Human Resource & Payroll Management Blog

After purchasing your new HRIS software it is now time to implement your new system. This step could either be a “Step Two” in the purchasing of a new HRIS system or it could be the monkey wrench in the process. Common misconceptions and unclear timelines can greatly damage and slow the implementation process. It is important that a clear step-by-step process be outlined, a sturdy timeline be in place and common issues that normally arise, be discussed and prevented before the HRIS is implemented.

GENERAL TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION

A common misconception of implementing an HRIS is the time it takes to get your system up and running. This time includes installing the system, preparing and converting data, training users on how the system is used and trouble shooting to ensure users can be off and running after the system is installed. A typical install usually takes an average of six to eight weeks with a technician spending six to eight hours a day, one day a week. It is important that a timeline be established before the process begins and all involved in the process follows the timeline as closely as possible.

WHAT IS THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS?

1. Discovery: In the discovery session, a project manager, consultant and your team drill-down on the information gathered during the Business Process Audit and discuss in detail your requirements, structure and the steps necessary to successfully integrate the solution into your environment. This is also the start of creating the timeline and assigning responsible parties for each step of the project. After the meeting, a finished timeline with dates is forwarded for your approval. It is important that these dates be carefully reviewed, as future changes can cause delays.
2. Installation: Depending on the solution, installation is performed by your IT department, consultant or both. Some of the products may require skill sets that might require a consultant to do the installation.
3. Data Conversion: Implementation of relevant HRMS data from your current systems. After core data is implemented, setup and configuration continues to complete this phase.
4. Review and Testing: An important step in implementation is confirming that the information is accurate and business rules are working properly.
5. Training: Training sessions should begin with an overview of the system. Through the knowledge gained during setup and review, time is needed to refine the steps required to use the system to match your internal processes. Training should be focused on the core aspects that prompted the purchase. During this entire process, be sure that your consultant records their observations regarding the need for additional training and implementation assistance.
6. Going Live: This is the day your investment begins to pay dividends.
7. Post Implementation Review: Some time after the go-live, a review of how the system is being used is necessary. Often, valuable functions are not being used most effectively or not at all. At this point, be sure your consultant provides guidance and remedial training to ensure that you obtain the full value from your investment.

THINGS THAT CAN TYPICALY GO WRONG DURING AN INSTAL

• Old system data is in an unstable format
• Old system data can not be found
• Unclear expectations
• Prep work has not been done or is incomplete

HOW TO PREVENT ISSUES FROM ARISING

Have a clear timeline – Realize it is going to take as much time to implement the system as it is going to take to prepare for implementation. Users and consultants should be working as a team to ensure the deadlines that were set before implementation are being met and followed.

Team effort- Users should be reading the manual at each step of the implementation to ensure all questions are being answered before they become an issue. Data that needs to be transferred from the old system to the new should be accessible and ready for the consultant. In most cases, this data is entered into the new system by the users, so be aware that this can take some time.

Clear expectations – Understand that the new system is not the old system. It is going to get some getting used to and some training for users to familiarize themselves with using the new system. The new system should not be used the way the old system was, this defeats the purpose of the new system.

A truck heads down a road lined with ice-covered trees in North Berwick, Maine, on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008.

In case you didn’t see the amazing pictures or video on national news, New England suffered through a severe ice storm. Everything imaginable was covered with ice that caused trees to snap or sag to the ground, roads to freeze and major power outages for most of the state of Maine. This past week’s ice storm also created some problems for Dresser & Associates’ company headquarters in Scarborough, Maine.

After losing internet access for the duration of Friday, Dresser & Associates was forced to cancel 2 Year End Training sessions. The sessions, which are a how to guide for closing payroll for 2008  and how to prepare for 2009, using Abra Payroll, were canceled quickly after learning internet access would not be restored for the day. Because Dresser & Associates use Go To Meeting technology to teach each session, we had no other choice but to cancel and reschedule both sessions.

With the year end fast approaching, Dresser & Associates understands the need to provide adequate time to our clients to prepare and are more than apologetic to all who signed up. A new training schedule is as follows:

Everyone who signed up for the Abra year end training will receive a copy of each series as well as a step-by-step manual for references. Dresser & Associates will also be recording and posting session 3’s training class online at www.dresserassociates.com.

Sage Abra HRMS Version 8.4, and Sage Abra Suite Version 7.7 are scheduled for release this summer. Both include enhancements, primarily to the Payroll, HR, Attendance, Link, and Workforce Connections modules.

The release incorporates 47 specific enhancements. Check out some of the highlighted enhancements in
our most recent newsletter. Also, sign up for a webcast on the updated versions by visiting our Free Webcasts page.

Make sure and check out the newest addition to our website, the Knowledge Center! After months and months of hard work and collaboration with our web designers our newest resource section has gone live.

In the Knowledge Center you will find anything and everything having to do with HR, Payroll, Recruiting, Taxes, State and Federal information, reports, forms, calculators, performance management, and much more. We have created this site as a tool for our customers and all HR and Payroll professionals, to use as their one stop shop for information. Make sure you bookmark the spot as one of your favorites so you may always check back for needed information.

The site is designed for ease of use and so you can quickly find the information you are looking for. We will constantly be adding new information and resources to this site, and encourage you to provide us feedback and recommend any resources that we may have missed.

Keep an eye out for any articles, websites, or calculators that you would like to see added and if we add them we will reward you with a $5 gift card to Dunkin Donuts as a thanks.

Did you know that you can recover 1/2 of all your costs for attending the ABRA Conference in Atlanta? These recovered costs include the Conference fee, wages for the day, and all travel costs. Contact us for information on how your can recover your Conference costs back in tax credits. (706-302-7725)