Understanding Dayforce Pricing: A Comprehensive Guide

Dive into the details of Ceridian Dayforce pricing – from its modules and costs to concrete amounts any business will have to pay. See if this HR software will do for small or mid-sized businesses oriented towards varying HR demands.

Brett Ungashick
OutSail HRIS Advisor
December 11, 2023
Ceridian logo on screen

Dayforce is a widely recognized HR software solution that comes in various modules to help businesses manage human capital in a strategic manner. However, any firm willing to improve its HR operations within the financial limits already established by them had better know Dayforce pricing. In this post, we go much deeper into Dayforce pricing including its structure, benefits and how it caters to businesses of every size and HR needs better.

Dayforce Pricing Overview

Dayforce adopts a subscription-based model, with companies being billed quarterly or annually. With its price range near the higher end of the midmarket segment, Dayforce competes well when compared with only some of the top choices. As software fees, the price typically lands somewhere between $22-31 per employee per month (PEPM).

It is interesting to note that besides these fees, there exists one-time implementation cost. This implementation fee charged by Ceridian or its partners generally constitutes 40-60% of the annual software fees and hence proves significantly important while preparing for the overall budget.

Comparing Costs with Benefits

Dayforce charges companies per quarter or annually and it offers a subscription-based model. It is termed to be pricier unlike a few leading substitutes although it stands at the higher end of the segment. The monthly fees per every employee often stand between $22-31 (PEPM).

It is worth noting, though, that apart from these fees, there exists also a one-time implementation cost. This implementation fee, charged either by Ceridian or its partners usually makes up 40-60% of the annual software fees - hence quite an indispensable aspect to be taken into account when outlining the overall budget.

Comparing Costs with Benefits

Choosing Dayforce as your HR software solution is a decision that encompasses quite a bit more than dollars and cents. It involves understanding the actual and virtual value included in the system, and ascertaining whether these benefits are congruent with those required by your organization.

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Comprehensive Module Array

One of the highlight features of Dayforce is its suite of modules. It includes, but certainly is not limited to, Payroll and Benefits Administration, as well as Time & Attendance, Onboarding, Recruiting/ATS, Performance, Compensation & Succession, Engagement, and Learning. Width - This ensures the breadth of the businesses in which they can consolidate their HR functionalities at one place hence reducing silos, and encouraging seamless collaboration across different facets of workforce handling.

Efficiency Gains:

At the heart of the Dayforce value proposition lies the promise of efficiency gains. It reduces effort by increasing the simplicity of various processes that lower error, in general increases efficiency of the workflow through centralization of HR functions. Automating large parts of the work, such as payroll processing or onboarding exercises, would save huge amounts of time that HR professionals could then use up in focusing on the strategic initiatives, which are the growth drivers for any organization.

Time Savings:

Time is a precious resource, and Dayforce recognizes this by having features that save HR teams precious hours. For instance, automated workflows, self-service functionalities, and an intuitive interface are all part of what makes operations in HR more streamlined and nimble. The saved time can, subsequently, be re-invested into human expert activities, e.g., talent development, employee engagement and strategic workforce planning.

Improved HR Processes:

Dayforce goes beyond just digitizing traditional HR processes; it aims to elevate them. Real-time advanced analytics and reporting tools assist the HR professional in accessing the trends within their workforce as well as performance metrics, employee engagement levels, and so on. Indeed, this data-driven approach empowers decision making enabling HR teams to proactively address issues, create targeted training programs to overcome deficiencies, developing a human resources strategy that is more responsive and adaptive.

Flexibility to Scale:

The other prominent advantage associated with Dayforce is flexibility and scalability. Businesses grow or change, and the system can be adjusted to changing HR needs. This is facilitated by the scalability of the system which ensures that the initial investment into Dayforce is not just a one-time quick-fix type solution but rather a long-term solution that grows with an organization hence valuable over time.

Enhanced Employee Experience:

The employee experience is one of the critical factors for organizational success, and Dayforce realizes this by enabling them with tools that boost their engagement and satisfaction. It is through self-service portals, personalized learning modules, streamlined performance management among others, which give a hand in creating a good working environment.

Dayforce 's business cost-benefit correlation is significant. Beyond the financial outlay, organizations must evaluate Dayforce's alignment with their HR goals, operational efficiency, and workforce growth. Businesses can maximize its value as a strategic partner by making it partner in human capital management.

How Pricing Varies by Business Size and Need

Dayforce caters to a very specific niche position, branding itself as a Mid-Enterprise HRIS. This means that the system is best used by firms with employee counts topping out at 5,000 in number and starting as low as 350 employees in size. Mid-enterprise solutions like Dayforce, are all-extensive HRIS platforms that touch moderate to highly complex businesses.

However, there are different scales of businesses where the structure of pricing, implementation timelines and levels of support may differ. Cost-benefit equation for smaller businesses would differ from larger enterprises, hence align the solution accordingly to the need and scale of the organization.

Real-world Examples

To further illustrate Dayforce pricing on a slightly more granular level, here are a few specific examples to consider. Consider a mid-sized company with 1,000 employees looking to implement Dayforce. Probably software fees will be $22,000 to $30,000 monthly without one-time extra implementation cost of $50,000 to $120,000. On the other hand, a business of much smaller scale at 500 employees may face a proportional cost making it imperative for them to assess the ROI in the context of their scale and requirements.

Another scenario is complexity of hourly workforce company, a situation where Dayforce strong positioning in Payroll, Time and attendance, and Workforce Management modules can bring substantial value. In such exegeses, the investment in Dayforce is likely to prove as a strategic maneuver that optimizes operational efficiency while reducing administrative burdens associated with workforce management.

Conclusion

Understanding Dayforce pricing isn't about adding numbers; it is about aligning your investment to the unique needs and aspirations of your organization. While the initial costs might seem significant, the comprehensive suite of modules, coupled with the flexibility to scale, can offer long-term benefits and operational efficiencies. Like any strategic business decision, the first most pertinent critical factor is the careful analysis of the cost-to-value ratio, which does take into account in this instance size of the business and its special HR requirements. Dayforce, with its roots in payroll and a robust HCM focus, continues to be a compelling choice for mid-sized enterprises looking to elevate their HR processes.

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Meet the Author

Brett Ungashick
OutSail HRIS Advisor
Brett Ungashick, the friendly face behind OutSail, started his career at LinkedIn, selling HR software. This experience sparked an idea, leading him to create OutSail in 2018. Based in Denver, OutSail simplifies the HR software selection process, and Brett's hands-on approach has already helped over 1,000 companies, including SalesLoft, Hudl and DoorDash. He's a go-to guy for all things HR Tech, supporting companies in every industry and across 20+ countries. When he's not demystifying HR tech, you'll find Brett enjoying a round of golf or skiing down Colorado's slopes, always happy to chat about work or play.

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