Four example scenarios to run through during your HRMS demos

When it comes to effective HRMS software demos, having well-scripted scenarios for your vendors is the key. Scenarios ensure that all vendors and their products are judged against the same measures, making it easier for your to compare what might appear to be wildly different products. We’ve covered the basics of HRMS demos elsewhere and even laid out the basic components of a demo script. Here we delve deeper into four essential scenarios that should work for any business.

1. Basic access and navigation

• System walkthrough to demonstrate user interface and general navigation.
• Show how users can customize their screens or their navigation options 
• Show how and where to access online help can be accessed.
• Demonstrate the communication of error messages to users.
• If available, show hot key options.
• Show how the system can be accessed via mobile devices.

2. System security

• Explain how the system database is secured.
• Describe role-based access levels.
• Set up a group with ‘read-only’ access to all system data.
• Set up a group with ‘updating’ access to all system data.
• Take an example management user account and assign ‘updating’ access in relation only to their team members

Use this step-by-step guide to HRMS demos to evaluate vendor presentations and make the right selection decision

3. Employee self-service

• Demonstrate universal (i.e. available to all employees) access routes to ESS (e.g. desktop terminal, cell phone, tablet).
• Show how an employee can view their pay data (e.g. paycheck, deductions, W-4).
• Show how an employee can update their own record (e.g. direct deposit details).
• Run through an employee requesting time off, from initial request submission through to manager approval.
• Run through an employee registering for a scheduled learning activity (assuming you’re demo’ing HRMSs with a learning management module).
• Demonstrate how an employee can reviews their benefits package.
• Demonstrate how an employee works through the open enrollment process, from viewing options to selection.
• Show how an employee can update their home address details (this can be made more complex by specifying the old and new addresses and placing them in locations with different tax legislation).

Leave management

• Demonstrate the integration between the leave management and time and attendance modules.
• Demonstrate how the system can accommodate different rules for time off, according to employee seniority, position, and any other relevant factors.
• An employee has requested (via ESS) more leave than they have in their outstanding vacation balance.
• Show how a manager taking leave can delegate the authority to approve time off requests to a stand-in during their absence.
• Show how the system handles a terminating employee who has an unused vacation balance, including integration with the offboarding process, where relevant.

By all means, take these scenarios and customize them to your own business needs; in fact, customization is a must. Add in details that relate to how you manage your operation, then stand back and evaluate which HRMS – and which vendor – performs best.