Operate the Human Resources and Payroll Copilot

1. Overview & Business Value#

This comprehensive operational guide details the architecture, business workflows, configuration parameters, and execution steps for Operate the Human Resources and Payroll Copilot within SmartERP.

Auditing biometric attendance records, calculating statutory overtime multipliers, leave balance inquiries, and payroll variance analysis.

{screenshot:hr-and-payroll-copilot-overview-dashboard}

2. Prerequisites & Security Access Groups#

• Required Modules: ashewa_ai_workforce, ashewa_ai_bridge, smarterp_ai_agents
• Security Groups:
  • AI Workforce Operator (Technical ID: ashewa_ai.group_ai_operator)
  • AI Systems Administrator (Technical ID: ashewa_ai.group_ai_admin)
  • Governance Officer (Technical ID: ashewa_ai.group_ai_governance)
• Master Data Dependencies: Autonomous AI agent profiles, n8n orchestrator webhooks, LLM model parameters, prompt governance rules, and human-in-the-loop approval queues.

3. Step-by-Step Configuration & Execution#

Step 1: Navigating to the Module Interface#

1. Log into your SmartERP instance at https://smarterp.et/odoo.
2. Open the main App Switcher (grid icon in the top-left corner).
3. Select the AI Workforce app icon.
4. From the top navigation bar, open AI Workforce → Copilots → Active Agents / Interaction History / Governance Queue.

{screenshot:hr-and-payroll-copilot-app-switcher-navigation}

Step 2: Creating and Parameterizing Records#

1. Click the New button in the top-left control panel.
2. Complete the mandatory fields in the record form:
   • Agent Name & Persona (Mandatory): Specialized AI role (Financial Auditor Copilot, SCM Copilot, etc.)
   • Target Operational Addon (Mandatory): Integrated SmartERP module (Accounting, HR, Inventory, Sales)
   • Autonomy Level (Mandatory): Level 1 Assistive, Level 2 Supervised, Level 3 Autonomous
   • Governance Gate (Mandatory): Action risk classification triggering mandatory human confirmation
3. Configure optional operational parameters and localized tags as required:
   • Context Truncation Limit (Optional): Maximum LLM token window before historical pruning
   • Fallback Model Route (Optional): Secondary LLM provider if primary endpoint is unresponsive
   • Webhook Authentication Token (Optional): Secure shared secret for n8n workflow callback
4. Click the Save icon in the control bar to commit the record.

{screenshot:hr-and-payroll-copilot-record-creation-form}

Step 3: Validating and Processing Transactions#

• State Transitions: Execute operational state progression (Prompt Ingestion → Reasoning Chain → Action Proposal → Human Gate Approved → Executed).
• Ledger & System Impact: Financial and inventory transactions executed by autonomous agents generate strict audit log entries tagging the AI Agent ID and human approver credentials.
• Audit Verification: Automated recording of author ID, timestamp, and immutable revision history.

{screenshot:hr-and-payroll-copilot-transaction-processing-state}

Capabilities of the HR & Payroll Copilot#

The HR Copilot enforces statutory labor compliance under Ethiopian Labour Proclamation 1156/2019 and assists HR teams with complex monthly payroll calculations.

Procedure: Auditing Biometric Attendance Anomaly Logs#

1. Navigate to HR > Attendance > AI Attendance Audit.
2. Select target monthly payroll batch period.
3. Click Analyze Anomalies.
4. The Copilot evaluates biometric clocking logs from all physical turnstile devices:
   • Flags missing checkout punches.
   • Highlights excessive tardiness (>15 minutes) for supervisor review.
   • Computes overtime hours categorized by legal tariff: Day (1.5x), Night (1.75x), Weekend (2.0x), and Public Holiday (2.5x).
5. The Copilot presents an interactive verification table.
6. Upon supervisor sign-off, approved hours push directly into the monthly payroll payslip inputs.

Employee Self-Service AI Chat#

Employees can query the Copilot via the Employee Portal in English or Amharic to ask:

• 'What is my remaining annual leave balance?'
• 'Explain the tax deductions on my latest payslip.'
• 'When is my next performance appraisal scheduled?'

4. Advanced Configuration Points#

• Automated Actions & Scheduled Tasks (Crons):
  • AI Bridge: Heartbeat check for n8n orchestrator nodes (ashewa_ai.ir_cron_heartbeat): Runs every 10 minutes to verify gateway connectivity
  • AI Governance: Auto-archive cleared approval queue tickets (ashewa_ai.ir_cron_archive_audit): Runs daily at midnight to maintain governance ledger performance
• Custom Print Templates & Reports:
  • AI Agent Operational Execution Audit Trail
  • LLM Token Consumption & Cost Allocation Schedule
  • Human-in-the-Loop Decision & Override Ledger
  • Agent Workflow Error & Latency Analysis
• Multi-Company Rules: Record-level security isolation under Company 1 (Ashewa Technology Solutions S.C.), preventing cross-company ledger leakage across parent and subsidiary legal entities.

5. Comprehensive Troubleshooting Matrix#