegate Best Practices

• Assign no more delegates than necessary to simplify review and auditing.
• Use CSV import for large or recurring delegate assignments.
• Train delegates on compensation guidelines before granting access.
• Review User Control when troubleshooting a delegate’s sign-in or planning access.
• Monitor delegate activity through reporting and Manager Activity screens where applicable.

Summary

Delegates extend managerial capacity by acting on behalf of assigned managers within SimplyMerit. They log in, switch into the appropriate manager context, complete work within the permissions granted, and remain limited to the managers and access settings configured by administrators.

→ Next: Guide: Admins Getting Started Part 33 - Reversing an Approval