The Octal HR org chart is a live, interactive visualisation of your organisation's reporting structure. It is built automatically from the Reports To assignments on employee profiles — no separate setup is required.
Overview
Access the org chart from HR → Org Chart. The chart shows every active employee as a node, connected to their reporting manager above them. Each node displays the employee's name, designation, and department.
How the Chart is Built
The org chart is derived entirely from two data points on each employee profile:
- Reports To — the employee listed in the "Reports To" field on the Employment Details section. This creates the parent-child link in the chart.
- Department — used to colour-code or filter nodes by department.
The chart root (topmost node) is determined by the employee who has no Reports To value set — typically the CEO or MD. If multiple employees have no Reports To value, they each appear as separate root nodes.
The org chart updates in real-time. As soon as you save a change to an employee's Reports To field, the chart reflects the new structure on the next page load — no manual refresh or rebuild is needed.
Viewing the Org Chart
The chart opens in a full-screen interactive canvas. By default it shows the entire company tree.
Filters
- Department filter: Show only the subtree for a specific department (e.g., Operations only)
- Search: Type an employee name, code, department, or designation to find and jump to their node
Interactive Features
Zoom & Pan
Pinch or scroll to zoom; click and drag to pan across the tree. Use the zoom controls in the bottom-right corner for precision.
Click to Profile
Click any node to open a quick-view panel showing the employee's Department, Employee code, Email, Reports to, and Direct reports, with a link to their full profile.
Focus Subtree
Use Focus to isolate a manager's subtree so you can concentrate on one branch, and Reset to restore the full chart.
Headcount Badges
Each manager node shows the number of direct reports in a small badge, so you can spot span-of-control issues at a glance.
Approval Chain
The reporting structure in the org chart is the same hierarchy used for leave, overtime, and expense approvals. When an employee applies for leave, the request routes to their Reports To manager. If a second approval level is configured, it routes next to the Department Head.
| Approval Level | Who Approves | How to Configure |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Reports To manager (from employee profile) | Set "Reports To" field on each employee |
| Level 2 | Department Head (from department settings) | Set the department head on each department in HR → Departments |
| Level 3 | HR Manager | Enable 3-level approval in Settings → Leave → Approval Workflow |
Keeping the Chart Updated
The org chart is only as accurate as the Reports To data in employee profiles. Common maintenance tasks:
Export & Print
Open a clean, print-friendly view of the chart for presentations, audits, or HR planning. From the org chart, choose Export to open the full tree in a dedicated print view. From there you can:
- Print the chart directly from your browser.
- Save as an image (PNG) or PDF using your browser's print-to-PDF option, for slide decks and email attachments.