“powerful HR platform”

Pros

Using Ciphr has really helped organize our HR processes and the system itself is easy to work with. It keeps evolving in ways that genuinely match business needs especially with the introduction of Analytics and the clear direction toward becoming more insight-led and business-focused. Another big plus is the support team. They're responsive, knowledgeable and quick to route questions to the right people so issues get handled without delay. Having both a capable platform and such reliable support makes the overall experience a very positive one.

Cons

A few parts of the system could be a bit more user friendly especially when it comes to features that aren't used often or areas that are more complex. There are times when certain processes need extra guidance or support before they fully make sense. That said the support team is always helpful and resolves questions quickly which keeps the impact to a minimum.

“Has user friendly HR tools overall”

Pros

Right from the start the core HR system felt user friendly and accessible so even people without much technical experience could find their way around it without trouble. Plus the platform handles employee management efficiently and the data is organized well which helped simplify day to day HR work. Overall it made managing employee information and related processes very simple and user-friendly.

Cons

One area that could be better is the reporting function. It was difficult to use when I needed to pull information from a specific point in time and the filtering options didn't always offer the flexibility I needed.

“support is available when needed”

Pros

It is user friendly once you have a bit of system knowledge behind you. The knowledge base articles are genuinely helpful too and most of the time I can find the answer to my question there without needing to log a ticket. Our account manager has also been incredibly supportive and always willing to help whenever needed and has been just as helpful with any technical questions I have had.

Cons

The issues I have with are fairly minor but they do get frustrating. When making a change for an employee, you have to go into their current job record and manually end it, whereas it would make much more sense if that happened automatically when a new job record is added. Even after ending the current job and creating the new entry, the system doesn't pick up the previous end date so that has to be entered manually as well. In the policies section, there's no way to search for keywords within a document which would be really useful. With personal documents, we usually add a description in the notes but that information doesn't appear on the main screen so if the file name is something generic like File1234, we end up having to reopen or resave files just to identify them. The Personal Development area also isn't very user friendly and we get a lot of questions about how to add objectives, probation reviews and similar items. The ticketing system can be frustrating too, because tickets automatically resolve if I don't reply within a set number of days, even though some of them can go a month without any update or response.

“strong value for the price”

Pros

We are in the middle of rolling it out across our organization and the whole procurement journey has been very easy. One of the biggest positives was the Sales Consultant's approach as their honest feedback really helped build our trust in the system. Up to this point, the implementation has been going well with no unexpected issues. The platform is also user friendly, offers good value for money and we're confident it's going to make a real difference in how we work.

Cons

Well the new Payroll module is still in development so there are a few current limitations. That said, progress seems to be moving quickly and it looks like most of those gaps will be addressed before we go live.

“supportive team and helpful guidance”

Pros

Whenever we need help, the Customer Care team is consistently supportive and quick to respond. The 2025-26 rollout of the new interface went efficiently without any issues and the guidance articles are still something we really value because they help users troubleshoot and learn on their own instead of relying entirely on the Ciphr team.

Cons

Working through the different service packages and how they fit in terms of value for money can be a worthwhile discussion in a charity setting but there is nothing negative to point out.

“Was pretty easy to setup”

Pros

Reliability has been one of the biggest strengths of this system, with dependable performance for users as well as integrations coming from our ATS and flowing into payroll. The report writer is especially valuable, offering flexible and powerful configuration options without needing any coding skills. Another big advantage is that HR system admins can set up new areas within the platform themselves which adds functionality without extra cost. Because of that, we've been able to build areas that support our DEEI and ER priorities without any additional investment.

Cons

There really aren't many downsides. Overall it's a great system. The only issue is that service desk response times can be slower during particularly busy periods.

“Design is really good”

Pros

This latest version of CIPHR is very logical to use and the customer support has been absolutely fantastic.

Cons

It does come with a steep learning curve and reporting can take quite a bit of time. We've also run into some problems with payroll / payroll bureau since Sam left.

“quick payroll and HR integration”

Pros

Payroll with Ciphr handles timesheet imports quickly, efficiently and accurately. The system feels user-friendly and the HR integration has helped speed up processing overall.

Cons

The reporting side of it is quite complicated which is probably down to the limited training provided after the recent implementation. It would have been really helpful to cover this properly during the rollout. We've also stayed away from the rollback process because it seems too long-winded and in query mode you cannot move on to the next person.

“helpful support throughout setup”

Pros

I must say the support side was handled really well. Mel, the project manager, was always quick to respond and followed up on queries as soon as possible. The guidance around the LMS was also really strong. Beth was fantastic and very encouraging while we were learning the system and understanding how it worked especially when it came to setting up areas that will be useful for future work.

Cons

More general responses to questions took longer than expected and some of the details we asked about didn't seem like they should be that complex, yet they felt more difficult for the system to deal with at the time. Parts of the system also feel quite confusing from a back end user perspective and it seems like certain tasks could be completed with fewer steps or actions. There were also occasions where something was communicated initially but when we queried it later, the response was different and didn't always match the original discussion.

“Setup process was hassle free”

Pros

Starting from no HR system at all, the whole setup process was explained really clearly and we felt supported from start to finish. Our HR implementation consultant, was incredibly helpful, always taking the time to answer questions and make sure the system was adapted to what we needed. Our project manager was also fantastic and kept everything moving, even with all the changes involved when we had to restart the payroll implementation. We're also really pleased with the new interface which is very user-friendly and staff feedback has been positive too.

Cons

At times responses to support tickets can take a little while, although this has improved a lot recently.

“valuable support always”

Pros

The system is quite user-friendly and covers pretty much everything needed across the employee lifecycle. It offers great value for money and the customer support has been incredibly helpful.

Cons

One area that still needs work is the reporting section which can be quite difficult to use. It would also help to have some extra support available between the initial training and the stage of actually putting everything into practice.

“Great support and flexibility”

Pros

One of the best things about Ciphr is how responsive and supportive the customer service team is. Every time I have contacted them, the experience has been genuinely positive. The platform is pretty easy to get around and there are plenty of helpful resources available, even though it's rare to need them. It's also very adaptable, with a lot of configurable options and it manages a wide variety of situations, including absence management, without any hassle. It's clear they are putting real effort into modernizing and improving the system and the upcoming updates show a strong commitment to making it even more user-friendly and staying ahead.

Cons

To be honest it's hard to point to any real downsides. Whenever something has come up, the Customer Services and Payroll teams have helped me work through it. One thing I have realised is that if it seems like the system cannot do something, that usually isn't the case. Reaching out to it has consistently led to a solution.

“Top platform with ongoing improvements”

Pros

The platform has been pretty easy to use and simple to move around in which makes it much easier for employees to find and manage their personal information. It's also very accessible and the support team is helpful when needed. Another plus is that Ciphr keeps developing and refining the system and the short training tutorials they provide are excellent for helping us get the most out of the available features.

Cons

Getting everything implemented sometimes took longer than it really needed to and there were points where the process felt like it could have been handled more efficiently. There have also been occasions when customer support replies were a bit slower than expected which temporarily held us back from making full use of all the system's functionality.

“Offer flexible learning plans”

Pros

Getting this LMS up and running is pretty easy but there is a lot going on behind the scenes that makes it a really capable system. The rules and learning plans make it possible to tailor training by role or by individual, while still letting it work as a simple learning database if that is all you need. The biggest advantage for me is the API connection with CIPHR HR Direct. Having single sign-on, no need for password resets and training plans updating automatically when someone moves into a new role saves a huge amount of admin time.

Cons

A few smaller features could be improved to make the overall user experience better. The badges do not add much value since they are not transferable like Open Badges in other LMS platforms such as Moodle or Totara. The league tables also feel fairly outdated for a modern workplace. It would be helpful to have more branding options beyond a single base colour, along with the ability to upload your own icons for labels. It would also be useful to add delegates to courses after the event and to sort the delegate list more effectively. A rule-building wizard would also make the rules feature even better. None of these are major issues but they would definitely improve the system beyond where it is now.

“complete platform that delivers”

Pros

Having everything we need in one package has been a big improvement over the six separate systems we used before. Each module includes the customization options we need so the system fits our processes really well. The new core UI puts everything in one place which makes it easy for employees to find what they need without much support. Payroll integration has also been very effective, since it saves us from maintaining two separate sets of employment data. On top of that the bureau team is responsive and clearly knows their stuff.

Cons

The recruiter portal is a little dated at the moment so I am hoping that's one of the next areas to get a UI refresh, even though it still does everything we need. We're also waiting on self-service for changing email notifications which should make it much easier for us to update them more regularly.

“adaptable HRIS with excellent support”

Pros

CIPHR has turned out to be a really strong HRIS for us. It's user friendly, adaptable and easy to use and I have genuinely seen the product improve and evolve over time. From a system admin perspective, the level of control is excellent which makes a big difference day to day. The support has also been outstanding across the board, whether that's from the customer experience manager, the account development manager or the frontline technical team. Their dedication and solution-focused approach is exactly what you hope for from a provider. It also works well when training HR teams because the system is logical and can be configured around your internal processes. We use other platforms for different HR functions too and it connects well with them. For example, we worked with the tool to link our LMS as a third-party integration and that implementation has been very efficient for us. The mobile app is another real plus especially because our employees need to complete normal HR tasks while on the go.

Cons

Only real downside is that support tickets needing a more complex fix can sometimes take a while to close out. That said, whenever I have flagged this with our customer experience manager, the issue has been escalated and reviewed so it really comes down to keeping communication open and making sure they understand your priorities.

“really like the updates”

Pros

Over the last year our relationship with CIPHR has moved forward in a really positive way. Their customer service has improved noticeably, with a clear focus on being responsive, helpful and supportive. The platform itself keeps developing as well, including a fresh modern interface and we're especially interested in the upcoming features around AI that should improve both efficiency and the overall user experience. Another thing we value is how proactive they are about collecting client feedback and actually using it to shape future development which helps keep the system aligned with our operational needs. At this point, it has become an important partner in helping us manage our HR function effectively and without disruption.

Cons

Like any HRIS the software still has some limitations and these have already been raised as areas for future product development.

“Always provide clear guidance”

Pros

Whenever we need help with iRecruit, Hassan has been incredibly reliable. He quickly understands what we're asking for and acts on anything he's able to assist with straight away. It's also really useful that he lets us know when our suggestions have been passed on to the development team. His responses are clear, include screenshots and make it much easier to understand things, while also pointing us in the right direction when it's something we can sort out ourselves.

Cons

The downside is having to raise a service ticket instead of being able to just call someone directly especially when the issue is urgent and could probably be resolved very quickly. It's not particularly easy to reach a person fast when immediate help is needed.

“Delivers as promised”

Pros

Ciphr LMS delivers the core features and flexibility we needed to build the learning environment we had in mind for our users. It also gives our dealer management team the reporting functions and practical tools they need to oversee team training properly. On top of that we've seen noticeable improvements lately in how system updates are handled and communicated.

Cons

Previously one challenge was the long time it could take to get system issues resolved. That said, it's clear the company has made broader improvements which have led to faster resolution of concerns and stronger processes for dealing with system-related problems.

“helpful team and responsive service”

Pros

Since it took over Avantus, we've been using them for both payroll and benefits and the support has been excellent throughout. Whatever the question is, the team is always helpful, supportive and incredibly quick to respond.

Cons

Honestly I don't have any complaints which really says a lot about the level of service they provide. We've relied on them for payroll for as long as I have been in this role.