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00:00:03.680Well, welcome to this episode of ISV Talks.
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00:00:09.199I'm Carol Livingston of Dynamics Connections and your host of ISV Talks.
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00:00:14.880And on this episode, I'm happy to have Mary from JET Consulting.
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00:00:16.079Welcome, Mary.
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00:00:17.760Thank you, Carol.
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00:00:19.359Thank you for having me today.
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00:00:21.359Yeah, thanks for joining us.
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00:00:27.120So tell us a little bit about yourself, how long you've been in the channel, and a little bit about who you are.
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00:00:27.760Okay.
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00:00:34.640Well, this was certainly uh getting into HR payroll consulting was not what I went to college for.
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00:00:38.079I was actually going to be an astrophysicist.
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00:00:40.320I wanted to be in the space program.
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00:00:40.640Yeah.
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00:00:45.359So if you look at our logo, you'll notice that we use the NASA font.
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00:00:47.920And that that's the main reason why.
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00:00:58.399But during my last year of college, I saw a job posting for a city government for a computer programmer trainee, which was my minor in school.
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00:01:04.159So I thought, hey, this will be great, other than you know, a starving student.
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00:01:14.560So I took the job, and my first responsibility was to make program changes for the payroll system they had written in RPG.
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00:01:17.040And this was way back then.
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00:01:30.079So my career ended up with a completely different trajectory than astrophysics, but started working on payroll way back when, and I've not left.
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00:01:44.959So I've been a uh computer programmer for many, many years, and then I got into client support, and I found that I was better working with real people than I was programming payroll routines.
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00:01:47.120So I changed that.
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00:01:53.519So I worked with a vendor, a couple of software vendors, and then ended up getting into consulting directly.
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00:01:55.680And that was with JET.
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00:01:56.560Yeah.
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00:02:01.599So you have a long career in software and software development.
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00:02:04.079I did not know that about your background, though.
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00:02:05.760That's really interesting.
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00:02:12.400And so tell me about how did JAT consulting get started, a little bit of the company history.
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00:02:13.039Great.
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00:02:19.599Well, like most consulting companies, we started with working with some clients that needed some assistance.
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00:02:27.439And again, I'm probably dating myself, but we were working and specializing in a mainframe HR payroll system.
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00:02:35.840And so JAT was founded back in 1985 to help those mainframe payroll customers.
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00:02:45.680So we were supporting their application, and that really expanded from mainframe to all platforms.
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00:02:47.199That's amazing.
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00:02:51.439So you started the company to do consulting on mainframes.
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00:03:00.400So and as that changed to more personal computers and client server, all that, you experienced all of that.
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00:03:01.039Right.
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00:03:20.159So yeah, initially on mainframes, but as the software evolved and companies like PeopleSoft and and others got going, you know, client server, so it was now on servers and personal computers, and we've all seen that evolution, especially from hardware to cloud.
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00:03:28.479So we we started doing ERP implementations with a system called Lawson, now called Infor.
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00:03:29.199Yeah.
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00:03:31.439So that was our original piece.
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00:03:40.800And then we started doing a lot of time management systems with Kronos, time clocks and schedulers and things of that nature.
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00:03:43.360And they're now called UKG.
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00:04:00.240But um back in about 2002, Microsoft invited us to go to a conference to become a potential value-added reseller of our with Microsoft Dynamics, Great Plains, and that was back in 2002.
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00:04:10.960So we were very impressed with the convergence show and signed right up following that attending that show and became a partner.
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00:04:17.439So I guess technically we've been a partner for 25 years, going on 25 years.
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00:04:18.959Yeah, wow.
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00:04:23.120So almost from the so that was the GP days, right?
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00:04:28.000That was the first ERP system Microsoft ever bought was GP.
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00:04:29.519It started with DP.
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00:04:34.720So so you know dexterity as well as uh working with dexterity.
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00:04:37.439Oh wow, see you're really smart.
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00:04:38.079Yeah.
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00:04:41.279I don't know about smart, but very experienced.
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00:04:42.480Well, great.
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00:04:47.279Tell us a little bit about your solutions that AT Consulting has today.
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00:04:50.879Because I know you kind of moved into having ISVs.
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00:04:51.759Right.
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00:04:59.600So with our many, many ERP implementations, and for a while we kind of specialized in public sector.
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00:05:12.240We had a lot of K through 12 school districts, we had some higher ed, and we worked with some other partners and Microsoft in in creating a public sector version, if you will.
00:05:12.560 -->
00:05:23.199And so what we did find, not just in public sector, but we found some gaps and and it had to do with anything with employee information.
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00:05:29.519So we really started with a product called JPI, which is now called Payroll Connect.
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00:05:39.920And this was for clients that was were using GPHR, the the whole ERP, but they wanted to keep and own the HR portion.
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00:05:45.199So all employee information was a single system of record.
00:05:45.439 -->
00:05:55.680But then when they wanted to do something more challenging, I would guess their requirements were pretty hefty, and they picked ADP for their payroll solution.
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00:06:08.480So we started doing this in-sync process of taking the employee data out of GP and sending it to ADP so they could run payrolls and and what have you.
00:06:08.879 -->
00:06:20.879So that was the start of payroll connect, and we started doing this so many times that we thought, hey, this sounds like something we could just package up and set up for customers.
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00:06:29.120So our first real launch was in 2009 with uh with JPI now, payroll connect.
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00:06:32.000So we worked closely with ADP.
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00:06:40.399Uh they were actually selling our integration as part of their kind of onboarding of their new client.
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00:06:42.959Yeah, I kind of remember that actually.
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00:06:43.439Yeah.
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00:06:50.000From there, we realized because GP had some challenges of tracking employee changes.
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00:06:52.319There wasn't really a change register.
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00:07:04.800So instead of sending full file dumps to ADP or Ceridian or Paychecks or any third-party payrolls, we created kind of its own change register.
00:07:05.199 -->
00:07:07.360And that just made it a little smarter.
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00:07:09.519We were able to automate it.
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00:07:15.600And then we found some other areas that were a little bit of a gap in GP.
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00:07:21.519So we took that integration engine and we were able to do other things.
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00:07:32.879An example is because we were a Kronos partner at one point, we needed to have this employee information update the Kronos timekeeping.
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00:07:46.639So when they hired somebody in GP, it would flow all the way through to Kronos and their time clocks, and they're hired the same day, then go in and punch it into their clock virtually the same time.
00:07:47.519 -->
00:07:49.519So that kind of evolved.
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00:07:50.879Yeah.
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00:07:52.560I guess that's true.
00:07:52.639 -->
00:07:56.480So they got all these automated systems but not talking to each other.
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00:07:58.399So yeah.
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00:07:59.120Yes.
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00:08:00.240So okay.
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00:08:02.800Now our most popular one is something else.
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00:08:05.040It's the uh benefits connect.
00:08:05.279 -->
00:08:06.480Oh okay.
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00:08:08.079Tell us about that.
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00:08:32.639Well, with again, with any HR payroll system, and when you have employee benefits, you have the need to report to each benefit carrier any changes, whether it's through open enrollment or onboarding or offboarding staff, or even staff changes, like someone goes from part-time to full-time.
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00:08:37.200You need to let your benefit carrier know about that enrollment.
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00:08:44.240And so, still to this day, that is not considered a mandated requirement.
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00:08:51.440So most vendors don't include carrier reporting as part of their HR payroll solution.
00:08:51.600 -->
00:09:06.879So Benefits Connect was something we created initially for healthcare plans like medical and dental and vision, but most clients have an average of five, at least five benefit plans.
00:09:07.440 -->
00:09:07.679Right.
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00:09:09.519Well, different carriers, too.
00:09:09.679 -->
00:09:10.799Yeah, exactly.
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00:09:12.799And they all have different formats.
00:09:12.960 -->
00:09:18.879I know a lot of people still do things on spreadsheets and whatnot, and hope it's accurate.
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00:09:19.759Yes.
00:09:19.919 -->
00:09:33.200And then we found out with a number of clients, there was some landmark cases where employers were held liable if the information they were providing to the carriers was not accurate.
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00:09:46.799So if they had an independent that either aged out or was added to the family and their coverage, if that is not accurately reported to the carrier, they're not covered.
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00:09:51.200And so you can imagine some of the issues that could come up with that.
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00:09:52.799So exactly.
00:09:53.039 -->
00:10:01.440So that kind of helped kind of tighten up that system integration, make sure that all the information's accurate and sync.
00:10:01.759 -->
00:10:04.399You've got all these different, you know, connectors.
00:10:04.480 -->
00:10:05.600So what do you call that?
00:10:05.759 -->
00:10:06.879The connect series?
00:10:07.279 -->
00:10:08.480Yeah, the connect series.
00:10:08.559 -->
00:10:12.159There's actually three main modules of the connect series.
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00:10:17.039If you want it payroll, basically payroll centered, that's our payroll connect.
00:10:17.279 -->
00:10:27.279So employee data in your GP system, feeds, you know, any payroll system, ADP, Ceridian, paychecks, what have you.
00:10:27.679 -->
00:10:39.440And then as a partner of Kronos slash UKG, we made that compatible with the UKG product, which they also have HR payroll and scheduling systems.
00:10:39.679 -->
00:10:52.639So we got involved and made sure that whatever APIs were needed to feed that information and make sure that that information was sent in a timely manner.
00:10:52.960 -->
00:11:01.279The whole idea was to reduce that manual entry of trying to keep multiple systems that had employee data in sync.
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00:11:02.240Yeah.
00:11:02.720 -->
00:11:11.679Yeah, I'm sure you hear that a lot from customers having to maintain all the separate databases of employee records and the data.
00:11:11.919 -->
00:11:14.799Are you working with other products besides dynamics?
00:11:14.879 -->
00:11:21.120I know you mentioned Dynamics GP, any other dynamics products or other dynamics, yes.
00:11:21.440 -->
00:11:25.679Any, well, there's really not too many, but dynamics HR.
00:11:25.919 -->
00:11:31.519There's the I think it started out as Exapta AX, their HR system.
00:11:32.080 -->
00:11:44.799And now it's it was uh kind of geared towards the F and O, but now it they've discovered it's very scalable so that a BC client could actually use D365 HR.
00:11:44.960 -->
00:11:47.519So that was our kind of our second lift.
00:11:47.759 -->
00:11:58.320So it can talk to any dynamics HR system basically, and with any payroll system, any benefits carrier, any time capture system.
00:11:58.559 -->
00:12:05.120We're kind of that glue in between, you know, employee data and applications that use employee data.
00:12:05.440 -->
00:12:11.039Yeah, so it sounds like you've been working with Microsoft for a long time and collaborating with them.
00:12:11.279 -->
00:12:12.639So that's awesome.
00:12:12.879 -->
00:12:15.919You know, any industries that you work with in particular?
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00:12:32.320Well, as I mentioned, we actually started in because my background was in public sector, we really got involved in the public sector area as a as a vertical, but as you know, HR payroll is more of a horizontal application.
00:12:32.799 -->
00:12:42.639Everyone that has employees has the challenge of maintaining that information and staffing and paying their employees as accurately as possible.
00:12:42.960 -->
00:12:51.200So really it whether you're in healthcare, public sector, retail, manufacturing, the processes are similar.
00:12:51.440 -->
00:13:04.879So there might be some different requirements if you're healthcare or if you're public safety, where you have fire and police, which have crazy schedules, the processes are similar between them.
00:13:04.960 -->
00:13:08.240So we really kind of consider it a horizontal application.
00:13:08.559 -->
00:13:09.120Yeah.
00:13:09.440 -->
00:13:17.039Yeah, but like you mentioned, fire, and you know, they have unions and all of those add more complexity to manage.
00:13:17.600 -->
00:13:20.720Yeah, they can keep us busy with changes.
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00:13:21.600Yeah.
00:13:21.919 -->
00:13:29.360So Mary, tell us a story about a customer that you've worked with that you've helped them be successful with their solutions and why.
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00:13:30.159Sure.
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00:13:33.840Um, one of a more recent ones was during the pandemic.
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00:13:40.480We got involved with DynamicsCon and you know, it was all virtual conference.
00:13:40.799 -->
00:13:47.120So it was it felt a little odd, but you know, our name got out there, people heard about our solutions.
00:13:47.360 -->
00:13:55.759So a shipbuilding organization in Louisiana had the need for carrier reporting.
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00:14:02.639They had had some challenges with getting accurate information to their various carriers.
00:14:02.799 -->
00:14:04.879So they contacted us directly.
00:14:04.960 -->
00:14:10.159They didn't go through their VAR initially and asked about uh benefits connect.
00:14:10.399 -->
00:14:27.120So about, oh, I guess it was about 2021, we implemented it for one of their most used benefit carrier uh benefit plan, which was I think it was Aetna, but one of the healthcare plans, and they had all kinds of options.
00:14:27.200 -->
00:14:33.840You know, you have the different coverage options, and then they had different plans for different groups of employees.
00:14:34.080 -->
00:14:34.399Yeah.
00:14:34.559 -->
00:14:42.799And they were very challenged with having to send spreadsheets, basically, is what they were doing of employee changes.
00:14:43.120 -->
00:14:54.639So they saw our benefits connect, and we implemented it about three, four years ago, and it seemed like every year they would get a new benefit plan.
00:14:54.799 -->
00:15:06.559You know, they'll add Blue Cross, or the most recent one was they added if they wanted to do the 401k benefit reporting to that carrier.
00:15:06.720 -->
00:15:08.080I think it was Fidelity.
00:15:08.320 -->
00:15:19.120Again, some of this is public knowledge, but the challenge was 401k Fidelity doesn't use the same format as a healthcare like Aetna.
00:15:19.440 -->
00:15:24.240There, there's actually some name ADI standards.
00:15:24.480 -->
00:15:34.080But one thing that we were able to do with our design of Benefits Connect is we created again this engine that says, okay, what plan are you working with?
00:15:34.320 -->
00:15:38.720And we have you know a number of formats, output options.
00:15:38.960 -->
00:15:54.799And so this system can be just almost plug-and-play where you identify the plans, and so they they they use their maintenance time, which comes with the renewals, to say, okay, this year we have a new plan.
00:15:55.039 -->
00:16:08.320So instead of creating a whole new extract, Benefits Connect says, okay, these are the parameters, and we have externalized them so the client can actually do this, although that's where we are there to help them.
00:16:08.559 -->
00:16:17.600So they can say, okay, we now want to do our 401k plan activity to go to Fidelity, and that they're using the same module.
00:16:18.159 -->
00:16:18.559There you go.
00:16:19.360 -->
00:16:30.000So yeah, so they really like the fact that they didn't have to retain a contractor or bring IT in to create a whole new format for a whole new carrier.
00:16:30.240 -->
00:16:30.879Yeah.
00:16:31.600 -->
00:16:32.000Right.
00:16:32.159 -->
00:16:39.120And then you're probably following kind of standardizations across the industry and for particular carriers.
00:16:39.279 -->
00:16:41.039So that really helps.
00:16:41.519 -->
00:16:41.840Yeah.
00:16:42.080 -->
00:16:43.840So well, that's amazing.
00:16:43.919 -->
00:16:46.159Uh so what do kind of looking in the future?
00:16:46.240 -->
00:16:52.639What what are some of the new things that you're looking to add value or introduce to add value to your products?
00:16:52.960 -->
00:17:00.320Well, funny you asked because it seems now that AI is the big topic to discuss.
00:17:00.480 -->
00:17:03.279And it seems important.
00:17:04.640 -->
00:17:05.039Yep.
00:17:05.839 -->
00:17:21.359So the concern is though, when you're dealing with employee information and very sensitive information, you really shouldn't be going to a chat GPT or some, you know, a very public uh AI tool.
00:17:21.839 -->
00:17:32.960So it's more like using something like Copilot, where you can actually kind of create your own parameters and utilize your own internal information.
00:17:33.119 -->
00:17:41.359So what we're seeing for open enrollment for benefits processing, that two parts of that.
00:17:41.519 -->
00:18:00.400One is kind of an internal AI process where you can actually have dependent eligibility automated so it can look at you what you have out on your employee record and discern that I've got some dependents that are either going to age out or a in.
00:18:00.880 -->
00:18:04.799And so this can be automated to some extent.
00:18:05.200 -->
00:18:28.559And then when you're doing like ongoing enrollment, so anytime you hire a person or a person now becomes eligible for certain plans, we're looking to have AI kind of help the employee experience where it can really just ask some questions and then present solutions back to the options at least, back to themselves.
00:18:28.960 -->
00:18:29.200Right.
00:18:29.279 -->
00:18:31.119Yeah, especially during open enrollment.
00:18:31.279 -->
00:18:33.359It seems like there's always questions.
00:18:34.319 -->
00:18:34.640Yeah.
00:18:34.799 -->
00:18:53.519So I know some people are, you know, kind of concerned about having an an AI bot kind of be that that interaction, that helper, but it can certainly take care of a lot of the common pieces that come up, especially during open enrollment, for example.
00:18:53.839 -->
00:18:54.480Exactly.
00:18:54.720 -->
00:18:55.039Yeah.
00:18:55.200 -->
00:19:00.960So if the bot can kind of assist or guide the employee, that's huge, right?
00:19:01.359 -->
00:19:02.160Yeah, yeah.
00:19:02.319 -->
00:19:16.559So yeah, I think we know there's a bit of fear and lobing concern about AI taking jobs, but we're really looking at it to enhance processes and just make it a little more friendly.
00:19:16.799 -->
00:19:28.400I don't want to overuse the word user-friendly, but it it gives the employee, the staff, a better experience in going through things that they have to do at least once a year.
00:19:28.559 -->
00:19:30.240So that's the thing.
00:19:30.319 -->
00:19:34.079They do it once a year and then they forget everything till the next year, right?
00:19:34.960 -->
00:19:35.759Exactly.
00:19:36.079 -->
00:19:38.240So until they need to know, right?
00:19:38.319 -->
00:19:40.319That's when they need those tools.
00:19:40.640 -->
00:19:45.039Any observations since you've been in the industry for 25 years.
00:19:45.200 -->
00:19:52.240I I think you got a long time experience working with the partners in the dynamic channel or other ERP systems.
00:19:52.400 -->
00:19:58.720Like, what are you seeing in the channel with those longtime partners and what are they struggling with?
00:19:59.119 -->
00:20:01.759I think that it's a good question, Carol.
00:20:01.839 -->
00:20:07.200I think they're struggling with things like Avar implementing ERP solutions.
00:20:07.279 -->
00:20:11.119So they're implementing BC or FNO or some solution.
00:20:11.359 -->
00:20:24.880They know accounting, they know about general ledger and setting up debits and credits and paying your vendors and receiving money if there's something you sell or generate revenue from.
00:20:25.119 -->
00:20:31.279But when it comes to HRP role, that's a complete different topic.
00:20:31.680 -->
00:20:46.640And so we're seeing with other partners, and that's where we can come in and assist them, that we can actually help them ask the magic questions for what they need to do to even set up their HR system.
00:20:47.039 -->
00:20:57.599So that's kind of what we're seeing is more of a collaborative effort with other partners where they have their expertise and they're bringing in expertise.
00:20:57.839 -->
00:21:01.440So it really makes it a nice environment to work with.
00:21:01.599 -->
00:21:06.079And the goal is to make sure that the client has everything they need with their solution.
00:21:06.400 -->
00:21:21.599And what I see with your model is that you know the ERP and you know the HR and the payroll systems out there, and you know kind of the HR and payroll processes and things to be aware of.
00:21:21.680 -->
00:21:24.319Or, you know, partners aren't focusing on that.
00:21:24.880 -->
00:21:28.480You all know have expertise in payroll or HR.
00:21:28.720 -->
00:21:31.680So and lately there's been a lot of changes.
00:21:31.759 -->
00:21:34.960I I think it's a cycle, but yeah.
00:21:35.200 -->
00:21:36.799I think the I don't know what's called now.
00:21:36.960 -->
00:21:41.920Big beautiful bill, but there were changes on how tips are taxed or not taxed, right?
00:21:42.240 -->
00:21:45.200Over time being taxed or not taxed.
00:21:45.359 -->
00:21:47.680A lot of compliance issues are coming up.
00:21:47.759 -->
00:21:54.960And you know, HRP roll is not is an application, it doesn't generate revenue, but it sure can generate liability.
00:21:55.119 -->
00:21:59.519So saves you money and maybe in the in the end.
00:22:00.079 -->
00:22:10.720Yes, if you do it right and you document it well enough, you can eliminate or at least reduce the liability that can come with being an employer.
00:22:10.960 -->
00:22:15.839So it's important to have the systems in sync and and automate where you can.
00:22:16.000 -->
00:22:26.319Then you can concentrate on the the nice to have, the the the interaction with the staff, you know, and and how even to the recruiting piece, right?
00:22:26.480 -->
00:22:32.079So the overall image of the company, you know, how how do you recruit, how do you treat your staff?
00:22:32.400 -->
00:22:32.880Mm-hmm.
00:22:33.440 -->
00:22:36.880Yeah, employees are onboarded, that also is important.
00:22:37.359 -->
00:22:43.839You know, they have an expectation of using the apps and technology on your phone.
00:22:43.920 -->
00:22:55.440And so yeah, the days are going away where you filled out an application on paper and you did performance reviews on paper, it's all there.
00:22:55.839 -->
00:22:56.720And you're using your phone.
00:22:58.480 -->
00:23:05.200Yeah, I I know like my daughter and my son, you know, that they're like everything they do is on their phone.
00:23:05.359 -->
00:23:06.880So that's what they're used to.
00:23:07.039 -->
00:23:10.160And so paper is not a thing anymore for those folks.
00:23:10.319 -->
00:23:18.400But perspective, you know, just in terms of what are customers challenged with, and you know, what are the what are they trying to improve in their operations?
00:23:18.720 -->
00:23:30.640Well, with regard to HR payroll, and we now use the term HCM, human capital management, that's really any application that handles employee information.
00:23:30.799 -->
00:23:34.319And you can't even say employees, it can be just staffing information.
00:23:34.559 -->
00:23:52.240I think that's where uh compliance, there are so many federal, state, and local rules, laws, mandates, and this can put an employer in very awkward positions of uh complying with these mandates.
00:23:52.400 -->
00:24:07.759And so that that's where we're seeing the challenges, both at the partners supporting their customer as well as the customer themselves, because they're performing right, they're supporting their their staff and their operations.
00:24:08.720 -->
00:24:20.240So yeah, that the the whole focus on automation, and automation has to be careful because assumptions can be made that you know one side does not fit all.
00:24:20.559 -->
00:24:33.200So, and since I wasn't a rocket science, it's not rocket science, but it can get you in trouble if you're not if you're not performing or doing it accurately.
00:24:33.440 -->
00:24:37.440Yeah, it just takes a rocket scientist like you figure this out.
00:24:38.880 -->
00:24:45.599So speaking of in the horizon, uh, you know, in the future, what are you seeing being developed?
00:24:46.720 -->
00:24:50.400Well, I think again, AI, the hot topic.
00:24:50.559 -->
00:25:05.599We see that an internal AI like Copilot being used so that the employer can have their own rules and logic about their own population, and this can be grouped, and it is grouped.
00:25:05.680 -->
00:25:10.960You know, you have part-time and full-time and all types of employee groups.
00:25:11.279 -->
00:25:17.920And as I mentioned, the external AI tools and engines, they're not secure.
00:25:18.079 -->
00:25:30.079So I think what we're seeing just more in the immediate future is controlling, providing the AI ability, but having it very much internalized.
00:25:30.160 -->
00:25:53.440So it's secure, not just secure, but it's really tailored to the needs, whether they're employment hiring policies or performance management, things like that, that you can automate, you can make it an AI agent, you know, an agentic type of application, but you have to you can keep it internal.
00:25:53.599 -->
00:26:02.960So I think that's the trend with HI is making it more of an internal engine and not something that is shared with everyone.
00:26:03.279 -->
00:26:05.200Yeah, it seems like that's a trend.
00:26:05.279 -->
00:26:13.279And I I know you said you you also told me something about you're working on a survey or something with HR professionals about this.
00:26:13.440 -->
00:26:14.640What what are you hearing?
00:26:14.960 -->
00:26:20.880I have about almost 70 uh different employers that have participated.
00:26:21.440 -->
00:26:24.079And so, and it's just really for trends.
00:26:24.319 -->
00:26:49.839I'm actually going to be publishing, I'll have that uh again on our website and and in LinkedIn about how AR is affecting the HR, I should say HCM professional, because it's not just HR, it's risk management, uh, employee benefits administrators, obviously payroll managers, where they have some very specific uh requirements and processes there.
00:26:50.079 -->
00:26:51.200And so automation.
00:26:51.680 -->
00:26:56.880Everyone wants to be automated, but still protect that sensitive data too.
00:26:57.680 -->
00:27:07.200So, yeah, having that that that governance and being able to make sure that the data is not out there in the public AI is really important.
00:27:08.000 -->
00:27:15.359So I'm sure we're gonna hear of breaches of information because of AI.
00:27:15.519 -->
00:27:25.440So, you know, I think that it appears Microsoft is trying to address that too, because copilot really is something that can be managed as an internal application.
00:27:25.839 -->
00:27:28.240So I think that's wonderful.
00:27:29.680 -->
00:27:30.079Yeah.
00:27:30.400 -->
00:27:32.640So I'm hearing a theme here.
00:27:33.519 -->
00:27:34.960AI, AI, AI.
00:27:35.359 -->
00:27:36.000AI, AI.
00:27:36.720 -->
00:27:38.240Yeah, exactly.
00:27:38.559 -->
00:27:45.039So what what's the one trend you're seeing that's driving customers or partners to come talk to you?
00:27:45.680 -->
00:27:46.640Compliance.
00:27:46.960 -->
00:28:16.000Sometimes we are contacted when an issue has already occurred, so that there was a court order or an earlier that we sometimes are brought in as expert witness to testify on what systems can do or if the system they had was able to help them comply with any mandates.
00:28:16.640 -->
00:28:17.519So yeah.
00:28:17.759 -->
00:28:18.799Oh wow.
00:28:19.680 -->
00:28:21.200There's compliance.
00:28:21.359 -->
00:28:36.960So there's there's a lot of activity going on there with, especially this year, there were changes in many at many states where paid employee time off for a family and medical has really expanded.
00:28:37.119 -->
00:28:58.319So it's not just, you know, I get so much time off after I've had a baby or I'm adopting or or some major event like that where you need to make sure that they get a minimum, because some states like California, Minnesota, say, okay, you get this much pay when someone's on paid time off.
00:28:58.480 -->
00:29:03.680And it's not just I've a I've accrued three weeks, so I'm gonna get paid three weeks.
00:29:03.839 -->
00:29:09.920Some of the states are saying, No, you actually the employer actually is required to pay you more than you've accrued.
00:29:10.480 -->
00:29:18.400So this has been going on for a while, but just recently in January 1 for a couple of states was a big deal.
00:29:18.480 -->
00:29:36.240So yeah, and uh is it ignorance, or I mean, there's so many laws, like you said, uh people are just you know not meaning to, but they didn't know, and they just missed some you know, compliance statute that they needed to comply with.
00:29:37.119 -->
00:29:42.319I think it's hard for employers to to keep up with with these mandates.
00:29:42.400 -->
00:29:55.200Some are legislated, so you you kind of hear about those, but for the most part, outside of uh bargaining units and unions, they're all kind of public, especially when they come at the state and federal level.
00:29:55.359 -->
00:30:11.440And so they're out there, but and there are some sources you can, you know, an employer can go to to see if they're compliant, but that is something that we provide as kind of a separate service, but uh compliance assessment.
00:30:11.599 -->
00:30:18.079Yeah, for example, we support the state of Colorado in their tax reporting, really, yes.
00:30:18.799 -->
00:30:25.359We've been doing that, JT's been doing that for almost 20 years, and they have an old mainframe payroll system.
00:30:25.519 -->
00:30:49.200They're they'll be moving this is public record, so I'm not divulging anything that's sensitive, but you know, they have employees in 35 states, so state employees in Colorado can live almost anywhere in the country, and then the employer, the state, has to actually comply with the tax rules for every state that the staff is employed in.
00:30:49.599 -->
00:31:05.599So it's you know, so we monitor these rules out there and then we rehash it so that you know people can understand them in simpler terms and to to make sure they stay in compliance.
00:31:05.839 -->
00:31:06.559That's good.
00:31:06.799 -->
00:31:07.599That's amazing.
00:31:07.759 -->
00:31:13.440Well, I'm really glad you're there to help partners and customers with all of this complex stuff.
00:31:13.599 -->
00:31:18.000Well, thank you, Mary, for joining me today on this episode of ISV Talks.
00:31:18.079 -->
00:31:26.480I had a fun time learning about how you started out in space uh, you know, engineering and then uh went into software development.
00:31:26.640 -->
00:31:28.720So thanks for joining me today.
00:31:29.039 -->
00:31:30.319Oh, thank you for having me.
00:31:30.480 -->
00:31:32.880This this was actually I'm excited.
00:31:32.960 -->
00:31:38.480I'm almost an evangelist on things about anything to do with employees and staffing.
00:31:38.640 -->
00:31:44.559So, you know, it's hard to shut me up on this, but I appreciate the opportunity.
00:31:44.720 -->
00:31:58.480And I know that this can generate more questions, especially if you have clients or you're a client and you're struggling with compliance and and even something as supposedly simple as carrier reporting.
00:31:58.640 -->
00:32:11.359So feel free to contact us at uh we have a general contact email that's support s-u-p-p-o-r-t at jatnetnet.com.
00:32:11.839 -->
00:32:16.559And that's our website, j-atnet.com jatnet.
00:32:16.799 -->
00:32:24.160And we also have uh toll-free numbers to reach out to us, uh 1-800-367-0072.
00:32:24.240 -->
00:32:35.440And you can press any of the options there to reach me or any of our team members, and we'd love to help answer any questions you have about connecting this information up.
00:32:35.920 -->
00:32:36.480Thank you.
00:32:36.640 -->
00:32:38.319All right, thank you, Mary.
00:32:38.559 -->
00:32:43.519All right, well, thank you, friends, for joining this episode of ISV Talks.
00:32:43.759 -->
00:32:46.799We'll uh see you on the next episode, friends.
00:32:46.960 -->
00:32:47.599Bye-bye.
00:32:47.839 -->
00:32:48.480Bye-bye.
00:32:48.720 -->
00:32:49.519Thank you.
