If you’re using Sage Abra, you may wonder if there’s a reason to switch to Sage HR software. After all, from a human resources perspective, very little differs between the FoxPro and SQL versions of the popular HRMS software. But from the payroll perspective? There are significant differences, and that’s where you may find the most benefit from switching to Sage HR software.
Sage HR Software Makes the Accounting Side of HR Easier
Human resources include more than personnel management. It also provides payroll processing. That’s where Sage HR software has the advantage over Sage Abra. With Sage HR software, features within the software make it much easier to handle various aspects of payroll, including calculating payroll, facilitating direct deposit, and more.
The Five Best Reasons to Move From Sage Abra to Sage HR Software
Although there are many good reasons to change from Sage Abra to Sage HR software, the following selection represents the features that human resources personnel seem to like the most about Sage HR software. They save time and extra steps throughout the payroll process.
- Direct deposit: Both Sage Abra and Sage HR software enable human resources personnel to manage direct deposit from the system. However, Sage HR offers the ability to enter direct deposit information as a flat amount, a percentage of net, or a percent of gross. Abra limits direct deposit to a flat amount only. Abra also requires them to be entered with “deposit” active to process. Sage HR can be made active for a date range.
- Timecard management: Managing time cards and timesheets can be a headache for managers and HR. Both Sage Abra and Sage HR make managing them easier, but there’s a difference between how they are stored. In Sage Abra, once payroll is processed, timesheets are cleared out of the system. Sage HR allows you to keep time cards or set up a time card and store it in the system. This will enable you to track things like sign-on bonuses and manage such rewards even if an employee terminates employment before the date on the time card. Sage HR makes it easier to manage complex situations like this for your employees.
- On-demand checks: If you need to cut an expense check or any on-demand check for an employee, with Sage HR, you can run payroll for just that one check. Sage Abra requires you to run the entire batch for direct deposit and then manually remove excess. That makes Sage HR a better solution for companies with frequent on-demand checks such as issuing checks for employees who submit expense or travel reimbursement requests.
- Starting payroll: Sage HR lets you get in and get the job done. You can just run the Open Payroll process and view a report of changes made. Abra requires everyone to get out of the system, a backup, and then run Optimize and Reform before you start.
- Back-ups: Abra recommends running backups before payroll, and certain other functions are performed. It’s always a good idea to make a backup, and Abra often forces you to back up what you have before proceeding. Sage HR can be programmed for automatic SQL backups, but there’s no reminder to backup nor any requirement to make a backup before completing a task.
Is Sage HR Better than Sage Abra?
The answer to this question is, “That depends.” It depends on what you are looking for in your human resources software. Many companies find Sage Abra remains sufficient for their needs, a trusted Sage product that works well.
But if some of the features of Sage Abra bother you … if you’re looking at a newer SQL-based human resources software that’s part of the Sage family of trusted software … Sage HR software offers an excellent alternative.
Emerald TC
For a free consultation, call Emerald TC. Emerald TC is an Atlanta-based consulting organization that offers Acumatica, Sage 100cloud, and other solutions to help small and mid-sized businesses improve their productivity and efficiency. Please contact us or call 770.377.8334.