Connecting your HRIS to Tenor

Connecting your HR Information System (HRIS) to Tenor enriches your organization's data with employment context that typically isn't available through SSO or SCIM provisioning — like hire dates, employment history, and your full reporting structure.

This unlocks two main benefits:

Richer organizational data – Fields like hire date, employment history, department, and manager relationships flow into Tenor automatically, powering more complete profiles and analytics.
More personalized coaching – Tenor's AI Coach can draw on each user's employment context — their role, tenure, manager chain, and team — to make coaching conversations more relevant and grounded in their real working environment.

This article explains how to connect your HRIS, what data is synced, and what to expect once the integration is live.

📝 Note: Only users with Tenor Admin access can set up and manage the HRIS integration.

Supported HRIS Platforms

Tenor supports 80+ HRIS platforms, including:

Workday
SAP SuccessFactors
Oracle Cloud HCM
UKG Pro
Dayforce
BambooHR

... and many more! You can browse the full support list in your Tenor Admin Dashboard.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Connect Your HRIS

1. Open the Admin Dashboard

In Tenor, click the Admin tab at the top of the page.

2. Go to HRIS

In the left sidebar under Integrations, click HRIS.

3. Select your HRIS provider

Search or browse the provider directory and click on your HR system.

4. Authenticate with your HRIS

A secure connection window (powered by our integration partner, Merge) will open. Follow the prompts to sign in to your HR system and grant access. The exact steps vary slightly by provider — you'll be guided through them on screen.

5. Confirmation

Once authentication completes, you'll return to Tenor and see your HRIS listed as Connected, along with its sync status.

💡 Tip: The initial sync may take up to 24 hours to complete, depending on the size of your organization. You'll see the sync status on the HRIS settings page.

What Data is Synced

Always synced

Core identity and employment information from your HRIS is always synced to keep your organization data accurate:

Company name
Name
Email
Manager
Employment status
Employment dates (hire, start, and termination dates)
Employment history (title, dates, employment type)

This information keeps Tenor profiles up to date — including job title, department, division, and manager — and powers reporting and organization structure features.

Optional data

On the HRIS settings page, admins can choose whether to also sync:

Avatar – Profile photos from your HRIS
Gender
Home location – Limited to city, country, and ZIP code
Work location – Limited to city, country, and ZIP code
User groups – Teams/groups defined in your HRIS

These options can be turned on or off at any time from Admin > Integrations > HRIS.

How HRIS Data Improves Coaching

Once connected, Tenor's AI Coach uses each user's HRIS profile as private context during coaching sessions. This includes:

Their role and start date
Their manager and the leadership chain above them
Their direct reports and overall team size

In simple terms: the Coach understands where each person sits in the organization — who they report to, who reports to them, and how long they've been in their role — so guidance can reflect their actual situation rather than generic advice.

This context is used privately to inform coaching and is not shared with other users.

How Matching Works

Tenor links HRIS records to Tenor accounts by work email address.

In simple terms: if an employee's work email in your HRIS matches the email on their Tenor account, their profile is kept in sync automatically.

The HRIS integration does not create new Tenor accounts. Users still join Tenor through invitations, SSO, or SCIM provisioning.
Employees in your HRIS who don't have a Tenor account yet are simply skipped — once they're added to Tenor with a matching email, their HRIS data is applied automatically.

📝 Note: Fields managed by your HRIS (such as name and job title) become locked in Tenor. To change them, update your HR system — the change will flow into Tenor on the next sync.

Sync Behavior

Automatic updates – Changes in your HRIS flow into Tenor automatically, typically within minutes to hours. As a safety net, Tenor also checks for updates at least once per day.
Manual sync – After the initial sync completes, admins can click Sync now on the HRIS settings page to trigger an immediate update.
Terminations – When an employee is terminated in your HRIS, their employment status and termination date are updated in Tenor. Their Tenor account is not automatically deactivated — account deactivation is still managed through SCIM, your identity provider, or manually by an admin.

User Groups from Your HRIS

If Sync user groups is enabled, teams and groups from your HRIS appear in Tenor as user groups with an "HRIS:" prefix (for example, "HRIS: Sales").

These groups are managed entirely by your HRIS — they can't be edited or deleted in Tenor. To change membership, update your HR system.
If your organization has automatic "My Team" groups enabled, Tenor also uses the manager information from your HRIS to build team groups based on your reporting hierarchy.

📝 Note: If you use both SCIM and an HRIS integration, the HRIS becomes the source of truth for your organization structure while it's connected.

Managing the Integration

From Admin > Integrations > HRIS you can:

View the connection status and when the last sync happened
Turn optional data syncing on or off
Trigger a manual sync
Disconnect the integration

📝 Note: Only one HRIS can be connected per organization. Connecting a new provider will replace the existing connection.

Disconnecting stops all automatic syncing. Previously synced data remains in Tenor, but it will no longer be updated from your HR system.

Summary

Connect your HRIS from Admin > Integrations > HRIS — 80+ platforms are supported
HRIS data adds employment context beyond what SSO/SCIM provides, like hire dates, employment history, and reporting structure
The AI Coach uses this context to personalize coaching sessions
Employees are matched to Tenor accounts by work email; the integration keeps existing accounts up to date — it does not create or deactivate accounts
Updates sync automatically, with a manual Sync now option available

FAQ

1. We already use SCIM — why connect an HRIS too?

SCIM handles account provisioning (creating and deactivating users), but it carries limited profile data. The HRIS integration adds employment context SCIM can't provide — hire dates, employment history, and your full reporting structure — and enables personalized coaching based on each user's role and team.

2. Does the HRIS integration create Tenor accounts for my employees?

No. The HRIS integration enriches and updates existing Tenor accounts. New users are added through invitations, SSO (with JIT provisioning), or SCIM.

3. What happens if an employee's email doesn't match between the HRIS and Tenor?

The records won't be linked, and that employee's profile won't be updated from the HRIS. Make sure the work email in your HR system matches the email on the Tenor account.

4. Can I edit synced fields directly in Tenor?

No — fields managed by your HRIS (such as name and job title) are locked in Tenor. Update them in your HR system and the change will sync over automatically.

5. Will terminated employees lose access to Tenor automatically?

No. Termination data is synced for accuracy, but deactivating accounts is still handled through SCIM, your identity provider, or manually by an admin.

6. Can I connect more than one HRIS?

No — one HRIS connection per organization. Connecting a new provider replaces the existing one.

7. How often does data sync?

Changes typically sync automatically within minutes to hours, with a guaranteed check at least once per day. Admins can also trigger a sync manually at any time.

Need Help?

If you run into any issues or need support, reach out to your Tenor Customer Success Manager or contact us at support@tenorhq.com.