In the second part of this series, we’ll look at some more of People-Trak’s Software Myths and Legends (based on this informational article) from an onboarding perspective.
HR Department Job Loss
It’s understandable for HR staff members to feel threatened by the implementation of automation products. After all, there’s a long history in this culture of replacing people with machines that can do the job better, faster, and cheaper. But many organizations have a woefully understaffed, chronically overworked HR department to start with. Employers typically want greater efficiency and strategic improvement more than they want to cut their HR headcount. Automating a process like onboarding simply frees up HR to start using its own human resources more effectively. For example, HR staff can spend more time with each new hire making them feel welcome and comfortable instead of plowing through a stack of forms.
Implementation and Consultation Worries
As the folks at People-Trak mention, a small to mid-sized business shouldn’t have an excessively lengthy implementation for HR software. At Emerald Software Group, our onboarding software clients are typically medium to large sized businesses. However, there’s still a fairly modest time commitment involved for implementing the basics of Universal Onboarding (forms automation, policy acknowledgements, Payroll integration). Further interfaces can be phased in at a pace that is convenient for the client so that everything goes smoothly.
We do recommend collaborating with an HRIS analyst to speed things up. If you have an analyst on staff, that’s perfect. He or she will have a full understanding of your business, HR, and IT processes. If not, we can still work with HR and IT to make sure everyone is on the same page about things like system requirements and functionality. We’ve structured our onboarding products with ease of customization (such as look and feel) in mind. We also have a long list of interface solutions prepared for commonly used HRIS and Payroll applications. If you have non-standard back end systems, that’s fine too. We are always looking for more opportunities to expand our experience interfacing with new products.
Showing posts with label IT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IT. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
What’s Up With IaaS?
Cloud services are typically grouped into 3 categories. Software as a Service is the best known option since hundreds of vendors in HR software and related business spheres provide their services via this model. Our Universal Onboarding program is an example of an application that can now be accessed in a cloud-based format for clients who want to get on board with this technology. Platform as a Service is becoming popular with both vendors and end users who need an affordable and readily scalable base on which to construct custom applications. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is the third category. This sector is poised for exponential growth as organizations migrate from legacy server systems to virtual servers.
More Companies are Switching
According to CIO.IN, 25% of organizations are currently planning to take advantage of IaaS through third party providers like Amazon and Google. These companies use virtual servers to shift loads around the cloud and make the most of available resources minute by minute. This is in stark contrast to traditional data centers that typically have a great deal of infrastructure available at all times but rarely operate anywhere near peak capacity. Legacy data centers have to be constructed to factor in plenty of capacity for those times when demand increases, and customers pay for the assurance of this availability even when they aren’t using it.
The Cloud IaaS Difference
With cloud infrastructure, usage is metered. Customers pay for what they use and can scale up or back at any time. This is particularly useful for IT in the development and testing of new applications that may require additional server space on a temporary basis. The organization doesn’t have to invest in permanent infrastructure upgrades to avoid interfering with other processes on their existing servers. For inward facing applications such as HR, IaaS could offer an organization the ability to explore new training and development programs cheaply and effectively.
The corporations running the cloud infrastructure have access to such a massive quantity of server resources that available capacity for their entire customer base is more than adequate even when demand is high. At the same time, it costs a fraction of the expense of running a legacy server system in terms of energy. This means customers often pay much less than they would when running their own servers in-house or outsourcing to a non-virtual infrastructure provider.
More Companies are Switching
According to CIO.IN, 25% of organizations are currently planning to take advantage of IaaS through third party providers like Amazon and Google. These companies use virtual servers to shift loads around the cloud and make the most of available resources minute by minute. This is in stark contrast to traditional data centers that typically have a great deal of infrastructure available at all times but rarely operate anywhere near peak capacity. Legacy data centers have to be constructed to factor in plenty of capacity for those times when demand increases, and customers pay for the assurance of this availability even when they aren’t using it.
The Cloud IaaS Difference
With cloud infrastructure, usage is metered. Customers pay for what they use and can scale up or back at any time. This is particularly useful for IT in the development and testing of new applications that may require additional server space on a temporary basis. The organization doesn’t have to invest in permanent infrastructure upgrades to avoid interfering with other processes on their existing servers. For inward facing applications such as HR, IaaS could offer an organization the ability to explore new training and development programs cheaply and effectively.
The corporations running the cloud infrastructure have access to such a massive quantity of server resources that available capacity for their entire customer base is more than adequate even when demand is high. At the same time, it costs a fraction of the expense of running a legacy server system in terms of energy. This means customers often pay much less than they would when running their own servers in-house or outsourcing to a non-virtual infrastructure provider.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
HR Software Implementation – Who’s On First?
Compare HRIS has a great article available about setup order for employers who are looking to implement multiple HR applications. The short answer to the question about which one goes first is “It depends”. As Clay Scroggin points out, typically you want to start with what’s most important. For a company that is making the switch from a paper based system to a paperless one, the obvious first step is a basic HRMS database. That’s because any data collected with other applications (such as ATS) will probably feed into this system. Plus, it provides the foundation from which other applications (such as Payroll) will draw their information.
Choose What Will Provide the Greatest Benefit Right Now
Assuming you’ve already got your basic employee database covered, you can branch out based on your business priorities. Your goals might include relieving some of HR’s administrative burden and increasing employee satisfaction by implementing an ESS. For some businesses, better performance management and employee development are the logical next steps. Or, you could automate onboarding to increase compliance and protect against audits, fines, and litigation.
Consider the Complexity of Implementation
Another thing to bear in mind is the amount of time and effort required for user adoption. For example, an MSS portal requires your organization to spend time training every manager on how to use the system and following up to make sure they use it consistently. With a module like Universal Onboarding, new hire end users don’t require any training – it’s a wizard based application that walks them through everything step by step. HR’s side is also straightforward since it uses tools like Adobe that most people already have some familiarity with.
Finally, there’s the issue of IT involvement. The more complex the implementation, the more time and effort it will take to complete. Employers may wish to begin with something simple to start the software project off on the right foot. At Emerald Software Group, we recommend a phased implementation for clients who want to interface onboarding with multiple back end systems. This approach gives HR tools like error and omission free new hire data collection and payroll integration they can use right away. These features capture most of the value and functionality of the application. The second phase allows completion of the remaining interfaces with excellent attention to detail and without the type of rushing that could lead to a poor outcome.
Choose What Will Provide the Greatest Benefit Right Now
Assuming you’ve already got your basic employee database covered, you can branch out based on your business priorities. Your goals might include relieving some of HR’s administrative burden and increasing employee satisfaction by implementing an ESS. For some businesses, better performance management and employee development are the logical next steps. Or, you could automate onboarding to increase compliance and protect against audits, fines, and litigation.
Consider the Complexity of Implementation
Another thing to bear in mind is the amount of time and effort required for user adoption. For example, an MSS portal requires your organization to spend time training every manager on how to use the system and following up to make sure they use it consistently. With a module like Universal Onboarding, new hire end users don’t require any training – it’s a wizard based application that walks them through everything step by step. HR’s side is also straightforward since it uses tools like Adobe that most people already have some familiarity with.
Finally, there’s the issue of IT involvement. The more complex the implementation, the more time and effort it will take to complete. Employers may wish to begin with something simple to start the software project off on the right foot. At Emerald Software Group, we recommend a phased implementation for clients who want to interface onboarding with multiple back end systems. This approach gives HR tools like error and omission free new hire data collection and payroll integration they can use right away. These features capture most of the value and functionality of the application. The second phase allows completion of the remaining interfaces with excellent attention to detail and without the type of rushing that could lead to a poor outcome.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
What Is Your HRIS Input?
HR software expert Clay Scroggin has an interesting perspective on one aspect of HRIS that some clients don’t think about until after they’ve bought a product – how much input will be required? He breaks down the topic into several different categories. First, there’s the data you will have to transfer as a one-time effort. This could include importing from other existing programs such as from a simple employee database into a full service suite. He points out that benefits data is often not directly transferrable and has to be typed in painstakingly by hand (although this is changing in the age of SaaS applications which often have a high level of built-in interoperability).
Then, there’s the data that needs to be updated on a regular basis. An interface can allow this to happen electronically; but there’s often still some human action required to set the process off. Even if it’s as simple as pushing a button to run the importing function once a week, that’s still something that HR has to remember to do - or IT has to set up a script to run the transfer of data automatically. There will always be differences in content between HRIS and other systems (such as Payroll) in terms of real time data unless they are actually fully integrated with one another. There’s a third type of input, but you’ll have to read Scroggin’s article to find out what it is.
What’s the Input for Universal Onboarding Software?
An onboarding module requires input just like any other aspect of HRIS. The first set of data is input by the new hire. Some of this information may actually be imported from a recruiting module if one is interfaced with the onboarding system – but either way that part of data entry is done by the job candidate or new hire rather than by HR staff. Once the new hire’s part is done, the forms are forwarded to the hiring manager and/or I9 administrator for review and final signatures. Input of information into e-Verify may be required at this time. The distribution of data to other back end systems can be carried out automatically based on internally determined rules. HR may also need to add new forms or update old ones from time to time (e.g. company policies). However, all government forms are kept current in the Universal Onboarding library by Emerald Software Group so HR doesn’t have to worry about that particular input.
Then, there’s the data that needs to be updated on a regular basis. An interface can allow this to happen electronically; but there’s often still some human action required to set the process off. Even if it’s as simple as pushing a button to run the importing function once a week, that’s still something that HR has to remember to do - or IT has to set up a script to run the transfer of data automatically. There will always be differences in content between HRIS and other systems (such as Payroll) in terms of real time data unless they are actually fully integrated with one another. There’s a third type of input, but you’ll have to read Scroggin’s article to find out what it is.
What’s the Input for Universal Onboarding Software?
An onboarding module requires input just like any other aspect of HRIS. The first set of data is input by the new hire. Some of this information may actually be imported from a recruiting module if one is interfaced with the onboarding system – but either way that part of data entry is done by the job candidate or new hire rather than by HR staff. Once the new hire’s part is done, the forms are forwarded to the hiring manager and/or I9 administrator for review and final signatures. Input of information into e-Verify may be required at this time. The distribution of data to other back end systems can be carried out automatically based on internally determined rules. HR may also need to add new forms or update old ones from time to time (e.g. company policies). However, all government forms are kept current in the Universal Onboarding library by Emerald Software Group so HR doesn’t have to worry about that particular input.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Cloud Computing Primed For Expansion
In 2010, HfS Research and the London School of Economics surveyed over 1000 organizations about their outlook on Cloud Computing in the business software sphere. The results clearly show that top level executives are buying into the concept of the cloud in record numbers. What’s interesting is that CEOs and COOs appear to be even more excited about this technology than CIOs are. They view the benefits of outsourcing portions of their IT infrastructure management and tapping into the Best of Breed applications available as the result of low-cost software development as key for promoting more cost-effective business practices.
This doesn’t mean IT executives are hesitant about adopting cloud-based software. In fact, according the HfS survey results, 1 out of 3 CIOs anticipate using a significant portion of their IT budget on cloud based business services in the coming year. Mid level IT managers are a little less eager to see their organizations make the switch. This might be because the need for employers to keep managers on staff to supervise low level IT personnel will decrease as more day-to-day maintenance functions are outsourced to cloud providers. Organizations may be looking to pare down their IT staff to a few good strategic planners and savvy trouble shooters. This, in turn, may make things easier for HR by reducing the demand for a steady stream of IT hires (a field where demand often outstrips availability of talent).
What Do Leaders Find Attractive about Cloud Services?
Both general business executives and CIOs are attracted to the cloud for many reasons. However, interest from non-IT executives is particularly high when it comes to the following benefits:
• Faster implementation of mission critical, best in class software applications that would have been unavailable or too difficult to access using a legacy system
• Less reliance on IT to create custom applications that support business goals
• Money spent on IT actually being used to improve business processes throughout the organization
Emerald Software Group has been keeping up with the latest trend by making applications such as Universal Onboarding available on one of the industry’s leading cloud platforms. You can read more about the benefits of the cloud approach to onboarding over at Chuck’s blog.
This doesn’t mean IT executives are hesitant about adopting cloud-based software. In fact, according the HfS survey results, 1 out of 3 CIOs anticipate using a significant portion of their IT budget on cloud based business services in the coming year. Mid level IT managers are a little less eager to see their organizations make the switch. This might be because the need for employers to keep managers on staff to supervise low level IT personnel will decrease as more day-to-day maintenance functions are outsourced to cloud providers. Organizations may be looking to pare down their IT staff to a few good strategic planners and savvy trouble shooters. This, in turn, may make things easier for HR by reducing the demand for a steady stream of IT hires (a field where demand often outstrips availability of talent).
What Do Leaders Find Attractive about Cloud Services?
Both general business executives and CIOs are attracted to the cloud for many reasons. However, interest from non-IT executives is particularly high when it comes to the following benefits:
• Faster implementation of mission critical, best in class software applications that would have been unavailable or too difficult to access using a legacy system
• Less reliance on IT to create custom applications that support business goals
• Money spent on IT actually being used to improve business processes throughout the organization
Emerald Software Group has been keeping up with the latest trend by making applications such as Universal Onboarding available on one of the industry’s leading cloud platforms. You can read more about the benefits of the cloud approach to onboarding over at Chuck’s blog.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Buffet Style Product Selection A Benefit Of Web 3.0 HR Software
Robert Grey at Human Resources Magazine offers an in-depth look at cloud computing and how it will impact both software vendors and purchasers in HR. One area where web 3.0 applications may come out ahead of traditionally licensed suite software is in the way services can easily be split up and sold separately. The big names in HR software still focus on providing entire suites of applications. That’s a selling point for some employers. They want one-stop shopping for all their HR software and believe having it all sourced from a single vendor will make it easier to maintain. The up side for these vendors is that they capture all of an HR customer’s business and can sell them a bundled package that includes all (or most) of their applications.
Why Pay for What You Won’t Use?
The downside (from Grey’s perspective), is that many HR departments don’t really need all the modules they are being sold. So, they may end up paying for stuff they really won’t use. This doesn’t line up well with the drive toward lean and streamlined processes in other areas of business. As HR begins to rethink its software budget in light of which precise products it really requires, the perceived wisdom of purchasing a whole system may change dramatically.
Some traditional HR software suppliers are catching on to this by permitting HR clients to pick and choose from among their product offerings. However, this has only made it more apparent that the individual components of some of these suites lack the type of functionality HR is looking for. This leaves the field open for best of breed web 3.0 HR software providers to serve this growing customer base. Some employers may even choose to invest in their own PaaS platform that permits IT to develop specialized HR applications internally at low cost. Grey doesn’t see cloud base applications as replacing core HR systems. However, the future looks very bright for niche solutions such as new hire onboarding that can be readily interfaced with an HRMS.
Why Pay for What You Won’t Use?
The downside (from Grey’s perspective), is that many HR departments don’t really need all the modules they are being sold. So, they may end up paying for stuff they really won’t use. This doesn’t line up well with the drive toward lean and streamlined processes in other areas of business. As HR begins to rethink its software budget in light of which precise products it really requires, the perceived wisdom of purchasing a whole system may change dramatically.
Some traditional HR software suppliers are catching on to this by permitting HR clients to pick and choose from among their product offerings. However, this has only made it more apparent that the individual components of some of these suites lack the type of functionality HR is looking for. This leaves the field open for best of breed web 3.0 HR software providers to serve this growing customer base. Some employers may even choose to invest in their own PaaS platform that permits IT to develop specialized HR applications internally at low cost. Grey doesn’t see cloud base applications as replacing core HR systems. However, the future looks very bright for niche solutions such as new hire onboarding that can be readily interfaced with an HRMS.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Microsoft Talks SaaS
Microsoft is a leading force in the cloud computing revolution, so it’s not surprising that they have an interest in educating consumers about Software as a Service. Their knowledge library includes helpful information for IT departments exploring the benefits of SaaS. The material presented is straightforward enough for decision makers outside of IT to grasp easily as well. So, it’s a good resource for HR directors and VPs who want a crash course on the topic.
Risk Reduction
One of the first areas addressed in the MS article on SaaS is on reducing risk for IT in software selection and implementation. Acquisition and deployment is a risky process for IT. Rolling out an enterprise-wide system is complex, time consuming, and costly. With on-premise software acquisition, it is not unusual to get partway into the project and discover that it will be significantly more difficult and expensive than originally assumed. However, it is often too late to turn back at that point because a substantial investment has already been made.
Implementing SaaS isn’t always a walk in the park, but it is much easier to walk away from an SaaS deployment if it isn’t working out. This increases the chances that the final outcome will be satisfactory rather than a compromise that was reached just to put a cap on a project that is turning into a “money pit”.
IT and HR Both Stand to Gain from SaaS
Microsoft makes a good point that SaaS offers IT an opportunity to shift its focus from administrative tasks such as maintaining software to more strategic initiatives. Instead of spending all its resources on supporting the software applications, IT staff can turn its attention to ensuring that the applications in question are actually aligned with the business objectives of their organization.
In the case of Universal Onboarding software, SaaS delivery accomplishes the goal of creating greater efficiency for both IT and HR. With this application delivered via the web to handle new hire processing, IT and HR can spend less time trouble shooting and responding to crises and more time finding ways to increase performance, productivity, and workforce satisfaction.
Risk Reduction
One of the first areas addressed in the MS article on SaaS is on reducing risk for IT in software selection and implementation. Acquisition and deployment is a risky process for IT. Rolling out an enterprise-wide system is complex, time consuming, and costly. With on-premise software acquisition, it is not unusual to get partway into the project and discover that it will be significantly more difficult and expensive than originally assumed. However, it is often too late to turn back at that point because a substantial investment has already been made.
Implementing SaaS isn’t always a walk in the park, but it is much easier to walk away from an SaaS deployment if it isn’t working out. This increases the chances that the final outcome will be satisfactory rather than a compromise that was reached just to put a cap on a project that is turning into a “money pit”.
IT and HR Both Stand to Gain from SaaS
Microsoft makes a good point that SaaS offers IT an opportunity to shift its focus from administrative tasks such as maintaining software to more strategic initiatives. Instead of spending all its resources on supporting the software applications, IT staff can turn its attention to ensuring that the applications in question are actually aligned with the business objectives of their organization.
In the case of Universal Onboarding software, SaaS delivery accomplishes the goal of creating greater efficiency for both IT and HR. With this application delivered via the web to handle new hire processing, IT and HR can spend less time trouble shooting and responding to crises and more time finding ways to increase performance, productivity, and workforce satisfaction.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
What HR Executives Want From SaaS
SaaS vendor Plateau Systems and advisory firm Saugatuck Technology released the results of an interesting survey earlier this year. The 200+ HR executives who participated in the study made it clear that they have compelling reasons to choose SaaS. Plus, they know what they want in an SaaS vendor. Online software access has become common enough that the novelty of the delivery system is no longer a prime selling point. Businesses can source core HR software from among a broad field of competitors. So, executives can afford to make comparisons.
Up front implementation is one area where businesses are looking to save money. By now, human resource execs know that it’s easy for an SaaS product to look great in the slick sales brochure - but that everything will fall apart without appropriate interfaces. HR is are catching on to the fact that they can’t just contract with an SaaS vendor and expect IT to do the heavy lifting in making the application work. Employers expect vendors to provide implementation assistance and troubleshooting. Ongoing support is also a negotiating point at the HR table. In other words, they want the service part of the Software as a Service package to mean something.
Effectiveness Draws HR to SaaS
As the focus in HR turns more and more toward strategic planning, executives are realizing that their business performance is lagging compared to other departments. They have the right priorities but simply don’t have the right tools to improve operations. While core HRIS is a central feature of SaaS for HR, niche products are also being sought to address strategic needs quickly and efficiently. Talent acquisition, management, and retention are all key areas where HR is trying to close the gap.
Onboarding is an obvious area of potential improvement for the mid to large size businesses involved in the Saugatuck survey. From the perspective of service, Emerald Software Group makes it a priority to help clients ensure a successful onboarding software implementation by collaborating with IT and HR. We also address another top HR executive concern (data security) through adhering to industry best practices. For more information, contact us at 770-569-5122.
Up front implementation is one area where businesses are looking to save money. By now, human resource execs know that it’s easy for an SaaS product to look great in the slick sales brochure - but that everything will fall apart without appropriate interfaces. HR is are catching on to the fact that they can’t just contract with an SaaS vendor and expect IT to do the heavy lifting in making the application work. Employers expect vendors to provide implementation assistance and troubleshooting. Ongoing support is also a negotiating point at the HR table. In other words, they want the service part of the Software as a Service package to mean something.
Effectiveness Draws HR to SaaS
As the focus in HR turns more and more toward strategic planning, executives are realizing that their business performance is lagging compared to other departments. They have the right priorities but simply don’t have the right tools to improve operations. While core HRIS is a central feature of SaaS for HR, niche products are also being sought to address strategic needs quickly and efficiently. Talent acquisition, management, and retention are all key areas where HR is trying to close the gap.
Onboarding is an obvious area of potential improvement for the mid to large size businesses involved in the Saugatuck survey. From the perspective of service, Emerald Software Group makes it a priority to help clients ensure a successful onboarding software implementation by collaborating with IT and HR. We also address another top HR executive concern (data security) through adhering to industry best practices. For more information, contact us at 770-569-5122.
Monday, November 29, 2010
HR Versus IT: Rogue SaaS Applications
One of the benefits associated with greater mainstream acceptance of SaaS is that it reduces the conflict between HR and IT. Business leaders in many different departments are often tempted to implement SaaS solutions without input from IT. That’s because the process of vetting software can seem to take forever. When strategic decision makers get tired of waiting around, they may move forward on their own. According to survey results floating around the blogosphere, IT often has no idea that managers are going behind their backs to contract with SaaS vendors. As you can imagine, when a CIO finally catches on to the presence of these “rogue software applications” this doesn’t go over well.
Why HR Might Circumvent IT
In many HR departments, just getting through the day-to-day pile of work is hard enough. Lobbying for support from IT to get new software implemented can take a lot of time and effort. Often, it seems that any suggestion regarding software improvement that doesn’t originate in IT is summarily rejected. Plus, HR may have a very small budget to spend on upgrading their processes. This makes the use of SaaS applications that don’t require IT involvement very appealing. SaaS vendors know this and will often use it as a selling point for their products.
Pitfalls of this Approach
When an HR director decides to go rogue and sign an SaaS vendor contract behind IT’s back, there may be serious problems ahead. A back door approach to implementation does nothing to strengthen collaboration between HR and IT. That may be bad news later when events transpire that lead to the discovery of the maverick software. This can happen if:
• HR realizes after the fact that the SaaS application requires customization to make it work for their organization
• The application interferes with other company software systems
• The software needs to be integrated with other, existing HRIS applications to make it really useful
• The vendor did not provide adequate security or data backup services and critical employee data is compromised
It may be easier to ask forgiveness than permission. But no HR executive really wants to have to go, hat in hand, to IT for help solving a problem with an SaaS application that IT didn’t approve in the first place. At Emerald Software Group, we encourage HR and IT to work together. We’ve got the expertise to speak their language as well as yours – so you have someone in your corner at the negotiating table.
Why HR Might Circumvent IT
In many HR departments, just getting through the day-to-day pile of work is hard enough. Lobbying for support from IT to get new software implemented can take a lot of time and effort. Often, it seems that any suggestion regarding software improvement that doesn’t originate in IT is summarily rejected. Plus, HR may have a very small budget to spend on upgrading their processes. This makes the use of SaaS applications that don’t require IT involvement very appealing. SaaS vendors know this and will often use it as a selling point for their products.
Pitfalls of this Approach
When an HR director decides to go rogue and sign an SaaS vendor contract behind IT’s back, there may be serious problems ahead. A back door approach to implementation does nothing to strengthen collaboration between HR and IT. That may be bad news later when events transpire that lead to the discovery of the maverick software. This can happen if:
• HR realizes after the fact that the SaaS application requires customization to make it work for their organization
• The application interferes with other company software systems
• The software needs to be integrated with other, existing HRIS applications to make it really useful
• The vendor did not provide adequate security or data backup services and critical employee data is compromised
It may be easier to ask forgiveness than permission. But no HR executive really wants to have to go, hat in hand, to IT for help solving a problem with an SaaS application that IT didn’t approve in the first place. At Emerald Software Group, we encourage HR and IT to work together. We’ve got the expertise to speak their language as well as yours – so you have someone in your corner at the negotiating table.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Why Choose a Niche Product for Onboarding? Part 1
Last week, we took a look at some of the HR software solutions Emerald has experience integrating our programs with. These include big names in the SaaS HRMS field (UltiPro, SilkRoad, etc). Many of these commonly used suite solutions provide some form of onboarding module. This means employers often have the ability to minimize or eliminate the use of paper in their new hire forms administration using the option offered by their suite software. So, why are customers who have already invested in software for the full range of HR processes still seek out a niche solution for their onboarding needs?
Greater Compliance
For employers who are really sticklers about compliance, every step of an onboarding process must be viewed in light of how it promotes this goal. Suite providers often grasp that electronic forms are needed. Some also automate the flow of data collected on these forms into other systems (such as Payroll) to reduce HR’s workload. However, not all systems go the extra mile to ensure that there are no errors or omissions and that the actual process of collecting data and signatures is done the right way. Employers have to ask these questions when comparing a suite solution with a niche product for onboarding:
• Which system provides a complete library of up-to-date federal and state required forms?
• Which system presents these forms in an electronic data collection format that enforces the government’s instructions regarding how the form must be filled out?
• Which system permits the incorporation of unlimited forms to cover all an employer’s policy acknowledgement and data collection needs?
• Which system prevents new hires from submitting electronic forms that are incomplete or incorrectly filled out?
• Which system complies with all the requirements of the 2000 e-Sign Act so that the legality of electronically collected signatures cannot be called into question later?
• Which system can be interfaced with e-Verify to enhance compliance with ICE best practices for worker eligibility verification?
These are all important questions because they impact an employer’s level of risk. Mistakes on forms don’t just lead to errors in how HR handles data. They can also have real consequences that may include fines and penalties in the event of an audit by a government agency.
In the next blog post, we’ll look at additional reasons why HR looks to niche products like Universal Onboarding for greatest ease of use.
Greater Compliance
For employers who are really sticklers about compliance, every step of an onboarding process must be viewed in light of how it promotes this goal. Suite providers often grasp that electronic forms are needed. Some also automate the flow of data collected on these forms into other systems (such as Payroll) to reduce HR’s workload. However, not all systems go the extra mile to ensure that there are no errors or omissions and that the actual process of collecting data and signatures is done the right way. Employers have to ask these questions when comparing a suite solution with a niche product for onboarding:
• Which system provides a complete library of up-to-date federal and state required forms?
• Which system presents these forms in an electronic data collection format that enforces the government’s instructions regarding how the form must be filled out?
• Which system permits the incorporation of unlimited forms to cover all an employer’s policy acknowledgement and data collection needs?
• Which system prevents new hires from submitting electronic forms that are incomplete or incorrectly filled out?
• Which system complies with all the requirements of the 2000 e-Sign Act so that the legality of electronically collected signatures cannot be called into question later?
• Which system can be interfaced with e-Verify to enhance compliance with ICE best practices for worker eligibility verification?
These are all important questions because they impact an employer’s level of risk. Mistakes on forms don’t just lead to errors in how HR handles data. They can also have real consequences that may include fines and penalties in the event of an audit by a government agency.
In the next blog post, we’ll look at additional reasons why HR looks to niche products like Universal Onboarding for greatest ease of use.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Commonly Integrated Systems for AllegroHR & Emerald Green Office
One of the most pertinent questions HR and IT can ask about our Emerald Software suite of products is “Will what you provide work with what we already have?” In most cases, the answer is yes. If we don’t currently have an integration solution on hand for a product, chances are there’s something in the works. We know that when customers have the ability to interface Emerald products with their existing enterprise software this is a big point in our favor. After all, our software is designed around the concept of automating as many processes as possible. This means the more interfaces we can successfully implement, the higher the value our product delivers. So, while we may be viewed as a “niche” software provider, this doesn’t mean that we don’t know how to “play well” with other vendors’ applications.
Below is an overview of some of the applications we have experience integrating our software with. We also have the capability to integrate with any third party that uses the HR-XML NewHire standard for interoperability. If you don’t see the software you currently use on the following list, don’t worry. Your personal Emerald Software Group business development consultant can fill you in on the complete list of 3rd party integrations we can currently perform.
• iRecruiter
• Kenexa
• SilkRoad
• OpenHire
• UltiPro
• ADP
• PeopleSoft
• Abra Suite
As you can see, these applications range from recruitment and applicant tracking to payroll and general HRIS. Since our own product offerings run the gamut from our always popular Universal Onboarding to document creation and business process management, we don’t just focus on integrating with other applications in the HR realm. We’ve also got a handle on interfacing with suite solutions such as EnterpriseOne. This means data can be delivered from our software to any area of an organization’s ECM system. The ability to transfer, compile, and analyze data from all applications across an organization leads to the development of more accurate metrics, improved performance, and controlled costs. So, don’t let your HR and enterprise data sit segregated in many different applications. Let us help you start connecting the data points today.
Below is an overview of some of the applications we have experience integrating our software with. We also have the capability to integrate with any third party that uses the HR-XML NewHire standard for interoperability. If you don’t see the software you currently use on the following list, don’t worry. Your personal Emerald Software Group business development consultant can fill you in on the complete list of 3rd party integrations we can currently perform.
• iRecruiter
• Kenexa
• SilkRoad
• OpenHire
• UltiPro
• ADP
• PeopleSoft
• Abra Suite
As you can see, these applications range from recruitment and applicant tracking to payroll and general HRIS. Since our own product offerings run the gamut from our always popular Universal Onboarding to document creation and business process management, we don’t just focus on integrating with other applications in the HR realm. We’ve also got a handle on interfacing with suite solutions such as EnterpriseOne. This means data can be delivered from our software to any area of an organization’s ECM system. The ability to transfer, compile, and analyze data from all applications across an organization leads to the development of more accurate metrics, improved performance, and controlled costs. So, don’t let your HR and enterprise data sit segregated in many different applications. Let us help you start connecting the data points today.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Why SaaS Is Working For HR – Part 3
One of the primary reasons HR departments turn to SaaS solutions for niche applications is to avoid involving IT in the day to day support of these programs. However, there is simply no avoiding the fact that a really useful piece of software doesn’t operate in a vacuum. It has to be integrated effectively with the rest of the HRIS portfolio to fulfill its true potential. As this 2008 article from informationweek.com points out, it’s not installing an SaaS app that is costly and challenging – it’s the integration that can be problematic. Too often, employers end up footing the bill in terms of IT labor for this stage in the implementation process.
However, as customers become more aware of the potential hidden costs of SaaS solutions, vendors are being forced to step up to the plate. With a ‘pay as you go’ model, it’s just too easy for businesses to switch to a different provider if they aren’t satisfied. When very little integration has been accomplished, it is relatively simple for customers to extricate themselves from a relationship with a specific SaaS vendor. It is in the best interests of vendors to step in and take some responsibility for ensuring that their products can be readily integrated without a huge time investment on the customer’s side. The more systems an SaaS solution is connected with in a client’s software environment, the less sense it makes for HR to start over with another vendor.
HR Is Still In Control
Fortunately, one of the great things about SaaS for HR is that some of the most common problems are those that you don’t have to be an IT specialist to understand and anticipate. That puts HR in the position of being able to sniff out and avoid some potential problems before the stage where IT has to become involved. The fewer SaaS solutions IT has to evaluate and reject as inadequate, the less frustrated they are likely to become with the whole process.
So, HR clients comparing SaaS options would do well to ask about integration capability up front. Taking the vendor’s word that their product is “really easy to connect to other applications” isn’t sufficient. Specifics are much more helpful. Here are some questions that may help HR narrow the field of competitors:
• Do you have templates and instructions put together for how to integrate your software with other commonly used HR programs?
• Can your API (Application Programming Interface) be used to connect your program with any other software that also features an open API?
• Will we need to use one or more third party integration tools or services to connect your application with our existing software solutions?
• If I give you a list of all the programs we need to connect to your software, can you tell me whether you have successfully completed an integration involving each one of them?
• What role will your technicians play in working with our IT department to ensure a successful integration?
• Can you describe the steps in a typical integration process for me and the average time to implementation?
• Have you ever had an integration attempt that just didn’t work out? If so, what alternative solution did you suggest to your customer?
The questions and answers will get a lot more technical from there, but at least the vendor’s responses will give you an idea of how much thought they put into integration when they designed their software -and how hands on they plan to be in helping your company with implementation. If they hem and haw and give you vague responses, that’s not a good sign. Do you want to see how a really responsive SaaS vendor acts when it comes to delivering top service and excellent integration capability? Give Emerald Software a call at 770-569-5122.
However, as customers become more aware of the potential hidden costs of SaaS solutions, vendors are being forced to step up to the plate. With a ‘pay as you go’ model, it’s just too easy for businesses to switch to a different provider if they aren’t satisfied. When very little integration has been accomplished, it is relatively simple for customers to extricate themselves from a relationship with a specific SaaS vendor. It is in the best interests of vendors to step in and take some responsibility for ensuring that their products can be readily integrated without a huge time investment on the customer’s side. The more systems an SaaS solution is connected with in a client’s software environment, the less sense it makes for HR to start over with another vendor.
HR Is Still In Control
Fortunately, one of the great things about SaaS for HR is that some of the most common problems are those that you don’t have to be an IT specialist to understand and anticipate. That puts HR in the position of being able to sniff out and avoid some potential problems before the stage where IT has to become involved. The fewer SaaS solutions IT has to evaluate and reject as inadequate, the less frustrated they are likely to become with the whole process.
So, HR clients comparing SaaS options would do well to ask about integration capability up front. Taking the vendor’s word that their product is “really easy to connect to other applications” isn’t sufficient. Specifics are much more helpful. Here are some questions that may help HR narrow the field of competitors:
• Do you have templates and instructions put together for how to integrate your software with other commonly used HR programs?
• Can your API (Application Programming Interface) be used to connect your program with any other software that also features an open API?
• Will we need to use one or more third party integration tools or services to connect your application with our existing software solutions?
• If I give you a list of all the programs we need to connect to your software, can you tell me whether you have successfully completed an integration involving each one of them?
• What role will your technicians play in working with our IT department to ensure a successful integration?
• Can you describe the steps in a typical integration process for me and the average time to implementation?
• Have you ever had an integration attempt that just didn’t work out? If so, what alternative solution did you suggest to your customer?
The questions and answers will get a lot more technical from there, but at least the vendor’s responses will give you an idea of how much thought they put into integration when they designed their software -and how hands on they plan to be in helping your company with implementation. If they hem and haw and give you vague responses, that’s not a good sign. Do you want to see how a really responsive SaaS vendor acts when it comes to delivering top service and excellent integration capability? Give Emerald Software a call at 770-569-5122.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Onboarding Software and Traditional Licensing
At Emerald Software Group, we believe in giving our clients options that will work for every situation. Our SaaS offering is very popular; but not every company is ready to have software solutions hosted offsite. This doesn’t mean they have to miss out on the latest innovations in onboarding automation. As a Best of Breed vendor, we differ from most of our competitors because we can and do license on-premise installations upon request.
When might this approach be appropriate? One determining factor is how much responsibility a company’s IT department wants to take for the software - and how much control they want to exercise. For example, they may have a risk management policy that precludes storing sensitive data on off-site servers. Or, they might simply want to have more ownership of each aspect of BPM development and integration.
Solutions are On Hand
There are a couple of different ways IT can meet these objectives with Emerald Software’s products. We offer both a licensed agreement and a managed arrangement. With an on-premise license, our software is run on client provided equipment. Upgrades and support can be negotiated separately from the perpetual software license. For a business with a fully staffed, experienced IT department, the ongoing labor required to deploy version updates and service packs isn’t burdensome.
As an alternative, we can pre-install the requested programs on an appliance server that is added to the customer’s data center. This managed option is billed on an annual basis, so it has a lower up-front cost. The level and types of support and maintenance that come with this managed agreement are determined based on the client’s requirements.
What about HR?
HR often doesn’t have the final say in which option to choose. Fortunately, your experience of using this onboarding automation software should be the same regardless of whether it is run on site or delivered via the web. This includes the ability to easily add new forms and data panels as needed.
When might this approach be appropriate? One determining factor is how much responsibility a company’s IT department wants to take for the software - and how much control they want to exercise. For example, they may have a risk management policy that precludes storing sensitive data on off-site servers. Or, they might simply want to have more ownership of each aspect of BPM development and integration.
Solutions are On Hand
There are a couple of different ways IT can meet these objectives with Emerald Software’s products. We offer both a licensed agreement and a managed arrangement. With an on-premise license, our software is run on client provided equipment. Upgrades and support can be negotiated separately from the perpetual software license. For a business with a fully staffed, experienced IT department, the ongoing labor required to deploy version updates and service packs isn’t burdensome.
As an alternative, we can pre-install the requested programs on an appliance server that is added to the customer’s data center. This managed option is billed on an annual basis, so it has a lower up-front cost. The level and types of support and maintenance that come with this managed agreement are determined based on the client’s requirements.
What about HR?
HR often doesn’t have the final say in which option to choose. Fortunately, your experience of using this onboarding automation software should be the same regardless of whether it is run on site or delivered via the web. This includes the ability to easily add new forms and data panels as needed.
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