IBM Corp is to offer a new version of its French software subsidiary CGI’s human resources software, integrated with Lotus Notes in the US and elsewhere and tailored for the US market. HR Access is based upon the Sigagip software CGI sells in Europe and is aimed at mid-to-large multinational firms. HR Access includes strategic human resources and organizational administration; payroll; and benefits modules. All use a single repository for information which includes multi-country personnel data, country specific personnel and payroll data, business processes and language and currency translations. IBM says what it calls the Worldwide Information Model allows companies to manage and analyze their total employee roster across different countries. It supports DB2 and Oracle databases and information can be accessed through Notes Clients, Web browsers, kiosks and telephone-based voice systems. It claims to be different from competitve packages such as Peoplesoft’s by providing customizable run-time parameters in top of a single payroll core engine allowing HR Access to run multiple country payrolls concurrently. All results are stored in the same format in the WIM so that payroll information can be converted into a single currency for analysis. It ships with a set of Notes application templets for personal information updates, performance reviews, job postings and benefits enrolment for managing employee resources. Query and simulation provide management planning. The suite runs on RS/600 servers in the US from third quarter. Support for ES/900, AS/400 and Windows NT will be provided in 1997. They are already supported in Europe. It supports Windows clients and starts at $100,000.
