> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.pockethrms.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.pockethrms.com/product-updates/updates-2026/september-2026.md).
# September 2026
### **September 2026**
We are thrilled to present our Monthly Update, with enhanced user-friendly tools to elevate your HR experience. Our commitment to innovation and efficiency drives us to bring you seamless updates that transform your HR processes. For the month of September 2026, we have the following enhancements.
### **Microsoft Teams Integration for Interview Scheduling**
A new **Microsoft Teams** integration creates Teams meeting links automatically when you schedule interviews. Admins link the organisation's Microsoft 365 account once by entering the Application (Client) ID, Directory (Tenant) ID and Client Secret Value. The customer's IT team handles this one-time setup. When a recruiter picks Online mode and the Microsoft Teams platform, the link is generated and the **Interview Link** field is locked. Every panel interviewer gets a calendar invite with the slot blocked. Rescheduling updates the same invite instead of creating a new meeting. Candidates and external interviewers join as guests without a Teams licence. Recruiters outside the linked Microsoft 365 account can choose **Manual** and paste a link.
### **Google Meet Integration for Interview Scheduling**
A new **Google Meet** integration creates Meet links automatically when you schedule interviews. Admins switch it on in Integrations Settings, with no separate setup needed in Google. When a recruiter picks Online mode and the Google Meet platform, the link is created from the Google account they are logged into in the browser. Both conditions must be met: **the integration is on, and the recruiter is logged into Google in the same browser.** Setup is much simpler than the Microsoft Teams integration.
### **Remarks Pane on Candidate Profile**
A new **Remarks** pane on the Candidate Profile lets every ESS role with profile access view, search, add and export remarks. Earlier, remarks appeared only in the Candidate Timeline, which only HR, Admin and Recruiter roles can access. Hiring Managers, Interviewers and Managers could add remarks but not view them, even their own. The Remarks badge, next to Scheduled, Assessments and Offers, shows the count and opens the pane. Each card shows the author's name, employee code and role, date and time, job title, job code, recruitment stage, remark text and attachments. Remarks are shown per job application. You can now attach PDF, DOCX and XLSX files, up to 5MB in total per remark. Remark text is still mandatory. Remarks added before this release also appear in the pane.
### **Assessments Pane on Candidate Profile**
A new **Assessments** pane on the Candidate Profile lets every ESS role with profile access see the assessments sent to a candidate and their submissions. Earlier, these were stored only in the Communication section, open to HR, Admin and Recruiter roles, so Hiring Managers had to wait for files to be shared. The Assessments badge shows the number sent and opens the pane. Each card shows the title, status (Pending or Completed), sender, deadline, description, attached resources and the candidate's submission, all downloadable. Until the candidate submits, the card shows **Pending submission**. Access follows existing Candidate Profile permissions, so no new setup is needed.
### **Approval Matrix – Advanced Rules**
The Approval Matrix now has an **Advanced** tab where admins can create rules for **Job Requisitions, Job Modifications, and Job Offers** based on job-field conditions. Rules apply when all conditions match, with any selected value allowed within a condition, and Job Offers use values from their linked Job Requisition. Admins can assign and reorder approvers from any company in the group and choose **Sequential, Parallel, or Any One** approval. If no rule matches, Basic settings apply. Conflicting rules cannot be saved, affected pending approvals restart when changes impact them, and fields used in rules cannot be deleted or have **Required/Profile** disabled until removed from the rule. Rules can also be **searched, filtered, and exported to Excel**.
### **Interview Reschedule Requests for Candidates and HR**
Candidates and HR can now start a reschedule request for a scheduled interview. In the Career Portal, candidates click **Request a Different Time**, enter a mandatory reason and propose up to three alternate slots. The original slot stays booked until the recruiter responds, and the candidate can see the reason and times they sent. HR sees the request in the candidate's **Communications** tab and can **Review & Reschedule** or **Decline** it. When reviewing, HR can pick a proposed time or set a different one. HR can also send the candidate one revised time, which the candidate can accept or reject. If HR declines, or the candidate rejects, the original slot stays as scheduled.
### **Internal Job Posting (IJP)**
You can now post jobs for your own employees with **Internal Job Posting (IJP)**. Select it in **Publish Job As** under Application Settings while creating a job. **Internal Job Eligibility** settings then control who can see and apply. Turn on **Show Job to All Employees** to open the job to everyone, or set criteria: minimum service in the current company, minimum combined service across group companies, and Business Unit conditions such as Department and Location. Employees must meet all rows (AND) or any one row (OR). Employees reporting to selected managers can be excluded. IJP jobs carry an IJP tag in Manage Jobs, can be filtered by Published As, and work like other jobs for recruiters. Employees apply from ESS and track applications, interviews, assignments, offers and screening questions in Applied Jobs. Documents, Education, Work Experience and Profile details come from the Employee Profile, and no Candidate Self Service portal is needed. Selected employees are not onboarded again; their Business Unit details are updated instead.
### **Employee Access Tracker Report**
A new tracker under Employee Access > **Previous Records** lets managers see pending and approved Employee Access entries. The list shows Date of Joining, Employee Code, Employee Name, Category, Department, Company, Location, Trigger (such as Joining or Promotion) and Status. You can filter by **Initiation Date Range** and search. **Download** exports the entries to Excel with the manager code, name and action date for every approval level, the IT Department employee who actioned it, and the current status. Managers can see who a request is pending with, without following up manually.
### **Notification Management Center**
The new **Notification Management Center** lets you choose how alerts are delivered for each module and event. Select or search a module to see its events, each with a short description, and the event count. Each event can be turned on or off across ESS (Desktop), Email, Mobile Push and WhatsApp. Not applicable or a dash shows where a channel is not available. **Bulk Channel Controls** switch a channel for all events in the selected module without changing other modules. Changes save automatically, with no Save button. WhatsApp toggles are greyed out if WhatsApp is not configured for the company. **Find Notifications** shows a log of past notifications across all modules and channels, with filters for module, date range and status (Delivered, Read, Failed), plus keyword search. Each entry shows the employee name and code, module, message, date and time, and a **Read in ESS** link to the related page.
### **Restrict Stop Payment When Paysheet Is Locked**
A new **Allow Stop Payment when Paysheet is Locked** setting under Stop Payment settings controls whether Stop Payment can be used after payroll is processed. A paysheet locks automatically for a Category and Month once payroll is processed. Earlier, Stop Payment could still be applied after the lock. Set to Yes, Stop Payment works as before. Set to No, HR cannot apply or release Stop Payment from the Employee Profile or Bulk Import for that Month-Year. The default is Yes, so your current process stays unchanged until you change it. This keeps locked payroll matched with the payments released.
### **Prompt to Add Loan to Interest Free Loan Perquisite**
When HR saves a new employee loan from Cloud, a prompt now asks whether to add it to the **Interest Free Loan Perquisite**. Earlier, the loan had to be added there separately. Clicking **Yes** opens the Interest Free Loan Perquisite page with the **Outstanding Amount / Loan Amount** and **Monthly Repayment** already filled in from the loan. Clicking **No** closes the prompt, and you can still add the perquisite later from the same page. This reduces missed perquisite entries and repeat data entry.
### **Start Notice Period From Setting**
A new **Start Notice Period From** setting in Exit Notification Settings lets you choose the date the notice period is counted from. It applies only to resignations submitted by employees through ESS. HR-initiated or manual separations, and cases where HR sets the Last Working Date directly, are not affected. **Resignation Date** counts from the resignation date itself. **Next Day after Resignation Date** counts from the next calendar day, working day or not. **Next Working Day after Resignation Date** skips holidays and week-offs based on your Holiday and Week-Off setup. This is the default and matches how the system worked before, so current setups stay unchanged.
### **Submitted By Details in FnF No Dues Form Download**
Downloaded FnF No Dues forms now show **Submitted by** for each section, such as Full and Final Form - IT and Full and Final Form - HR, with the employee code and name of the person who filled it. This appears in both PDF and Excel downloads, so HR can see who completed each section without checking the system.
### **Mandatory or Optional Setting for Default Expense Fields**
A new **Default Field Configuration** in Expense Type settings lets admins set Invoice No / Bill No, Purpose, Upload File and Remark as Mandatory or Optional. These are system-default fields, so they cannot be removed. Mandatory fields show a red asterisk, and the expense cannot be added until they are filled. A message tells the employee which field is missing. Optional fields show no asterisk. Existing field behaviour stays the same until you update the configuration. This stops incomplete claims at entry instead of sending them back later.
### **Lock Recorded Punch Time During Attendance Regularization**
A new **Allow Only Missing Punch Regularization for Invalid Punch** setting in Global Setting locks punch times already captured by the biometric device or mobile app. Earlier, both In Time and Out Time could be edited during regularization. When set to Yes, the captured punch shows a **Captured** tag and cannot be changed, so employees enter only the missing punch. The system uses the punch direction from the device or app, or compares the punch with the shift midpoint if no direction is recorded, including night shifts. ESS Web adds read-only **Punch Time(s)** and **Total Hours** rows, and the grid shows Missing instead of Wrong Entry. ESS Mobile shows a lock icon on the captured punch. The default is No, and the setting applies company-wide to requests raised after it is saved. It does not apply to Single Punch or No Punch configurations, or to days with both punches recorded. Approvals work as before.
**For any queries, contact** [**support@pockethrms.com**](mailto:support@pockethrms.com)
