Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued) vs. UKG Ready

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)
Score 9.0 out of 10
Mid-Size Companies (51-1,000 employees)
Optimum Solutions, Inc. was a software development company providing Payroll, Human Resources, and Time & Attendance software for both the IBM iSeries (AS/400) and Microsoft Windows platforms or in the cloud. In October 2019 they were acquired by Kronos, Inc (now UKG after merging with Ultimate Software). Former Optimum products are now supported by Kronos / UKG, and are no longer sold available for sale.N/A
UKG Ready
Score 8.1 out of 10
N/A
Designed for small businesses where everyone wears multiple hats, UKG Ready® is an HR solution that guides users through their day-to-day HR activities. Capabilities span from HR and payroll to talent and time.N/A
Pricing
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)UKG Ready
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)UKG Ready
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesYes
Entry-level Setup FeeRequiredRequired
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)UKG Ready
Considered Both Products
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)

No answer on this topic

UKG Ready
Chose UKG Ready
Ready is lightyears ahead of Optimum, it has been a huge time savings from all the manual process we needed with Optimum
Chose UKG Ready
We chose to switch to Kronos because Optimum Solutions had not kept up with the times. We are now able to use multiple types of devices and Mobile Apps to help our employees and managers stay on top of hours as well as approving PTO on the go.
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)UKG Ready
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)
7.5
1 Ratings
7% below category average
UKG Ready
8.0
176 Ratings
0% below category average
Pay calculation9.11 Ratings8.6164 Ratings
Benefit plan administration5.51 Ratings7.6125 Ratings
Direct deposit files9.11 Ratings8.8129 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management6.41 Ratings8.0120 Ratings
Support for external payroll vendors00 Ratings7.4102 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment00 Ratings7.967 Ratings
Human Resource Management
Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Product A and Product B
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
7.6
179 Ratings
3% below category average
Employee demographic data00 Ratings8.6155 Ratings
Employment history00 Ratings7.4151 Ratings
Job profiles and administration00 Ratings7.8151 Ratings
Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.00 Ratings7.4141 Ratings
Organizational charting00 Ratings7.0113 Ratings
Organization and location management00 Ratings7.0134 Ratings
Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)00 Ratings7.6111 Ratings
Leave and Attendance Management
Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Product A and Product B
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
7.6
162 Ratings
6% below category average
Approval workflow00 Ratings8.0147 Ratings
Balance details00 Ratings7.4154 Ratings
Annual carry-forward and encashment00 Ratings7.5131 Ratings
Employee Self Service
Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Product A and Product B
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
8.1
167 Ratings
0% below category average
View and generate pay and benefit information00 Ratings8.2147 Ratings
Update personal information00 Ratings8.5154 Ratings
View company policy documentation00 Ratings8.0127 Ratings
View job history00 Ratings7.9130 Ratings
Asset Management
Comparison of Asset Management features of Product A and Product B
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
8.3
61 Ratings
7% above category average
Tracking of all physical assets00 Ratings8.361 Ratings
HR Reporting
Comparison of HR Reporting features of Product A and Product B
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
7.3
174 Ratings
4% below category average
Report builder00 Ratings7.2167 Ratings
Pre-built reports00 Ratings7.3168 Ratings
Onboarding
Comparison of Onboarding features of Product A and Product B
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
7.1
114 Ratings
12% below category average
New hire portal00 Ratings7.1112 Ratings
Manager tracking tools00 Ratings7.189 Ratings
Performance and Goals
Comparison of Performance and Goals features of Product A and Product B
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
7.0
64 Ratings
15% below category average
Individual goal setting00 Ratings7.057 Ratings
Performance tracking00 Ratings7.063 Ratings
Performance Management
Comparison of Performance Management features of Product A and Product B
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
6.6
81 Ratings
18% below category average
Performance plans00 Ratings6.672 Ratings
Performance improvement plans00 Ratings6.767 Ratings
Review status tracking00 Ratings7.172 Ratings
Review reminders00 Ratings6.176 Ratings
Multiple review frequency00 Ratings6.761 Ratings
Succession Planning
Comparison of Succession Planning features of Product A and Product B
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
5.5
23 Ratings
36% below category average
Create succession plans/pools00 Ratings6.322 Ratings
Candidate ranking00 Ratings7.02 Ratings
Candidate search00 Ratings6.63 Ratings
Candidate development00 Ratings2.01 Ratings
Recruiting / ATS
Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Product A and Product B
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
6.7
89 Ratings
14% below category average
Job Requisition Management00 Ratings6.875 Ratings
Company Website Posting00 Ratings6.874 Ratings
Publish to Social Media00 Ratings5.652 Ratings
Job Search Site Posting00 Ratings6.855 Ratings
Duplicate Candidate Prevention00 Ratings6.557 Ratings
Applicant Tracking00 Ratings6.977 Ratings
Notifications and Alerts00 Ratings7.582 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)UKG Ready
Small Businesses
Patriot Software
Patriot Software
Score 9.0 out of 10
Patriot Software
Patriot Software
Score 9.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.5 out of 10
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.5 out of 10
Enterprises
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.3 out of 10
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.3 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)UKG Ready
Likelihood to Recommend
10.0
(3 ratings)
8.1
(203 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
7.5
(18 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
7.4
(85 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(3 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
9.3
(7 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
8.2
(73 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
7.8
(2 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
6.5
(4 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
6.3
(10 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(4 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
5.6
(59 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(3 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(3 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(3 ratings)
User Testimonials
Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued)UKG Ready
Likelihood to Recommend
Discontinued Products
Optimum Solutions works very well for all our payroll needs. We run payrolls weekly, semi-monthly, monthly and yearly. The end of year process is lined out very well and webinars are available to go over any new regulations required. We haven't utilized the HR part of the software as much on the iSeries but are planning on changing that once we get converted to the Windows version later this year. The main reason for this is the HR part of the software on the iSeries is separate from payroll.
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UKG
UKG Ready is a great time keeping system, it is user friendly and employees that do use the application, do not have many complaints. Its the access and maneuvering around the application to get to where they need to go, or find what they are looking for or accessing the application that is the issue. Once they find the location on where they need to be in order to submit the request, it is quick and easy. We are finding that we are utilizing resources to sit with these employees even after providing in person or virtual training to help navigate to what they want to do.
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Pros
Discontinued Products
  • The setup of Optimum HRIS was intense as the software comes as a basic shell and everything is personalized to our organization. All earnings codes, leave time, employee types, job codes, taxes, etc. are set up for each company. While this was almost overwhelming at the beginning, we have so much control over the set up and better grasp of the inner workings of the system.
  • Tax updates come quickly and are easily applied. This is especially welcome at year end.
  • The built-in reporting is robust and offers a lot of options, but the ability to dig in to the database using SQL and Excel allows for very powerful reports that are infinitely personalized.
Read full review
UKG
  • I find timesheets to be easy to use and provide good details for employees and employers.
  • I love how customizable the dashboard is. This is a time saver for someone working in HR.
  • The payroll process was easy to learn. The steps are simple to follow, and changes can be made to the pay statements with ease.
Read full review
Cons
Discontinued Products
  • When exporting reports to Excel I found the formatting to be difficult to work with and having to reformat the reports can be a nightmare. My company's IT department created its own business tools to make the reporting format more user friendly.
Read full review
UKG
  • System is very complicated, which is a plus because it can handle almost any situation but difficult to learn
  • There are often several ways to complete a task and it isn't always clear the most efficient route to follow
  • Reporting can be clumsy to customize
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Likelihood to Renew
Discontinued Products
No answers on this topic
UKG
We plan to renew our support and use of UKG Ready each year unless it becomes unavailable or the district seeks another vendor. As of now, there are no plans to changes vendors. The district staff is now familiar with using UKG. Another vendor will need to meet the same expectations we have come to enjoy with using UKG
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Usability
Discontinued Products
No answers on this topic
UKG
For the average user they do not struggle. We do have a handful of users who struggle using their own smartphones, and of course, they struggle with any technology. However, we do not let this sway us from helping them learn. Managers have found the system easy to navigate once fully trained.
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Reliability and Availability
Discontinued Products
No answers on this topic
UKG
The system seems very stable. Being hosted in the cloud, we are vulnerable to internet speeds and busy times. The system has been down a couple times over the 3 months we have been live, but Kronos resolved the issues very quickly. To have access from a desktop, tablet, time clock, or phone app is one of the best features....users have almost NO REASON they can't clock in.
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Performance
Discontinued Products
No answers on this topic
UKG
We were always told that Kronos was the best, but there are reports that we got out of ADP and other payroll providers that we cannot get out of Kronos. One example is a report of Productive/Non-productive hours by department. We also need the dollar amount associated with the hours. This is information that is required on our cost report and we were told that that report is unavailable. It is very frustrating when I can't get what I need.
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Support Rating
Discontinued Products
No answers on this topic
UKG
If I was only rating support itself that would be a 10. Every support case I have entered has been addressed efficiently and with the desired result. On the implementation and transition to support there were multiple issues that those doing the implementation or transition could not answer or workflows and various settings left undone only to be discovered later. We implemented 3 different modules and the expertise we got for each one varied widely.
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In-Person Training
Discontinued Products
No answers on this topic
UKG
Our in-person training was a hybrid. Live online training with an instructor. They were very knowledgeable of the product & the area they were training on. I asked several specific questions and if they didn't know the answer immediately they followed up after class.
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Online Training
Discontinued Products
No answers on this topic
UKG
Pretty good online training, you have many how to options and can watch them several times. It can be hard at times to dig through the amount of data online but can usually find what you are looking for. Also you can download documentation for setting up the profiles and policies.
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Implementation Rating
Discontinued Products
No answers on this topic
UKG
Make sure the people who are doing the build have extensive knowledge on employment law and asking the right questions. I would bet that the people who helped with our builds did not read any of our employment contracts or ordinances; and when I asked questions about how other companies handled certain basic dictates from federal employment laws, they didn't have any idea what FMLA, FLSA, etc were.
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Alternatives Considered
Discontinued Products
We evaluated some payroll services but found the ongoing cost greater than the initial cost of purchasing our own software and keeping the payroll process in house. Other payroll software was generally more expensive and we are satisfied with Optimum Solutions. I would say the main reason we stayed with Optimum Solutions, converting from their iSeries version to their Windows version, was because of their outstanding staff and support.
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UKG
UKG is great for reporting and for having a pleasant UI. I find that Paylocity has a lot more innovation, but sometimes its reach exceeds its grasp when it comes to implementation of those features. ADP is bog standard, and it works pretty well, but there's little interest in looking good, which matters a lot when it comes to the wide variety of users the systems need to handle.
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Scalability
Discontinued Products
No answers on this topic
UKG
Thus far we are able to add as many users as necessary, implement 3 different bargaining units, 5 different types of user groups. Very flexible.
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Return on Investment
Discontinued Products
  • More accurate payroll processing
  • More accurate tax payments and reporting
Read full review
UKG
  • Ability to manage all HR activities within one platform
  • Built in Workflows make approval process seamless
  • UKG Ready offers a solid solution and ROI on our investment
  • Easy to navigate Time & Attendance into Payroll, making processing seamless
  • Great customer service offering several methods to contact UKG for support, fast to reply and offer a solution to the issue
Read full review
ScreenShots

Optimum Solutions HRIS (discontinued) Screenshots

Screenshot of Main Employee Screen

UKG Ready Screenshots

Screenshot of UKG Ready® HR - A single solution for employee information that enables comprehensive people analytics and room for HR strategy.Screenshot of UKG Ready® Payroll - Facilitates pay that is quick, simple, and correct.Screenshot of UKG Ready® Time & Attendance - Streamlines time tracking with consistent, fair rules.Screenshot of UKG Ready® Talent - Tools to source, engage, develop and grow people.Screenshot of UKG Ready® Analytics - Offers proactive, practical, and guidance.Screenshot of UKG Ready® Benefits - Right-sizes benefits to match the organization and its people.