Welcome to the Human Resources and Management Blog

Sage Software recently introduced Sage Payroll PayCards. What are PayCards, you ask? Well, I wasn’t all that familiar with them either, but after further exploration, its looking like they may be the wave of the future. PayCards can be beneficial to both the employer and employee.

Did you know that more than 25% of the U.S. working population does not own a bank account? This means that some employees have to actually pay money to have their checks cashed. Also, they have to make an extra trip to some cash checking place, where the lines are sure to be long and then they leave with their entire paycheck in cash. Only to have to return later to make a bill payment or buy a money order. This is a process that wastes both their time and their money.

With this service virtually all employees are eligible, and no credit check or bank relationship is necessary. PayCards can give employees convenient and immediate access to their pay, without the hassle and expense of cashing checks. Sage Payroll paycards can easily be paid on days off, and can be used to pay monthly or recurring bills, track expenses, view account balances and transactions online, and make online purchases.

Another interesting aspect to note is that it virtually turns the Employer’s payroll process into a paperless one, according to an article in the Boston Globe called “It’s all in the card. For some employees, paper is giving way to plastic on payday,” written by Diane Lewis. Diane also speaks of the money savings that this card can bring to employers who formerly had to cut checks for employees that didn’t have bank accounts stating that “Employers consider the cards a cost-cutting measure because they reduce expenses associated with processing, printing, and delivering paper checks — or replacing one when it is lost or stolen. It costs between $1 and $2 to process a single check and about $9 to replace it, according to the American Payroll Association. By contrast, a single electronic payment through a payroll card program or direct deposit costs 20 cents.”

For employees that do not have bank accounts this service could mean time savings, money savings and increased employee satisfaction. And, employers can also save time and money. Sounds like a win-win. In Sage’s press release they announced this new service and outlined its benefits and features. To learn more read their press release at
http://www.sagesoftware.com/newsroom/news/index.cfm/fuseaction/news.detail/id/949 Also you can visit Sage Online at www.sagesoftware.com.

In the coming weeks Dresser & Associates will sponsor a series of Sage Abra HRMS webinars spotlighting specific modules. Each webinar will be led by one of our senior consultants along with one of our very own Sage Abra customers. Several of our customers have agreed to take part in these sessions in order to give others a real look into how the system works for them and to share their experience within that particular module. Also, coinciding with these webinars I will be posting a series of blogs highlighting the modules as they go.

I highly recommend taking part in this series of webinars. Where else are you going to hear about the product straight from the horse’s mouth (pardon the expression)? If you are already an Sage Abra customer and you want to learn more about your product or how others are using it, if you are an Abra customer seeking other modules that may benefit you and your company or if you are not an Abra customer yet, but would like to gain some insight on the product and get some questions answered by Dresser and other users, these webinars are for you.

We will also have a webinar that will focus on Halogen’s Performance and Talent Management Software. This session will be taught by Jim Carty of Halogen Software and one of our joint customers, will be sharing his experiences within his use of both Abra and Halogen’s software together.

You can check out our website for more information on the webinars and to see a schedule of events. Register right away to reserve your spot!

The cost savings associated with HRMS can have an affect on many different areas of your business. Not only does an HRMS create savings of both time and money, but the savings can actually be defined and measured. Many users of HR Software are realizing a return on their investment, and quickly. Henley Enterprises, Inc. is just one customer that is singing praises about their dramatic savings with in-house HR and Payroll. After reading their customer success story that was released today, I would suggest anyone looking to purchase an HRMS read this story.

In The Bottom Line on HR Technology: Improving Results and Lowering Costs with a Human Resource Management System by Sage Software, a well-planned HRMS can drive costs out of your business by automating core HR, benefits, and payroll processes for increased efficiency and productivity. It can help contain and reduce the spiraling costs of employee benefits as well as increase retention by providing a high level of service to employees while controlling the costs.

A good HRMS can also help with decisions regarding your workforce and accurate, timely reporting and analysis. As well as reduce the cost of compliance and risks associated with increasingly complex and burdensome regulations. Improve processes for recruiting, developing, and retaining people with the required skills and aptitudes to meet current and future organizational needs. Reduce routine administration and paperwork, and enable you to focus more on workforce and business strategy.

Henley Enterprises decided to go with Sage Abra HRMS last January and they are already realizing big savings and added benefits. Read their customer success story as well as the Sage white paper to see how an HRMS could benefit your bottomline.

According to Bill Zint of Sage Software, author of the article, “Payroll Your Way: In-House Payroll with Outsource Tax Filing”, (May 2007 issue of APA’s Paytech), about half of all the small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) out there, outsource their payroll. Most of these companies outsource simply to avoid having to keep track of the ever-changing tax filing that is required. Growing trends are showing that companies are moving toward blending in-house products and outsourced services to create the best payroll solution.

“SMBs are finding it convenient to keep payroll in-house, but outsource their payroll tax compliance,” said Mark Dresser, President of Dresser & Associates. “They can offload some of the most difficult tasks associated with the payroll function, while keeping the maximum amount of control and flexibility associated with using in-house software.” This new trend of keeping payroll in-house and using an outsourced service to take care of tax compliance makes business more easily run and productive, and it saves money.

Henley Enterprises, Inc. is a prime example of how this growing trend can help SMBs. Henley is one of the nation’s largest providers of automotive and fluid maintenance services. They own 60 Valvoline Instant Oil Change franchises, and 5 Aamco Transmission franchises spanning New Hampshire to Florida. With 600 employees across 65 locations, the company requires a powerful and flexible payroll solution.

According to Bo Bowditch, Sage Abra HRMS and Dresser & Associates are driving efficiency higher and payroll costs lower for Henley Enterprises. In January of ’07 Henley started talking with Dresser & Associates about buying an HRMS only. When their payroll service provider inadvertently postdated a batch of checks, preventing employees from cashing those checks on payday, they decided it was time to take control of their payroll. Even though Henley was bringing payroll in house, they were not ready to take on the burdensome task of tax compliance, especially as a company having employees in multiple states. That’s when Dresser & Associates introduced Henley to Sage Compliance Services. “Dresser & Associates showed us what we could save by bringing payroll in house-and that the savings could more than pay for the HR solution,” said Bo Bowditch HR manager at Henley. Read the full story

Sage Compliance Services is an outsourced tax reporting and filing service that completely automates complex and time consuming tasks. It also integrates seamlessly with their new Sage Abra Payroll system. Henley has said that the savings they have seen so far are significant. “We pay just $1,000 a month for Sage Compliance Services,” says Kathy Pittsley, accounting manager at Henley. “We were paying $4,000 per week for outsourced payroll.” Henley has estimated that bringing their payroll in house and outsourcing to tax services is saving them $15,000 each month.

Read Bill Zint’s Full article on the Dresser website or you can check it out in the May edition of Paytech, the official publication of The American Payroll Association.