Before Dynamics Ax 2012 R3, the HR modules were seldom implemented. A customer needed to buy HR user licenses, HR modules 2 and 3, Questionnaire Module, ESS licenses, EP development tools, Employee records, Employee ESS licenses etc. So Synergy was one of the few practises with any experience of implementing Ax HR at versions: 3,4 and 2009 – even then there was no suitable Ax Payroll for the GCC, so external applications were needed and the HR module also needed localization e.g. to support PRO activities.

With the changes in Ax 2012 licensing the HR module is now available to all.
– It has also been integrated into Production and Projects ) schedule by employee calendar and skill), and Budgets (approval hierarchy, manpower planning)
and
– It has been strengthened with: Case Management, new workflow engine, Role based portal, Time and Expense management etc.

Summary of Features
Workers (Employees and Contractors)
•Workers, which includes, employees and contractors, are shared across the enterprise. ◦Basic worker information and worker competencies are shared across companies.
◦Employment, absences, compensation and payroll data are specific to a company.

•The primary relationship between a worker and the company is defined through employment. Employment history is retained for each worker.
•Injuries and illnesses can be tracked for workers with ability to print OSHA preparation reports.
•Past absences can be recorded for a worker, and future absences can be requested for a worker, which can be approved or rejected.
•Drug and medical tests can be recorded.
•Education, skills, certificates, courses, and work experiences can be recorded.
•Skill-mapping profiles can be set up and used to find workers with a set of skills.
•Loaned equipment can be tracked.
•Transitions for workers changing positions is recorded. In addition, personnel actions can be used for workers as they are hired, transferred/promoted, and terminated, with an option of workflow approvals.

Organization Setup
•Departments, Teams, Jobs, and Positions are shared throughout the enterprise eliminating duplicate data entry. ◦Departments are operating units that represent categories or functional areas of an organization.
◦Jobs are a collection of tasks and responsibilities.
◦Positions are a specific instance of a job that can be occupied by employees and assigned to organizational units. Positions can be assigned to departments.

•Workers are organized based on their positions within departments and jobs.
•Positions and organization structures (hierarchical, matrix, and team-based) are retained over time to get an accurate picture of historical, current and future changes.
•Personnel actions can be used to track new positions and modifications to positions with an option of workflow approvals, and also an option to track budget/cost information.
•The human resource manager role center provides KPI and key decision making information, as well as alerts, links, common tasks, and reports, which makes it a good starting point for the HR Manager.
•HR and Payroll cubes are available in CU7 for more adhoc reporting.

Recruitment
•Recruitment projects can be created for new and open positions and can be posted to the Enterprise portal.
•Applicants can submit applications for a recruitment project.
•Applicants can be shared across the enterprise.
•The recruiter can correspond with applicants by using templates and bookmarks and sending e-mails using Microsoft Office Outlook.
•Competencies, tests and qualifications for applicants can be recorded. The competencies for the applicant can then be compared with what is recorded on the job to determine the best candidate.
•The staffing manager role center provides KPI and key decision making information, as well as alerts, links, common tasks, and reports, which makes it a good starting point for the recruiter.

Compensation
•Fixed and variable compensation plans can be created, which includes grade, band and step compensation structures.
•Compensation structures can be mass adjusted.
•Eligibility rules can be defined, and process event streams can be created and executed.
•Pay for performance based on employee and organizational performance goals can be enabled.

Benefits
•Current and future benefits can be set up for workers. Benefits are defined by benefit types, plans and options.
•Benefit eligibility rules can be defined.
•Workers can be enrolled in benefits for which they meet the eligibility requirement, this can be done individually or through mass assignment.

Performance
•Goals can be set up for workers, and the progress for the goals can be tracked as part of a development plan.
•Discussions can be scheduled for workers to propose goals and review goals.
•Performance plan can be defined and employee ratings tracked against each plan.

Course Management
•Courses can be set up with logistical information, and can include sessions and agendas.
•Workers can sign up to take courses.
•Attendee signup lists, waiting lists, and withdrawals are available.
•The training and development manager role center provides KPI and key decision making information as well as alerts, links, common tasks, and reports, which makes it a good starting point for the Training manager.

Self Service
•Users with employee and manager self-service capabilities are empowered to maintain and view competencies and personal information.
•Users can apply for jobs, register for courses, maintain performance goals, complete questionnaires, enter and approve absences, and enter and approve expenses.

Questionnaire
• A Questionnaire is a set of questions that is used to collect information into a database for a variety of purposes. Questionnaire includes the following tasks: ◦Designing questionnaires, which involves setting up prerequisites, answers, questions and a questionnaire
◦Distributing questionnaires to respondents
◦Completing questionnaires
◦Viewing and evaluating results from completed questionnaires

• Within Human Resources, questionnaires can be used to survey employees, to evaluate employee job performance, test course participants at the end of a course. The module provides a workflow and notifications and statistical reporting

Synergy Software Systems has implemented Payroll and T@A system for many years for very large regional organisations. Now that the Ax HR offering is compelling and available in the core AOS server license we have applied that experience to localise the HR module.

We include many extra fields, extra validations, workflows and reports to streamline HR operations. Our configurable, Ax Payroll module caters for all GCC countries. Of course there is also integration with EP Self Service, and detailed financial accruals, and WPS file generation. The icing on the top includes Power BI analysis.

Why not? It now comes as part of your Ax server license – and as well as all the features in the HR module you also get:
– record all dependents and their document details for PRO related activities – avoid fines
– Case management e.g. for injury, incidents, new starters etc.
– Document attachment- passport scans, application letters, expense receipts etc.
– Ax workflow engine, approvals, for promotions, pay rise, overtime, department transfers etc.
– Alerts – expiring documents, overdue appraisals, etc.
– Questionnaire module: -appraisals, employee feedback, panel interviews etc.
– Travel and Expense Portal pre and post approval- against your defined policies
– Employee Portal self service
– HR role based Portals
– Power BI analysis of HR data
– Manpower Budgeting
– Graphical organisation charts
– CRM to record meetings, notes etc. with e.g. government agencies, H@S inspectors, or potential vendors of HR services e.g. recruitment, training.
– Projects module e.g. for a change management project, or for HR activities to support a takeover, or for a new factory – includes collaboration portal for working across departments and companies and external parties
– Deep integration with MS office – e.g. for mail merge letters to all employees, or to create contract direct from Ax HR
– Employee skills and calendars in HR module are used by Ax to schedule appropriately qualified, available resources to projects across companies.

Synergy Software Systems also offers a comprehensive GCC Payroll module, with additional localisation enhancements for the AX HR module. Complete with WPS file output, multiple financial accruals, EP integration to process leave and absence and employee requests e.g. for bank letters, or for self service access to own payslips.

Watch this video to see how Microsoft Dynamics AX, Microsoft’s most powerful enterprise resource planning solution, clearly displays position information in easy-to-understand graphical hierarchies. See how AX employee records hold detailed information relevant to individuals; including employee loaned items from fixed assets, skills and competencies relevant to an organisation and position assignment details in either a summary view or a more detailed historical video of information.