Employee database management software helps you store, organize, and manage your employees’ private data and documents. In this article, I compare the top 6 employee database software of 2024.
Employee database software is vital for running an organized and legally compliant business. Without the right tool, you might struggle to maintain up-to-date employee information, have difficulty tracking employees’ time off, and be unable to create accurate reports.
Fortunately, powerful employee database management software can help. With this software, you can be confident you’re storing relevant and accurate information. Some employee database software, like Connecteam, will automatically sort your employees’ information. You can search for employees by job title, department, last name, and more.
With so many employee database software on the market, it can be challenging to pick the right one. In this article, I’m going over my top 6 picks of employee database management systems of 2024.
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
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Best all-in-one employee database software
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Performance management tools
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Role-based access control
Why trust us?
Our team of unbiased software reviewers follows strict editorial guidelines, and our methodology is clear and open to everyone.
See our complete methodology
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Tools considered
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Best tools
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How I Chose the Best Employee Database Software
Here’s the features I looked for when evaluating employee database software:
Must-have core features
- HR document management. You should be able to upload and save all employee documents digitally right in the software for easy access.
- Accessibility. Managers and employees need easy access to their data. Mobile-friendly software solutions let your employees update and check their data from anywhere, at any time.
- Employee knowledge base. It’s important to be able to store important documents for employee reference, like company policies, training materials, and employee handbooks.
- Employee directory. The software should include a detailed employee directory to store employee contact information, emergency contacts, job sites, and more important information.
I looked for usability features, like:
- Security. Employee database software holds employee data and personal information, so it’s essential to look for software with a security focus. Some software solutions have facial recognition to prevent unauthorized access to important information. Other platforms may also have password protection or fingerprint scanning.
- Ease of use. The software should be easy to use for both managers and employees.
- Customer support. It’s important for the software to have good customer support in case you run into any technical issues.
Other important product features I looked for include:
- Communication tools. This makes it simple for your team to stay in touch and share documents with ease.
- E-signatures. Ideally, the software should come with the ability to sign forms right within the app.
The 6 Best Employee Database Softwares of 2024
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Connecteam — Best all-in-one employee database software
Why I chose Connecteam: Connecteam makes it easy to ditch the filing cabinet and turn your employee database paperless, thanks to its simple-to-use mobile app, digital employee records, expiration date notifications, and more.
Here are some of Connecteam’s advanced features that can help you easily and efficiently manage your employees’ data.
Paper-free records you can access at any time
Connecteam’s 100% paper-free filing solution is the easiest way to manage and organize team documents. You can store employee files, forms, certificates, and more. Connecteam backs up these documents to its highly secure cloud in real time.
A cloud-based system means your employees can access and check their documents as soon as they’re uploaded. Employees can also upload documents from anywhere using Connecteam’s mobile app. Say, for example, your employees are on a training course. At the end of the course, they can instantly upload to their file a photo of their training certificate.
Your team members can also easily access their data and edit their employee profiles through the self-service profile manager. Employees can change their address, handle all things related to time off management, and check certification expiration dates.
Set expiration dates on documents, and keep your employees updated
Connecteam’s countdown tool allows you to set expiration dates on employee documents like licenses and certifications, helping you and your team stay compliant.
Connecteam gives you a clear overview of document expiration dates, and the built-in online team chat lets you easily communicate this with employees. You can quickly message an employee that they need to update their documents, or let them know when their documents will expire.
Easily accessible, organized onboarding documents
Offer your employees a completely digital onboarding process with Connecteam. The platform instantly organizes all your new hires’ forms and paperwork in the right places. Using Connecteam’s mobile app, employees can easily upload new-starter documents like employee eligibility, W2s, and W4s from anywhere.
These documents are backed up to Connecteam’s secure cloud, so you can check them in real time. Use Connecteam’s built-in Chat feature to quickly and easily ask your employee for any missing information.
Human resource management tools
Connecteam offers a suite of HR management tools. These include built-in tools to help you track employee milestones and track achievements, onboarding, training, employee quizzes, recognitions and rewards, and more.
You can gift your employees rewards tokens, recognize your employee of the month, and oversee your employees’ career milestones—all from Connecteam’s app. These tools can help you get the best out of your team, boost employee engagement, reduce turnover, and save valuable time.
Create customized reports
Connecteam’s custom reporting features can be a game-changer for your business. From detailed reports on staff schedules to labor costs to time spent on tasks, you’ll have all the information you need to make business decisions right at your fingertips.
Plus, you can customize reports for payroll, billing, time and attendance, and more to ensure your specific needs are met. Employees can even use the app to submit important reports like safety forms and on-site inspections.
And so much more…
Connecteam is a complete employee management app that allows you to manage your entire business while on the go. Managers can create schedules and training materials, upload and store documents, manage all HR operations, and even communicate with your team with in-app chat and a social media-style news feed.
The paid plan starts at just $29 per month for up to 30 users, and small businesses with fewer than 10 users can access the app completely free.
Key Features
Cloud-based backup
Dedicated customer support
Customized reporting tools
100% paper-free filing
Pros
Completely free for up to 10 users for life
Fully digital employee lifecycle
Real-time employee updates
All-in-one solution for HR tools, reporting, and more
Cons
Does not currently include accounting software
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Start your free trial -
Zoho People — Good for performance management tools
Zoho People is an employee management software system that also has built-in HR management tools.
Why I chose Zoho People: The platform provides a scalable employee database system designed to grow with your business. It also offers built-in PTO tracking, simple shift scheduling, and employee performance management tools.
Zoho People’s performance management tools include performance evaluation trackers, a feedback tracker, and a case management tracker. All information uploaded to these performance management tools will be stored on Zoho People’s secure database for future reference.
The software also offers a self-service employee portal and file-sharing capabilities. Your employees can upload important documents from anywhere, and can update their confidential information, such as address and contact details, at any time.
Unfortunately, Zoho does not offer video conferencing tools or an in-app chat feature.
Key Features
- Simple shift scheduling
- Built-in PTO-tracking
- Easy-to-use mobile app
- Case management tracker
Pros
- Highly customizable
- Employee self-service portal
Cons
- No in-app chat feature
- No free-to-use plan
Pricing
Starts at $1.25/user/month Trial: Yes — 30-day Free Plan: Yes
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Freshteam by Freshworks — Good for role-based access control
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Freshteam is a cloud-based employee database and HR management software solution designed to streamline recruitment, performance, and employee data management processes.
Why I chose Freshteam: Freshteam stores data like personal details, onboarding documents, job history, performance reviews, and more. The platform also offers role-based access control, which prevents managers from manually updating an individual’s access. HR managers and other relevant managers can access data to keep it secure.
Additionally, Freshteam also offers document management tools, PTO tracking, and custom reporting tools. These tools can track salary breakdowns, hours worked across projects, employee certifications, and more.
Freshteam unfortunately doesn’t offer many employee communications tools. It lacks employee directories, built-in chat features, and video conferencing software.
Key Features
- Role-based access control
- Custom reporting tools
- PTO tracking software
- Easy-to-use mobile app
Pros
- Integrates with over 30 other employee management systems
- Applicant tracking system to streamline recruitment
Cons
- No employee directory
- No shift scheduling software
Pricing
Starts at $1.20/user/month + platfrom fees Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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BambooHR — Good for insightful reporting tools
BambooHR is a human resources management system with a built-in employee database.
Why I chose BambooHR: The platform offers tools to help employees manage their personal information and managers to easily access employee records. These tools include an employee self-service portal, an easy-to-use mobile app, and search functions to help you find the information you need.
BambooHR also offers custom reporting tools. Based on the information in your employee database, you can pull reports based on employee turnover, length of service, reason for termination, and more.
BambooHR has time and attendance tracking features, too. Monitor employee work time, manage employees from anywhere with digital time management tools, and easily export timesheets for streamlined payroll processing.
While BambooHR is a good solution for managing employee data, it doesn’t have a free-to-use option, a built-in chat feature, or shift scheduling tools.
Key Features
- Employee self-service portal
- Easy-to-use mobile app
- Database search functions
- Attendance tracking features
Pros
- Insightful data reporting tools
- Dedicated support hotline
Cons
- No free-to-use option
- No built-in chat feature
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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Bitrix24 — Good for additional security measures
Bitrix24 is an employee database software with a focus on data security.
Why I chose Bitrix24: It offers facial recognition features, two-factor authentication, and a self-hosted server, so you know where your data is stored. Plus, your employees can be confident that their personal information is secure.
Bitrix24 offers one-click time tracking, document management, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and HR process management tools. It also has an in-app chat feature and video conferencing software.
Unfortunately, Bitrix24 has limited customization options and lacks shift scheduling tools.
Key Features
- Facial recognition
- HR process management
- One-click time tracking
- Self-hosted server
Pros
- Employee self-service portal
- Free-to-use plan available
Cons
- Limited customization options
- No shift scheduling tools
Pricing
Starts at $49/month, for up to 5 users Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
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Collage HR — Good for tracking employee job progression
Available on
- Web
Collage HR is an employee database software solution with an emphasis on tracking employee job progression.
Why I chose Collage HR: Employees can easily view their job titles and salary progression through the employee portal, and managers can pull reports on this information. The self-service portal also allows employees to easily update their banking information, benefits enrollment, dependents information, and more.
Additionally, Collage offers document storage and e-signature storage so your employees can quickly sign documents. This is great for highly regulated environments and industries that regularly apply for grants, such as construction.
Collage doesn’t have any in-app communications tools like a chat feature, messaging, or video calls. It also lacks shift scheduling features and tools to manage workers’ availability.
Key Features
- Self-service portal
- Easy-to-use mobile app
- Job and salary progression tracker
- E-signature storage
Pros
- Scaled pricing model
- Free trial available
Cons
- No availability management tracker
- No free-to-use plan
Pricing
Starts at $7/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
Compare the Best Employee Database Softwares
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Start for free
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| Reviews |
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| Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
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Starts at $1.25/user/month
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Starts at $1.20/user/month + platfrom fees
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Contact vendor for price
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Starts at $49/month, for up to 5 users
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Starts at $7/user/month
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| Free Trial |
yes
14-day
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yes
30-day
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yes
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yes
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no
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yes
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| Free Plan |
yes
Free Up to 10 users
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yes
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yes
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no
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yes
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no
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| Use cases |
Best all-in-one employee database software
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Good for performance management tools
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Good for role-based access control
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Good for insightful reporting tools
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Good for additional security measures
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Good for tracking employee job progression
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| Available on |
Web, iOS, Android
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Web
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What Is Employee Database Software?
Employee database software provides a central hub for all employee information. It safely stores, manages, and organizes all employees’ personal information.
Employee data usually includes information like their contact details, home address, and professional information such as job title and salary. An employee database management system aims to streamline HR processes and make accessing and collecting employee data easier. Not sure which solution to choose? Check out our comparison of the top employee management tools.
Employee database software platforms will also usually track PTO allowance, and may include customer reporting tools and time-tracking features. It’s important to consider the features of each software solution to decide what your business needs. Wondering about budget-friendly options? Check out our guide to the best free HR software solutions.
How Does Employee Database Software Work?
Employee database software stores employee information collected during onboarding to a cloud-based or on-site server. Think of it as a 100% digital filing cabinet.
Employees, team leaders, and managers in HR departments can access and modify employee data easily through a web-based interface or mobile app. Once you save data to the database, the software then automatically organizes it. This makes it super easy to find important information.
Employee database software usually works with other software, like payroll or HR management tools, to simplify day-to-day business operations.
The Benefits of Employee Database Software
There are many benefits to using an employee database software solution. You can:
- Eliminate paperwork. By turning your database digital, employee database software systems can essentially eliminate all manual employee data paperwork you do.
- Customized reports. Customized reports help you make data-driven decisions for your business. You can pull reports based on turnover rate, hours worked, salary information, and more. This information gives you full oversight of your business.
- Access and update documents with ease. View and edit documents from anywhere with a mobile-friendly employee database. Cloud-based employee databases will also upload documents and files in real time, making it easy to keep up with your non-desk workers.
- Stay on top of document expiration dates. Employee database software is key if you work in a highly regulated industry like construction or manufacturing. Good software solutions, like Connecteam, allow you to set expiration dates on different licenses and certifications. This will give you a heads-up on when employee certifications are about to expire, so you remain legally compliant.
- Pick the right workers for every task. Employee database software platforms can also let you search for employees who hold specific certifications. This will allow you to quickly and easily find qualified employees who can complete a job or task.
- Ensure your team members are performing well. With employee database software, you can monitor employee performance reviews to ensure your employees are developing in their roles and achieving performance objectives.
How Much Does Employee Database Software Cost?
The cost of employee database software solutions can vary. It’s important to consider the features your business needs, and balance that with the cost of the software.
Some employee database software platforms, like Zoho People, cost just over $1 per user per month. Others are much more expensive. For example, Freshteam charges a $67 per month base fee, plus $1.25 per employee per month. Most software solutions offer free trials, and some are completely free.
Connecteam is the perfect employee database software solution for businesses of all sizes. It’s free for companies with 10 or fewer employees, and starts at $29 per month for up to 30 users. Additional users start at just $0.50 per user per month.
>> Get started with Connecteam for free today! <<
FAQs
What is employee database software?
Employee database software helps you manage your employees’ personal data. Employee data is entered during onboarding, and employees can maintain it through a self-service portal. It’s crucial to running your business, so picking the right tool is important.
Is there a good HR database?
Connecteam is the best all-in-one work management system, and includes employee database software and HR management features. It also has PTO and attendance tracking tools, one-click clock-in and clock-out, shift scheduling tools, and much more.
How do I create an employee database in Excel?
Creating an employee database in Excel requires a lot of time and effort to create and maintain. It’s better to choose a specialist employee database software system, such as Connecteam.
The Bottom Line on Employee Database Software
Employee database software is an important tool that can benefit businesses of any size. It can streamline HR processes, provide real-time data insights, improve efficiency, and reduce unnecessary and untidy physical files that require maintenance.
There are many employee database software systems out there, but Connecteam is the best all-in-one solution. Our platform offers customized reporting tools, human resources management features, enhanced security to keep employee data safe and secure, and so much more.
