Your HRIS software is an integral part of your HR efforts. Whether it’s managing payroll, handling benefits, tracking attendance, or kickstarting recruitment efforts, this platform has much of the employee data you need. While it’s a powerhouse for storing, managing, and using that data, it’s not necessarily the best platform for all HR functions. Performance management, for example, is best handled through a dedicated performance management platform like 15Five rather than through your HRIS.
That makes integrating your HRIS tool with the other platforms your HR team relies a priority.
In this guide, we’ll cover why integrating HRIS tools is so important and the challenges that come with it, as well as share checklists you can use to implement these integrations.
What are HRIS tools?
An HRIS tool is part database and part mission control for HR. It holds essential employee data, from their date of birth to the specifics of their role. It’s the launching-off point for essential HR processes, whether it’s handling payroll, managing talent, or preparing reports.
These tools were first meant to replace manual processes, pen and paper, and spreadsheets. But as HR teams transitioned from purely administrative teams to strategic partners, HRIS tools grew to handle more and more processes. That makes them an incredible resource for teams to rely on. But it can also lead them to believe it’s always the best tool for the job, which isn’t always the case.
That’s why integrating HRIS tools with the rest of your tool stack is so important. With the right integration, data can flow seamlessly between your HRIS and other platforms, allowing you to get the employee data you need in the tools that are the best fit for whatever work you need to do. Without these integrations, you either have to use ideal tools with missing data or manually ship data back and forth between them.
Common examples of HRIS tools
Some of the most popular HRIS tools out there include:
- ADP
- UKG
- Gusto
- BambooHR
- Workday
- Namely
- Rippling
- Freshteam
- Ceridian
- Deel
- GoCo
- Paycor
Key features of HRIS tools
HRIS tools usually have the same broad set of features, including:
- Employee data management: HRIS systems centralize employee records, personal information, employment history, important documents, and more.
- Payroll processing: Everything from salary calculations to tax withholdings, direct deposits, and pay stub generation can be handled in HRIS tools.
- Time and attendance tracking: Clocking in, managing timesheets, and handling PTO requests.
- Benefits administration: Handling enrollment, tracking benefits packages, and managing eligibility rules.
- Recruitment and applicant tracking: Producing job postings, filtering resumes, and managing candidate pipelines.
- Compliance and reporting: Creating audit trails, complying with labor law, and producing custom reports.
Benefits of integrating HRIS tools with your system
Integrating your HRIS tool with the rest of your tool stack comes with some significant benefits.
Streamlined onboarding
One of the most challenging parts of onboarding new employees is helping them learn all the tools they need to do their day-to-day work. With the right software integrations connecting your HRIS tool with other systems, you don’t have to train every HR team member on every system. They’ll still have all the data they need.
Real-time data access (and better decision-making)
Data is an essential part of every HR process. As HR leaders become key strategic partners, other leaders expect clear, real-time data on HR priorities across talent management, performance management, and other processes. Integrations can turn the massive amounts of data in your HRIS system into clear reports in other tools, with real-time data, so you always have what you need when you’re making important decisions.
Improved compliance and data security
Without software integrations, HR teams have to find other methods to get data in and out of their HRIS system. That can involve everything from regularly exporting spreadsheets to manually copying and pasting specific data ranges from one system to another.
Beyond just being inconvenient and a massive drain on your productive time, this approach creates massive compliance and data security risks. In some industries, it’s frowned upon (or even illegal) to transfer data in this way. But even for companies that don’t have to abide by stringent regulations around data privacy, these transfers create data security vulnerabilities.
Software integrations securely send data from your HRIS tool to other systems, preventing data breaches and eliminating vulnerabilities.
Better employee engagement
Data portability between your HRIS tool and other systems might not directly lead to better employee engagement, but it trickles down to all HR priorities, improving the way you handle them.
Think of it this way. Employee engagement describes how motivated and driven employees are at work, so anything that streamlines the way they interact with your HR team, from requesting time off to inquiring about their benefits, a software integration can improve employee engagement. It makes answering questions much easier, it leads to better decisions, and it helps you tailor your strategy to what employees actually need.
Upskilling opportunities
Upskilling allows employees to reach for lofty goals throughout their time with your organization, and it allows you to properly plan for potential talent needs, like replacing a key role or expanding a department. But finding these upskilling opportunities can be challenging. You need a combination of regular performance reviews, a stream of performance management data, and a clear picture of your organization’s talent needs.
This all relies on data that’s spread across multiple tools, including your HRIS system. The right software integration can move this data exactly where you need it, giving you a better way to identify and work towards upskilling opportunities.
Reduced administrative burden
HR already bears a massive administrative burden. A constant stream of administrative tasks can easily derail your team’s ability to strategize and plan for upcoming organizational needs. When these tasks also require that you manually move data between multiple tools, the burden just increases. Integrations can not only eliminate the need for data transfer, but they can also eliminate recurring reporting tasks, as well.
HRIS integration best practices
Knowing you need an HRIS integration is just the first step. Properly deploying an integration that keeps your teams productive instead of swamping them with additional work.
Vendor selection
Just like any other service your organization uses, you need to get the right vendor. When you’re looking for an integration vendor, consider the following:
- Integration depth: Some software integrations can only transfer small amounts of data between systems. Others can manage nearly every field and configuration. Make sure the integration you choose can actually support your needs.
- Compatibility: When evaluating integration vendors, ensure they can support your HRIS system, then review their integration library to find potential systems they don’t support.
- Budget: Some integration solutions are built exclusively for larger organizations, and they have the price tag to match. Others are more limited in their functionality but won’t strain your budget as much. When choosing a vendor, you need to evaluate the time and money you’ll save on manual data transfers and security risks—don’t just pick the cheapest option.
- Built-in options: Many of the systems you need to integrate your HRIS tool with already have built-in methods for doing this. 15Five, for example, offers an HRIS connector that integrates with many of the most popular HRIS tools on the market, from ADP to BambooHR and Workday.
Change management
Even with an integration solution designed to make administrative work easier, your teams may be naturally resistant to change. Not only that, but you will need to adapt your processes to these changes. No more exporting spreadsheets to answer an urgent request from a team lead.
That’s what change management is. It’s all about anticipating the potential impacts and obstacles of an incoming change and figuring out a strategy to address them. Before you deploy an integration solution, make sure to build a change management plan.
Training
Integrating your HRIS tool might mean you don’t need to train your HR team on every tool you use, but you will need to account for some training around this integration. T
If they’re used to exporting spreadsheets to fulfill all their data needs, they’ll have to learn to rely on other tools. If they tend to check one tool over another for real-time data, you’ll need to help them redirect their attention to the right platform.
Common HRIS integration challenges
An HRIS integration is a definite boon to your HR processes. Despite this, finding, deploying, and using these integrations can come with some important challenges.
Resistance to change
Resistance to change is natural. Even a positive change, like smoother data transfers between HRIS tools and other systems, can lead to some resistance. If you’re leading an integration project, you need to account for this and plan accordingly.
That starts with open, transparent communication about the change you’re making and the reasoning behind it. Then, you need to listen to concerns around that change and, potentially, plan a strategy for addressing them.
Data migration issues
When you first connect your HRIS tool with the rest of your stack, you’ll need to migrate a significant amount of data. Think of all the records you have for every single employee, and how that data has grown and changed over the years. Now you need to get that data into every other tool you use. Most integration solutions have a way of handling this initial migration, but it can take time. It might also need to be done in phases, to ensure data gets transferred over correctly and potential mistakes are spotted early.
HRIS integration checklists
Ready to integrate your HRIS tool with the rest of your stack? Here are checklists for running a flawless deployment and making sure you get the most out of your integration.
Implementation checklist
Discovery & Planning (Week 1)
- Identify systems to integrate (payroll, benefits, ATS, time tracking, etc.)
- Map data fields between HRIS and target systems
- Define integration frequency (real-time, daily batch, weekly)
- Determine data flow direction (one-way or bidirectional)
- Document business rules for data sync and error handling
Technical Setup (Weeks 2-3)
- Obtain API credentials and access permissions for all systems
- Review API documentation and rate limits
- Choose integration method (native connector, iPaaS, custom API)
- Configure authentication and security protocols
- Set up staging/sandbox environments for testing
Data Mapping & Configuration (Week 3-4)
- Map employee IDs and ensure unique identifiers match
- Configure field mappings for all data elements
- Set up data transformation rules where needed
- Define filters for which records to sync
- Establish error notification and logging procedures
Testing (Week 4-5)
- Test with sample employee records first
- Verify data accuracy in both systems
- Test edge cases (special characters, null values, duplicates)
- Validate automated triggers and scheduled syncs
- Test error handling and rollback procedures
Go-Live & Monitoring (Week 6)
- Run final data validation before production launch
- Execute initial full data sync during low-traffic period
- Monitor first several sync cycles closely
- Document any data discrepancies and resolve quickly
- Set up ongoing monitoring alerts and dashboards
Post-Integration (Week 7+)
- Train HR team on integration monitoring
- Create troubleshooting playbook for common issues
- Schedule regular data audits
- Review integration performance metrics monthly
Success checklist
Data Accuracy
- Employee records match 100% with no duplicates or missing profiles
- Critical fields (names, IDs, emails, dates) sync correctly across systems
- Benefits and payroll data align perfectly between platforms
System Performance
- Data syncs complete on time with minimal errors (<1% failure rate)
- System uptime meets SLA (99%+) and stays within API rate limits
- Real-time integrations respond in under 3 seconds
Operational Efficiency
- Manual data entry reduced by 80%+ with no duplicate work
- Employee updates propagate automatically without HR intervention
- Unified reporting pulls data seamlessly from all sources
User Experience
- Employees see consistent information working across platforms
- Self-service actions update everywhere without delays
- No user complaints about data mismatches or approval flow issues
Compliance & Security
- Audit logs capture transfers with encryption in transit and at rest
- Access controls restrict sensitive data appropriately
- Integration meets all regulatory requirements (GDPR, SOC 2, etc.)
Business Impact
- Onboarding time and payroll errors measurably reduced
- HR productivity metrics improved with stable employee satisfaction
- ROI targets achieved within expected timeframe
Get the data you need when you need it
Integrating your HRIS tool with the rest of your stack turns a pile of static—but useful—data into a resource for making better decisions and working more effectively out of every tool. These integrations streamline HR workflows, improve compliance, and tighten data security.
While finding the right integration and deploying it in a timely way can be challenging, the benefits are massive, from allowing leaders to make better data-driven decisions.
Want to see how an HRIS integration can transform the way you handle performance management? Check out 15Five’s HRIS connector.
