A quick overview of each of the PeopleSoft HRMS applications or modules
modules available today:
Core HRMS The core PeopleSoft HRMS application, which includes
Manage Workforce, contains the basic functions to hire, transfer, promote,
and make job changes for an employee. This portion of the application contains the basic employee information, including history as well as
department, location, and job information. Concepts to support basic EEO,
affirmative action, labor relations, employment verifications, and basic HR
functions are contained in this module. With PeopleSoft 8, an additional
module, eProfile, allows employees themselves to update basic employee or
profile information.
Career Planning/Performance Management This functionality is
included as part of the core HRMS module. This area supports major
career planning processes such as competency planning, career management,
employee review processing, and succession planning. With People-
Soft 8, a new module, eDevelopment, is also available, providing manager
and employee features to help individuals manage their careers more
effectively over the Internet.
Recruiting This functionality is also included as part of the core HRMS
module. The recruiting function includes creation of job requisitions and job
search or skill search capabilities including applicant tracking, interviewing,
and hiring. This application integrates directly with the basic employee
information such that applicant data is transferred directly to employee
tables once an applicant is hired. A new module in PeopleSoft 8, eRecruit,
allows for full external recruiting capabilities enabled through Web
technology.
Position Management The Position Management functions support
budgeting and managing job positions within an organization. This functionality,
included in the core HRMS application, is typically used for governmental
or regulatory establishments that have a predefined budget and a set
of job positions that are authorized for employment. Companies that let each
manager determine job requirements, which are not tracked on a fixed job
basis, don’t implement this feature.
Training Administration The Training Administration module is also
included in the core HRMS product. Within this area, training programs
can be set up and sessions scheduled to enroll and track employee training.
Information on each course and session can be tracked, including instructors
and class requirements. Waiting-list features are included.
Pension Administration Pension Administration is a fairly new application
that provides the capability to track and manage pension deductions
and allocations, which are then passed to the plan provider. This module is
only U.S.-based at this time and doesn’t support pension requirements globally. It isn’t included as a part of the core HRMS product and must be
purchased separately.
Benefits Administration and Base Benefits Two types
of benefits processing are available with PeopleSoft. Base Benefits processing,
which is included in the core HRMS application, provides for the basic tracking
of benefit plans and links each plan to a payroll deduction. However, any
changes to the plan or enrollment processing is done manually. Benefits
Administration allows you to automate the benefits enrollment and change
process. This module is an add-on to the core package. With PeopleSoft 8,
a new module called eBenefits supports key employee self-service features,
allowing employees to enroll in their benefit plans and make changes to them.
It’s available at an additional price.
Salary Planning This function is included in the core HRMS application.
It features the ability to create salary plans, develop salary-increase
budgets by department, and process salary changes. Standard salary matrices
and review-rating distributions can be accomplished by leveraging this
functionality.
Variable/Total Compensation The features of this capability are part
of the core HRMS application. This module allows you to create variable
compensation plans and administer them to your staff using eligibility
criteria calculation methods, and provides specific payout options for your
employees (such as a special bonus check, an incentive payment, or a salary
increase). Incentive goals, both group and individual, can be set up as well.
A manager’s self-service module, eCompensation, is provided with People-
Soft 8; it allows managers to perform key compensation planning functions,
leveraging the Internet.
Payroll for North America This major application area for the U.S. and
Canada includes the processes that support the payroll and pay the employees,
including the processing of specific earnings and deductions as well as both
on- and off-cycle payrolls. In addition to these features, PeopleSoft 8, with
its new ePay module, allows paycheck presentation and electronic stub
review via the Internet.
Payroll Interface This feature includes processing to support the
calculations of benefits and deductions, which can be passed to a third-party
vendor for payroll purposes. It includes an interface generator that can create specific files that can integrate with payroll outsourcing vendors such
as ADP (Automatic Data Processing, Inc.).
Time and Labor The Time and Labor application has improved over the
past few PeopleSoft releases and now supports online (even Web-enabled)
time collection, including maintenance of schedules and pay or time rules
and retroactive processing. This application interfaces closely with the
Payroll module and passes “buckets” of time and expenses by pay period to
the pay sheets (found in the Payroll module) used to create the employee
paychecks. Another module, Time and Attendance, is also available but only
with the Asia/Pacific local version. In addition to this core functionality,
PeopleSoft 8 also includes a Web-based, employee self-service module
called eTime.
Stock Administration This is one of PeopleSoft’s newest HRMS modules.
It supports the tracking of employee stock programs and distributions,
including stock purchase plans, restricted stock payments, and stock options.
FSA Administration This module creates and tracks flexible spending
accounts (FSAs) for employees, including tracking deductions, contributions,
and reimbursements. Most companies outsource this service and therefore
do not need this module. The FSA deduction can be created and tracked
within the Payroll module without the use of this additional module.
Global Payroll This module is new with PeopleSoft 8 and provides a
global payroll engine that supports payroll processes for four countries
initially: the U.K., France, Germany, and Switzerland. Payroll for North
America is still available as well to support the requirements of the U.S.
and Canada.
In addition to those modules, there are specific modules that support the student
administration functions of an academic institution. This application,
called Student Administration, includes functionality that supports academic
advising, admissions, student records, advancement, financial aid, and student
financials.
Also, with the release of PeopleSoft 8, the Federal/Public Sector HR and
Benefits functionality is incorporated into the core HRMS application.
