What Does An HRIS Administrator Do?

WHAT DOES AN HRIS ADMINISTRATOR DO?

Published: Aug 18, 2025 - The HRIS Administrator assists in managing and maintaining all aspects of the HRIS system, including recruiting, onboarding, payroll, benefits, and reporting modules, while ensuring accurate configuration and security. This role involves supporting integration projects with related HR/Payroll systems, troubleshooting issues, developing efficiencies in reporting, and serving as the primary backup to the HRIS Supervisor. The administrator also collaborates with internal teams and vendors to optimize system functionality, enforce policies, and deliver timely business intelligence reporting across the organization.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for HRIS Administrator

1. HRIS Administrator Key Accountabilities

Data Management: Maintain data in the HRIS system and databases, ensuring information is entered accurately and timely.
Payroll Support: Work closely with payroll to resolve pay discrepancies.
HR Collaboration: Partner with HR and field management on issues related to processing paperwork.
System Integration: Ensure integration files are uploaded to Vista (HRIS).
Error Correction: Make necessary corrections.
Issue Escalation: Escalate any unresolved issues to the HRIS Manager.
System Administration: Perform administrative functions in SuccessFactors and Keystyle, including managing dashboards.
Configuration Support: Assist with creating, updating, and maintaining foundation objects, job classifications, position management, and related configurations.
Security Management: Assist with security by assigning role-based permissions and performing password resets.
Reporting: Create report specifications and run ad hoc queries from multiple data sources.

2. HRIS Administrator General Responsibilities

Process Improvement: Partner with the HR management team to analyze workflow process design, improve processes, and leverage the return on technological capabilities.
Project Management: Lead project plans, ensure adherence to project schedules, and maintain a systems approach.
Technical Support: Serve as a technical point of contact for the HR department and assist subject matter experts with ensuring data integrity, report writing, and analyzing data flow.
System Operations: Manage permissions, access, personalization, and similar system operations and settings for HRIS users.
Custom Development: Construct custom functions and documentation such as automated queries, filters, macros, and reports.
Data Reporting: Compile or assist with the acquisition of complex data reports, summaries, and logs for senior executives and HR staff.
Production Support: Provide production support, including researching and resolving HRMS problems.
Compliance Management: Ensure system compliance with data security and privacy requirements.
Industry Knowledge: Maintain knowledge of trends and developments in HRIS providers, vendors, and technology.
User Engagement: Participate in user group meetings and conferences.

3. HRIS Administrator Role Purpose

Technical Support: Provide technical support to analyze and troubleshoot issues for HRIS users.
Collaboration: Partner with internal HRBPs, Payroll, Benefits, IT (technical and functional), and Groupe HRIS team members.
Data Entry: Ensure accurate entry of employee data and completion of approval workflows in the HCM system (SAP SuccessFactors) within established Payroll deadlines.
System Updates: Update relevant employee data in the legacy HCM system (PeopleSoft).
Security Management: Manage RBP (role-based permission) security access settings for HRIS users.
System Testing: Perform testing for system enhancements and integrations with various HR systems.
Onboarding/Offboarding: Process contingent worker onboarding and offboarding entries within HR and IT systems.
Email Management: Monitor and maintain the HR Operations email box by responding promptly, assisting with requests, and researching root causes.
Training Development: Develop best practice processes and deliver training, including creating training job aids, to HRIS users.

4. HRIS Administrator Essential Functions

System Support: Serve as a key contact and provide support for all questions related to system functionalities, learning objects, assignment procedures, and related activities.
HR Support: Support the HR team in creating new positions, managing system access, and entering and monitoring basic data.
Training Delivery: Train learning administrators, trainers, and managers on system functionalities to enable greater autonomy in managing training activities.
System Configuration: Configure and maintain program structures in the learning management system (LMS).
Quality Control: Participate in quality control of training activities.
Workforce Analytics: Generate workforce analytics, including monthly or quarterly reports such as turnover, headcount, recruitment, overtime, training, and other HR KPIs.
Technical Duties: Handle day-to-day technical duties in a complex systems environment.
User Training: Assist in developing and maintaining user guides and provide training to new users.
System Auditing: Audit HR systems regularly to ensure data integrity.
Process Documentation: Document processes, workflows, and all other system-related records.

5. HRIS Administrator Additional Details

Form Management: Serve as the primary recipient of organization-wide personnel action forms and position change forms.
Data Accuracy: Ensure the highest level of accuracy for data entered into HR systems to support successful data audits.
Issue Escalation: Act as the initial escalation point for data corrections required in the HRIS database, escalate on demand, and execute approved corrections.
Record Maintenance: Maintain both digital and physical records of employee documentation.
Data Auditing: Audit data entry in the HCM system regularly to verify accuracy and compliance.
Confidentiality: Ensure confidentiality of information by safeguarding private and sensitive data.
Administrative Support: Perform administrative duties such as filing forms and reports.
Process Improvement: Follow policies and procedures and recommend changes to improve systems.
System Knowledge: Learn system functionality and remain current on upgrades and procedural changes.
Reporting: Retrieve information from systems to generate reports.
Collaboration: Collaborate with team members from other departments regarding data input.

6. HRIS Administrator Roles

Technical Issue Resolution: Identify and resolve technical issues within Human Resources systems and applications.
Content Administration: Administer HR and Safety content and certifications in the learning management system and the HRIS platform.
Material Management: Upload and maintain materials such as web-based training course information, references, job aids, resources, assessments, and related files.
Account Management: Create external and internal user accounts and assign courses based on HR and Safety requirements.
User Support: Troubleshoot user issues for both the learning management system and the HRIS platform.
Program Administration: Develop, test, and recommend creative solutions for administering programs, including the use of checklists, curricula, and certifications.
Course Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot eLearning course issues, including SCORM interface errors and completion data transfers.
Workflow Management: Maintain an understanding of application dependencies, workflows, integrations, and related processes.
System Enhancement: Build, test, and implement application enhancements and upgrades in test and production environments.
Documentation: Maintain system documentation, logs, and work instructions.
Vendor Collaboration: Collaborate with vendors on product enhancements and system upgrades to ensure system optimization and project completion.
System Analysis: Analyze system requirements, assess feasibility, and develop specifications.

7. HRIS Administrator Tasks

HRIS Management: Assist in the management of all aspects of the HRIS system, including Recruiting, Onboarding, HR, Payroll, Benefits, Self-Service, and BI Reporting modules, system configuration, and tracking.
System Integration: Assist in spearheading all integration projects with HR/Payroll systems, such as learning management platforms, directory services, benefit carriers, and other related systems.
Security Support: Support the HRIS Supervisor and serve as the primary backup for configuring and maintaining system security.
Process Improvement: Research, learn, and independently develop efficiencies for reporting, overall system configuration, and maintenance.
Data Import/Export: Perform simple imports/exports from one system to another (e.g., property imports from spreadsheets into the HRIS system).
Collaboration: Collaborate and provide excellent service to all internal and external colleagues and customers to positively support all levels of the organization.
Vendor Support: Assist the HRIS Supervisor in collaborating with software vendors to ensure support staff can meet HR, Payroll, and Finance objectives.
Problem Solving: Solve problems related to the HRIS system, answer inquiries, and enforce HR/Payroll policies.
Procedure Development: Assist in developing procedures by recommending system improvements or changes for greater efficiency.
Policy Management: Keep policies and procedures updated as changes occur in a manual format.
BI Reporting: Prepare and support business intelligence reporting needs by developing, administering, updating, and distributing weekly, monthly, quarterly, and year-end reports, as well as dashboard reporting for various organizational levels.
Regulatory Compliance: Adhere to all guidelines regarding Protected Health Information (PHI) and applicable privacy regulations.

8. HRIS Administrator Details and Accountabilities

System Development: Provide ongoing development of the HRIS by assisting in the review, testing, and implementation of system upgrades or improvements.
Workflow Automation: Develop automated workflows and processes to improve onboarding, offboarding, and internal employee transfer procedures, reducing errors and improving processing time between integrated systems.
Application Coordination: Collaborate with functional and technical staff to coordinate application upgrades or fixes.
Data Integrity: Maintain HRIS workflows and databases, ensuring data integrity through queries and data analysis.
System Support: Provide support for HR systems by researching and resolving system issues, unexpected results, or process flaws, performing scheduled activities, and recommending solutions or alternate methods to meet requirements.
Report Management: Create, maintain, and support a variety of reports or queries, including retirement plans and compliance reports, using appropriate reporting tools.
Standard Reporting: Assist in the development of standard reports for ongoing business needs.
HRIS Administration: Administer the HRIS, perform auditing, and ensure file feed integrity between the HRIS and other systems.
Strategic Collaboration: Collaborate with leadership to identify key metrics necessary for HR to contribute strategically to organizational success.
Data Insights: Identify, design, and present measurements and insights by integrating HR data with operational data.
Analytics Management: Manage HR reporting through data analytics, collaborating with stakeholders to define requirements, verifying data integrity, and developing automation or schedules.
Regulatory Compliance: Comply with all company policies and procedures, including safety and regulatory requirements, as well as food safety policies and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).

9. HRIS & Payroll Administrator Overview

Payroll Processing: Process semi-monthly multi-state payroll, including benefits and tax administration.
Payroll Reconciliation: Prepare and reconcile payroll journals to support the monthly close process.
Reporting: Research and prepare special reports for senior management.
System Testing: Assist with testing and implementation of payroll tax and HRIS system updates.
Data Auditing: Audit and analyze data in HRIS and cost accounting systems to ensure accuracy and integrity.
Audit Preparation: Prepare documentation for payroll audit requirements.
Tax Compliance: Provide payroll details for federal and state income tax compliance.
Issue Resolution: Identify and troubleshoot issues, collaborating with the payroll team for resolution.
Regulatory Compliance: Ensure payroll and HR practices comply with state and federal regulations and applicable employment laws.

10. Senior HRIS Administrator Job Description

System Expertise: Serve as a subject matter expert on existing system capabilities and potential system changes.
System Maintenance: Plan, organize, and implement routine maintenance and upgrades.
Change Management: Contribute to the development, implementation, and testing of system changes, leading initiatives to improve efficiency and performance.
User Support: Provide ongoing support and act as a point of contact for the system.
Workflow Design: Design and maintain workflows to support business processes.
Process Alignment: Support business process designs that ensure alignment between modules and across global operations.
Functionality Expansion: Research and implement new or expanded functionality.
Project Support: Provide project support and periodic project leadership.
Customer Service: Ensure customer satisfaction through follow-up, responsiveness, and clear communication.