Picking an HR and payroll vendor goes beyond comparing costs and ticking off feature boxes. Your choice affects how accurate your payroll is how happy your employees are how well you follow rules, and how your HR can grow. In Singapore—where CPF, IRAS standards, and MOM rules change often—the right vendor keeps things accurate, while the wrong one brings in expensive risks.
To help you evaluate with confidence here are seven key questions every business should ask before they sign up with an HR & payroll provider.
1. Does the System Follow Singapore Rules?
Following rules always comes first. A payroll system needs to support:
- CPF calculations & e-submissions
- IR8A, IR21 & employee income reporting
- IRAS Auto-Inclusion compliance (AIS)
- SDL CDAC, SINDA, MBMF and other statutory deductions
A vendor that doesn’t stay current with Singapore’s regulations puts your business at risk of penalties, audit problems, and loss of employee trust. Your vendor should keep the system up-to-date in real time whenever CPF or IRAS announces changes.
2. Is the Platform Easy to Use?
Even the most sophisticated HRMS will fail if your HR team finds it hard to use. The user experience makes a big difference in quick adoption.
A good system should provide:
- An easy-to-use straightforward interface
- Overview screens that sum up payroll, leave, and attendance info
- Self-service options for workers to access pay stubs, update leave, and change personal details
- Simple processes that cut down on HR reliance
A user-friendly HRMS cuts down on mistakes and paperwork while letting employees handle basic HR tasks themselves.
3. What Support Options Does the Company Offer?
Software works well when you can count on the support team. During pay periods or audits slow help can slow things down.
Look for:
- Support based in Singapore
- Quick replies
- Teams focused on getting you started
- Different ways to reach out such as chat, email, phone, and ticket system
Reliable vendor backing helps ensure a smooth rollout fast problem-solving, and hassle-free monthly pay runs.
4. Can It Handle Future Growth?
As your company grows, your HR tasks get more involved. Your software should keep up — not need replacing every couple of years.
Key features for growth include:
- Adding new parts (Performance Reviews, Hiring Tools, Expense Claims, etc.)
- Easy plan upgrades
- Support for multiple offices or company branches
- Workflows you can change
Software that grows with you protects your investment by adapting to your changing needs.
5. What Other Systems Does It Work With?
An HR system shouldn’t stand alone. Working well with other tools cuts down on manual tasks and keeps things consistent across departments.
Key integrations include:
When HRMS and payroll work together , mistakes decrease, processing speeds up, and you get better insights.
6. What Does It Cost in Total?
Costs should be clear. Besides the price tag, think about:
- Setup & rollout fees
- Data transfer charges
- Support & upkeep fees
- Fees for extra users or branches
- Costs for premium features
Knowing the full cost breakdown upfront helps avoid surprises and lets you figure out the return on investment.
7. Can I Test the Software Before Buying?
Don’t commit without checking how easy the system is to use. Good vendors offer:
- Free trials
- Guided demos customized to your work processes
- Onboarding step-by-step guides
- Case studies & client feedback (G2, Capterra, GetApp, SoftwareAdvice)
Trying out the system yourself clarifies if it matches your everyday HR jobs.
What questions should companies ask before picking an HR & payroll provider in Singapore?
Companies should check compliance with Singapore rules (CPF/IRAS) how easy the platform is to use how good the customer help is, if the system can grow, what other software it works with, the full cost, and if the provider offers trials or demos. These points help ensure correctness, following rules, and a good fit for the long run.
Comparison Table: Traditional HR/Payroll vs Modern HRMS/Payroll Systems
| Aspect | Traditional HR & Payroll Systems | Modern HR & Payroll (Digital/AI-Enabled) |
| Compliance | Manual CPF/IRAS updates, higher error risks | Auto-updates for CPF, IRAS, SDL, & statutory rules |
| Data Entry | Manual, repetitive, error-prone | Automated, validated, real-time calculations |
| Employee Access | HR-dependent for info requests | Self-service payslips, leave, personal info |
| Integration | Little to no integration | Full sync with Attendance, Leave, Accounting |
| Scalability | Hard to scale, inflexible | Easily expandable with modules & users |
| Security | Higher risk via spreadsheets | Encrypted cloud, role-based access |
| Processing Time | Slow, multi-step workflows | Fast, automated, real-time processing |
Conclusion
Choosing an HR & payroll vendor has an influence on more than just monthly pay calculations — it affects how ready you are for compliance how well HR works, and how happy employees feel. When you assess vendors by looking at what they can do how easy they are to use how well they work with other systems, what kind of help they offer how much they can grow with you how much they cost, and how they perform in real tests, you make a choice that will serve you well for a long time.
If your company in Singapore needs an HR & payroll system you can count on, that follows the rules, and that can grow with you, Info-Tech provides a complete HRMS backed by strong local help and many years of know-how.
Our tools help you to run payroll without manual work, cut down on HR tasks, and make sure you file all the right forms — so your HR runs without a hitch every month.
Set Up You Demo Now & See the Platform for Yourself!
Frequently Asked Questions:
What makes a good HR & payroll vendor in Singapore?
A good vendor ensures CPF/IRAS compliance, offers solid integrations, provides local support, includes user-friendly features, and offers scalable modules.
How do I compare different HRMS vendors?
Check features, costs, reviews, implementation support local compliance abilities, and test the trial/demo.
Should payroll software integrate with accounting or attendance systems?
Yes. Integration cuts down errors, stops double data entry, and makes sure reports and payroll calculations are accurate.
Why is scalability important in HR software?
When companies expand, their HR requirements grow. Adaptable software helps avoid additional investments and backs future growth.
Does the payroll software integrate with other HRMS modules?
Yes. Payroll Software seamlessly integrates with Attendance, Leave, and Claims modules. This integration ensures that all data is synced accurately, reducing the risk of human errors, and simplifying the salary computation process.
