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HR Software Is Live. Why Are We Still Using Spreadsheets?
Identify what is keeping your HR software from supporting everyday work.
The short answer
When an HRIS is live but work still happens in spreadsheets, first determine whether the issue is process ownership, system configuration, data quality, permissions, or training. Replacing the software before diagnosing the workflow can carry the same problem into another system.
Diagnose the failure before buying more software
| Observed problem | Question to investigate | Possible next step |
|---|---|---|
| Managers keep a separate tracker | Does the system capture the information they actually need? | Review requirements and remove redundant tracking only after validation |
| Approvals stall | Is an approver assigned and able to act? | Check workflow routing, permissions, and backup ownership |
| Reports disagree | Do systems use the same employee status, dates, and definitions? | Reconcile source records and document metric definitions |
| New hires receive duplicate requests | Are vendor and employer handoffs coordinated? | Map the onboarding sequence and assign one owner per step |
| Staff avoid the system | Was training matched to real tasks? | Use a role-specific walkthrough and confirm completion |
Use one workflow as the test case
Illustrative example: an employer has digital onboarding but managers still ask HR to email every new hire’s status. Compare the information managers need with the permissions and views they currently have. The answer may be a better status view and manager training, rather than a new platform.
Document the desired result, owner, input, approval, exception, and evidence of completion. Test with authorized sample or nonproduction records where available. Payroll-affecting changes require the appropriate payroll owner and vendor review before release.
Define a realistic optimization project
A scoped project can include a workflow inventory, data-quality findings, requirements, vendor coordination, configuration recommendations, test scenarios, training, and a handoff. Confirm which tasks Holt performs and which require the platform vendor or employer administrator. Software fees, vendor changes, payroll processing, and integrations are separate unless expressly included.
Track adoption through completion rates, exception frequency, approval time, and the need for duplicate work. Login counts alone do not establish a successful process.
Choose a practical starting point
Start with a free introductory conversation. When the need is clear, request a focused project. When several systems need diagnosis, the $1,500 HR and Workforce Infrastructure Assessment can establish priorities. Your written proposal confirms deliverables, participating locations, timing, responsibilities, revisions, and fees.
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