HR Web Builder need proprietary database to create Intranets - WorkWise HR Web Builder software

HR Magazine, March, 1997 by Roderick Munn

By now, many human resource professionals in companies with an Internet presence have gone beyond using the corporate web site for recruiting and related functions. HR has also become a prime user of intranet technology and has taken the lead in developing effective internal web sites.

Many HR web pages assist with important functions such as staffing, communicating policies and posting job vacancies. Such pages add significant value to human resource information management and allow organizations to rapidly collect and disseminate information locally or worldwide, particularly with links between the intranet and the external web site. In addition, development costs have been minimal and the technology is generally reliable.

Properly designed pages are the key to effective intranets, and often make the difference between a popular site and a little-used one. To help HR professionals develop an intranet, Paradigm Software Development Co. has designed WorkWise HR Web Builder, a product that assists professionals in building effective web pages quickly and easily with no training in programming.

WHAT IT DOES

The HR Web Builder is essentially a series of page templates developed to work with the software company's database, Work Wise Employee File. The templates and wizards (macros) help users create professional-looking HR-oriented web pages. Knowledge of hypertext markup language (HTML), the Web's programming language, is not required.

For the most part, building a web page means simply choosing the template and inserting the necessary information. The instructions outlined in the page wizard give users many choices: adding style templates or editing their contents to change the layout, titles, pictures, text, colors and backgrounds of the pages. Choosing the words for hypertext links to other sites or pages is part of the process. The user can create as many pages as required, but achieving a professional look and feel for the intranet site requires planning the progression of pages and hypertext links.

HR Web Builder has four categories of page templates, each controlled by a wizard: Company Home Page, Employee Directory, Employee Home Page, and Manuals. Operating the program is fairly straightforward, but users attempting to develop web pages should have a working knowledge of Internet operations and terminology, and be familiar with Windows NT and their company's intranet server and workstation addresses. Building a web page with the program is not difficult but - like most new skills - requires a little practice.

Company Home Page. This template is used to create or edit a home page for the organization. The page should include elements specific to HR functions, rather than to the whole company, because a corporate intranet home page has probably already been constructed.

Once constructed, the company's HR home page serves as a central page for accessing other pages. That is particularly important for HR, because intranet usage in the HR department has a tendency to be quite specific, making well-organized data extremely important.

Employee Directory. This template simplifies the task of creating an employee directory. Directories maintained on an intranet save thousands of dollars in printing, distribution and mailing costs normally incurred for printed versions.

Employee Home Page. This template sets up a page of basic information for each employee, such as name, title, job description, address, phone number and so forth. If desired, the employee's photograph can be included. This type of page is quite useful for security clearances and employee verifications.

Manuals. The manuals template provides a basic structure for creating and editing manuals, policies and other information. There is no limit on type or number of manuals or policy documents.

After pages have been completed, the Web Builder generates HTML code, so that they function like web pages created by other methods. Employees can access these intranet pages using a standard Internet web browser.

WHAT WE LIKE

The Web Builder is both interactive and directive; its templates are relevant and useful. The wizards simplify page development because they query for information or, where necessary, force users to choose between two items. After the HTML code is generated, the wizard asks if the newly developed page is to be viewed. If the user chooses "yes," the program automatically opens the default web browser and displays the new page.

Web Builder's network capability is also a plus. It runs in client/server environments such as Windows NT or Novell or on peer-to-peer networks like Windows for Workgroups or Windows 95. Thus, the program allows web page development to be distributed throughout the human resource operation.

The manuals for both Web Builder and its companion product WorkWise Employee File are well-written, clear and concise. Web Builder's 56-page manual explains how to build pages with little extraneous material.

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The Web Builder is an effective aid for creating HTML-based intranet pages, but the program requires an employee database using Work Wise Employee File. This file management software creates, maintains and manages employee information tracking data on employees' education, certifications, dependents, time off and other information. After building the Employee File database, users must load several employee data-management tables and perform other setup functions, which could become quite involved and time-consuming.