While hiring typically starts with one person submitting a resumé, recruiters, human-resources specialists, department heads, and others all play a role in the multistep process that involves interviews, selections, and offers. Recruiting software developer BrassRing LLC hopes to help companies simplify that human-capital supply chain with a new version of its hosted recruiting software.

Released last week, Enterprise 5.0 includes an updated user interface that can be customized and collaboration features that let recruiters and managers work together online. A graphical display, called TRM Dashboard, features six custom reports covering information such as recruiting statistics, diversity hiring programs, and the time required to find and hire employees. In addition, E-mails can be sent out inviting line managers and others to participate in candidate selection and other functions.

"BrassRing understands the entire talent-management process, looking at the different groups who play a role in candidate selection and hiring," says Marc Pramuk, an International Data Corp. senior analyst. "They are tying up the loose ends of corporate hiring."

The software's improved automated search functions make it easier to match a candidate's specific skills and experience to available jobs, Pramuk says. "There are a lot more people applying for jobs, and hiring managers are overwhelmed by resumés."

There also are new features designed to aid job seekers. Companies can set up their Web sites to let candidates save their specific job searches, store resumés, and get updates on new job postings they're interested in. Available now, Enterprise 5.0 starts at $100,000 per year.

In other news, Proctor & Gamble Co. last week began deploying Recruitsoft Inc.'s hosted Enterprise Staffing application. The $39.2 billion Cincinnati consumer-product manufacturer hopes the recruiting software will help it better manage

its more than 106,000 international employees by simplifying staffing processes such as requisition management, resumé scanning, and employee management.