Best Practices in Searching for HRIS Technology

Software Selection

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When implementing a new HCM solution, research may be the most important part of the process. It’s not enough to just have HCM software and technology. It’s essential to the running of your company to have the right HCM in place.

Here are some of the best practices I’ve discovered throughout my years as an HR professional.

Research may be the most important part of implementing HCM technology. Here's some best practices from @HRPayrollSystms #HR #HRTech #Sponsored Click To Tweet

List Your Needs

Before you even get started on the search for a new HCM, you should have a good idea of your company’s needs. It may be helpful to create separate lists for absolute must-haves and things that would be nice to have. Any HCM that doesn’t have everything on the must-have list should be immediately eliminated as a possibility.

Take Your Time

In my experience, the biggest mistake a lot of HR professionals make is to rush the research process. There’s a lot of pressure to find an HCM quickly, but that can lead to choosing one that doesn’t meet all of your company’s needs. Take the extra time to research all of your options thoroughly before making a decision.

Use Your Network

HR Payroll System's Dave Rietsema
HR Payroll System’s
Dave Rietsema

If you have a network of fellow HR professionals, their expertise can be invaluable in your search. Your network will have knowledge about the systems their own companies use, any issues they have with those systems and what other options may be out there. This information can help you narrow down your search. Plus, your contacts will tell you things about their software that salespeople never will.

Do Your Own Research

Even though your network is a valuable resource, it’s important that you still do your own research. It’s a common mistake to implement an HCM because someone else you know uses it. However, the needs of the other company are often very different from your own. Just because an HCM works well for someone else doesn’t mean it will work the same way at your own organization.

Don’t Get Distracted

It’s easy to get distracted by all the bells and whistles an HCM has to offer. While these features may look exciting, if the software doesn’t offer everything on your must-have list, it’s not the right solution for you. In your search for an HCM, stay focused on the things that are absolutely essential to your company. Any other features are a bonus.

Insist on a Deeper Dive

In the initial demo, the vendor may only scratch the surface of what their software has to offer. After the demo, do more research on the software products you think might also be possibilities. Talk to your network again. Then, once you’re armed with more questions and are aware of issues others may have run into, you can go back to the vendor and ask for a deeper dive.

It’s also a good idea to request a dummy portal so you can see exactly how the software behaves in the real world, rather than just how it looks in the demo.

Read the Fine Print

A lot of vendors offer scalable systems with a variety of pricing options. This means that the initial price you see may not be how much that software ends up costing you in the long run. It’s important to know ahead of time exactly what the system will cost so you don’t choose an HCM for its low price, only to discover later that it’s more expensive than one that might have better fit your needs.

Be Prepared for Implementation

Many HR platforms require that your data be entered into Excel spreadsheets so it can be uploaded to the system. It’s a good idea to start creating these spreadsheets ahead of time, so that you’re prepared by the time you actually start implementation. If you still have paper documentation, scan a digital version ahead of time. This can help the implementation process go a lot more quickly and smoothly.

Dave Rietsema is the founder of HR Payroll Systems, and has nearly a decade’s experience in HR. HR Payroll Systems assists HR professionals in their search for the right HR software. The company partners with top vendors and offers a vendor match tool to connect practitioners with the HR software provider that best fits their organization’s needs.

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