HR software that saves hours on onboarding, contracts & compliance
Complete HR management for shift-based teams. RosterElf HR Hub brings all your essential HR tasks together — paperless onboarding, contracts, policies, employee records and Fair Work compliance.
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Paperless onboarding, contracts, and policies
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Automate leave, compliance, and record-keeping
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Workforce management made simple
Watch how HR software saves hours every week
See how RosterElf HR Hub simplifies onboarding, contracts, and compliance — giving you more time to focus on your team.
What is HR software (and what is an HRIS)?
HR software is a single system that holds employee records and automates the admin around them — onboarding, contracts, policies, leave and compliance. An HRIS (human resource information system) is the same thing described in enterprise vocabulary; in practice vendors use the terms interchangeably, and what matters is which jobs the product actually does.
RosterElf in one line
RosterElf: Best for award-covered teams whose staff work shifts. Combines rostering and award interpretation with leave, onboarding, contracts, policies and certifications in one system.
Rostering, time and attendance and leave management are on every plan, including Core. The HR Hub module adds onboarding, contracts, policies, certifications, records and offboarding for $3.00 per employee per month on annual billing ($4.00 monthly). Hiring and performance reviews are in early access.
The standard HRIS feature checklist, answered
The capabilities buying guides consistently list, and what RosterElf does about each — including the two it does not do.
| HRIS capability | RosterElf |
|---|---|
| Centralised employee database | Yes — digital HR records, documents and contact details |
| Onboarding workflows | Yes — digital forms, contracts and policy sign-off |
| Employee self-service | Yes — staff view rosters, request leave, swap shifts and update details from the app |
| Time & attendance | Yes — included, not a separate product |
| Leave management | Yes — requests, approvals and balances |
| Compliance & reporting | Yes — modern award interpretation, certification expiry tracking and Fair Work guidance |
| Rostering & scheduling | Yes — most HRIS platforms do not include this at all |
| Payroll | Integration, not native — award-correct hours flow to Xero, MYOB and others |
| Applicant tracking / recruitment | Early access |
| Performance reviews | Early access |
What an HRIS actually does
An HRIS — human resource information system — is the single place your people data lives. One employee record that every process reads from and writes back to. HRIS, HR software, HRMS and HCM are four labels for the same category, so compare what a platform does rather than what it calls itself.
One employee record
Details, contracts, policies, certifications and leave in one place, instead of a spreadsheet, a folder and a shared inbox.
Seven-year retention
The Fair Work Act requires employee records to be kept for seven years and produced on request by an inspector.
Four names, one category
HRIS, HR software, HRMS and HCM are used interchangeably. Compare what a platform does, not the label it uses.
The short version
- An HRIS is the single employee record — details, contracts, policies, certifications and leave in one place.
- The Fair Work Act requires those records to be kept for seven years and produced on request.
- HRIS, HR software, HRMS and HCM are four labels for the same category.
- The Australian difference is award interpretation — most global platforms store a rate you typed in rather than working it out.
- RosterElf covers the HR record and the roster, and hands the pay run to Xero or MYOB.
Comparing vendors rather than reading about the category? See our comparison of 8 HRIS platforms available in Australia.
HRIS, payroll and rostering are three different jobs
The most expensive mistake in this category is buying one and assuming it does the others. An HRIS holds the record. Payroll pays people and lodges STP and super. Rostering decides who works when, and — in Australia — what that shift costs under the award.
| Capability | HRIS | Payroll | Rostering |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stores employee records and documents | |||
| Onboarding, contracts and policy acknowledgements | |||
| Builds the roster and forecasts wage cost | |||
| Clock-in, timesheets and attendance | |||
| Interprets modern awards to a pay rate | |||
| Pays staff, lodges STP and super |
A global HRIS stores the rate. It does not work it out.
Australia has more than 120 modern awards, and four separate things move the rate for the same job. A Saturday evening shift for a level 3 hospitality employee is not the same rate as the Tuesday morning shift beside it. Platforms built for salaried office teams have no reason to model that, so the interpretation falls to a spreadsheet — which is where underpayments start.
Classification
A level 3 employee and a level 5 doing similar work sit on different base rates.
Hour and day
Evenings, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays each carry their own penalty.
Employment type
Casual loading, part-time minimum engagements and full-time hours all change the maths.
Age
Junior rates step up birthday by birthday until the adult rate applies.
Check this before you sign with anyone
Ask the vendor to show a live calculation for your award, on a weekend shift, with a junior rate and a casual loading. A platform that can only store a pay rate you typed in is a filing cabinet, not an interpretation engine. Our award rate guides set out what the calculation has to get right, award by award.
Why pay $19–$29 per employee for HR software you don't need?
Save up to 85% compared to enterprise HR platforms — pay only for what you actually use.
Enterprise HR Platforms
$19–$29/employee/month
Platforms like Employment Hero bundle payroll, HR advisory, engagement tools and enterprise features many small businesses don't use.
- Complex features you won't use
- Enterprise overhead costs
- Paying for bundled extras
RosterElf HR Hub
$4/employee/month
Purpose-built HR software for Australian SMEs and shift-based teams, focusing on essential workforce management without the enterprise overhead.
- Digital onboarding & employment contracts
- Policies & acknowledgements
- Licence & certification tracking
- Fair Work-aligned compliance tools
Employee onboarding HR software
Simple, paperless onboarding for every new hire
New hires complete everything online before their first shift — personal details, tax declarations, superannuation, and emergency contacts. Managers track progress in real time and get notified when onboarding is complete.
Hiring starts with a clear role definition — browse our free job description templates for hospitality, retail, healthcare and more before you onboard.
Digital employment contracts
Create, send and sign compliant employment contracts in minutes
Create contracts from Fair Work-compliant templates or upload your own. Send for e-signature and store signed copies securely — all in one place.
Policy management HR software
Store, distribute and track staff policies in one place
Distribute workplace policies digitally and collect timestamped acknowledgements. Track who's read what and send reminders for outstanding items.
Need a starting point? Download free HR policy templates — code of conduct, leave, WHS and more — then distribute and track them here.
Licence & certification management
Track, assign and renew staff licences and qualifications
Track RSA, first aid, working with children checks, and all staff credentials. Get automatic expiry alerts and ensure every team member has valid qualifications.
Leave management software
Manage employee leave requests and approvals in one place
Employees request leave from their phone, managers approve with one tap. Approved leave automatically blocks roster shifts and syncs with Xero or MYOB payroll.
Fair work compliance bot
Automatically check rostering against fair work rules
Ask employment law questions in plain English and get instant answers with links to official Fair Work resources. Built-in compliance guidance when you need it.
Everything you need for HR management
Paperless onboarding
Digitise your hiring process with paperless onboarding. New employees can complete forms, submit documents, and get up to speed before their first shift.
Learn more →Digital employment contracts
Create, send, and store employment contracts digitally. Employees can sign electronically, and all documents are securely stored in one place.
Learn more →Policies & procedures
Store and distribute company policies digitally. Track acknowledgements and ensure all staff have read and accepted important documents.
Learn more →Certificates & permits
Track employee certifications, licences, and permits. Get automatic reminders before expiry dates to support your compliance efforts with industry regulations.
Learn more →Leave management
Simplify leave requests and approvals. Employees can request time off through the app, and managers can approve with one tap while seeing roster impact.
Learn more →Workwise AI
Get instant answers on Fair Work regulations and employment law. Our AI assistant helps you navigate complex HR questions with confidence.
Learn more →Culture surveys
Run anonymous staff surveys and measure results by dimension. Track workplace culture trends over time without needing a separate engagement platform.
Learn more →Hiring & recruitment
Post roles, track applicants, and move candidates from application to offer — then straight into onboarding without re-keying their details.
Learn more →Training & induction
Assign induction and training to new and existing staff, and track completion. Keep mandatory training records current and ready for an audit.
Learn more →Performance management
Run structured reviews, 1:1 check-ins, and improvement plans. Keep goals, feedback, and performance history for the whole team in one place.
Learn more →Offboarding
Handle exits cleanly with final checklists, document retention, and exit feedback — so nothing is missed when someone leaves and records support your compliance efforts.
Learn more →Digital HR records
Keep every employee's records, documents, and history in one secure place — searchable, permission-controlled, and always ready for an audit.
Learn more →HR software designed for australian compliance
Fair work ready
Built with Australian workplace laws in mind. Support your compliance efforts with Fair Work regulations without the complexity.
Paperless document storage
All employee documents are encrypted and securely stored in the cloud. Paperless HR software means you can access them anytime, from anywhere.
Integrated with rostering
HR data flows seamlessly into rostering and payroll. No duplicate data entry or disconnected systems.
Mobile-first experience
Employees can complete onboarding, submit documents, and request leave from their phone.
Popular industries we serve
RosterElf is trusted by shift-based businesses across Australia
Not ready for full HR software?
Try our free AI contract generator and compliance tools to get started.
AI employment contract generator
Generate draft employment contracts for casual, part-time, or full-time employees using AI.
AI roster generator
Generate draft staff rosters using AI based on your team size and shift requirements.
Modern award pay rate estimates
Get indicative pay rate estimates for common Australian awards. Verify with Fair Work.
Learn how to get the most from this feature
Step-by-step guides to help you master these workflows
Start your free 15 day RosterElf trial today
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HR compliance guides for Australian businesses
Learn more about HR compliance, onboarding, and digital document management.
HR compliance basics for small Australian businesses
A practical guide to HR compliance for small Australian employers. Covers Fair Work essentials, record-keeping, and common compliance gaps.
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Digital HR policies and contracts explained
Move HR policies and employment contracts online for better compliance. Digital document management for Australian employers.
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HR process improvements to prioritise in the new year
Identify HR process improvements to prioritise next year. Audit workflows, automate onboarding, and centralise document management.
Read articleHR software FAQ
- Enable HR Hub in your account settings, then configure which features employees can access—onboarding, contracts, policies, or the full suite. Set permissions by role or individual to control who sees what. Our setup guide walks through initial configuration and access management. Manage and enable HR Hub access →
- Access complete employee profiles including personal details, employment contracts, policy acknowledgements, certifications, and documents. Search, filter, and export staff data as needed. All information syncs with rostering and payroll for a single source of truth. View staff information in HR Hub →
- Upload contract templates, customize clauses, and merge employee data automatically. Send contracts for electronic signature, track signing status, and store signed documents securely. All contracts link to employee profiles for easy access during audits. Manage employment contracts →
- Upload policy documents or create them in the editor, then assign to relevant employees or roles. Staff receive notifications to read and acknowledge. Track completion rates and send reminders for outstanding acknowledgements. Update policies and require re-acknowledgement anytime. Create and manage policies →
- Monitor each new hire's onboarding status in real-time. See completed steps, pending tasks, and overdue items at a glance. Send automated reminders for outstanding onboarding requirements. Managers receive notifications when onboarding is complete and employees are ready to start. Track staff onboarding progress →