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Why you should read this

It is tempting to purchase an add-on timesheet module from an existing vendor.

Sounds good on the surface, but read this article to find out why this may not be such a wise choice.


Hedging your bets: avoiding vendor lock-in with HR systems

It’s a tempting argument from a vendor, and it goes something like this:

“Use our time management module because you already have our payroll and HR modules.

Why not achieve total integration by adding just
one more module rather than purchase a totally different system?”

We’ve heard that argument before too, and it is a good one.

 

The reality is not so good. Why?

 

Lots of modules from one vendor means you're stuck with them for the long haul

The more modules you have from a particular vendor, the more your vendor has woven themselves into the fabric of your organisation, and the harder it will be to replace down the road.

Vendors love this situation.

Once you are locked in to this extent there just isn’t the same natural leverage over a vendor that ensures you’re getting the same outstanding service and quality you thought you once did.

 

The more modules available, the less specialised they will be

Good functionality takes a lot of time and care to get right.

Smart time management is an extremely specialised solution. It’s no doubt the same with training management systems, or accident and hazard reporting systems.

You want to know that it is an area that the vendor lives and breathes and continuously innovates, rather than being an appendage to what they see as their core product.

 

Too many modules makes it harder to adjust to new technologies

The more modules your vendor provides the harder it is for them to migrate a monolithic codebase to new technologies in the future.

Customers tend to keep their HRIS related systems for a decent period of time before changing… on average seven years is our belief. So you will see new technologies emerging during that time.

What you don’t want to see is the vendor halting all other innovation for a few years while they struggle to move a huge code base to the next technological bandwagon.

 

Believe it or not, reliable integration is possible between vendors

Good integration is possible between vendors. The idea that they need to be from the same vendor and even same product is a myth.

In this day and age most vendors should be settling on standards that make easy integration possible anyway. For example, TimeFiler stores everything inside a Microsoft SQL Server database, and produces all reports from Microsoft SQL Server Report Services.

TimeFiler integrates with most payroll and accounting software products - and we do it extremely well.

 

Timesheet software: simple to develop? TimeFiler rules engine