Connected Services enables SME companies to extend their desktop payroll and HR, with an online solution that eases the growing burden of HR managers and payroll administrators by offering users the best of both worlds.
According to International Data Corporation (IDC), it is clear that smartphones and tablets are driving mobility growth.
Pierre Badenhorst, international head of department for Sage Pastel Payroll and HR Africa, says the Connected Services solution includes a Web-based self-service tool that enables employees to manage and maintain their own information online, thereby carrying some of the overall HR administration responsibility. They are able to make online applications for leave, overtime claims, travel claims, view their payslips and update personal information, no matter where they are, so long as they have an Internet connection.
Badenhorst adds that employees are also able to access and retrieve payslips when applying for a bond or a loan without having to involve the HR administrator. They can update their personal and banking details at any time, which can then be synchronised by the HR administrator to automatically update the payroll system and avoid manual recapturing.
"The adoption rate of online business software for new entrants into the market is increasing, posing the question of how to bridge the gap between the growing trend towards online software adoption and the traditional desktop application users in the same market segments."
Connected Services has workflow capabilities based on the organisation chart or specific workflow orders per online form. Once an employee applies for leave online, an e-mail is sent to the line manager for approval, and thereafter the payroll administrator merely clicks once and the payroll system is updated.
The solution also provides for leave scheduling, particularly practical over traditional December holidays when "skeleton staff" is required. Employees can also make use of a leave scheduling tool, as they are able to see which of their team members will be on leave at the same time, without having to direct a leave request to the HR manager.
"Interest in demand for and adoption of connected services as a hosted solution is growing in West Africa to the point where we are opening a permanent office in Lagos later this year," says Badenhorst.
"No IT expertise is required and Sage Pastel Payroll & HR will backup the data for the user company."
When applying a Connected Services solution such as self-service, companies should seriously consider a hosted solution, adds Badenhorst. This guarantees quick deployment at low implementation cost, meaning companies do not have to invest in additional infrastructure to host the online application.
Many experts in the industry believe that mobile Internet usage is projected to overtake desktop by 2014, meaning that globally, individuals will access the Internet from their phone more than using their desktop. (Source - Pingdom, May 2012)
"As mobile Internet usage is projected to overtake desktop usage during the course of next year (2014), the importance of applying mobile technology cannot be overestimated."
According to the Cisco Visual Networking Index Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast for 2012 to 2017, in the Middle East and Africa there will be 849 226 090 mobile users in 2017.
During the 2012 to 2017 forecast period, Cisco anticipates that global mobile data traffic will outpace global fixed data traffic by a factor of two. By 2017, there will be 5.2 billion mobile users (up from 4.3 billion in 2012) and by 2017 it is estimated more than 10 billion mobile devices/connections will be active. (Source - Channelwise magazine (April Issue))
Automated updates are another example of connected services. This functionality enables traditional desktop applications to seamlessly update over the Internet with minimal intervention from the end-user of the software.
Users no longer need to visit a Web site to download and install updates or CD versions manually as the connected services functionality does it all for them, directly from their payroll software. The days of CD-based updates and disruptive installation and implementation cycles are over.
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Sage Pastel Payroll & HR
Sage Pastel Payroll & HR, part of Sage South Africa, is a leading developer of payroll and HR software solutions and services in Africa. Skills, experience and innovation in this field accumulated many years in business confirm Sage Pastel Payroll & HR's prominent position for start-up, small, medium and larger sized businesses. Sage Pastel Payroll & HR offers easy-to-use, feature-rich and flexible software solutions.
Web site:www.sagepastelpayroll.com
Sage
The Sage Group is a leading global provider of business management software to small and medium-sized companies, creating greater freedom for them to succeed. Sage understands how and why each business is unique. It provides products and services that suit varying needs, are a pleasure to use and are secure and efficient. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and entered the FTSE 100 in 1999. Sage has over 6 million customers and more than 13 500 employees in 24 countries covering the UK and Ireland, mainland Europe, North America, South Africa, Australia, Asia and Brazil. For further information, please visit www.sagesouthafrica.co.za and www.sage.com.
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