9th May 2016
IRIS FMP are highly experienced in this field, supplying a wide range of HR and payroll software on a hosted basis. Here we will look at some of the advantages of application hosting.
Saving Time for Your HR and IT Departments
HR teams often get bogged down in administrative tasks such as inputting data or printing and issuing payslips, rather than being able to concentrate on more strategic priorities. However, the use of hosted software can save time and help them to concentrate on your core business. Choosing a hosted solution which includes self-service functionality can give greater flexibility, allowing staff to access information remotely and meaning they don’t have to keep contacting the HR team for everyday details.
At the moment, in many organisations, IT staff have to spend a lot of time supporting software, installing and updating systems. Whilst legislative changes are incorporated into the software at regular intervals through the year, if software is installed in-house IT staff will be required to support the environment and carry out upgrades as needed, including regular back-ups of data. There is also the expense of providing new hardware such as servers and any additional third-party software or equipment required to operate your HR and payroll software.
IT staff may find themselves under pressure to ensure all upgrades are carried out in time for a company to meet relevant deadlines, because of rules governing areas such as RTI and reporting to HMRC. This means that, if there is a problem with making changes to a system, this often has to be prioritised over other work which may be more business critical. Saving IT time is regarded by many businesses as the number one advantage in choosing hosted services.
Reliability and Security
Another major advantage for businesses who choose hosted HR and payroll solutions is greater reliability. Rather than being hosted on a company’s own server, software is securely hosted in a central off-site data centre and can be accessed via the cloud.
If you are using mobile hr and payroll software, such as IRIS FMP Amity, lost internet connections can often be resolved using the 4G connection on your phone. One of the main benefits of Amity software is that it provides complete device independence. This means staff using mobile devices have access to all functions, unlike many competing solutions where access to the software on a mobile device is limited to an app, which is in effect a cut-down version of the software.
With cloud based payroll solutions or HR software, if any server issues do occur or disaster recovery is needed, this can all be handled by your supplier. This means you will not have to worry about getting experts in to restore systems if there is a problem. IRIS FMP HR has a disaster recovery policy including the ability to mirror data on another server and store back-ups, so that in the unfortunate event of a problem occurring your information will be safeguarded.
As well as being highly reliable, hosted solutions also have advantages in terms of security.
IRIS FMP takes security extremely seriously and has therefore implemented a whole range of security measures to provide its hosted clients complete peace of mind. This includes the highest levels of server and online security, your data backed up to a regular schedule, plus built in disaster recovery and business continuity.
Support
Yet another reason to choose a hosted solution is that you will have experts on hand who can advise you. This is very helpful when changes need to be made to any elements of your HR and payroll management system. If there is anything you don’t fully understand, you it will be explained to you, ensuring that you understand the most streamlined way of operating. Support can also be drawn on to assist your employees when self-service systems are introduced.
In the case of IRIS FMP HR & Payroll Software, our hosted payroll and HR solutions are fully supported in the UK. Together with full training at the time of implementation (based on the number of days purchased), full helpdesk support is available within office hours as part of your maintenance contract. IRIS FMP’s Amity, Teamspirit and Payrite software packages are all available on a hosted basis, but can similarly be installed as traditional in-house solutions if preferred.
For further information, see details of IRIS FMP Payrite hosted payroll solutions, Teamspirit integrated HR, payroll and time & attendance software and Amity mobile HR and payroll software.
