BambooHR Packages FAQ
Purpose: To help you understand the packages that BambooHR offers and how to tell which package you have.
Table of Contents
- What are the packages?
- What are the features included in each package?
- Why does BambooHR offer multiple packages?
- How do I determine which package I have?
- How do I upgrade my package?
- What is dynamic billing?
- How do I efficiently and effectively set up my new features?
- What features will remain the same, and will I lose access to anything in my current package as I migrate packages?
- What is the price of my new package upgrade?
- What new features am I gaining when I migrate my Advantage account to Core or Pro?
- There are many exciting new features, but I am overwhelmed by setting them all up. Are there services I can pay for to help me do this?
We offer two packaging options: Core and Pro. If you have the Essentials or Advantage package and are interested in learning more about our new packaging options, go to Settings > Account Settings > Account Info and click Manage Subscription.
To meet the needs of our customer environments, BambooHR offers two packaging options: Core and Pro. You can choose the package that best fits your company's business needs.
- Core: The Core package is for customers needing to lay an HR foundation for the future. Their HR information is everywhere. It is on paper, stuffed into filing cabinets, spread across spreadsheets, entered in multiple systems, and some of it may be in their head. With HR data being everywhere, it becomes difficult for them to respond to company needs because the data is inaccessible. They spend so much time trying to keep track of everything and cannot imagine doing anything more.
- Pro: The Pro package is for customers needing to increase the impact they provide at their companies. They spend too much time on operational activities and cannot get to the strategic and high-impact activities they know their organizations need to be successful. They are looking for ways to do things better and more but do not know how to do it without help. With help, they can escape the characterization of being purely operational.
For the most up-to-date information on features, please review the Compare Plans and Features section on our BambooHR website.
Feature | Essentials | Advantage | Core | Pro |
---|---|---|---|---|
Standard Access Levels | X | X | X | X |
Custom Access Levels | X | X | X | |
Ask BambooHR® | X | X | ||
Benefits Tracking | X | X | X | X |
Company Announcements | X | X | X | |
Company Branding | X | X | X | |
Company Links | X | X | X | X |
Custom Tabs & Fields | X | X | X | |
Document Storage | X | X | X | X |
Standard Email Alerts | X | X | X | X |
Custom Email Alerts | X | X | X | |
Employee Directory & Org Chart | X | X | X | X |
Employee Profile | X | X | X | X |
Employee Records | X | X | X | X |
Mobile App | X | X | X | X |
Notification Center | X | X | X | X |
Time Off Calendar | X | X | X | X |
Time Off Management | X | X | X | X |
Training Tracking | X | X | X | |
Workflows & Approvals | X | X | X | X |
Feature | Essentials | Advantage | Core | Pro |
---|---|---|---|---|
ACA Reporting | X | X | X | X |
Audit Trail | X | X | X | |
Custom Reporting | X | X | X | |
Standard Reporting | X | X | X | X |
Feature | Essentials | Advantage | Core | Pro |
---|---|---|---|---|
Applicant Tracking System (ATS) | X | X | X | |
Automated Disqualifying Questions | X | X | ||
Automated Emails | X | X | ||
Candidate Keyword Search | X | X | X | |
Candidate Record | X | X | X | |
Email & Offer Letter Templates | X | X | X | |
Hiring Mobile App | X | X | X | |
Job Boards | X | X | X | |
Job Openings | 25 | 5 | 25 | |
Job Pipelines | X | X | ||
Talent Pools | X | X | X |
Feature | Essentials | Advantage | Core | Pro |
---|---|---|---|---|
Electronic Signatures | X | X | X | |
New Hire Packet | X | X | X | |
Onboarding Tasks | X | X | X | |
Offboarding Tasks | X | X | X | |
Welcome Emails | X | X | X |
Feature | Essentials | Advantage | Core | Pro |
---|---|---|---|---|
Employee Satisfaction with eNPS | X | X | X | |
Employee Wellbeing Survey | X | X | X | |
Total Rewards Statement | X | X | ||
AI-Powered Topic Summaries | X | X | ||
Equity Projections | X | X | ||
Heatmap Analysis | X | X | X | |
Keyword Analysis | X | X | X | |
Research-Validated Question Bank | X | X | X |
Please note that Pro packages now include BambooHR® Performance Management. We no longer offer it as an add-on for current customers subscribed to the Essentials or Advantage packages.
Feature | Essentials | Advantage | Core | Pro |
---|---|---|---|---|
360 Feedback | X | |||
Assessment Templates | X | |||
Custom Questions | X | |||
Custom Review Cycles | X | |||
Double-Blind Assessments | X | |||
File Upload | X | |||
Goal & Sub-Goal Tracking | X | |||
Impromptu Assessments | X | |||
Mobile Assessments | X | |||
Multiple Review Cycles | X | |||
Peer Feedback | X | |||
Performance 1:1s | X | |||
Pre-Built Reporting | X | |||
Segment by Employee Type | X |
Feature | Essentials | Advantage | Core | Pro |
---|---|---|---|---|
Community Feed Widget | X | |||
Company Events | X | |||
Customizable Groups | X | |||
Email Notifications | X | |||
Employee Polls | X | |||
Event Calendar | X | |||
Post Analytics Dashboard | X | |||
Post Attachments | X | |||
Post Read Confirmations | X | |||
Post Scheduling | X | |||
Slack Integration | X |
Feature | Essentials | Advantage | Core | Pro |
---|---|---|---|---|
BambooHR Marketplace | X | X | X | |
BambooHR Open API | X | X | X |
Option | Essentials | Advantage | Core | Pro |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chat Support | X | X | X | X |
Email Support | X | X | X | X |
Telephone Support | X | X | X | X |
Success Webinar Library | X | X | X | X |
We introduced multiple packages to be more flexible in matching the unique benefits of BambooHR with the needs of our customers. Customers now have more flexibility in choosing the right package, add-ons, and services for their needs.
To discover your package details, go to Settings > Account > Account Info.
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Clicking on your package under "My Subscription" will pull up a modal showing how long you have been using the package, how many active users you have (or how many out of your intended employee count if you have not met that number yet), and link to more information about your package. If you are on the Pro package, you will also see a link to the setup guides.
If you are interested in upgrading your package, you might be able to do this on your own in BambooHR. There are some criteria around who can use our self-serve upgrade option:
You can use the self-serve upgrade option if you are an account owner upgrading from:
- Core to Pro.
- Advantage to Pro.
- Essentials to Core or Pro.
You will not be able to use the self-serve upgrade option if:
- you are in a grace period (have a past due invoice), until that is paid.
- you are using wire transfer or check as your primary payment method.
- you have the Payroll, Ben Admin, or Time Tracking add-ons on your account.
- you are currently in Implementation.
- you want to upgrade to Core, and have Essentials with the Performance Management add-on on your account. In this case however, you WOULD be able to upgrade to Pro as you will not lose Performance Management in the process.
The options available to you in this process may depend on your role within BambooHR.
If you meet the criteria, you can access the self-serve upgrade option through Account Info in Settings. Simply click on Learn More under "Available Upgrades," or click Manage Subscription.
From the Mangage Subscription page, click Upgrade to [Package Name].
This will pull up a page where you can start a package upgrade, schedule a demo, or view a plan comparison.
Clicking Start Upgrade will pull up your new estimated total for your next invoice. This total will include a prorated amount* for the new package for the number of days you have left in the current billing period. You can click View Estimate or View Details to get more details on the price (see below).
*If you prepay annually, you will see a slightly different view as the amount will be coming out of your prepaid total. If you have insufficient funds, you will not be able to proceed with the upgrade. If this is the case, you can reach out to our Billing team to add the needed funds.
Clicking View Estimate will pull up a page with your new estimated monthly pricing for the new package. You can print or save this estimate if needed.
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Clicking View Details will pull up a page where you can see the breakdown of the prorated amounts for the old package and your new package.
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Clicking Start Using [Package Name] Now* will apply the upgrade immediately, and you will see a celebratory confirmation modal with a link to your setup guide.
If you still need either Payroll or Ben Admin to qualify for the bundle discount, you will see an option to request information about the add-ons, and our Expansion team will reach out shortly.
*Please note you will need to click the box accepting the terms of service before you can proceed with the upgrade.
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Once you have upgraded, you and your Account Payable Contacts will receive a confirmation email.
If you are interested in upgrading your package but do not meet the criteria to use the self-serve option, you can request a personalized demo with our team at BambooHR. To do this, navigate to Settings > Account > Account Info. On this page, select Manage Subscription and then the upgrade option.
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A short video will appear and walk you through an overview of the selected package. Just below the video, click Schedule a Demo. Clicking on this link will automatically send a request to our team, and we will reach out to you shortly.
Our billing system for customers is dynamic, which means the system automatically adjusts billing each month based on the customer’s active employee count. Dynamic billing begins once implementation is marked complete or when an active customer headcount meets 100% of the stated headcount (whichever comes first).
We have mapped out and gathered resources for you to quickly set up some of the bigger features you are gaining with the Core and Pro packages. Click on each link to review these steps.
- Performance Management (Pro)
- Employee Community (Pro)
- Total Rewards (Core & Pro)
- ATS (Core & Pro)
For more information on how to get the most value out of additional features, click here.
You will not lose access to features and data within your current package. Based on your package upgrade, some features may be enhanced, but they will all remain within your account. See the table above for a breakdown of what features are included in your specific package.
Before you finish the upgrade process, BambooHR will provide you with your new estimated monthly package pricing. If you choose to upgrade via self-serve within BambooHR (Settings > Account Info), you will also see an estimate of your upgrade costs here as well.
Advantage to Core
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Advantage to Pro
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For a full overview of each feature and how you can better utilize them to set your company free, check out this guide.
If you find yourself in a bind, we won't leave you hanging. If you prefer direct help when it comes to setting up your new features from a BambooHR product expert, you can do so at an additional cost. Contact our Support team ([email protected]) to inquire about more information.