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ADP

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5.4

Overall Score

Author: Jenna Vasquez

LAST UPDATED: March 5th, 2022

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) is a global provider of cloud-based human capital management (HCM) solutions that unite payroll processing, talent management, time tracking, tax filing, benefits administration, and other essential human resources services. ADP’s 70 years of experience has made them a leader in business outsourcing services, analytics and compliance expertise. The company has been named to FORTUNE Magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list for 14 consecutive years. It serves more than 860,000 businesses in 140 countries.

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The Good

  • Package Options
  • Good for Any Business Size
  • Free Resources
  • Accessible Customer Support

Package Options

ADP offers a variety of human resource services and software solutions. It helps both U.S. and global companies align their talent with their business goals through enhanced recruiting, development, compensation, retention, and succession strategies. Whether you’re a small business owner, the VP of Human Resources at a major corporation, or anything in between, ADP has the HR software you need. 

Comprehensive HR Software

  • ADP Workforce Now — This single-database solution combines payroll, talent management, time management, benefits administration, and analytics. Multiple package options allow you to select the best option for your business size and budget.
  • ADP Next Gen HCM — This comprehensive and customizable HCM platform combines cloud-based technology with data-driven insights in order to evolve and grow with your business. You will need to speak with an ADP representative for package and pricing information. 
  • ADP Vantage HCM — This all-in-one, open-architecture solution is designed for U.S.-based multinational businesses. You will need to contact an ADP representative for pricing and package information. 
  • ADP Enterprise HR — This HCM solution was created for businesses with 1,000+ employees. In addition to the core HR features, you can choose add-ons that fit your company’s specific needs. 
  • ADP Comprehensive Services — This service combines ADP’s all-in-one HR software plus outsourcing options so your in-house HR team can focus on big-picture strategies and goals.

Payroll Software

  • RUN Powered by ADP — This web-based payroll solution is designed to make small business payroll processing quick and easy. It offers multiple package options so you can select the features and price range that fits your business’s needs. 
  • Wisely by ADP — This all-inclusive paycard program integrates with your payroll system. Instead of direct deposit or checks, employees receive paycards with off-cycle pay capabilities.
  • ADP GlobalView Payroll — This payroll service helps large multinational businesses deliver a compliant payroll process across multiple countries. It can integrate with existing HCM software from other popular vendors.
  • ADP Celergo — This global payroll solution centralizes your international payroll data into a single system of record. It easily integrates with HCM software from other popular vendors.
  • ADP Global Payroll — This payroll service combines features from ADP GlobalView Payroll and ADP Celergo so you can manage global payroll for any size of multi-country business. You will need to speak with an ADP representative for pricing information.
  • ADP Mobile Solutions — This mobile payroll app allows your workforce to easily access important features like payroll, time management, benefits and more. The ADP mobile app is available to download on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Outsourcing Services

  • ADP Comprehensive Outsourcing Services — Outsource payroll, talent management, time and benefits administration to a designated team of specialists. Designed for large businesses. 
  • ADP TotalSource — Outsource your human resources, employee benefits, regulatory compliance and payroll tasks so you can focus on running your business. Designed for small to midsize businesses.

Other Solutions

  • ADP SmartCompliance — This cloud-based tool combinatines technology and services in order to cover your compliance needs. It is organized into modules that can be customized and scale as your business grows. 
  • WorkMarket — This solution allows you to manage and pay all your 1099 contractors efficiently while ensuring compliance. It can integrate into most HCM systems or cloud-based enterprise apps.
  • Compass Powered by ADP — This is an email-based assessment and coaching tool that helps organizations drive leadership development. Employees can complete assessments in less than five minutes and read coaching emails in under two minutes. 
  • StandOut Powered by ADP — This talent activation solution helps team leaders engage employee’s natural talents to increase performance. It is designed to measure and improve employee engagement.
  • ADP DataCloud — This solution allows you to compare your workforce data to market averages. Averages are determined from anonymized data from ADP’s U.S. client base of more than 30 million employees.

Good for Any Business Size

With such a wide variety of package options, ADP’s software solutions have the structure necessary for large businesses, but also the personalization and simplicity small businesses desire. If you are not certain which ADP solution is right for your business, you can always speak to a representative about your specific needs and get a free quote.

Free Resources

The ADP website has a robust resource center that anyone can access. Resources include the following: 

  • payroll tax guides and forms to assist you with tax filing, record keeping, etc. 
  • case studies detailing how different human resource solutions helped businesses maintain compliance, increase employee engagement, save time, etc. 
  • webinars, blog articles, and white documents that provide helpful insight on HR services and responsibilities.
  • information and/or registration for virtual and in-person events ADP is hosting or attending 

If you are on the fence about utilizing an ADP system, these resources can be an effective tool in determining if it’s a good fit for your business. 

Accessible Customer Support

ADP offers customer support 24/7 with the majority of its services. Clients can contact its support offices in many ways, including phone, email, and live chat. This creates an easy and friendly client experience. The website also provides answers to frequently asked questions for both employees and administrators for simple troubleshooting.

ADP

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The Bad

  • Free Trial Limitations
  • Unresolved Customer Problems

Free Trial Limitations

ADP only offers a free trial on their payroll solutions which doesn't give business owners and HR professionals a chance to try out its more comprehensive and less common HR tools. 

Unresolved Customer Problems

ADP is a large company that serves hundreds of thousands of businesses worldwide. While this speaks to the success of its products and services, it also presents unique challenges when it comes to providing customer support. Clients complain about having to call one number for tax purposes, another number for hours, another number for regular payroll, another number for customer service, etc. There is a pattern in the one-star reviews of clients feeling like they are getting the "runaround". 

While ADP solutions can be used on most internet browsers, it works better with some as opposed to others. Clients need to take this into consideration before taking on their services.

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The Bottom Line

ADP provides some of the most comprehensive HR software solutions on the market and is well-known as a payroll provider. It is well adapted to the market and offers a large variety of helpful options for companies of every size. It also offers packages that allow clients to pick services based on their needs. Using a good human resources software provider can help you save time and money. However, clients have complained that their customer service help lines are not as easy to use as many would like. 

Overall, ADP provides a great client experience for those looking for comprehensive help with their HR management. It offers many different options that can help companies streamline their employee management systems; however, each individual company will need to make sure that they are getting the services they need.

For more information on the software powered by ADP, see the ADP reviews that customers have left below.

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Star Rating

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3.7

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128 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

48%

4 grade

21%

3 grade

2%

2 grade

3%

1 grade

25%

Sentiment Criteria

Value

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Quality

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Service

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Trustworthiness

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Dean Gekas DDS Cockeysville, MD

Sales person pitched low cost and easy integration with our retirement plan (simple IRA). Once service began, I had to repeatedly call and receive my contracted fee for payrolls run. They never honored our price and continually overcharged while extracting funds from the company checking account. On 3 accounts there was an $88.00 charge that stated ADP tax. When questioned, no one had a reasonable response as to what the charge was, it never went towards a tax payment. Never credited. THE REAL ISSUE. ADP NEVER informed me they were not sending IRA funds to our broker as well as my matching funds ( I was told they had no problem integrating this by my sales person). Once the quarter was reconciled I realized they never balanced their payroll summary with what actually was withdrawn from the bank. Now I have to deal with the IRS and make a bulk payment, make the matching payment, pay interest on monies not gained, and pay an IRS penalty. This all because they never told me I needed to use THEIR services/broker for retirement services. This would have been helpful to know on the front end. Bottom line, sales people procure business then you get inundated with calls, emails etc. to purchase more services. THAT is their business model. STAY AWAY !! I switched to Onpay services. 1 fee/ month plus $2.00 per direct deposit. Perfect for small businesses. BTW it says 2 stars for everything below, I enter 1 star for all but quality of service but program auto changes to 2 stars.

7 years ago

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Reply from ADP

Hello Dr. Gekas,
I'm sorry to hear of these challenges. I would like to have an ADP Relationship Specialist reach out to you to discuss your concerns. I was able to locate your ADP account by your name.
I understand that it may well be too late to win back your business, but we'd like to learn from your experience.
Kind regards,
Rick
ADP - Client Experience

Apr. 10th, 2019

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csimm Melville, NY

ADP outsources their customer service to the Philippines, India and who knows. They have departmentalized the company so departments have access to only part of customer account information so they need to transfer you around to resolve an issue. Errors and changes in my experience are generally not correctly changed on the first attempt but compounded by additional errors by the ADP reps. It is disconcerting to see numerous debits and credits from our firm account that still do not accurately reflect the payroll transactions. One example, a change in direct deposit. The ADP rep (from the Philippines) had a real check generated, a direct deposit to the old account, a direct deposit to the new account and numerous debits and credits to our payroll account for the checks and taxes which did not in the end add up correctly. Another example, we voided 2 checks for 2 wks pay and reissued 2 checks for 1 wk pay to 2 employees. Debits and credits and taxes never reconciled correctly. Another example, a change in 401k withholding - the ADP rep (from India I think) put the change in as a 401k loan. Debits and credit also did not reconcile - no credit for change in taxes was issued in the bank account. I remember when ADP was a good and reliable company. Well, the good old days!

8 years ago Edited September 14, 2021

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JAMES T ANEST Parker, CO

Dependable. company and great web site to work with. BUT for a small business they will fee you death. I wanted to stay with them but you couldn't get any help re fees. No call backs. My gains wiped out by fees with their 401K

7 years ago

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Reply from ADP

Hello James,
I'm sorry to hear that you couldn't get someone to review the fees with you. If you're interested, I could certainly have an ADP Relationship Specialist reach out to you to discuss. I believe I was able to find the account in our database by looking up your name.

Please private message me on this site, if you're interested in having someone follow up with you.
Kind regards,
Rick
ADP - Client Experience

Apr. 10th, 2019

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Cassidy Gundersen Orem, UT

My company uses ADP, and I have had so many issues with it. First of all, it seems like I can never log in to the system. There have also been so many times when my hours were messed up after I put them in. We’ve also had issues with the payments actually being made. If I were to choose, we wouldn’t be using this system.

8 years ago