Finding out that your software is nearing end of life (EOL) can sound so final, as if the software is going to up and stop working at a specified date and time, leaving your business stranded. While the term often sounds dramatic, in reality, it’s a little less so.
Typically, EOL means that technical support, workarounds, and bug fixes are ceasing. The company will no longer accept requests for features. Training may no longer be available, and online support documentation may be archived and unavailable to the public. Any available support will be limited before eventually ceasing altogether. While the software still works, thinking you can simply continue to use it with no problems is an incomplete picture of the issues that EOL has.
4 Common Risks of Using End-of-Life Software
Unfortunately, there are significant problems with continuing to use unsupported software, especially if that software is an HRMS solution.
- Security: Hackers and cybercriminals love unsupported software. They know if they can crack the code and get into the system, the software vendor won’t issue patches to fix the vulnerability. Older, unsupported software makes your company’s data vulnerable. That’s not a smart risk to take with human resources data. Think about all the sensitive information kept in an HRMS system: usernames and passwords, names and addresses, social security numbers, and more. Hackers would love to get their hands on that; using unsupported old software makes their job a lot easier.
- Compliance: Many companies use their systems to ensure compliance with state and federal law. Laws change, however, and if your software isn’t updated, it may no longer be in sync with applicable laws. You may end up performing manual calculations or other tasks to remain in compliance, when up-to-date software could take care of this for you easily and quickly.
- Bugs: Software vendors update their packages to fix known “bugs.” However, if your software is no longer updated or supported by the vendor, any bugs that creep into the works won’t be addressed. So if your HRMS software starts to freeze when you’re printing from a particular screen, you cannot contact the vendor to report the error and wait for the fix. It won’t be fixed. You’ll have to find a work-around on your own.
- Operating Costs: Without vendor support, the only way to fix issues is to hire a specialist to work on it for you. If you need new reports, integration with other software, or anything fixed, you’ll spend more just to make the adjustments. It would be smarter to upgrade to a new, supported package than to waste money on custom coding.
For customers facing EOL with their HRMS system, getting an EOL notification should certainly prompt a search for a new software.
Replace Your EOL Solution With Sage HRMS and ASI
Sage HRMS offers small to medium-sized businesses the tools they need to manage their employees’ benefits. Data derived from Sage HRMS can also be used to support critical business and manage decisions. And thanks to its user-friendly design and excellent support, Sage HRMS can make the transition from your current system to the new one easier to manage.
With the help of Sage experts at Accounting Solutions Inc., your team has access to extensive training and support to help them use their new software to its fullest capacity. We may even be able to export your existing data, import it into the new system, and advise you on setup.
Don’t panic about an EOL notice on your HRMS solution. Talk to the experts at ASI today to find out how Sage HRMS can make for an easy transition while ensuring that sensitive data stays protected and compliant.