UltiPro Users: Complex HR/Payroll Simplified; Businesses Cite Ease of Use as a Determining Factor in Selection
Fox Chase Cancer Center, a cancer research facility and hospital with 2,200 employees, had been using a system that required IT intervention to run payroll and reports. UltiPro's easy-to-use navigation was key to Fox Chase's decision to choose UltiPro. According to the cancer center's project leader, Jim Molnar, after an on-time and on-budget implementation, nontechnical staff began using UltiPro in April and processed payroll faster than before and without the IT assistance required by Fox Chase's former payroll solution.
"UltiPro has given our business processes a face-lift, and its ease of use has made the change uncomplicated, allowing us to reduce our payroll processing time," Molnar said. "We also can access reports on our own. Before UltiPro, just getting our payroll complete was a much more time-consuming process."
In addition to payroll processing, intricate HR procedures are also expedited with UltiPro's ease of use. To facilitate easy maneuverability, efficiency, and accuracy in longer, more detail-laden activities, Ultimate Software created Wizards, interconnected pages that walk users through the tasks of hiring, transferring, or terminating. The system includes a task list that has a progress indicator within the Wizard. If a required step is omitted or a field is not completed, the task list provides a detailed explanation before the user can advance to the next step. At the end of the process, users can view and edit a summary page before finalizing.
Operating 10 restaurants and one specialty market, Jerry's Famous Deli takes advantage of these features on an almost-daily basis. "With a higher than average turnover, it's common for a certain amount of flux, including the movement of employees from one store to another, and UltiPro makes it very easy for us to locate employees in the system and transfer them," said Christina Sterling, chief financial officer of Jerry's Famous Deli. "With UltiPro's intuitive navigation, my staff can make the change in minutes and it's effective immediately, unlike with the service bureau we had before UltiPro when such changes took days or weeks."
UltiPro's ease of use has been a boon to Associated Estates Realty Corporation, as well. According to Nan Zieleniec, vice president of human resources, UltiPro's intuitive navigation distinguished it from competitors during the product's first demonstration. Associated Estates, one of the largest multifamily property managers/owners in the United States, began using UltiPro in July.
"With UltiPro, employee information is accessible from a single-screen interface that includes a list or menu of commonly used employee-related tasks," said Zieleniec. "When I modify a record, I can always see the menu and return to the original screen in one click after the change is made. When we deployed UltiPro, even people who hadn't been trained caught on very quickly. It's much easier and faster to use than our former system."
As UltiPro has matured and become more sophisticated, Ultimate Software has worked with customers to maintain its ease of use. Known for its "Two Clicks to Anywhere" navigation, UltiPro is designed by HR and payroll practitioners who solicit customer feedback when designing new navigational elements. Ultimate Software's goal is to ensure that, in addition to functionality, usability needs are met.
"Our approach to usability is to build it in from the beginning," said Ray Rupinski, director of Ultimate Software's user experience design group. "We consider our customers' current experiences early in the design process in a collaborative fashion."
Sharyle Doherty, Ultimate Software's vice president of product development, agreed. "We never forget that people are behind the software. User experience is just as essential as software function and performance," she said. "Many of our employees have HR and payroll backgrounds, and they work side-by-side with technical experts to make UltiPro as intuitive as possible."
About Ultimate Software
Ultimate Software, a leading provider of Web-based payroll and workforce
management solutions, markets award-winning UltiPro as licensed software, as a
hosted application through Intersourcing, and as a co-branded offering to
Business Service Providers (BSPs) under the "Powered by UltiPro" brand. The
company employs 415 professionals who are united in their commitment to
developing trendsetting solutions and delivering quality service. Ultimate
Software customers represent diverse industries and include such organizations
as The Arizona Diamondbacks/Phoenix Suns, Benihana Restaurants, The Container
Store, Elizabeth Arden, Omni Hotels, Ruth's Chris Steak House, and SkyWest
Airlines. More information on Ultimate Software's products and services can be
found at www.ultimatesoftware.com.
UltiPro and Intersourcing are registered trademarks of The Ultimate Software Group, Inc. All other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners.