HRIS Selection
5
Selection Phases
Needs through decision
3
HRIS Tiers
Operational, Tactical, Strategic
12-18
Months
Realistic enterprise implementation
it's a road, not a list
The Selection Journey
Twelve to eighteen months of road. Each milestone has a deliverable. Each gap between milestones has work. Skip a milestone and the next one becomes harder.
step 1
Needs
Doc current vs future state. Engage HR, IT, Finance, Legal.
step 2
RFP
Distribute to qualified vendors. Score against weighted criteria.
step 3
Evaluate
Functionality, integration, security, total cost of ownership.
step 4
Demo
See the system live. Talk to current customers.
step 5
Decide
Negotiate terms. Data ownership. SLAs. Exit provisions.
capability climbs the ladder
Three Capability Tiers
Operational handles paperwork. Tactical supports decisions. Strategic predicts the future. The tier you need shapes the system you buy.
1
Operational
Transactional
Payroll. Benefits administration. Basic recordkeeping. The plumbing of HR.
examples: ADP, Paychex, Gusto
2
Tactical
Decision-supporting
Recruitment workflows. Training tracking. Compensation analysis. HR can answer why.
examples: BambooHR, UKG Pro
3
Strategic
Predictive
Workforce planning. Succession. Predictive analytics. HR informs the C-suite.
examples: Workday, Oracle HCM, SAP SuccessFactors
Exam Traps
Cloud HRIS is now dominant
On-premise is the less common best-practice answer. The exam reflects current market realities.
Data ownership belongs to the employer
Contract clauses must protect data portability. Without clean export commitments, exit becomes expensive.
TCO ≠ license cost
License is roughly 30-40% of true Total Cost of Ownership. Implementation, integration, training, customization, maintenance add up.
RFP scoring uses weighted criteria
Weights set upfront. Changing them after responses arrive looks like vendor favoritism. The exam tests procurement integrity.
License is the down payment
Total Cost of Ownership includes implementation, training, integration, ongoing maintenance. License is roughly 30-40% of TCO.
Data portability matters
If the vendor will not commit to clean data export, exit costs balloon. Bake portability into the contract.
Decide what the new kitchen needs to do. Cook for 2 or for dinner parties of 20.
Get bids from three contractors with detailed specs.
Compare price, materials, timeline, references.
Visit completed kitchens. Talk to past customers.
Sign the contract with clear scope, timeline, and what happens if delays occur.
Ready to test your PHR knowledge?
1,700+ practice questions written by certified professionals.
Start Practicing PHR