Converting to Windows

HR Magazine, June, 1994 by Sandra E. O'Connell

Since Windows software prices are higher, make a trade-off decision about capabilities versus additional dollars.

Should you or shouldn't you is no longer the question when it comes to using Windows. The real issues are when and how. The visual, graphical interface has been changed and improved a lot. And the introduction of Windows products for human resource applications is the hottest trend of the year.

My initial exploration of the Windows world (HR Magazine, June 1992) found it to be slow and awkward with few systems available for HR. In the past two years, much has happened: tools for software developers, the release of Windows 3.1 and an increase in the power of the basic PC.

There is a lot to like in the Windows products such as the relative ease of learning, the snappy visuals (called icons) that help navigation, the ability to print documents in background and keep working, the ease of assigning fonts and the ability to easily link data with other software packages. What level of effort and resources will it take to convert the HR department to a Windows environment? The checklist on page 45 gives a quick overview, but there are several issues to consider in detail.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

Your first encounter with this new environment will bring you (and the budget) face to face with the realities of the Windows ripple effect. That's because Windows changes every aspect of computing from the type of PC to word processing to doing backup. Small companies, in particular, need to examine the cost consequences of Windows. Since prices are generally higher than those of DOS products, make a trade-off decision about capabilities versus additional dollars.

Hardware. Windows applications are memory hogs. To run any type of HR database, the computer will need 4MB to 8MB of RAM and will be most productive on at least a 486 33-megahertz machine. Is it feasible to run on less powerful equipment? In some cases, but the result will be less than satisfying.

Remember that the computer has to handle system upgrades. The first law of computing is that software gets more demanding, never less so. If your HR department is using 286 PCs and new equipment is not on the horizon, then Windows is not for you ... for now. If there is the opportunity to request new equipment, the second law of computing is: More is always better.

Office software. Be prepared to change your word processor, spreadsheet and other applications as well. Working in a switch-hitter mode between DOS and Windows, while doable, will get tiresome. Each of these office packages will probably require increased file storage as well as more training. The changes don't have to be made all at once; consult with your MIS department for its Windows conversion plan.

Availability of HR applications. There are at least several Windows packages on the market for HRIS, benefits, applicant tracking and training administration. Most are from established HR vendors, although there are a few new players in the market. Selecting a Windows system may be difficult, however, because the "look and feel" is remarkably similar across products. In comparison to DOS-based systems, there are three striking differences in the products I have seen:

1. The ease of navigation through the system, from selecting a window to work in, to using the buttons, accessing code tables, to saving your work.

2. How some of the systems can manage tasks, linking HR actions with windows of data and prompting transactions, accessing the calendar and calculator as needed.

3. The flexibility in report formats everyone has always wanted is finally available. Users can create a wide variety of reports and presentations by taking advantage of the DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) to link the information in their database to a word processor, spreadsheet or graphics package.

Most organizations own one or more DOS programs such as HRIS, affirmative-action compliance and benefits administration, which they will continue to use under Windows. All programs, including Windows, require DOS to be running; Windows translates commands you give into DOS, which carries out the action. The HR systems in DOS may run in a Windows environment, but care must be taken in the setup. The program may have to reside in the DOS root directory, not the DOS directory accessed via Windows.

LEARNING TO WORK IN WINDOWS

After a few weeks of regular use, I am, like other converts, a devotee and willing advocate. Just what does a DOS user need to learn?

Visual navigation. A major selling point for Windows is the graphical user interface that makes learning intuitive. I found the first few days working in Windows quite frustrating, often muttering, "There is nothing intuitive about this!"--all the time wondering what was wrong with my admittedly linear brain cells. Perhaps my intuition works on a different wavelength, but in the introductory sessions, I found little that was easy or obvious.

Using the mouse. The Windows user communicates with the system in a visual way--requiring both keyboard entry and sleight of hand with the mouse. Rather than using the F5 function key or the enter key to select a database action, you are more likely to move the mouse to an icon or data field, then click or double click. This shift from total reliance on the keyboard to a visual world takes some getting used to.