Spring is the perfect time to declutter, refresh, and optimize your Awardco platform. A little admin housekeeping now means a cleaner experience for your employees and sharper data for your leadership team all year long.
This Tip Tuesday focuses on three quick wins:
- Audit your user file for accuracy
- Refresh your homepage banners and content
- Archive old programs you're no longer using
Step 1 โ Audit Your User File
Your user file is the foundation of everything in Awardco โ from who can give and receive recognition, to manager hierarchies, to budget access. An outdated file means stale data, ghost accounts, and inaccurate reporting.
How to run a quick user file audit
- Go to Admin โ Users โ User Management โ Bulk User Upload.
- Click Download under Active Users to export your current user file as a CSV.
- Review for common issues:
- Terminated employees still active โ If you're not using an automated HRIS integration, former employees may still be sitting in your Active Users list. Archive them manually or ensure your next file upload has the Archive toggle enabled.
- Missing or outdated Supervisor IDs โ Broken supervisor links mean broken manager hierarchies, which affect budgets, approvals, and reporting.
- Stale metadata โ Check fields like #Department, #Location, and #Job Group. Outdated metadata can cause employees to land in the wrong programs, roles, or budget groups.
- Upload your corrected file and use Preview & Upload to validate changes before committing. Review the New, Updated, Archived, and Restored tabs carefully.
Pro tip: Use the Change Log tab in User Management to confirm your import ran successfully and to catch any errors.
Step 2 โ Refresh Your Homepage Banners & Content
Your homepage is the first thing employees see when they log in. If your banner still says "Happy Holidays" or promotes a Q1 campaign that ended two months ago, it's time for a refresh.
How to update your homepage
- Go to Admin โ Platform Settings โ Homepage Editor.
- Click the pencil icon on your banner to update the hero image.
- Image requirements: Minimum 2000 ร 600 px, JPG or PNG format.
- Update the Primary/Secondary overlay text to reflect a current message โ a spring campaign, a new program launch, or a simple seasonal greeting.
- Don't forget the Accessibility text field for visually impaired users.
- Scroll down and review your Text/Media widgets. Remove or update any that reference old campaigns, expired programs, or outdated instructions.
- Consider adding or refreshing a widget that highlights your company values, current Earn programs, or the new Pin Recognitions Widget.
- Use banner variants if you support multiple regions or business units โ each group can see a tailored message based on their metadata (e.g., Country, Company).
- Preview on both desktop and mobile using the device toggle at the bottom of the editor, then click Publish Changes.
Pro tip: Treat your homepage like a storefront window โ update it at least once a quarter to keep things feeling fresh and relevant.
Step 3 โ Archive Old Programs
Over time, it's easy to accumulate one-off recognition programs โ holiday campaigns, pilot programs, or seasonal initiatives โ that are no longer active. Archiving them keeps your program list clean and prevents confusion for both admins and employees.
How to archive a recognition program
- Go to Admin โ Programs โ Recognition Programs.
- Find the program you want to retire. You have two options:
- Option A: Click the three-dot menu (โฆ) next to the program and select Archive.
- Option B: Open the program, set the End Date to a past date, and save โ the program will auto-move to the Archived tab.
- Archived programs are not deleted โ they move to the Archived tab, where you can still view, edit, or duplicate them if you ever want to bring one back.
What to look for when deciding what to archive:
- Programs with an end date that has already passed but were never formally archived.
- Seasonal or event-based programs (e.g., "Holiday Giving 2024," "Safety Week Q3") that have run their course.
- Duplicate or test programs that were never launched.
Pro tip: Before archiving, run a quick Recognition Program Utilization report (Admin โ Insights โ Reports โ Recognition Program Utilization) filtered to that program to confirm it's truly inactive and capture any final data you need.
Summary Table: Spring Cleaning Checklist
Area | What to Check | Where to Do It |
|---|
User File | Terminated users, broken Supervisor IDs, stale metadata | Admin โ Users โ User Management โ Bulk User Upload |
Homepage | Outdated banners, expired campaign widgets, seasonal messaging | Admin โ Platform Settings โ Homepage Editor |
Programs | Inactive, seasonal, or duplicate programs still listed as active | Admin โ Programs โ Recognition Programs |
Join the Conversation
How are you keeping your Awardco platform fresh and organized?
- When was the last time you audited your user file for accuracy โ and what did you find?
- Have you updated your homepage banner recently, or is it still rocking last quarter's look?
- Do you have any old programs sitting in your active list that are ready to be archived?
Share your spring cleaning tips, before-and-after screenshots, or questions in the comments so fellow admins can borrow your best practices for keeping their platform sleek and relevant.
