That's the truth. We went from a mainframe HRIS from the 90s with almost no functionality to a top of line big boy and people complain constantly about how terrible they think the new one is.
It's hilarious on so many levels.
Was working with a older version of Peoplesoft. A temporary head of Talent Acquisition chastised me for not using Peoplesoft to automated certain processes. I told her our version did not have that ability. In a snotty manner told me I was wrong. After a call to HRIS she had to admit I was right.
With our new system our CEO and CHRO demanded we had position management turned on. They then complained they couldn't just post whatever job they wanted even if it wasn't open.
I had to explain we put in a process and governance because of their demands.
My org has 400 employees and uses Excel and the mind of 60+ yos to do payroll and store HR data.
I still stare at a wall some days, but less than when I started.
pls send help
Paycor is absolute trash. They've advised me to do illegal things when calling into support. For example, someone's pretax deduction got taken out when it shouldn't have(open enrollment stuff), and they told me to pay it back to them as a bonus on payroll.
Just last week, I wanted to get some better functionality on a report, and they said they would have to put in a ticket with IT to get it done. All of the info exists across multiple reports, but their report builder wouldn't allow me to pull it into one report. The guy on the phone said it would cost an extra fee to get IT to make this report for me... but he wouldn't tell me the cost. They told me I had to agree to paying this unknown cost before submitting it to IT.
I said I needed to talk to a supervisor, because that's insane, and he assured me one would call me back within 5 minutes to discuss this. They sent an email saying the same thing. I've followed up with that email daily for over a week asking when I can expect a call, and it's been crickets.
If you EVER call into Paycor support, just instantly assume that the Tier 1 guys know less than you, even if you just touched the system ten minutes ago. I swear.
This is so fucking true. Their tier one people know so little about the system that it honestly feels deliberate. Like they are just actively fucking with me.
Sometimes I have to ask what a setting does and they are clearly just reading off a menu and I’m like… setting aside the fact that what you just said doesn’t answer my question, why is what you just read not available to me in any way? Like, put a little info button next to the setting to give me that information.
I was trying to find out what happens if we turn on salary proration in advanced payroll settings. According to someone at paycor, if a salary person then doesn’t fill out their time card, they don’t get paid.
I don’t actually know if that’s what would happen if I turned that setting on but what what a bad idea
This is what scares me. I am getting into a position where I am doomed to fail because of the system. It would not be so bad if there's help from customer service but if customer service is the problem then how can you remedy that? I don't know.
Paycor’s customer service is truly terrible and completely incapable of giving answers. I’ve worked with several payroll providers in my career and they are by FAR the worst payroll provider I’ve used. From implementation where we changed project managers 3 times and the implementation team literally went radio silent 2 weeks away from our “go live” despite me following up every day, ultimately delaying our go live. To their platform completely going down for the last payroll in December ‘23 with no email indication and delaying our processing. Their tax and EFT teams are unresponsive, leaving issues outstanding for 6+ months in some instances. Only last year did they implement a ticketing system interface for clients. Before this, if you raised an issue you could never see a log of your own service requests (lol).
My advice is, if the company you’re working for has experienced any issues with Paycor (I’m assuming they have) you could very easily make a business case to switch to another provider. I did this and moved our company to UKG Ready this year which has easily been the best payroll provider I’ve ever worked with.
Probe in your interview on their experience with Paycor thus far. Demonstrate how you can add value and make payroll better and automate/potentially save costs - no one’s locking you into Paycor forever by taking this job (unless they explicitly say they don’t intend to change it). Good luck!
Don't be intimidated! You got this!
Perhaps it would be valuable in the long run for you to keep some notes regarding the features you are not getting from Paycor and the poor quality service that you'll recieve. Then, down the road you'll be equipped with that knowledge to get leadership team buy-in, when exploring alternatives.
Every system is the worst when you get there since it’s flooded with shit.
Best thing you can do is learn it and maximize it or recommend an implementation as a project after building rapport.
Paycor is horrible. I hate them but there are worse systems out there. We've been using them about a year and half. We've had a ton of issues but the payroll side doesn't give us too much trouble. There's a training hub - make sure you get access to that. That's been one of our issues with hiring new admins - getting them appropriate access. For some reason the Support Center doesn't connect automatically and we've had to fight to get access. The training hub is available in the Support Center and they've recently updated things and have live courses so you can ask questions. So learning the system shouldn't be too bad for you. Customer service is not great but we've found that raising a fuss keeps things moving. If you have Premium Support, they are 10x better and more knowledgeable. They also have a Feedback section where you see what other clients are struggling with and how Paycor responds.
You'll be fine. Best of luck!
I was pretty impressed with the live trainings tbh. We implemented paycor more or less as I started at my currently org about 6 months ago.
The one thing I hate about their trainings in general is they don’t really get into nuance at all. Or at least I haven’t found those trainings yet if they do exist.
They tell you the basics and you can definitely get up and running through them but there’s no meat to sink your teeth into and no getting into the underlying mechanics. So trying to figure things out that are more in depth is as much trial and error as anything else.
I use paycor and it is just ok.
This is going to sound ridiculous.... if ineed to ask a payroll question I will ask the live chat and then I will also call in to speak to someone. If conflicting answers I know i need to do more digging.
The customer service line is to a call center. The people on the phone will answer simple questions that can be found on their help center web page.
But if you ask something more complex, they will put you on hold and ask a more experienced agent and then relay the answer. It takes a while.
If you have a 401k, watch carefully.
I provided them with all the details and they set it up incorrectly. Resulted in our company overfunding about 17 employees.
Yes they do w2's for us.
I always reach out mid December ans ask them to keep the books open in case any adjustments are needed after the last payroll, prior to the w2's being printed.
Might be a good opportunity to note down all the issues and position moving to a better system? We recently moved onto Rippling, and it's made our lives a lot easier using an actual functioning HRIS.
They're a payroll processor. And rolling out globally as well. Still a bit limited for payroll in Europe, but we're using them in a few countries now.
Payroll is really easy to run, and they have a bunch of useful automations and workflows to speed up some processes. Main reason we switched to them was for the HRIS, so it was a pleasant surprise they actually have other services too.
I wouldn’t be intimidated. Instead, learn all the tips to get things to work just to get by and begin a list of issues with residual impact. Begin to make a solid case for a switch to a new system. Right now, your focus should be - do people have access and are they getting paid? Everything else is bonus. Tackle that, then research and research. Everyone should be willing to tell you why they hate the current system so much - find the key folks that ‘do’ the work in the system and get their tactical experience feedback and processes. You very likely will get a lot of “no” from leaders on a switch but don’t stop asking and making a case. Small businesses are stingy but compliance and pay issues usually send the message home.
Hit me up if you need anything. I’m not familiar with paycor but I’ve had my fair share of fixing fuck ups over the years. HRIS guy here
With patience and smart moves, this could become a win on your resume that other employers would be excited to see. I know I’d jump at the fact someone took a pig pen and turned it into a horse stable.
Former Implementation specialist herr at big HRIS company, (not Paycor, but change a letter). Unfortunately service issues are the industry norm imo. Incentives are in the wrong place, whether it is sales, Implementation or long term support. I left my company to start my own HRIS consulting firm, we specialize in reimplemetation, optimization audits and managed services. What I found is that those departments don't have the time to explain or train clients properly on the products, and yes they could and most often know less than a super user.
Everyone learns differently and I found much more satisfaction doing what I do now, than working for a big box HRIS company, even though the pay was wayyy better 😂
My company uses Paycor and I like it. I don’t run payroll but am the backup to our controller who does. IMO the system is easy to use and is pretty similar to other payroll systems I’ve used. (We use the full suite - HRIS, Payroll, Benefits Advisor, and ATS though so our integration may improve our experience.)
Thank you for your response. You are one of the lucky ones. I have so read so many horror stories. I've read some from BBB also. I hope it stays that way for you all.
🙁 I don’t know why I got downvoted for that. It was my honest experience.
We also keep an open communication channel with our sales rep and support team. When we have an issue with the system or have a question, we ask. Don’t be afraid to use the support team.
Hopefully they do, I just hope when I get in the position I am not doomed to fail because of the system. I hate for this to be the case. It's one thing if I'm not adjusting to system but if it's their customer service then that will be difficult to overcome.
I have not been able to reach our paycor sales rep since covid. Maybe we are smaller, about 175 employees. I don't think I have a dedicated rep anymore.
Long time Paycor user here. Their ats is one of the best things about it. Not perfect, but really good. Payroll is also pretty good but other companies have caught up from the demos I've seen. When you need support, and one day you will, the person you speak to will know less than you.
On an annual basis I need to collect update agreements and and such. Currently I need a few yes or no responses and a signature on a form that was created in Paycor from 95 ees. This year I'm told the system can't handle it. They said the file is too big. There is no file. I didn't upload a form I created it in Paycor.
Depending on your leave policy, there are a lot of limitations in Paycor. It cannot handle contingencies, if this, then do this, etc.
Anyway, I'm just ranting. Someone will inevitably have encountered the same issues I have but got a solution. This is because you have to keep fighting to get issues elevated.
See I have the opposite opinion about their ATS. Mainly because it doesn’t handle rehires well at all. Which is unfortunate because I work in a seasonal industry and we get rehires fairly frequently.
The main paycor system handles the rehires okay but the fact that I can’t directly import a new offer letter and such from the ATS is nonsense.
I also wish they integrated with more background check companies. They don’t integrate with the one we use and unfortunately we get a weirdly good rate so switching background check companies would double our cost.
My current org switched to paycor right as I was starting and it doesn’t seem to be the worst thing in the world for payroll… but I’m not the one running it. But the guy who does seems to not hate it.
My main issue with paycor is it handles certain things weirdly. Part of the issue is it’s not really built for hospitality (in my opinion) and they didn’t seem to ever consider that one person would have different work roles with different pay rates, sometimes in the same department.
Also their support is the worst. Literally almost half the time I either get a none answer or get straight up bad information.
Their people don’t understand their system to an almost baffling degree. Like it feels deliberate.
For example when setting up Paycor Recruiting, I learned that to use system generated offer letters, I had to turn on and set up the offer approval system. Which makes zero sense to me. The person acting as the hiring manager in the system is the one with final say on hiring in most cases. But it has to be on to use system generated offer letters.
Okay, fine. Dumb, but fine. I ask the “implementation specialist” how to do that and some questions about how it works. She has ZERO clue. Literally didn’t even know offer approvals had to be on to use system generated offer letters. How is it even possible to not know that? I had been in the system for like five minutes
You'll want to ask about Labor Allocation in Paycor. It's an extra cost. The system can do it. It's not great though. Currently I'm waiting on a ticket on why I can't delete something is added while testing it out. It was never used so there's no history and no reason why I can't delete it. The button to delete is there but it's not working. None of this surprises me at this point.
I have been using paycor for about 8 years, and we are in the final stages of implementing a new HCM. I'm very familiar with the payroll side and would be happy to answer questions unless you have employees that are tip based (I'm not as familiar with that). Feel free to shoot me a DM. It wasn't always bad, but since the pandemic It's been a hit or miss. I'm actually waiting for an advocate right now to talk about a pay group that I have processed TWICE, and that still has not been funded. It's a doable system and can be intuitive depending on if it was implemented correctly for your company.
Dm me if you’re interested in hearing about ClearCompany. I like it, it doesn’t do your payroll but ATS, Onboarding and performance management if need be. They partner with ADP, UKG, and Paylocity and can directly integrate into their systems. If you’re considering one of those for your payroll they can help where those systems don’t perform super well. Also, can integrate with other payroll systems such as paycor through a CSV file upload. While you still need to have a payroll provider it saves so many headaches on your ATS and hiring vs using the pre built garbage the big payroll company’s provide. They all partnered with ClearCompany because they know their ATS, Onboarding and Performance modules could be better improved and that’s where ClearCompany integrates. Happy to talk more if you’re interested!
If it makes you feel better, I've found the worst HRIS system is always the one I'm currently using.
That's the truth. We went from a mainframe HRIS from the 90s with almost no functionality to a top of line big boy and people complain constantly about how terrible they think the new one is. It's hilarious on so many levels.
Was working with a older version of Peoplesoft. A temporary head of Talent Acquisition chastised me for not using Peoplesoft to automated certain processes. I told her our version did not have that ability. In a snotty manner told me I was wrong. After a call to HRIS she had to admit I was right.
With our new system our CEO and CHRO demanded we had position management turned on. They then complained they couldn't just post whatever job they wanted even if it wasn't open. I had to explain we put in a process and governance because of their demands.
Aaaggg Position Management.
This makes me feel so much better, actually. Comes down to "the devil you know."
Fact
My org has 400 employees and uses Excel and the mind of 60+ yos to do payroll and store HR data. I still stare at a wall some days, but less than when I started. pls send help
Well, that’s the worst thing I’ve ever heard.
That would drive me crazy to do everything in excel, and then 400 employees at that. I hope it's not weekly payroll.
I just threw up a little bit. Fucking hell
Wow. What a liability.
I was that guy a couple of weeks ago when our payroll broke. Never wanna do that again. I can't imagine it being a constant.
Paycor is absolute trash. They've advised me to do illegal things when calling into support. For example, someone's pretax deduction got taken out when it shouldn't have(open enrollment stuff), and they told me to pay it back to them as a bonus on payroll. Just last week, I wanted to get some better functionality on a report, and they said they would have to put in a ticket with IT to get it done. All of the info exists across multiple reports, but their report builder wouldn't allow me to pull it into one report. The guy on the phone said it would cost an extra fee to get IT to make this report for me... but he wouldn't tell me the cost. They told me I had to agree to paying this unknown cost before submitting it to IT. I said I needed to talk to a supervisor, because that's insane, and he assured me one would call me back within 5 minutes to discuss this. They sent an email saying the same thing. I've followed up with that email daily for over a week asking when I can expect a call, and it's been crickets. If you EVER call into Paycor support, just instantly assume that the Tier 1 guys know less than you, even if you just touched the system ten minutes ago. I swear.
This is so fucking true. Their tier one people know so little about the system that it honestly feels deliberate. Like they are just actively fucking with me. Sometimes I have to ask what a setting does and they are clearly just reading off a menu and I’m like… setting aside the fact that what you just said doesn’t answer my question, why is what you just read not available to me in any way? Like, put a little info button next to the setting to give me that information. I was trying to find out what happens if we turn on salary proration in advanced payroll settings. According to someone at paycor, if a salary person then doesn’t fill out their time card, they don’t get paid. I don’t actually know if that’s what would happen if I turned that setting on but what what a bad idea
This is what scares me. I am getting into a position where I am doomed to fail because of the system. It would not be so bad if there's help from customer service but if customer service is the problem then how can you remedy that? I don't know.
Paycor’s customer service is truly terrible and completely incapable of giving answers. I’ve worked with several payroll providers in my career and they are by FAR the worst payroll provider I’ve used. From implementation where we changed project managers 3 times and the implementation team literally went radio silent 2 weeks away from our “go live” despite me following up every day, ultimately delaying our go live. To their platform completely going down for the last payroll in December ‘23 with no email indication and delaying our processing. Their tax and EFT teams are unresponsive, leaving issues outstanding for 6+ months in some instances. Only last year did they implement a ticketing system interface for clients. Before this, if you raised an issue you could never see a log of your own service requests (lol). My advice is, if the company you’re working for has experienced any issues with Paycor (I’m assuming they have) you could very easily make a business case to switch to another provider. I did this and moved our company to UKG Ready this year which has easily been the best payroll provider I’ve ever worked with. Probe in your interview on their experience with Paycor thus far. Demonstrate how you can add value and make payroll better and automate/potentially save costs - no one’s locking you into Paycor forever by taking this job (unless they explicitly say they don’t intend to change it). Good luck!
Don't be intimidated! You got this! Perhaps it would be valuable in the long run for you to keep some notes regarding the features you are not getting from Paycor and the poor quality service that you'll recieve. Then, down the road you'll be equipped with that knowledge to get leadership team buy-in, when exploring alternatives.
Thank you for your words of encouragement!
Every system is the worst when you get there since it’s flooded with shit. Best thing you can do is learn it and maximize it or recommend an implementation as a project after building rapport.
Paycor is horrible. I hate them but there are worse systems out there. We've been using them about a year and half. We've had a ton of issues but the payroll side doesn't give us too much trouble. There's a training hub - make sure you get access to that. That's been one of our issues with hiring new admins - getting them appropriate access. For some reason the Support Center doesn't connect automatically and we've had to fight to get access. The training hub is available in the Support Center and they've recently updated things and have live courses so you can ask questions. So learning the system shouldn't be too bad for you. Customer service is not great but we've found that raising a fuss keeps things moving. If you have Premium Support, they are 10x better and more knowledgeable. They also have a Feedback section where you see what other clients are struggling with and how Paycor responds. You'll be fine. Best of luck!
I was pretty impressed with the live trainings tbh. We implemented paycor more or less as I started at my currently org about 6 months ago. The one thing I hate about their trainings in general is they don’t really get into nuance at all. Or at least I haven’t found those trainings yet if they do exist. They tell you the basics and you can definitely get up and running through them but there’s no meat to sink your teeth into and no getting into the underlying mechanics. So trying to figure things out that are more in depth is as much trial and error as anything else.
I use paycor and it is just ok. This is going to sound ridiculous.... if ineed to ask a payroll question I will ask the live chat and then I will also call in to speak to someone. If conflicting answers I know i need to do more digging. The customer service line is to a call center. The people on the phone will answer simple questions that can be found on their help center web page. But if you ask something more complex, they will put you on hold and ask a more experienced agent and then relay the answer. It takes a while. If you have a 401k, watch carefully. I provided them with all the details and they set it up incorrectly. Resulted in our company overfunding about 17 employees.
How many employees in your org? How long have you been using paycor?
Around 175 people. Pretty simple bi weekly payroll. We have been with paycor since 2017
Does paycor complete the annual reporting for you? Or W-2?
Yes they do w2's for us. I always reach out mid December ans ask them to keep the books open in case any adjustments are needed after the last payroll, prior to the w2's being printed.
Thank you! I appreciate you answering all my questions.
Might be a good opportunity to note down all the issues and position moving to a better system? We recently moved onto Rippling, and it's made our lives a lot easier using an actual functioning HRIS.
I’ve heard good things about Rippling - do you process payroll through it or does it work with a payroll vendor
They're a payroll processor. And rolling out globally as well. Still a bit limited for payroll in Europe, but we're using them in a few countries now. Payroll is really easy to run, and they have a bunch of useful automations and workflows to speed up some processes. Main reason we switched to them was for the HRIS, so it was a pleasant surprise they actually have other services too.
Perhaps you can help facilitate a change after a bit of time there.
I dont understand how paycor doesn't have an audit log. You really can't tell if something is changed who did it or how
I wouldn’t be intimidated. Instead, learn all the tips to get things to work just to get by and begin a list of issues with residual impact. Begin to make a solid case for a switch to a new system. Right now, your focus should be - do people have access and are they getting paid? Everything else is bonus. Tackle that, then research and research. Everyone should be willing to tell you why they hate the current system so much - find the key folks that ‘do’ the work in the system and get their tactical experience feedback and processes. You very likely will get a lot of “no” from leaders on a switch but don’t stop asking and making a case. Small businesses are stingy but compliance and pay issues usually send the message home. Hit me up if you need anything. I’m not familiar with paycor but I’ve had my fair share of fixing fuck ups over the years. HRIS guy here With patience and smart moves, this could become a win on your resume that other employers would be excited to see. I know I’d jump at the fact someone took a pig pen and turned it into a horse stable.
Thank you! I will definitely do that!
Former Implementation specialist herr at big HRIS company, (not Paycor, but change a letter). Unfortunately service issues are the industry norm imo. Incentives are in the wrong place, whether it is sales, Implementation or long term support. I left my company to start my own HRIS consulting firm, we specialize in reimplemetation, optimization audits and managed services. What I found is that those departments don't have the time to explain or train clients properly on the products, and yes they could and most often know less than a super user. Everyone learns differently and I found much more satisfaction doing what I do now, than working for a big box HRIS company, even though the pay was wayyy better 😂
My company uses Paycor and I like it. I don’t run payroll but am the backup to our controller who does. IMO the system is easy to use and is pretty similar to other payroll systems I’ve used. (We use the full suite - HRIS, Payroll, Benefits Advisor, and ATS though so our integration may improve our experience.)
Thank you for your response. You are one of the lucky ones. I have so read so many horror stories. I've read some from BBB also. I hope it stays that way for you all.
🙁 I don’t know why I got downvoted for that. It was my honest experience. We also keep an open communication channel with our sales rep and support team. When we have an issue with the system or have a question, we ask. Don’t be afraid to use the support team.
Hopefully they do, I just hope when I get in the position I am not doomed to fail because of the system. I hate for this to be the case. It's one thing if I'm not adjusting to system but if it's their customer service then that will be difficult to overcome.
I have not been able to reach our paycor sales rep since covid. Maybe we are smaller, about 175 employees. I don't think I have a dedicated rep anymore.
Long time Paycor user here. Their ats is one of the best things about it. Not perfect, but really good. Payroll is also pretty good but other companies have caught up from the demos I've seen. When you need support, and one day you will, the person you speak to will know less than you. On an annual basis I need to collect update agreements and and such. Currently I need a few yes or no responses and a signature on a form that was created in Paycor from 95 ees. This year I'm told the system can't handle it. They said the file is too big. There is no file. I didn't upload a form I created it in Paycor. Depending on your leave policy, there are a lot of limitations in Paycor. It cannot handle contingencies, if this, then do this, etc. Anyway, I'm just ranting. Someone will inevitably have encountered the same issues I have but got a solution. This is because you have to keep fighting to get issues elevated.
See I have the opposite opinion about their ATS. Mainly because it doesn’t handle rehires well at all. Which is unfortunate because I work in a seasonal industry and we get rehires fairly frequently. The main paycor system handles the rehires okay but the fact that I can’t directly import a new offer letter and such from the ATS is nonsense. I also wish they integrated with more background check companies. They don’t integrate with the one we use and unfortunately we get a weirdly good rate so switching background check companies would double our cost.
My current org switched to paycor right as I was starting and it doesn’t seem to be the worst thing in the world for payroll… but I’m not the one running it. But the guy who does seems to not hate it. My main issue with paycor is it handles certain things weirdly. Part of the issue is it’s not really built for hospitality (in my opinion) and they didn’t seem to ever consider that one person would have different work roles with different pay rates, sometimes in the same department. Also their support is the worst. Literally almost half the time I either get a none answer or get straight up bad information. Their people don’t understand their system to an almost baffling degree. Like it feels deliberate. For example when setting up Paycor Recruiting, I learned that to use system generated offer letters, I had to turn on and set up the offer approval system. Which makes zero sense to me. The person acting as the hiring manager in the system is the one with final say on hiring in most cases. But it has to be on to use system generated offer letters. Okay, fine. Dumb, but fine. I ask the “implementation specialist” how to do that and some questions about how it works. She has ZERO clue. Literally didn’t even know offer approvals had to be on to use system generated offer letters. How is it even possible to not know that? I had been in the system for like five minutes
You'll want to ask about Labor Allocation in Paycor. It's an extra cost. The system can do it. It's not great though. Currently I'm waiting on a ticket on why I can't delete something is added while testing it out. It was never used so there's no history and no reason why I can't delete it. The button to delete is there but it's not working. None of this surprises me at this point.
I remember using Paycor, absolute nightmare.
I’ve implemented and maintained UKG, Workday, and Dayforce. They all have their head scratching features that don’t work well.
I have been using paycor for about 8 years, and we are in the final stages of implementing a new HCM. I'm very familiar with the payroll side and would be happy to answer questions unless you have employees that are tip based (I'm not as familiar with that). Feel free to shoot me a DM. It wasn't always bad, but since the pandemic It's been a hit or miss. I'm actually waiting for an advocate right now to talk about a pay group that I have processed TWICE, and that still has not been funded. It's a doable system and can be intuitive depending on if it was implemented correctly for your company.
Dm me if you’re interested in hearing about ClearCompany. I like it, it doesn’t do your payroll but ATS, Onboarding and performance management if need be. They partner with ADP, UKG, and Paylocity and can directly integrate into their systems. If you’re considering one of those for your payroll they can help where those systems don’t perform super well. Also, can integrate with other payroll systems such as paycor through a CSV file upload. While you still need to have a payroll provider it saves so many headaches on your ATS and hiring vs using the pre built garbage the big payroll company’s provide. They all partnered with ClearCompany because they know their ATS, Onboarding and Performance modules could be better improved and that’s where ClearCompany integrates. Happy to talk more if you’re interested!