Carval FAQs

Carval's employee self-service module is tested on the latest editions of most commonly used browsers but is not browser-specific. (more)

The software is inherently flexible and offers users the ability to customise it in line with their organisation's policies and processes on an ongoing basis. This includes the use of customer-defined pick-lists throughout, flexible parameter setting, the ability to write reports and workflows and to create custom user screens. Carval can also offer bespoke development services where required. (more)

Integration
Carval is currently the only supplier in the UK offering the level of integration and breadth of functionality across HR, Payroll and Time Management that Carval HR Unity provides. Across all our modules everything is on a single SQL database written by a single supplier. This means:
• Users only enter data once.
• Information added is immediately available throughout the whole system (subject to security permissions).
• Processes can be automated across functions.
• Across-function reporting is readily achieved.
Other integration and interface options include:
• Microsoft® Office
• Any MAPI-compliant email system
• Transfer to Finance systems via Excel, CSV, COM, ADO or ODBC Connectors
• Sage Line 50 Payroll
• Capita SIMS
• iSAMS
• Third party HR, Payroll and Time and Attendance software

Multi-company post-based structure
Every organisation has a structure or "establishment" of sorts and the larger the organisation the more complex that becomes. There may be many different companies, at different locations, with different departments and within them, or even across them, different teams of people in different posts doing different jobs.
The beauty of Carval’s HR Software is its flexibility. Our establishment or “post-based” system can accommodate unlimited companies, employees, locations, departments and cost centres. It can be customised so it’s in line with your employment policies on every issue, and you can create custom screens and fields according to your needs.
Every employee's job description, the skills that they require, their contractual terms, the remuneration and benefits that they receive and who they report to is defined ultimately by the post that they are in. If they change post or job then these things will likely change also. And here lies the benefit of an establishment-based HR system like Carval HR Unity over a person-based HRIS: all these key details are held against the post so you don't have to re-enter them for every employee that holds that post, or change employees' details every time they change job. This doesn't mean that you lose the flexibility to deal with exceptions - simply that processes run a lot more smoothly with a lot less input from you.
The benefits to you:
• Easier administration
No continual recreation of standard terms for starters/leavers i.e. entering job name, cost centre, department, manager, benefits, training etc. It is also easy to clone a post if you need to increase headcount.
• Simplified recruitment
When there is a leaver the details of the post or job form the basis of the vacancy. Not only does this mean that HR don't have to manually create vacancies every time a post is empty, but that it is easier to match candidates to the required attributes for the role.
Within Carval's Unistaff HR software vacancies can be automatically transferred to the integrated recruitment and e-Recruitment software modules.
• Automatic workflows
With posts linked together you don’t need to rebuild workflows constantly to take account of new starters/ leavers i.e. workflows are sent to posts rather than individuals.
• Improved security
When employees move from one position to another the data they can view may change given their different role within the organisation i.e. someone moving from an IT manager to Sales Manager role will no longer be able to see the IT department employees. This is achieved with no rebuilding of authorisation profiles.
• Organisational charts
Org charts become much easier to produce and to keep up to date with a post-based HRIS. This is because you are able to take them directly from the HR system rather than update them manually in PowerPoint etc.
• Employees holding multiple posts
If you work for an organisation that has employees holding multiple posts then you should definitely give increased consideration to how any human resources software that you are evaluating will cope with this. With a post-based solution you gain the ability to hold multiple contracts for employees based on their FTE, to assign different schemes to those posts for example Absence, Pensions, benefits etc and to report against them.
• Reporting and analytics
Post-based HR systems give you the tools to keep an eye on important HR metrics - particularly those around equal opportunities such as disparities in pay.
2.3.3. Flexible and future-proof
Whatever the future holds for your organisation in terms of growth, acquisitions and contractual changes, the software has the flexibility to cope with it.

Carval’s solutions are designed to be inherently flexible so that they can meet the needs of a variety of different types of organisation without having to make bespoke changes. However our end to end process control gives us the flexibility to deliver bespoke amendments and additions with relative ease when required.

What’s more, Carval’s commitment to Carval’s commitment to ongoing development and regular upgrades ensures you will continue to benefit from both legislative and functional updates. This means that you will always be using the latest commercially available version of our HR Software making the purchase a totally future-proof choice.

Cost-effective
Carval’s Unistaff HR module includes a variety of features as standard that you would often find you would need to pay extra for with competitive solutions, including:
• Recruitment
• Training & development
• Performance management
• Health and safety
• Workflow
• Reporting and analytics
• Expenses and benefits

HMRC enhanced recognition
Carval’s Uniwage Payroll module has HMRC Enhanced Recognition (formerly being both HMRC Payroll Standard and Pensioner Payroll Standard accredited). It is renowned for its flexibility and Carval supports more In-Year and End-of-Year forms than any other payroll system supplier bar HMRC itself. Carval has received special recognition from HMRC for the incredibly low error rates that our users experience.
(more)

What makes our software different?

1) Integration
Carval is currently the only supplier in the UK offering the level of integration and breadth of functionality across HR, Payroll and Time Management that Carval HR Unity provides. Across all our modules everything is on a single SQL database written by a single supplier. This means:
• Users only enter data once.
• Information added is immediately available throughout the whole system (subject to security permissions).
• Processes can be automated across functions.
• Across-function reporting is readily achieved.
Other integration and interface options include:
• Microsoft® Office
• Any MAPI-compliant email system
• Transfer to Finance systems via Excel, CSV, COM, ADO or ODBC Connectors
• Sage Line 50 Payroll
• Capita SIMS
• iSAMS
• Third party HR, Payroll and Time and Attendance software

2) Multi-company post-based structure
Every organisation has a structure or "establishment" of sorts and the larger the organisation the more complex that becomes. There may be many different companies, at different locations, with different departments and within them, or even across them, different teams of people in different posts doing different jobs.
The beauty of Carval’s HR Software is its flexibility. Our establishment or “post-based” system can accommodate unlimited companies, employees, locations, departments and cost centres. It can be customised so it’s in line with your employment policies on every issue, and you can create custom screens and fields according to your needs.
Every employee's job description, the skills that they require, their contractual terms, the remuneration and benefits that they receive and who they report to is defined ultimately by the post that they are in. If they change post or job then these things will likely change also. And here lies the benefit of an establishment-based HR system like Carval HR Unity over a person-based HRIS: all these key details are held against the post so you don't have to re-enter them for every employee that holds that post, or change employees' details every time they change job. This doesn't mean that you lose the flexibility to deal with exceptions - simply that processes run a lot more smoothly with a lot less input from you.
The benefits to you:
• Easier administration
No continual recreation of standard terms for starters/leavers i.e. entering job name, cost centre, department, manager, benefits, training etc. It is also easy to clone a post if you need to increase headcount.
• Simplified recruitment
When there is a leaver the details of the post or job form the basis of the vacancy. Not only does this mean that HR don't have to manually create vacancies every time a post is empty, but that it is easier to match candidates to the required attributes for the role.
Within Carval's Unistaff HR software vacancies can be automatically transferred to the integrated recruitment and e-Recruitment software modules.
• Automatic workflows
With posts linked together you don’t need to rebuild workflows constantly to take account of new starters/ leavers i.e. workflows are sent to posts rather than individuals.
• Improved security
When employees move from one position to another the data they can view may change given their different role with in the organisation i.e. someone moving from an IT manager to Sales Manager role will no longer be able to see the IT department employees. This is achieved with no rebuilding of authorisation profiles.
• Organisational charts
Org charts become much easier to produce and to keep up to date with a post-based HRIS. This is because you are able to take them directly from the HR system rather than update them manually in PowerPoint etc.
• Employees holding multiple posts
If you work for an organisation that has employees holding multiple posts then you should definitely give increased consideration to how any human resources software that you are evaluating will cope with this. With a post-based solution you gain the ability to hold multiple contracts for employees based on their FTE, to assign different schemes to those posts for example Absence, Pensions, benefits etc and to report against them.
• Reporting and analytics
Post-based HR systems give you the tools to keep an eye on important HR metrics - particularly those around equal opportunities such as disparities in pay.

3) Flexible and future-proof
Whatever the future holds for your organisation in terms of growth, acquisitions and contractual changes, the software has the flexibility to cope with it.

Carval’s solutions are designed to be inherently flexible so that they can meet the needs of a variety of different types of organisation without having to make bespoke changes. However our end to end process control gives us the flexibility to deliver bespoke amendments and additions with relative ease when required.

What’s more, Carval’s commitment to Carval’s commitment to ongoing development and regular upgrades ensures you will continue to benefit from both legislative and functional updates. This means that you will always be using the latest commercially available version of our HR Software making the purchase a totally future-proof choice.

4) Cost-effective
Carval’s Unistaff HR module includes a variety of features as standard that you would often find you would need to pay extra for with competitive solutions, including:
• Recruitment
• Training & development
• Performance management
• Health and safety
• Workflow
• Reporting and analytics
• Expenses and benefits

5) HMRC enhanced recognition
Carval’s Uniwage Payroll module has HMRC Enhanced Recognition (formerly being both HMRC Payroll Standard and Pensioner Payroll Standard accredited). It is renowned for its flexibility and Carval supports more In-Year and End-of-Year forms than any other payroll system supplier bar HMRC itself. Carval has received special recognition from HMRC for the incredibly low error rates that our users experience.
(more)

Support is handled in-house here in the UK. (more)

It is handled in-house in the UK. (more)

Carval is a Capita SIMS accredited technical partner. Key fields within our HR software link with corresponding fields in the SIMS database to enable data sharing without duplicated entry. (more)

As a Secondary school CapitaCS SIMS user I am interested in other schools who have bought into this HR Integration System before we go ahead with this solution. Many thanks in advance for any contributions (more)

Where companies have opted to purchase a licence for Carval's employee self-service module and mobile app to use with their Carval HR software then yes you will be able access employee self-service on an iPhone. (more)

Carval's employee self-service module is available via a web app and optionally via mobile apps. (more)

Yes there is both a web-based employee self-service module and an optional mobile app - available on both Android and IOS http://www.carval.co.uk/inner.php/self-service-13/ (more)

Chromebook users can access the browser-based Carval employee self-service module. The main Carval HR Unity solution is Windows-based. (more)

No, sorry but Carval is a UK-centric solution: it is not suitable for a global business. (more)