The works council area: staff list, mandates and experts

The Works council area tab of the BDESE brings together what HR keeps for the works council (CSE): the staff list used for CSE benefits, the register of mandates and the viewing links given to experts appointed by the CSE. This article explains how to view and export the staff list, declare and maintain mandates, then issue and revoke an expert link. It is intended for HR and module administrators, and also describes what a CSE member sees of this tab.

Before you start #

• The BDESE module is enabled for your company and you have access to it (BDESE module — Access right).
• The Works council area tab appears if you hold at least one of these two rights:
  • Staff list — works council benefits: Access opens the list, Execute level lets you export it;
  • Works council mandates: Access opens the register of mandates and the expert links, Execute level lets you declare a mandate and issue a link.
• Each section only appears if you hold its right. If only one section is open to you, the tab shows it directly, without a section bar.
• You only see the databases and employees of the entities your role covers. The administrator role gives no exemption from this scope.
• To issue an expert link, the database must have at least one published fiscal year (see Entering, validating and publishing data).

Viewing the staff list #

The Staff list — works council benefits card is used for CSE benefits (vouchers, gifts, children’s activities). For each employee, it shows only their entity, their spouse and their children: no other HR data.

1. Open BDESE › Works council area, then the Staff list section.
2. Browse the table: Employee, Entity, Spouse and Children columns. For each child, the list gives their first and last name, date of birth and age.
3. Type in the Search… field to find an employee, a spouse or a child. The search ignores accents.
4. If the list covers several entities, pick one from the All entities list.

The counter above the table shows the number of employees and children displayed.

Who appears in the list #

• Active employees of the entities your role covers. Employees who are no longer active are not listed.
• External people are excluded: CSE benefits go to employees.
• The spouse and children come from the dependants recorded on the employee’s record. Children are sorted by date of birth.
• An employee with contracts in several entities appears once, with all their entities.

Exporting the list #

1. Filter the list if needed, then click Export (CSV). The button only appears at Execute level of the Staff list — works council benefits right.
2. The CSV file contains one row per child; an employee without children takes up one row. It opens in a spreadsheet (semicolon separator).

Every viewing of the list, on screen or by export, is logged.

What a CSE member sees #

The Works council member role opens only the Staff list section, read-only, for the population of the member’s company. The member can search and filter; they have no export button and no access to the register of mandates or the expert links.

Keeping the register of mandates #

The Works council mandates card records who sits, for which database and until when: full and substitute members, union representatives and delegates, appointed experts. The register also drives access to the module: a current mandate grants the Works council member role (or Works council expert for an expert).

Open BDESE › Works council area, then the Works council mandates section. The register is grouped by database. For each mandate, it shows:

• Person, with any notes;
• Mandate: Full member, Substitute member, Union representative to the works council, Union delegate or Appointed expert, with the trade union if one is entered;
• Period: “From … to …” or “Since …” when the mandate has no end date;
• Status: Current, Upcoming or Ended. The Role granted by the mandate badge indicates that the role was assigned by this mandate and will be removed when it ends.

Adding a mandate #

1. Click Add a mandate. The button appears at Execute level of the Works council mandates right.
2. Choose the BDESE. It is already selected if you only have one.
3. Choose the Person from the directory (search by name, with photo).
4. Choose the type of Mandate. If needed, enter the Trade union, for example for a union representative or delegate.
5. Enter the Start date. The End date is optional: without it, the mandate runs until further notice.
6. Add Notes if useful (2,000 characters at most).
7. Click Save. The message “Mandate added.” confirms the record.

Declaring an appointed expert #

The expert must already exist as an external record in the employees. Choose the Appointed expert type: the End date becomes required, because an expert’s access is limited in time. The Save button stays inactive until it is filled in. While current, this mandate grants the Works council expert role: with their own account, the expert reads the published fiscal years of the databases of their mandate only, and their access ends by itself on the end date.

Editing or deleting a mandate #

1. To edit a mandate, click the pencil icon on its row: the Edit the mandate dialog shows the same fields. Save; the message “Mandate saved.” confirms.
2. To delete a mandate, click the bin icon, then confirm with Delete (or Keep to cancel). The mandate is removed from the register and the role it granted is removed, unless another current mandate still justifies it.

To end a mandate while keeping a record of it, enter its End date instead.

Mandates and delegation hours #

The register is the same as the one used for delegation hours. A mandate with hours recorded against it cannot be deleted: enter its end date. It cannot change person or type either (close it and open a new one), and its dates cannot exclude hours already recorded.

Issuing an expert link #

An expert link gives time-limited access, without an account, to the PDF of a published fiscal year. This PDF is watermarked in its recipient’s name. The link opens this document and nothing else; it lasts at most 90 days and can be revoked at any time.

1. Open BDESE › Works council area, then the Expert links section.
2. Click Issue a link (Execute level of the Works council mandates right).
3. In the Issue an expert link dialog, choose the BDESE, then the Published fiscal year (for example “2025 — version 1”).
4. Enter the Recipient: their name is watermarked on every page. If needed, add their Firm.
5. Enter the Duration (days), from 1 to 90; 30 days are suggested. The link expires at the end of the last day.
6. Click Issue the link.
7. Click Copy to copy the address, then send it to the expert through a secure channel. Then close the dialog with Close.

The address is shown only once, when the link is issued: copy it before closing the dialog.

Tracking and revoking links #

The links table shows for each one the Recipient (and their firm), the Fiscal year, the Expires on date, the Status (Active, Expired or “Revoked on …”) and the Opens, with the date of the last one.

1. On an active link, click Revoke.
2. Confirm with Revoke the link. The link immediately stops opening the PDF.

To restore access, issue a new link.

Good to know #

• Declaring a current mandate immediately grants the Works council member role (full member, substitute member, union representative to the works council, union delegate) or the Works council expert role (appointed expert). A mandate that starts or ends on a future date changes roles at the automatic update on the following night.
• When a mandate ends, the role is only removed if the mandate had granted it. A role assigned by hand in role management stays in place.
• The Works council member role covers the member’s company as well as the databases of their current mandates. The Works council expert role covers only the databases of their current mandates.
• An expert link always opens the latest published version of the fiscal year: if an update is published after the link is issued, the expert receives it.
• In the PDF, confidential information appears with its mark and its end date. Members and experts are bound to discretion on this information (Confidentiality (L2312-36) concept in the built-in help). The mark is set in the Data tab.
• Each opening of a link is counted and recorded in the database’s consultation log.
• An unknown, expired or revoked link behaves like an address that does not exist.
• No notification is sent when a mandate is created or a link is issued: let the people concerned know yourself.

Frequently asked questions #

Can a CSE member export the staff list? #

No. The Works council member role views the list read-only; exporting requires Execute level of the Staff list — works council benefits right, reserved for HR and administrators.

I have lost the link sent to the expert. How do I find it? #

You cannot: the address is shown only when issued and is not kept. Revoke the old link and issue a new one.

Why can’t I delete this mandate? #

Delegation hours are recorded against this mandate. Enter its end date: it will move to Ended status and the role it granted will be removed.

What is the difference between an expert mandate and an expert link? #

An expert mandate gives an account with the Works council expert role, which reads the published fiscal years of the mandate’s databases until the end date. A link opens, without an account, the PDF of a single published fiscal year, for 90 days at most. For organising the consultations themselves, see Recurring works council consultations.