Item: UKG Workforce Central (discontinued)
Rating: 9
Author: Juan Osegueda

Support Rating

Having no experience with Kronos prior to using it in March 2016, their customer service team taught me how to use it the right way after my initial training at work. I am well-versed in data analysis using Excel and Access primarily, so once I discovered that Kronos had a reporting feature built in, I've used the feature quite a few times to help our properties evaluate their production costs and make good labor decisions. I give Kronos a 10 because once a person takes the time to learn how to use the software, they'll realize that Kronos is far more effective than most, and gives users more ways to access their information where and when they want to.

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Kronos Workforce Central is used by each one of the properties that we manage. We are in the hospitality industry, and our hotels use this software every day to record, approve, and report time. Kronos is a trusted provider of timekeeping software and solutions that has only gotten stronger with time. What I like about the suite is that it comes in desktop and mobile versions. The desktop is all-intuitive giving each user the ability to navigate across workspaces, or tab groups that allow them to access different segments of the software. For instance, the My Information tab is the one-stop dashboard that all employees can access to view their swipe entries, requesting time off, and view their pending request. At the management level, other tabs for Payroll and Timeclock Setup can be accessed, and each tab gives the user a good set of tools to aid in decision making.

Pros and Cons

Easy to use and navigate
Web-based, can be accessed anywhere, anytime
Quick Links makes it easy to find frequently-used options
Extensive range of setup tools to customize user experience

Training required to use the product effectively, not simple at first
Dependent on Java, frequent updates to Java necessary to continue using the Kronos platform
Reporting tools are extensive and solid, though some reports can only be extracted in PDF, not in the more usable Excel format. How Kronos determines which can be extracted in Excel vs. PDF, I can't tell.

Return on Investment

Shift scheduling gives our properties the ability to enforce company attendance policies
Information readily available for analysis through its reporting feature
Effective data collection allows our managers to target possible problems with business costs or labor issues

Alternatives Considered

Oracle PeopleSoft HCM

Other than Kronos, I've only used Oracle PeopleSoft HCM for time and attendance. In comparing the two, I find that Kronos is far more high-end and busy and complicated, whereas PeopleSoft is simpler and to the point. With Kronos, there is some refining to do to it to get the time tracking tools to appear simpler, but once you customize it to your needs, it works real well. Again, the key to ensuring that the suite works well for you is to spend time with your Kronos representative who will scale the software to work as you intend it to.

Key Differentiators

Product Features
Product Usability
Product Reputation
Vendor Reputation
Third-party Reviews

My company decided to use Kronos Workforce Central after reviewing its features and researching the product and hearing from other users that used Kronos. It came down to Kronos' reputation and customer support team.

Likelihood to Recommend

Kronos is great for recording time and for reporting, when used effectively. What I like about Kronos is that their Customer Support team is always very knowledgeable and helpful in a bind. Which means that when I don't necessarily know where to access a particular set of tools, I can call a Solutions rep and they know exactly where to point me to achieve the results that I need. Like most software, it is not recommended for very basic users; users should be comfortable accessing a computer or smart phone to use the suite. Kronos is well suited for those businesses have hourly employees that are required to swipe in and out to record their time. Swiping in can be done at a physical kiosk/timeclock, or from a computer. If a location is equipped with a physical kiosk/timeclock, a good support technician that knows how to resolve random errors should be present to assist when needed.

UKG Workforce Central (discontinued) Customer Support Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Quick Resolution Good followup Knowledgeable team Problems get solved Kept well informed No escalation required Support understands my problem Support cares about my success	None

Kronos Workforce Central... First time user, and I'm Impressed!

Overall Satisfaction with Kronos Workforce Ready