Add-on module: a small part of a bigger system

Most forays into employee time management
start out with a single objective in mind.
For example, to improve employee timesheet capture, or to manage the leave request
process.

An obvious place to start is with vendors the company already has a relationship with, especially suppliers of payroll, accounting and
Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) products.

Advantages

Add-on modules are typically considered because:

One vendor: There is an advantage to limiting the number of vendor relationships, and since vendors often include an aspect of employee time management as an add-on module to their core product, there is the appeal of an integrated product.

Simplicity: The perception is that an add-on module is easy to install, since it is integrated and part of a package already used by the company.

One system: All users will access the same system.

Read on to learn how TimeFiler is better at addressing these, and why add-on modules tend to fall short of the expectation.

Limitations

It seems an obvious value-add for a payroll, accounting or HRIS system to offer an aspect of employee time management. But there is a key difference—these products are typically Windows-based back-office systems, accessed by a small proportion of the workforce, whereas employee time management by nature involves most or all employees in the organisation.

Hard to use

Payroll, accounting and HRIS systems are built with the expectation that users will receive quite comprehensive training. Employee time management requires a different development approach. The focus has to be on web-based access and usability, especially for users who are not regular users of computers. It’s hard for vendors to be good at both, and consequently add-on modules are often difficult to use, because they’re built with the core product in mind, not the core requirement.

Lack of functionality

While a company’s initial requirement might be limited to, say, timesheet capture, sooner or later the business will want to tie in leave management and sometimes roster management.

These three functions are all part of employee time management, so need to be part of the same system - otherwise employees will have to access two or even three different websites - but add-on modules don’t include them all. Payroll products typically offer add-on timesheet modules which lack job costing and leave management. Accounting package timesheet modules focus on job costing, and lack payment calculation.

Furthermore, add-on packages are generally light on functionality - they are usually just an electronic version of the paper equivalent, and don’t actively help employees and managers to follow the process correctly.

 

Billing software

Time & Attendance

Try TimeFiler now

Enquire now