To better meet the changing needs of our clients, partners and their workforce, we regularly roll out updates to Orbit Solutions, our human capital management (HCM) platform. This is nothing out of the ordinary for us, as we’re always working to be the best and brightest in the industry. But, this time around, we are more excited than ever, as we prepare to complete our most anticipated Orbit Solutions update yet.
But, before we let our enthusiasm propel us too far forward, let’s take a moment and address a few important questions about the new Orbit Solutions user experience.1. What exactly does “new user experience” mean?
By “new” we mean better! At the highest level, users will see immediate improvements to the look and feel of the Orbit Solutions user interface (UI). Not only will users be greeted with a cleaner, more modern look, but they’ll experience a more intuitive, insightful and easy-to-navigate experience across all devices. A redesigned homepage, reorganized menu structure, responsive mobile experience, improved geofencing and dashboard capabilities, and a new visual approach to data, all add to the experience. The result? Employees and managers alike can bring more productivity and efficiency to their work.
2. Will all Orbit Solutions modules have the new experience?
Yes, the new experience extends to all modules — Orbit Payroll, Orbit Human Resources, Orbit Scheduler and Orbit Time & Labor. Once we enable a client’s security profiles, the new experience will be live across all active modules.
3. Who will the new user experience benefit?
We are dedicated to meeting the changing needs of the entire workforce. As such, our Orbit Solutions enhancements benefit all types of workers from business owners to managers, employees, contractors and beyond. The improved self-service and mobile options give managers and employees control of when and how they work while offering a more intuitive and transparent experience to all.
4. What reporting improvements are available?
While we’ll still provide the same robust data to users, we’re making it easier for entire organizations to access, share and extract business-driving insights. With our newly released visual data capabilities, users can now build interactive graphs and charts right into their reports or add them to their homepage or custom dashboards. No more combing through lines of data — users get instant insights with our easy-to-digest visual data. Plus, reports are now located in a more convenient location and are equipped with customization capabilities to make analysis a natural extension to any Orbit Solutions module.
5. When does the new experience go live?
As you may already know, we’ve taken a phased approach to rollout. Many of our clients are already up and running on the new Orbit Solutions experience, while other clients that have not yet transitioned. All of our clients, except as indicated below, will be fully transitioned to the new experience by July 23. Here is the rollout schedule:
- New clients: From day one, all new Payroll Data clients will go live on the new user experience.
- Existing clients: We’ve been rolling out the new experience to existing clients based on active products and by request. The updated 2020 transition schedule is as follows:
- Orbit Payroll (on its own): Fully transitioned (as of June 4, 2020)
- Orbit Time & Labor (on its own or in addition to Orbit Payroll): June 18, 2020
- Orbit Human Resources (on its own or in addition to other Orbit products): July 23, 2020
- Orbit Breeze (Time & Labor limited-business version): TBD
- Orbit Human Resources (limited-business version): TBD
- Early adopters: We’ll also work to accommodate clients that would like to transition to the new experience before the designated time we’ve outlined above. Interested parties should contact their client service representative (CSR) for consideration.
6. Will the new experience roll out simultaneously to all users at a company or will admins receive access first?
For the most part, all users will transition to the new experience at the same time. We are taking a thoughtful approach to rollout. Clients will not transition before we’ve communicated their specific switch-over date, and they’ve had the opportunity to receive training (see number 12 below).
7. Are all companies and their users required to adopt the new experience?
Yes, all Payroll Data clients and their Orbit Solutions users are required to transition to the new experience. Clients that have not already moved to the new experience will transition according to the scheduled dates outlined in number five above.
With that said, for a limited time, clients that have not already transitioned to the new experience will be able to toggle between the “classic” and the new user experience. Between March 26, 2020, and their transition date, clients will see a yellow flag in the upper right corner of Orbit Solutions. By simply clicking the flag, they can “try our new look” or go “back to classic.” Have fun — it’s a great way to get acclimated!
While we understand that change can make many organizations uncomfortable, we also know how transformational it can be with helping teams reach new levels of productivity and engagement. But, rest assured, we’ll be here to guide our clients and partners through the transition.
8. Will users lose access to their current dashboard (“my dashboard”)?
Users that are currently using a dashboard (the “classic” dashboard) will retain access. However, users can also take advantage of an entirely new dashboard that incorporates dynamic charts and graphs (see number four above). The new dashboard is a great addition to its classic counterpart, as it allows users to build out an entire dashboard of business-driving insights using our new visual data capabilities. Plus, it’s pretty sharp looking with our new sleek and modern design. Sneak peek below!
9. Can users access the new experience from mobile devices?
Good news! The same great experience users get when logging into Orbit Solutions from a desktop computer extends to any mobile device, be it phone or tablet. There are two ways users can access Orbit Solutions from their phone or tablet: via the web or with our new mobile app, HCMToGo.
- Web: When logging in from a phone or tablet via the web, users will now experience an entirely responsive design that automatically adjusts to accommodate any screen size. They will also receive the same new functionality, like the ability to add colorful charts and graphs to a report or navigate the new menu structure, that they get via desktop access.
- Mobile app: Organizations looking to bring even more on-the-go access and transparency to their entire workforce can also take advantage of our mobile app HCMToGo. Our new app replaces our legacy app, TotalHRWorks, and is available for download in Apple and Android stores. Contact us to get started with the app. And, if you're currently using the legacy app, you will need to transition to HCMToGo before it sunsets (slated for Fall 2020).
While the same Orbit Solutions experience (including the updated look and feel) carries through to our mobile app, users should expect slightly different capabilities than they receive on desktop. To learn more, check out our handy HCMToGo blog post.
10. Does the new Orbit Solutions experience cost extra?
There are no extra costs associated with transitioning to the new Orbit Solutions user experience. Likewise, new clients should expect the same reasonable pricing that we’ve always offered.
11. Does the mobile app cost extra?
As discussed in number 10 above, there are no extra costs associated with transitioning to the new Orbit Solutions user experience. And since our new experience extends to all devices — desktop, mobile phones and tablets — users will not pay extra to download or use the mobile app. However, additional fees may apply if users require certain timekeeping features such as mobile timekeeping approvals.
12. Are there resources available to help teams transition to the new experience?
We are here every step of the way. To help clients prepare for the new Orbit Solutions user experience, we have a variety of resources available.
First, users can download a host of training documents in Orbit Solutions by navigating to My Account > Help.
Secondly, we are hosting a series of webinars. Currently, we are focusing on specialized sessions for Orbit Time and Labor and Orbit Human Resources users. We highly encourage clients to attend any applicable sessions. These sessions are critical for clients preparing to transition, but are also a great refresher for clients that have already transitioned.
Click on a convenient date/time to register below:
- Time and Labor : Thursday, June 4 (1 p.m. CST)
- Human Resources: Wednesday, June 17 (1 p.m. CST) or Thursday, June 25 (11 a.m. CST)
Questions? Let us know today!