Choose HR and payroll software by scoring every vendor on the same ten criteria, using answers you get in writing or see in a live demo. A list that ranks vendors without showing its criteria tells you little. This guide gives you the criteria and a scoring method, and applies the same table to WF Engine, the product we build.
We are a vendor, so treat our column as one more vendor's answers. Ask every shortlisted vendor the same questions.
How to score
For each criterion give every vendor 0, 1 or 2:
- 0: not supported, or the vendor could not show it
- 1: supported with limits, or only on request
- 2: supported and shown live with your own data
Add the scores. Then check the two or three criteria that matter most to your company, because a high total can hide a gap in the one thing you need.
The ten criteria
| Criterion | Ask every vendor | WF Engine today |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory coverage | Does payroll handle EOBI, PESSI or SESSI by province, and FBR salary tax? | Yes, per our product copy. Ask us to show it with your data. |
| Rate updates | Who updates rules when rates change, and how fast? | Rules are reviewed and updated when authorities revise them. Ask for the process in writing. |
| Attendance link | Does attendance feed payroll without an export? | Yes, same records. |
| Attendance methods | Which check-in methods are supported (biometric, mobile, face)? | Biometric and mobile check-in. We do not claim face recognition. |
| Leave | Are approvals and balances in the system? | Yes, with approval chains. |
| Moving from Excel | Can you import your current employee and salary data? | Yes, from spreadsheets. |
| Employee portal | Can staff see payslips and leave themselves? | Yes. |
| Access and audit | Is access role-based and are actions logged? | Yes, role-based access and an audit trail. |
| Support | Who helps, when, and how? | Email and chat during business hours. |
| Price clarity | Is the price published or quoted in writing? | No public price list yet. Written quote after a demo. |
Questions that expose gaps
- "Show me a payroll run with our own salary sheet." A vendor who can only show sample data scores lower.
- "Show me a month where an employee changed province." This tests the deduction rules.
- "What happens when a correction comes after payroll is confirmed?"
- "Can I export my data if I leave?"
- "Who else of our size and sector uses this, and can we speak to them?" Ask for permissioned references. We cannot name customers here without their approval, and you should expect other vendors to be asked the same.
Excel, local vendors and global tools
Each option has trade-offs. Excel costs nothing to start but depends on one person and has no audit trail. A global HR tool may be strong on features but needs Pakistan deductions configured. A local vendor may cover statutory deductions by default but should still be tested on your own data. Run the same ten criteria across all three before you decide.
What to do next
Shortlist three vendors, send each the same ten questions, and book a demo with each using last month's salary sheet. Score the answers. If WF Engine is on your list, see how payroll runs in WF Engine and how our pricing works, then book a 20-minute demo.
Adnan Khan
HR Lead, Bitsbuffer
Adnan leads HR operations and business development for Workflow Engine. He writes about Pakistani HR compliance, payroll, and workflow automation from direct operational experience.