In just a few years, ProMark has evolved from being a traditional on-premise solution to becoming a modern cloud solution with a number of associated services. Read about the journey and discover more about why you should join us.
In recent years, the IT industry has been undergoing a transformation in which traditional on-premise solutions are being replaced by new, modern cloud-based solutions. Cloud computing transforms the way businesses manage their IT and offers a completely different level of flexibility in terms of new functionality, integration, scalability, security and economy.
System providers such as SAP and Microsoft started this modernisation journey a long time ago. Today, they offer a number of cloud-based HR and ERP systems, and have, at the same time, begun phasing out some of their older, on-premise solutions. This means that in the coming years, many companies must consider whether or when they will change to the cloud – and if so, how.
In order to remain an attractive Workforce Management solution for the companies that choose the new cloud solutions, ProMark has been developed to become a natural part of these via standard integrations.
We also offer a number of support services that mean we can now deliver ProMark as a Solution as a Service.
What is ProMark solution as a service?
With ProMark Solution as a Service, we have gathered the entire ProMark universe into a complete solution that makes it easy for our companies to embark on their modernisation journey.
ProMark Solution as a Service includes:
- Stable operational platforms in the cloud
- Software as a Service packages
- Services that ease the daily operation
Stable operational platforms in the cloud
To ensure ProMark is a good match for customers’ IT landscape, wherever they are on their cloud journey, we offer several operational platforms.
By default, ProMark is hosted on the Microsoft Azure platform. Here, the company shares a standardised infrastructure and ProMark installation – and thus costs – with other companies, who each have their own database. The platform is very scalable and elastic in relation to customers’ needs, e.g. in connection with peak periods of the day, if many employees clock in or out within a short period of time. Maintenance and upgrading of the solution take place as system updates that are installed periodically (e.g. like Office 365 updates) and is communicated in advance.
The company can also choose a private cloud platform where the ProMark installation is run from a dedicated external server, outside the customer’s own IT department and upgrades are agreed as needed. This allows the company to adjust the cloud environment to meet specific requirements and the solution can be scaled within the limits chosen by the company. All costs related to hardware and software are held by the individual company.
With a cloud solution, the company avoids having to buy, install and maintain a local server to run their ProMark solution. Furthermore, they do not have to worry about monitoring, backup and security and therefore, they will not need to dedicate their own IT resources for this purpose.
The optimal solution depends on the individual company’s situation and requirements for capacity, flexibility, security level and scope of control of their IT systems, as well as the need for being able to access the solution via the Internet.
The most common customer barriers when considering a cloud solution are about handing over control of their ProMark solution and the security aspect, says CIO Morten Janum. Our cloud solutions are available on the Microsoft Azure platform, which maintains a wide range of global and local compliance certifications such as various ISO standards and GDPR. This means that companies do not need to maintain security themselves; they can safely leave the responsibility to IT professionals who focus solely on ensuring stable operation and compliance of ProMark solutions on the Azure platform, at all times.
Should the company prefer to take responsibility for ensuring stable operation and for keeping up with system updates, security aspects and more, ProMark can be installed on-premise at a dedicated server in the company’s own IT environment.
Software as a service solution on a monthly subscription
The ProMark software includes advanced – and configurable – Workforce Management functionality that meets the needs of larger organisations for automating the management of time & attendance, absence, staff rostering, shift scheduling and job/project registration.
ProMark is built up in modules, allowing companies to choose the elements that create most value for them. We are continuously developing new features – based on valuable input from existing users – that extends the functionality and enrich data in other business systems. This creates added value for our customers.
ProMark is offered in different Software as a Service (SaaS) editions, allowing companies to choose the edition that best matches their need for functionality – with the option to switch to another edition, if their needs change.
The software editions are offered on a monthly subscription where the company pays a price per employee based on the chosen edition and the number of users to use the solution. The monthly price also covers maintenance.
The main benefits of the SaaS approach are that it is more flexible and cost-effective. Flexible because the solution is scalable and can easily be adjusted up or down according to the company’s specific requirements – both in terms of number of users and functionality. The subscription-based pricing also means that the SaaS solution can be regarded as an operating cost, which can make it easier for some companies to get started.
In special situations, ProMark can be delivered as a traditional software license model which gives permanent right of use for the solution. This model requires an initial investment which is calculated on the basis of how many users will be using the individual modules as well as annual costs for a maintenance agreement.
Services that free up time for other tasks
Many companies typically rely on a few key people in the IT and HR departments who can take care of the ongoing operation, setup and maintenance of ProMark. This not only means that the company is very vulnerable, but also that employees must keep their knowledge of ProMark up to date on an ongoing basis.
Therefore, we offer to be the extended arm of the HR and IT department.
Let us be your ProMark superuser
With SuperuserService, we assume the role of the company’s superuser in ProMark and ensure the maintenance of master data, profiles and accounts for employees and adjust the existing ProMark setup on an ongoing basis, including handling of user access. We can also manage the payroll preparation so that the data basis for salary is transferred to the payroll system at the agreed times.
We provide the necessary knowledge and skills to get the most out of the customer’s solution and support their processes in the best possible way. This results in less vulnerability during periods of absence and more time to support other tasks and processes in the company.
Cyclife has chosen to run ProMark as Software as a Service on a Private Cloud combined with SuperuserService to achieve stable operation of our ProMark solution. ProMark provides support for handling all administration in the system and creating the basis for the payroll process. It gives us predictable costs and more time to focus on value-adding tasks in the company.
– Urban Lind, IT Manager, Cyclife Sweden AB
Hardware – rent or buy?
ProMark collects data via a number of different user interfaces, most of which are devices that the company’s employees already use in their daily work, e.g. web portal and mobile phone.
Data can also be collected via physical terminals. To facilitate our customers’ modernisation journey, we offer HardwareService (HaaS). With a HardwareService agreement covering the rental, operation, monitoring and repair of terminals and readers to ProMark, customers can leave the responsibility to us. As terminals need repair or break down, we make sure that they are either repaired or replaced by a new terminal.
With a HardwareService agreement, the company avoids having to invest in both new terminals and unforeseen repair costs. At the same time, they can leave daily monitoring and operations to us and thus avoid the hassle of monitoring and keeping the terminals running.
If the company prefers to own the terminals, this is of course also possible. The customer is thus responsible for the daily monitoring and operation of their terminals and equipment.
Why choose solution as a service?
In the 2020 version of the Market Guide for Workforce Management Applications, the research company, Gartner, recommends that companies make a plan to migrate on-premise Workforce Management applications to cloud solutions within the next 1-2 years to access the latest functionality.
In addition, there are a number of other good arguments for migrating:
- You get a complete solution that simplifies the upgrade of your other business systems (such as SAP and Microsoft)
- You leave the responsibility to us, thus freeing up resources to solve other tasks in the company that create greater value
- You reduce the need for having specific competencies in-house that can be difficult to obtain
- You achieve higher operational stability by transferring ProMark to an IT environment designed specifically to run ProMark and by leaving daily operations to IT experts with in-depth knowledge of the solution
- You improve predictability in your IT budget and avoid unforeseen costs if equipment needs to be repaired or replaced
- You only have one supplier who takes care of your entire installation and has the latest knowledge and necessary expertise in the solution
By running all customers on a standardised solution, ProMark has been able to take the journey into the new cloud-based IT landscapes. With a broad spectrum of functionality, services and integration options, ProMark is a future-proof solution with low total costs and thus an attractive and secure choice compared to global Workforce Management solutions.
Are you ready to join us on our journey?
