Enterprise HR System Specification

Overview

A complete HR operating-model specification authored from scratch: 30 modules, 28 workflows with triggers and approvers and escalations, 84 pre-built reports, an RBAC matrix across 14 personas with 5 data-scope levels, and an 18-month phased implementation roadmap with budget bands and success criteria.

Problem

The organization needed a single executable blueprint to consolidate fragmented HR processes (recruitment, payroll, attendance, leave, performance, onboarding, training, compensation, compliance, employee relations) into one platform supporting 500+ employees. Existing vendors offered modules; nobody offered an opinionated end-to-end operating model.

Approach

Author the spec like an engineering RFC, not a sales doc. Define every workflow as a triggered process with inputs, steps, approvers, escalation paths, and notifications. Define every report by audience, frequency, columns, and decision it supports. Define the RBAC matrix as an explicit grid, not narrative prose. Phase the roadmap so the MVP delivers measurable value at month 6.

Structure

• Executive Summary with success criteria and budget bands.
• Operating Model describing the full platform shape.
• Module Lists A and B: 20 core modules + 10 additional modules.
• Personas: 14 user types with goals, pain points, and access patterns.
• RBAC: matrix mapping personas to permissions across 5 data-scope levels.
• Workflows: 28 processes with trigger, steps, approvers, escalation, and notifications.
• Reports: 84 pre-built reports with audience, frequency, source modules, and columns.
• Notifications + Roadmap: 100+ notification templates and the 18-month phased rollout.
• Quick Reference: cheat sheet for stakeholders.

Outcome

Strategic blueprint ready for vendor selection and Phase 1 implementation. Expected outcomes baked into the spec:

• 30% reduction in recruitment time-to-hire
• Zero payroll processing errors
• 50% improvement in HR productivity by Month 18
• 85% adoption by end of Phase 2
• Budget envelope: $1.25M – $1.8M across 18 months

Phases

• Phase 1 (Months 1-6): Core MVP serving 500+ employees. Recruitment, attendance, leave, payroll basics.
• Phase 2 (Months 7-12): Expansion. Performance, training, compensation, onboarding workflows.
• Phase 3 (Months 13-18): Optimization. Strategic HR analytics, advanced compensation, succession planning.

Lessons

• Specifying an HR system is mostly about specifying people: 14 personas, 5 access scopes, dozens of approval chains.
• A workflow without an explicit escalation path is a future incident.
• Reports defined by the decision they support are the ones that get used.