Say hello to the new and versatile HRM4Baltics! Everything from personnel to payroll

Source: Äri-IT Spring 2023

Author: Merilin Aul, BCS Itera Project Manager

Human Resources Management (HRM) serves as the cornerstone of every company. At the heart of HRM lies a well-developed HR strategy, yet the tools that facilitate the management of all field processes are equally vital.

In 2023 the HRM solutions landscape welcomes the addition of a new and long-awaited product, HRM4Baltics. Operating on the Microsoft Business Central ERP platform, it replaces the Palk365 and Personal365 solutions, delivering a more substantial and comprehensive experience than ever before. Many companies also effectively implement the Palk365 solution integrated with another ERP solution instead of Business Central.

Payroll solution for the Baltics

A payroll and personnel solution that would cover the needs of not only the local Estonian market but also those of other Baltic states, has been long awaited.

Now, in the second half of this year, the wait will be over. While Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania collectively comprise the three Baltic States and share many commonalities, each country still has its own cultural characteristics, not to mention variations in legislation.

The HRM4Baltics solution can be used in all three Baltic states. The solution encompasses payroll, extensive HR needs and integrations with the tax administrations of each respective country. Therefore, if a company operates not only in Estonia but also, for example, in Latvia or Lithuania, the salaries of all employees can be calculated effortlessly using a single solution.

It is important to note that the solution is also suitable for use in only one country at a time.

Elevating reporting with BI

Likewise, anticipation for the incorporation of Microsoft Power BI capabilities into the HRM product has been eagerly awaited. In the first half of the year, users got the exciting opportunity to conduct insightful data analysis in the payroll solution with BI capabilities.

Power BI can be used to efficiently display, for example, average salary data, the number of newly onboarded employees and the distribution of workload.

Figure 1. HR data analysis using Power BI

From recruitment to employee separation

The employee life cycle in a company begins with recruitment. This process often entails interviews, choosing between candidates, multiple rounds, homework and so on. Furthermore, when hiring a new colleague, employees at various levels may also provide their input. In a company characterised by a strong organisational culture, these processes are systematically managed, yet often  lacking is a supportive solution to facilitate them.

The recruitment module is a new feature of the HRM4Baltics product.

The module can be used to sort candidates, conduct conversations using questionnaires and take notes during the interview. Moreover, it allows for the identification of internal personnel who should partake in the process and specifies their required involvement stage. Anyone assigned to participate in the recruitment process can give their assessments and comments on candidates in such a way that this information is available in one place, for example, for the HR manager to see.

If a person has already been hired, this solution significantly streamlines the process of formalising their employment, in contrast to entering the data from scratch. Additionally, it is possible to specify activities related to the commencement of employment and, upon termination of employment relationship, finalise the plan concerning termination.

Performance review management

Gone are the days when an employee could sit down with the manager only once or, at best, twice a year to review their progress and set goals. Nowadays, the traditional performance review has evolved to include a mid-term review and, in some cases, even monthly face-to-face meetings and the like. Nevertheless, it is up to each company to decide which reviews they conduct and at what intervals, but in most cases, there can never be too many of these interactions.

Within the HRM4Baltics solution, keeping a history of conversations is made easy, serving as a useful means to revisit or supplement them from time to time. The performance review module offers the flexibility to design both structured questionnaires (ie establishing a standardised framework for company-wide performance reviews) and unstructured free-form notes.

If desired, the performance review module can also be used, for example, to conduct employee satisfaction surveys or address matters concerning the conclusion of the probationary period.

From training plan to execution

The Personal365 solution enabled the creation of a training plan only if the training was planned for the future or had already been completed. On the HRM4Baltics platform, it is also possible to create a training plan for the entire year, complete with an estimated budget and participants. The training plan goes hand in hand with the performance review: if an employee expresses their wish to participate in some training during their review, it can promptly be added to the training plan.

A training plan, schedule or leave application can be submitted for an approval round there and, should the plan evolve into an actual training, a training map can be generated.

Three HRM4Baltics packages replace Palk365 and Personal365 products

The HRM4Baltics solution consists of three packages: Basic, Extended and Premium. The basic solution covers essential payroll and HR activities. The extended package adds additional HR functionalities, including the opportunity to use X-tee solutions. The extended package also allows customers to use BI and payroll for Latvia/Lithuania. The premium package enhances the solution by incorporating recruitment and performance review functionalities as well as employee onboarding and offboarding functionalities.

Many companies have found that Palk365 and Personal365 offer optimal support for their payroll and HR systems. For these companies, HRM4Baltics will replace the existing solutions automatically.

More information about HRM4Baltics will be sent to customers and interested parties this year. Stay tuned by visiting our website at www.itera.ee! As always with a good product, it is never truly complete, since there will always be more good ideas that can be integrated. At the same time, it ensures that as many business processes as possible are covered in one solution.