Empeon vs SumTotal

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Our analysts compared Empeon vs SumTotal based on data from our 400+ point analysis of HR Management Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

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Product Basics

Empeon offers a comprehensive software solution designed to streamline HR management tasks, making it particularly well-suited for mid-sized to large organizations seeking efficiency and accuracy in their HR processes. The platform excels in automating payroll, benefits administration, time tracking, and compliance management, providing a seamless experience for HR professionals. Users appreciate its intuitive interface and robust reporting capabilities, which facilitate data-driven decision-making.

One of the standout benefits of Empeon is its ability to integrate with existing systems, reducing the need for manual data entry and minimizing errors. Popular features include customizable workflows, employee self-service portals, and advanced analytics, all of which contribute to a more organized and productive HR department. Compared to similar products, Empeon is often praised for its user-friendly design and reliable customer support.

Pricing for Empeon typically falls within a mid-range bracket, with costs varying based on the number of users and specific modules required. Payment is usually structured on a monthly or annual subscription basis, offering flexibility to accommodate different budgetary needs.

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SumTotal is a cloud-based HR Management software catering to mid-sized to large organizations. It packs a comprehensive suite of features covering talent acquisition, learning & development, workforce management, and performance management. Users praise its robust reporting & analytics, rich learning library, and mobile-friendly accessibility. However, the extensive customization options and powerful tools come with a steeper learning curve for administrators. Additionally, SumTotal's potential for high integration costs and higher price point compared to basic solutions make it less suitable for smaller companies. While some users struggle with complex content creation tools and limited instructor-led options, SumTotal shines in its ability to scale and adapt to dynamic needs, making it a strong contender for organizations seeking a feature-rich, customizable HR management platform, especially those with substantial training requirements and a dispersed workforce.

Pros
  • Comprehensive learning library
  • Robust reporting & analytics
  • Scalable for large organizations
  • Mobile-friendly learning
  • Customizable user experience
Cons
  • Steep learning curve for admins
  • Limited instructor-led options
  • Complex content creation tools
  • Potentially high integration costs
  • Pricey for smaller companies
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Product Assistance

Documentation
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Live Online
Videos
Webinars
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Email
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FAQ
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Streamlined Onboarding: Simplifies the onboarding process by automating paperwork and integrating new hires into the system quickly.
  • Centralized Employee Data: Consolidates all employee information in one secure location, making it easy to access and manage.
  • Compliance Management: Helps ensure adherence to labor laws and regulations by keeping records up-to-date and providing alerts for compliance deadlines.
  • Time and Attendance Tracking: Accurately monitors employee hours, reducing errors and ensuring proper compensation.
  • Payroll Integration: Seamlessly integrates with payroll systems to ensure timely and accurate payment processing.
  • Performance Management: Facilitates regular performance reviews and goal setting, helping to align employee objectives with company goals.
  • Employee Self-Service Portal: Empowers employees to manage their own information, such as updating personal details and accessing pay stubs.
  • Enhanced Reporting: Provides detailed analytics and reports, enabling data-driven decision-making and strategic planning.
  • Improved Communication: Enhances internal communication through centralized messaging and notifications, ensuring everyone stays informed.
  • Cost Efficiency: Reduces administrative overhead by automating routine HR tasks, allowing HR professionals to focus on strategic initiatives.
  • Scalability: Adapts to the growing needs of your business, whether you are a small startup or a large enterprise.
  • Employee Engagement: Boosts morale and productivity by providing tools for feedback, recognition, and career development.
  • Data Security: Ensures the protection of sensitive employee information through robust security measures and compliance with data protection regulations.
  • Customizable Workflows: Allows for the creation of tailored workflows to match the unique processes of your organization.
  • Reduced Paperwork: Minimizes the need for physical documents, promoting a more sustainable and efficient workplace.
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  • Employee Retention: Provide tools for employee development, management and learning practices that encourage employee retention. 
  • Enhanced Productivity: Talent managers can continuously onboarding to speed up overall productivity. 
  • Organizational Stability: Learning-centered employee development builds an agile workforce that is adaptable to changing business environments. 
  • Learning Ecosystem: Invest in research and development on the latest learning trends, which managers can leverage to enhance employees' learning experience. 
  • Talent Engagement: Engage top talent while moving through the recruitment process, understand the workforce, identify the best talent and build a seamless experience for candidates as well as hiring teams. 
  • Enhanced Candidate Experience: Offer smartphone-optimized sites with intelligent and automated interview tools, candidate matching, and an easy-to-use mobile app interface. Keep applicants informed about upcoming interview details via a user dashboard. 
  • Accelerated Time-to-Performance: Seamless onboarding training helps new hires get up to speed quickly. Provide unique company policies and work culture for them to become familiar with the company. 
  • Smooth Role Switch: Access onboarding plans for new roles that include defined goals, new teams and KPI’s that ensure a more seamless transition to new responsibilities. 
  • Robust Manager and Admin Capabilities: Managers and administrators can easily view, schedule, filter, mark up and share reports from a mobile dashboard. Leverage reporting tools, advanced reports and dashboards at a single click. 
  • Informed Compensation Plans: Create smart, data-driven compensation plans according to preset or custom parameters. Real-time performance insights and budget modeling make compensation informed, fair and cost-effective. 
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  • Employee Self-Service Portal: Allows employees to access their personal information, view pay stubs, and request time off directly from the platform.
  • Time and Attendance Tracking: Provides robust tools for tracking employee hours, managing schedules, and ensuring compliance with labor laws.
  • Payroll Management: Streamlines payroll processing with automated calculations, tax filings, and direct deposit options.
  • Benefits Administration: Simplifies the management of employee benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, and other perks.
  • Compliance Management: Helps ensure adherence to federal, state, and local regulations with built-in compliance tools and reporting features.
  • Performance Management: Facilitates performance reviews, goal setting, and tracking employee progress to support professional development.
  • Recruitment and Onboarding: Streamlines the hiring process with applicant tracking, interview scheduling, and new hire onboarding workflows.
  • Customizable Reporting: Offers a variety of pre-built and customizable reports to provide insights into workforce metrics and trends.
  • Document Management: Centralizes storage and management of important HR documents, ensuring easy access and organization.
  • Mobile Accessibility: Provides a mobile-friendly interface, allowing users to access the platform from smartphones and tablets.
  • Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly integrates with other business systems such as accounting software, ERP systems, and third-party applications.
  • Security Features: Ensures data protection with advanced security measures, including encryption, role-based access controls, and regular audits.
  • Custom Workflows: Allows HR teams to create and automate custom workflows tailored to their specific processes and needs.
  • Employee Engagement Tools: Includes features like surveys and feedback mechanisms to gauge employee satisfaction and engagement levels.
  • Scalability: Designed to grow with your organization, accommodating the needs of small businesses to large enterprises.
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  • Talent Development: Provides combined functionality of talent onboarding, talent management and learning management solutions to cater to talent development requirements. 
  • Talent Acquisition: Helps create a streamlined hiring cycle, hire the right talent, engage fresh recruits and drive productivity from day one. 
  • Learning Management:  
    •  Helps provide a customized, personalized and engaging learning experience tailored to the skill and competency of individuals rather than the whole team. 
    •  Ease of access on all devices, along with an offline mode, ensures seamless and consistent access to content and courses. 
  • Talent Management: Personalized and intuitive tools help employees pursue career growth and development. Capabilities include performance management, 360-degree feedback, succession planning and compensation management. 
  • Performance Management: Provides comprehensive feedback and tools that make feedback actionable, constructive and insightful. Measures workforce productivity, progress and priorities in real time. 
  • Succession Planning: Enables talent managers to identify and assess skill gaps, build agile talent pools, and align employee success with business goals and objectives. 
  • Compensation Management: Simplifies and streamline compensation plans, and helps build competitive packages to attract and retain top recruits. Workflow automation and compensation management tools aid compliance with complex global policies. 
  • Workforce Management: Bundled payroll, benefits and expense management minimize time, cost and efforts while maximizing accuracy. Features include automated scheduling, time and attendance, absence management, and compliance. 
  • Applicant Tracking System: Includes real-time alerts and notifications for offer approvals, a unique dashboard and reports widgets, customizable requisitions, and a consolidated requisition workspace. 
  • Mobility: Provides access to tools and reporting capabilities at all times and from any location. The dashboard can be operated using a tablet, desktop, mobile app or a phone browser. 
  • Growth Edition: Caters to the needs of fast-growing small and medium-sized businesses. Includes webinars, instructor-led training, approvals, and additional learning resources that users can access and configure anytime. 
  • Extended Enterprise: Helps build a brand image, accelerate growth and drive new sources of potential revenue. Facilitates an enriched and optimized learning experience for distributors, partners and customers. 
  • Gamified and Collaborative Learning: Helps: 
    •  Assess and accelerate learning with gamification capabilities that include leaderboards, points, levels and badges. 
    •  Enhance employee engagement by identifying and rewarding the right learning behaviors. 
    •  Enrich the knowledge of new hires with collaborative learning, up-to-date content, feedback and social ratings. 
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Product Ranking

#131

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HR Management Software

#23

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HR Management Software

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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 7 reviews
Fair User Sentiment 132 reviews
92%
of users recommend this product

Empeon has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 92% when considering 7 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

69%
of users recommend this product

SumTotal has a 'fair' User Satisfaction Rating of 69% when considering 132 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

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3.2 (39)
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2.7 (7)
4.6 (7)
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4.0 (56)
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2.9 (30)

Awards

Empeon stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

User-Friendly Interface: Empeon is recognized for its intuitive design, making it easy for HR professionals to navigate and perform tasks efficiently.
Strong Customer Support: Users have praised Empeon's responsive and helpful customer support team, ensuring that any issues are addressed promptly.
Handles Complex Payroll: The software is equipped to manage intricate payroll processes, including multi-state payroll and various deductions, simplifying what can often be a complicated task for HR.
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Robust Tools: All reviews on this feature suggest that SumTotal provides a robust set of talent development and management, payroll, and workforce management solutions.
Effective Tracking: According to 80% of reviews on tracking, the software optimizes talent management by tracking development and career growth.
Self-Service: Managers and employees can access and complete training courses at their convenience, according to all reviews on self-service.
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Occasional System Update Issues: Users have reported experiencing occasional hiccups with system updates, which can be disruptive to workflow.
Limited Customization: Some users have expressed a desire for more extensive customization options to better tailor the software to their specific needs.
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Outdated Course Content: About 70% of reviews on course content reported that some modules aren’t frequently updated, resulting in an outdated learning experience.
Non-Intuitive Functions: Most features and functions aren’t intuitive, making it difficult to navigate, according to all reviews on this aspect.
Access to Reports: Accessing and pulling reports is extremely tedious and slow, according to 100% of reviews on reporting.
Customer Service: All reviews on customer support suggest that customer service is very slow and unresponsive.
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Empeon has garnered largely favorable feedback from users over the past year, particularly for its user-friendly design, powerful reporting tools, and responsive customer support. Users have expressed that the platform's intuitive nature simplifies complex HR and payroll processes, making it easier to manage employee data, track time and attendance, and generate comprehensive reports. A notable strength is Empeon's capacity for customization, allowing businesses to tailor the software to their specific needs, such as configuring unique pay rules or setting up automated workflows for tasks like onboarding new hires. However, some users have reported occasional hiccups with system updates and a steeper learning curve for new users, which could pose initial challenges for those unfamiliar with similar platforms. Empeon seems particularly well-suited for healthcare organizations, as evidenced by its specialized features for this industry, such as managing complex pay calculations and ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations.

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SumTotal users paint a mixed picture, praising its robust functionality and mobile accessibility while critiquing its clunky interface and steep learning curve. Many laud its comprehensive suite, encompassing everything from onboarding to performance management, finding it a one-stop shop for HR needs. One user gushes, "It's like having a whole HR department in the cloud!" However, ease of use seems to be a major sticking point. Comments like "The interface feels outdated and unintuitive" and "Learning curve is a mountain, not a hill" pop up frequently. This is often contrasted with praise for competitors like Workday, lauded for its sleek design and user-friendliness. One user sums it up: "SumTotal has the depth, Workday has the polish." Mobile accessibility shines as a bright spot, with users appreciating the ability to manage tasks on the go. This stands out compared to some competitors, making SumTotal a good fit for companies with a mobile workforce. Ultimately, SumTotal seems to be a powerful tool for organizations willing to invest the time and effort in mastering its complexities. As one user puts it, "It's not perfect, but it's incredibly versatile. If you can handle the initial climb, the view from the top is pretty good."

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