What to know about an HRIS system

If you're responsible for your company's human resources, you can either pile countless forms, resumes, and files on your desk, or you can manage all of your tasks electronically with an HRIS system.

HRIS systems help your HR staff streamline day-to-day processes, manage employee benefits, reduce paperwork, and track ongoing employee data. By managing these and other activities from a single location, you can move onto more productive tasks. In addition, an HRIS system can provide employees with self-service access to their personal information so they can get answers to basic questions on their own.

HRIS system = human resources information system…systems?

Note the actual term "HRIS system" is a bit redundant. However, it's a common name for the software and some experts even associate the "S" in HRIS with "solution" or "software" to make the phrase a bit clearer. You'll also see HRIS referred to by other names such as "HRMS" (Human Resources Management Systems) or "HCM" (Human Capital Management). Regardless what a vendor calls it, just make sure the software can handle the tasks you need it to.

HRIS systems access levels

When providing self-service access to your HRIS system or any central software solution, it's important to keep tabs on who accesses the data and who makes changes.

An HRIS system allows you to set different access levels depending on who requests the information and what information they request. Employees, for example, may have just read-only access to certain forms and documents on your HRIS, or the ability to edit their personal information. You can adjust their access levels at any time, and of course, you'll have complete control to edit and view anything you need.

Best of all, you can always tell when someone opens or edits a file. Each time an employee logs in, the HRIS system tracks it and lets you know who the employee is, what files he accessed, and the changes he made. If there's a problem or you find employees made changes they shouldn't have, you can immediately pinpoint the source.

HRIS system benefits

Among the many benefits you'll find in HRIS systems:

• Benefits management - An HRIS system imports all employee data as well as payroll and benefits information from other systems to control all HR aspects from a single location.
• Reporting - Use preset reports for standard administrative documents like employee reviews, disciplinary history, and OSHA updates, or customized reports that allow you to create special fields and forms to your liking.
• Tracking - In addition to the previously mentioned access tracking, you can also stay on top of employee attendance and remaining vacation banks, which employees are under extended absence for family leave or jury duty, and maintain records of disputes between employees.
• HRIS system modules - You can focus on specific HR tasks with an HRIS system geared towards your most important responsibilities. Choose from modules that handle your core HR management, payroll services, recruitment efforts, and employee skills management, and add others as you become familiar with the functionality.

How to buy an HRIS system

Vendors provide solutions for different-sized businesses to handle simple or complex tasks HR tasks. Before you start shopping for the right HRIS system, you need to keep in mind the number of employees you'll support and the actual features that are most important to you.

Once armed with that information, you can submit a free BuyerZone request for HRIS system quotes. By completing this quick and easy form, we'll match you to as many as six different HRIS vendors who will review your business needs and discuss your options. After testing the functionality of each solution, you can compare ease of use and feature sets, and choose the best software from the vendor you're most comfortable with.