Client Comments

Key Features

Cascade is ultimately a HR and Payroll software system for companies of between 50 and 20,000 employees. However, Cascade offers the very latest innovations through design led by it's users and the application of that design through cutting edge, yet proven, technology.

Here at Cascade we don't produce long, endless product roadmaps hidden away in our development studio. Instead, we get out of the office, visit our clients and ask them what they want from their HR and Payroll systems.

By asking, listening and understanding what the people who will use our software want and then creating solutions using Microsoft .Net technology we deliver a real world, useable, practical yet thought inspiring and innovative solution that provokes new ways of thinking and new ways of working.

So what does that mean for you?

Browser Based Interface

Cascade is a browser based application. This means the interfaces are delivered through Internet Explorer.

• Easily rolled out and updated
• Installed on your server or hosted on ours through Rackspace
• Accessible, with relevant security, from any internet ready PC including mobile computers
• Friendly, pleasant and colourful interface
• Dynamic, flexible screens
• Cutting edge features not possible in 'grey' screens client based systems
• Rapid development of new features
• Branded to your company's imagery throughout without development work

One supplier, one responsibility, completely integrated

Everything from Cascade is ours. HR software, Payroll software, Report Writers, Workflow - everything is owned by, implemented by and supported by Cascade. All of our staff are direct employees, our product development is 100% in house as is our support desk. We don't sell through partners, we sell through our own sales team so we can control quality of sale.

With us, you buy 100% Cascade and we take 100% responsibility for everything. It's the only way we can ensure you get 100% satisfaction.

Dashboard

Each user has a dashboard which delivers key information relevant to them (user defined) as they log in.

• Up to date, dynamically updated information at a glance
• 'Click and do' workflow tasks delivered to each user
• Graphical representations of trends, activities and information
• Log in, see, understand and act in one simple to use and easily understood screen

System Designer

Are your HR methods the same as everyone else's? No? We thought not so in Cascade you can change screens, add fields, add screens and even import data into a blank table and the system will design the screen for you.

• None technical System Designer tool
• Add as many fields of all types as you wish
• Add columns and rows
• Change labels and even screen names
• All changes are applied across the system so reporting on fields uses the new names
• Import data to blank tables and the system designs the fields and screen for you

Workflow

We are surrounded by processes. New starters, leavers, absences, holiday requests, training courses, recruitment, salary reviews; the list is endless. Holding information about these activities is just one aspect of managing them.

Ensuring best practice is followed efficiently and accurately, ensuring that people do what they are meant to do when they are meant to do it and more importantly, they do it correctly is absolutely vital in modern businesses.

Cascade's Workflow will manage all of your workflow processes through a variety of task types including:

• Mail merge emails
• Mail merge documents
• Online Surveys
• Notifications
• Tick Box lists
• Online multi part forms
• Actual record screens delivered directly through a task
• Auto decisions based on user defined filters
• User decisions based on user defined decision options
• Diary actions

Whilst functional and innovative Cascade's workflow had to be useable. We made particular effort to ensure that not only was the system functionally rich but it could be used by HR staff without constant referral to IT. Functionality with usability is absolutely core to Cascade's development methodology.

As well as Workflow Cascade offers a unique feature to manage simple processes such as requests and authorisations. Authorisation routes can be configured in under a minute for any area of the system and will manage, using the Cascade Dashboard task list and mail merge emails, any request and authorisation process (i.e. holiday request, training request)

Self Serve

Traditionally Self Serve modules have been bolted onto 'grey' screens client based HR systems as an afterthought. This has meant they are separate interfaces with a different look and feel and with minimal functionality that is set in stone.

With Cascade this is not the case. Cascade HR is completely browser based and all users use the same interface. This means that any user can potentially use any feature, secured access allowing.

With the facility to have 5 profiles within one login this means that, for example, a user can be given access to any combination of fields, screens and features and the system will treat them as self serving employees when they access their own record, but as a Line Manager when they access their staff's records and so on for other roles they have. Additional profiles might be Director, First Aider or any profile you may require as they are user defined.

Reporting and taking action

It happens all the time. You create a report, which inspires another report. Finally you have your answer and it's time to take action but how do you go from the report to the live records of the employees listed and take action? Typically, you can't.

Cascade isn't a typical HR system. With Cascade all of the reporting features are developed specifically for Cascade and its users. This means we can add features that generic, bolt on report writers simply cannot deliver.

Amongst others, detailed below, the facility to jump straight from a report to live records and then select an action such as email everyone in the report, mail merge to them or even start a process as well as other action options means that you can analyse, understand and then, uniquely, take action and deal with the issues identified seamlessly and predominantly through use of just the mouse.

• Online report writer
• Simple mouse driven report creation
• Graphing and Charting built in
• Use as a live group of employees
• Save as a dynamic group
• Export to Excel
• Format into a management report
• Create pivot table
• Save criteria as a search for personal or public use
• Save criteria as a workflow filter/decision

Integrated Payroll

Most of our competitors have partnered with payroll providers and rebadged their payroll system. This means that the traditional approach to HR and Payroll interfacing is a flat file exchange.

Here at Cascade we have developed our own HMRC accredited Payroll solution which is fully integrated to our HR system. This has allowed us to create database level integration which allows us to provide functionality such as online payslips through Self Serve. It has also allowed us to create a comprehensive integration feature that ensures Payroll, and HR, have detailed control over sharing of data.

This integration includes:

• Manual or Automatic sharing of data
• Sign off by HR or Payroll depending on ownership of data (user defined)
• Visibility of changes including graphs and audits
• Data integrity checks including failing of incorrect data
• Rules and parameters are user definable

Depth of functionality

Whilst innovative Cascade also offers a depth of functionality rarely seen in a HR system. Key areas include:

• Can operate in hours and minutes as well as days
• Any number of shift patterns can be managed
• Global salary reviews and sign off procedures are catered for
• Skills matrices are provided for
• Posts
• Document mail merge for individuals and groups store copies against each employee/applicant
• Emails can be dragged and dropped directly to employee and applicant records from Outlook or other email clients
• Mail merge emails
• Key Person Blocking ensures that the right number of staff are at work in any given group
• Full organisational structuring
• Multi currency
• Unlimited entitlement profiles
• Sick Pay Schemes managed within HR
• Spines and grades
• Training Budgets
• CPD management
• Training Provider and Course management
• Skills matching
• Auto Dates
• RAG Charting
• 360 degree Appraisals
• Bank Holidays
• Employee Pictures
• Unlimited hierarchy levels
• Post Skills/Competencies Profiles
• Skills and Competence Management
• Individual Attendance Planners
• Team Attendance Planners
• Company Wide Attendance Planners
• Automatic Dates
• Employee Groups (First Aiders etc)
• New Starter Wizard
• Wizard Builder
• Form builder

Range of modules

Cascade is a modular application. You cans elect the combination of modules that suits your requirements best. Many of our clients introduce new modules over time using our phased Project approach.

Modules include:

• HR
• Training
• Recruitment
• Payroll
• Self Serve
• Workflow
• System Designer
• Online Surveys
• Self Serve Timesheets
• Group Timesheets
• Policies and Procedures
• Interface Manager

To find out about Cascade please contact us via the web site, or by phone or email:

CONTACT:

Andrew Court
Cascade Human Resources Ltd.
Phone: 0113 255 4115
Fax: 0113 255 9073
Email: Andrew.Court@cascadehr.co.uk