Smarter Week

How to automate it

How to automate “pull headcount, turnover and hiring reports”

Here are 2 ways to spend less time on this, best first. Each comes with steps you can follow today and, for AI fixes, a prompt to copy.

60 min
typically, once a week
65%
of the time can be automated
Easy
to set up

Fix 1 of 2

Software featureBest fix

Schedule the standard HR reports to send themselves

Most HR systems have built-in headcount, turnover and hiring reports you can save, schedule and share as a live link.

Typically saves about 60% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1List the reports you build every week or month and who gets them.
  2. 2Rebuild each as a saved report in your HRIS or ATS (BambooHR, Rippling, Workday, Greenhouse, Ashby).
  3. 3Schedule them to email automatically, or share a dashboard link.
  4. 4For combined views, connect the HRIS to Power BI or Google Data Studio.

Tools: BambooHR · Rippling · Workday · Greenhouse or Ashby reports · Power BI or Google Data Studio

Fix 2 of 2

AI

Let AI build the formulas, pivots and summary

Copilot in Excel, Gemini in Sheets, or uploading the file to ChatGPT or Claude can build the pivot, the chart and the commentary in minutes.

Typically saves about 50% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Export or open the data.
  2. 2Ask Copilot in Excel or Gemini in Sheets, or upload the file to an approved AI assistant.
  3. 3Describe the report you want, including the breakdowns.
  4. 4Check the totals against the source before you share.
Prompt to copy
Here is [DESCRIBE THE DATA]. Build a summary that shows [THE NUMBERS YOUR MANAGER WANTS] by [BREAKDOWN], compared with [LAST PERIOD]. Give me the Excel formulas or pivot setup to reproduce it, and three sentences on what changed and why it matters.

Tools: Copilot in Excel · Gemini in Google Sheets · ChatGPT or Claude with file upload

Who does this task

Roles in our library that list this as one of their common tasks. Each guide covers the rest of that role’s week.

RecruiterHR generalistHR business partnerPeople ops / HRIS specialist

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Other common tasks for Recruiters