HCM Reporting Solutions

Reporting is the backbone solution in HCM. It is the analytical engine that drives insight and decision-making across all areas of the solution. A strong reporting system should be flexible, customisable, visual, and most importantly, insightful. As AI continues to develop, reporting will evolve to an entirely new level, but for now, let’s focus on the fundamentals of what makes a great reporting system.

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The Purpose of Reporting

Reporting is the tool that turns raw data into actionable insights. Every piece of data in an HCM solution is tied to a field, and those fields form the foundation of reports. Some reports are feature-specific, while others pull data from across multiple modules. For example:

If you want to know how much Sally was paid last May and the tax she paid, you would look at Payroll reports.
If you also want to know how her salary changed after a performance review that same month, you would need data from both Payroll and Performance Management.

A good reporting system will give you the ability to pull data from individual modules, while a great reporting system will allow you to customise reports to pull data across modules, saving you time and providing comprehensive insights.

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Key Reporting Features

1. Standard Reports: Every module (e.g., Payroll, T&A, Performance Management) should come with a library of standard reports.These reports provide essential insights, such as payroll summaries, absence trends, or performance review outcomes.

2. Report Builder: The ability to build custom reports is critical. This feature allows you to select specific fields from across the solution and compile them into a single, cohesive report. Example: Combine payroll data with performance metrics to see how pay increases align with employee performance.

3. Saving and Exporting Reports: Reports should be savable and reusable. Export options should include multiple formats, such as Excel, PDF, and CSV, with the ability to brand reports with your company logo, dates, and author details.

4. Automation: Automate report generation and distribution. For example, set a report to run monthly and email it automatically to managers or teams. This ensures key stakeholders receive regular updates without requiring manual intervention.

5. Visual Reporting: Reports should support visual elements like charts and graphs, which are ideal for presenting data at a glance. Dashboards should display real-time graphs and charts that are drillable, allowing users to click and navigate directly to the underlying data within the system.

Drillable Dashboards Examples

Consider a graph on your HR dashboard showing employee turnover by department. Clicking on a department should take you to a detailed report of leavers, including reasons for leaving, tenure, and costs associated with replacing them.

Integration with External Tools

Power BI and Other Tools

For larger businesses, integrating HCM reporting with tools like Power BI can unlock even greater insights. This allows you to cross-reference HCM data with other systems, such as:

Finance: Compare payroll costs with revenue.
Manufacturing: Analyse T&A data against production output.
Operations: Track employee performance in relation to project delivery times.

Smaller businesses may find extracting data into Excel sufficient for their needs. However, as mentioned earlier, great reporting can deliver transformative value.

Optimising workforce management with Reporting

Reporting is crucial for optimising workforce management in both small and large businesses. Small businesses focus on essential reports and use affordable tools for additional analysis.

Large businesses, on the other hand, require sophisticated integrations and predictive analytics to handle large datasets and make data-driven decisions that improve efficiency and future planning.

Good Reporting Systems: Offer standard reports for each module and basic customisation.

Great Reporting Systems: Allow cross-module reporting, real-time dashboards, advanced visualisations, and automated distribution.

Future of Reporting: AI-driven insights will revolutionise reporting, making it predictive and proactive.

Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, investing in a reporting system that meets your needs will deliver measurable value across the HCM cycle.

Reporting for Small vs Large Businesses

Small Businesses Reports

Small businesses primarily use the essential reports built into their HCM system, such as payroll, attendance, and HR metrics, to manage day-to-day operations. Since resources are often limited, additional analysis is typically handled using tools like Excel or Google Sheets. This approach ensures businesses can extract meaningful insights without the need for expensive, complex software. It provides enough flexibility to manage HR functions while keeping costs low.

Large Businesses Reports

Large businesses require more advanced tools to manage the complexity and volume of data they generate. They often integrate HCM systems with business intelligence platforms like Power BI or Tableau, which allows for comprehensive reporting across multiple systems and departments. These integrations help create centralised dashboards and automate reporting processes, providing a unified view of key metrics. Predictive analytics also play a significant role in large businesses, enabling them to forecast trends, optimise workforce management, and uncover potential inefficiencies at a larger scale. This level of reporting and analysis supports more informed strategic decision-making across the organisation.

Human Capital Management Buyers Guide Index

Below, you’ll find an overview of each section, with links to the full content for deeper insights.

Introduction & Planning

Below, you’ll find an overview of each section, with links to the full content for deeper insights.

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HCM Core Components

Find out all you need to know on the essential elements that make up a comprehensive HCM system.

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HCM Cycle Overview

HCM Reporting

Compliance Data Security

Integration & System Considerations

HCM Functionality

Exploring the key features that drive workforce efficiency and engagement.

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Time & Attendance

Payroll

Access Control

Scheduling and workforce management

Recruitment and onboarding

Performance management and succession planning

Selecting an HCM Provider

Choosing the right provider is just as important as selecting the right software.

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Sales process and RFQ/RFP considerations

Sign off

Implementation & Success

Rolling out your HCM system smoothly and ensuring long-term success.

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Building an implementation team

Training

Budgeting and timeline considerations

Employee adoption and change management

Transitioning to Accountability: Change Management

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