Add Reference (Manual) — End-User Help

Overview

This page (AddReferenceManually.aspx) lets you add a reference contact for a candidate when you want to capture reference details manually (rather than via an automated request).

Use the form to record the reference’s name, company, role/title, contact details, relationship to the candidate and any notes. The page works with JavaScript enabled for the toast/UX helpers but accepts free-form input for the job/title field.

Quick start (3 steps)

1. Confirm the candidate shown in the Candidate area (LabelCandidateName, LabelCandidateNo) is the person you’re adding a reference for.
2. Fill the mandatory fields:

• Full Name (txtFullName)
• Reference Job Title (txtJobSearch)
• Provide at least one contact method: Work Email (txtEmail) or Phone (txtPhone)

1. Click Save (ButtonSave).

• On success you will see the green success panel (GreenPanel) and a slide-in toast (saveToast).
• Use Cancel (ButtonBackToCandidate) to go back.

Which fields are required

• Full Name — txtFullName (required)
• Reference Job Title — txtJobSearch (required)
• Contact — at least one of:
• Work Email (txtEmail) OR
• Phone (txtPhone)

The form shows a hint and server-side validation may enforce this as well.

Field reference and UI notes

Candidate context

• LabelCandidateName — shows candidate name for which this reference is being added
• LabelCandidateNo — candidate number
• HiddenCandidateId — internal GUID for the candidate (hidden)

Reference details

• txtFullName — Reference’s full name (max 250 chars)
• txtCompany — Reference’s company (max 250 chars)
• txtJobSearch — Reference job title / role (max 200 chars).

This field accepts free-form text on this page (autocomplete functionality is removed).

There is still a hidden field hfJobId, but the page clears it when you type so entries remain free-text unless an admin process links it later.

• hfJobId — hidden job id. Normally blank for manual references.
• txtEmail — Work email (max 250 chars). Tip: include full address (name@domain.com).
• txtPhone — Phone (max 50 chars). Use international format if available (e.g., +44 7700 900000).
• ddlRelation — Relationship to candidate (Direct Manager / Colleague / HR / Client / Other)
• txtAddress — Postal or business address (multi-line)
• txtNotes — Company website and other notes (multi-line).

Placeholder shows sample https://companywebsite and supports new lines. This field has the CSS watermark-text and a placeholder to guide formatting.

Buttons and panels

• ButtonSave — Saves the reference (server postback)
• ButtonBackToCandidate — Cancel / return to candidate view
• ButtonBack — secondary Back button exists but is visible="false" by default (admins may enable it)
• GreenPanel / GreenMsgText — success message panel shown after save; includes LinkButtonClosePanel
• ErrorPanel / LabelErrorMessage — server-side error panel used to show validation or save errors
• saveToast — slide-in toast for brief success messages (aria-live="polite")

Behavior details and UX

• Free-form job/title: The Reference Job Title field is intentionally free-text on this page to allow entering historical job titles or roles that may not match live requisitions. Typing into txtJobSearch clears hfJobId.
• Validation: client-side hints exist (e.g., “At least Email or Phone is required.”) but final validation and persistence occur server-side. If server-side validation fails, the ErrorPanel displays the error text.
• Success flow: after a successful save the GreenPanel becomes visible and a toast may appear; you can either add another reference or close and navigate back to the candidate.
• Cancel / Back: ButtonBackToCandidate functions as a cancel/back action; exact navigation depends on server handlers (it usually returns to the candidate view).

Accessibility & keyboard tips

• Use Tab / Shift+Tab to move between fields. Multi-line fields use Enter for new lines.
• Toasts use aria-live="polite" so assistive tech will announce success messages.
• There is no autocomplete widget enabled for txtJobSearch on this page (so arrow keys won’t open suggestions).

Validation rules, limits and length constraints

• txtFullName — max 250 characters
• txtCompany — max 250 characters
• txtJobSearch — max 200 characters
• txtEmail — max 250 characters (enter a valid email format)
• txtPhone — max 50 characters
• txtAddress — max 500 characters
• txtNotes — max 1000 characters
• Required: txtFullName, txtJobSearch, and at least one of txtEmail or txtPhone

Examples and suggested formats

• Work Email: jane.doe@company.com
• Phone: +44 7700 900000 or 020 7946 0000 (include country code where possible)
• Notes example (as in placeholder):
• https://companywebsite
• Former line manager for three years — responsive to calls between 9am–5pm GMT.

Troubleshooting

Save fails and ErrorPanel shows a message

Read the message, correct the indicated fields, and retry Save.

If the message is unclear, copy the exact text and contact support.

No toast or no GreenPanel after save

Confirm the server processed the request (page may have redirected). Check for errors in ErrorPanel.

Ensure JavaScript is enabled for toast animation; the save itself does not require JS (it uses server postback).

txtJobSearch cleared hfJobId

This is expected. Manual references store the job/title as free text; hfJobId remains blank unless an admin process later links it.

Best practices & internal policy tips

• Use a clear, concise reference job title (e.g., “Engineering Manager”) and include company in txtCompany to avoid ambiguity.
• Capture at least one reliable contact (email preferred) so you can follow up for detailed checks.
• Record the relationship (ddlRelation) accurately — it helps the team interpret the reference’s perspective.
• Use txtNotes to record any access times or special instructions for contacting the referee.
• Respect privacy and data retention rules — record consent and retention metadata in the candidate record as required by your organisation.

Privacy and legal guidance

Only store reference data if it was provided with the appropriate consent. Follow your organisation’s data retention policy when entering notes and other personal data. If in doubt, consult your Data Protection Officer before saving.

Support & contact

If you need help provide:

• the exact error text from the ErrorPanel (copy/paste)
• the steps you took (which fields you filled, whether you used Save or Cancel)
• a screenshot of the page with the error panel visible (if possible)

Short FAQ

Q: Can I link this reference to a live job?

A: Not from this manual page — txtJobSearch is free-text and hfJobId is cleared when you type. Use requisition workflows if you need a job-linked reference.

Q: What if I don’t have an email?

A: Provide a phone number (txtPhone). At least one contact (email or phone) is required.

Q: Where does this reference appear after saving?

A: The reference will be associated with the candidate record in the system. Use the candidate’s reference list/view to confirm.