WESTON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ultimate Software (Nasdaq:ULTI), a leading provider of end-to-end strategic human resources, payroll, and talent management solutions, announced today that Alfa Laval, a leading global provider of specialized products and engineering solutions, has improved its human resources and payroll processes with UltiPro delivered through Ultimate Software’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) option.
Alfa Laval has been an Ultimate Software customer since 1998 and the company’s HR/payroll team was highly satisfied with UltiPro’s functionality and customer service. The manufacturer had been supporting UltiPro as on-premise software on its own servers, but after significant growth, Alfa Laval’s internal IT resources were overburdened with new projects. The company chose to switch from UltiPro as on-premise software to SaaS in 2002 — freeing IT to focus on other core business projects, allowing HR to manage growth more efficiently, and giving Alfa Laval’s HR/payroll team and employees 24-7 Internet access to UltiPro.
“Our IT team was extremely busy, so we had to wait in line for things like having them install UltiPro’s quarterly tax updates, causing some real issues,” said Barbara Cuttino, human resource information system (HRIS) and payroll manager for Alfa Laval. “Having UltiPro delivered through SaaS has addressed that problem. Now, Ultimate Software performs our upgrades for us and maintains the hardware, so we can all focus on other projects. I like knowing that our data resides safely and securely in Ultimate’s state-of-the-art data center, and I can access that data any time I need to.”
Working for a company in growth mode, Cuttino must be able to react quickly and is sometimes faced with the need to import large numbers of employees rapidly. After a recent acquisition, she imported records for hundreds of newly acquired employees and had them live with access to UltiPro’s self-service within only two weeks.
“It took me about 8 hours to export data for 300 employees from their previous human resource management system, format it, import it into UltiPro, and audit it. UltiPro is so easy to use and flexible,” said Cuttino. “Within 10 days of the acquisition, employees were live on self-service and receiving a paycheck. UltiPro streamlined the process of adding new employees, so the transition was smooth, benefiting everyone involved.”
Ultimate’s SaaS model provides online access for administrators, managers, and employees. Based on their roles, individuals can see only data that is relevant to them and they are authorized to view. Because employees can read company news, print needed forms, and view current and historical pay details using UltiPro, Alfa Laval has discontinued printing paychecks and dozens of other documents, supporting the company’s initiative to “go green” by moving paper documents and processes online.
“Our employees love self-service and 98 percent of them have chosen to view their information using UltiPro rather than needing hard copy paychecks, forms, and handbooks. This means we have minimized our dependence on paper, reduced costs, and helped the environment,” said Cuttino. “As a growing business, we also appreciate UltiPro’s Web functionality because it allows us to scale in size with fewer associated expenses.”
“We are very pleased that, by switching to SaaS, Alfa Laval and its HR team have been able to reduce their reliance on internal IT resources and achieve maximum value from UltiPro with self-service,” said Greg Swick, chief sales officer for Ultimate Software. “We look forward to being a part of Alfa Laval’s continued business success and supporting the company as it grows.”
Alfa Laval is a leading global provider of specialized products and engineering solutions based on its key technologies of heat transfer, separation, and fluid handling. The company’s equipment, systems, and services are dedicated to assisting customers in optimizing the performance of their processes. The solutions help them to heat, cool, separate, and transport products in industries that produce food and beverages, chemicals and petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, starch, sugar, and ethanol. Alfa Laval’s products are also used in power plants, aboard ships, in the mechanical engineering industry, in the mining industry and for wastewater treatment, as well as for comfort climate and refrigeration applications.
A leading provider of end-to-end strategic human resources, payroll, and talent management solutions, Ultimate Software markets its award-winning UltiPro products as on-demand services through its software-as-a-service (SaaS) offering, Intersourcing, and as licensed software. Based in Weston, FL, the Company employs more than 900 professionals who are focused on developing the highest quality products and services. In 2008, Ultimate Software was the first HR/payroll SaaS provider to be audited and awarded the ISO/IEC 27001:2005 Certification for security management, and its development team was named the #1 “Best Product Development Team” in the nation by the American Business Awards. Ultimate Software’s internal technology team won a first-place award for its management of Intersourcing from the American Business Awards in 2007, and its customer service team won two first-place awards in national competitions for service excellence in 2006. Ultimate Software was ranked the #1 best medium-sized company to work for in America by the Great Place to Work® Institute in June 2008. Ultimate Software has more than 1,600 customers representing diverse industries, including such organizations as The Container Store, Elizabeth Arden, Major League Baseball, The New York Yankees Baseball Team, Nintendo of America, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, and Sony BMG Entertainment. More information on Ultimate Software’s products and services can be found at www.ultimatesoftware.com.
UltiPro and Intersourcing are registered trademarks of The Ultimate Software Group, Inc. All other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners.