| Expect to hear the terms interface and integration | | | | might not take more than five minutes, but it's still an |
| frequently during your search for a Human Resource | | | | extra step you would have to apply to keep your HR |
| Information System (HRIS) product. Both refer to the | | | | system up to date. Another important issue here is |
| interaction of two systems, but there are differences | | | | that your HR data is only as current as your last |
| and it's important that you understand them. An | | | | download. So if you are not frequently interfacing the |
| interface usually requires work on your part and data | | | | data, you might find that the data in your HR system is |
| changes do not happen in real time. Integration, | | | | often out of date. |
| however, is automatic and requires no work on your | | | | Interfaces require extra work and will not be real time, |
| end. Either provides the capability to eliminate time | | | | but they are an important means of tying two |
| consuming, error-prone double entries, but because an | | | | systems together, eliminating repetitive double entry, |
| integration generally means less work you should | | | | and reducing manual entry errors. You will be probably |
| select systems that integrate whenever possible. | | | | be working with interfaces far more often than true |
| Human Resource Software Interfaces | | | | integrated software applications. While an interface |
| Almost all business software applications on the | | | | may not be the perfect solution, it does sometimes |
| market today should be able to create and accept | | | | offer the easiest method of eliminating time consuming |
| some type of import or export file. This allows you to | | | | double entry. |
| transfer data to and from numerous independent | | | | Human Resource Software Integration |
| solutions. | | | | Integration is always the best-case scenario, but it's |
| Let's say, for example, your company uses one | | | | rarely offered. An integrated system requires no work |
| product for payroll and another for all other Human | | | | and changes happen in real time; the two systems |
| Resource (HR) functions. Obviously you would not | | | | share the same database, so you only have to add or |
| want to enter changes to employee data separately | | | | update data once. If the two systems from our earlier |
| into the two systems; it's a lot of extra work and | | | | example were integrated, a change made to payroll |
| literally doubles the chances of an error. An interface | | | | would show up automatically in your HR product (and |
| would provide the opportunity to take data from your | | | | vise versa). If you are going to want an integrated |
| Payroll product and download it to your HR system | | | | HRIS you will probably have to get all of your HR |
| following each payroll run. Now here's the catch: A file | | | | software products from the same company. Take a |
| must be created or run from the payroll product, then | | | | look at our products list, as we offer a number of |
| downloaded to the HR product either through a | | | | systems that provide integrated HR and Payroll |
| custom interface or some time of import utility. This | | | | software solutions. |