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Paychex Flex

Paychex Flex

Overview

What is Paychex Flex?

Paychex Flex, of Paychex' Online Payroll Services, is a cloud-based human resource management and payroll platform. Paychex offers core and specialized services, and scales to meet the needs of small businesses, SMBs, and large enterprises.

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Awards

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Reviewer Pros & Cons

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Video Reviews

1 video

Paychex Flex Review: One Users Payroll Management Story
02:26
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Pricing

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Paychex Go

$59

Cloud
per month/+$4 per employee

Paychex Flex Service

Contact sales team

Cloud

Paychex Flex Enterprise

Contact sales team

Cloud

Entry-level set up fee?

  • Setup fee required

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services
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Features

Human Resource Management

Organizing, tracking and providing instant access to critical employee data, job profiles, transfers, promotions, and benefits information.

6.8
Avg 7.9

Payroll Management

Provides for pay calculation and benefit plan administration, in addition to managing direct deposit, salary revisions and payroll tracking.

8.5
Avg 8.0

Leave and Attendance Management

Streamlines communication between HR and employees and facilitates efficient management of employee leave including requisitions, approvals, balance calculation, and annual carry-forward.

7
Avg 8.1

Employee Self Service

Employee portal allowing employees to view and update their personal information.

8.6
Avg 8.2

Asset Management

Maintaining a record of assets such as laptops, pagers, cell phones, etc. issued to employees. Record typically includes asset type, number, serial number and date of issuance.

7.6
Avg 7.9

HR Reporting

Pre-built and custom reports, and integration with external data.

5.9
Avg 7.6

Onboarding

Employee onboarding is the process of orienting new hires to the social and performance aspects of their jobs so that they are able to function in their new roles as quickly as possible.

7.8
Avg 8.1

Recruiting / ATS

Recruiting or Applicant Tracking Software is software used to manage the recruitment process electronically by handling job postings, applicant status, resume management, etc.

8.3
Avg 7.9
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Product Details

What is Paychex Flex?

Paychex Flex® is an HR solution boasting simplicity, with technology that grows and changes with the user's business. Paychex combines business solutions and dedicated support, to help users:

•Hire, pay, manage, and retain employees

•Get experienced support as needed with a 24/7/365 U.S.-based, live support team

•Stay ahead of changing laws and regulations with Paychex compliance experts

•Access information on the go with the Paychex Flex Mobile App and Paychex Voice Assist

Talent Management: Recruit, retain, and develop top talent from a single HR platform and streamline the hiring and onboarding process.

Workforce Management: Improve employee efficiency and productivity with workforce management resources.

Payroll and Financial Support: Pay employees and manage taxes, and expenses.

Employee Benefits: Attract and retain top talent by offering valued employee benefits while simplifying plan administration.

PEO and HR Outsourcing: Support the business throughout the entire employee lifecycle with comprehensive HR outsourcing solutions.

Employee Experience: Save time and improve accuracy by giving employees access to self-service HR, training, and financial tools.

Integrations: Automatically connect and share data between software and Paychex Flex.

Choose the right level of technology and support for the business now — while keeping the ability to grow as needs change.

Paychex Flex Features

Human Resource Management Features

  • Supported: Employee demographic data
  • Supported: Employment history
  • Supported: Job profiles and administration
  • Supported: Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.
  • Supported: Benefits information
  • Supported: Organization and location management
  • Supported: Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)

Payroll Management Features

  • Supported: Pay calculation
  • Supported: Off-cycle/On-Demand payment
  • Supported: Payroll history for each employee
  • Supported: Benefit plan administration
  • Supported: Direct deposit files
  • Supported: Payroll tracking and auditing
  • Supported: Salary revision and increment management
  • Supported: Reimbursement management
  • Supported: Statutory form management

Leave and Attendance Management Features

  • Supported: Approval workflow
  • Supported: Email notifications
  • Supported: Balance details
  • Supported: Travel absence management
  • Supported: Annual carry-forward and encashment

Employee Self Service Features

  • Supported: Employee login
  • Supported: View and generate pay and benefit information
  • Supported: Update personal information
  • Supported: Request time off
  • Supported: View job history
  • Supported: View company policy documentation
  • Supported: View company news and information

Asset Management Features

  • Supported: Tracking of all physical assets

HR Reporting Features

  • Supported: Report builder
  • Supported: Pre-built reports
  • Supported: Ability to combine HR data with external data

Integration with other HR capabilities Features

  • Supported: Additional HR capabilities (talent management, LMS, etc.) supplied by same vendor

Onboarding Features

  • Supported: New hire portal
  • Supported: Manager tracking tools

Recruiting / ATS Features

  • Supported: Job Requisition Management
  • Supported: Company Website Posting
  • Supported: Publish to Social Media
  • Supported: Job Search Site Posting
  • Supported: Duplicate Candidate Prevention
  • Supported: Applicant Tracking
  • Supported: Notifications and Alerts

Additional Features

  • Supported: Retirement- Single Record
  • Supported: FSA
  • Supported: Health Insurance, COBRA
  • Supported: Mobile App

Paychex Flex Screenshots

Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of

Paychex Flex Video

Paychex Flex Demo

Paychex Flex Integrations

Paychex Flex Technical Details

Deployment TypesSoftware as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationApple iOS, Android, Mobile Web
Supported CountriesUnited States
Supported LanguagesEnglish, Spanish

Frequently Asked Questions

Paychex Flex, of Paychex' Online Payroll Services, is a cloud-based human resource management and payroll platform. Paychex offers core and specialized services, and scales to meet the needs of small businesses, SMBs, and large enterprises.

ADP Streamline Payroll, Enterprise eTIME, by ADP, and ADP Vantage HCM are common alternatives for Paychex Flex.

Reviewers rate Company Website Posting highest, with a score of 9.8.

The most common users of Paychex Flex are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(569)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Ease of Navigation: Users have found Paychex Flex easy to navigate, allowing for seamless access to various HR functions in one platform. The intuitive interface simplifies the user experience and enhances overall efficiency.

Efficient Customer Service: Reviewers have praised the quick response and efficiency of customer service representatives when addressing queries or concerns. This prompt assistance contributes to a positive user experience and fosters trust in the platform.

Detailed Customizable Reports: Users value the availability of detailed and customizable reports on Paychex Flex, enhancing their ability to analyze data effectively. The tailored reporting options cater to diverse business needs and support informed decision-making processes.

Clock-in Area Issues: Users have expressed frustration with difficulties in clocking in or out, mentioning challenges with the process and a strong need for improved remote access capabilities. Some users have highlighted issues such as system lags, inaccuracies in recorded hours, and overall inefficiencies affecting their daily operations.

Salary Entry Complexity: Several reviewers have complained about the intricate steps involved in entering salaries for salaried employees. They have called for a more user-friendly process that simplifies salary input and provides flexibility to adjust check dates without incurring additional fees. Users also noted errors in salary calculations and delays caused by the current complexity of the system.

Ad Hoc Reporting Tool Criticisms: The ad hoc reporting tool has faced criticism from users due to its lack of intuitiveness and challenging usability. Reviewers expressed dissatisfaction with the training provided for utilizing this tool effectively within Paychex Flex. Concerns were raised regarding the steep learning curve associated with generating reports through the tool, impacting efficiency and decision-making processes negatively.

Reviews

(1-25 of 308)

Close but no Cigar.

Rating: 9 out of 10
October 30, 2024
Verified User
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
5 years of experience
I enjoy the ease of use, and I like that my employees can access their information online. The app makes handling inquiries while I am away from the office a breeze. Having all reminders for enrollments is very convenient. If I ever need support, my payroll specialist is available to answer all my questions.
  • Reminders on benefit Enrollments.
  • Ease of access.
  • Quick turnaround.
An employee needs five months' worth of check stubs. I clicked, and all of them printed out in order. I'm looking you a report with the total hours.

A Multi-Functional Product.

Rating: 8 out of 10
October 28, 2024
Verified User
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
4 years of experience
Paychex Flex functions as our HRIS and is the point of truth for employee information and payroll. We also utilize the Time & Attendance features to capture time worked and PTO accruals/use. Managers use the Time & Attendance feature to approve/deny time off requests and take responsibility for approving the entered time before payroll is run.
  • Reports are good (for employers).
  • Employees can easily complete their personal profiles during onboarding.
  • Employees can submit time off easily; managers can easily approve/deny.
  • Calendar of time off approved is a great tool to see 'who is off when'.
It's better for larger businesses (50+) with various types of pay structures. Employees need to be comfortable with technology to take advantage of the self-service features. I've struggled with the default in the state tax section; extra steps must be taken when an employee lives in a different state than they work, and we don't know where they live until after completing their profile. So we have to go into the system and make the corrections, then notify the employee to go in and complete the state-specific withholding forms and follow up to confirm they do so.

15+ Paychex Customer.

Rating: 9 out of 10
October 23, 2024
Verified User
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
10 years of experience
I mainly use it to manage our company's retirement plan an average of five or more times yearly. I sometimes use it to obtain other general employee information. Another user uses the payroll section at least Bi-Weekly.
  • It provides a well account of Retirement Plan Account Information.
  • Alerts are sent to email when there is new information to access.
  • Employee access both online and thru app.
  • Paperless options.
  • Easy and quick access to paystubs and tax forms.
  • Easy employee retirement management.
As an employer, it is well suited to access employee information from anywhere at any time with security features improved. When logging in from work, I prefer not to get an access code sent to my personal phone. An option for business email would be great. And when logging in to my personal account, I prefer not to have access to a business account.

Easy to manage

Rating: 9 out of 10
October 23, 2024
MR
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
20 years of experience
We use Paychex Flex for the Company payroll.<br>One benefit is having a representative assigned to your account that can help you deal with unusual situations that may occur.<br>They have flexible pricing tiers depending on what services you may need.<br>They provide reminders for payroll submission and quarterly reporting. <br>The payrolls are always processed quickly and accurately.
  • Easy to use.
  • Accurate and timely reports.
  • Knowledgeable and helpful staff at Paychex Flex.
  • State and Federal taxes are always taken care of.
Small companies like ours that need accurate and timely payroll solutions.
Taking care of all the tax submissions to the appropriate agencies.
Able to adjust salaries to accommodate for bonuses and allowances.
They can resolve issues quickly and with a minimum of your valuable time involved.

Does what you need.

Rating: 8 out of 10
October 22, 2024
Verified User
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
2 years of experience
It is easy to track time sheets and allocate time to different accounts. Additionally, we have been able to customize what employees see, specifically in terms of our rewards program. Managers can balance and approve time off of their employees and see what is happening throughout the different departments.
  • Customizable
  • User friendly.
  • Quick response to questions.
It is great for tracking time throughout the organization and allocating hours to different projects. It does what you expect it to do, but you can expand how the organization uses it, and there are often suggestions on how to do so. We have also used it to recruit new staff.

Good product

Rating: 10 out of 10
October 22, 2024
Verified User
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
4 years of experience
We use Paychex Flex for both Payroll and a 401k plan. We have been with Paychex Flex now for almost 5 years and they have provided and incredibly easy system to pay employees. Paychex Flex provided additional HR services when we needed it and when there were few employees we were able to scale the services to our needs without obligation. A year ago we were contacted by a competitor and after reviewing what we have they were unable to offer a comparable service at the same price point. That experience has served to underscore the value that we have felt with the service.
  • Ease of use
  • Scalability
  • Phone App
I have recommended Paychex Flex to two other colleagues. It is a good value for the small business as well as large organizations. If you want to put minimal time and effort into Payroll then, Paychex Flex is the way to go. We now spend less than an hour total on Payroll every pay period.

Paychex Flex a great product!

Rating: 10 out of 10
October 22, 2024
Verified User
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
2 years of experience
We use Paychex Flex to manage our payroll. We utilize its features, which include time sheets, benefits, PTO tracking, payroll processing, and reporting. We find the reporting robust and easy to use. We created reports to record our payroll accruals. We are happy with the product and the support we receive.
  • Payroll processing.
  • Time sheets.
  • Reporting
  • Document repository.
We find the reporting robust and with many choices. We created reports to record our payroll accruals. We are happy with the product and the support we receive. I find the timesheet approval process a little cumbersome and wish I could approve directly on my employees' timesheets.

Why I use Payflex.

Rating: 10 out of 10
October 13, 2024
Verified User
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
10 years of experience
I like the ease of use. I can access my payroll anytime. The printed reports help during tax time or if there is a question at a later date. I would highly recommend Paychex Flex Pay. I also like that employees can access their payroll whenever they want.
  • Ease of use.
  • Access anytime.
  • Reports that give the exact information I need.
Flexible payroll schedule from any computer. Ease of use.

The ease of Paychex Flex

Rating: 10 out of 10
September 24, 2024
KW
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
1 year of experience
For our company, we use Paychex Flex to do payroll, and track all employees hours and vacation hours.
  • Keeping important information for each employee.
  • Making it easy to add in new hires and remove employees who are no longer with us.
  • Making it easy to do payroll.
I have no complaints for Paychex Flex. I think Paychex Flex is great to use. If someone did ask me my opinion about it, I would recommend Paychex Flex to them.

Hot off the press... Paychex Flex is the best of the best!!

Rating: 9 out of 10
September 11, 2024
BB
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
1 year of experience
We use it for our payroll service and also our retirement account is now set up through Paychex as well. We do use it in multiple locations for time and attendance. Its great that the time and attendance offers a geo option to ensure that employees are clocking in at the locations and the times that are allotted to them.
  • Time and attendance
  • Our account rep is great at handling the issues and questions that I have
  • Fairly simple to use
  • great access to reporting
We use it in multiple locations based on my experience starting with zero training it was pretty easy. I would suggest more detailed training for new users for multiple areas of Paychex Flex

Great alternative to more robust systems for teams that don't need all the bells and whistles

Rating: 7 out of 10
February 21, 2024
Verified User
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
2 years of experience
payroll processing, tracking paid time off, tax documentation and filing
  • Customer care
  • Communication
We've enjoyed our time with Paychex Flex and were quick to come back to them after having issues with our last payroll processor. It has worked great for our small business and now has the capacity to remit 403B directly which is a HUGE win.

Got Paycheck Flex?

Rating: 8 out of 10
November 29, 2023
CH
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
3 years of experience
We use Paychex Flex daily for our time keeping. The owners of the company use Paychex Flex for payroll, and tracking employees time and details. Typically works very smoothly to clock in and out. You are able to organize the system to make it work best for your personal use. The owners are able to make it so that you are unable to clock-in at home and or clock out (which can be a bit inconveniencing) but I also understand wanting limitations on these things. You can very easily open your tax information and print out, show your schedule, and request time off. It is probably the most simplified system I've ever used for clocking in and out.
  • Simple to the point all organized in one location.
  • For the most part very reliable.
  • 1 touch and you are in your folio and you can make changes to suit your needs.
I love the program but the app that I was told to download by owners is useless with all the blocks they have on it. It is completely rendered useless with the blocks and reminds me that I need to delete this on my phone! More options with a calendar entuned to it and maybe some color options to make things stand out. Overall a good app but has some issues with punch in punch out button (sticking)

Paychex Flex has made payroll easier for us!

Rating: 8 out of 10
November 10, 2023
Verified User
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
3 years of experience
We use Paychex Flex to manage our payroll and process it. It is an easy way to keep track of employees' hours and PTO, etc.
  • Simple entry of employees' hours
  • Keeps track of PTO
  • Easy to modify profiles of current employees and to change employment status
It is great for entering payroll. I haven't used it for other services so I can't speak to that.

Paychex Flex - A full service, user friendly, easy to use payroll management platform

Rating: 10 out of 10
November 08, 2023
JT
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
10 years of experience
We use Paychex Flex to process payroll for clergy, part time employees and full time, salaried staff. With the assistance of the supportive staff, he Paychex Flex product allows us to process payroll for various types of employees, including the complexities that come with paying clergy and housing allowances. I am responsible for all aspects of onboarding new staff and Paychex Flex has been in instrumental part of making the onboarding process more efficient.
  • Paychex Flex makes providing W2's to staff a breeze.
  • Paychex Flex provides a variety of HR management products to reference
  • Paychex Flex makes it really easy for staff members to access their paystubs and updae their profile information, such as their direct deposit information.
In my experience, Paychex Flex is well suited for small to medium sized businesses. It has been helpful in streamlining the onboarding process and it is easy to update and maintain employee profiles and records. It has worked will in a non-profit environment where there is clergy pay and housing, which can get quite complicated. I cannot think of a scenario where it would be less appropriate.

Just the essentials, please. Could use a scaled-down version.

Rating: 10 out of 10
October 26, 2023
MJ
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
1 year of experience
Used for the entire organization. Payroll processing, payroll tax remittance, retirement funding transfers
  • Remit federal and state payroll taxes. I no longer have to do this.
  • Provide detailed information to employees regarding their own pay information. Employees have access through a portal.
  • Remit retirement contributions to retirement plan administrator
I would not recommend it to someone who has limited computer skills.

Want more time to work on your business? Choose Paychex

Rating: 9 out of 10
October 18, 2023
BM
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
1 year of experience
I currently use Paycheck for payroll, 401(k) retirement package for myself and employees and for workers compensation insurance. Having all those things in one place has been very helpful in conducting my business. If I have any issue or question, they have been very responsive and helpful. Highly recommend to simplify your computer workload.
  • Customer service
  • Product offerings
  • Clarity
Customer service and informative staff are very helpful. Some of the breakdowns in details of workers, compensation, insurance and 401K retiring packages could be easier to navigate or understand. But again, staff more than willing to help enter any questions you have regarding any of these things. Very satisfied with their services.

Timesaving and Professional

Rating: 8 out of 10
October 17, 2023
MG
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
3 years of experience
Paychex Flex covers all of our payroll and tax-related concerns. Previously, as a small non-profit, these concerns were handled by volunteers. The professionalism of Paychex gives us peace of mind in complicated payroll and detailed tax needs. We have also consulted with Paychex on human resource law changes and support. Their knowledge has been beneficial to our decision-making process.
  • Payroll
  • Tax
  • Human Resource law changes
In our experience with Paychex, payroll adjustments throughout the year and annually are simple and easy to track. Our employees can access their payroll and tax information from any device at their leisure. This cuts down on inhouse engagement and time for supplying the necessary documentation of tax-related items and paystubs.

Great Company if you don't have payday on a Wednesday

Rating: 1 out of 10
October 17, 2023
LR
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
1 year of experience
We used Paychex Flex as our payroll system for our municipality, From experience, we have several issues with this company. Biggest issue was Monday holidays and overtime on the weekends. If Monday was a holiday, we had to do payroll on a Friday before. If there was overtime over the weekend, our guys couldn't paid for in that weeks check. That was an issue with the union guys.
  • ease to use at home
  • friendly representative
It would be suited for Companies that do not do payroll on a Wednesday

Paychex Flex - Ease of Use

Rating: 9 out of 10
October 11, 2023
Verified User
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
6 years of experience
Entering New Hires, Submitting/Entering Payroll, Terminations. Reporting/Tax time.
  • Regular updating on new requirements for our state
  • Check in's to make sure the user interface is friendly
  • Quick Response times in most cases
  • Employees do a good job of educating us on use of platform
ESR Reps, 401 K reps are very helpful as well.

Easy to use.

Rating: 10 out of 10
October 11, 2023
LM
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
3 years of experience
We use Paychex Flex to process both staff salaries and hourly employees, as well as, our subcontractors. Paychex Flex will then complete all of our tax forms for payroll and year end 1099s.
  • tracking 1099 employees
  • reporting on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis
  • taking care of all of our reporting needs to multiple states.
Staff is quick to assist and solve any issues.

Payroll is quick and easy right from my phone!

Rating: 10 out of 10
October 10, 2023
JA
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
5 years of experience
Weekly payroll is reported online. We have no problems.
  • Submitting payroll is quick and easy
  • I can submit payroll using the app if I'm out of town.
  • Employees can print their own paystubs and W-2's
  • Our rep responds quickly to phone calls and is very knowledgeable.
I failed to properly set up a new employees direct deposit so the check was mailed to our office. Our owner put it in a stack thinking it was of no importance and she would open it later. After a few weeks of the employee not getting his check, I contacted our rep and she stopped payment on that check immediately and issued a new check via direct deposit. I text the employee about the new check and he said the check was found and he deposited it the day before. So I immediately called the rep back to cancel the transaction which was within the 15 mins timeframe. A couple days later his bank reported the check was stopped and the amount was deducted from his account. Another call to the rep to again direct deposit which she happily did. All this to say, our rep was very cheerful and happy to help.

Disappointed

Rating: 1 out of 10
October 09, 2023
JC
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
1 year of experience
Just Jets Services uses Paychex Flex for payroll, healthcare and retirement 401K options for the employees. The original hope was it would be a one stop solution for the company.
  • The 401K plan has provided good option and clear cut management of this option.
From experience, Paychex has a problem with communication both internal and with the client. I think Paychex has a terrible track record with follow-up of know issues concerning enrollment of employees into healthcare options. Issues drag on for months without resolution.

Good and Bad

Rating: 7 out of 10
October 09, 2023
Verified User
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
16 years of experience
We use Paychex Flex as the only source of payroll processing for two divisions of our organization. We have tried to implement the PTO program with limited success. We have had to resort to keeping it manually unfortunately. We tried Paychex Flex's insurance program but that too was disappointing and not a lot of follow through was done once we signed on.
  • Ease of use
  • Easy to read reports
  • Comparable in pricing
I think small businesses are suited for Paychex Flex
In my opinion, complicated HR plans Paychex Flex is not well at handling

Provides easy call-in service for payroll processing and exceeds our reporting requirements

Rating: 8 out of 10
October 09, 2023
MM
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
9 years of experience
We use Paychex Flex for our payroll processing and federal, state and local tax reporting.
  • Bi-Weekly Payroll Processing
  • Tax Filing for all jurisdictions
  • Personnel Report Matrix
  • User Portal for accessing their paystubs and tax documents
The ease of the call-in feature for Payroll reduces time spent on payroll processing. The reports are numerous and give us the information we need to book journal entries, track statistics and retirement plan information. The feed from Paychex Flex to our 401(k) company is seemless and requires no user intervention.

Paychex Flex Review

Rating: 2 out of 10
October 08, 2023
Verified User
Vetted Review
Verified User
Paychex Flex
1 year of experience
We use Paychex Flex as our sole HRIS system for the company. We currently have a very aggressive merger and acquisition strategy, so I am also involved in implementing it at the sites that we acquire.
  • Company Directory is very user friendly
  • The app for the end user is very user friendly as well.
In my opinion, pick any other HRIS system besides Paychex Flex. In my opinion, Paychex Flex is not set up for a growing manufacturing company. In my experience, there is a lot of turnover in the company which results in a lot of support not knowing the answer, or giving wrong information because they simply do not take the time to research. We have since moved our benefits outside of Paychex Flex because I believe Paychex Flex as a broker for benefits is useless.
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