HRIS Software Resources

Good post I wanted to note:

HRIS Software Resources
              

There have been and will continue to be questions in this and other groups about how companies can leverage technology to help perform a multitude of job requirements. Small, medium, large, and enterprise sizes have pretty much the same needs, but how they address those needs may be very different.

Having seen nearly every flavor of questions about this topic, we wanted to put together some basis truths about these software programs for all to use. We're hoping it may do two things:

1. Short-circuit some of the more basic questions from being asked repeatedly, and

2. Provide a common understanding of what these programs can do so that when questions arise it can get beyond the ‘what do you use’ how do you like it’ or ‘how does it compare with xyz’

***HRIS software programs are used for any one or a number of the following tasks:

Recruiting
Applicant Tracking
Talent Management
Payroll, W2
EEO, I9
Job Descriptions
Time and Attendance
Succession Planning
Benefits & Compensation
Performance Management
Training
Employee Self-service
OSHA
Workers Compensation

***HRIS software programs can be put into place or implemented in a variety of ways:

SaaS (Internet or Cloud)
License – Purchase
License – hosted
Outsourced

***Here are some resources that will give you an idea of what is on the market:
.

http://www.hrmssolutions.com
.
http://humanresources.about.com/od/glossaryh/a/hris.htm
.
http://www.comparehris.com/
.
http://www.hrworld.com/hris/
.
http://www.hrcomparison.com/ (European-based HRIS software vendors)


***My HRIS software is better than your HRIS software.

This seems to be what most members want to know. The utility of any software program can be boiled down to many things:

• Number of users (employees)
• Number of modules (tasks performed)
• Method of implementation

This is where benchmarking and best practices become blurry because how one company uses a software program may be different than others using the exact same software platform. Keep this and other criteria in mind when comparing platforms and asking questions that may not be easily answered in your specific situation.

Steve Madsen
Director of Operations
Linked:HR and Subgroups

HR Metrics to Consider

This list of HR metrics are divided into the four main groups of:


Key Talent Processes
Human Capital Balance Sheet
Workforce Analytics
Compensation and Benefits

Within the category of Key Talent Processes, we have KPIs within sub-categories: Supply Resources (Open Positions, Speed to Hire, Employee Movement, New Hire Success, Leader Span of Control), Improve Capabilities (Key Job Skill Depth, Timely Feedback, Return on Training, Succession Ready, HR Span of Support), Reward Performance (Bonus Measures, Promotions).

In the Human Capital Balance Sheet, we have the following metrics: Assets (Leader Effectiveness, Investment in Leaders, HR Effectiveness, Investment in HR), Liabilities (Labor Cost, Cost to Hire, Cost to Develop, Cost to Manage, Cost of Benefits, Cost of Turnover), Equity (Competence – ‘Can Do”, Engagement – “Want To”).

In terms of Workforce Analytics, we have these HR Metrics: Demographics (Average Age, Average Pay, Average Tenure, Average Promotion Rate), Diversity (Ethnicity, Academic, Language), Turnover (Voluntary, Manager, Key Job, New Hire, Diversity).

Finally, in the category of Compensation & Benefits, we look at KPIs in these sub-areas: Compensation (Overall Compensation Ratio, Overall Pay at Risk, Top Performer Pay, Bottom Performer Pay, Key Job Pay, Diversity Pay), Retirement (Participation Rate, Average Deferral, Average Balance) and Health & Welfare (Medical Claims, Unused PTO, Disability Claims).

Not a bad list....

The Future Of HRM Software: Interrogatory Configuration

By: Naomi Bloom http://infullbloom.us/?p=589 She is one of my favorite reads.

Two of my long-standing HRM software architecture preferences have gone mainstream:

1.True multi-tenancy, a required foundation for successful HRM SaaS products or BPO platforms; and

2.Highly configurable tenants, to include the effective-dating of those configurations, full inheritance across and within tenants, and no disruption of configurations as the vendor applies new releases.

Sounds wonderful, and many HRM software vendors are on this path, as are the BPO providers wise enough to use this type of software for their delivery system platform. But even in configuration, all those available choices have to be analyzed, selected, tested and implemented, individually and in combination with other choices. And this must be done not only during the initial implementation but also every time business needs change, software upgrades are applied (even when applied as SaaS mostly opt-in updates), regulatory rules appear/change including retroactively, new executives bring new perspectives, etc.

Every time those hand-done configurations must be changed, all those choices must be re-evaluated against the needed changes, and then new choices made, tested and implemented. Furthermore, the implications of each configuration change for the downstream processes must be analyzed and actions taken to at least inform users of those implications. So, while we may be able to eliminate most of the programming implementation work by having great configuration tools delivered with our HRM software, we have by no means reduced the business analyst time and expertise needed to keep things running properly. And great, models-based HRM business analysts are really scarce.

This is the business case for automating as completely as possible the configuration of highly configurable, multi-tenant HRM SaaS, to include when used in BPO platforms. It’s the business case for Naomi’s interrogatory configurator, something I’ve been working on for at least ten years and which, thanks to advances in the underlying software development technologies, is getting very close to fruition.

Studying The Talmud

Interrogatory configuration is easy to explain but VERY difficult to do, at least for complex HRM software. Basically it’s a piece of software which poses questions to the client ‘s business analyst (which could be a 3rd party, including the vendor’s implementation services person), provides a context for those questions along with the implications of selecting from among the available answers (e.g. explaining what types of organizational structures use what types of position to job relationships and why), and then, based on the selections made (and all such are of course effective-dated and subject to inheritance where appropriate), it does the configuration of the base application without manual intervention of any kind.

More Talmudic than Socratic, this question/answer dialogue continues, with each exchange doing one set of configurations while setting up the next set, until the customer has implemented fully the set of capabilities/business rules/coding structures/workflows/etc. that will be their implemented software as of the selected effective date. An interrogatory configurator is designed to work prospectively, so that you can see how a partially to fully configured application will look/behave before committing those configurations to take effect. For those configurations that are permitted to be changed retroactively, with the attendant retroactive processing once they are approved for implementation, the interrogatory configurator is also intended to work retroactively.

Now imagine that the interrogatory configurator is a integral part of the marketing to sales cycle, allowing for a high degree of self-provisioning, at least for less complex organizations (notice I didn’t say small or quote headcounts). And even for the most complex organizations, imagine how much configuration could be done with data gleaned during the sales cycle so that a usefully configured application could become a sales cycle tool which blends seamlessly into the actual implementation once agreements are signed. To the extent that SaaS vendors proceed down this path, the whole dynamic of the sales to implementation processes, not to mention the role, staffing and economics of the systems integrators (SIs), are changed substantially, to the benefit of both the customer and the SaaS vendor.

The bottom line. Reducing dramatically the elapsed time and cost of HRM software sales and implementation is an important enough business outcome for HRM SaaS vendors and BPO providers to justify building interrogatory configurators. Doing this requires underlying software architectures which enable configuration without miles of procedural code. It also requires the product’s designers to know and be able to express the patterns of good practice in a whole range of HRM areas, from organizational designs to hiring practices, and the good practice combinations of same. But haven’t they been saying for years, along with their SIs, that they have the market cornered on “best practices?” If your vendor/provider isn’t working on this, won’t it be awkward for them when their competitors make the leap?

Let’s Kill Off RFPs!

 By: In Full Bloom - Naomi Wallace http://infullbloom.us/?p=602

In an earlier post, I suggested the use of scripted scenario demos to determine the fit between HRM software and an organization’s needs. But what are scripted scenarios and demos based on them? How do you create effective scenarios? And how do you avoid scenario overkill?


Scripted scenarios are very much like mini-Harvard MBA case studies in which you describe a specific business context, place a business situation within that context, and then ask questions about how the offered software would respond to that business situation. But instead of prospective software vendors submitting written answers to your questions, vendors are required to demonstrate exactly how their software responds. This type of scenario is called a scripted scenario because it provides a script for the vendor’s demonstration, not in terms of the mechanics but in terms of the customer’s view of the requested capabilities.

Think of these scenarios as calling for an automated dialogue between the customer, who might be an employee, contingent worker, manager, HR professional, or any other HRM stakeholder/user, and the vendor’s software. The most effective scenarios are those which not only demonstrate needed user capabilities but also help to differentiate between vendor products. And the secret to avoiding scenario overkill is to know, based upon considerable knowledge of HRM, the HRMDS and the competitive landscape of vendors, what can be safely assumed about vendor products, and what must be tested. For example, if the vendor is a long-established, national payroll software vendor, it’s reasonably safe to assume that their software can calculate accurately most withholding taxes (always being wary of some of the more obscure US local taxes and reciprocity agreements). But if you’re looking at talent management software, where beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder and there is a rapidly evolving set of customer expectations, you will need to probe deeply to get at the heart of what a vendor can and cannot do.

A scripted scenarios package will be used internally and externally, but with certain details “hidden” in the external presentation. The initial sections are:

•Scenarios context — this is a short writeup describing the organization which will be the context for all of the scenarios which follow. It’s really a mini-version of your real organization provided as a microcosm within which the scenarios make sense. I find that it’s usually easier to write the scenarios first, at least in rough draft, and then collect here all of the facts that you found yourself repeating in more than one scenario as well as all of the other information that an outsider would need to make sense of your scenarios.

•Terms of reference — this is a glossary for terms used in the scenarios, whether industry or organization-specific, for which you’ve developed very precise definitions. What is an employee? A competency? A business unit? A cost center? If you’re using B&W’s HRM Business Model “Starter Kit” or the work of the HR-XML Consortium, you can include the relevant concepts and terminology here. Rather than presume that every reader will understand your terms as you intend them to be used, it’s best to define them here.

Then, for each included scenario, provide the:

•Context — the business context specific to this scenario;

•Scenario — the actual scenario;

•Basic demonstration points – with the expected business value or result by item or group because these are the specific points that the provider must demonstrate credibly to remain in the running;

•Extended demonstration points – with the expected business value or results by item or group because these are the specific points whose demonstration by a provider will help illuminate their competitive advantages;

•Evaluation expectations — this section is to be shared only internally and with evaluators because it describes how you will interpret what you see in the provider’s demo. What are you hoping to see and why? Are there particular architectural behaviors that you’re trying to illuminate? Specific underlying data structures or processes for which you’re looking? And don’t forget response times, elapsed times to closure, and response quality; and

•Evaluation notes — to be completed during evaluations and shared only internally and with evaluators.

Wrapped around your scenario package will be the processes and additional materials you use to identify potential providers, create your short list, orchestrate the scripted scenario demos, orchestrate your evaluation based on those demos, and then proceed through the rest of the vendor evaluation process. Whatever the rest of your software evaluation and “acquisition” process, an excellent scripted scenario package provides a solid foundation for comparing offerings as well as understanding the strengths and limitations of specific offerings. It’s easy to promise results; it’s much harder to demonstrate them.

You can use my “killer” scenarios from this recent post, as well as many more that I’ve written about in articles you can find on this blog and that I’ll be writing about in future posts, to get under the skin of and differentiate among current HRM software products. Always include those HRM business processes, business rules and data which have been a source of unneeded variability, complexity, misinterpretation, administrative effort and/or confusion, high cost, and/or personal frustration. Scripted scenarios should be very specific to your organization and expanded as needed to hit your HRM “hot buttons.” They must also be fleshed out so that evaluators really understand what each scenario means and what you’re expecting to see.

The bottom line. These aren’t easy to write well, and some vendors would much prefer to give you their boilerplate responses to the boilerplate RFPs that outdated consultants continue to favor rather than do the heavy lifting of setting up and demoing your scenarios. But the time you spend putting your scenario package together is time very well spent. Not only will scripted scenario demos help you make more informed package selections but they will also help you understand and plan for the implementation to come. So let’s get started!

62 percent of IT projects fail. Why?

by Matt Asay

  March 21, 2008 7:03 AM PDT

CIO.com cites a Dynamic Markets survey of 800 IT managers, reporting that 62 percent of IT projects fail to meet their schedules. Other data:

• 49 percent suffered budget overruns
• 47 percent had higher-than-expected maintenance costs, and
• 41 percent failed to deliver the expected business value and ROI

This wouldn't be so bad, CIO.com notes, if it weren't for the fact that the numbers haven't appreciably improved over the past decade. In some cases, they've gotten worse.

Why? Why do 25 percent of all IT projects get canceled before completion? CIO.com cites two reasons:

1. IT departments don't take into account the time required between design and development and
2. QA is not adequately understood and budgeted into projects' timelines.

One other thing that I've seen fairly often is a disconnect between the IT department and the business owners who sponsor IT projects. The two often have very different ideas as to what they want.

From the business owner side, they are often more enamored of demos than technology. This is sometimes good but also just as often bad. One customer of mine has had its Alfresco implementation delayed by a year because a three-month project with a proprietary product has taken over 15 months. The proprietary software that IT is attempting to deploy looks great in demos, but is a pile of potty to deploy.

Other times, it's the IT department that leads with technology and overlooks business owners' requirements. I've had this early in my company's product lifecycle when it showed great promise but little polish. We had a customer attempt to deploy the product for something it was ill-equipped to do...and the business owner rejected it.

I'm not sure what the solution is for this disconnect, but I suspect it's the cause of more IT project failures than most others. Any suggestions?

Top Ten Online Project Management Tools

BY SOUMYA NALAM on e-ProjectManagers.com March 2012

Online project management tools have made the planning, managing and execution of resources possible by streamlining the entire process of virtual collaboration. These tools are ideal for project managers who would like to share resources, manage their team, and assign projects irrespective of where they team is located.

1.  Basecamp ( www.basecamphq.com )

This popular project management tool with its user-friendly interface offers a cool set of features such as dashboard, file sharing, to-do lists, message boards, milestones, time tracking, project overview, and comments on messages received/sent.

2.  Teambox ( www.teambox.com )

The interface of this tool closely resembles a Twitter page where you can share tasks, attach files, and receive email notifications. A free account enables users to manage up to 3 projects and it also comes with a secured data backup

If you like the way you interact with your fans in twitter, you’ll love this tool.  The interface looks like your usual twitter page, only that here, you can share tasks, get notices by email.  You can setup an account in just a minute and you can access it anytime, anywhere.  It also.  Their free account lets you and you can go unlimited for their paid premium plans.

3.  DeskAway ( www.deskaway.com )

This online project management tool that needs no installation and enables data access anytime and anywhere lets users manage, collaborate, and build a social community around their projects.

4.  Activecollab ( www.activecollab.com )

For those who would like to have full control of their data, they can set up their own server or local network for their team, clients, or contractors along with time tracking and invoicing features which makes this an all-in-one tool. The improved visual editor provides a drag and drop functionality for tasks.

5.  Teamwork ( www.teamworkpm.net )

With multiple language support and a custom view for information, this tools offers an easy way to create new projects, manage existing ones, check milestones while keeping everyone in the loop.

6.  Central Desktop ( www.centraldesktop.com )

Its WYSIWYG editor, simple layout, and central desktop that offers intranet and project collaboration solutions for small groups to enterprises is ideal for project managers who have anywhere between a hundred to a thousand people reporting to them.

7.  5pm ( www.5pmweb.com )

Using this tool, tasks can be accessed from a mobile phone and some of its features include managing projects, sharing notes or files, time tracking, customized reports, email integration, a customizable interface, and an interactive timeline.

8.  Wrike ( www.wrike.com )

Over 50 projects can be managed in a single workspace that saves up to 25 hours of work each month and doubles a team’s productivity

9.  Huddle ( www.huddle.net )

It offers a secured online space without the hassle of having to install an app on a pc.

10.  ProWorkFlow ( www.proworkflow.com )

A web browser or an iPhone is all that is required to use this tool that optimizes business processes, tracks projects, timekeeping, and manages staff resources.

Online project management tools have made the planning, managing and execution of resources possible by streamlining the entire process of virtual collaboration. These tools are ideal for project managers who would like to share resources, manage their team, and assign projects irrespective of where they team is located.

1.  Basecamp ( www.basecamphq.com ) - This popular project management tool with its user-friendly interface offers a cool set of features such as dashboard, file sharing, to-do lists, message boards, milestones, time tracking, project overview, and comments on messages received/sent.

2.  Teambox ( www.teambox.com ) - The interface of this tool closely resembles a Twitter page where you can share tasks, attach files, and receive email notifications. A free account enables users to manage up to 3 projects and it also comes with a secured data backupIf you like the way you interact with your fans in twitter, you’ll love this tool.  The interface looks like your usual twitter page, only that here, you can share tasks, get notices by email.  You can setup an account in just a minute and you can access it anytime, anywhere.  It also.  Their free account lets you and you can go unlimited for their paid premium plans.

3.  DeskAway ( www.deskaway.com ) - This online project management tool that needs no installation and enables data access anytime and anywhere lets users manage, collaborate, and build a social community around their projects.  

4.  Activecollab ( www.activecollab.com ) - For those who would like to have full control of their data, they can set up their own server or local network for their team, clients, or contractors along with time tracking and invoicing features which makes this an all-in-one tool. The improved visual editor provides a drag and drop functionality for tasks.

5.  Teamwork ( www.teamworkpm.net ) - With multiple language support and a custom view for information, this tools offers an easy way to create new projects, manage existing ones, check milestones while keeping everyone in the loop.

6.  Central Desktop ( www.centraldesktop.com ) - Its WYSIWYG editor, simple layout, and central desktop that offers intranet and project collaboration solutions for small groups to enterprises is ideal for project managers who have anywhere between a hundred to a thousand people reporting to them.

7.  5pm ( www.5pmweb.com ) - Using this tool, tasks can be accessed from a mobile phone and some of its features include managing projects, sharing notes or files, time tracking, customized reports, email integration, a customizable interface, and an interactive timeline.

8.  Wrike ( www.wrike.com ) - Over 50 projects can be managed in a single workspace that saves up to 25 hours of work each month and doubles a team’s productivity

9.  Huddle ( www.huddle.net ) - It offers a secured online space without the hassle of having to install an app on a pc.  

10.  ProWorkFlow ( www.proworkflow.com ) - A web browser or an iPhone is all that is required to use this tool that optimizes business processes, tracks projects, timekeeping, and manages staff resources.

Top 5 Open Source Software for Human Resource Management

This article is from blogger Joy Maiywa, freelance writer.

In today’s global market, it is vital for companies to hold on to their most vital asset, which is the human resource, if they are to remain relevant in spite of the aggressive competition all around them.

This is because the success chart for any company not only depends on factors such as technology, strategies, and products, but also on its labor force to a large extent.

This makes it crucial for employers to handle and manage their human resource department in an effective manner if they are to retain them and get the best out of them.

By using modern, high-quality software technologies, companies can easily achieve effective human resource management, which will in turn lead to maximum workforce output.

Human resource software has largely grown and developed since the desktop computer was first put to use in the 1980′s and today, there are numerous applications available, some are free and while some not.

For those that are sold at a price, you might want to Google the internet for discounts.

The following is a list of some of the top five open source apps available for human resource:

OrangeHRM

www.OrangeHRM.com

This is a free and popular human resource management software that effectively improves communication within a company. Using the software, information from HR managers can be conveyed with ease to employees in every department in a company. When installed, OrangeHRM takes up minimal space of only 5.7 MB. In spite of its small size, it provides valuable features that cover all necessary functions in a company. Examples of modules available in the software include applicant module, employee self-service module, personal information management module, and benefit module.

WaypointHR

www.WaypointHR.com

Waypoint HR is one of the most highly rated open source human resource software among users. This is because it offers a flexible and stable interface that allows HR managers to store all the information concerning their employees in an easy-to-access manner. Since it is also user-friendly, managers with different technical knowledge and background can operate it with ease.

TimeTrex

www.timetrex.com

For certain organizations, it is important that employee attendance be accurately monitored. Such organizations can benefit from TimeTrex software, as it effectively handles the task of monitoring attendance. This is because it is a real-time app that supervises employee attendance from any global location. Companies can also customize the software to meet their budget and requirements.

LATRIX

www.sourceforge.net/projects/latrix/

Being a web application, any company can use LATRIX to manage and monitor its workforce. There are 17 different varieties that companies can choose from to configure the software according to their unique requirements. Other features in this open source software include shifts, time zones, public holidays, and block periods.

Open Applicant

www.openapplicant.org

This is the software of choice for streamlining a company’s recruitment process. The software effectively tracks applicant numbers and evaluates their performance. HR managers can also use the application to check each applicant’s background. Additional features in this software include customized assessments examinations, reporting, and email and resume screening.

Human resource software has largely grown and developed over time and today, and as seen from the selections above, there are various kinds available, some free and some not. For those that are sold at a price, feel free to use newegg coupon to search for a great discount from its sale.

If you use any of these applications, share your experience with us in the comments section below!