| When it comes to HR and payroll software, | | | | Implementation projects are typically quoted either daily |
| researching who will be implementing your software | | | | or by the project. Project costing has some |
| may be more important than the software you select. | | | | advantages, because you know you most likely |
| Human Resource (HR) managers and staff go through | | | | won’t go over the quoted amount unless needs |
| a great amount of effort to find and select the Human | | | | arise that are outside of the project’s original |
| Resources Information Systems (HRIS) that will best | | | | scope. The disadvantage of project costing is that |
| meet their needs. The problem is that they rarely apply | | | | companies are going to charge you a higher rate since |
| enough effort into choosing who will implement the | | | | they have to quote the project on the high side. Daily |
| software. In any profession there are those with | | | | or hourly quotes for consulting are fine, but make sure |
| experience and those without, and there are those | | | | to get a detailed plan on the consulting time. In the past |
| who are good at their jobs and those who are not. | | | | I have broken down hours according to each step in |
| Unless you ask the right questions and demand | | | | the implementation process: Half day for network |
| information up front, you have no idea if the person | | | | installation, one day for code table setup, one day for |
| installing your HR product has ever done so before or | | | | benefits setup, etc. |
| is qualified to handle your organization’s unique | | | | Be prepared for your HRIS implementation! |
| HR system requirements. It is extremely important that | | | | In almost every case where a project I was on went |
| you put the same effort into picking who will handle the | | | | over budget, the client was at the least partly to blame. |
| implementation that you applied to selecting your HRIS | | | | I understand that that is a very strong statement and it |
| application. | | | | was intended to be so. Before you begin the |
| Apply the following steps to make sure you receive | | | | implementation, make sure all information and data the |
| the best HRIS implementation: | | | | consulting staff will need is ready to go. There is |
| Find out exactly who will be doing the HR software | | | | nothing worse than a $150 an hour consultant doing |
| install and what their background is. | | | | nothing while waiting for data on benefits plans. This |
| How many installs have they done? I would not | | | | became such a problem at companies I worked for |
| recommend using anyone who has not performed at | | | | that we would not schedule an implementation until all |
| least 10 installs of your chosen HRIS. Sure they may | | | | needed data and information for the implementation |
| be certified on your HR system, but until they have | | | | was received. Also make sure that anyone the |
| performed a large number of installs they won’t | | | | consultant or implementation team will work with is |
| be able to handle all the pitfalls and issues that | | | | available during the process (IT staff especially - make |
| inevitably arise. It’s also a good idea to ask for | | | | sure they know when their services will be needed). If |
| references about the individual who will be working on | | | | you have to close the department or limit the hours for |
| your HRIS project, just as you would ask for | | | | accessing HR, do so. We sometimes did training on |
| references about an HRIS software product before | | | | Saturdays to avoid interruptions; see if a similar |
| purchasing it. | | | | arrangement is an option for your organization. |
| Set expectations. | | | | Stay on track. |
| Now that you have verified that the implementation | | | | As an HRIS system implementation is taking place the |
| consultant and/or staff are qualified to handle the job, | | | | customers are learning more and more about the |
| you need to make sure that both sides are in full | | | | capabilities of their new HR software. Make sure you |
| agreement as to what is included in the scope of the | | | | don’t get off track with work that is outside the |
| project. Avoidable misunderstandings regarding | | | | scope of the project. When I was working on a |
| expectations create cost overruns and can lead to | | | | project and a client asked me about work outside of it, |
| poor implementations. Make sure everything is in | | | | I would tell them that we needed to finish the core |
| writing, and when I say that everything should be in | | | | project first and then determine how much quoted |
| writing I specifically mean that you should be provided | | | | time is left for other considerations. The most |
| with a detailed list of project requirements and an | | | | important thing is that you have the base system |
| estimated time of completion for each. Most | | | | setup and your staff trained on the HR product; push |
| companies will provide a low and high expected range | | | | off anything extra or nice haves until the basics |
| (two to three months, for example). | | | | are completed. |
| HRIS project cost versus hourly or daily. | | | | |