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HRIS Software and HRMS Software Selection Just Got Easier

HR College students – We want your HRIS related term papers

Posted on | July 27, 2010 | 2 Comments

In our database of people who complete our selection tool or download our HRIS buyer’s guide, I frequently notice that a great number of college students and professors visit our site. I’ve even had a few calls from college students working on papers. I think this is great. If my site can help someone understand HR technology, I’m glad to help.

So what do I want in return?

If you have written a term paper on selecting or implementing an HRIS/HRMS system, I’d like to publish it on CompareHRIS.com and/or HR-softwareblog.com. I’m certain our readers will benefit from your unique perspective and research. For me, it means a few less articles I need to write. If you visit the articles page of CompareHRIS.com, you will quickly notice that as President of the site, I spend a great deal of time writing.

So what’s in it for you?

Well…. it might not look bad on the old resume to have a link to an article you created about HRIS systems published by CompareHRIS.com. With the article, we’ll also include an author biography which can include anything you wish. On top of the fact that your article and bio will appear on a website which receives over 10,000 visits per month from HR professionals around the globe, we may also include your article in our newsletter which is sent to over 14,000 HR professionals each month. I’ll also make suggestions on other sites to which you may be able to submit your paper to further increase exposure. It’s never too soon to start establishing yourself online as an industry expert.

Who and how to contact?

If you have an article or research paper you would like to publish with us, email me directly at C.Scroggin@comparehris.com. We ask that the papers be original content created by you and that you include an author bio section. I’ll let you know if and when we are able to use the article.  And at that time, I will provide additional sites to which you may want to submit the same article.

Comments

2 Responses to “HR College students – We want your HRIS related term papers”

  1. raj
    October 20th, 2010 @ 2:58 am

    i want to do hr corse .i need more info about this corse and along with after corse placement details ………
    tell me on this no-9897129323

  2. Anish Khude
    August 26th, 2011 @ 11:46 am

    Following are the key questions to ask and answer in the process of selecting Human Resources
    information technology.
    · What is the degree of flexibility and scalability that the HR information technology
    software provides? HR professionals should determine if the software can import data from
    multiple Excel spreadsheets, databases, and paper documents and the level with which it can
    interface with all kinds of systems and data.
    The software should be able to take in and filter information from multiple sources. Ideally,
    this process should also be automated. Many online enrollment solutions require that data be
    manually manipulated before it can go to a carrier to update their systems. Automation of
    the update format, transmission schedule and delivery method can help to eliminate billing
    and eligibility issues.
    · Will the software be able to accommodate HR’s company and benefits carriers’ rules? A
    truly capable enrollment engine will evaluate each enrollment activity and apply any
    necessary combination of rules, messages, prompts, and options specifically designed to
    meet the exact eligibility requirements desired. The software should accommodate any
    eligibility rules that the company and carriers have.

    · Will the HR information technology be able to grow and scale with the organization? HR
    should assess the technology’s ability to grow as the company brings on new employees,
    offices, benefits changes, and rules. HR should ask about the thresholds for each of these
    elements.
    · Is the HR information technology software able to integrate with other systems? Payroll
    and other functions often share much of the same information as benefits management. HR
    can obtain greater efficiencies when data and other employee information entered into one
    system can be shared with another system.
    · Who is responsible for implementing, or building, the solution? What level of training is
    involved? Some solutions require the client to be very involved with the initial
    implementation, which can be overwhelming for already busy HR administrators.
    HR should have a clear understanding of the level of training and technical expertise that
    will be required and the amount of time expected. Questioning solution providers on this
    topic can provide insight into subtle areas that might initially appear simple, yet involve
    significant technological expertise. HR can then determine specific tasks that may be so
    cumbersome as to realistically impede completion, potentially reducing HR information
    technology value and ROI.
    · If training is involved, is there a charge? Costs of training should also be assessed -
    including time away and travel expenses for off-site travel. HR needs to become aware of all
    hard and soft costs involved in the HR information technology adoption.
    · Who will own the data? The answer to this question should be the Human Resources
    organization. Companies should be able to transport their data to any Application Service
    Provider (ASP). If the data resides on a carrier’s proprietary server, the company may
    sometimes be charged additional fees should it switch carriers.
    · What types of maintenance and upkeep are required? When software is installed on a
    company’s on-site workstations or servers, regular updates to that technology are often
    required and may be cumbersome to plan for and manage. Updates to HR information
    technology are often made automatically with software available online through an
    Application Service Provider (ASP) or Software as a Service (SaaS) model.
    · What security measures are built into the HR information technology? If the software is
    available online, through an ASP or SaaS model, the provider should offer daily backups,
    backup servers, and added protective layers. Additional systems and procedures should be in
    place to safeguard information from being lost or accessed by unauthorized personnel. HR,
    in consultation with other managers, should have exclusive authority to decide who will be
    allowed access to the HR information technology and to what degree.
    · Will employees be able to enroll in benefits plans and make changes in real-time to their
    personal data and plan choices? Employee access should be a given, considering the
    widespread, general access to computers; 70% of the population has Internet access at home.
    Employee self-service provides huge potential to save time and money. A good self-service
    system will guide employees smoothly through entering information about themselves and
    their dependents.
    The system should clearly present the plans available and enable employees to make
    selections at their convenience, simplifying these actions throughout the process with
    wizards. Employees should also be able to add dependents and change information as
    necessary, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
    These are additional questions to answer as you assess your organization’s Human Resources
    information technology needs. Here is the first half of the questions.
    · Will the technology provide Human Resources with the authority to decide who will be
    allowed access and to what degree? Along the same vein of providing employee access, the
    technology should give HR the final say. HR should have the authority to approve all data
    before it is transmitted to carriers, and should also determine the extent to which employees
    and others have access.
    · What types of reporting capabilities are available from the HR information technology?
    Reporting technology should offer multiple views and formats (spreadsheet, PDF, html), big
    picture assessment and the ability to drill down to enhance decision-making. HR should be
    able to assess, at any time, enrollments in specific plans, outstanding actions, and changes in
    employee demographic information in relation to benefits and other employee data.
    · Does the software offer specific features to help HR save time? Depending on its own
    departmental needs, HR might want to inquire about the technology’s ability to process
    information in batches, manage notifications and billing for COBRA policies, provide selfbilling
    and bill reconciliation tools, and specific reporting.
    · Does the software offer specific features to help HR communicate better with employees?
    Some programs give HR the flexibility to communicate with employees on a number of
    levels – via mass email, electronic “bulletin boards,” and by specific filter criteria (such as
    location, department, insurance plans, enrollment status, retirement status, and others)
    through the HR information technology system. Having a number of means to communicate
    can further automate processes and help HR to better target messages.
    · Does the HR information technology system provide a means of checks and balances? In
    addition to enabling HR to approve transactions, many HR information technology systems
    also provide capabilities for HR to serve as the gatekeeper in auditing carrier billings to
    make sure they agree with the data in the system. This can:
    –ensure the accuracy of carrier invoices,
    –save time and money,
    –assist in the timely delivery of employee enrollments, and
    –enhance confirmation of eligibility when employees go for care.
    · How will information be exchanged with carriers? And, who will be responsible for this
    interaction? Integration of the HR information technology system should be judged not only
    by the number of carriers with which the software has relationships, but by the type of
    connection that it enables. Ensuring successful interaction with carriers through a benefits
    management software requires many steps, including:
    –gathering initial implementation data census;
    –setting up initial integration for the ongoing information exchange;
    –coordinating daily or weekly interaction to make sure data is received and accurately
    applied;
    –reviewing ongoing updates;
    –ensuring carrier requirements for enrollment are being met in compliance with regulators;
    and
    –fostering a proactive relationship with each carrier to improve the relationship of data
    exchange.
    Knowing who is responsible for each task is essential to fully understanding a product
    offering. Each software provider will offer a different level of integration in providing some,
    to all, of the tasks outlined above. HR should look to work with vendors that demonstrate
    strong, ongoing, seamless relationships with the company’s selected carriers.
    Many providers enable transmission of a generic ANSI 834 file, which may or may not be
    accepted by the carrier, a factor often influenced by the size of the group. Managers should
    look for providers that offer clean, validated transfers (ensuring the eligibility of the
    transaction), customized to each carrier’s needs to avoid issues. They should also look to
    providers that have a dedicated EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) department to interact
    with the carrier’s own, specific transfer language.
    · What level of customer service is provided? Is there an additional charge for service? HR
    should determine the level of access to “help” that is provided and what constitutes customer
    service – online help via a database, online chat, email support, conversations with a live
    person, or a combination thereof. Given the sensitivity of benefits and other HR information,
    managers should expect a response to inquiries within 24 hours from a direct contact that
    can help.
    · What is the cost of the HR information technology system and does it outweigh the
    benefits? HR should assess the complete cost of the HR information technology system,
    including all annual, monthly, and one-time charges, alongside the benefits provided. A
    slightly more expensive system may more than pay for the difference with features that
    enable employees to maintain their own records and offer greater convenience, time savings,
    and accuracy. These factors should be considered and weighed in selecting an HR
    information technology system.

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HR-Softwareblog.com and CompareHRIS.com are dedicated to assisting human resources professionals with their search, selection and use of HRIS, HRMS and HR software applications. The creators of CompareHRIS.com created this blog to provide our site's users the ability to comment directly on the large number of HR and payroll software related articles we and our vendors have developed. Make sure to register for our free HRIS Tips Newsletters.

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