Understand your HR needs and the types of human resource management systems available to meet them

Many providers of human resource management software will help you assess your HR management needs. Some provide questionnaires and others offer HR consulting to help you understand the type of HR tool that will work best for you. Be sure to take advantage of these tools and services.

I recommend: Qqest offers a full line of professional services, including needs assessment, both online and on-site training and on-site setup of its Timeforce HR management software. For physicians and other medical professionals, MGMA provides a 100-question, self-paced tool that can help identify both current knowledge level and HR management needs. Perfect Software offers an HRIS ROI tool that can help you calculate your potential "return on investment" should you use its human resource information system.

Learn all you can about the most widely known and available human resource management systems

Many companies with years of experience in human resource management software have posted comprehensive information about their systems on their websites, which you can easily access.

I recommend: Some examples of popular human resource management software suppliers are Ascentis, whose website features its HROffice solution (one of many SQL-based HR software solutions), and Microsoft Dynamics, which offers several different human resource management systems. Humanic Design, Perfect Software, Spectrum and Ultimate Software also offer informative webinars or webcasts that can help fill in your knowledge gaps.

For quick and easy comparison of HR management software, use product-comparison sites

Websites that have already done your homework for you will provide information, links and other resources to help you effectively assess many different types of software for HR management side by side.

I recommend: Capterra, 2020Software.com and KnowledgeStorm provide comparisons to help save you time.

When visiting providers of human resource management software online, test their products

Take advantage of all demos, tours and free trials that can give you greater insight into products and help you choose the human resource management solution that's right for you. Free trial downloads can be one of the easiest ways to test both the user-friendliness and compatibility of a given HR management software solution with your operation. Don't neglect this excellent opportunity to do your own comparison testing.

I recommend: Ultimate Software offers a tour of each of its products, and Qqest offers both an online demo and a quick tour of its Timeforce software. Ascentis offers a free trial download of HROffice, and CheckPoint HR provides both a limited "test drive" of its technology and a complete "guided tour" by one of its specialists, either online or in person.

Don't overlook web-based human resource management software, such as SaaS (Software as a Service)

One of many SQL-based HR software solutions, SaaS is an on-demand human resource management option that could prove viable for your company. One advantage of SaaS software is that it's owned by the service provider and stored online, relieving you of any responsibility for maintaining or updating it.

I recommend: On-demand service by online HR management providers is offered by Ultimate Software, Spectrum, and CheckPoint HR.  Ascentis also features an overview of each of its partner companies, all of which provide HR outsourcing services in the form of web-based human resource management tools.