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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    PDS Vista

    Score1.2 out of 10
    Enterprise companies (1,001+ employees)
    Vista® is a human resource, benefits, payroll, recruiting, and self-service software. Functional elements include recruitment, staffing, position and training management, compliance, and performance and compensation.N/A

    PlanSource

    Score5.8 out of 10
    N/APlanSource BenefitsOne is an employee benefits engagement platform, from PlanSource headquartered in Orlando, Florida. The solution presents streamlined workflows and real-time integrations, as well as a mobile-friendly enrollment experience that’s designed to maximize HR efficiency and plan adoption.N/A
    Pricing
    PDS VistaPlanSource
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    PDS VistaPlanSource
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional DetailsLicense pricing is based on the number of full and part-time active employees within bands (e.g. 751-1,000). SaaS pricing is based on PEPM.—
    More Pricing Information
    Features
    PDS VistaPlanSource
    Human Resource Management
    Comparison of Human Resource Management features of PDS Vista and PlanSource
    Feature
    PDS Vista
    1.9
    19 Ratings
    125% below category average
    PlanSource
    -
    Ratings
    Employee demographic data1.018 Ratings00 Ratings
    Employment history1.019 Ratings00 Ratings
    Job profiles and administration1.015 Ratings00 Ratings
    Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.1.013 Ratings00 Ratings
    Organizational charting3.014 Ratings00 Ratings
    Organization and location management3.017 Ratings00 Ratings
    Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)3.012 Ratings00 Ratings
    Payroll Management
    Comparison of Payroll Management features of PDS Vista and PlanSource
    Feature
    PDS Vista
    3.2
    19 Ratings
    88% below category average
    PlanSource
    -
    Ratings
    Pay calculation3.017 Ratings00 Ratings
    Support for external payroll vendors1.010 Ratings00 Ratings
    Off-cycle/On-Demand payment4.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Benefit plan administration1.017 Ratings00 Ratings
    Direct deposit files4.018 Ratings00 Ratings
    Salary revision and increment management1.014 Ratings00 Ratings
    Reimbursement management8.25 Ratings00 Ratings
    Leave and Attendance Management
    Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of PDS Vista and PlanSource
    Feature
    PDS Vista
    1.0
    14 Ratings
    157% below category average
    PlanSource
    -
    Ratings
    Approval workflow1.08 Ratings00 Ratings
    Balance details1.014 Ratings00 Ratings
    Annual carry-forward and encashment1.013 Ratings00 Ratings
    Employee Self Service
    Comparison of Employee Self Service features of PDS Vista and PlanSource
    Feature
    PDS Vista
    2.0
    18 Ratings
    122% below category average
    PlanSource
    -
    Ratings
    View and generate pay and benefit information4.017 Ratings00 Ratings
    Update personal information1.015 Ratings00 Ratings
    View company policy documentation3.09 Ratings00 Ratings
    Employee recognition1.06 Ratings00 Ratings
    View job history1.05 Ratings00 Ratings
    Asset Management
    Comparison of Asset Management features of PDS Vista and PlanSource
    Feature
    PDS Vista
    7.3
    7 Ratings
    10% below category average
    PlanSource
    -
    Ratings
    Tracking of all physical assets7.37 Ratings00 Ratings
    HR Reporting
    Comparison of HR Reporting features of PDS Vista and PlanSource
    Feature
    PDS Vista
    2.0
    17 Ratings
    117% below category average
    PlanSource
    -
    Ratings
    Report builder2.015 Ratings00 Ratings
    Pre-built reports2.017 Ratings00 Ratings
    Ability to combine HR data with external data2.014 Ratings00 Ratings
    Onboarding
    Comparison of Onboarding features of PDS Vista and PlanSource
    Feature
    PDS Vista
    1.0
    2 Ratings
    156% below category average
    PlanSource
    -
    Ratings
    New hire portal1.02 Ratings00 Ratings
    Manager tracking tools1.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Performance and Goals
    Comparison of Performance and Goals features of PDS Vista and PlanSource
    Feature
    PDS Vista
    2.8
    3 Ratings
    97% below category average
    PlanSource
    -
    Ratings
    Corporate goal setting1.03 Ratings00 Ratings
    Individual goal setting1.03 Ratings00 Ratings
    Performance tracking6.42 Ratings00 Ratings
    Performance Management
    Comparison of Performance Management features of PDS Vista and PlanSource
    Feature
    PDS Vista
    1.0
    5 Ratings
    156% below category average
    PlanSource
    -
    Ratings
    Performance plans1.03 Ratings00 Ratings
    Performance improvement plans1.02 Ratings00 Ratings
    Review status tracking1.03 Ratings00 Ratings
    Review reminders1.04 Ratings00 Ratings
    Multiple review frequency1.03 Ratings00 Ratings
    Succession Planning
    Comparison of Succession Planning features of PDS Vista and PlanSource
    Feature
    PDS Vista
    2.3
    2 Ratings
    110% below category average
    PlanSource
    -
    Ratings
    Create succession plans/pools3.61 Ratings00 Ratings
    Candidate ranking1.02 Ratings00 Ratings
    Candidate search1.02 Ratings00 Ratings
    Candidate development3.61 Ratings00 Ratings
    Recruiting / ATS
    Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of PDS Vista and PlanSource
    Feature
    PDS Vista
    1.4
    4 Ratings
    140% below category average
    PlanSource
    -
    Ratings
    Job Requisition Management1.04 Ratings00 Ratings
    Company Website Posting1.04 Ratings00 Ratings
    Duplicate Candidate Prevention1.92 Ratings00 Ratings
    Applicant Tracking1.04 Ratings00 Ratings
    Notifications and Alerts2.02 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    PDS VistaPlanSource
    Small Businesses
    UZIO
    Score9.4 out of 10
    Ease
    Score9.9 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Zoho People
    Score8.6 out of 10
    Employee Navigator
    Score8.7 out of 10
    Enterprises
    PeopleStrong
    Score10 out of 10
    ADP Mobile Solutions
    Score8.4 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    PDS VistaPlanSource
    Likelihood to Recommend
    1.0
    (24 ratings)
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.1
    (7 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Usability
    2.0
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Availability
    9.5
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Performance
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    8.2
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Online Training
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    PDS VistaPlanSource
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    As Vista HRMS is fully customizable to suit your needs, a company should determine if they have a current employee who can do the work themselves otherwise they will need to consider the additional cost of asking PDS to do the customizations for them. There are additional modules that we aren't currently making use of, but each company should learn about the functionality of each of them as some may be more beneficial than others. When gathering your questions, ask all potential users of the system what they would want to see in an HRMS. We did so before selecting Vista HRMS and we got pages and pages of questions and comments and made sure that each item was addressed beforehand and was something that we would be able to incorporate into the system. You have the option of taking the system in house or being a hosted client. Make sure you figure out what resources your IT department has available. If you have a dedicated administrator who will do all the upgrades and enhancements great, otherwise you may need PDS to help out and having PDS host may be a better option
    Read full review
    PlanSource
    Less appropriate for small groups with one very simple health plan. More appropriate for 20+ EE groups with multiple plans and supplementary benefits.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    • Vista HRMS is very flexible, it does everything we need for HR, benefits and payroll. It’s user-friendly and intuitive to use, when we roll out new self-service items our employees have no problems and require minimal training or documentation.
    • PDS has excellent customer service and support. We get answers to the majority of our questions and problems quickly, within the day that we call. More complex issues that may require PDS’ technical support are usually addressed within a few days. We were upgrading our production servers to Windows 2012 over a weekend and a key person in our organization was on leave. When we checked with PDS to see what cost would be involved if we needed their help, they said it was included in our regular maintenance, no extra cost.
    • The PDS User’s Conference is an excellent learning opportunity for training on everything Vista does, including using Crystal Reports for custom reporting. You also get to meet and talk to the executive and development staff and have direct input into the future product development.
    Read full review
    PlanSource
    • Puts all of your healthcare selections in one place making changes, drops, and additions are taken care of in one place instead of having to contact every vendor individually.
    • Keeps an accurate record of real time enrollment which helps when you are in an account manager role and handling client questions concerning their health plans.
    • Provides tools to keep the client and yourself organized. Several Open Enrollment messaging tools and places to add any educational documents for the different health plans.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    • Typical of any system built for the unknown requirements of hundreds or thousands of customers with varying needs, PDS sometimes doesn't fit our processes precisely out of the box. However, this con is far outweighed by the ability to configure and customize the system.
    • The most significant pet peeve of our users is the necessity for so many clicks to navigate between different areas or the system or to review applicants. These items are being addressed based on feedback from the user community in an upcoming release.
    Read full review
    PlanSource
    • The more advanced options, such as HCM, could have a slightly more user-friendly dashboard for users who are not daily computer users.
    • Needs to be easier to customize the homepage. Clients are always interested in adding in their own pictures, colors, welcome message position, etc.
    • Needs to have a function where the employer can send a document for the employee to sign, open and capture the employee's signature, send back to the employer and save in the employee file.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    I feel so invested in Vista HRMS that I don't really want to try other options. I know we as an organization are not using this product to it's full potential and that is just due to us lacking the resources to be able to invest the time into breaking it apart and making it work to the best ability for us. The system works great as is, but there are a lot of implementations we can put into place to help us out even more. For example, we would love to start using Workflow to create more efficiencies. I personally have a very good relationship with our hosted vendor who supports Vista HRMS and can help me with any issues and concerns, this is a big part of the reason that I would renew with this product and continue to be an advocate for Vista HRMS.
    Read full review
    PlanSource
    No answers on this topic
    Usability
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    In my line of work, PDS Vista doesn't fit. I recruit and manager talent pipelines, as well as all onboarding aspects of 11 companies. I spend more hours getting data configured and searching for information within this software than I spend with my candidates. Theres an abundance duplication, and there isn't a single stream of information shared across screens. I have to input the SAME details into several screens for them to match up. Nothing is intuitive, and its certainly not end user friendly
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    PlanSource
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    PDS has excellent customer service and support. We get answers to the
    majority of our questions and problems quickly, within the day that we
    call. More complex issues that may require PDS’ technical support are
    usually addressed within a few days
    Read full review
    PlanSource
    No answers on this topic
    Online Training
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    The resources and online tools that PDS provide are extremely thorough and helpful in our training and learning.
    Read full review
    PlanSource
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation Rating
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    Ask lots of questions, ensure you fully understand the functionality (particularly history records) and train, train, train the users for correct and complete utilization of the system.
    Read full review
    PlanSource
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    I've used Peoplesoft HCM in the past. The products have some similarities, but they are marketed to different sized companies, so it's a bit of apples to oranges. Peoplesoft was very complex and challenging to manage and support. Vista HRMS should require fewer technical resources and still provide robust features for HR and Payroll. We selected Vista HRMS because it met the majority of our requirements and was priced to enable us to purchase and implement it within our budget. Also, it's an integrated system (although not truly one system when you count Vista Time) which is an improvement over our current state.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    PlanSource
    I have looked at GoCo, Kronos and Zenefits. I selected PlanSource because I felt it was the most customizable for a variety of clients across the board. The interface seemed functional but slightly professional looking than it competitors. PlanSource also seemed well established and that it was capable of handling my client needs.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    • Positive impact would definitely be self-service for both employees and managers to view and update selected data.
    • Through some analytics our managers are able to track turnover for their site/department by many criteria (length of service, reason, etc) and can view a number of other analytical reports such as headcount and demographics which help them to make informed decisions about their department.
    Read full review
    PlanSource
    • Positive - Reduces time spent contacting vendors of enrollment changes. When you are dealing with several hundred employees and their dependents across several vendors that time starts to add up.
    • Positive - Point of value when trying to gain or up sell a client.
    • Negative - You do need to meet the minimum number of people on the platform as per your contact to avoid having to pay a fee to PlanSource. If one of your larger clients leaves that could be a potential issue.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    PDS Vista Screenshots

    Screenshot of employee data, which is the heart of a corporate knowledge base. Within Vista, an organized database of employees, applicants, jobs, and positions can be created and maintained. The product’s flexibility allows users to structure corporate data as simply or as complicated as business needs require.Screenshot of Vista Payroll, which is designed to strike the perfect balance between power and simplicity. It is designed to process large volumes of data within tight time constraints, whether U.S., Canadian, or Caribbean.

Vista Payroll is focused on its main tasks of calculating pay, creating paychecks, producing payroll registers, and federal, state, local, and provincial tax reports.Screenshot of the included Vista Benefits features, which can include unlimited plans and coverage levels, automated benefits eligibility, auto-housekeeping of valuations and premiums.Screenshot of Vista Recruiting, which presents critical applicant information in an efficient manner for both human resources professionals and hiring managers, alike.

Vista Recruiting gives HR departments command over the entire hiring process for each department in every location while more easily tracking and controlling costs, improving applicant management, strengthening relationships with applicants, and reducing paperwork for the HR team.