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Ascentis (discontinued) vs. CareerSiteBuilder vs. HRdirect Smart Apps

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Ascentis (discontinued)

    Score7.5 out of 10
    N/AAscentis HR uses web-based management programs to help automate complex HR processes. Ascentis’ other services included customizable payroll, time and attendance and recruiting modules. Ascentis was acquired by UKG in March of 2022, and will be discontinued.N/A

    CareerSiteBuilder

    Score10 out of 10
    N/AN/AN/A

    HRdirect Smart Apps

    Score7 out of 10
    Small Businesses (1-50 employees)
    HRdirect Smart Apps is an HR Management software solution from HRdirect, a a division of ComplyRight, Inc., dedicated to developing and delivering “Solutions for Smart Employers” since 1985. The vendor says HRdirect supports business managers at more than 500,000 locations with essential employee management and compliance tasks. HRdirect Smart Apps aims to help users work efficiently and affordably. The vendor's goal is to simplify complex processes and free employers from compliance…N/A
    Pricing
    Ascentis (discontinued)CareerSiteBuilderHRdirect Smart Apps
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Ascentis (discontinued)CareerSiteBuilderHRdirect Smart Apps
    Free Trial
    NoNoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNoYes
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details——NO PER EMPLOYEE PRICING, NO BUNDLED FEATURES. JUST $60 A YEAR PER APP. Simple Pricing, No Matter How You Slice It Only use the Smart Apps that best fit your unique needs and pay the same, low price for each one: just $60 a year. It's easy to add more at any time, too - either as your needs change or as our solutions expand.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Ascentis (discontinued)CareerSiteBuilderHRdirect Smart Apps
    Considered Multiple Products
    Discontinued Products
    No answer on this topic
    CareerSiteBuilder
    No answer on this topic
    ComplyRight
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    78%
    Would buy again
    40 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    90%
    Delivers good value for the price
    35 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Happy with the feature set
    86%
    Happy with the feature set
    44 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    65%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    22 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    65%
    Implementation went as expected
    24 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Features
    Ascentis (discontinued)CareerSiteBuilderHRdirect Smart Apps
    Human Resource Management
    Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Ascentis (discontinued) and CareerSiteBuilder and HRdirect Smart Apps
    Feature
    Ascentis (discontinued)
    7.1
    150 Ratings
    14% below category average
    CareerSiteBuilder
    -
    Ratings
    HRdirect Smart Apps
    10.0
    1 Ratings
    20% above category average
    Employee demographic data6.7137 Ratings00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Employment history7.3140 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Job profiles and administration6.9128 Ratings00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.6.7126 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Organizational charting5.290 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Organization and location management8.0109 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)8.8102 Ratings00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Payroll Management
    Comparison of Payroll Management features of Ascentis (discontinued) and CareerSiteBuilder and HRdirect Smart Apps
    Feature
    Ascentis (discontinued)
    7.8
    125 Ratings
    5% below category average
    CareerSiteBuilder
    -
    Ratings
    HRdirect Smart Apps
    -
    Ratings
    Pay calculation7.1115 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Support for external payroll vendors6.162 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Off-cycle/On-Demand payment8.328 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Benefit plan administration6.7108 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Direct deposit files9.2100 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Salary revision and increment management8.692 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Reimbursement management8.851 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Leave and Attendance Management
    Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Ascentis (discontinued) and CareerSiteBuilder and HRdirect Smart Apps
    Feature
    Ascentis (discontinued)
    7.8
    105 Ratings
    5% below category average
    CareerSiteBuilder
    -
    Ratings
    HRdirect Smart Apps
    1.0
    1 Ratings
    157% below category average
    Approval workflow7.999 Ratings00 Ratings1.01 Ratings
    Balance details7.099 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Annual carry-forward and encashment8.484 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Employee Self Service
    Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Ascentis (discontinued) and CareerSiteBuilder and HRdirect Smart Apps
    Feature
    Ascentis (discontinued)
    7.0
    153 Ratings
    16% below category average
    CareerSiteBuilder
    -
    Ratings
    HRdirect Smart Apps
    10.0
    1 Ratings
    19% above category average
    View and generate pay and benefit information7.8138 Ratings00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Update personal information8.6151 Ratings00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    View company policy documentation5.4110 Ratings00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Employee recognition6.061 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    View job history7.3108 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Asset Management
    Comparison of Asset Management features of Ascentis (discontinued) and CareerSiteBuilder and HRdirect Smart Apps
    Feature
    Ascentis (discontinued)
    5.8
    33 Ratings
    33% below category average
    CareerSiteBuilder
    -
    Ratings
    HRdirect Smart Apps
    -
    Ratings
    Tracking of all physical assets5.833 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    HR Reporting
    Comparison of HR Reporting features of Ascentis (discontinued) and CareerSiteBuilder and HRdirect Smart Apps
    Feature
    Ascentis (discontinued)
    6.3
    147 Ratings
    19% below category average
    CareerSiteBuilder
    -
    Ratings
    HRdirect Smart Apps
    1.0
    1 Ratings
    153% below category average
    Report builder7.0144 Ratings00 Ratings1.01 Ratings
    Pre-built reports7.5142 Ratings00 Ratings1.01 Ratings
    Ability to combine HR data with external data4.673 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Onboarding
    Comparison of Onboarding features of Ascentis (discontinued) and CareerSiteBuilder and HRdirect Smart Apps
    Feature
    Ascentis (discontinued)
    5.1
    98 Ratings
    45% below category average
    CareerSiteBuilder
    -
    Ratings
    HRdirect Smart Apps
    1.0
    1 Ratings
    156% below category average
    New hire portal5.398 Ratings00 Ratings1.01 Ratings
    Manager tracking tools4.976 Ratings00 Ratings1.01 Ratings
    Performance and Goals
    Comparison of Performance and Goals features of Ascentis (discontinued) and CareerSiteBuilder and HRdirect Smart Apps
    Feature
    Ascentis (discontinued)
    7.2
    57 Ratings
    12% below category average
    CareerSiteBuilder
    -
    Ratings
    HRdirect Smart Apps
    -
    Ratings
    Corporate goal setting6.743 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Individual goal setting7.653 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Line-of sight-visibility7.138 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Performance tracking7.250 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Performance Management
    Comparison of Performance Management features of Ascentis (discontinued) and CareerSiteBuilder and HRdirect Smart Apps
    Feature
    Ascentis (discontinued)
    6.0
    63 Ratings
    28% below category average
    CareerSiteBuilder
    -
    Ratings
    HRdirect Smart Apps
    -
    Ratings
    Performance plans5.659 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Performance improvement plans5.650 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Review status tracking5.857 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Review reminders6.555 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Multiple review frequency6.650 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Succession Planning
    Comparison of Succession Planning features of Ascentis (discontinued) and CareerSiteBuilder and HRdirect Smart Apps
    Feature
    Ascentis (discontinued)
    5.9
    27 Ratings
    28% below category average
    CareerSiteBuilder
    -
    Ratings
    HRdirect Smart Apps
    -
    Ratings
    Create succession plans/pools6.421 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Candidate ranking6.421 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Candidate search5.027 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Candidate development5.823 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Recruiting / ATS
    Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Ascentis (discontinued) and CareerSiteBuilder and HRdirect Smart Apps
    Feature
    Ascentis (discontinued)
    5.5
    89 Ratings
    36% below category average
    CareerSiteBuilder
    7.7
    3 Ratings
    3% below category average
    HRdirect Smart Apps
    -
    Ratings
    Job Requisition Management5.485 Ratings5.73 Ratings00 Ratings
    Company Website Posting5.279 Ratings7.93 Ratings00 Ratings
    Publish to Social Media5.659 Ratings8.73 Ratings00 Ratings
    Job Search Site Posting5.871 Ratings8.73 Ratings00 Ratings
    Duplicate Candidate Prevention5.657 Ratings5.83 Ratings00 Ratings
    Applicant Tracking5.783 Ratings7.23 Ratings00 Ratings
    Notifications and Alerts5.369 Ratings9.03 Ratings00 Ratings
    Customized Application Form00 Ratings7.92 Ratings00 Ratings
    Resume Management00 Ratings8.73 Ratings00 Ratings
    Candidate Search00 Ratings7.53 Ratings00 Ratings
    Collaboration00 Ratings7.33 Ratings00 Ratings
    Task Creation and Delegation00 Ratings7.23 Ratings00 Ratings
    Email Templates00 Ratings8.53 Ratings00 Ratings
    User Permissions00 Ratings6.73 Ratings00 Ratings
    Reporting00 Ratings7.93 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Ascentis (discontinued)CareerSiteBuilderHRdirect Smart Apps
    Small Businesses
    UZIO
    Score9.4 out of 10
    Crelate
    Score9.1 out of 10
    UZIO
    Score9.4 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Zoho People
    Score8.6 out of 10
    LinkedIn Talent Hub
    Score8.4 out of 10
    Zoho People
    Score8.6 out of 10
    Enterprises
    PeopleStrong
    Score10 out of 10
    JobDiva
    Score8 out of 10
    PeopleStrong
    Score10 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Ascentis (discontinued)CareerSiteBuilderHRdirect Smart Apps
    Likelihood to Recommend
    7.2
    (164 ratings)
    9.2
    (3 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    6.3
    (12 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    1.0
    (1 ratings)
    Usability
    7.6
    (44 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Availability
    6.7
    (5 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Performance
    7.1
    (4 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    8.2
    (150 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    1.0
    (1 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Online Training
    8.3
    (4 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    8.3
    (5 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Configurability
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    3.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    6.7
    (4 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    9.6
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    9.6
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Ascentis (discontinued)CareerSiteBuilderHRdirect Smart Apps
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Discontinued Products
    In working with Ascentis in payroll, the program makes my job so much easier. I am new to this position and the learning process has been so much easier with this product than those in the past. I appreciate the patience I am given when I call in for assistance as well.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    If you have a job opening or a high turn around rate like we do. (we are a staffing company) [CareerSiteBuilder] is a great place to to start. It is affordable and reaches hundreds of potential employees. When you search resumes sometimes when you enter keywords you have to play around with it to find the right phrasing. Its not difficult just time consuming.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ComplyRight
    UPDATE 3/20/2020: I initially gave HRDirect a "0" recommendation due to all the issues we had with the PTO Module. However, since purchasing the Harassment Training Module ($90), this product is the best value for the money and puts us in compliance with mandated requirements. It is easy to use and well-presented. At this point in time, with the issues and frustration level of all our employees, managers, and payroll department, it would be difficult for me to recommend this app as suitable in any scenario. However, should HRdirect fix the issues and get the app to perform as it was originally designed, it would be a great product for a small to medium company that has limited resources yet wants a good product for the money. In our experience, the new hire portal did not appear to be functioning properly; our new hires were not able to access the blank documents. They could see them but not open them (PDFs).
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Discontinued Products
    • Easy to use software. I have had several new HR employees comment on how easy the system is to learn!
    • Problem Solving- Ascentis is always problem solving! When we were in the process of selecting a new payroll company, we needed unemployment claims management assistance for our locations, something Ascentis did not currently offer. The sales rep went out of his way to find a unemployment claims management company that would work with Ascentis and us. That company has helped us keep an 80% win rate for our claims!
    • User conference- Engage is an awesome way to learn more about the products Ascentis has available as well and meet up with the staff you work with every day!
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    • Search features.
    • Quantity of resumes.
    • The format that the candidates information is presented.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ComplyRight
    • Initially, you were able to see all activity and drill down for details.
    • It was easy-access for all our employees in the 7 states we operate in.
    • It provided tracking for the managers.
    • Payroll had access to all PTO requests.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Discontinued Products
    • Updating the system so it is one platform and not two.
    • Create changes to the benefit enrollment process and upgrade the system so hire dates do not need to be changed to trigger benefits for status changes.
    • Focus updates on HR Admin, mobile application, ATS and transitioning to one platform. Larger areas of focus have been on the payroll portion of the system with a few updates to other areas.
    • When something is broken, quicker turn time on fixing the issue.
    • System needs updates to support AAP reporting.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    • There are some missing functionalities that could be addressed such as fusing resume search and recruitment edge.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ComplyRight
    • HRdirect performed an upgrade in 2019 and that's where things went awry.
    • You could no longer drill down through the calendar to see the details - i.e. Doctor's appointment, illness, childcare issues, vacation, etc.
    • Previous year PTO requests were not archived and you now had to scroll through hundreds of PTO requests to see the most current.
    • Previous PTO requests were listed oldest to most current, resulting in much frustration trying to locate specific ones.
    • The print option was not longer functional.
    • The online help request form was no longer accessible.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Discontinued Products
    This rating would be a 10 if it were not for some issues we have been having recently with the benefit carrier connections. The carrier connections are critical for us so how these issues are resolved will be key in our renewal decision.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    No answers on this topic
    ComplyRight
    As previously described, there are too many unresolved issues.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Discontinued Products
    I'd give it a 7.5. If the modules were easier to access and not so buried (or placed in left field to find), I would give it a higher rating. As I said, as the potential to be great if ACCESS to other modules was easier.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    No answers on this topic
    ComplyRight
    No answers on this topic
    Reliability and Availability
    Discontinued Products
    They normally give you notice when an update will affect the use of the system. Otherwise, when we have an error , we send a message to the support team. Sometimes someone will get right back with you and sometimes it takes a while.
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    No answers on this topic
    ComplyRight
    No answers on this topic
    Performance
    Discontinued Products
    Yes, this pages do load pretty good but there are times when things are slow and I believe that's because they are sometimes trying to do updates.
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    No answers on this topic
    ComplyRight
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    Discontinued Products
    Support is attentive and quick to answer the call and get the answer for you. If they for any reason cannot answer right then, they are back to you within a day and always seem to have a sense of urgency. You truly get the impression that they are aiming to make you happy.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    No answers on this topic
    ComplyRight
    Due to the fact that we were patient for more than 6 months with no resolution in sight, we decided to end our relationship with HRdirect for PTO tracking. 3/20/2020: We have purchased the Harassment Training Module. Excellent product with great value for the money.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    In-Person Training
    Discontinued Products
    First, to clarify our "in-person" training was done mainly through Web-X meetings and conference calls. It was the closest thing we got to as far as an "in-person" training for this software. However, for the large majority of it, this type of training worked out well. We were able to share our screens and the trainer was able to share his/her screen. We could follow along with what we were doing in our database in real time and see how different functions worked and how manipulating our information could produce different results. It was also nice in that it provided for real-time results if something hadn't been coded correctly or we were having issues as to why something wasn't working the way we thought it should be. However, it did have some downsides in that we often had to rely on a conference phone and that made it difficult to hear people on both sides. Also, sometimes the trainers had internet difficulties when working from home and that caused issues with the WebX meetings.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    No answers on this topic
    ComplyRight
    No answers on this topic
    Online Training
    Discontinued Products
    Ascentis HR has a number of online training videos to watch on a number of different topics. I gave it a lower rating because there is not much interactivity with the videos and it seems to cater to really only one or two learning styles. Plus, one has to be pretty motivated to go to a separate area to access the videos and then pull up a specific one to watch it and then learn. From my experience, people know that they are there, many just don't take the time and effort to go find them and actually watch them - especially since the username and password are different from their normal username and password.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    No answers on this topic
    ComplyRight
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation Rating
    Discontinued Products
    It was very easy to implement, but the customization pieces should really be fleshed out in order to determine the full need of an organization at the time of implementation. I believe if a little more time was spent on the requirements, the recruiting module would not have to be customized again at a cost at a later date.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    No answers on this topic
    ComplyRight
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    Discontinued Products
    Ascentis has far better customer service and the implementation experience was also better. The ability to do a lot of customization is also easier with Ascentis as it's smaller organization. The payroll has positive and negatives compared to ADP but the accuracy is the same in both. Ascentis just started their community site which doesn't have a lot of traffic but hopefully can become more like ADP's community site, which was extremely helpful to me as an administrator.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    Affordable, quick, easy, super user friendly, well known, offers a large variety of job seekers[.]
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ComplyRight
    No answers on this topic
    Scalability
    Discontinued Products
    Large acquisition would be very complicated, seems more appropriate for companies under 100
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    No answers on this topic
    ComplyRight
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    Discontinued Products
    • HR DPT. is much more effective, as we can assess any employee information no matter where we are, etc. This helps to provide information immediately when requested!
    • Employees have access to Ascentis, and therefore to their timecard, open enrollment, etc., from anywhere at any time!
    • Time, PTO requests, employee goals, and evaluations can be approved from anywhere at any time!
    • Recruiting can be accessed any where at any time, and this helps with hiring, internal communication, etc.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    CareerSiteBuilder
    • We have been able to present MORE candidates to our clients in the staffing industry, and therefore fill more positions.
    • We are able to find MORE QUALIFIED candidates using search features, to in turn fill more direct-hire positions.
    • We have to pay or Career Builder for thousands of people, so that takes away from ROI.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ComplyRight
    • Initially, HRdirect was proving to be an excellent tool, and we were getting a quick turnaround on small issues. However, the upgrade messed things up on our accessibility, with no resolution in sight.
    • Harassment training module is excellent.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Ascentis (discontinued) Screenshots

    Screenshot of Access all of your details including, paychecks, personal file, timeclock, etc via our mobile app.Screenshot of Punch-in and punch-out on the go.Screenshot of Centralized location for everything related to a user or admin.Screenshot of Every employee has access to their personal information in one location.Screenshot of Pre-built reporting along with Ad Hoc reporting gives you the ability to understand your business as a whole.Screenshot of Benefit enrollment made easy for your employees.

    HRdirect Smart Apps Screenshots

    Screenshot of EMPLOYEE RECORDS
Smarter, Centralized Employee Management

 - Directory & Records
 - Employee Self-Service
 - Document StorageScreenshot of ATTENDANCE CALENDAR
Take Control of Employee Attendance

 - 12-Month Calendars
 - Absence Code Management
 - Absence NotesScreenshot of I-9 & W-4
Ease the Burden of Completing I-9 and W-4 Forms

 - Onboarding Workflow
 - Guided I-9 & W-4 Forms
 - History & Audit TrackingScreenshot of JOB APPLICATION
Smart Hiring Begins Before the Interview

 - Compliant Questions Library
 - Customizable Application
 - Online Application LinkScreenshot of PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE
Your Guide to an Effective Disciplinary Program

 - Employee Warning Notices
 - Discipline History
 - Action Plan DocumentationScreenshot of TIME OFF REQUEST
Let Employees Handle Time Off Requests for You

 - Employee Time Off Requests
 - Supervisor Approval Workflow
 - Attendance Calendar Sync