ContentsCompany overview Frontier Software – serving your business better User training Ongoing maintenance and support Helpdesk Consulting Project management Payroll bureau/outsourcing Technical assistance System reviews and audits Data migration/conversion Solid foundation 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 Human resources Record complete demographic data Establishment and position control Absence and leave control Organisation charting Flexible remuneration modelling and forecasting Job evaluation Appraisal and development review Occupational health and safety Succession and career planning Diary reminders and email Report designer Letter writing and documents Imaging – photographs/documents Executive information/ business intelligence reporting Management reports Correspondence attachments 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 Pre-payment/advance pay Pay adjustments Hours worked Pay rates/pay scales Payslip messages Pension/superannuation Absence and leave management Taxation and social security Statutory reports Pay history and year-to-date Overtime Report designer Loans and repayment Commission and expenses Electronic interfaces to banks Payroll reports Termination calculation Rostering and time interpretation Award interpretation module SSP/SMP Payroll bureau/outsourcing Hardware outsourcing Software outsourcing Staff outsourcing 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 Report designer 20 Technology Operating in a client server environment Databases – the choice is yours Simple access for users Customisation. Tailoring chris21 to meet your business requirements Extensive online help/user guide A security system that puts you in control Optimum audit efficiency Diary reminders and email Integration with office automation chris21 – a true open environment Executive reporting module Internet/intranet employee self service Managers approval and workflow 22 22 22 22 23 23 23 23 24 24 24 25 25 25 Learning and development Needs analysis Course administration Course diaries Nominations and bookings Letter writing Skill and competence monitoring Graphical analysis Costing and budgets 16 16 16 16 16 16 17 17 17 Other modules P11D reporting (UK only) Travel and subsistence/vehicles Expense payment and control Salary packaging Time and attendance Executive reporting Payroll bureau/outsourcing Web browser Employee self service Manager approvals/workflow 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 27 27 27 27 Payroll management Backpay Leavers Interfaces to general ledger and job costing Deductions/allowances/earnings/benefits On-line/Individual pay re-calculation Supplementary pay Payslips – printed or by email Pay frequencies Autopay Net to gross 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 11 Recruitment management Vacancy tracking Applicant management Candidate selection Interviews and appointments Letter writing Reporting/enquiries Document attachments Graphical analysis 18 18 18 19 19 19 19 19 19 Your notes 28 Company overview page 2 Human resources page 6 Payroll management page 10 Learning and development page 16 Recruitment management page 18 Report designer page 20 Technology page 22 Other modules page 26 Your notes page 28 Company overview 2 Founded on commitment, built on quality. Since 1983, Frontier Software has established a proud track record of success in facilitating effective human resource management Effective human resource management is increasingly recognised as being critical for the success of companies worldwide. Today, the elements embodied by human resource management are complex, encompassing a huge range of specialist areas such as personnel administration, payroll, recruitment, training, staff development, health and safety, skills development, vacancy management, expense control and workforce planning. Small wonder a flexible and responsive software system is essential to manage the plethora of tasks necessary for effective human resource management. Beginning in Melbourne, Australia, in 1983 followed by the opening of offices in New Zealand and the UK in 1991, followed by Singapore in 2003. In 2003, Frontier Software acquired two companies. The first being Mainway, an established payroll bureau based in Nottingham UK. The second acquisition being Goodwood, a HR software organisation based in Walsall UK. Frontier Software has developed one of the most successful solutions for human resource management anywhere in the world. Named chris21 (Complete Human Resource Information System), this software has been installed in major corporations throughout Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Europe, Singapore and other areas. This is a significant achievement for the company which now boasts over one thousand clients and over two hundred and fifty employees worldwide. The organisation shows strong growth, utilising its profits to continue product development, performance and service thus providing users with superior customer satisfaction. The international success of chris21is based on both technical excellence and the capability of the software to evolve to meet the changing requirements of clients. This widely accepted client/server product operates on the world’s leading computer environments — Windows XP, Windows 2000 and UNIX, thus providing an enterprise-wide local and wide area network topology with Internet/intranet capability. chris21 is a modular yet integrated software solution based on the concept of entering data once, that allows constant enquiries of its unlimited online history. User ad-hoc queries, customisation tools, seamless integration with Microsoft Office and other products are included. This integration ensures that chris21 provides the ultimate in flexibility and functionality. “We tailor your implementation programme to meet your requirements. specialist work-groups and for managers so that they know how chris21 can satisfy management needs.” . help is just a telephone call away. chris21 is being constantly reviewed and enhanced for your benefit. Implementation training is normally delivered at your site and takes place over a number of sessions. general enhancements and new technical features and are forwarded directly to you as a part of your annual maintenance agreement. “Wherever you are. Frontier Software delivers the support you demand. The strategic direction of Frontier Software is dictated by user needs across the world wide business use of this successful human resource and payroll solution. implementation. post implementation reviews or on a day-to-day basis. ensuring chris21 is always providing you with the latest market requirements. Our training consultants can also work with you to develop training programmes specific to your needs. Frontier Software is at the forefront of technology. comprehensive documentation is provided with each training session. The other benefits of our scheduled training courses are that the training is broad based and that ideas can be shared with similar users from other organisations. Ongoing maintenance and support “Frontier Software is using the internet to communicate with clients so that information is received quickly and efficiently. A virtual human resource office is now a reality with internet/intranet technology. Standard training courses are regularly scheduled at our offices.” Software upgrades include legislative changes. The design of chris allows organisations to purchase functions that match budgets and business needs. chris21 is regularly updated with client enhancements developed as a result of user group meetings. These courses are cost effective for one or two attendees from the same organisation. These sessions ensure that users are totally conversant with chris21.” User support is essential and Frontier Software provides a first class service (users tell us so). Modules cover the diverse requirements of human resource and payroll management for any type of organisation. Available modules include: • • • • • • • • • • • Human Resource administration Payroll management Learning and development Recruitment administration Travel and subsistence Expense payment and control Employee self service Manager approval and workflow Award interpretation Ad-hoc report designing Executive reporting …and many others 21 Company services Frontier Software — serving your business better Supplying excellent software is only half of the Frontier Software service. We have an unequalled reputation for providing a superior level of support. Frontier Software also supplies you with a comprehensive online help facility and associated documentation covering: • User reference guide • Topic notes • Training notes User training Frontier Software offer a comprehensive training programme for all types of users. “Users are always kept up to date and the support agreement provides free software upgrades along with a first class support service. Whether at installation.Frontier Software and chris21 provide a business solution that harmonises with your company’s business practices making information easily accessible across an organisation-wide network.” Inhouse training sessions are available for new staff or to bring existing staff up-to-date with the new features available in chris21. as well as statutory obligations. This form of training is particularly suited to ‘remote’ users. Frontier Software provides you with the best value and service through our ongoing support. The hot line provides answers and all calls are logged for analysis and subsequent user group discussion. Frontier delivers at all stages of the project. To help with ‘at the office’ training. Remember. simple to maintain and therefore requires a minimum of technical support. any task that requires an understanding of human resource or payroll management can be undertaken by Frontier Software. by whom. our consultants can assist with implementation. specification of new requirements. Project management A successful implementation requires a professionally managed project. Our experience is vital to your success. client satisfaction is our No. they will produce a comprehensive report for your review and action. Payroll bureau/outsourcing Frontier Software operate a wide range of outsourcing services to satisfy an organisations business needs. to assist them to retrieve. The helpdesk is your one-stopshop for any queries. The Service Level Agreements can range from traditional bureau arrangements to a fully managed service. This service compliments use of chris21 as an inhouse product. To ensure that your organisation receives maximum benefit from your investment. System reviews and audits When you commit to chris21. With the experience of hundreds of successful implementations we know exactly what is required. And importantly we put together realistic plans that let you complete your implementation on time. easy to upgrade. Technical assistance Many organisations today have few staff available to assist with technical matters. we’ll be there. it sometimes means that technical staff are not always available. Frontier can put a plan together that shows you what needs to be done. this service is flexible to meet your business needs. just as many are unable to spare the resources for this important task. While contracting out as and when required. We know what works and what does not. While some companies prefer their own project management. chris21 is simple to install. within budget and with minimum disruption to your organisation and to your employees. Consulting In addition to providing training and helpdesk support. At the conclusion of each project. In a short period chris21 will become an essential daily management tool. . site reviews and even cover for short-term staff absences. you invest in its functionality and its advanced technology. is cost effective. understand and analyse chris21 information. After all. quickly and effectively. our consultants can work in partnership with you in comprehensive system reviews and audits. But if you need any help. Like the product. conversions.Company overview 4 Helpdesk The helpdesk is a fundamental part of our business. In short. 1 priority. Frontier consultants also work with internal/ external auditors and non-chris21 users. You are not charged for support calls: access to the helpdesk is part of your maintenance agreement and our helpdesk will solve your problems. click the icon and documentation appears • Professional training and project management — successful implementation provides credibility • Continued user-led enhancements at no extra cost — regular user groups lead development • Incorporation of technological changes — client/server design • Open database access — users can get at the data easily and quickly • Users can perform customisation — your business needs are met • Company strength — profitable company • Frontier Software constantly invests in research and development — after development. we are there to help • Ease of use with product flexibility — extensive online help. Solid foundation A solid foundation provides success and the Frontier Software commitment to product functionality. Success has been based upon a number of factors and our key attributes are: • Product commitment — look at product release contents • Compliance with specific country legislative requirements • We listen to our users — users receive requested enhancements at no extra cost • Complete user satisfaction — our user surveys tell us so • Reliable and robust software — over 20 years in the HR software industry • First class helpdesk support — wherever you are. quality assurance follows and a quality product is produced chris21 benefits your organisation by reducing administrative costs and producing management information in a most cost-effective manner • Proven Technology — Frontier Software uses software tools that are reliable and proven in todays ever changing technical environment. Human Resource and Payroll is a mission critical system .Data migration/conversion Frontier Software offer a wide variety of conversion facilities. Data from legacy systems can be easily migrated into chris21. A simple procedure without re-keying data. service and user understanding produces a quality product. Establishment and position control Keeping track of the positions within an organisation is normally a demanding and time-consuming task but with chris21 you have online access to the details of every position in your organisation. entitlement rules and statutory rules are amended/viewed whenever required. This gives you complete control over your organisation’s structure.” Absence and leave control Accurate leave management and the ability to record and analyse any absence is a fundamental component of the chris21 absence module. reducing administrative effort. previous employment Addresses Skills and competences Disciplinary warnings Grievances Equal opportunity reporting Company issues Appraisals and performance management Diaries. The database has been designed to store. enquire and report on complete history of all employees: Key features include: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Career history. All rules relating to absences are held in user defined tables and this implies that your business rules can easily be amended. “User customisation’ gives you the freedom to enhance product functionality and can be performed by a user to suit individual requirements.Human resources 6 chris21 Personnel Administration helps maintain extensive Human Resource information vital to managing your most valuable resource Record complete demographic data With a comprehensive database is already established but you can tailor the product to suit your organisation’s unique requirements and this is accomplished by the easy to use online design tool set. Payment rules. Key features include: • • • • • • • • • Position descriptions Position establishment Skills and competences Department budgets Establishment and budget reports Graphical organisation charts Vacancy reports Occupancy reports Multi positions (contracts) “Organisation change’ is implemented with ease.” . subject to security access of course. reminders and notes Professional associations Dependents Education/qualifications Licenses/certificates Training history …and others chris21. An easy to use and effective organisation management chart is produced in minutes. long service. Key features include: • • • • • Unlimited salary and benefit history Future dated increases Automatic processing of increments Salary review reports Ad-hoc enquiries. Of course flexibility is a key to success and evaluation criteria can be applied to employee position evaluations. Flexibility does not just stop there. make detailed appraisal entries and even schedule the next appraisal date generating at the same time diary reminders or email messages. Forecasting and planning proposed increases (or decreases) across the organisation or selected employee groups is an instant facility. You can easily track employee appraisal histories. users can determine what is presented in the graphical chart and obtain a complete or partial company structure. With chris21. the chart reflects the current status. and any number of. This is useful for a ‘follow up’ development review with immediate diary reminders generated as required. parental leave etc • Different. Automatic screen scrolling allows the user to maintain needs analysis as a result of an appraisal. sickness. Automatic letter production is a reality . anywhere Organisation charting “When the structure changes. eg holidays. entitlement rules can be specified • Unlimited history is automatically maintained • Sickness monitoring • Immediate graphs and sickness patterns can easily be displayed • Up to the minute and future entitlement/accrual balances • Automatic employee leave entitlements are calculated • Warning messages when leave exceeds entitlement • Leave can be entered in advance • Adjustments can be made at any time • Time off in lieu can be maintained at any time • Leave planner and leave liability reports Flexible remuneration modelling and forecasting chris21 gives you total control over an organisations highest cost. jury service.” Staff appointments and transfers are also amended with a chart. study. Changes can be made anytime. with immediate spreadsheet analysis • Award/grade/spinal points If your organisation structure changes — chris21 is there to help Job evaluation module The successful evaluation and analysis of positions and employees is vital to maintain remuneration in line with market conditions. This module supports a range of industry standard systems and users can define their own criteria.Features of absence and leave control including graphical displays are: • Any type of absence. Appraisal and development review In addition. chris21 gives you access to valuable performance appraisal functions. flexible. Photographs of staff can be viewed from any part of the system and any number of documents can be scanned. comprehensive report of any data on your system and you do not need to be a computer whiz to do it. Other facilities include: • Tracking costs incurred as a result of accidents • Reporting on investigation details and incident patterns • online history of any rehabilitation that occurs Medical details allow you to maintain a comprehensive record of health assessments by capturing data for: • Physical examinations for pre-employment • Tests such as audiometry and vision The diary reminder facility helps you to plan changes within your human resource system.” Report designer “Can I have a facility to create reports/queries without extensive learning?” Yes. Data can be passed seamlessly into Word/ExcelTM.Human resources 8 Occupational health and safety Tracking. simple. Now you can easily monitor all aspects of health and safety with chris21. prevention and analysis of accidents are imperative from a company and employee perspective. Imaging — photographs/documents chris21 offers you the latest in image support. . Diary reminders and email Generating email messages for distribution across the enterprise becomes a highly efficient method of employee communication and diary messages automatically appear in your personalised diary. linking career moves to the organisation’s structure. Succession and career planning chris21 career planning facility allows you to plan and develop career paths based on employees’ career goals. optimising security and providing an effective management tool. it is a very easy process. • You can access a pop-up window to create a reminder field each time you make a change in the chris21 system • You can offset messages to appear automatically on screen at a pre-determined date. created and attached to an employee’s record. efficient and complete — chris21 ad-hoc report designer ensures you can always create a professionally presented. Key features are: • Possible succession paths within your organisation • Short and long term career goals • Priority levels and time periods for career plans Letter writing and documents “Immediate letter production is achieved by a click of the icon. eg a reminder can be programmed to appear on screen before salary changes are to be made • chris21 interfaces to any SMTP compliant email system “Diary messages can be created within any module of chris21.” Letters and documents are created in WordTM and users define data that is to be merged. Ad-hoc queries help identify suitable candidates for career progression. In addition. Crystal. chris21 — an effective tool for human resource administration. drill down. clear and concise . Impromptu. Frontier Software supply an Executive Reporting module with a wide variety of pre-written reports and graphical displays. These business intelligence tools provide full graphics. Absence records are easy to understand Screens are designed to be informative. They satisfy statutory reporting requirements too. Using the powerful report designer you’ll get reports on any information held in chris21 in the format you require. slice and dice capability and analysis of your data in whatever shape or form you require.Executive information/business intelligence reporting chris21 allows third party products to provide graphical analysis by simple point and click processes. Business reports are excellent for presentations to board meetings or to senior management. All these standard reports are complemented by our ad-hoc report designer. Correspondence attachments Human resource departments receive a great deal of incoming correspondence. analysis and reporting on your Human Resource data. Examples include WebFocus. Not only is the report designer powerful. Business Objects and others. Examples of standard reports are: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Turnover reports Age analysis Service analysis Terminations New starters Transfers Profile report Leave planner Labour costs Salary review Leave liability Budget reports Headcount reports Remuneration reports Department lists Establishment reports Organisation structures Absence analysis Attendance reports Unlimited health records are maintained Management reports As you would expect from any human resource information system. chris21 includes a wide variety of standard management reports to meet the majority of your organisation’s reporting requirements. it is easy to use and provides unlimited extraction. when these relate to an employee they can easily be attached to an employee record. Pay can be made up to the leaving date and if overtime/commission payments are to be made after the leaving date. chris21 automatically complies with statutory requirements for post termination payments. Over 60 general ledger interfaces already exist in chris21. Leavers “No more searching for historical data. Ideal for online checking. pension/superannuation schemes. allowances and benefits. Backpay “The pain of manual calculations is removed. whilst maintaining the original cost coding and a full history of the recalculations. Deductions/allowances/earnings/ benefits With chris21. statutory compliance.recruitment management Payroll management 10 Full functionality. You can re-calculate the individual pay and then continue with processing as normal. ease of use with full documentation are our company standards. chris21 can be used to make the payment. With chris21 you do not have to re-run the entire pay. You can also extract data from chris21 time sheets into job costing and creditor systems. Some key features include: • Automatic reduction of deduction balances • Deduction priority • Percentage or specific amount contributions • Court orders • Pro rata calculations And when additional earnings/deductions are required. chris21 maintains a full online history of changes for each employee and global changes reduce payroll workload.” chris21 automatically calculates retrospective increases (and decreases) in salaries/wages and allowances to your employees. there is no limit to the number of deductions. they are simple to add.” Online/individual pay re-calculation Often after a pay has been calculated there are last minute changes. it is there online.” When an employee leaves the company. in fact into any system that accepts ASCII files. chris21 passes with flying colours Put the payroll specialist to work for you. chris21 ensures your employees are paid accurately and on time whilst efficiently managing the complexity of ever changing conditions of employment. statutory software upgrades. Interfaces to general ledger and job costing “With chris21 you can have a complete interface to your accounting system. chris21 easily handles the most complex requirements of pay production. Great flexibility when you need it. details are not lost. . Other general ledger packages accept our standard ASCII file. Deductions and allowances can be pro-rated or made in full — you choose. time sheets could be entered via the internet/intranet and then immediately passed into chris21. With autopay. then use the autopay feature of chris21. Of course. without re-keying.Supplementary pay If you need to make payments to employees outside a normal pay run. anywhere Autopay If your employees receive the same pay each pay period. Payslip history is provided and details can be viewed at any time. overtime and allowances. chris21 has a number of alternatives for you. monthly or bi-monthly. . it is simply your choice. chris21 updates year-to-date totals. chris21 automatically calculates and deducts tax for the advance pay period using standard taxation logic. four weekly. you have several choices with chris21. chris21 even lets you easily make bulk adjustments and you can even import spreadsheet calculations into chris21. Payslips — printed or by email chris21 has a number of standard payslips from which to choose. If your organisation uses electronic time clocks. Adjustments such as backpay are created automatically when retrospective salary or allowance changes are entered. with the user specifying what can be displayed. chris21 has a simple method for making one-off payments or deductions. creates accounting entries and provides reconciliation reports. Process the employee in a separate pay run. Payslips can also be sent by email to any group of employees. chris21 offers a time and attendance interface to capture time records. Hours worked “Timesheet from keyed input.” To make life easier and to facilitate the most efficient means of entering time sheets. chris21 allows you to process advance payments for employees as a result of a termination or holiday. four/five weekly or quarterly. rosters. messages and annual salary are all userselectable. fortnightly. It saves you the time and trouble of entering timecards for ordinary hours. Changes can be made anytime. Either way. chris21 keeps a complete history of all payroll entries Pre-payment/advance pay Pay frequencies chris21 caters for a range of pay frequencies — so you can choose whatever interval or intervals best suit your organisation’s payroll requirements ie weekly. imported or internet driven. Balanced general ledger entries are always created. Pay adjustments In addition to base pay. Our consultants will work with you to determine which method of timecard input is most appropriate for you. eg holiday balances. all you need to do is run the pay — a press button pay run. Make the payment off-line and record the payment details in chris21. Other one-off adjustments are entered as they occur. You avoid the double-handling of information and chris21 saves your company time and money. Instant spreadsheet analysis using data from chris21 Net to gross If a net payment is to be made then chris21 will gross up the value according to statutory rules. sickness. study. a group of employees. both the personnel and the payroll departments can maintain leave data.” Messages can be included on payslips and the message can be made specific to an employee. . Within chris21 rates are user-defined and a history of changes is maintained.” Pay rates are the basis of any payroll system. Graphical displays enhance results and chris21 offers facilities for identifying sickness patterns (or other leave types) in a wide variety of graphical displays. The system provides: • An unlimited number of funds • Calculation of employee and employer contributions • Year-to-date and fund-to-date totals • AVCs. long service. Key features include: • • • • Automatic sick payments Automatic maternity payments Full pay/half pay calculations Up-to-the-minute display of entitlement and accrual balances on screen — now and in the future Unlimited leave histories for all employees Automatic calculation and update of employee leave entitlements Manual adjustments to balances at any time Any number of leave types (annual. Perhaps the company requires different account numbers to be used for different types of absences — with chris21 this is not a problem.recruitment management Payroll management 12 Pay rates/pay scales “Any number of pay rates can be accommodated — no restriction applies. Since chris21 absence and leave management feature is fully integrated. You have all the information you need online. or to those being processed within the pay run. • • • • • • Wage rates are table controlled Unlimited wage rates can be kept Wage rate history Global updates of wage rates can be made Scale points Incremental reporting Absence and leave management chris21 absence and leave management allows accurate and effective leave management. • • • • • • • • Pension/superannuation chris21 allows an employee to belong to any number of pension/superannuation funds and every fund is user-defined. so you are always in control. maternity) An unlimited number of leave rules Accounting entries for leave liability Warnings if leave exceeds entitlement accrued Holiday and sickness analysis Payslip messages “Employee communication underpins a successful organisation and the payslip is one method. created by global changes or by individual amendments. Additional Voluntary Contribution • Offsets and ceilings • Contracted out money purchase scheme • Specific amounts and/or percentage values • Electronic interfaces to scheme providers The power and flexibility of chris21 is reflected in the use of tables — users define the rules of entitlement and payment rules. For efficiency and accuracy — chris21 is the common sense solution. Technology always provides an opportunity to change a business process. double time and a half. Absence patterns are easy to identify .Taxation and social security Taxation tables holding the Inland Revenue rates are maintained within the Inland Revenue table. chris21 allows easy access to this information: • Unlimited online pay history is kept. magnetic media or electronically.” Two aspects of payroll processing that require constant reference are pay history and yearto-date data. Naturally complete history is available at any time and when an employee leaves. resultant balances are there to be seen.” Report designer “Any number of training reports can be produced at any time.” “Can I have a facility to create reports/queries without extensive learning?” Yes. chris21 facilitates the payment of overtime in a number of ways: • Any number of time factors for overtime are available eg normal time. simple. comprehensive report of any data on your system. flexible. eg overtime by department • chris21 automatically generates the necessary accounting data • Back pay calculations can be performed on historical data Statutory reports chris21 provides facilities to produce all statutory reports either in printed format. if not constantly. All are user definable • Report designer requests provide management with necessary controlling information. Data can be passed seamlessly into Word/ExcelTM. Overtime In most organisations the need to pay overtime arises occasionally. These cover: — Last pay — Month-to-date — Year-to-date — Alternate year-to-date “Previous year-to-date data is available online. thus reducing query time. A fundamental aspect of the annual maintenance agreement is to provide facilities to automatically update these tables on time. double time. time and a half. Details for every pay run for every employee are available • Pay history can be archived as required • Year-to-date totals are maintained for all payroll components • Accumulations for every pay component are maintained. chris21 holds tables to meet these statutory requirements. Reporting is simple and easy to perform Pay history and year-to-date “Immediate access to historical data saves time and money. Reports can be run at anytime and complete history is available Loans and repayment Employee loans can be set-up and chris21 will automatically reduce outstanding balances as installments are deducted from an employees pay. efficient and complete — the ad-hoc report writer ensures you can always create a professionally presented. etc. And you do not need to be a computer whiz to do it. The allowance reference table is used to state whether the expense is taxable or non-taxable. audit. when they need it. Once an employee is attached to a roster. accurate and readable reports are a key component of this module. reports exist that satisfy the diverse needs of your users. external agencies will all find that the chris21 reports give them exactly the information they require. building societies. This saves time and allows you to concentrate on other tasks. Payroll. managers. time sheets are automatically created without the need to physically enter any time sheets. The roster facility in chris21 records all this information. Key features include: • Automatic calculation and payment of outstanding leave entitlements and accruals • What if analysis and modelling of termination entitlements without commitment to termination • online termination calculation for individuals • Calculation of termination entitlements for groups of employees * This module is not available in the UK Electronic interfaces to banks As you would expect. interfaces exist to banks. time-of-day etc. Termination calculation* Processing and calculating termination payments is simple with the chris21 comprehensive termination module. With over 100 payroll reports available. credit unions via the appropriate formatted seamless interface. Key features include: • An unlimited number of roster cycles • Unlimited pay rates can be kept • Unlimited employee roster history is maintained . day type. finance.Payroll management 14 Commission and expenses chris21 allows any number of expense items to be reimbursed to an employee. • • • • • • • • • • • • Pay details (Gross to net) Overtime analysis Ledger reports Accounting analysis Deduction analysis Sickness payments Pension/superannuation fund schedules Year end reconciliation Costing reports Payslips Statutory payments Bank deposits Rostering and time interpretation Many organisations have rosters that require different rates of pay depending on the shift. Payroll reports With so much vital payroll information held in chris21. Once you have defined the rules used for calculating termination payments all you need to do is enter a termination date and run the termination process. Employees can work as members of teams and daily time booking records are generated according to the roster. thereby allowing you to devote the resources to profit generating areas. * This function only applies in the UK. Additionally. salaries and overheads so that you can concentrate on your own core business. full range of outsourcing services. Hardware outsourcing Frontier Software can supply and maintain the hardware plus logistics and technical expertise associated with a mission critical solution. We can tailor a service to suit your requirements while still allowing you direct access to your data regardless of whether it is payroll or human resource data. Frontier Software is happy to tailor a service to your requirements. and allowances and payment rates can reflect shift payment rules. Frontier Software bears the cost of recruitment. Changes can be made anytime. chris21 allows you to have online direct access to the system. outsourced solution with our ‘inhouse’. Frontier Software performs the backup and recovery procedures to ensure there is minimal down time and no delays. in addition it will automatically create occupational sick payments and occupational maternity payments.Award interpretation module chris21 automatic award interpretation or time booking module gives you direct on screen time sheet entry. providing you with a real-time.” Training reports can be processed at anytime Payroll bureau/outsourcing Frontier Software offers a unique. Staff outsourcing Frontier Software have a vast pool of experienced staff to provide you a cost-effective solution. We cover the broad spectrum of payroll types from Government and ‘white collar’ environments through to the most complex health and transport agreements. Software outsourcing Being state of the art thin client server. ‘online’ advantages. Rosters can have multiple shifts. chris21 can create the appropriate payments. software and labour. anywhere SSP/SMP* UK statutory legislation covers the payment of both statutory sick pay and statutory maternity pay. Letter production with automatic merging of data from chris21 is simple . Outsourcing can comprise hardware. “The best of both worlds. We will provide the facilities and flexibility of an inhouse solution without the need for the client to maintain the software and legislative requirements. training. online. ’ chris21 creates letters immediately by extracting and merging data into your WordTM. chris21 is the ideal training administrator and manager chris21 contains powerful. chris21 allows the task to be performed with ease. Not only is it ideal for a ‘one off’ but the facility is used to generate letters for selected groups of people. Software that enables these tasks to be accomplished without difficulties is essential and chris21. The user defined tables for competences and course definitions are also an essential ingredient. Letter writing ‘Immediate letter production is achieved by a click of the icon. can then be allocated a suitable course. needs analysis flows from appraisals which can be logged and analysed to formulate an employee’s training plan. allows this to happen on screen every time. . Human Resource departments generate letters so why not create a history of the actual letter with instant retrieval. Course administration Course details covering course providers. location. For organisations not using this formal process.Learning and development 16 Investment in learning will ultimately improve profitability. Subsequent sessions can be allocated at any time and the use of diaries and/or email facilities prompts for action. Training officers can then plan courses and sessions according to business requirements. current and historical. Course diaries Course sessions can be held at any time and a complete diary of courses. From course registration. costs. using Windows techniques. Groups of employees. selected by need. Nominations and bookings Employees can be nominated for course approval prior to being booked and the easy confirmation screen updates an employee’s training record. easy to use functions that follow the process of your training administration process. delegate confirmation. Needs analysis Generally. equipment needed and competences to be acquired are all elements of this core function. nominations and attendee history chris21 for Training is the answer. then an alternative course booking facility is available providing a clear path for course administration. Historical components of chris21 provide departmental managers and training departments with information to plan current and future training requirements and associated budget forecasts. therefore. A simple click will display all courses (internal and external) logged onto the database. it is imperative to train employees throughout their career history. internal/external are displayed on screen. how and what was spent on training. chris21 for Training provides answers. Training history is available at anytime Graphical analysis ‘Analysis of data is enhanced with a picture. Costs are user defined and upon attendance all costs can be logged and charged to the applicable department therefore giving management feedback on training expenditure. chris21 is able to inform users about those employees who require further training.’ Yes. Course registration letters ease administration Reports can be run at any time and complete history is available any time . Enhanced graphical analysis can be obtained by using the business intelligence module. chris21 for Training automatically updates an employee’s competency/skill set based upon user defined rules. Costing and budgets An essential aspect when setting budgets is knowing where.Skill and competence monitoring Employees attend courses to enhance their skills and therefore enable organisations to achieve better business practices. Not difficult to achieve. The diary features which prompt the user for further action where skill/competency mismatch occurs will mean a more efficient and well trained workforce. when. graphics enhance presentation and it is easy to transfer data into spreadsheets such as Microsoft ExcelTM. Why not select a group of employees and graph the sickness pattern. and all associated costs. easy to use functions that follow the workflow of your busy recruitment process. Frontier Software provides the correct tool Candidate selection: Hiring the correct person is essential to maximise company profitability. Registering basic information to send out information packs is just one of the many benefits of chris21. user defined categories are immediately displayed and the visual on screen history identifies current and historical vacancies. chris21 has an extensive array of information sets. The easy to understand screens are used to enter biographic data — from linguistic skills to previous work history. Vacancies are identified and entered into the vacancy log. Applicant management chris21 tracks external candidates and existing employees by a simple click of the mouse. Grades. . All data can then be used for candidate selection. Management reports complete the workflow of vacancy management along with who and how many applicants applied. Software that enables these tasks to be accomplished without difficulties is essential and chris21 using Windows techniques allows this to happen on screen every time. letter production. department details. namely: • • • • • • • • • Base information — name/address Vacancy applied for References Term/work address Skills and competences Education data Prior work history Health and medical events Photographs Vacancy tracking Identifying vacancies with subsequent people selection is the foundation of chris21. chris21 delivers this immediately and users can identify the best fit advertising campaign. graphical analysis and finally hiring. chris21 contains powerful. with automatic transfer to the employee database makes chris21 for Recruitment the perfect solution.Recruitment management 18 Increasing efficiency and quick easy access to both applicant and vacancy databases are fundamental to any recruitment activity. To complement the various stages of hiring an applicant. Imagine knowing how much the recruitment campaign costs. From applicant search. Offer letters are now easy to produce. bar charts. Naturally a status history of letters sent is provided. pie charts. photographs can be scanned and passed directly into the applicant database. line graphs. Naturally selections can be fine tuned by the user at any time. Diary events are user defined in pop up windows. letters are needed and the benefits of chris21 allows bulk or single letters to be sent. click and select the data. Selections are applied identifying applicants to be processed for the next stage. then data can be transferred automatically into the employee database. chris21 saves time. advertising campaigns. data being automatically extracted from chris21 . recruitment costs by vacancy. This recruitment module allows you to record all applications indefinitely Graphical analysis Powerful graphical analysis can be performed simply and with ease.Candidate selection The powerful and easy to use ad-hoc query facility enables even the novice user to extract data and display results on screen. Drill down techniques are used to identify strengths and weaknesses of the recruitment campaign. and it is a simple case of point. Just think. chris21 maintains a complete history. chris21 provides an interface to Microsoft WordTM. Interviews and appointments Interviews are arranged at any time and chris21 helps manage the interviewer’s schedule. Regardless of whether the successful applicant is from outside the company or from within. Graphical displays of data via Excel (or equivalent) are easy to produce Document attachments At any stage of the recruitment process. Ethnic monitoring. ethnic analysis by age. Reporting/enquiries At any time. enquiries can be made by using the easy to use report designer. vacancy costing etc are all achievable with minimal effort. eliminating data duplication. Once a suitable applicant is found. Typically these would include: • • • • • • Application acknowledgements Rejection letters sent References checked Confirming interview time Sent for medical Acceptance letter Letter writing At all stages of the recruitment process. Original letters can also be scanned and retrieved within your chosen word processor. Products that clients use include ExcelTM and Lotus 123TM. Dates and times are displayed and the easy to view schedule report/enquiry helps plan future activities. gender analysis and many others can be performed at the touch of a button. regardless of whether it is a single letter or letters to many applicants. chris21 allows your choice of graphical tools and executive information systems to perform time comparative analysis. chris21 workflow processes are then used and a total summary of diary events are maintained after every action. print them immediately or store them for printing at a later time and even send the results via email. Once a report has been created it can be reused with or without changing the criteria — another time saver. You can also perform mathematical and logical operations on data fields and embed the results in your reports. Security is an extremely important aspect and the chris21 report writer uses chris21 security to control what data segments can be accessed. Again. spreadsheet or word processing packages. Building a report is as simple as answering the following questions: “What details do I want? How do I select employees? How do I want them sorted? How do I want them presented?” All chris21 data items are stored in the data dictionary and can be viewed in a pop-up window or selected from the screen on which they appear. efficient and complete — chris21 report designer ensures you can always create a professionally presented. You can attach frequently used ad-hoc reports to a menu so they look like standard reports — an ideal way to get managers to run their own reports.Report designer 20 “Can I have a facility to create reports/queries without extensive learning?” Yes. . comprehensive report of any data on your system and you do not need to be a computer whiz to do it. The appropriate drivers are available from Frontier Software. And you can interface these reports with the majority of graphic. flexible. our commitment to users is to provide a solution. Another important aspect is the ease by which data can be transferred into office products such as Microsoft Word/ExcelTM. WebFocus and Forest and Trees. “Can I use other report writers?” Yes. any tried and tested ODBC (Open Data Base Connectivity) compliant software can be used against the database eg IQ. simple. Crystal. You can view reports online. Point your cursor at the item you want to appear in the report and click! There are no boundaries to the number and types of reports you can create. You can search your database and produce the selected data in a report layout of your choice. Letter writing to a select group of employees is completed immediately with the power of chris21 report writer. This is a seamless task just point and click. . The ability to open a number of windows at the same time provides users with more information. Menu configurations based upon user preferences are simple to create and change. chris21 is controlled by security that ensures that only specific users have access to screen customisation. Small things like creating user preferences. again it is your choice. the user have screen customisation facilities.Industry standards are used throughout chris21 to help users navigate around the system. remove data fields. menu structures. Navigation is not limited to menu bars. and even changing the appearance of the screen. menu trees are also an option. all of this performed to make administration an easy task. Screen customisation will allow you to add new fields. chris21 is a flexible system and you. open database and a client/server environment are the standards Technology becomes increasingly critical to the performance and competitive edge of companies and Frontier Software is constantly enhancing chris21 to take advantage of the latest technology so that you can work smarter. Now. and database access is located on the database server. In addition you can change databases at any time by using our seamless conversion process. So. freeing your client PC to run the graphical user interface and interact with the user. Databases — the choice is yours chris21 gives you the freedom to choose a database that meets your strategic direction. scroll bars and icons to help you learn the system faster and to make navigation around chris21 a breeze. the load of running software applications on your system can be shared across three components. pop-up windows. “Enterprise scale mission critical applications require three-tier architecture. July ‘98. speed and performance. Operating in a client server environment The progressive solution. performance and speed over restricted speed communication lines. Data transfer as well as the application itself can run from the application server. . chris21 complements your existing business applications with familiar features such as menus. Options are: • • • • VISION VISION with ODBC SQL Server ORACLE Frontier three-tier client/server application leads the way in functionality. The design of chris21 provides high performance across a company-wide area network.Technology 22 Proven technology underpins the design platform of chris21. in which the user interface resides on the desktop. Frontier Software three-tier client/server architecture increases reliability. and the scalability of chris21 delivers maximum efficiency and flexibility. And the new powerful client/server application allows you to access chris21 via the internet. providing greater reliability.” Open System Review. application logic resides on one or more application and/or database servers. Simple access for users chris21 graphical user interface written in Delphi is designed around an environment that is already familiar to you. Scalability. all your staff can access chris21 no matter how distant your regional offices. fields or menus to suit your unique needs • Add fields to existing screens • Hide fields that are not immediately required You can also limit user access to specified areas in your organisation.Customisation.. You can view the security log online or produce a report of the security log for detailed inspection.. You can produce a full audit report from the audit file or narrow your search for details of changes. You control and monitor access to your database.. chris21 also detects and records unauthorised attempts to access the system and unauthorised attempts to access screens and reports within the system. screen or menu labels to correspond with existing terminology within your organisation • Create new screens. departmental and organisational access to screens. report on changes within a date range. You can modify help or create your own help information to reflect your own business procedures. And you can feel secure in knowing that the audit component of chris21 satisfies all auditing requirements.? Where do I. Many windows can be opened at the same time Extensive online help/user guide chris21 includes a comprehensive contextsensitive online help function. Tailoring chris21 to meet your business requirements “I want a screen that…” With chris21 you can have one. or if fields within a record are altered. • Change field. chris21 saves details of the change to an audit file. reports and data. Data can be exported into any graphical facility eg Excel chris21 — an open database that follows your IT strategy A security system that puts you in control “Security of data is the cornerstone of your database. Optimum audit efficiency “A security system is only as good as the audit trail it leaves behind.. flexible security system.” chris21 provides a comprehensive. report on changes to an employee.. You have the flexibility to customise chris21 to suit your own requirements. You control individual.” It is imperative that you have a record of all changes made to your database. If a record is added or deleted. or combine reporting criteria. For example. Additionally.. report on changes to a file.? can be answered immediately and effortlessly. a sales manager may have access only to sales staff information. Every field in the system can be audited giving you total control over the integrity of your data. The audit report gives you a before and after image of your data so auditors can see exactly what changes have been made. Users can see on screen and report through the ad-hoc report writer only details to which they have access. . You can report on changes by a user. chris21 boasts a comprehensive online user guide so day-to-day questions like. And you can manage security for hundreds of users by applying simple security profiles. How do I. Security violations are also reported. • You can access a pop-up window to create a reminder field each time you make a change to the chris21 system • You can offset messages to appear automatically on screen at a pre-determined date. With chris21 the task of data extraction and selection is a breeze thus reducing administrative time.recruitment management Technology 24 Diary reminders and email The diary reminder system helps you plan changes within your human resource and payroll system. A major benefit of chris21 enables organisations to move from one hardware/operating system to another without changing software. a reminder can be programmed to appear on screen before salary changes are to be made • You can even export your messages to other applications such as Microsoft Outlook or any SMTP compliant email systems chris21 — a true open environment chris21 operates with standard operating systems across a wide variety of hardware manufacturers. . for example. Integration with office automation It is very easy to extract data and update spreadsheets directly or indirectly to produce graphical presentation. Lotus (WordPro/AmiPro) and Corel (WordPerfect) are used to produce letters eg salary reviews. HP Tru 64 UNIX. recruitment interviews and course registration details. IBM RS/6000 AIX. Red Hat Linux (Intel). Data can be stored in Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server databases or as VISION indexed files (with or without ODBC drivers). chris21 is scalable and open. The mail merge facility of Microsoft (Word). chris21 thin client is available for Microsoft Windows 2000 XP or later. Sun SPARC/Solaris. HP9000 HP/UX. chris21 Business Rules Engines operate on Microsoft Windows 2000 or later servers. chris21 is a proven 32 bit product for open system portability. It is also compatible with Citrix and Windows Terminal Server. Frontier Software has taken advantage of this technology. Upgrading chris21is a straightforward process . Employee self service is a reality and the database (updated in real time) can be accessed anywhere. A separate product brochure is available.Executive reporting module This executive reporting module provides specific reports and graphical output. “Companies must look at technology to provide business benefit. taking a look at your data from chris21 in any shape or form you require is a reality thus providing business intelligence for managers. Interfaces to any SMTP compliant email systems exist Internet/intranet employee self service With the explosion of corporate networks and huge interest in the internet. when ODBC compliant databases are installed. WebFocus. Automatic email messages are created to ease the approval process. Drill down. bank changes.” Diary events within chris21 invoke an email Managers approval and workflow Approval processes are included with the managers approval module with electronic forms available for Internet Explorer/Netscape Navigator browsers. chris21 can also be accessed by business intelligence reporting tools such as Cognos Powerplay. training requisitions and much more to be accomplished from web browsers either from the office or at home. This module will allow address changes. Impromptu and Business Objects. vacancy requests. slice and dice. A separate product brochure is available. chris21 users can access the database via the internet and intranet by using browser technology. Executive reporting This reporting module is in addition to the ad-hoc report writer. Data is printed in an approved format and can also be sent electronically to the Inland Revenue. Payments are sent direct to the employees bank account and general ledger entries are created automatically. Salary packaging Companies with varying salary packaging or flexible methods will find this module attractive. Accounting entries are created and bank transfer facilities exist for these non taxable employee expenses. Vehicle details are maintained within this function and unlimited history is available. A suite of management reports with online drill down facilities prove beneficial to any organisation. In discussion with users and industry experts these additional modules deliver business benefit P11D reporting (UK) This module has been designed to meet UK statutory reporting relating to benefits and appropriate expenses. miles travelled etc. Time and attendance Interfaces from a variety of time clock systems are available and payments can be created directly into chris21 from this imported datafile. Varying allowances/benefits can be chosen to determine an employees overall salary package. Expense payment and control Expenses can be paid within payroll but this module provides a facility to pay expenses anytime. The rules for payment are covered by legislation according to vehicle type. Travel and subsistence/vehicles This module allows mileage payments to be calculated and automatically paid within the payroll system.recruitment management Other modules 26 Frontier Software facilitates business efficiency by designing new modules. . Regardless of the selected option you will receive: • • • • Access to your human resource database Immediate ad-hoc queries Unlimited history Interfaces to the general ledger Web browser Employee self service This browser based module provides the facility for an employee to self serve. Examples of these processes are leave applications. training courses attended and vacancy applications.Payroll bureau/outsourcing Frontier Software offers chris21 as an inhouse solution or as a product to be used for its important outsourcing service. expense forms. partnership becomes a keyword. Self service increases business benefit . By using passwords an employee can change appropriate records eg address changes. A separate product brochure is available. bank details and also make enquiries to the database. Employee self service provides empowerment The high performance client/server design allows you to have distributed access for both input and enquiry to your database even though the services of Frontier Software are being used. Many statutory forms (or substitute) can be automatically produced Manager approvals/workflow Manager approvals occur directly from employee’s making changes. The range of services: • Bureau • Partial outsourcing • Fully managed service Naturally like all aspects of Frontier Software services. Frontier Software are constantly working with clients to ensure that business processes utilising approvals form part of this important module. time sheets. Examples of this are: leave balances. payslip history. We ask you what type of service is best for your business and this can also include hardware. A complete audit log is maintained when data changes are made and the database is updated real time. This workflow process will dynamically create emails and update the database once a managers’ approval has been given. A separate product brochure is available. frontiersoftware.“ Commitment to customer service is our number-one priority” Michael Howard – Founder.com . Frontier Software 28 Your notes Visit our website www.