Effective Human Capital Management (HCM) is instrumental in gearing businesses towards success. A 10-year study cited by the Forbes Human Resources Council showed that human capital-focused firms in the US had a 79.2% rise in net income over a decade against 7.5% for their competitors.

However, choosing the right HCM solution is a strategic decision that should align with your business goals and needs. To help you guide and simplify the process, we have compared two of the best HCM solutions in the market: isolved vs Automatic Data Processing (ADP).

Explore their core functionalities, tools, and offerings to find which solution will help you streamline your essential HR functions along with hiring, retaining, and developing the top talent for your business.

isolved Vs ADP: At A Glance

Feature

isolved

ADP

Payroll

Automated payroll handling, employee self-service features, tax filing, ACA compliance, FMLA management, COBRA, 401(k) compliance

Automated payroll handling, multi-country payroll processing, multi-jurisdiction tax calculations, advanced compliance and benefits administration

Workforce Management

Automated timekeeping and attendance, mobile app, employee self-service for PTO, shift coverage, etc., linked to payroll and HR

Offers biometric clocks, mobile app, advanced time-tracking tools, absence management, over-time calculations, all linked to payroll and HR

Talent Acquisition And Retention

Applicant tracking system, background checks for talent acquisition, performance learning management system (LMS)

 

 

 

Offers an internal data pool for deeper analytics, ADP Learning Management

AI-Capabilities

Automates core HR functions, Conversational Virtual Assistant, Predictive People Analytics

More focused on predictive analytics, automates talent acquisition, ADP Assist to manage critical tasks

 

Customer Support

Available via email 24/7, the standard turnaround time for an email response is 24-48 hours

Offers live service support 24/7/365 through chat, email, and phone

What Is isolved?

isolved HCM is a cloud-based platform designed to streamline HR, payroll, and benefit functions for businesses of all sizes. With its automated and integrated tools for talent acquisition, employee life cycle management, and payroll services, isolved intelligently streamlines HR operations to support business growth.

Furthermore, the platform stores employee information, payroll data, and benefits in one system, focusing on user ease and efficiency. Its analytics and key insights help businesses make key decisions to reduce turnover, improve employee satisfaction, and optimize the HR environment.

Unique Features Of isolved

  • Conversational Virtual Assistant: This intuitive HR chatbot automates responses to frequently asked questions for Microsoft Teams. It enables employees to get crucial information regarding their onboarding, training, and development while keeping meetings or workshops to a minimum
  • Predictive People Analytics: Supported by artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions, this feature helps HR teams visualize workforce analytics and metrics. This enables businesses to carry a pro-active HCM approach with insights that deliver sophisticated employee management
  • Adaptive Employee Experience (AEE): This self-service feature in isolved allows employees to manage their personal information, payroll data, or time off requests anywhere, anytime. Especially helpful for managing remote teams, it also saves HR time by eliminating manual request entries
  • Share & Perform: This feature enables team members to win points when they collaborate, share, and innovate within their teams. They can use ‘posting walls’ to virtually showcase their ideas, updates, or achievements, leading to increased engagement and productivity

Pros And Cons Of isolved

Pros

  • Seamless implementation process with dedicated help available through a client success manager or customer service rep
  • Automates reminders for running reports, certifications, or expiration of documents
  • Intuitive interface helps HR professionals teach non-tech employees how to navigate the system

Cons

  • Some users reported limited options for custom report writing
  • Offers limited options for administrators to make changes on the backend of the payroll solution

What Is ADP?

ADP is a software-as-a-service platform with a suite of solutions that enables businesses to manage their human capital effectively. ADP streamlines payroll, HR, benefits, talent, and time and labor while tailoring HR solutions to address industry-specific challenges and meet global standards.

The software offers seamless integrations with other business systems, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions, which enhances operation capabilities, data accuracy, and informed decision-making.

Unique Features Of ADP

  • Professional Employer Organization (PEO): ADP Total Source PEO solution streamlines complicated HR tasks like hiring, running payroll, and managing benefits, allowing teams to focus on growth rather than get stuck in a loop of repetitive tasks
  • HR Outsourcing: ADP supports businesses looking to outsource their core HR or payroll functions through dedicated HR experts who provide day-to-day support and guidance to their clients
  • ADP Assist: This AI-powered tool uses the ADP’s internal data of around 140 countries and 42 million global wage earners to generate targeted analytical reports. This results in fast, strategic, and on-point HR insights, enabling businesses to make better decisions

Pros And Cons Of ADP

Pros

  • The process of adding or removing users is quick and effortless
  • Automates import of mass data entry, saving time on manual entries
  • Supports integration with other systems to enhance business operations

Cons

  • Multiple drop-down menus on the home screen feel overwhelming
  • Some users reported a confusing implementation process, citing the unavailability of timely support

isolved Vs ADP – Key Features Comparison

Payroll

isolved offers a comprehensive set of features for running payrolls, including integrated time tracking, automated tax filing, and simplified benefits administration. The platform supports ACA compliance, FMLA management, flex plans, COBRA, and retirement plans such as 401(k).

The isolved People Cloud Mobile App enables employee self-service, allowing them to update key information like time-off requests or bank details before payroll processing. This reduces HR workload, minimizes errors, and enhances operational efficiency.

ADP, on the other hand, lets businesses manually or automatically run payroll, ensuring error-free calculations for hours, time off, and bonuses through employee and manager self-service. The platform calculates and pays taxes on your behalf, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. It also supports year-end W-2 and 1099 forms for tax compliance.

ADP also offers specialized guidance throughout payroll processing at every step. The standout feature, however, is how seamlessly ADP integrates with business software, HR systems, and ERPs, helping organizations refine and enhance their operational capacity.

Winner: While both isolved and ADP offer exceptional payroll services, ADP stands out for its scalability, customization, and seamless integration, making it well-suited for businesses of all sizes. In contrast, isolved is more focused on small and medium-sized businesses.

Workforce Management

isolved automates timekeeping and attendance with self-service tools for employees to manage their time off and availability while offering self-service to employees to schedule shift coverages. The platform seamlessly connects time and labor management, workforce scheduling, and expense management with payroll and HR functions.

Additionally, its predictive workforce planning uses historical data and forecasting tools to help businesses optimize staffing levels, reduce turnover, and anticipate future needs.

ADP, however, takes workforce management a step ahead with its advanced and comprehensive solutions for time and attendance tracking, scheduling, and absence management. It offers advanced time-tracking tools like biometric clocks and automatic overtime calculations. HR admins can track attendance trends, approve timesheets, and access real-time workforce data through a centralized dashboard.

Its automated scheduling tools allow managers to create, adjust, and share schedules with real-time cost calculations and trend analysis to avoid gaps in coverage. Linked with payroll and HR, this promotes data flow, operational efficiency, and data-driven decision-making.

Winner: ADP stands out when it comes to time and attendance keeping and workforce management. While isolved also offers a comprehensive set of tools for workforce management, the feature simply lacks the depth ADP offers.

Talent Acquisition And Retention

isolved’s onboarding and hiring system is designed to give turnover predictions, workforce projections, and recruitment analysis. The platform includes an applicant tracking system with options for job postings, video interviews, pre-hire assessments, and background checks for talent acquisition.

Additionally, it offers features such as a performance learning management system (LMS), goal setting, peer reviews, and knowledge sharing to help retain talent.

ADP boasts a powerful talent management suite with tools for performance alignment, employee development, and engagement. The platform offers access to its internal HR data set powered by insights from over 42 million employees globally. Organizations can compare their performance by location, role, and size, resulting in informed hiring and talent management decisions with real-time, reliable data.

Additionally, ADP Learning Management, part of the ADP Talent Management suite, streamlines the employees' learning and development process, supporting increased productivity and growth.

Winner: ADP leads with its Learning Management system and internal data pool, both of which help businesses acquire and retain the most in-demand talent from the market.

AI-Capabilities

isolved’s AI tools support HR teams in automating their core functions while giving real-time insights into employee engagement and learning. Its intuitive conversational virtual assistant and predictive people analytics are prime examples of how isolved incorporates AI solutions to streamline HR operations and employee management.

ADP, compared to isolved, focuses more on gearing AI to help businesses optimize workforce planning and improve employee performance. The platform uses these insights to automate and streamline talent acquisition, employee retention, and performance management.

Additionally, HR teams can use ADP Assist to manage timesheets, benefits, pay cards, critical tasks, and more.

Winner: Let’s call it a tie since both platforms are focused on improving operational efficiency and employee management through AI. If you want deeper analytics for informed decision-making, ADP is a clear choice, but if you want to give a more personalized learning experience to your employees, isolved is a better option.

Customer Support

isolved offers a dedicated Account Representative to newly onboarded clients, making the implementation process quick and seamless. Additionally, customer support is available around the clock, with the standard turnaround time for an email response being 24-48 hours.

ADP provides 24/7 global customer support through chat, email, and phone. However, response times can be occasionally delayed.

Additionally, HR teams can use ADP Assist to manage timesheets, benefits, pay cards, critical tasks, and more.

Winner: isolved takes the lead here with its responsive and quick-on-its-feet support team, ensuring quick resolutions and enhanced customer experience.

Final Verdict: isolved Vs ADP

After thoroughly reviewing them for their unique features and comparing basic functionalities, both isolved and ADP come up as strong HCM solutions. However, ADP excels with its advanced payroll and HR solutions, in-depth analytics, and scalability options, making it highly suitable for large businesses. That being said, isolved also presents itself as a great option for streamlining payroll and core HR functions, offering versatility for small to medium-sized businesses.