Successful CPA Firm Gains HR Efficiency with Sage HRMS

Accountants know that meticulous organization and proper procedures are paramount to maintaining accurate documentation and records. When one of New York’s largest CPA firms began researching options to improve HR management, Sage HRMS, with its comprehensive features and adaptable modules, rose to the forefront as an ideal records management solution.

Berdon LLP offers accounting, tax, financial, and management advisory services to its clients. It is one of the top 30 CPA firms in the nation, and employs nearly 400 accounting professionals and office staff. From offices in New York and Jericho, Long Island, the firm serves individuals, private organizations, and multinational corporations with diverse industry and professional backgrounds.

Berdon LLP realized it needed a more efficient method of managing HR information and selected HRMS Solutions, a Washington D.C.-based Sage Software business partner, to implement Sage HRMS.

Seeking HR Efficiency

Berdon LLP’s HR department depended on a disjointed system of spreadsheets and paper files to track activities related to recruiting, hiring, benefits enrollment, and reporting. The system required manual input, repetitive data entry, and significant time for the HR staff to answer employee questions about their benefits. After researching several options, the firm decided to implement Sage HRMS.

“We had no centralized system before Sage HRMS,” recalls Angela Ferraioli, Benefits Administrator. “Compared to other software we reviewed, Sage was more user-friendly and had more of the functionality that we needed.”

“To increase operational efficiency, Berdon LLP needed to consolidate employee information into one secure system, but still allow access to several administrators and Managers,” says Mario Orellana, VP of Professional Services for HRMS Solutions. “Sage HRMS eliminates redundant tasks, paper shuffling and the overall ‘administrativia of managing a workforce. Sage HRMS simplifies the task of tracking employee data, and automates the benefits enrollment and administration processes.”

The software’s ability to communicate with other systems was a necessity, as Berdon LLP already had a payroll service provider in place. “We didn’t want to change certain programs,” says Ferraioli. “We needed Sage HRMS to communicate with the other systems we already used.”

HRMS Solutions was instrumental in facilitating that communication between systems. Berdon LLP chose to implement several modules, including Sage HR and Benefit Administration, Sage Timesheet, Sage Attendance, Sage ESS, Sage Alerts, Sage Link, and Sage Benefits Enrollment, as well as a new recruiting tool, Cyber Recruiter. HRMS Solutions took each of these modules and successfully incorporated them into their existing back office software configuration to create a smooth flow of information across departments.

“HRMS Solutions was great at doing everything we needed. They were able to implement it without disrupting other systems states Ferraioli.”

A Time-Saver and a Cost Manager

Sage HRMS has already made a positive difference in benefits management. “Using Sage HR to manage benefit plans has been a real time saver. Tracking is easier now that I don’t have to look at 6 different spreadsheets to see who has what,” Ferraioli asserts.

Ferraioli values the automated reporting process that HRMS designed. “I create monthly bills for all of our benefits, and now the reports are automatically created, which saves me a lot of time.”

The reports are also more comprehensive than before the integration, as HR can now figure the individual expenditures for the benefits offered. “We like to know how much it actually costs the firm for each employee,” Ferraioli advises.

Integrating Human Resources Data Across the Organization

HRMS Solutions incorporated the employee self service module (Sage ESS) into Berdon LLP’s Intranet, giving employees the capability of reviewing their own benefits information.

“Employees can edit their own information, view their vacation, and see their benefits plans. And soon, we will roll out the open enrollment module (Sage Benefits Enrollment),” Ferraioli relates.

Allowing employees access to their own records eliminates questions to HR. For example, they no longer have to call Ferraioli to find out how many vacation days they have available. “Sage Timesheet automatically communicates with CMS, the system that we currently use to track time,” Ferraioli explains. “I can click a button to update Sage with the information from CMS, allowing people to see the vacation they’ve taken.”

The integrations between Sage HRMS and other existing software systems eliminate double data entry and the risk of errors.

Sage communicates to all of our other programs, which makes life easier,” Ferraioli says. “I don’t have to e-mail someone in payroll about a change because the system will automatically communicate those changes. Once the payroll report is ready, the file transfers to ADP with a click of the button.

Better Record-Keeping for Recruiting

Integration also helps Berdon LLP’s recruiting department. The firm worked with HRMS Solutions to install Cyber Recruiter, a web-based recruiting solution that helps HR and hiring supervisors manage and communicate during the recruiting process. Nancy Sereno, Associate of Human Resources, appreciates the record-keeping capabilities of Cyber Recruiter, as well as its seamless integration to Sage HRMS and the company’s Website.

“If a person is interested in a position, they can apply through our Website and the information goes directly into Cyber. The system then e-mails the applicant a link to the self service page so they can update their own resume or apply for a different position,” Sereno explains.

Sereno can easily share information with recruiters and other HR staff by sending files through e-mail. The system has plenty of space for notes, and helps track the details of the interview and hiring process.

Berdon LLP is working with HRMS Solutions to automate aspects of the recruit-to-hire workflow. “Eventually, the data from Cyber Recruiter will directly populate Sage when an applicant is hired,” Sereno states.

A Dedicated Partner

Both Ferraioli and Sereno are pleased with the technical knowledge and customer service they receive from HRMS Solutions. “The staff is very hands-on. They were on site and always available to answer questions,” Ferraioli relates. “They actually walked me through the process and created reports for me.”

Sereno agrees. They are right on top of any problem that we have, and they go the extra mile to try to resolve any issues.

As an expert in HR management software, HRMS Solutions not only provided Berdon LLP with a software solution that measured up to the firm’s record-keeping standards, but also continues to offer valuable customer service and timely support. And Berdon LLP knows well, those are two qualities that earn a business the reputation as one of the best in the country.