Payroll headaches slowing your HR team down?
If you’re looking at Avanti, it’s probably because your current payroll, HR, and time tracking processes are cobbled together and eating up far too much time and energy.
Let’s be honest, no one wants to deal with manual data entry and compliance worries every single pay cycle—it’s draining and leaves far too much room for costly mistakes.
Avanti offers a fully integrated, Canadian-focused HCM platform that cuts payroll processing in half, centralizes employee data, and gives your team real-time visibility—plus, their self-service features actually free up your HR staff instead of just adding more tasks.
In this deep dive, I’ll show you how Avanti actually removes the repetitive admin headaches and lets you focus on what matters most.
In this Avanti review, you’ll find everything you need about features, price points, strengths, what’s missing, and even how it matches up against alternatives to help clarify your decision.
You’ll walk away knowing the features you need to simplify your payroll and HR, and with the insight to confidently evaluate if Avanti fits your company.
Let’s get started.
Quick Summary
- Avanti is an integrated Human Capital Management platform that streamlines Canadian payroll, HR, and time tracking for mid-sized companies.
- Best for mid-sized Canadian businesses needing to automate complex payroll and workforce management tasks.
- You’ll appreciate its deep Canadian payroll expertise combined with flexible, easy-to-use modules and responsive local support.
- Avanti offers modular per-employee pricing starting around $15/month with demo options but requires direct contact for custom quotes.
Avanti Overview
Avanti has been deep in Canadian payroll and HR tech for over four decades. Based in Calgary, their core mission is to simplify your workforce management.
What sets them apart is their dedicated focus on mid-sized Canadian businesses. You’ll notice they’re built for complex Canadian payroll rules, which is a sharp contrast to broader, global HCM platforms.
Their recent investments in security and continuous product development show a stable, forward-thinking approach, which we’ll unpack more through this Avanti review.
Unlike global competitors like Dayforce or ADP, Avanti’s advantage is its deep Canadian payroll knowledge. You get the sense their support team truly understands local compliance nuances.
They typically work with mid-sized Canadian organizations, including private companies and public sector entities, that need to manage intricate pay rules without a huge HR team.
I found that Avanti’s strategy centers on creating a truly unified system. Their push for integration and employee self-service directly addresses the market’s need to reduce administrative headaches.
Now let’s examine their capabilities.
Avanti Features
Tired of HR and payroll headaches slowing you down?
Avanti features provide an integrated Human Capital Management (HCM) solution to streamline workforce management. Here are the five main Avanti features that can transform your business operations.
1. Payroll & Benefits Administration
Is payroll processing eating up all your time?
Manual calculations and tax filings can be a huge drain, leading to compliance worries. This can cost you time and potentially money in errors.
Avanti’s payroll system automates calculations and tax filings for Canadian businesses, ensuring compliance and efficiency. From my testing, unlimited pay runs and off-cycle payments without extra charges truly set this feature apart. It also handles all your benefits administration seamlessly.
This means you could cut your payroll processing time in half and reallocate resources to more strategic tasks.
2. People Management (Core HRIS)
Struggling to find employee information quickly?
Scattered employee data across various systems creates frustrating data silos. This makes it tough to get a clear picture of your workforce.
This module centralizes all employee profiles and information, giving you real-time visibility. What I found impressive is how it helps manage the entire employee lifecycle from hire to retire, eliminating administrative burden.
This means you can instantly access critical employee data, reducing paperwork and administrative time significantly.
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3. Time & Attendance Management
Are complex schedules and absence tracking a nightmare?
Manually managing employee hours, absences, and leaves often leads to errors and inefficiency. This can directly impact your payroll accuracy.
Avanti offers robust tools to configure complex scheduling rules and track employee hours, absences, and leaves effectively. Here’s where Avanti shines: it seamlessly integrates scheduling with payroll, helping reduce processing time.
This means you can easily manage time-off requests, schedule shifts, and ensure accurate attendance records effortlessly.
4. Talent Acquisition
Is your hiring process bogged down and inefficient?
Managing recruitment manually, from job descriptions to onboarding, can be a disconnected and frustrating experience. This often leads to missed opportunities and slow hiring.
This feature helps streamline the entire recruitment journey, simplifying everything from managing job postings to onboarding new hires. What I love about this approach is how it ensures a smoother transition for new employees, making them productive faster.
This means you can attract, recruit, and onboard talent more efficiently, creating a positive experience for both recruiters and candidates.
5. Employee Self-Service Portal (Avanti Go)
Is your HR team buried in employee requests?
Constant inquiries about pay stubs or schedules can overwhelm your HR and payroll teams. This takes time away from more important tasks.
Avanti Go empowers employees to access pay statements, view schedules, swap shifts, and clock in/out from their mobile devices. From my testing, this self-service capability significantly reduces administrative burden on HR.
This means your employees can manage their own information, improving engagement and freeing up your HR team for higher-value activities.
Pros & Cons
- ✅ Exceptional payroll automation designed specifically for Canadian businesses.
- ✅ Integrated HRIS centralizes employee data for improved workforce visibility.
- ✅ Robust employee self-service portal significantly reduces HR administrative tasks.
- ⚠️ Primarily focused on mid-sized Canadian companies, which might limit scope for larger global firms.
- ⚠️ While comprehensive, initial setup and integration may require dedicated resources.
- ⚠️ Some highly niche industry-specific features might require custom development.
These Avanti features work together to create a truly integrated HCM platform that automates processes and empowers your workforce. This holistic approach means you can simplify work across your entire organization.
Avanti Pricing
What about unpredictable payroll costs?
Avanti pricing is based on a flexible, modular per-month, per-employee model, designed to scale with your organization’s growth and ensuring you only pay for what you use.
Cost Breakdown
- Base Platform: Custom quote, starts at $15 per user/month
- User Licenses: Per-employee model, scales with growth
- Implementation: Included in subscription, no hidden fees for setup
- Integrations: Varies by complexity, custom quotes available
- Key Factors: Number of employees, modules selected, required integrations
1. Pricing Model & Cost Factors
Their pricing structure is refreshingly clear.
Avanti’s pricing operates on a unique modular basis rather than fixed bundles, allowing you to select only the HR and payroll functionalities your business truly needs. This per-employee, per-month model helps you avoid expensive add-ons for things like off-cycle payroll or custom reports, which impressed me.
From my cost analysis, this means your monthly costs stay predictable as your team grows or shrinks, avoiding unnecessary expenses.
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2. Value Assessment & ROI
Does Avanti justify its cost?
What I found regarding Avanti’s pricing is its strong value proposition, especially when compared to competitors like Paychex Flex, which has more complex tiered pricing. Avanti’s focus on eliminating hidden fees ensures you’re budgeting for clear, core functionalities without unexpected charges.
The result is your budget gets more predictable expenses, allowing for better financial planning and a clearer ROI.
3. Budget Planning & Implementation
Consider your total cost of ownership.
Avanti’s modular design means you can start with essential HR and payroll and add features like time tracking or talent acquisition later. This approach helps you manage upfront investment, and from my research, Avanti’s pricing simplifies budget allocation without high implementation costs or hidden fees.
So for your business, you can confidently budget knowing what you pay for directly reflects your actual usage requirements.
My Take: Avanti’s pricing strategy prioritizes transparency and modularity, making it an excellent fit for mid-sized Canadian businesses seeking predictable costs without unnecessary add-ons.
The overall Avanti pricing reflects straightforward value tailored to your company’s growth.
Avanti Reviews
What do actual customers think?
This section dives into Avanti reviews, analyzing real user feedback to provide balanced insights into what customers truly think about the software and their experiences.
1. Overall User Satisfaction
Users seem genuinely pleased.
From my review analysis, Avanti generally garners high satisfaction, particularly among Canadian businesses for its HR and payroll effectiveness. What impressed me is how users consistently highlight Avanti’s comprehensive features and the flexibility it provides, simplifying complex tasks.
This suggests you can expect a very positive experience, particularly with payroll and HR functions.
2. Common Praise Points
The efficiency and support truly stand out.
Users frequently praise Avanti for its exceptional reporting capabilities, responsive customer service, and significant time savings. What I found in user feedback is how its automation capabilities transition manual processes to digital, freeing up valuable administrative time for your team.
This means you can anticipate improved efficiency and a highly supportive customer experience.
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3. Frequent Complaints
Limited public complaints exist.
While specific common complaints are not extensively detailed in publicly available Avanti reviews, the overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive. What stands out from review analysis is how the system’s ability to simplify complex functions minimizes frustrations, leading to fewer negative remarks.
This suggests that for most users, any minor issues are easily outweighed by the significant benefits.
What Customers Say
- Positive: “I would recommend Avanti in a heartbeat. It’s so nice to be able to do everything on your own.”
- Constructive: “Implementation is supported by an experienced team, aiming for a positive transition.”
- Bottom Line: “Because Avanti is so efficient at processing payroll, our payroll administrators don’t have to do a whole bunch of data entry anymore.”
The overall Avanti reviews show a consistent pattern of high user satisfaction and positive experiences.
Best Avanti Alternatives
Considering other great HCM options?
The best Avanti alternatives offer strong solutions, each with distinct advantages for specific business sizes, global reach, and specialized functional needs.
1. Dayforce (by Ceridian)
Need a global, highly integrated solution?
Dayforce excels when your organization is a very large, multinational enterprise requiring extensive features for global HR and payroll. What I found comparing options is that Dayforce offers a broader global reach and potentially more extensive functionalities beyond what Avanti focuses on for Canadian businesses.
Choose Dayforce if you have complex global HR and payroll needs or require a highly integrated, wide-ranging platform.
2. ADP Workforce Now
Prefer a globally recognized, established brand?
ADP Workforce Now works better if you prioritize a globally recognized brand with vast resources and deep expertise in complex tax scenarios across various jurisdictions. From my competitive analysis, ADP provides extensive global payroll and tax management capabilities, though its platform can sometimes feel more fragmented.
Consider this alternative when you prefer a well-known vendor with deep, specialized tax expertise for diverse needs.
3. UKG Pro (Ultimate Kronos Group)
Seeking advanced AI-driven HR insights?
UKG Pro shines if your priority is advanced AI capabilities and a highly sophisticated talent management suite across your workforce. Alternative-wise, UKG Pro offers deep AI-powered HR functionality, catering to organizations of various sizes with intricate workforce management needs, but may charge for custom reports.
Choose UKG Pro when sophisticated talent management and AI-driven insights are crucial for your organization.
4. Rippling
Looking for integrated HR, IT, and finance management?
Rippling is the superior choice if you need a truly unified platform that extends beyond HR and payroll to include IT management and device provisioning. From my analysis, Rippling automates HR, IT, and finance provisioning, making it ideal for rapidly scaling or remote teams seeking an all-in-one administrative hub.
Choose Rippling when your organization requires a comprehensive platform unifying HR, IT, and finance beyond just workforce management.
Quick Decision Guide
- Choose Avanti: Mid-sized Canadian businesses needing focused HR and payroll expertise
- Choose Dayforce: Large, multinational enterprises with complex global HR needs
- Choose ADP Workforce Now: Preference for global brand with extensive tax management
- Choose UKG Pro: Priority on advanced AI insights and sophisticated talent management
- Choose Rippling: Desire for unified HR, IT, and finance automation
The best Avanti alternatives depend on your business size, global reach, and specific feature priorities beyond core functions.
Avanti Setup
Thinking about Avanti implementation?
The Avanti review shows that deploying this HCM solution is designed to be a smooth, supported process, focusing on a positive transition for your business.
1. Setup Complexity & Timeline
Expect a structured configuration process.
Avanti implementation involves tailoring modules for your HR, payroll, and time management needs. What I found about deployment is that the vendor aims for setup accuracy from day one, whether you’re migrating from spreadsheets or another system, minimizing go-live issues.
You’ll need to allocate time for detailed configuration to ensure the system aligns perfectly with your existing processes.
2. Technical Requirements & Integration
Minimal infrastructure changes are required.
Since Avanti is cloud-based on Microsoft Azure, your primary technical requirement is internet access. From my implementation analysis, Avanti integrates seamlessly with existing applications, preserving your current IT investments and simplifying data exchange.
Plan for standard network capabilities and consider leveraging SSO/MFA for enhanced security and simplified user logins.
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3. Training & Change Management
User adoption is supported by intuitive design.
Avanti provides extensive self-help and training resources, with a user-friendly interface designed for simplicity. From my analysis, the intuitive design eases the learning curve for employees, making the transition to new processes less daunting and more efficient.
Focus on clear communication and leverage Avanti’s resources to encourage staff engagement and smooth the overall adoption process.
4. Support & Success Factors
Dedicated support drives implementation success.
Avanti prides itself on Canadian support with industry-leading response times and payroll-certified experts. What I found about deployment is that responsive customer service is a significant asset during setup, ensuring timely resolution of any questions or issues.
Prioritize clear communication with your Avanti support team and leverage their deep product knowledge for a successful deployment.
Implementation Checklist
- Timeline: Weeks to months depending on module complexity
- Team Size: Dedicated HR/payroll lead plus IT support
- Budget: Primarily professional services for configuration assistance
- Technical: Stable internet access and existing system integration planning
- Success Factor: Close collaboration with Avanti’s implementation team
Overall, the Avanti setup emphasizes a supported and smooth transition for mid-sized Canadian companies, designed to simplify your HCM processes.
Bottom Line
Is Avanti the right fit for your business?
This Avanti review offers a comprehensive assessment, helping you determine if its integrated HCM solution aligns with your specific Canadian business needs and operational priorities.
1. Who This Works Best For
Mid-sized Canadian companies seeking HR automation.
Avanti works ideally for Canadian mid-sized businesses, particularly those in hospitality, insurance, or media, aiming to centralize HR, payroll, and time tracking. What I found about target users is that companies struggling with manual, disparate HR systems will find Avanti’s integrated approach invaluable for streamlining operations.
Your team will find success if you prioritize Canadian compliance and unified workforce data for better decision-making.
2. Overall Strengths
Unmatched Canadian payroll expertise and integration.
The software excels with robust Canadian payroll and benefits administration, integrated HRIS, and efficient time and attendance tracking. From my comprehensive analysis, Avanti’s dedicated Canadian compliance ensures accuracy, significantly reducing processing errors and administrative burdens for your payroll team.
These strengths translate directly into significant time savings and increased operational efficiency for your business.
3. Key Limitations
Pricing transparency is a notable challenge.
Avanti lacks publicly available detailed pricing tiers, requiring direct contact for quotes which can complicate initial budget comparisons. Based on this review, this approach makes it harder for you to compare Avanti against competitors without engaging with their sales team early in your evaluation process.
While common for enterprise solutions, I find this limitation could slow your initial software research and evaluation phase.
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4. Final Recommendation
Avanti receives a strong recommendation.
You should choose Avanti if your mid-sized Canadian business needs a comprehensive, integrated HCM solution with deep payroll expertise and local support. From my analysis, this solution is ideal for complex Canadian regulatory environments, helping your business maintain compliance and streamline processes.
My confidence level is high for Canadian mid-sized companies aiming for HR and payroll automation.
Bottom Line
- Verdict: Recommended for mid-sized Canadian companies
- Best For: Businesses needing integrated HR, payroll, and workforce management
- Business Size: Mid-sized Canadian companies, especially 50-500 employees
- Biggest Strength: Robust Canadian-specific payroll and HR compliance
- Main Concern: Lack of public pricing transparency requires direct contact
- Next Step: Request a demo to discuss tailored pricing for your organization
This Avanti review shows strong value for the right Canadian business, providing a comprehensive solution for your HR and payroll needs.