I am on assignment for a company that is outsourcing its payroll (fully managed service … software and personnel). The payroll providers all offer their software ASP (via browser) and all bundle different HRIS systems with their payroll software.

The company currently has an HR system, but bar very basic details on employees and what’s necessary to run payroll, there is hardly any data in it. I’m guessing that the “standard” processes in a good “standard” HRIS system would be better than what is in place now (bit of a muddle), presumably being based on received wisdom and best practice???

My gut reaction is that if the Outsourcers’ HRIS systems are reasonable it would make sense to avail their services. Without even the basics in place here, defining the company’s future HRIS needs is pretty much taking a stab in the dark.

So my questions are:

1. If an ASP HRIS is turned on, and we use 25% of the basic functionality on day 1, what are the key / important elements to configure correctly to ensure that when we use more of the system’s functionalities that we haven’t shot ourselves in the foot? (i.e. for when we start to use more functionality)?

2. Has anyone out there used an HRIS “as standard” / standard configuration / “out of the box” and had good or bad experiences that they could share with me

3. Is there anything outside the normal checklists of functionality (does the system do A, B, C etc) that we could use to check ahead how flexible or configurable the HRIS being offered is? Essentially we want basic functionality day 1 and to switch on other components as we go without lots of consultants at £1000 a day running our department!!!
David Faik