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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    ELMO Software

    Score9 out of 10
    N/AELMO Software (ASX:ELO) is a cloud-based solution that helps thousands of organisations across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom to manage their people, process and pay. ELMO solutions span the entire employee lifecycle from ‘hire to retire’. They can be used together or stand-alone, and are configurable according to an organisation’s unique processes and workflows.N/A

    PDS Vista

    Score1.2 out of 10
    Enterprise companies (1,001+ employees)
    Vista® is a human resource, benefits, payroll, recruiting, and self-service software. Functional elements include recruitment, staffing, position and training management, compliance, and performance and compensation.N/A
    Pricing
    ELMO SoftwarePDS Vista
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    ELMO SoftwarePDS Vista
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional DetailsLicense pricing is based on the number of full and part-time active employees within bands (e.g. 751-1,000). SaaS pricing is based on PEPM.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    ELMO SoftwarePDS Vista
    Considered Both Products
    ELMO Software
    No answer on this topic
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    100%
    Would buy again
    15 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    5 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Happy with the feature set
    93%
    Happy with the feature set
    14 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    86%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    6 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    88%
    Implementation went as expected
    7 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Features
    ELMO SoftwarePDS Vista
    Human Resource Management
    Comparison of Human Resource Management features of ELMO Software and PDS Vista
    Feature
    ELMO Software
    7.9
    11 Ratings
    1% above category average
    PDS Vista
    1.9
    19 Ratings
    122% below category average
    Employee demographic data8.09 Ratings1.018 Ratings
    Job profiles and administration7.78 Ratings1.015 Ratings
    Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.7.27 Ratings1.013 Ratings
    Organizational charting8.38 Ratings3.014 Ratings
    Organization and location management7.88 Ratings3.017 Ratings
    Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)8.65 Ratings3.012 Ratings
    Employment history00 Ratings1.019 Ratings
    Payroll Management
    Comparison of Payroll Management features of ELMO Software and PDS Vista
    Feature
    ELMO Software
    8.1
    5 Ratings
    2% above category average
    PDS Vista
    3.2
    19 Ratings
    85% below category average
    Pay calculation8.25 Ratings3.017 Ratings
    Support for external payroll vendors8.14 Ratings1.010 Ratings
    Benefit plan administration8.03 Ratings1.017 Ratings
    Direct deposit files8.03 Ratings4.018 Ratings
    Salary revision and increment management8.23 Ratings1.014 Ratings
    Reimbursement management7.83 Ratings8.25 Ratings
    Off-cycle/On-Demand payment00 Ratings4.01 Ratings
    Leave and Attendance Management
    Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of ELMO Software and PDS Vista
    Feature
    ELMO Software
    8.5
    3 Ratings
    6% above category average
    PDS Vista
    1.0
    14 Ratings
    156% below category average
    Approval workflow8.53 Ratings1.08 Ratings
    Balance details8.53 Ratings1.014 Ratings
    Annual carry-forward and encashment00 Ratings1.013 Ratings
    Employee Self Service
    Comparison of Employee Self Service features of ELMO Software and PDS Vista
    Feature
    ELMO Software
    7.9
    10 Ratings
    2% below category average
    PDS Vista
    2.0
    18 Ratings
    121% below category average
    View and generate pay and benefit information8.05 Ratings4.017 Ratings
    Update personal information8.010 Ratings1.015 Ratings
    View company policy documentation8.26 Ratings3.09 Ratings
    Employee recognition7.66 Ratings1.06 Ratings
    View job history00 Ratings1.05 Ratings
    HR Reporting
    Comparison of HR Reporting features of ELMO Software and PDS Vista
    Feature
    ELMO Software
    7.7
    6 Ratings
    3% above category average
    PDS Vista
    2.0
    17 Ratings
    116% below category average
    Report builder7.56 Ratings2.015 Ratings
    Pre-built reports7.76 Ratings2.017 Ratings
    Ability to combine HR data with external data7.84 Ratings2.014 Ratings
    Onboarding
    Comparison of Onboarding features of ELMO Software and PDS Vista
    Feature
    ELMO Software
    7.8
    7 Ratings
    1% below category average
    PDS Vista
    1.0
    2 Ratings
    155% below category average
    New hire portal8.26 Ratings1.02 Ratings
    Manager tracking tools7.44 Ratings1.01 Ratings
    Performance and Goals
    Comparison of Performance and Goals features of ELMO Software and PDS Vista
    Feature
    ELMO Software
    7.8
    8 Ratings
    1% below category average
    PDS Vista
    2.8
    3 Ratings
    95% below category average
    Individual goal setting8.28 Ratings1.03 Ratings
    Line-of sight-visibility8.08 Ratings00 Ratings
    Performance tracking7.38 Ratings6.42 Ratings
    Corporate goal setting00 Ratings1.03 Ratings
    Performance Management
    Comparison of Performance Management features of ELMO Software and PDS Vista
    Feature
    ELMO Software
    7.6
    10 Ratings
    3% below category average
    PDS Vista
    1.0
    5 Ratings
    155% below category average
    Performance plans7.710 Ratings1.03 Ratings
    Performance improvement plans7.710 Ratings1.02 Ratings
    Review status tracking6.78 Ratings1.03 Ratings
    Review reminders7.79 Ratings1.04 Ratings
    Multiple review frequency8.29 Ratings1.03 Ratings
    Succession Planning
    Comparison of Succession Planning features of ELMO Software and PDS Vista
    Feature
    ELMO Software
    7.4
    7 Ratings
    5% below category average
    PDS Vista
    2.3
    2 Ratings
    109% below category average
    Create succession plans/pools7.96 Ratings3.61 Ratings
    Candidate ranking7.66 Ratings1.02 Ratings
    Candidate search6.45 Ratings1.02 Ratings
    Candidate development7.96 Ratings3.61 Ratings
    Recruiting / ATS
    Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of ELMO Software and PDS Vista
    Feature
    ELMO Software
    7.5
    5 Ratings
    3% below category average
    PDS Vista
    1.4
    4 Ratings
    139% below category average
    Job Requisition Management7.84 Ratings1.04 Ratings
    Company Website Posting7.74 Ratings1.04 Ratings
    Publish to Social Media7.32 Ratings00 Ratings
    Job Search Site Posting6.82 Ratings00 Ratings
    Duplicate Candidate Prevention7.82 Ratings1.92 Ratings
    Applicant Tracking7.53 Ratings1.04 Ratings
    Notifications and Alerts7.94 Ratings2.02 Ratings
    Asset Management
    Comparison of Asset Management features of ELMO Software and PDS Vista
    Feature
    ELMO Software
    -
    Ratings
    PDS Vista
    7.3
    7 Ratings
    10% below category average
    Tracking of all physical assets00 Ratings7.37 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    ELMO SoftwarePDS Vista
    Small Businesses
    Zoho People
    Score8.4 out of 10
    Zoho People
    Score8.4 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Zoho People
    Score8.4 out of 10
    Zoho People
    Score8.4 out of 10
    Enterprises
    PeopleStrong
    Score10 out of 10
    PeopleStrong
    Score10 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    ELMO SoftwarePDS Vista
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.1
    (15 ratings)
    1.0
    (24 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.1
    (7 ratings)
    Usability
    8.0
    (15 ratings)
    2.0
    (3 ratings)
    Availability
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    9.5
    (2 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    Support Rating
    7.6
    (8 ratings)
    8.2
    (3 ratings)
    Online Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    Configurability
    4.5
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    6.4
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    ELMO SoftwarePDS Vista
    Likelihood to Recommend
    ELMO Software
    The performance review process is clear and easy to complete, for both employee and manager. I have experienced this in both roles, with my own staff, and undergoing my own review with my manager. I haven't experienced scenarios where it is less appropriate, I think our HR department customised the software well to our needs.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    As Vista HRMS is fully customizable to suit your needs, a company should determine if they have a current employee who can do the work themselves otherwise they will need to consider the additional cost of asking PDS to do the customizations for them. There are additional modules that we aren't currently making use of, but each company should learn about the functionality of each of them as some may be more beneficial than others. When gathering your questions, ask all potential users of the system what they would want to see in an HRMS. We did so before selecting Vista HRMS and we got pages and pages of questions and comments and made sure that each item was addressed beforehand and was something that we would be able to incorporate into the system. You have the option of taking the system in house or being a hosted client. Make sure you figure out what resources your IT department has available. If you have a dedicated administrator who will do all the upgrades and enhancements great, otherwise you may need PDS to help out and having PDS host may be a better option
    Read full review
    Pros
    ELMO Software
    • Has extensive courses library (theory and video library).
    • Very responsive, resourceful and efficient support team.
    • Stuff survey - great range of available templates.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    • Vista HRMS is very flexible, it does everything we need for HR, benefits and payroll. It’s user-friendly and intuitive to use, when we roll out new self-service items our employees have no problems and require minimal training or documentation.
    • PDS has excellent customer service and support. We get answers to the majority of our questions and problems quickly, within the day that we call. More complex issues that may require PDS’ technical support are usually addressed within a few days. We were upgrading our production servers to Windows 2012 over a weekend and a key person in our organization was on leave. When we checked with PDS to see what cost would be involved if we needed their help, they said it was included in our regular maintenance, no extra cost.
    • The PDS User’s Conference is an excellent learning opportunity for training on everything Vista does, including using Crystal Reports for custom reporting. You also get to meet and talk to the executive and development staff and have direct input into the future product development.
    Read full review
    Cons
    ELMO Software
    • Help seems unavailable.
    • A guide or how-to would be extremely appreciated - I haven't found any, at least for user level.
    • User interface could follow a more standard/familiar approach.
    • Some panes should be collapsible (e.g. the right "Work Flow" area, which gives very little help).
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    • Typical of any system built for the unknown requirements of hundreds or thousands of customers with varying needs, PDS sometimes doesn't fit our processes precisely out of the box. However, this con is far outweighed by the ability to configure and customize the system.
    • The most significant pet peeve of our users is the necessity for so many clicks to navigate between different areas or the system or to review applicants. These items are being addressed based on feedback from the user community in an upcoming release.
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    ELMO Software
    No answers on this topic
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    I feel so invested in Vista HRMS that I don't really want to try other options. I know we as an organization are not using this product to it's full potential and that is just due to us lacking the resources to be able to invest the time into breaking it apart and making it work to the best ability for us. The system works great as is, but there are a lot of implementations we can put into place to help us out even more. For example, we would love to start using Workflow to create more efficiencies. I personally have a very good relationship with our hosted vendor who supports Vista HRMS and can help me with any issues and concerns, this is a big part of the reason that I would renew with this product and continue to be an advocate for Vista HRMS.
    Read full review
    Usability
    ELMO Software
    Once I learned the specific way of doing things, the software became very logical and ergonomic. It is easy to use and is an excellent resource for many of the specific tasks required for my role, especially in relation to staff onboarding and management. It is also excellent as a resource for my own personal HR information.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    In my line of work, PDS Vista doesn't fit. I recruit and manager talent pipelines, as well as all onboarding aspects of 11 companies. I spend more hours getting data configured and searching for information within this software than I spend with my candidates. Theres an abundance duplication, and there isn't a single stream of information shared across screens. I have to input the SAME details into several screens for them to match up. Nothing is intuitive, and its certainly not end user friendly
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    ELMO Software
    I am not sure whether you are asking how the learning & development team rates ELMO Software or how ELMO supports our team when issues arise with the software? It is not my decision to purchase the software nor am I involved with the maintenance of the software.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    PDS has excellent customer service and support. We get answers to the
    majority of our questions and problems quickly, within the day that we
    call. More complex issues that may require PDS’ technical support are
    usually addressed within a few days
    Read full review
    Online Training
    ELMO Software
    No answers on this topic
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    The resources and online tools that PDS provide are extremely thorough and helpful in our training and learning.
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    ELMO Software
    I was not involved
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    Ask lots of questions, ensure you fully understand the functionality (particularly history records) and train, train, train the users for correct and complete utilization of the system.
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    ELMO Software
    Aspen is more straightforward in creating a course of personal development recognized by our industry, but your ELMO Software is generally easier to use. As the workforce in our company is very often built by the majority of people with basic academic background education, IE they often have only just completed year 10... it is very important your element of making it easy to understand, using simple words and clear explained multiple choices in the final quiz
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    I've used Peoplesoft HCM in the past. The products have some similarities, but they are marketed to different sized companies, so it's a bit of apples to oranges. Peoplesoft was very complex and challenging to manage and support. Vista HRMS should require fewer technical resources and still provide robust features for HR and Payroll. We selected Vista HRMS because it met the majority of our requirements and was priced to enable us to purchase and implement it within our budget. Also, it's an integrated system (although not truly one system when you count Vista Time) which is an improvement over our current state.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Professional Services
    ELMO Software
    Did not use
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    ELMO Software
    • It has been helpful
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Personnel Data Systems (PDS)
    • Positive impact would definitely be self-service for both employees and managers to view and update selected data.
    • Through some analytics our managers are able to track turnover for their site/department by many criteria (length of service, reason, etc) and can view a number of other analytical reports such as headcount and demographics which help them to make informed decisions about their department.
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    PDS Vista Screenshots

    Screenshot of employee data, which is the heart of a corporate knowledge base. Within Vista, an organized database of employees, applicants, jobs, and positions can be created and maintained. The product’s flexibility allows users to structure corporate data as simply or as complicated as business needs require.Screenshot of Vista Payroll, which is designed to strike the perfect balance between power and simplicity. It is designed to process large volumes of data within tight time constraints, whether U.S., Canadian, or Caribbean.

Vista Payroll is focused on its main tasks of calculating pay, creating paychecks, producing payroll registers, and federal, state, local, and provincial tax reports.Screenshot of the included Vista Benefits features, which can include unlimited plans and coverage levels, automated benefits eligibility, auto-housekeeping of valuations and premiums.Screenshot of Vista Recruiting, which presents critical applicant information in an efficient manner for both human resources professionals and hiring managers, alike.

Vista Recruiting gives HR departments command over the entire hiring process for each department in every location while more easily tracking and controlling costs, improving applicant management, strengthening relationships with applicants, and reducing paperwork for the HR team.