Buying Strategies

Every now and then we’ll lay down some opinion or business insight for you to listen to.
Buying Strategies

Why Company Size Matters When Selecting an HRIS System

When trying to find the right HRIS platform, one critical evaluation point is to find a system that is a strong fit for your company's size and growth trajectory. If the system is too robust for your needs, you may be paying for more functionality than you need. And if the system is too limiting, you will have manual processes outside of the system inhibiting your efficiency.

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Buying Strategies

What to Look for When Choosing an HRIS System

There are over 60 HRIS platforms listed on G2 and even more viable options across the internet. How can one person or one team be tasked with finding the right one? Having the right strategy for your HRIS search is critical:

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Buying Strategies

A step-by-step guide to HRIS implementation for non-technical HR professionals

Many customers that we work with experience increased anxiety as they finish their buying process and move into implementation. Much of the anxiety that surrounds HRIS implementations comes from the fact that most HR professionals do not know what is coming next, since the implementation process is often under explained in the sales process. Here is a brief overview of what you can expect as you transition into implementation:

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Buying Strategies

HRIS System Security: What You Need to Know - A Comprehensive Guide

Companies are prioritizing data security more than ever before. And given the sensitive nature of employee data that is stored in an HRIS system, it's natural that HRIS buyers have some of the highest security expectations. Learn more about why data security matters and how to identify vendors who prioritize it.

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Buying Strategies

How to Choose the Best HRIS for Your Company Size and Budget

There are hundreds of HRIS vendors in the market today and it would be impossible for one company to evaluate all of the potential options. This article will walk you through some of the planning steps you can take to limit your focus on vendors that are a great fit for your needs.

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Buying Strategies

The 3 Ways to Integrate Your HRIS System With Your Payroll System

Everyone wants their enterprise systems to be well integrated, so that they can have more accurate and real-time data available with less manual intervention. This article walks through the different ways to integrate your HRIS & Payroll systems.

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Buying Strategies

Customizing Your HRIS: 6 Tips for Setting Up Employee Workflows

An HRIS is often only as good as the processes that it is set-up to automate. We asked six industry leaders how they've leveraged their HRIS to create time-saving workflows for their business

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Buying Strategies

Best Practices for Implementing an HRIS System

The hardest part of an HRIS transition is the implementation process. Companies get very excited about their new system during the buying process, but once it comes time to implement the system, many frustrations can emerge. Here are some best practices to avoid mistakes during implementation:

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Buying Strategies

Revisiting the All-in-One vs Best-in-class HRIS Debate

When buying a new HRIS system it is important to decide if you want an all-in-one HRIS system or want a best-in-class HRIS system. Each approach can have it's pros and cons

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Buying Strategies

How to Re-Negotiate Your HRIS Agreement During a Recession

Almost all HR software buyers avoid negotiating their agreements. This is a missed opportunity. Negotiations don't need to involve deception or deceit. Instead, here is an approach we recommend

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Buying Strategies

When and How To Leave a PEO: Your PEO Exit Checklist

The Professional Employer Organization (PEO) model is becoming increasingly popular, but it is not a fit for every business. When it comes time for companies to leave a PEO, the task can feel very daunting. This guide walks you through the steps required to leave a PEO

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Buying Strategies

5 Questions to Ask When Evaluating Cannabis-Payroll Companies

There are unique challenges that cannabis or cannabis-adjacent companies face when evaluating payroll solutions. The federal restrictions on cannabis have led many leading payroll companies to avoid working with cannabis companies. Finding the right provider in a narrow pool of options can be a challenge for businesses. Here's how you can make the most of your evaluations.

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Buying Strategies

Questions to Ask When Evaluating LMS Vendors

Many buyers feel that they aren't properly prepared when they meet with software salespeople. Having the right questions to ask can make a world of difference in revealing which LMS platform is right for you.

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Buying Strategies

How to Integrate Your HR Software Tools

Every buyer wants to have their HR software systems more integrated, but creating an integration between systems is never easy. In this article learn how to talk about integrations, when they are useful and how they can be built

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Buying Strategies

9 Benefits of an HRIS for Employees

Although an HRIS is the foundational system for businesses to manage and pay their employees, some companies are still hesitant to invest in the right system. These are the benefits companies can gain by investing in an HRIS.

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Buying Strategies

How to Select HR Software Like a Pro

Evaluating and selecting HR software can be a very high-pressure and time-consuming effort for businesses. HR software effects the entire employee population and is often a big investment. Selecting the right vendor and seeing a positive ROI is possible, as long as businesses take a very structured approach to the process.

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Buying Strategies

HRIS Buying Timeline

Buying a new HRIS is a large project for organizations. Before committing to the process, it can be helpful to have a clear idea of what steps are involved and how long the project should take.

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Buying Strategies

Best Practices for Buying an HRIS

There are simple skills and processes that can help buyers be more effective when purchasing HR software. However, those processes are rarely taught in HR programs or SHRM continuous learning lessons. Here's a quick guide:

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Buying Strategies

HRIS Requirements Builder

One of the first steps in buying a new HRIS is establishing your functional requirements. This process can be challenging for businesses that don't know what functionality to look for, however. OutSail now makes it easy with a self-service tool

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Buying Strategies

HR Software Trends to Watch As Economies Re-Open

Employment will be forever changed by these past 12 months, and there will be major advantages to the businesses who lean into the upsides and minimize the downsides of this new working world.

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Buying Strategies

How a Data-Centric Mindset Can Improve Your HR Software

Many buyers shop from the top-down. They look at user interfaces, buttons and features, hoping the things below the surface 'just work.' A more successful framework is to build upward from the database-level. Here's how:

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Buying Strategies

3 Ways to Rule Out HRIS Vendors Without Getting on a Demo

Selecting the right finalists for your HRIS evaluations can save businesses countless hours. But what is the best way to ensure you have the right finalists selected?

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Buying Strategies

5 Secret Ways to Vet HR Vendors

Sharing a few tips and tricks we've learned as we've spent an entire year getting to know the HR software landscape

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Buying Strategies

How OutSail Is Simplifying Software Buying

Since the vendor broker model is new to the HR space, we decided to share the five most important ways that having a vendor broker can save your HR team time and money.

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Buying Strategies

How Smart Teams Are Finding The Right Software

“Wait a second -- Did someone just have a brilliant idea?” What early adopters are saying about OutSail.

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Buying Strategies

8 Questions To Ask When Buying A New HCM?

Before buying a new HCM system, learn how to ask the right questions to ensure you end up with a product that is aligned with your goals

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Buying Strategies

5 Steps For Selecting The Best HRIS System

The buying process doesn't have to be overwhelming. These easy-to-borrow steps can help you be deliberate, thorough and efficient.

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Buying Strategies

How Long Does It Take To Buy And Implement A New HRIS System

Want to better understand how long it takes to buy and implement a new HRIS? Here is a quick look at the estimated timeline and necessary steps to migrate to a new system

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Buying Strategies

HR Tech Conference Recap: The Most Innovative Company Was A Background Check Company(?)... And Other Observations

Our observations of the HR Tech space after spending three days at the national HR Technology Conference

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Buying Strategies

All-in-one HRIS Systems vs Best-in-class HRIS Systems

When buying a new HRIS system it is important to decide if you want an all-in-one HRIS system or want a best-in-class HRIS system

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Buying Strategies

HR Tech Buying Trends for 2019

After assisting with over 150 HR software purchases in 2019, here are the key HR tech buying trends we learned from our clients

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Buying Strategies

What is an HRIS?

Not sure what an HRIS is? This article covers all the basics you need to know, including: when businesses invest in an HRIS, what functionality you can expect, and how to find the right one for your needs.

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Buying Strategies

Building Your HRIS Requirements

When buying a new HRIS, it is important to determine what features and functionality will be critical to the projects success. This article will speed up your requirements building process, by showing what functionality is available in the marketplace

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Buying Strategies

How To Negotiate An HRIS Agreement

Almost all HR software buyers avoid negotiating their agreements. This is a missed opportunity. Negotiations don't need to involve deception or deceit. Instead, here is an approach we recommend

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Buying Strategies

6 Ways A Subpar HRIS Is Ruining Your Employee Experience

The right HRIS can have a strong effect on your employee's day-to-day experience and can increase retention, engagement and productivity. The wrong HR systems can do the opposite. Here's how it might look if your HRIS system isn't working for your business:

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Buying Strategies

5 Challenges You Will Face When Buying A New HCM System

Buying a new HCM system requires a wide range of skills and knowledge. If you are starting an HCM buying process, here are some of the key challenges you'll face and the ways that OutSail can ease those challenges:

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Buying Strategies

The Software Buyer's Guide To Integrations

Integration is the biggest buzz word in software buying. And yet, most buyers have no idea what it means or how they work. This guide will help you understand integrations and make better buying decisions

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Buying Strategies

Making the Business Case for Your Next HRIS

How to make the business case for your new HRIS: Learn what your IT, Finance and C-Suite cares about, how to speak their language and how to anticipate their objections.

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Buying Strategies

How to Build a Bulletproof Business Case for Your New HRIS

Building a business case at the end of a long HRIS evaluation process can be a daunting task. This article will provide a guide for how to build a strong business case and how to make the process manageable

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