Namely Review – Features/Pros & Cons/Pricing & more

Namely is one of the most popular HR management software programs in 2023 which streamlines all of your key HR functions. In the following review, I delve into the core functionality of the software and look deeper into what it has to offer. 

Let’s start!

Design and Ease of Use – 4.2/5 

Namely outshines many of the names in the industry when it comes to its aesthetic visuals and ease of use.

On top of it, the easy-to-navigate interface further adds plus points. When it comes to onboarding, the procedure is quick and crisp. You don’t have to undergo tedious procedures to get started with the software. Once onboard, all the users (employees) use the same unified homepage where Namely puts together all core functions. 

For most of the parts, Namely has been able to put together a pretty decent overall design which doesn’t make you cringe every time you try something new. For an average person, who’s not a die-hard tech fan, the software can be easily pulled off. However, if you’re a beginner and don’t have a history of using similar software, you might want to take some time to fully grasp the functionality. 

The overall look of Namely can be best described as clean, intuitive, and super flexible. 

Features – 4.5/5 

It wouldn’t be an overstatement if I say that Namely has an overabundance of HR features. Most of these are built-in, while for some others you have to plug in certain integrations and then make them work. Safe to say, it’s safe haven for anyone looking for a comprehensive HR solution. 

One thing worth mentioning here is that foundation of Namely is based on ‘People Management’, rather than only payroll management. Although payroll management is one of the top strengths of the tool, it perfectly amalgamates all the key HR functions. And that too, without compromising the modernity of the interface. 

The list of features will further prove my point:

Central Dashboard 

The dashboard of Namely acts as a central repository for all the important team updates. It’s a unified platform through which a company can push mass announcements, manage teams, and do much more without digging deeply into each function. 

You can also use the dashboard to update a video or a quick task for employees to catch up on. Another interesting catch of the dashboard is the ability to provide visual analytics which reflects the key performance insights of the business. 

Talent Onboarding and Management 

One of the core functionalities of Namely revolves around employee onboarding and employee management. There is a crisscross of multiple key functions which provide excellent support in smooth employee onboarding. It’s done through secure forms and e-signatures, to name a few. From there onwards, it’s just a series of processes overlapping one another, but ensuring smooth execution. You can easily add extensive information tabs including personal information, payment information, benefits details, and lots more. 

Payroll Management 

Managing your employees’ payroll through Namely is as easy as shooting fish in a barrel. All the details, including the teeny tiny bits, are managed with a click of a button. Hours worked, benefits management, setting of pay scales, and detailed reporting linked with payrolls – all can be managed through Namely in a jiffy. You just need to put things into place initially and leave the rest to the software. 

What caught my attention in this particular functionality is the provision of built-in sophisticated reports which help in evaluating key employee metrics. The tool fetches relevant data and designs beautiful reports in the form of PDFs, making it convenient for everyone to extract insights and make smarter decisions. 

Time and Attendance Management 

An HR software without any time and attendance measures in place can put the entire system in a mess. Or extremely complicated at the least. Namely’s robust solution provides scheduling capabilities to employees through which they can easily clock in their schedules and can also manage overtime. Additionally, the geo-fencing feature allows online time tracking for employees. 

When it comes to admin rights, the entire workforce’s schedule can be overseen and managed through the dashboard. This also includes the hours worked and other similar insights. 

Other Key Features 

Some additional features you can enjoy include:

• Social networking feed for companywide updates
• Namely exchange for managing employee benefits
• Job posting and syndication, along with applicant tracking 
• Organizational chart and custom profiles management 
• Job workflow management to keep each process synced 
• Gmail and Outlook Calendar sync, plus mobile apps 

Pricing 

Namely doesn’t disclose its pricing information openly, but according to one internet source it costs around $15-$30 per month/employee for its basic services. This means, in order to power up the functionality, you have to pay even more than that. That sounds a little too pricey for small businesses! Your best guess is to directly contact Namely and request a quote. 

Security – 4/5 

All in all, Namely has quite satisfactory security and privacy measures in place. Credit where it’s due – Namely doesn’t hide what kind of information they collect and for what purposes. The company also claims that all of its data collection policies are GDPR compliant.

Furthermore, Namely also has all of its security procedures certified with the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework and the Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework. All of this is elaborately explained here. 

When it comes to the software itself, you can enjoy custom roles and permissions to make sure only the relevant members’ access information. The new hire forms are also safely secured in the system with quick access through a single click. 

Some of the other key privacy and security features are: 

• Single Sign-On for logging into the system 
• e-signatures for new hires to ensure transparency 
• Custom permissions according to the company hierarchy
• Transmission of encrypted information through Transport Layer Security (TLS) 

Customer Reviews – 4/5 

If you go around and search for customers’ experience with Namely, you’ll find a mix and match of both good as well as bad reviews. Let’s roundup the pulse of Namely in these customer reviews from multiple internet sources:

As an HRIS Namely is as good as it gets. Works out of the box but it does adapt to your workflows.

Santiago C.

Our experience with Namely has definitely been tumultuous. We had a very rocky start and it continued to be rocky as the turnover rate was extremely high on their CS team. We had about 6 CSMs within one year. Constant issues with the platform and no resolution in sight. Things are better now and Namely seems to be making great strides towards progress, but still has work to do.

Tess R.

Simple and effective. Has everything you need in a really easy to use format.

Ron Toth

Namely is simple and easy to use, it requires a few improvements that seem to be coming soon. It still has some glitches that need an urgent fix, but with the few conversations I’ve had with the Customer Support team, I can tell that Namely will greatly improve in future versions.

Leon Calvo

We moved from ADP to Namely and it is a much more engaging HRIS system and allows you to be linked to members of the organization. Payroll isn’t fun as it is, but Namely allows it to be 🙂

Jack Meyer

Final Verdict 

All things considered, Namely is a rock-solid HR management software that is designed keeping in mind medium-sized businesses. Having the leverage to customize according to your HR requirements, and lots of room to play around with loads of features make Namely my top pick in the category. 

However, once the processes unfold, you’ll find yourself lost in a load of features. Some of which you don’t even need – or know how to operate. This is precisely why I think it is not an ideal solution for small businesses. If your team needs are centered towards a sophisticated HR system – place all your bets on it.