Recommendation of EmpCenter...it just plain works
Updated April 29, 2015
Recommendation of EmpCenter...it just plain works
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Software Version
Version 9
Modules Used
- All
Overall Satisfaction with EmpCenter
Empcenter was deployed across the entire organization. We implemented SAP from a legacy system and due to the complexity and diversity of our hourly work rules, we needed a time and attendance system that was more agile than SAP to change rules. We researched half a dozen different products and landed on Empcenter as the best fit. We have 33 distinct payroll areas that had different rules to be applied. Due to aggressive acquisitions in the past, the company had those business units grandfather their rules when they were purchased. We need the flexibility of Empcenter rule writing to accommodate that diversity of rules. We also had very robust reporting requirements which were in part satisfied by their "canned" reporting but was extensible via the crystal reporting that was included.
The entire selection through implementation lasted about 18 months with a good solid year on the implementation. We used Workforce as our implementation partner to help us configure everything. They did the majority of configuration but worked with us in the knowledge transfer moving forward so we could make changes as needed in the future. Overall the system performed as we expected and were quite happy with the implementation and functionality. We purchased 150 physical time clocks as part of the package and we had very little problems getting them deployed across the enterprise. I would say that the only thing that was surprising was their internal table structures made it difficult (not impossible) to create custom reports at times. Our staff was used to writing query statements but some got quite involved when getting a lot of disparate data. This can certainly happen in other systems as well.
Overall our users took to the system quite well. They were used to coming from a system that had been highly customized for them so we were afraid of some change management issues. However, the old system was more green screen like and since we lost little if any functionality, the training and change management went quite well.
The entire selection through implementation lasted about 18 months with a good solid year on the implementation. We used Workforce as our implementation partner to help us configure everything. They did the majority of configuration but worked with us in the knowledge transfer moving forward so we could make changes as needed in the future. Overall the system performed as we expected and were quite happy with the implementation and functionality. We purchased 150 physical time clocks as part of the package and we had very little problems getting them deployed across the enterprise. I would say that the only thing that was surprising was their internal table structures made it difficult (not impossible) to create custom reports at times. Our staff was used to writing query statements but some got quite involved when getting a lot of disparate data. This can certainly happen in other systems as well.
Overall our users took to the system quite well. They were used to coming from a system that had been highly customized for them so we were afraid of some change management issues. However, the old system was more green screen like and since we lost little if any functionality, the training and change management went quite well.
- A lot flexibility in configuration of the system
- works well with other systems. We were able to collect data from another time system, Avaya phone systems and even a point of sale system with not a lot of difficulty.
- They know their product and integration points. They were able to troubleshoot problems with hardware time collection devices quite quickly. We found the devices they sold to be quite durable.
- Out of the box they have more reports than I would have anticipated. Creating new reports was sometimes a task if it was complex but there were usually similar reports you could use as a starter template
- Specifically I am not sure it is possible but the table structure was complex and hard to create complex reports
- The configuration is not intuitive. However, making it more intuitive would probably add a considerable amount of overhead for processing
- I thought that some of the screens could be combined in certain cases.
- Overall we were able to respond to business unit changes faster than we would have with other products and certainty with SAP solutions
- The HR employees had much better access to reporting and formatting of those reports.
- The clocks themselves were much less trouble than the hardware we had in place prior to the implementation. One negative at first was that we were not able to use the old clocks but in the long run, it was a blessing.
We looked at about 6 solutions and narrowed the field down to 3 which included Empcenter, Kronos and I believe worqplace. The real two were Empcenter and Kronos as it really had the flexibility we needed for all our different scenarios. We liked them both and the cost was going to be in the same general area so we were able to make the selection purely on the user experience and technology. Empcenter seemed a little more configurable for our purposes over Kronos and that's how we landed on that decision.
Using EmpCenter
75 - Front line employees interface not just with the clocks but they also use the time clock on their computers while some entered their own time. Managers entered and approved time. HR managers were local SME's and were the first level of administration when questions arose. Finally, there are 2 administrators that keep the system rolling.
2 - A fairly technical background is needed. A configuration background is very helpful as well as an understanding of SQL and table structures.
- Collect time in the factory
- Apply complex and diverse work rules
- integration with other time collection systems.
- collecting data from a POS device and sending that attendance data to workforce
- collecting data from a telephone system and sending that attendance data to workforce
- We had one location that had clocks spread across 2 physical locations with clocks about 20 miles apart. We were able to configure the clocks so one could clock in one location and clock out at the other location.