SAP HCM vs UKG comparison

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SAP HCM

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

SAP HCM and UKG are major players in the human capital management industry. SAP HCM stands out for its integration capabilities with enterprise systems, while UKG offers a superior user experience, particularly in employee onboarding and scheduling.

Features: SAP HCM's key features include comprehensive integration across enterprise finance and supply chain, cloud functionality through SuccessFactors, and enhanced decision-making efficiency. UKG is recognized for its intuitive employee experience, robust onboarding process, and advanced fraud detection capabilities.

Room for Improvement: SAP HCM needs enhancements in usability, particularly in payroll complexities and interface modernization. Its talent management features also require improvement. UKG's configuration and integration features are complex, and users seek more flexibility and clarity in navigation.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SAP HCM offers both on-premises and cloud deployment options but receives mixed reviews on support. UKG provides hybrid and cloud models with generally high customer service ratings, though some users report delays in response times.

Pricing and ROI: SAP HCM is often criticized for high pricing and complex licensing but delivers strong ROI through operational efficiencies. UKG's pricing is more transparent and competitive, providing solid ROI by streamlining processes and saving time despite perceived higher costs.

To learn more, read our detailed SAP HCM vs. UKG Report (Updated: February 2025).

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SAP HCM vs. UKG

February 2025

Helped 842,296 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

SAP HCM

Ranking in Benefits Administration

3rd

Ranking in Talent Management

3rd

Ranking in Cloud HCM

3rd

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

UKG

Ranking in Benefits Administration

4th

Ranking in Talent Management

5th

Ranking in Cloud HCM

5th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

125

Ranking in other categories

Employee Scheduling Software (1st), Employee Time Tracking Software (2nd), HR Analytics Software (1st), Talent Acquisition (5th)

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Cloud HCM category, the mindshare of SAP HCM is 13.9%, down from 16.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of UKG is 5.3%, down from 5.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud HCM

Featured Reviews

Renelia Villanueva

Vice President & Group Head- People & Workplace Management at Alorica

Efficient payroll processing with comprehensive attendance management

I am currently heading the payroll benefits and HRIS team here in Manila. We are using SAP HCM on-premises, and we implemented SuccessFactors focusing on Employee Central and GMPM SAP HCM has helped a lot due to the always changing government regulations pertaining to taxation, social security…

Read full review

Lonnie Fluck

Senior HR/ Talent Acquisition Leader at FitzDrake Search

Helps us establish system front-end and back-end connectivity, but the recruiting features need improvement

I used UKG to track applicants and create job descriptions. We built the electronic onboarding system to be used nationwide and created a path to integrate with the backend The product's most valuable feature is the ability to establish connectivity between the front and the back end,…

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"SAP HCM can handle a large number of employees. We can easily process payrolls and check the arrangements, and the client can also check the performance of the employees. Additionally, it has some advanced features."

"They have some interesting features in the learning space."

"Recently, the localization versions for different countries were increased, and that added value to the solution."

"The platform is simple to use and has a user-friendly dashboard and integration features."

"SAP HCM is a competitive and comprehensive tool that covers major programs in the enterprise and supports the global process."

"The payroll suite is very valuable."

"I feel SAP HCM is very competitive and worth the investment given its capability to integrate modules and provide comprehensive value."

"It simplifies everything for human capital management, and all users can do self-enrollment for leaves and those kinds of things. The employee self-service feature is quite a powerful feature for me. You can install it on your mobile phone or iPad and do your employee service activity there."

More SAP HCM pros

"The solution's UI is good. Also, it is very easy to use."

"It enables us to manage the system ourselves. We don't need an additional team to do a lot of maintenance and add the things that we want."

"The pay policies and approvals are valuable features."

"The solution's employee experience is pretty good."

"The fact that I can see the whole HR information in a single point is valuable. There is a unified view of everything, which is good. Previously, we had many different systems for each part of the information. Now, it is all centralized. It is very good."

"The tool improved employee onboarding efficiency, especially in healthcare, where timely onboarding is crucial. This change directly impacted retention rates positively. It was a massive project that involved various teams working together. It took about a year to revamp the entire process and ensure compliance. However, once implemented, it improved employee satisfaction by saving them two whole days in the onboarding process."

"The product's most valuable feature is the ability to establish connectivity between the front and the back end, particularly the single point of data entry, to minimize mistakes."

"The employee self-service feature is most valuable. This is the restaurant industry, and they have a mobile app that allows employees to go in and manage their data. So, employees can manage direct deposit accounts, emergency contacts, and other things in the app. That's definitely the biggest benefit."

More UKG pros

Cons

"SAP HCM could improve by having more resources and making it more user-friendly. It is complex."

"SAP HCM has helped a lot due to the always changing government regulations pertaining to taxation, social security service, and local regulations that change frequently."

"Managing changes in applications can be challenging since it complicates testing and unit testing, resulting in longer testing phases. This time-consuming process often leaves little room for actual work."

"HCM could improve compatibility, making it more accessible via web applications and graphical interfaces."

"We find some challenges in the integration between SAP HCM and SAP SuccessFactors."

"There's still room for improvement. We need end-to-end systems. Only the HR team uses HCM, but employees don't have access to their data. With Employee Central, employees can see their ratings, increment cycles, and other details, making things more transparent."

"The current platform is quite rigid and not as flexible and end-user friendly as other HR solutions."

"The product's license is very expensive."

More SAP HCM cons

"The navigation on the screen could be better. Sometimes, I have to dig a little bit deep to find what I need. Everything is there. It just needs to be a little bit smoother."

"Reporting is always a hurdle for any user just because it is so extensive. They provide a lot of out-of-the-box reports, but it is something that you always need to work on because you need more advanced writing of reports."

"Since UKG is a SaaS software, other parts of the application or add-on solutions are not the best in class or very configurable."

"The solution could improve by simplifying it even more core reports, such as more sample reports, more generic reports that you can edit and improve on yourself."

"The solution could use better reporting with standard reports. We use the Cognos platform in BI for a lot of our reporting. However, they need to have more robust standard reporting available to their user base."

"UKG could be a little more flexible in some areas."

"The system is slow sometimes."

"The platform's features need enhancement while being used as a recruiting tool."

More UKG cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"For implementation, SAP offers little support unless you buy SAP Safeguarding from SAP Consulting."

"Be careful and guard against future changes in licensing."

"The cost depends on the size of the organization. Compared to others, I'd say Oracle is number one, followed by Workday and SAP HCM."

"The pricing is really high."

"The pricing is not reasonable at all."

"We have an annual license for this solution, and the price depends on the number of users."

"The cost of SAP HCM is high, the license should be reduced. SAP HCM has a lot of hidden costs."

"You pay per license. There not any costs in addition to the standard licensing fees."

More SAP HCM pricing and cost advice

"While I am unsure of the licensing cost itself, the total cost of implementation and licensing for a company with over 5000 employees would be around 6,00,000. So, there are additional costs beyond licensing."

"The platform is not affordable but also not the most expensive."

"If you're going for the full suite, it can be fairly pricey."

"The pricing depends on the number of licenses we buy."

"I wasn't involved in the pricing part. I'm a user, and I believe it is based on the user count. One thing that is nice about Ultimate is that you can learn how to use the system without additional fees. The learning aspect is the life of a product, and the training was a huge reason why we went with Ultimate. We did have some integration costs. They were a part of the implementation because of the integrations to other systems that we included in our implementation."

"UKG's pricing and licensing model involves ongoing expenses based on the number of employees paid. The initial implementation cost is low when UKG implements it directly. However, when partners handle the implementation, it becomes more expensive since partners don't receive the monthly recurring fees."

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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Cloud HCM solutions are best for your needs.

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842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Retailer

Educational Organization

88%

Computer Software Company

Healthcare Company

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about SAP HCM?

SAP HCM is the one of the best ERP for an organization with a small to large scale business. It has the most efficient payroll functionality. Regards : SAP HR classes in pune

What do you like most about SAP HCM?

HCM is a very important module that each organization should want to use. It will help any organization to calculate and control the cost of their human resources.

What is better, SAP HCM or SAP SuccessFactors?

When it comes to user experience, SuccessFactors is unquestionably superior, as it provides end users with a new experience and an advanced user interface. Additionally, the entire concept of SF is...

What do you like most about UKG?

I like UKG's integration.

What needs improvement with UKG?

Our company is testing the UKG Ready Mobile App, but there are some glitches. I feel that in the system when you log on to Kronos, UKG Dimensions, and UKG Workforce Central, we have different modul...

What is your primary use case for UKG?

I worked with UKG globally, assisting with its implementation in 59 countries. In my company, we use it for the timekeeping aspect offered, payroll purposes, and other stuff like that. It is used f...

SAP SuccessFactors vs SAP HCM

Comparisons

Compared 33% of the time

Workday vs SAP HCM

Compared 27% of the time

Oracle HCM Cloud vs SAP HCM

Compared 13% of the time

ADP GlobalView Payroll vs SAP HCM

Compared 9% of the time

P&I LogaHR vs SAP HCM

Compared 5% of the time

More SAP HCM Competitors

Workday vs UKG

Compared 28% of the time

SAP SuccessFactors vs UKG

Compared 18% of the time

PeopleSoft vs UKG

Compared 8% of the time

Dayforce HCM vs UKG

Compared 6% of the time

ADP GlobalView Payroll vs UKG

Compared 5% of the time

More UKG Competitors

Product Reports

Download SAP HCM product report

SAP HCM

March 2025

Download UKG product report

March 2025

Also Known As

SAP Human Capital Management

UKG Pro, UKG Dimensons, UKG Ready

Overview

SAP HCM is a benefits administration solution that has a comprehensive set of tools and features for managing and optimizing all aspects of human resources. SAP HCM covers various HR functions including payroll, time and attendance management, talent management, succession planning, and employee performance evaluation.

The goal of SAP HCM is to help organizations streamline HR processes, improve workforce productivity and efficiency, and support strategic HR decision-making. With SAP HCM, HR departments can manage employee data, track and analyze key HR metrics, and automate various HR processes to save time and resources. It is widely used by large organizations across various industries.

SAP HCM Features

SAP HCM has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

Personnel administration: With SAP HCM, users can manage employee master data, such as personal details, employment contracts, and job information.

Payroll: The solution provides automation of payroll processes, including tax calculation, payment generation, and reporting.

Time and attendance management: Automated tracking and management of employee time and attendance help users streamline HR processes.

Talent management: SAP HCM includes tools for recruiting, onboarding, training, and development of employees.

Succession planning: With this feature, users can plan and manage employee career development and succession within the organization.

Performance and goal management: SAP HCM is designed with performance evaluation, goal setting, and development planning for employees.

Compliance management: SAP HCM offers management of legal and regulatory requirements related to HR processes.

Reporting and analytics: Generation of reports and analysis of key HR metrics help support decision-making.

Integrations: The solution has integration with other SAP modules, such as SAP Finance and SAP Supply Chain, that provide a comprehensive solution for HR management.

SAP HCM Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing SAP HCM. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

Improved HR processes: The solution’s automation of HR processes, helps reduce manual effort and increases efficiency.

Better data management: SAP HCM provides centralized management of employee data, improving data accuracy and reducing the risk of errors.

Increased productivity: Because the solution streamlines HR processes, it frees up HR staff to focus on other strategic tasks.

Improved compliance: SAP HCM helps businesses reduce the risk of non-compliance by making legal and regulatory requirements related to HR processes easy and manageable.

Better decision-making: Access to real-time HR data and analytics enables data-driven decision-making.

Increased transparency: SAP HCM improves visibility into HR processes, enabling HR departments to monitor performance and identify areas for improvement.

Better employee engagement: The solution’s provision of self-service options for employees improves employee satisfaction and engagement.

Cost control: SAP HCM’s automation of HR processes reduces costs associated with manual HR processes.

Talent management: The solution’s tools for attracting, retaining, and developing employees increase overall workforce productivity and effectiveness.

Reviews from Real Users

SAP HCM is a solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Some of its major advantages are that it has good payroll and personnel administration, it’s a powerful tool for maintaining company data, and has valuable SuccessFactors talent modules.

According to Dave D., Project Manager at Telecom Namibia, “[SAP HCM] allows us to do all of our HR management processes, including payroll and personnel administration.” He also adds, “Technical support is excellent."

“I think that it's a very powerful tool for maintaining your company data. When you maintain your data in SAP, you can generate any kind of HR report with one click,” says Sameer Y., Team Leader at Fauji Meat Limited.

Another PeerSpot reviewer, Arsala A., SAP HCM / SF Consultant at a computer software company, explains what she likes most about SAP HCM: "Payroll processing is my favorite HCM feature, and I like all the SuccessFactors talent modules also. SAP is making good progress on enhancements to the features in the SF modules."

SAP

At UKG, our purpose is people — real people with real challenges, and a simple request. Help me keep my employees productive, connected, and happy. So that’s what we did.

We’ve created an unmatched suite of HR and workforce management solutions, backed by our people who care about yours. Our solutions deliver global workforce experiences that truly reflect the connection between life and work today. That means insights are deeper. Work is easier. And interactions are more meaningful.

Sample Customers

City of Cape Town, ADAMA Agricultural Solutions Ltd., TransAlta Corporation, Keolis, PT XL Axiata Tbk, National Football League (NFL), Plan International, Yoh, A Day & Zimmermann Company, China Talent Group (CTG TMO), Umicore S.A., Butterfield Bank, Skrill Group Ltd.

Tesla, Marriott, Yamaha, Aramark, Feeding America, Samsung, Sony Music, Dave & Buster's, Revlon