Have you ever logged a call in App Connect, only to find the corresponding note in Bullhorn stubbornly stuck with an "Action" of "Pending"? It can be a frustrating experience, leaving you wondering if your valuable interactions are truly being recorded and attributed correctly. The good news is, there are clear reasons why this happens, and more importantly, effective solutions to get your notes flowing smoothly.
Let's dive into the two primary causes for these "Pending" notes and how to address them.
Cause 1: The Case of the Premature App Connect Closure (Pre-1.5.8)
In earlier versions of App Connect (prior to 1.5.8), a common culprit behind "Pending" notes was the user closing App Connect too soon after logging a call. Here's why:
When you log a call in App Connect, it initially creates a basic call log record in Bullhorn. However, not all the rich assets associated with that call (like the call recording itself, which can take several minutes to process) are immediately available. App Connect is designed to periodically update these Bullhorn notes as those assets become ready.
The Problem: If you closed App Connect before these updates could occur, it effectively blocked App Connect's ability to modify that call log record in Bullhorn. Without the ability to update, the note remained in its initial "Pending" state, unable to reflect the complete call information or a final action.
The Solution:
-
Update to App Connect 1.5.8 or Later: This is the most straightforward solution for this particular issue. Starting with App Connect version 1.5.8, significant improvements were made to address this exact problem, making the process of updating call log records more robust even if App Connect is closed. If you're running an older version, upgrading is highly recommended.
Cause 2: Restrictive Bullhorn Permissions
Another common reason for "Pending" notes stems from specific company policies within Bullhorn itself, particularly regarding user permissions.
The Problem: Some organizations implement a policy where recruiters have permission to create notes in Bullhorn but are explicitly denied the ability to edit them. While this policy might be in place for various reasons, it directly impacts App Connect's ability to finalize a call log. Recruiters can log the initial call, but their credentials prevent App Connect (acting on their behalf) from later updating the note with a proper action name (e.g., "Call," "Meeting," etc.) once all assets are available. The note gets stuck in "Pending" because the necessary edit action is blocked.
The Solutions:
For companies facing this permission-related challenge, there are two effective remedies:
-
Turn on "All-at-once logging": This feature fundamentally changes how App Connect logs calls. Instead of logging a preliminary note and then updating it, "All-at-once logging" instructs App Connect to wait until all associated assets (like the call recording) are fully prepared and available. Only then does App Connect make a single API call to Bullhorn to create the complete call log record with all the information and the final action name. This approach neatly bypasses the need to edit the note later, working seamlessly with a "create-only" permission policy.
-
Turn on "Server-side call logging": Starting with App Connect 1.5.7, significant improvements were made to server-side call logging. This feature allows App Connect to use admin credentials (rather than the individual recruiter's credentials) to log and update call records in Bullhorn. Because an administrator's credentials are typically unrestricted, this eliminates any problems related to a user being unable to edit their own call log record. Server-side call logging effectively solves both problems mentioned in this blog post, providing a robust solution for ensuring notes are always updated correctly.
A Note on Server-Side Call Logging and Your Budget:
While server-side call logging offers a comprehensive solution for both "Pending" note scenarios, it's important to be aware that it may become a paid feature of App Connect in the future. For budget-conscious organizations, the "all-at-once logging" solution presents a powerful and potentially more cost-effective alternative to address the permission-related issue, as it achieves the desired outcome without requiring subsequent edits to the notes.
By understanding these causes and implementing the appropriate solutions, you can ensure your Bullhorn notes accurately reflect your team's valuable interactions, moving them beyond "Pending" and into a state of complete and useful record-keeping.