Dayforce vs PDS Vista

Last Updated:

Our analysts compared Dayforce vs PDS Vista based on data from our 400+ point analysis of HR Management Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Dayforce is a cloud-based human capital management (HCM) platform that offers a full suite of tools for managing payroll, workforce management, career development, benefits and HR tasks.

It's a great pick for larger teams looking to streamline onboarding and training with performance management tools that support ongoing career development. Plus, its self-service portal gives employees more independence.

Ranked in the top five on our HR software list, Dayforce stands out as the Best for Reporting and Dashboards. It shines with features like employee engagement, succession management and compensation management.

With tools for workforce insights, personalized coaching, and mobile access, managers can enhance engagement and adapt more efficiently, which helps cut down on turnover and anticipate trends. Mobile time-tracking tablets and time clocks help minimize errors and ensure more accurate payroll.

The platform offers customizable dashboards, automated payroll calculations, centralized employee info and engagement tracking. Users love its intuitive, easy-to-use design and self-service options that lighten the admin load. However, some find the reporting feature a bit tricky; while reports are customizable, getting them set up can be complex.

Pricing varies based on the number of users and chosen modules, generally falling between $6 and $12 per employee per month, which is mid-range compared to other options out there.

read more...
PDS Vista is an integrated human capital management (HCM) system for streamlining HR functions, including hiring, onboarding, human resources, benefits, payroll and time and attendance tracking. It automates core processes, empowering organizations to minimize the time allocated to routine HCM and payroll tasks.

Highly customizable, it lets users tailor it to their needs. It also records crucial business strategy and decision-making data, giving employees and managers self-service access to payroll and workforce management features. Companies can opt for on-site or cloud deployment, ensuring flexibility during implementation.
read more...
$6/Employee, Monthly
Free Trial is unavailable →
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
Undisclosed
Free Trial is unavailable →
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Centralize Records: Store all your documents in a secure repository, using filters to easily find the forms you need. You can also monitor and manage compensation levels, performance metrics, and org charts. Dayforce’s document management gets an 81 out of 100, according to our data.
  • Improve Payroll Accuracy: Reduce timesheet errors for more accurate payroll processing. While payroll management scores a 75, Dayforce payroll calculates pay in real time as it's recorded, giving admins continuous data throughout the pay period and providing more time for verification, review and audits.
  • Enhance Engagement: Promote stronger team engagement and communication with TeamRelate. Managers can track employee engagement daily, tailor coaching, and gauge employee communication styles and motivators through surveys. Its employee engagement tools come in at a perfect 100.
  • Navigate Compliance: Access real-time information on all legislative rules globally, including monitoring regulations in over 200 countries, to ensure compliance. Configure what the system monitors based on specific needs.
  • Work Flexibly: Update availability, check schedules and submit time-off requests on the go. Users can preview earnings, clock in and out, and view the People Directory to contact coworkers.
  • Boost Communication: Enhance communication by highlighting managers and colleagues in interactive org charts. Build and arrange employees based on the company’s structure and hierarchy.
  • Manage Time and Time Off: Replace punch clocks with tablets offering accurate time and attendance information. Employees can record time, request time off or trade shifts, and view schedules via the mobile app.
  • View Workforce Insights: Track critical organizational indicators like turnover by location and age to understand operational trends.
  • Ease Benefits Management: Simplify benefits enrollment with side-by-side plan comparisons and smart recommendations. Employees can update their coverage via self-service.
read more...
  • Track KPIs: Drill into data and export it to a spreadsheet with a single click. Access over 100 pre-built tools, visualize data via comprehensive analytics and review insights through various charts and graphs, like scatter, line, column and pie charts.
  • Comply With ACA Regulations: Handle responsibilities related to ACA seamlessly. Use a comprehensive tracking tool to monitor the 30-hour mandate, ensure compliance with ACA requirements for health care plans, determine employee eligibility with automated tools and generate critical documents like 1095-Cs. 
  • Develop Reports: Simplify requesting business-centric data with the intuitive EasyAsk query tool, enabling users to select questions from a drop-down list. Enhance data generation with public or private lists of predefined questions. Choose which fields to include with a tool that supports synonyms (e.g., department or division) via a well-articulated dictionary. Access reports in multiple formats such as Excel, HTML and Word.
  • Reduce Manual Work: Automate approval processes with a workflow engine, streamline employee transactions like time-off requests, define conditions for multi-step operations and enable data filtering while maintaining transaction histories for auditing.. 
  • Go Mobile: Enhance workplace flexibility by providing remote access and editing capabilities to employees anywhere through the HRMS mobile app. Employees can view paycheck details, request time off and update data from their mobile devices. Equip managers to find employee contact info and approve job openings, vacation requests and raises.
  • Meet Compliance Regulations: Stay compliant with U.S. and Canadian laws via various reports and analytics, including OSHA, EEO, HIPAA, FMLA, IRCA, ADA, Vets-4212, AERS and ROE.
  • Support a Connected Business: Integrate with other systems for better business functioning. Configure data extracts using SQL (Structured Query Language) and effectively interface with any system. Retain absolute control over data, using various tools to process information automatically.
  • Maintain a Secure Environment: Control the information workforces see via robust security templates based on designated authorization and roles. 
  • Get Help When Needed: Product users consistently commend the support. Users can access support staff and educational resources like product videos and demos. Online tracking, technical assistance, user group membership and emergency support also ensure clients receive the assistance they need when they need it. 
read more...
  • Core HR: Centralize employee info, manage performance, carry out recruiting, oversee payroll and get reports for data-driven decision-making.
  • Employee Self-Service (ESS): Let users enroll in benefits, view pay details, update personal information, access learning resources and stay current on announcements.
  • Payroll: Roll out a variety of payroll tasks, including tax management, employee verification and data entry for unique situations like retroactive payments. Dashboards provide insights and reporting tools support payroll reconciliation.
  • Benefits: Fast track enrollment by letting employees independently enroll for coverage. Admins can access enrollment totals, a library of qualification rules, on-demand calculations and streamlined COBRA management. It also integrates with hundreds of carriers and incorporates features to ensure ACA compliance.
  • Talent Management: Manage every phase of an employee lifecycle, from recruiting and onboarding to succession planning. Track performance in a holistic view, plan budgets effectively and reskill current employees with AI talent tools.
  • Workforce Management: Process payroll, manage sick days or vacation time, and view reports on key trends like spending for proactive planning.
  • Compliance Support: Safeguard sensitive information with role-based access and ease multi-jurisdictional tax filings with tax services for federal, state and local jurisdictions.
  • Customer Support: Get help with questions and concerns through live chat or phone. Access additional resources on the website like the help center and webinars.
  • Dayforce Wallet: Provide employees access to their earned wages before payday. This flexibility improves financial wellness and reduces employee stress associated with waiting for a paycheck. It also provides functionalities such as budgeting tools and financial planning resources. Note: The amount available depends on completed shifts and standard transfer time is between 1-3 business days. Faster transfers require additional fees.
read more...
  • Human Resources: Boost employee management with onboarding, learning, safety and performance tools. Develop engagement, career planning and risk management programs. Create a historical data snapshot at any given point with the Point-in-Time builder tool.
  • Recruiting: Provide a wide range of recruiting functionalities by leveraging hiring tools. Track and capture recruitment data to maintain crucial applicant information. Enable HR teams to quickly analyze costs, manage applications, foster relationships with candidates and handle less paperwork overall.
  • Onboarding: Streamline onboarding by digitizing essential documents and providing access to a digital to-do list, a FAQ section and company content with simple configurations. Fast-track document signing through Adobe Sign or DocuSign enables new hires to electronically sign required HR, benefit and payroll forms before their first day, saving time and paper.
  • Workflow: Oversee staff transaction approvals with approval process automation and digital forms. Track transaction activities, reroute essential activities and information to participants and automate notifications. 
  • Reporting: Combine pre-formatted, parameter-driven HR data into a single report. Automate reports scheduling and create historical and metrics data to give managers an understanding of accepted company procedures. 
  • Analytics: Make smart strategic decisions and evaluate business data leveraging data. Seamlessly turn this data into valuable insights for better decision-making via the Vista Analytics component. 
  • Benefits Administration: Support various procedures and policies surrounding benefits administration. Offer a host of plans and coverage levels to the workforce. Take payroll deductions and premiums into account to automatically determine eligibility with the benefits administration tool. 
  • Payroll Management: Complete all payroll activities with various tools like time collection, tax maintenance service, auto-pay, reporting and a general ledger. Enable advanced functionalities, including retroactive pay, historical tracking and electronic documents and checks. Track and take action on data with an intuitive dashboard. 
  • Time and Attendance: Streamline attendance monitoring capabilities like time entry, reporting, payroll integration and multiple time collection methods. Gain advanced time tracking attributes with the cloud-based Vista Time tool. Offer geofencing and geolocation, a drag-and-drop schedule, message alerts, dashboards for employees and managers and accrued time forecasting. 
  • Self-Service Portal: Support HR activities and tasks with a range of company-wide and individual tools delivered through a comprehensive portal.
    • Provide a company directory, calendar events and company news.
    • Employees and managers can access information required to request, review and approve things like vacation or time entry.
    • Enable employees to manage their career goals and apply for internal job openings.
    • Includes a self-service tool to guide employees through benefits election and enrollment.
    • Effortlessly add links and relevant icons to content and implement manager self-service features in a protected manner, such as time approval, org charts and dashboards. 
  • Career Portal: Create a branded individualized career portal. Include filters, categories for ranking applicants, automation, and employee requisition attributes. Facilitate the entire application process for candidates with the job center tool and allow them to complete applications anytime from any location, leveraging a mobile interface. Supports multiple languages for enhanced self-service.
  • Mobile App: Leverage a mobile app on Android and Apple devices to remotely access MyVista, including the mobile-optimized Vista Onboarding and Vista Recruiting Career Center. 
read more...

Product Ranking

#9

among all
HR Management Software

#65

among all
HR Management Software

Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

79
76
64
69
78
75
88
84
Show More Show More
Availability and Scalability
Employee Engagement
Platform Security
Reporting and Dashboard
Succession Management
Availability and Scalability
Deployment Options
Professional Services and Maintenance
User Support
Document Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Dayforce
PDS Vista
+ Add Product + Add Product
Applicant Tracking And Recruiting Benefits Management Compensation Management Document Management Employee Engagement Employee Onboarding And Administration Employee Self Service Learning Management Payroll Management Performance Management Platform Capabilities Reporting And Dashboard Succession Management Time And Attendance Management Workforce Management 64 78 88 81 100 74 78 82 75 83 86 100 100 87 90 69 75 84 98 69 84 83 64 91 78 78 93 48 62 45 0 25 50 75 100
55%
0%
45%
73%
0%
27%
79%
0%
21%
68%
5%
27%
92%
0%
8%
92%
0%
8%
86%
0%
14%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
60%
0%
40%
62%
0%
38%
73%
0%
27%
83%
0%
17%
83%
0%
17%
86%
0%
14%
36%
7%
57%
76%
0%
24%
86%
5%
9%
86%
0%
14%
71%
7%
22%
88%
0%
12%
75%
0%
25%
100%
0%
0%
89%
0%
11%
100%
0%
0%
50%
0%
50%
82%
0%
18%
25%
58%
17%
91%
0%
9%
9%
45%
46%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Dayforce
PDS Vista
+ Add Product + Add Product
Availability And Scalability Deployment Options Integrations And Extensibility Mobile Platform Security 100 50 61 100 100 100 57 87 0 25 50 75 100
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
50%
0%
50%
53%
0%
47%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
83%
0%
17%

Analyst Ratings for Vendor Qualification Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
100%

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 3463 reviews
Great User Sentiment 67 reviews
85%
of users recommend this product

Dayforce has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 85% when considering 3463 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

84%
of users recommend this product

PDS Vista has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 84% when considering 67 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

5.0 (24)
n/a
4.2 (792)
4.3 (22)
4.3 (969)
4.5 (16)
4.6 (541)
n/a
4.0 (1137)
4.0 (29)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Dayforce and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Employee Engagement, Reporting and Dashboard and Succession Management.

Employee Engagement Award
Reporting and Dashboard Award
Succession Management Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated PDS Vista and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Deployment Options, Professional Services and Maintenance and User Support.

Deployment Options Award
Professional Services and Maintenance Award
User Support Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Easy PTO Tracking: Dayforce simplifies requesting and viewing PTO and tracking employee hours.
User-Friendly Interface and Features: Dayforce receives praise for being easy to set up and navigate.
Comprehensive: Dayforce is effective for managing payroll, benefits, and workforce management (WFM), providing real-time data and streamlined record-keeping. Custom reporting, time management and compensation planning are highlighted as strong features.
Consistency: The system integrates well across various functions such as HR, payroll, and time management, helping to consolidate processes and improve efficiency.
Show more
Comprehensive Suite: PDS Vista offers a wide range of modules, covering everything from core HR functions like payroll and benefits administration to talent management, recruiting, and learning management. This comprehensive suite eliminates the need for multiple, disparate systems, streamlining HR processes and data management.
Customizable and Scalable: The system's flexibility allows organizations to tailor it to their specific needs and industry regulations. Whether it's adding custom fields, workflows, or reports, PDS Vista adapts to evolving requirements and growth, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.
User-Friendly Interface: PDS Vista is known for its intuitive interface, which reduces the learning curve for HR professionals and employees alike. The system's ease of use promotes user adoption and engagement, leading to more efficient HR operations.
Reporting and Analytics: Robust reporting tools provide HR teams with valuable insights into workforce data, enabling data-driven decision-making. From standard reports to ad-hoc queries and dashboards, PDS Vista empowers HR to analyze trends, identify areas for improvement, and measure the impact of HR initiatives.
Show more
Reporting: Report creation can be cumbersome and not very user-friendly. The ability to convert fixed reports into customizable formats and access more diverse formats is limited.
Outdated Employee Self-Service: Some users found this feature outdated without improved auditing and traceability features for payroll elections.
Frequent Updates: Some updates lead to slow down and create a learning curve for some users.
Implementation Process: Users reported implementation can have high up-front costs, take longer than expected and cause frustration.
Customer Support: Users experienced long response times and additional fees.
Show more
Clunky Interface: Navigating PDS Vista can feel cumbersome and outdated, often requiring multiple clicks to accomplish simple tasks. The interface appears visually dated, which may deter users accustomed to modern software design.
Reporting Limitations: Generating custom reports or extracting specific data sets can be challenging due to the system's rigid structure. Users often find themselves exporting data to external programs for further analysis, creating an extra step in the workflow.
Show more

Dayforce, a popular AI-powered HCM solution, caters to businesses across various industries on a global scale. It’s perfect for large teams and companies needing a scalable and adaptable platform. Most of its features are user-friendly, making it relatively easy to learn and navigate.Dayforce stands out with its mobile time-off requests, smart benefit enrollment recommendations, TeamRelate, Dayforce Wallet and automated payroll calculations. It also offers robust support for day-to-day operations, including reports and dashboards, org charts, shift trades, and compliance.The mobile app and self-service platform give employees the freedom to handle tasks like accessing pay stubs, viewing schedules, and submitting time-off requests independently, which reduces the need for admin intervention.Dayforce tackles common HR challenges like managing varied payroll and compliance needs, dealing with tricky reporting, and making employee self-service easier. While users appreciate its mobile features and schedule management, they’ve mentioned that reporting can be a bit complex and time-consuming, sometimes leading to long waits for customer support.The demo reveals a comprehensive hub serving as a centralized dashboard, providing news updates, team objectives, pending tasks, and recommended applications like performance management and recruiting.Personally, I thought the scheduling module looked a little cluttered/complicated for beginners, but you can use filters to narrow down results and make it look less busy/cleaner.Payroll processing demands a hawk's eye when it comes to details. I thought Dayforce had a reasonably straightforward payroll design.Engagement surveys offer compact insights into employee sentiment and effectiveness, while customizable dashboards and scorecards display key metrics on workforce dynamics, such as availability, recruitment metrics, and turnover rates.Automated alerts and integration with job boards enhance recruiting, and self-service features support career development, HR and benefits enrollment.The chatbot provided a brief welcome and directed me to the Help Center after I chose support. The chat ended there, and I encountered the issue of the conversation not clearing when the page was reopened.Pricing is competitive, based on user numbers and selected modules (charged per month).Overall, Dayforce is a comprehensive HCM software that effectively supports managing people, pay and compliance.

Show more

PDS Vista appears to be most suitable for mid-sized to large companies with complex organizational structures and a high volume of employees. The software's ability to handle intricate HR processes, such as onboarding, benefits administration, and payroll, makes it a valuable tool for organizations with diverse needs. Additionally, PDS Vista's scalability ensures that it can grow alongside a company, accommodating increasing demands as the workforce expands. Smaller businesses with simpler HR requirements might find the software's extensive features to be overwhelming and may prefer a more streamlined solution. One of the key strengths of PDS Vista is its comprehensive suite of features. Users appreciate the software's ability to manage various HR functions, from recruitment and onboarding to performance management and employee development. This all-in-one approach eliminates the need for multiple HR systems, streamlining processes and reducing administrative burdens. For instance, the performance management module allows managers to set goals, track progress, and provide feedback, fostering a culture of continuous improvement. However, some users have noted that the extensive features can lead to a steeper learning curve, requiring dedicated training and support to fully utilize the software's capabilities. When compared to competitors like Workday and SAP SuccessFactors, PDS Vista stands out for its robust reporting and analytics capabilities. Users can generate custom reports to gain insights into workforce trends, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions. The software's ability to track key HR metrics, such as employee turnover and engagement levels, enables organizations to proactively address potential issues and optimize their HR strategies. While Workday and SAP SuccessFactors also offer reporting features, PDS Vista's user-friendly interface and customizable dashboards make it easier for HR professionals to access and interpret data.

Show more

Screenshots

Top Alternatives in HR Management Software


ADP Workforce Now

BambooHR

Cornerstone OnDemand

Infor HCM

Justworks

Oracle HCM Cloud

Paycom

Paycor

PDS Vista

Rippling

SuccessFactors

Talentsoft

TriNet

UKG Dimensions

UKG Pro

Workable

Workday HCM

Related Categories

Head-to-Head Comparison

WE DISTILL IT INTO REAL REQUIREMENTS, COMPARISON REPORTS, PRICE GUIDES and more...

Compare products
Comparison Report
Just drag this link to the bookmark bar.
?
Table settings