APPLICATIONS:

 PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION: IT WILL ENCOMPASS INFORMATION ABOUT EACH EMPLOYEE, SUCH AS

NAME, ADDRESS, DATE OF BIRTH, DATE OF JOINING THE ORGANIZATION, AND INFORMATION ABOUT NEXT
OF KIN AND FAMILY. THE FACILITY SHOULD ALLOW THE USER TO MAINTAIN A NUMBER OF ADDRESS
RECORDS SUCH AS PERMANENT HOME ADDRESS, LOCAL POSTAL ADDRESS, AND THE ADDRESS OF NEXT
OF KIN.  SALARY ADMINISTRATION: SALARY REVIEW PROCEDURES ARE AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF THE
HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. A GOOD HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM MUST BE ABLE TO
PERFORM ‘WHAT IF’ ANALYSIS AND PRESENT THE PROPOSED INCREASE IN A REPORT SUITABLE FOR
DISTRIBUTION TO VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS. A GLOBAL UPDATE FEATURE WHICH WILL REQUIRE A MINIMUM
OF OPERATOR INTERVENTION SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO EFFECT PAY INCREASE FOR EMPLOYEES.
 LEAVE/ABSENCE RECORDING: AN ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENT OF HRIS IS TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE
AND ACCURATE METHOD OF CONTROLLING LEAVE/ABSENCES. A FUNDAMENTAL ASPECT OF LEAVE
MANAGEMENT IS TO MAINTAIN A COMPLETE LEAVE HISTORY FOR EACH EMPLOYEE WITH THE ABILITY TO
INCREASE ENTITLEMENT ACCORDING TO LEAVE RULES. EVERY EMPLOYEE CAN BE ISSUED WITH AN
IDENTITY CARD OF THE EMPLOYEE TOKEN NUMBER CODED ON IT. THE IDENTITY CARD OF THE EMPLOYEE
ENTERING/LEAVING THE GATE WILL BE SWIPED THROUGH AND TIMING LOGGED-IN/LOGGED OUT. THIS
WILL AVOID MANUAL EFFORT IN RECORDING DATA, AND CALCULATING WAGES FOR EMPLOYEES WITH ANY
POSSIBILITY OF ERRORS BY OVERSIGHT/MALPRACTICE.  SKILL INVENTORY: HUMAN RESOURCE
INFORMATION SYSTEM IS USED TO RECORD ACQUIRED SKILLS AND MONITOR A SKILL DATABASE AT BOTH
EMPLOYEE AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL. THIS WILL PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY EMPLOYEES
WITH THE NECESSARY SKILLS FOR CERTAIN POSITIONS OR JOB FUNCTIONS.  MEDICAL HISTORY: THE
HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM MAY BE USED TO RECORD OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH DATA
REQUIRE FOR INDUSTRIAL SAFETY PURPOSES, ACCIDENT MONITORING, EXPOSURE TO POTENTIALLY
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, AND SO ON. FOR EXAMPLE, HEARING LOSS IN CERTAIN WORK AREAS MAY BE
MONITORED USING AUDIOMETRIC TESTS AND RESULTS RECORDED ON HIRS. THE RECORDS OF
PERIODICAL MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS MAY ALSO BE MAINTAINED.
 ACCIDENT MONITORING: THE SYSTEM SHOULD RECORD THE DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT FOR THE
INJURED EMPLOYEES. THIS CAN BE USED TO HIGHLIGHT ACCIDENT-PRONE AREAS OR ACCIDENT-PRONE
TIMES WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.  PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: THE SYSTEM SHOULD RECORD
INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL DATA SUCH AS THE DUE DATE OF THE APPRAISAL,
SCORES FOR EACH PERFORMANCE CRITERIA, POTENTIAL FOR PROMOTION, AND OTHER INFORMATION TO
FORM A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF EACH EMPLOYEE. THE TEXTUAL DATA RELATING TO APPRAISALS
CAN BE RETAINED IN PAPER FORM AND CAN BE COMBINED WITH THE OVERVIEW OBTAINED FROM THE
HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR TRAINING, TRANSFER AND PROMOTION PURPOSES. 
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT: THE SYSTEM SHOULD CONSIDER THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS
OF AN EMPLOYEE, WITH THE ABILITY TO RECORD AND ENQUIRE ON COURSES COMPLETED, THOSE
UNDERWAY, AND ANY PROJECTED COURSES. THIS WILL ENABLE ANY GAPS IN TRAINING TO BE IDENTIFIED
AND ALSO ALLOW TRAINING COSTS TO BE MONITORED AT THE ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL. THE SYSTEM
COULD ALSO BE USED FOR RECORDING THE DETAILS OF TRAINING IMPARTED TO VARIOUS EMPLOYEES. 
MANPOWER PLANNING: AN ORGANIZATION HIRES PEOPLE BCOZ IT HAS A NEED TO FILL A POSITION TO
ENSURE THAT IT CONTINUES TO OPERATE EFFICIENTLY AND WITHIN THE BUDGET RESTRAINTS.
THEREFORE, A FUNDAMENTAL ASPECT OF A HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM SHOULD BE TO
RECORD DETAILS OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF POSITIONS. A HUMAN
RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM CAN BE USED TO CONNECT EMPLOYEES TO REQUIRED POSITIONS AND
KEEP TRACK OF THEIR MOVEMENTS. THIS PHILOSOPHY PROVIDES THE USER WITH A MEANS OF
IDENTIFYING VACANCIES AND ESTABLISHING STAFF NUMBERS, USING EITHER REPORTS OR ON-LINE
ENQUIRIES. A LOGICAL PROGRESSION PATH AND THE STEPS REQUIRED FOR ADVANTAGE CAN BE
IDENTIFIED BY HRIS AFTER WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL PROGRESS CAN BE MONITORED.
 RECRUITMENT: AN ESSENTIAL FUNCTION OF ANY PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT IS RECRUITMENT.
RECORDING DETAILS OF RECRUITMENT ACTIVITY SUCH AS THE COST AND METHOD OF RECRUITMENT,
AND THE TIME TAKEN TO FILL THE POSITION CAN BE USED TO PROVIDE A PICTURE OF THE COST OF
RECRUITMENT IN TERMS OF TIME AS WELL AS RUPEE VALUE.  CAREER PLANNING: HRIS COULD RECORD
PROJECTED POSITIONAL MOVES. THE SYSTEM MUST BE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING SUCCESSION PLANS TO
IDENTIFY WHICH EMPLOYEE HAVE BEEN EARMARKED FOR WHICH POSITIONS.
 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING: A COMPUTER TERMINAL CAN BE POSITIONED IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM AND
LINKED TO THE MAIN DATABASE. THIS WILL EXPEDITE NEGOTIATIONS BY READILY PROVIDING UP-TO-DATE
DATA AND ALSO FACILITATING ‘WHAT IF’ ANALYSIS. THIS WILL PROVIDE THE MEANS FOR DISCUSSION
BASED ON FACTS AND FIGURES AND NOT FEELING AND FICTIONS. THE SYSTEM CAN ALSO BE MADE
ACCESSIBLE THROUGH TELEPHONE LINES AND MODEMS TO ALL EMPLOYEES TO FIRE PERSONNEL
QUERIES.
STEPS IN IMPEMENTING AN HRIS:
THE FOLLOWING STEPS SHOULD BE FOLLOWED IN SETTING UP AN HRIS:
 INCEPTION OF IDEA: IDEA MUST ORIGINATE SOMEWHERE. THE ORIGINATOR SHOULD MAKE A
PRELIMINARY REPORT JUSTIFYING THE NEED FOR AN HRIS. THE MOST CRITICAL PART OF THIS STEP IS TO
CLEARLY ILLUSTRATE HOW AN HRIS CAN ASSIST MANAGEMENT IN MAKING CERTAIN DECISIONS. 
FEASIBILITY STUDY: THE PRESENT SYSTEM SHOULD BE STUDIED TO HIGHLIGHT THE PROBLEM AREAS AND
THE LIKELY BENEFIT OF AN HRIS. IT SHOULD CARRY OUT A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF THE HRIS IN TERMS
OF LABOUR AND MATERIAL AS ALSO THE INTANGIBLE SAVINGS, SUCH AS INCREASED ACCURACY AND
FEWER ERRORS.  SELECTING A PROJECT TEAM: ONCE THE FEASIBILITY STUDY HAS BEEN ACCEPTED AND
THE RESOURCES ALLOCATED, A PROJECT TEAM SHOULD BE SELECTED. THE PROJECT TEAM SHOULD
CONSIST OF A HUMAN RESOURCE REPRESENTATIVE, WHO IS KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE
ORGANIZATION’S HUMAN RESOURCE FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES, AND THE ORGANIZATION ITSELF, AND
ALSO A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM. AS THE PROJECT PROGRESSES,
ADDITIONAL CLERICAL PEOPLE FROM THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT WILL NEED TO BE ADDED.
 DEFINING THE REQUIREMENTS: A STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIES IN DETAILS EXACTLY WHAT
THE SYSTEM NEEDED TO DO. A LARGER PART OF THE STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENTS NORMALLY DEALS
WITH THE REPORT THAT WILL BE PRODUCED, THE OBJECTIVE HERE BEING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
MISSION OF AN HRIS TRULY MATCHES WITH THE MANAGEMENT’S NEEDS OF AN HRIS.  VENDOR
ANALYSIS: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STEP IS TO DETERMINE WHAT HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ARE
AVAILABLE THAT WILL BEST MEET THE ORGANIZATION’S NEEDS AT THE LEAST PRICE. THIS IS A DIFFICULT
TASK. THIS INVOLVES DISCUSSION WITH VARIOUS VENDORS ON HOW THEIR HRIS WILL MEET THE
ORGANIZATION’S NEEDS. THIS WILL HELP IN MAKING A DECISION OF GOING TO THE ‘OFF-THE-SELF’
PACKAGE OR TO DEVELOP THE SYSTEM INTERNALLY.  CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS: THE CONTRACT
STIPULATING THE PRICE, DELIVERY, VENDOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES WITH REGARD TO INSTALLATION,
SERVICE MAINTENANCE, TRAINING TO ORGANIZATION EMPLOYEES, ETC., MAY BE NEGOTIATED.
 TRAINING: PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS MAY FIRST BE TRAINED TO USE THE SYSTEM AND THEN THEY
COULD TRAIN ALL USERS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS.  TAILORING THE SYSTEM: IT INVOLVES MAKING
CHANGES TO THE SYSTEM TO BEST FIT THE ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS.  COLLECTING DATA: DATA IS
COLLECTED AND FED INTO THE SYSTEM.  TESTING THE SYSTEM: PURPOSE OF THE TESTING IS TO VERIFY
OUTPUT OF HRIS AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS DOING WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO DO. ALL REPORTS NEED TO
BE CRITICALLY ANALYZED.
 STARTING UP: EVEN AFTER TESTING, OFTEN SOME ADDITIONAL ERRORS SURFACE DURING THE START-
UP. THESE NEED TO BE SORTED OUT.  RUNNING IN PARALLEL: JUST FOR THE SECURITY, THE NEW
SYSTEM IS RUN IN PARALLEL WITH THE OLD TILL THE NEW SYSTEM STABILIZES AND PEOPLE GAIN
CONFIDENCE IN ITS OPERATION.  MAINTENANCE: IT NORMALLY TAKES SEVERAL MONTHS FOR THE HR
PEOPLE TO GET ACQUITTED WITH HRIS.  AUDIT: AFTER A YEAR OR SO, THE PROJECT TEAM SHOULD
AUDIT THE PERFORMANCE OF HRIS AND IF REQUIRED, CORRECTIVE ACTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN.

BENEFITS:
 THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS ARE DERIVED FROM THE SYSTEM:
 HIGHER SPEED OF RETRIEVAL & PROCESSING OF DATA.  REDUCTION IN DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS
LEADING TO REDUCED COST.  EASE IN CLASSIFYING & RECLASSIFYING DATA.  BETTER ANALYSIS
LEAFING TO MORE EFFECTIVE DECISION-MAKING.  HIGHER ACCURACY OF INFORMATION/REPORT
GENERATED.  FAST RESPONSE TO ANSWER QUERIES.  IMPROVED QUALITY OF REPORTS.  BETTER
WORK CULTURE.  ESTABLISHING OF STREAMLINED & SYSTEMATIC PROCEDURES.  MORE
TRANSPARENCY IN THE SYSTEM.

LIMITATION OF HRIS
: WHILE THE COMPUTERIZED HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM, DESCRIBED EARLIER, HAS MANY
BENEFITS, IT ALSO HAS MANY PROBLEMS WHICH NEED TO BE ADDRESSED TO BEFORE IT CAN REALLY BE
USEFUL. SOME OF THEM ARE DESCRIBED BELOW: 1. IT CAN BE EXPENSIVE IN TERMS OF FINANCE AND
MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS. 2. IT CAN BE THREATENING AND INCONVENIENT TO THOSE WHO ARE NOT
COMFORTABLE WITH COMPUTERS. FOR COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION TO BE USEFUL AT ALL LEVELS,
THERE IS AN URGENT NEED FOR LARGE-SCALE COMPUTER LITERACY. 3. OFTEN THE PERSONNEL
DESIGNING HRIS DO NOT HAVE A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CONSTITUTES QUALITY
INFORMATION FOR THE USERS. THUS, THE USER MANAGERS DO NOT GET EXACTLY THE REPORTS WHICH
THEY WANT. PRODUCING INFORMATION THAT IS OF QUALITY TO THE USERS REQUIRES AN INVESTMENT IN
TIME, EFFORTS AND COMMUNICATION ON THE PART OF HRIS MANAGERS.
4. COMPUTERS CANNOT SUBSTITUTE HUMAN BEING; HUMAN INTERVENTION WILL ALWAYS BE NECESSARY.
COMPUTERS CAN AT BEST AID THE HUMAN EFFORT. THE QUALITY OF RESPONSE IS DEPENDENT UPON THE
ACCURACY OF DATA INPUT AND QUERIES FIRE. THE ‘GARBAGE –IN GARBAGE-OUT’ (GIGO) ID THE KEY
EXPRESSION IN ANY COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM. 5. IN MANY ORGANIZATIONS, THE SYSTEM IS OPERATED IN
BATHS MODE WITH THE RECORDS BEING UPDATED ONCE A WEEK. ON-LINE FACILITY IN MULTI-USER
ENVIRONMENT NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED SO THE REPORTS GENERATED ARE NOT OUT OF PHASE WITH
THE REALITIES. IN MANY A SITUATION, THE STALE INFORMATION IS AS GOOD AS NO INFORMATION.