Methodology & Disclaimer

This report was compiled by Integral Recruiting Design (IRD) using generative AI to synthesize publicly available documentation, product guides, customer reviews, and analyst commentary on onboarding software as of 2025. IRD is not compensated by any vendors and makes no claims about the accuracy or completeness of the underlying data. The accuracy of these findings rests solely on the AI research, and all content should be interpreted as directional, not authoritative. Click here to view the original output, which includes citations and is presented here in full.

This document is intended to support thoughtful vendor evaluation, not to serve as a final judgment on either platform. We recommend that readers use the following questions as a starting point for due diligence when evaluating onboarding software.

Ten Key Questions iCIMS Customers Should Ask Onboarding Vendors

1. 🔗 Integration with iCIMS: How does the onboarding solution connect with iCIMS Talent Cloud? Does it offer a native or API-based integration that triggers onboarding workflows as soon as a candidate is marked “hired”? Can it sync new-hire data in real time (e.g. via webhooks) and update both systems, or is data transfer batch-based? Understanding the depth (fields synced, frequency) and reliability of the integration is crucial to ensure a seamless recruit-to-hire transition.

2. 💬 Candidate Experience: What is the new hire experience like? Is there a mobile-friendly, personalized onboarding portal for candidates, with clear task lists, welcome messages, and company content (videos, FAQs)? How intuitive is the interface for a new hire, and can they easily complete forms, e-sign documents, and engage with your content before Day 1? A platform that keeps the excitement and communication going (mirroring your candidate experience) can help maintain new hire enthusiasm.

3. 🧑‍💼 Recruiter & Manager Experience: How does the system support recruiters, HR administrators, and hiring managers in the onboarding process? For example, does it provide an admin dashboard to track each new hire’s progress and send reminders? Can hiring managers or IT easily be assigned tasks (equipment setup, welcome email, etc.) and check them off? Evaluate whether the platform will lighten your team’s workload (through automation and alerts) or introduce new complexity.

4. 🤖 Workflow Automation & Flexibility: How customizable are the onboarding workflows? Can you configure different task lists or content for different roles, departments, or regions without vendor help? Look for features like conditional logic (branching workflows), automated reminders, and the ability to tailor forms and emails. A strong solution should let you automate repetitive tasks and standardize processes while still allowing flexibility to personalize by audience.

5. 📊 Analytics & Reporting: What reporting and analytics capabilities are included? Can you track onboarding completion rates, time-to-productivity, new hire satisfaction, or engagement metrics? For instance, some platforms offer dashboards to track each employee’s progress and identify bottlenecks. Ask if the vendor provides out-of-the-box reports (e.g. task completion, form error rates) and whether data can be exported for analysis. Robust analytics can help demonstrate ROI (e.g. faster onboarding, reduced attrition).

6. 🌍 Global & Compliance Support: For global organizations, does the software support multiple languages and localization of content? Can it handle country-specific forms (tax forms, I-9/E-Verify in the US, GDPR consents in the EU, etc.) and integrate with background check or compliance tools? Ensure the vendor has solutions for managing region-specific compliance (e.g. right-to-work document collection) and a track record with multinational clients.

7. 📈 Volume and Scalability: Can the platform handle high-volume onboarding cycles, such as seasonal hiring spikes or onboarding hundreds of employees in a short period? Ask the vendor for examples of large implementations. Also, inquire about performance — do pages load quickly for end users, and can the system integrate with enterprise SSO for a smooth login? If you operate across many divisions, check if the tool supports delegated administration or distinct onboarding programs per business unit.

8. 💰 Pricing & Total Cost of Ownership: What is the pricing model (e.g. flat annual license, per seat, per hire)? Beyond licensing, consider implementation costs, integration fees (if any), and ongoing support charges. For example, some specialized vendors charge an annual subscription starting around ~$10k for mid-sized employee counts, whereas HR suite modules might be priced per employee. Get clarity on what’s included (e.g. number of integrations, onboarding of X employees) and whether using the integration with iCIMS incurs extra costs.

9. 🛡️ Security & Data Management: Since onboarding involves personal data, ask about security measures. Does the platform comply with data protection standards (SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR)? How is data hosted and encrypted? Also, how does it manage document storage (for sensitive PII in forms) and user access controls? Ensure the solution can meet your IT and compliance requirements, especially when integrating with your ATS and HRIS.

10. 🤝 Vendor Support & Roadmap: What support is provided during implementation and beyond? Is there a dedicated customer success manager or support line for integration issues with iCIMS? Also, ask about the product roadmap: are there plans to enhance the iCIMS integration or add features (e.g. new analytics, AI coaching, etc.)? A vendor’s willingness to evolve the product and maintain integration compatibility with iCIMS updates can be a key factor in a long-term partnership.

These questions serve as a starting point. iCIMS customers should use them to dig into how well each onboarding solution will fit into their existing talent tech stack and hiring workflows.

Vendor Rankings Table

Below is a comparison of how leading onboarding software options rank across five categories important to iCIMS users. Each category is scored 1–10 (10 = best), based on available information and typical capabilities of the platforms:

Scoring is based on publicly reported capabilities and user feedback as of 2025. A higher score indicates a relative strength in that category. Individual needs will vary, so scores should be considered in light of which categories matter most to your organization.

Takeaways for iCIMS Customers

• iCIMS Onboarding: Best for organizations that want seamless integration above all. It’s ideal if you prefer to manage onboarding within the same Talent Cloud as recruiting – minimizing data transfers and offering one unified experience. However, it may lack some of the advanced engagement features of specialist platforms.

• Enboarder: Great for companies prioritizing a high-touch, journey-driven onboarding experience. Enboarder excels at engagement and personalized workflows (e.g. nudges via email/SMS, manager coaching prompts) and is a strong complement to iCIMS via integration. It’s best for those willing to invest in a separate platform to boost new hire experience and retention.

• Sapling (Kallidus): An ideal choice for mid-market firms that need to automate onboarding and basic HR operations in one. Sapling offers an HRIS-light approach – integrating with your ATS and payroll – making it perfect if you don’t have a large enterprise HRIS, or if you want a nimble system to layer onto iCIMS for onboarding.

• SilkRoad RedCarpet: Suited for large enterprises with complex onboarding and compliance needs. This solution has a long track record in onboarding at scale, handling not just pre-boarding but also internal transitions and offboarding. It’s best for companies that require highly standardized, compliant processes and are less concerned with modern UI glitz.

• Click Boarding: Best for organizations seeking a dedicated onboarding tool that balances compliance and experience. It offers strong compliance (I-9, E-Verify, etc.) along with a user-friendly, mobile-first interface. For iCIMS customers, Click Boarding can slot in to provide a more modern onboarding portal while still integrating back to your ATS and HR systems.

• SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding: A natural fit for companies already invested in SAP’s HR ecosystem. If your HRIS is SuccessFactors, using its Onboarding module ensures tight integration from recruiting to core HR. It’s ideal for global companies needing robust compliance and who value having onboarding as part of a unified HCM suite – though it may be less flexible or visually engaging than standalone solutions.

• Workday Onboarding: Best for organizations using Workday HCM that want to keep all employee data and processes in one system. It shines in a fully Workday environment, ensuring new hire data flows directly to HR, payroll, and IT provisioning. For iCIMS shops, Workday Onboarding makes sense if Workday is your system of record, but expect a more utilitarian experience geared toward HR efficiency over creative engagement.

• Phenom (Tydy): Suited for employers focused on cutting-edge, AI-enhanced onboarding and already leveraging Phenom’s Talent Experience platform. Phenom’s onboarding (powered by Tydy) is great for delivering personalized content and automating cross-departmental onboarding tasks (HR, IT, facilities). It’s an emerging option, best for forward-looking teams that want an integrated approach from candidate attraction through onboarding in one experience ecosystem.

• UKG Pro Onboarding: Best for companies on UKG Pro (UltiPro) for HR/payroll that want to utilize the built-in onboarding capabilities. It’s a solid choice if you value having onboarding data directly in your HR system and need standard onboarding checklists. UKG’s onboarding emphasizes connecting new hires to the company and culture quickly, but is most effective for core onboarding administration rather than highly customized journeys.

• ADP Onboarding: Ideal for mid-market companies using ADP Workforce Now who want a no-frills onboarding process that is integrated with payroll/HR. ADP Onboarding streamlines the basics – forms, tasks, and provisioning – all within the ADP platform, which is convenient for HR teams that want a single system of record. It’s a practical choice if advanced features aren’t a priority and you prefer simplicity and compliance over a flashy user experience.

(Each vendor’s “best for” is a general guidance; organizations should verify how well each solution aligns with their unique requirements and tech stack.)

Comprehensive Analysis

In this section, we delve deeper into each onboarding solution, focusing on integration with iCIMS, core features, user experience, typical use cases, and pricing models.

iCIMS Onboarding (Native Module)

Integration with iCIMS: As an iCIMS Talent Cloud native module, iCIMS Onboarding offers seamless integration – effectively, it is part of the same platform as your ATS. New hire data (candidate info, job details) flows directly from iCIMS recruiting into the onboarding module with no manual transfer. This means recruiters and HR can trigger onboarding tasks immediately when a candidate is marked “hired” in iCIMS, and all updates occur in one system. It also readily complements your existing HRIS/payroll by exporting new-hire info downstream to systems like UKG, Ceridian, or ADP. In short, for iCIMS customers, the native module minimizes integration headaches altogether.

Core Features & Differentiators: iCIMS Onboarding focuses on covering the essentials of preboarding in a consistent way. It provides a configurable new hire portal where candidates can complete paperwork, see tasks, and access resources. The platform supports automated paperwork (e.g. completing W-4, I-9 through integrations, direct deposit forms) and templated workflows. A key differentiator is that it keeps all recruiting and onboarding data in one ecosystem, which improves data governance and speed. According to iCIMS, the module allows you to standardize processes, trigger new-hire tasks automatically, send emails, and create assignments immediately once the offer is accepted. Customers also note the ability to tailor onboarding processes for different business units or regions via the admin settings. For example, Novant Health (an iCIMS client) was able to configure unit-specific forms and actions, making onboarding “seamless across the entire network”.

Candidate & Recruiter Experience: The candidate experience in iCIMS Onboarding is straightforward and businesslike. New hires receive a link to their personal onboarding portal, where they can view welcome text, fill out needed information, and track their tasks. While it may not have the flashy journey campaigns of specialized tools, it keeps an open line of communication – allowing recruiters to send ongoing emails and even share content like company news or team welcome videos to keep excitement high. New hires get the comfort of a single login (same as application portal) and can complete everything online. For recruiters/HR, the experience is similarly unified: they manage onboarding tasks from within iCIMS, with dashboards to monitor each new hire’s completion status. They can receive alerts for outstanding tasks and send reminders. Overall, the UX is consistent with iCIMS’ ATS – which is a plus for admin familiarity, though it may lack some of the modern polish found in newer standalone platforms.

Industry Use Cases: iCIMS Onboarding is used across industries by mid-size and enterprise companies that already use iCIMS for recruiting. It’s particularly attractive in regulated industries or companies with heavy compliance needs (financial, healthcare, etc.), where having recruiting and onboarding in one system helps ensure no steps are missed. For global companies, iCIMS Onboarding supports multiple languages and can be configured for local compliance forms, making it viable for worldwide onboarding programs. Another common use case is high-volume hiring – for example, large retailers or hospitality companies hiring thousands per year. The module’s integration means there’s no lag in getting hires into onboarding and ready for day one, which can save significant time in volume scenarios. However, organizations that prioritize a highly engaging, branded onboarding journey (tech firms, creative companies) might find the iCIMS portal too plain and seek to augment it with additional tools.

Pricing Model: iCIMS Onboarding is typically sold as an add-on module to the iCIMS Talent Cloud. Pricing is usually subscription-based, often scaled by company size or number of hires per year. Precise pricing isn’t published, but customers can expect an annual license fee (sometimes packaged in an enterprise deal if they license multiple iCIMS modules). Because it’s part of the iCIMS suite, there’s efficiency in pricing if you’re already an iCIMS ATS customer – it may be more cost-effective than buying a separate onboarding system. Implementation is often handled in the overall iCIMS deployment, so additional implementation fees are minimal if done together. Overall total cost of ownership is straightforward: you pay iCIMS for the software and support, and there’s no need for extensive integration development or separate vendor management.

Enboarder

Integration with iCIMS: Enboarder is a popular specialized onboarding platform and it integrates with ATS systems like iCIMS through APIs and webhook triggers. In practice, this means when a candidate is marked as hired in iCIMS, that event can automatically send the new hire’s data to Enboarder to kick off a tailored onboarding “journey.” Joint iCIMS-Enboarder users have reported that integration is smooth, albeit usually requiring initial setup/config by either the vendor or a third-party integration tool. Enboarder has a wide range of integrations – not only ATS but HRIS, e-signature tools, communication platforms, etc. – which speaks to its flexibility. There isn’t a native plug-in inside iCIMS (you’ll use Enboarder’s interface for onboarding), but data flows between the two. Notably, Enboarder can pull in key details (start date, role, location) from iCIMS and use those to personalize the onboarding schedule and content for that new hire. The integration strength is evidenced by Enboarder’s customers using it alongside systems like SuccessFactors and SmartRecruiters, indicating it’s built to slot into an existing HR tech stack easily.

Core Features & Differentiators: Enboarder markets itself as the “experience-driven onboarding platform.” Its core features revolve around creating engaging onboarding journeys: you can design multi-step workflows (called “journeys”) that include emails, SMS messages, tasks, surveys, videos, and more. A differentiator is the focus on human connection – Enboarder helps prompt managers, buddies, and colleagues to participate in onboarding. For example, it can automatically remind a hiring manager to call their new hire two days before start, or prompt IT to send a welcome note. It also emphasizes two-way communication, allowing new hires to provide feedback or answer questions during the process. Enboarder includes a content builder with templates (for things like day-one agendas, training tips, etc.) which you can customize. Another key differentiator is its library of best-practice journeys and its flexibility: non-technical HR users can tweak workflows easily with a drag-and-drop interface. On the compliance side, Enboarder can integrate for forms (e.g., DocuSign for paperwork) and recently even partnered to handle I-9/E-Verify within its platform. In summary, Enboarder’s hallmark is automation + personalization: automating all the logistical tasks while personalizing the experience (timely messages, relevant content) to make new hires feel welcomed and informed.

Candidate & Recruiter Experience: The new hire experience with Enboarder is often described as “mobile-first” and engaging. New hires typically receive a series of communications (which might include a welcome video from the CEO, a checklist of things to do, introductions to team members, etc.) not just via a portal but through email or even text messages (Enboarder supports SMS “nudges”). The interface, when the new hire does log into their onboarding page, is modern, friendly, and can be branded to the company. It doesn’t overwhelm the new joiner with all forms at once; instead, it times the delivery of content to the right moment (for instance, a week before start, send them a “meet your team” blurb; on day 1, guide them to fill out HR forms). This dynamic approach leads to higher engagement – one G2 reviewer noted that Enboarder “creates a fantastic user experience,” being very customizable with quick adjustments to steps.

For recruiters and HR admins, Enboarder provides an intuitive workflow editor and dashboard. Users like that it’s easy to add or remove steps as needed without coding. HR can monitor each person’s journey, seeing who has completed which tasks or where there might be inactivity. The system can send automatic reminders so HR doesn’t have to chase every item. Additionally, Enboarder’s insights allow HR to measure engagement (e.g., who watched the welcome video? who filled out their newcomer survey?). Managers also get pulled in – they might receive “to-do” emails via Enboarder prompting them to, say, take the new hire to coffee on day 1 or assign a buddy. Overall, the platform is built to make onboarding a team sport, not just an HR process. This does mean HR needs to spend some time initially crafting these experiences, but Enboarder provides best-practice templates and examples to accelerate that. The outcome, when done well, is a much more memorable onboarding experience for the employee and a more manageable, automated process for the recruiter.

Industry Use Cases: Enboarder is used across a wide range of industries – from tech start-ups to Fortune 500 companies – especially by organizations that view onboarding as a strategic part of talent retention. It’s commonly found in industries with a strong emphasis on culture and employee experience (e.g., tech, creative industries, professional services). However, it’s also used in retail/hospitality for high-volume hourly onboarding, because the mobile-friendly nature (SMS invites, etc.) can reach a workforce that might not have corporate emails. Large consulting firms and financial services have used Enboarder to ensure consistency in onboarding across global offices while still personalizing to the local level. Another use case is companies undergoing rapid growth or change, where they need to onboard cohorts of new hires efficiently – Enboarder’s automated workflows shine here by scaling the personal touch. Essentially, any iCIMS customer that feels their current onboarding (whether via iCIMS or HRIS or manual) is too static or impersonal could benefit – Enboarder provides that engagement layer on top of whatever ATS/HRIS you have. Do note, highly regulated industries (like government, defense) sometimes have security constraints that favor on-premise or internal tools, where Enboarder (as a cloud SaaS) would need vetting.

Pricing Model: Enboarder is sold as a SaaS subscription, generally priced by organization size (often by number of employees or number of new hires per year). Based on public data, Enboarder’s starting price is around $10,000 per year for a basic package, which likely covers a certain employee count or set of features. Pricing tiers may scale up with added capabilities (for example, more integrations, advanced analytics) or larger employee bands. There is no free version; however, they often offer a free trial or pilot period. In the pricing structure, you’re typically not paying per onboardee in a transactional sense, but rather an annual license that lets you onboard as many people as needed (up to your tier’s limit). Services like implementation might be an extra fixed cost or included depending on the deal – Enboarder usually provides customer success assistance to design your first journeys. For iCIMS clients, it’s worth checking if Enboarder is available via the iCIMS Marketplace or a partner network, as sometimes that can streamline contracting. Overall, the TCO includes the subscription and the effort to integrate/maintain it (which is not heavy – ongoing costs are mainly the subscription). Given the positive ROI reported (e.g., time saved for HR, higher new hire retention), many mid-large enterprises find the cost justified, but smaller companies might find it pricier than simpler onboarding add-ons.

Sapling (Kallidus)

Integration with iCIMS: Sapling is an HR onboarding and core HR platform that can integrate with various ATS, and while it doesn’t have a native iCIMS plugin, it does support integration via API or middleware. Many Sapling customers feed new hire data from an ATS like Lever, Greenhouse, etc., and similarly, an iCIMS integration can be set up so that when an offer is marked “accepted” in iCIMS, Sapling creates the employee profile and kicks off onboarding. Sapling’s API and integration options allow syncing of fields like position, start date, manager, etc. A common integration approach is using flat-file exports or connectors (Sapling has integration guides for systems including Lever and others). While not “one-click” out of the box, Sapling’s team or integration partners can usually configure an iCIMS connection without heavy custom development. Additionally, Sapling integrates with downstream systems (HRIS, Slack, Active Directory, etc.), so it can act as a bridge, taking data from iCIMS and ensuring it populates the rest of your HR tech stack when the hire starts. In summary, you should expect an integration project, but it’s a well-trodden path; once set up, the sync can be automated such that HR never needs to manually re-enter new hire info from iCIMS into Sapling.

Core Features & Differentiators: Sapling’s core strength is combining onboarding automation with HRIS capabilities. It’s more than just an onboarding tool – it stores employee data and handles HR workflows (like promotions, time off, etc.) – but its onboarding module specifically is a highlight. Key features include: customizable onboarding checklists and templates, a self-service new hire portal, automated reminders for all stakeholders, and an ability to manage offboarding and cross-boarding in the same system. A differentiator for Sapling is its focus on workflow automation across departments: for example, you can set it so that when a salesperson joins, Sapling notifies IT to create accounts, Facilities to prepare a desk, and sends the new hire a welcome packet – all automatically. It also allows pre-boarding access: new hires can log into Sapling’s portal before their first day to start filling out their profile, sign forms, and even see org charts of their team. Sapling prides itself on a user-friendly interface and robust support. It’s designed so that HR can configure forms and fields easily. Another differentiator is the integration within the Kallidus suite: Sapling can tie into Kallidus Learn (LMS) and Perform modules, which is useful if you want onboarding to seamlessly hand off into training or performance check-ins. Overall, Sapling’s differentiators are about being an all-in-one people operations platform for mid-sized companies – you get onboarding plus a lightweight HRIS in one, which can reduce fragmentation in your tools.

Candidate & Recruiter Experience: For the new hire, Sapling provides a clean, modern portal that reflects the company’s branding. When a new hire logs in (often after receiving an invite link sent to their personal email), they see a personalized onboarding checklist. This could include tasks like “Complete your profile information,” “Fill out your W-4,” “Watch our welcome video,” etc. The interface is intuitive – one G2 reviewer mentioned that “The employee experience is incredible… the simple UI… employees and managers self-serve with no laggards”. New hires can also see an org chart or team intro if you enable that, which helps them contextually understand the company. Sapling can send them automated emails too at certain points (like a reminder 3 days before start to complete forms). For recruiters and HR, Sapling is generally praised for being easy to implement and use. Admins have a dashboard of all pending onboardings with status indicators (who’s completed what). The system will alert HR if, say, a week has gone by and the new hire hasn’t finished a crucial task, enabling proactive outreach. HR can also assign tasks to others (manager, IT) within Sapling and track those. One convenience is that Sapling integrates with G Suite/O365, so it can sync things like the new hire’s info to create email accounts or add calendar events. Another plus is the robust support (as noted in comparisons) – Sapling’s team is known to be responsive in helping HR users configure and troubleshoot. One downside occasionally cited is that some HR admins wish for even deeper customization in some areas, but for most standard onboarding needs, Sapling’s interface is quite accommodating.

Industry Use Cases: Sapling’s sweet spot is fast-growing mid-sized companies (roughly 50–1000 employees) that need to scale their onboarding and HR processes without a full enterprise HRIS. It has been popular in the tech startup scene, professional services firms, and retail/hospitality chains in growth mode. These organizations often choose Sapling to replace spreadsheet-driven onboarding or because their existing HR system’s onboarding was lacking. It’s also used by companies that have a best-of-breed HR tech strategy: for instance, using iCIMS for ATS, Sapling for onboarding/HR, and maybe another system for payroll. Sapling’s ability to integrate and sit in the middle as an onboarding hub is valuable there. Industries like software/technology, fintech, non-profits, education, and healthcare (smaller clinics or practices) have all leveraged Sapling. Additionally, any company that wants to emphasize a modern onboarding journey – without going to a pure engagement tool like Enboarder – can find Sapling a good middle ground (it offers a good experience but also handles the necessary HR admin pieces). One consideration: very large enterprises or those needing extremely advanced HR process customization might outgrow Sapling and opt for bigger suites (Workday/SAP), but those often sacrifice the ease-of-use Sapling offers. Thus, Sapling often markets itself as “better than spreadsheets or legacy HRIS onboarding, but easier than big HCM suites” – a fit for many mid-market iCIMS clients.

Pricing Model: Sapling is sold via annual subscription, often starting at a base price that includes a certain number of employees, then scaling up by employee bands. A published example notes pricing starting at $4,800 per year for the base package, though actual costs vary with organization size and modules. Typically, you’ll discuss your employee count and needed modules (Onboarding is core, but Sapling also has Time-Off tracking, etc.) and they’ll provide a quote. Sapling (now under Kallidus) often tailors pricing for mid-market budgets, making it competitive against bigger suites. There’s usually an implementation fee or onboarding service cost as well, though Sapling prides itself on relatively quick implementation (some customers report going live in weeks, often self-implementing with guidance). The total cost includes the software license and support; since Sapling can replace several tools (onboarding, basic HRIS, task management), companies often find it cost-efficient. For iCIMS users, one should factor in the effort to integrate – either your internal team’s time or possibly a one-time cost if using a third-party integration service. Once running, maintenance is minimal and upgrades are included in the subscription. Overall, Sapling is designed to be cost-effective for mid-size organizations, delivering a lot of functionality for a moderate price point.

SilkRoad RedCarpet Onboarding

Integration with iCIMS: SilkRoad’s RedCarpet Onboarding is a long-standing enterprise onboarding solution. While SilkRoad has its own ATS, many organizations have integrated RedCarpet with external ATS (via file transfers or APIs). For iCIMS, integration would typically involve either a scheduled secure file export of new hire data from iCIMS to RedCarpet or use of SilkRoad’s web services API to create a new onboarding event when a req is marked filled. SilkRoad’s platform supports integration – they advertise “robust web services and APIs to integrate with ATS, HRMS, IT provisioning, etc.” as part of RedCarpet’s offering. However, unlike some newer systems, it may not have a pre-built iCIMS connector in a marketplace; it would be a project undertaken by either SilkRoad’s team or a client’s IT. The maturity of SilkRoad means they’ve seen most integration scenarios (they can also integrate background check, assessment, e-signature providers). So, iCIMS customers can certainly link the two, but expect the initial setup to focus on mapping fields and establishing the transfer mechanism. Once in place, RedCarpet will receive new hire records and then manage all onboarding tasks from there. Some companies choose to manually enter hires into RedCarpet if volumes are low, but at enterprise scale an integration is usually done to automatically feed hundreds or thousands of hires. One thing to note: SilkRoad being a more legacy player, their UI for integration config might not be as slick, but it gets the job done.

Core Features & Differentiators: RedCarpet Onboarding’s hallmark is its comprehensive, lifecycle-focused approach. It not only handles preboarding (new hire welcome and forms) but also post-hire transitions and offboarding, all in one system. Core features include: a personalized new hire portal (branded “RedCarpet” experience) for forms, tasks, and information; automated delivery of orientation content; e-signature and form library support; task management for HR and managers; and compliance tracking (including I-9, E-Verify in the U.S., and others by integration). A differentiator for RedCarpet is its emphasis on tailoring to different roles and events. You can deliver the right content to the right people at the right time by leveraging workflows that adjust based on a person’s role, location, department or other criteria. For example, a sales rep might get a specific set of training assignments in their onboarding plan, whereas an engineer gets a different set – all automated by the system. Another differentiator is its longevity and awards in the onboarding space (they tout Brandon Hall awards for onboarding). This suggests a depth of features for enterprise needs, like integration with learning management for day-one training, or survey tools for new hire feedback. RedCarpet also extends beyond onboarding: it’s known as a “life events” platform – meaning you can use it for internal moves, maternity leave returns, offboarding workflows, etc.. Few onboarding tools handle the entire employee lifecycle events so comprehensively. In summary, RedCarpet’s differentiators are breadth and scalability: it may not have flashy new AI features, but it covers every checklist and process you could imagine in onboarding and does so in a way that can be repeated reliably at big scale.

Candidate & Recruiter Experience: The new hire experience in RedCarpet is thorough and structured, if not the most modern aesthetically. When a new hire enters the RedCarpet portal, they are typically presented with a “Welcome” page, which can include a welcome letter, maybe a video or image, and a list of tasks to complete. The system ensures critical paperwork is front-and-center: for instance, the employee will see links to complete their tax forms, upload identity documents, read the employee handbook, etc. They also might see messages from their team or company news if configured. While this certainly helps a new hire know exactly what to do, the interface has historically been more utilitarian (lots of forms and PDFs) and less about fun engagement. That said, it ensures day-one readiness: RedCarpet is very effective at getting all the necessary paperwork, forms, and orientation documents completed before day one. New hires can also track their own progress (e.g., 5 of 7 tasks done).

For HR and recruiters, RedCarpet provides strong oversight. There are dashboards or reports that show each new hire’s completion status, and internal tasks (like IT setups or manager orientations) are tracked as well. A recruiter can assign tasks to various departments and see if they’re done – this helps prevent things like “laptop not ready on day one” or “ID badge not created.” The platform sends reminders to task owners and escalates if needed. Recruiters have the ability to create unique workflows for different audiences, which is powerful but can be complex if you have many variations. Often a HRIS or Talent Management specialist is the one configuring SilkRoad because of its depth. The recruiter’s everyday experience, though, is likely receiving notifications when a new hire completes onboarding or if they haven’t – allowing the recruiter to intervene personally if someone is stuck. RedCarpet also has an admin interface for HR to create new onboarding “events” for each hire (if not automatically fed by ATS). This involves choosing the correct template (workflow) and entering key details. Some users note that because SilkRoad’s interface is older, it may not be as intuitive as newer SaaS products – initial training is needed. But once familiar, HR can rely on RedCarpet to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Also, because it’s a mature product, there are many features to support HR (like built-in compliance reports, automated notifications if, say, an I-9 isn’t completed in 3 days, etc.). In short, the experience is one of reliability and thoroughness for HR, if not the most glamorous.

Industry Use Cases: SilkRoad RedCarpet is common in large, distributed enterprises – think companies with thousands to tens of thousands of employees, often in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, banking, retail, and government contracting. These organizations value process consistency and compliance. For example, a healthcare system with dozens of hospitals might use RedCarpet to onboard clinical staff, ensuring each person completes certifications and policy acknowledgments, with auditing capability. Or a federal contractor might use it to handle secure offboarding, given the risks of not revoking access properly (SilkRoad often emphasizes offboarding security). RedCarpet is also used by companies that have high turnover or frequent employee transitions – e.g., large retail chains constantly onboarding hourly staff, or companies with seasonal hiring. It’s capable of handling volume and can integrate with background screening and tax credit (WOTC) systems, which those employers need. Additionally, organizations that undergo many internal moves (promotions, relocations) might choose RedCarpet to manage those life-cycle events to the same degree of discipline as initial onboarding. In the context of iCIMS customers: if you are an enterprise already using iCIMS ATS and perhaps have no modern onboarding tool or are using an HRIS onboarding that’s insufficient, RedCarpet could be a candidate – particularly if you require robust compliance (e.g., FINRA regulations in finance, or union paperwork in manufacturing) and want a battle-tested system. Some companies that adopted RedCarpet years ago continue to use it because it’s deeply embedded in their processes and integrated with their HRIT environment (e.g., feeding data to identity management, etc.).

Pricing Model: SilkRoad typically sells RedCarpet as a SaaS subscription (they also offer on-premise for some modules, but onboarding is usually cloud). Pricing is enterprise-level and tends to be based on employee count or new hire count. They often bundle it as part of their talent management suite or standalone. While exact figures aren’t public, RedCarpet is generally considered a significant investment: large firms might be paying six-figure annual fees for high volume usage. It may have a base fee plus a per-new-hire or per-employee charge. Implementation is another cost – SilkRoad usually provides professional services to configure the workflows, especially for complex clients. Because it’s highly customizable, initial setup can take time (and money). Total cost of ownership includes these implementation services and possibly ongoing admin overhead (some companies have a dedicated SilkRoad admin on HR team). There may also be fees for integrations or specific add-ons (for example, if using SilkRoad’s managed services for document fulfillment, etc.). In comparison to others, SilkRoad might be on the higher end of cost, but it’s delivering enterprise-grade service. For an iCIMS customer, the decision might come down to whether they need that level of depth – if yes, they likely budget accordingly. If an organization is cost-sensitive and doesn’t need all features, a lighter solution might be chosen. However, those who do use RedCarpet often justify the cost by the risk mitigation and efficiency gains (e.g., avoiding legal issues by proper offboarding, saving HR time by automation at massive scale).

Click Boarding

Integration with iCIMS: Click Boarding is a dedicated onboarding platform known for its integration-friendly approach. It offers an open API and pre-built connectors to popular ATS and HR systems. For iCIMS, Click Boarding integration can be achieved either via the iCIMS Marketplace (if available there) or by using Click’s API to pull new hire data. The platform emphasizes “seamless integration with existing tech solutions” as a selling point. In practice, many mid-sized companies have connected Click Boarding to their ATS like iCIMS so that when a candidate is marked hired, an onboarding event is generated in Click. They also integrate with e-signature providers (though Click has native e-sign, I-9, etc.), and with HRIS/payroll to pass along completed forms. The vendor’s website mentions “automatic initiation of provisioning, screening and other applications” via integrations, meaning it can trigger IT accounts or background checks as part of workflow. So, for an iCIMS user, you can expect that Click Boarding will slot in without too much fuss – they likely have seen iCIMS before even if not an official partner. The integration work typically involves mapping fields (name, start date, etc.) and deciding on the trigger timing (most choose “offer accepted” or “hire date set” as the kickoff). The company also touts flat-file and partner-led integrations as options, which is helpful if API isn’t feasible. Overall, integration is a strength of Click Boarding – clients frequently praise how it “integrates seamlessly” with existing HR tech.

Core Features & Differentiators: Click Boarding’s core features cover the end-to-end onboarding process from offer acceptance through post Day 1 follow-ups. Key features include: a centralized onboarding checklist for new hires, electronic form completion (W-4, I-9 with E-Verify support, direct deposit, etc.), built-in compliance management, a mobile-first design, and the ability to create onboarding workflows with multiple steps. A differentiator for Click is its focus on both compliance and engagement. Many onboarding tools lean one way or the other, but Click tries to provide a balance. It has comprehensive compliance tracking (for example, ensuring I-9 Section 1 and 2 are done on time, supporting E-Verify integration, Work Opportunity Tax Credit processing for eligible employers). At the same time, it offers a modern user interface that is easy to navigate on any device, aiming to create a positive first impression for new hires. Another differentiator is speed of deployment – Click Boarding is often noted for being relatively quick to implement due to its cloud nature and standardized modules. The platform also allows you to personalize content (welcome messages, videos, documents specific to the role or location). Furthermore, Click Boarding encompasses offboarding and transitions as well, although its primary strength is onboarding/preboarding. One more selling point: Click Boarding positions itself as “human-centric” in approach, meaning they design the product so that while things are automated, they still feel personal (e.g., automated emails can come from the hiring manager’s name, etc.). In summary, Click’s differentiators are a strong compliance backbone under a friendly user experience, and an architecture that plays nicely with the rest of your HR systems.

Candidate & Recruiter Experience: Candidates using Click Boarding benefit from a straightforward and approachable onboarding process. Typically, a new hire would get a secure link to their onboarding portal. Upon login (often with multi-factor if sensitive info), they see a series of modules or tasks. The interface might greet them with a welcome message and then guide them through each form or action one at a time – for example, “Complete your personal details,” then “Fill out your W-4,” then “Sign company handbook acknowledgment,” etc. Because it’s mobile-optimized, a new hire can do a lot of this on their smartphone; features like photo-upload for identity documents are supported, which is useful if the person doesn’t have a scanner for, say, a driver’s license. The platform also allows the new hire to see what’s coming next and track their progress, which can reduce first-day anxiety. Users have reported that the interface is “intuitive” and that it provides a good first-year growth and retention impact. While not as content-rich as something like Enboarder, Click does allow embedding videos or images in the workflow, so companies can put a welcome video or team intro slides as part of the tasks.

For recruiters and HR, Click Boarding provides a central admin console where they can design onboarding flows and monitor status. A recruiter can see at a glance which new hires have completed their forms and which are pending, thanks to real-time dashboards. The system sends auto-reminders to new hires who have outstanding tasks, reducing the need for HR to chase. Recruiters can also set up tasks for internal team members (similar to other systems) – e.g., an email to IT to set up accounts. Those tasks show as completed when the responsible person checks them off via their email link or the system. One aspect that stands out in reviews is that recruiters/HR appreciate how the software reduces their administrative burden (less paper, fewer manual emails) and that it’s easy to use from their side too. The analytics from the admin side can report metrics like average time to complete onboarding packet, or areas where new hires struggle (perhaps a certain form that many people leave incomplete), which HR can use to improve the process. If issues arise, HR can step in – e.g., they can resend a link or even fill something out on behalf of the employee if needed. Overall, the recruiter experience is about efficiency and visibility: Click Boarding gives them a tool to ensure every new hire is progressing and no compliance step is missed, all while offering levers to make the experience a bit more engaging than plain PDFs.

Industry Use Cases: Click Boarding is used by a variety of industries, especially those that need a straightforward, reliable onboarding solution that covers legal bases without requiring an enterprise HR suite. Common sectors include financial services, insurance, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and hospitality. For example, a regional bank might use Click Boarding to onboard new tellers and back-office staff, emphasizing completion of policy documents and scheduling orientation. Or a restaurant chain franchisor might provide Click Boarding to franchisees to use for hourly workers’ onboarding, due to its ease and mobile features (hourly workers can onboard via phone). Another use case is staffing and recruiting firms – some staffing agencies use Click Boarding to onboard the contractors or temp staff they place, as it’s a nice experience layer over the placements and ensures compliance like tax forms are done. For iCIMS customers, Click Boarding can be particularly appealing to mid-market companies (say 500–5,000 employees) that find their HRIS’s onboarding too limited but don’t need an elaborate platform like SAP or Workday onboarding. It’s also popular where mobile access is crucial (e.g., field service companies hiring technicians who don’t sit at desks). Additionally, high-turnover environments (call centers, retail) like Click because it streamlines the process and helps get employees ready to be productive faster. Clients have noted that it enhances the new hire first-year retention by making them feel supported from the start. In essence, industries that value a mix of compliance, speed, and user-friendliness in onboarding are prime candidates for Click Boarding.

Pricing Model: Click Boarding’s pricing is subscription-based, and according to some analyses, it starts around $3,200 per year per user (admin) – but this phrasing is a bit confusing. It likely indicates a base annual fee (for a certain number of employee onboardings or a package). It might be that $3,200 is a starting price for a small business package with up to X onboardings per year. They don’t publicly list a clear per-user or per-hire cost on their site, so much of this comes from third-party sources. It’s probable that Click’s pricing can scale by either number of onboarding transactions or number of employees in the company. Some sources say “per user, annually” which might refer to per employee onboarded. For mid-sized firms, the cost is generally in the tens of thousands per year range when fully scaled. Implementation fees for Click Boarding are relatively low compared to big systems – many customers can configure it themselves with vendor support. Training and support are often included in the subscription. The total cost of ownership is attractive to those who don’t want to pay enterprise software prices; Click aims to provide a robust solution at a mid-market price point. That said, if a company is very small (say under 50 employees), the starting cost might be higher than what they need (there are simpler onboarding tools for very small businesses). But for the typical iCIMS customer (mid to large), Click’s pricing is generally seen as reasonable. Always, of course, negotiate and get quotes; some reviews mention that pricing was straightforward and worth the value given the features and reduction in manual work.

SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding

Integration with iCIMS: SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding (often now referring to Onboarding 2.0 in the SuccessFactors suite) is designed to integrate primarily with SAP’s own recruiting module, but it can also accept data from external ATS like iCIMS. An iCIMS-to-SAP integration is typically done as part of a “recruit-to-hire” data flow: once a candidate is marked hired in iCIMS, a connector (often a middleware or flat file) sends the necessary information to SuccessFactors to create a new employee record and trigger the Onboarding process. iCIMS offers a productized integration to SuccessFactors for core HR and likely Onboarding, given many mutual customers. One thing to note is that SuccessFactors Onboarding 2.0 is tightly integrated with the SuccessFactors Employee Central (HRIS) data model, so to use it, one typically has SuccessFactors as the system of record or at least as the onboarding system of record. If a company is using iCIMS ATS and SuccessFactors for HR, they often use iCIMS’ standard API/file feed to push candidate info (name, job, etc.) into SuccessFactors, which then kicks off Onboarding. This process is known and documented by SAP and iCIMS. However, it might not be as instantaneous or straightforward as a native integration; there could be a slight delay if using batch files. Still, once the data is in SF Onboarding, it leverages the SAP workflow. In summary, integration is definitely doable and commonly done (especially since a number of iCIMS clients use SAP for their HR system). The maintenance of that integration would be a consideration (ensuring field mappings stay up to date if either system changes). Many organizations also integrate SuccessFactors Onboarding with external systems for specific needs (e.g., IT provisioning or verification services), but if you’re an SAP HCM customer, a lot is in-suite.

Core Features & Differentiators: SuccessFactors Onboarding’s core features cover managing new hire paperwork and tasks, but as part of a unified HCM suite. Features include: a New Hire Portal (accessible via web or SF mobile app) where new hires can complete forms (including e-sign for documents), a workflow engine to assign tasks to hiring managers and others, the ability to create onboarding programs (which can differ for different job roles or locations), and built-in compliance support for various countries. Onboarding 2.0, specifically, was built to unify with the rest of SAP’s talent modules, so a big differentiator is how it unifies onboarding with the overall talent journey. For instance, the new hire’s info flows straight into Employee Central (no data re-entry), and onboarding tasks can include enrolling in learning modules (if SAP Learning is used) or setting up goals in performance system, etc., bridging Talent Acquisition and Talent Management. Another differentiator is that it supports cross-boarding and offboarding processes using the same framework. So you can use it to manage internal transfers or employee exits with appropriate task lists (similar to SilkRoad’s life events, though SF’s offboarding is somewhat simpler). SuccessFactors Onboarding also has a feature called “Electronic Signature Step” and specific compliance steps for certain locales (for example, it can integrate with the E-Verify system in the U.S. for I-9 checks, through a partnership). Additionally, since it’s SAP, it has robust permission controls – you can finely control who sees what (e.g., only HR can see SSN fields, managers cannot, etc.). The differentiator for enterprise customers is consistency and security: using SF Onboarding ensures that everything is tracked within one system and part of the core HR audit trails. However, it’s worth noting that earlier versions (Onboarding 1.0) had a reputation for being clunky; Onboarding 2.0 (released around 2019-2020) improved the UI and integration to make it more modern. So one could say a differentiator now is that it’s improved and more seamless if you’re in the SAP world. Where it doesn’t necessarily differentiate strongly is stand-alone engagement features – it doesn’t have as much built-in flashy content creation or comms features as Enboarder or others, relying instead on standard portal and email notifications.

Candidate & Recruiter Experience: When a new hire goes through SuccessFactors Onboarding, if the company also used SuccessFactors Recruiting, the transition is pretty smooth (they might use the same login). In the case of iCIMS feeding SF, the new hire will likely get an email from the company’s SAP system with login instructions to the New Hire Portal. The candidate experience is structured: they log in and see a dashboard of tasks. Typically, they’ll have a “Welcome” message from the company (which the HR team can configure in the admin setup). They might also see the name of their buddy or manager assigned (SF Onboarding allows you to designate that, and can even prompt the manager to, say, schedule a meeting). The new hire goes through forms in the system – the interface is web forms that are part of SAP, which ensures data validity (for example, it populates some fields already known, like their name, to avoid redundancy). They also can download documents like the employee handbook and acknowledge them. There is usually some orientation content – possibly in videos or PDFs. The UI is consistent with the SuccessFactors look: not highly customized to each company beyond logo and colors. It’s efficient, but some users might find it a bit “corporate” or less interactive than newer SaaS UIs. However, it covers what’s needed, and some candidates will appreciate the clear, no-nonsense approach – especially for roles where there’s a lot of compliance (they get a clear checklist to follow).

For recruiters and HR, SuccessFactors Onboarding provides an integrated experience. In the SF admin side, HR can configure onboarding programs with a drag-and-drop interface for steps (within certain templates). Recruiters or HRBPs can initiate onboarding for a candidate and monitor progress from their dashboard. They can see which tasks are completed or pending, and the system will notify responsible parties of upcoming or overdue tasks. An advantage is that the recruiter can also see some data that’s already now in the core HR system; in fact, SF Onboarding uses “New Hire Data Review” steps where HR can verify and edit info that flows into the core HRIS before the hire is fully onboarded into Employee Central. This reduces data inconsistencies. Hiring managers also get involved – they can be given a manager-specific onboarding dashboard that shows their new hires and tasks they need to do (like scheduling a 30-day check-in, or verifying that they’ve set up the new hire’s workstation). The recruiter’s general experience is that SF Onboarding ensures a lot of pieces come together automatically (IT accounts, security badge requests, etc., can all be triggered via integrations if set up). On the flip side, configuring or changing onboarding processes in SAP can require some expertise (often your SAP consultant or internal system admin does it, rather than a recruiter tweaking things on the fly). But once it’s configured to your liking, it runs like clockwork. Another plus: analytics – SAP provides standard onboarding reports and you can use the same People Analytics platform to create onboarding dashboards combining data (like time to complete onboarding, or new hire satisfaction scores if you input them). Recruiters/HR can use those to identify trends or issues (for example, if many new hires are not completing certain optional learning modules, etc.).

Industry Use Cases: SuccessFactors Onboarding is typically used by large enterprises or upper mid-market companies that already use SAP SuccessFactors as their HR platform. Industries include manufacturing, energy, healthcare, telecommunications, and public sector – many of which choose SAP for its global HR capabilities and then naturally use its onboarding. For an iCIMS customer, using SF Onboarding would usually mean the company has SuccessFactors for HR (and perhaps performance, learning, etc.) but chose iCIMS for recruiting. In such cases, SF Onboarding is used to ensure the new hire data seamlessly enters the HR system and the hire gets the proper corporate onboarding. It’s especially useful in industries with heavy compliance and multiple internal stakeholders for onboarding, because the SAP workflow can enforce things like background checks completion, mandatory training assignments, and provisioning of various systems through one central engine. For example, a global engineering firm might have iCIMS as ATS, but after hire, SF Onboarding ensures every engineer worldwide goes through the same corporate onboarding steps plus any local regulatory forms – all tracked. Another scenario: companies with a strong internal mobility focus might use SF Onboarding for cross-boarding (when an employee moves to a new role, they treat it like a re-onboarding with new training, etc.). Also, organizations that want onboarding integrated with performance goals – e.g., set first 90-day goals for a new hire as part of onboarding – can do that in the SF ecosystem. In short, it’s chosen by companies that prioritize integration with their core HR processes and global compliance over creating a flashy stand-alone onboarding journey. They want a dependable, audit-friendly onboarding that ties into payroll, benefits, and IT from day one.

Pricing Model: SuccessFactors Onboarding is typically licensed as part of the SuccessFactors HCM suite. SAP’s cloud pricing is usually per employee per month (for the modules you have). Many SAP customers buy it in a bundle (e.g., the Talent Management bundle might include Onboarding, Performance, and Recruiting, etc., or Onboarding can be added a la carte). The cost per user for something like Onboarding can be on the order of a few dollars per employee per year, but SAP tends to have minimums and tiered discounts for large volumes. If a company is only buying the Onboarding module (which is rare, since it’s usually in context of having Employee Central at least), then the pricing might differ. For an organization already using SF Employee Central, adding Onboarding is incremental and often justified by the efficiency gains (and sometimes negotiated into an enterprise agreement). Implementation of SF Onboarding can take some effort – it often happens alongside an Employee Central implementation or as a phase 2. That means initial implementation services costs should be considered (either paying SAP partners or internal IT time). The total cost of ownership includes the ongoing subscription and maintenance of the module (which updates with SAP’s releases). Since Onboarding 2.0 is relatively newer, SAP has been investing in improvements which come through updates at no extra cost. Comparatively, if you’re an iCIMS client considering SF Onboarding, the marginal cost might be low if you already pay for SAP, but if you don’t have SAP HR, you likely wouldn’t buy just this module alone – it’s something you leverage because you have the SAP ecosystem. One also has to factor the cost of integrating iCIMS to SAP – sometimes using a middleware like Dell Boomi or SAP CPI, which might have its own licensing cost, or paying iCIMS for a standard integration package. All told, SAP Onboarding can be quite cost-effective per hire at large scale because it’s usage is unlimited (you pay per employee generally, not per hire event), but it only makes sense if you’re in that ecosystem and can absorb the upfront integration effort.

Workday Onboarding

Integration with iCIMS: Workday Onboarding is part of Workday’s HCM suite, and integrating iCIMS with Workday for onboarding is a common scenario. Typically, iCIMS will export new hire data to Workday via a pre-built connector or a custom integration. Workday has robust APIs, and iCIMS has an adapter for Workday HCM, so in many cases an “iCIMS to Workday Hire” integration is implemented. This means when a candidate is hired in iCIMS, a new hire record is created in Workday, which then triggers Workday’s onboarding business process. The integration can be near real-time (via API) or batch (e.g., a nightly file) depending on the client’s preference and tech setup. A number of iCIMS customers use Workday as their system of record, so iCIMS provides integration options (some are file-based, as indicated by community docs for Workday HCM). Once in Workday, the onboarding steps are handled internally. Workday Onboarding also integrates with other Workday modules and potentially external systems (like background check vendors or benefit providers) through Workday’s integration framework. But specific to iCIMS, you would set up an integration such that all relevant fields (personal info, job, manager, etc.) flow into Workday. This is a solved problem in most cases, with many companies having done it. The key from an end-user perspective is that the new hire might get two sets of communications if not coordinated (one from iCIMS and one from Workday), so usually the process is orchestrated to have iCIMS pass the torch to Workday completely at the point of hire.

Core Features & Differentiators: Workday Onboarding (not a separately sold module but a set of business processes within Workday HCM) focuses on enabling new hires to become productive and connected in the Workday ecosystem. Core features include: a New Hire Dashboard in Workday that presents all assigned onboarding tasks to the new hire; tasks can include filling out personal information (if not already in the system via the ATS), completing tax elections, signing documents (Workday has an electronic signature framework), and enrolling in benefits (if applicable and if the timing aligns). It also includes a “Buddy” assignment capability and the ability for managers to get a “Your new team member is starting” to-do list. A differentiator for Workday is that onboarding is just a stage in the employee lifecycle that Workday manages – it’s inherently tied to things like pre-hire benefits enrollment, equipment provisioning (through Workday’s business process framework linking to IT ticketing if configured), and even performance goal setting for new hires. Workday introduced in recent releases more personalization in onboarding plans (for example, 2025 updates allowing personalized pre-boarding experiences). Another differentiator is the global consistency – Workday Onboarding is built with global employers in mind, so it can handle multiple locales’ requirements by conditional logic in its business processes. For instance, it can present different forms to a worker in Germany vs. one in the US. It’s also integrated with Workday Learning (if you have it), so you can automatically assign training courses to new hires and have that as part of their onboarding tasks. Where Workday might not differentiate as much is in highly specialized onboarding features like surveys/pulse feedback or rich multimedia content delivery – though you can embed custom content, it’s not as out-of-the-box engagement-focused as Enboarder or others. The selling point is that it’s unified: Onboarding tasks live in the same system the employee will use for time off, expenses, etc., giving a continuous experience.

Candidate & Recruiter Experience: For a new hire, once they are in Workday’s system (often as a “pre-hire” before Day 1), they receive credentials to log into Workday. The experience then is via Workday’s standard interface (web or mobile app). The new hire will typically see a “Inbox” or an Onboarding worklet with tasks. These tasks may include: Enter Personal Information (if some fields weren’t imported, e.g., emergency contact, or maybe re-confirm address), Complete Section 1 of Form I-9, Electronically Sign Company Policies, Complete benefit elections (some companies allow certain benefit setup before Day 1), and perhaps a task to meet their team (like “Review Org Chart” – Workday can show them the org chart with them in it). Workday’s UI is generally clean and functional, but not particularly tailored per company beyond logo and some theme color. It’s consistent for any Workday-using employee. Some companies using Workday have augmented the experience by sending additional communications (maybe outside of Workday) to cover the warm-fuzzy stuff, leaving Workday to handle the transactional tasks. That said, Workday has improved with things like a “day 1 orientation” app that can show a welcome video or a checklist in a more user-friendly way. Still, the candidate (now new employee) might find Workday’s onboarding very straightforward: it’s like “here’s a list of things I need to do in the HR system.” It ensures they get things done but may not be overly celebratory in tone.

Recruiters and HR find that Workday onboarding simplifies their job by automating a lot of hand-offs. When a recruiter marks someone hired in iCIMS and that data flows to Workday, HR doesn’t have to re-key data. The HR team can configure the onboarding process once in Workday’s business process designer – for example: Step 1: trigger background check (if that’s post-offer for some reason), Step 2: send welcome letter email (Workday can generate emails for certain steps), Step 3: assign tasks to new hire, manager, etc. Then it runs for each hire consistently. Managers get their own tasks in Workday (like “Assign Goals for your new employee” or “Schedule a one-on-one meeting”). Workday will send reminders if tasks aren’t done. From HR’s side, monitoring is done by reports – they can run an “Onboarding status” report to see completion. If someone is lagging, HR can manually nudge or assist. Because Workday is workflow-centric, if a step is dependent on another, it won’t let processes close out until everything is done (for instance, the hire won’t fully move to “employee” status until required onboarding tasks are completed or administratively waived). Recruiters themselves might not interact with Workday onboarding unless they also wear the HR hat, since often once they hand off to HR, Workday takes over. However, sometimes recruiters have visibility into onboarding status to inform them if a candidate might be backing out or having issues (this would be a custom setup; not default). One challenge reported by some is that Workday’s configuration flexibility requires some expertise – usually a Workday admin sets up onboarding, not end-users on the fly – but once set, recruiters/HR appreciate that it’s reliable and integrated. As one review noted, Workday’s onboarding tools are “as strong as the rest of its HR features”, implying that while they may not dazzle, they are solid and get the job done in line with Workday’s general quality.

Industry Use Cases: Workday Onboarding is used by any organization that uses Workday HCM, across all industries Workday serves (which is many: tech, finance, higher education, healthcare, retail, etc.). Specifically, companies that value having all HR processes in one platform choose Workday Onboarding to avoid having a separate onboarding system. This can be extremely beneficial in highly regulated industries (like financial services or pharma) where data security and consistent processes are paramount – Workday provides that single source of truth, which is attractive. Global companies also lean on Workday for onboarding due to its multi-country support (they can maintain one system for all countries with localized steps). A notable use case is companies that do very high-volume college recruiting or seasonal hiring – Workday can import large batches of new hires and run them through standardized onboarding (though some might use more specialized tools, many find Workday sufficient here). Another scenario is companies with rapid acquisition or growth; Workday onboarding can scale and also handle pre-hire data collection needed for things like provisioning equipment in advance. For iCIMS customers, the typical case would be if they implemented Workday for HR, they would want to leverage Workday Onboarding to ensure nothing is lost between the ATS and HRIS, and to make the new hire immediately part of the HR ecosystem (e.g., in company directory, enrolled in training, etc.). They might still use iCIMS for all candidate-facing parts up to offer acceptance, then Workday from that point on for the internal process. Essentially, Workday Onboarding shines for organizations that prioritize efficiency, data integrity, and one-stop-shop for HR processes over having a bespoke flashy onboarding app. It’s a trade-off that many enterprise HR teams are comfortable with, since Workday’s strengths are reliability and integration.

Pricing Model: Workday doesn’t price Onboarding as a separate module; it’s included as part of the core Workday HCM license or as part of the broader platform. If a company has Workday, they have the capability to do onboarding using it (though some very small Workday setups might not use it if they only got limited modules). Workday’s pricing is typically subscription-based per employee (PEPM – per employee per month) for the whole suite or modules. Large enterprises might pay a significant annual fee covering all their workers. The onboarding piece itself would just be an included feature – so there’s not an extra cost line item for “onboarding” in most cases. Therefore, the cost for an iCIMS client to use Workday Onboarding is essentially bound up in the cost of Workday they’re already paying (or plan to pay). The additional costs would be in integration development (to connect iCIMS and Workday – sometimes Workday has a package for recruiting integrations or one can use a tool like Zapier, but usually, a one-time integration project with some maintenance is needed). If a company is evaluating whether to go with Workday Onboarding or a third-party tool, it often comes down to: “We already pay for Workday, so using it is marginally ‘free’ versus buying another system.” That can be a compelling argument. The TCO of Workday Onboarding is low if you already have Workday (no extra vendor to manage, no extra security review, etc.), which is why many choose to stick with it unless there’s a very strong reason not to. And because Workday continuously updates its features, you’re getting improvements over time under the same subscription. For instance, if Workday adds a new onboarding feature in a release, you get that as part of your regular updates. In conclusion, pricing is generally subsumed under Workday’s general cost – which is premium, but onboarding is just one of many capabilities you get for that price.

Phenom Onboarding (Tydy)

Integration with iCIMS: Phenom is known for its Talent Experience Management platform, which historically has integrated well with ATS like iCIMS for recruitment marketing and CRM. With the addition of Tydy (a preboarding/onboarding automation solution), Phenom can now extend integration to cover onboarding events. For an iCIMS client, Phenom’s platform could receive candidate data as soon as an offer is accepted (Phenom already often sits on top of ATS for candidate relationship management). The integration would likely be API-driven: iCIMS can send a webhook or API call to Phenom/Tydy when a hire is made, including key fields. Tydy was designed to connect tools, processes, and people across systems, which implies it’s adept at taking data from one system and using it to trigger workflows that might span multiple systems. So, for example, from iCIMS it takes the new hire, then it might push some data to a payroll system, create a Slack channel for the new hire, etc. If a company already uses Phenom for career site or CRM, adding onboarding integration is a natural extension – the unified platform means less complexity in hooking up to iCIMS (Phenom would extend the existing integration). Moreover, Phenom/Tydy likely can ingest iCIMS data either directly or via an integration iPaaS. In summary, integration is a strong suit: one can expect near real-time triggers from iCIMS to Phenom Onboarding, enabling immediate engagement of the new hire and coordination with HR systems. Phenom emphasizes reducing manual effort and connecting processes, so their integration approach would be to automate the flow of information across ATS, HRIS, IT, etc., with Tydy acting as the central orchestrator.

Core Features & Differentiators: Phenom’s onboarding (powered by Tydy) centers on delivering personalized and automated journeys for each new hire. Core features include: automated workflow generation for onboarding tasks (with Tydy’s logic tailoring the workflow based on a user’s role, location, department, etc.), a communications engine that can send emails, texts, or even WhatsApp messages as part of the onboarding sequence, and an Employee Data Platform that Tydy uses to aggregate data from multiple sources to drive onboarding actions. A major differentiator is the use of AI and rich personalization – Phenom’s platform might, for instance, recommend content to a new hire similar to how it personalizes job recommendations for candidates. Tydy specifically brought to Phenom capabilities like connecting multiple systems (HR, IT, Finance) and ensuring new hires get only relevant info rather than one-size-fits-all onboarding. Another differentiator is the focus on not just paperwork but the social and cultural assimilation of new hires: Phenom could leverage its experience platform to introduce new hires to internal communities, mentors, or learning pathways. Also, given Phenom’s focus on analytics, their onboarding solution likely has robust analytics dashboards showing engagement metrics (e.g., which content new hires engage with, onboarding completion rates by cohort, etc.). They also highlight reducing manual tasks for HR, IT, and Ops by using automation – for example, automatically creating accounts or sending equipment requests when certain triggers happen. Phenom Onboarding’s differentiator is essentially the holistic approach: it’s not just an onboarding checklist, but part of a continuous experience from candidate to employee, using intelligence at each step (Phenom’s AI, plus Tydy’s workflow engine) to optimize that journey.

Candidate & Recruiter Experience: A new hire going through Phenom’s onboarding journey is likely to feel a highly customized, engaging experience. Since Phenom is big on experience, the new hire might first receive a beautifully branded welcome email with interactive elements, or even an onboarding microsite just for them. They might not have to log into a heavy HR system initially; instead, the journey could be delivered via mobile-friendly pages or even chatbot interactions (Phenom has chatbot tech that could be used to guide new hires through simple tasks). The new hire will be guided step by step – e.g., “Hello [Name], welcome! Here’s what to expect in your first week… Now, let’s get some paperwork done” – followed by one-click access to fill necessary forms. Because Tydy connects to multiple systems, some tasks can be completed without the new hire doing separate logins – Tydy could push data to an e-sign provider in the background or schedule an IT ticket without the new hire even knowing those system names. The new hire may also receive proactive communications like “Meet your team” with profiles of their team members (Phenom could leverage employee profiles to create that content). Throughout, the experience is interactive and feedback-driven – for instance, the platform might ask “How are you feeling about starting?” in a quick survey, collecting sentiment to alert HR if someone is disengaged. The new hire likely also has a central dashboard (in a Phenom app or portal) where they can see tasks and progress, similar to others but with a more modern UI. Overall, the tone is personalized and supportive, aligning with Phenom’s goal to keep that excited candidate energy going through onboarding.

For recruiters and HR, Phenom’s onboarding provides a high degree of automation and insight. Recruiters benefit from the fact that Phenom’s talent platform now spans the pre-hire and post-hire phase – which means data from the candidate stage (like what attracted the candidate, their engagement patterns) might be visible and useful in onboarding to tailor the approach. Recruiters can potentially step back as the system nurtures the new hire automatically until day one, or they can be prompted by the system for human touchpoints where it matters (e.g., “The new hire’s start date is tomorrow – send them a personal note!”). HR and onboarding specialists get a backend interface to design onboarding workflows, similar in concept to how one might design email campaigns – Phenom likely provides a drag-and-drop journey builder where triggers, delays, and actions can be configured. The interface to track onboarding will highlight any new hires at risk (for instance, if someone hasn’t completed critical forms or hasn’t engaged with communications, which might indicate they’re getting cold feet). The system could alert HR or recruiters to intervene early. Also, because Phenom’s onboarding is part of a larger analytics suite, HR can correlate onboarding metrics with eventual outcomes (like retention or performance) down the line, giving strategic insight. Another nice aspect for HR is that Tydy claims to reduce manual work across departments – some early adopters of Tydy reported significant hours saved in coordinating between HR, IT, and others. So HR might find they no longer need to send so many emails to internal teams; the platform does it and tracks it. Recruiters might have less direct role once the handoff is done, but they can be confident the experience the candidate (now employee) is receiving reflects well on the company brand – since it’s all within the Phenom-managed journey.

Industry Use Cases: Phenom Onboarding (with Tydy) is quite new under Phenom’s umbrella (acquired in 2023), but Tydy itself was used by some large global enterprises – reportedly some of the world’s largest brands are clients, likely in sectors like technology, consumer goods, and possibly large consulting firms. Industries that were early adopters of such an onboarding experience platform include tech and digital companies (where providing a cutting-edge experience is part of employer brand), and companies with complex onboarding that spans multiple systems (e.g., a company where HR, IT, facilities, finance all have to coordinate – Tydy’s value prop is high there). Another sweet spot is companies that already use Phenom for candidate experiences; adding onboarding allows them to extend that cohesive experience. Think of a large retail or hospitality chain that engages candidates through Phenom career site and chatbot – now they can carry that engagement into onboarding for hourly workers with mobile interactions. Or a multinational firm with thousands of hires per year that wants to ensure consistency – Tydy was built to handle big volumes and personalize at scale. Because it’s a global platform, industries with footprints in many countries (like pharmaceutical, FMCG, or IT services companies) could use it to standardize and automate onboarding across regions, while still customizing content by locale. For iCIMS customers, Phenom Onboarding is most likely to appeal to those who have already invested in Phenom’s Talent Experience components (like career sites, CRM, internal mobility) – typically progressive HR teams in competitive talent markets. It’s for organizations that see onboarding as an extension of recruiting marketing and employee experience (rather than just an administrative necessity). Also, any industry experiencing high turnover or where early retention is an issue might specifically target onboarding improvements to boost retention – Phenom would pitch that its engaging, timely journeys can improve metrics like 90-day retention or new hire productivity.

Pricing Model: Phenom’s platform modules (CRM, career site, chatbot, etc.) are usually sold via subscription based on company size or talent flow. Onboarding would be another module to add. Pricing specifics for Phenom Onboarding aren’t public, but we can infer it’s on a SaaS subscription likely tied to either the number of users (employees) or number of hires per year, and possibly the breadth of features. Phenom deals historically have been enterprise-level (tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands per year for large org packages covering various modules). If an iCIMS customer is adding Phenom Onboarding, they might negotiate it as an add-on to their existing Phenom contract. The value proposition would be that it could reduce other costs (for instance, maybe replacing some manual processes or even other tools like an IT onboarding tool). Since Tydy was a separate company pre-acquisition, its pricing was likely similar (annual license based on number of onboardings/employees). Given that Enboarder’s starting point is around $10k/year and scales up, Phenom Onboarding might be in that neighborhood or higher depending on scale and integration complexity. Implementation might involve a services fee – to design the initial journeys and set up integrations – though Phenom often includes a certain level of implementation support with their SaaS fees. TCO should consider that Phenom Onboarding’s aim is to reduce manual work (saving labor costs) and potentially improve retention (harder to quantify, but very valuable). So ROI arguments can be made. For budgeting, a mid-size company might spend somewhere in the mid-five-figures annually for this, whereas a large global enterprise could be in six-figures, particularly if they use Phenom broadly. Each case will vary, of course. The decision for an iCIMS client to license this likely hinges on already having or planning to have Phenom for the front-end; as a standalone, one might compare it to Enboarder or others, but if already in Phenom’s ecosystem, pricing could be advantageous as a bundle.

UKG Onboarding (UKG Pro)

Integration with iCIMS: UKG Pro (formerly UltiPro) is a popular HRIS for mid-market and enterprise, and it has its own onboarding module. To integrate iCIMS with UKG Onboarding, typically a file-based or API-based integration is used where iCIMS exports new hire data and imports it into UKG. In fact, iCIMS provides a productized flat-file integration to UKG Onboarding, meaning they have a defined format and process for moving new hire info from iCIMS to UKG. This usually runs when a candidate’s status changes to hired. Once the data is in UKG, the new hire is created as an employee record (often in a “pre-hire” state) and the UKG Onboarding steps commence. Some iCIMS-UKG customers might also choose to use a middleware or direct API calls; UKG has a marketplace and published APIs as well. The key integrated fields would be personal info, job, manager, etc., and possibly a pointer to documents. The integration ensures that duplicate data entry is eliminated and that UKG’s onboarding checklist is populated for that hire. Because UKG and iCIMS have many mutual clients, this integration is well-trodden. HR Tech consultancies or the vendors themselves can set it up with relative ease. So, for a company using iCIMS ATS and UKG Pro for HR/Payroll, it’s quite standard to have new hires flow into UKG Onboarding (some might even reverse the integration after onboarding – e.g., sending the status back to iCIMS or send onboarding completion data, but that’s less common). Overall, integration shouldn’t be a barrier; it’s more about deciding which system takes the lead on the onboarding user experience (in this case UKG, once data is transferred).

Core Features & Differentiators: UKG Pro Onboarding provides a new hire portal/dashboard, task management for new hires and managers, and the usual form completion (tax forms, direct deposit, I-9 via integration). A noted differentiator for UKG’s approach is the emphasis on connection and culture in addition to paperwork. UKG markets its onboarding as delivering “unique, collaborative technologies that help new hires connect to your company in a way that is personal and impactful”. Practically, features that support this include a sleek new hire dashboard that can be personalized with welcome messages, the ability to add dynamic content like videos or company info, and a social introduction where new hires can see pictures/names of team members or have a buddy assigned. Another feature: UKG Onboarding allows managers to contribute to the onboarding process through the system (like writing a welcome note that appears on the new hire’s portal). There’s also some collaborative workflow – possibly enabling cross-team tasks. In terms of compliance, UKG handles all the standard U.S. requirements (and likely Canadian, since UKG has a strong North American presence). One differentiator is that since UKG Pro is an HCM suite (covering HR, payroll, etc.), the onboarding module is tightly integrated with things like benefits enrollment and payroll setup. For example, as part of onboarding, a new hire might go through benefit plan info and selection if you choose to include that early. Many smaller standalone onboarding tools can’t handle that. Additionally, UKG Pro Onboarding benefits from UKG’s workforce management lineage by focusing on productivity early – their messaging suggests that by automating admin tasks, managers can spend more time with customers or team coaching. They also highlight adaptability – like customizable templates and mobile access. However, compared to leading specialist platforms, UKG’s differentiators are more about being embedded in the full HR suite and having a balanced approach (some engagement, some admin). One might say it’s differentiated by being a “one-stop HR onboarding” – everything from e-sign forms to first-day scheduling in one system (with data flowing straight into HR records and payroll).

Candidate & Recruiter Experience: From the new hire’s perspective, once they receive their UKG Pro onboarding access (which might be via an email link to the UKG portal), they are greeted with a polished dashboard. UKG’s new hire dashboard is described as “sleek”, showing all their tasks, information, and tools they need. It likely starts with a welcome message (which HR can personalize) and might include a welcome video or a blurb about company values. The tasks could range from filling out personal details (if not all already captured by iCIMS), signing tax forms (the system includes an e-sign for W-4, etc.), reviewing company policies, and maybe watching an orientation video. UKG being mobile-friendly, the new hire could do tasks on a smartphone. A nice aspect is the personal welcome content – HR can add dynamic content like, say, an interactive org chart so they can explore the company structure, or perhaps photos of their team. The new hire also sees due dates for tasks and a progress bar. UKG tries to focus the new hire on people over process where possible. For example, one of the highlights is “Focus on People: person-centered experience that focuses on people over process”, meaning instead of just a list of forms, they incorporate things like connecting with colleagues. They specifically mention features like having a buddy system – managers can assign a buddy in the system, and new hires might see their buddy’s profile and contact info as part of onboarding. They also have a feature where managers can introduce the new hire to the team through the portal before day one. So the new hire could browse short bios or LinkedIn profiles of their teammates, making that first day more comfortable.

For recruiters and HR, UKG Pro Onboarding is fairly straightforward. If a recruiter’s role ends at marking hired in iCIMS, HR (or an HRIS specialist) would handle UKG onboarding setup. UKG provides an admin panel for creating the onboarding “checklists” or processes, which can include conditional tasks based on criteria. It’s somewhat template-driven: you might have a template for corporate hires vs. field hires, etc. Once the data flows in, HR mostly monitors rather than manually pushes anything. They have an administrative dashboard that shows status of each hire’s onboarding tasks. They can easily track which managers have completed their tasks too (the system specifically notes tracking manager task completion on an admin dashboard). This holds managers accountable, which is helpful. Another plus: UKG Onboarding is connected to core HR, so once the new hire finishes onboarding, all that data is already in the employee record – HR doesn’t have to re-enter forms or upload documents; it’s all stored in the system under the person’s profile. If issues come up (like a new hire can’t complete something online), HR can step in to assist or mark tasks complete as needed. From a manager’s perspective (since they are a user too), they get guidance via UKG. The system might send managers emails or tasks like “Prepare for [New Hire]’s first day – here are 3 things you should do,” which could include scheduling a first-week agenda, assigning a mentor, etc. These prompts ensure consistency across managers. In terms of improvements, UKG’s UI has historically been user-friendly but not as modern as some new SaaS upstarts. However, they have been updating it, and mid-2020s UKG has a cleaner interface than older UltiPro days. So recruiters/HR can expect a solid, if not extremely flashy, tool that covers the bases and offers some level of engagement in onboarding, particularly oriented to making the new hire feel welcome and connected.

Industry Use Cases: UKG Pro (UltiPro) is widely used in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, retail, financial services, education, and public sector, especially in North America. Its onboarding module finds use in those same sectors. A typical use case: a regional hospital system using iCIMS for recruiting might utilize UKG Onboarding to handle all the paperwork for nurses and doctors they hire, ensuring compliance forms (like various certification acknowledgments) are done and also introducing them to the organization’s culture (maybe a mission video in the portal). Another case: a retailer with many store locations can use UKG Onboarding for all its hourly staff onboarding. Because it’s mobile-friendly and straightforward, store managers can help facilitate new hires on tablets. UKG’s clientele often have sizable hourly populations or decentralized workforces, and the onboarding module works for both office and frontline contexts. Also, companies that place a strong emphasis on early engagement but within an HR framework (versus highly marketing-driven engagement) might choose UKG onboarding – for instance, a credit union wanting a warm welcome for new employees but still in a secure HR system environment. For iCIMS customers, using UKG Onboarding is common when the organization’s HR and payroll are in UKG Pro. The benefit is they keep all employee info and onboarding tasks integrated with payroll start dates, first paycheck, etc. It’s particularly useful for those with complex payroll or benefits that want the new hire to input directly into the source system (i.e., UKG). Another scenario is for companies with a strong culture focus – UKG’s marketing suggests they want to help create better employee experiences (the partnership ecosystem mention focuses on better experiences). While it’s not as specialized in that as, say, Enboarder, it does allow a culture-focused organization to push that narrative through a platform that also gets the practical things done. So UKG Onboarding is favored by HR teams that want a balanced solution (engaging + administrative) without needing multiple tools to achieve it.

Pricing Model: UKG Pro’s onboarding isn’t usually priced standalone; it’s part of the UKG Pro suite. Typically, customers purchase the whole HCM or at least the core HR product, and onboarding comes included or as an add-on module for a nominal cost. UKG’s pricing in general is on a per employee per month basis, often with some minimums. For example, a mid-market company might pay a certain PEPM for Core HR, and adding Onboarding might increase that by a small amount or just be bundled. Since UKG often sells comprehensive packages (HR, payroll, benefits, etc.), onboarding may be essentially included in the base price of the platform. Therefore, for an iCIMS client, the incremental cost of using UKG’s onboard vs not using it when you have UKG is likely minor. The costs to consider are more around integration (the effort to set up iCIMS->UKG feed, which might have been included in implementation or requires a one-time service fee). If the company has not yet bought UKG, they’d buy it as an HCM solution, not just for onboarding. In that sense, the “decision” on onboarding cost is wrapped up in the larger decision on HR systems. Total cost of ownership for UKG Onboarding is fairly low once you have the system – it’s maintained by UKG as part of the cloud updates, and HR doesn’t need separate vendor management or security assessments. If comparing it to buying a separate onboarding tool, using UKG’s could be cost-effective because you’re leveraging something you already pay for. UKG’s value prop on cost also can factor in: by streamlining onboarding, you may avoid errors that lead to costly issues (like missed tax credits, something UKG’s WOTC integration covers, or avoiding new hire data entry mistakes). Also, by getting employees productive faster (UKG claims to help improve time-to-productivity), there’s an efficiency gain. So from a budgeting perspective, if you have UKG Pro and you’re not using onboarding, it’s almost a sunk cost not being utilized – thus many will opt to use what they have. If UKG Onboarding is not included, adding it is likely cheaper than going out to procure a separate vendor, unless the separate vendor’s impact is significantly higher. In short, pricing often isn’t the barrier for UKG Onboarding – it’s more about whether its capabilities meet the needs or if one needs something more specialized.

ADP Onboarding (ADP Workforce Now)

Integration with iCIMS: ADP Workforce Now (WFN) is a widely used HR platform, especially for U.S. mid-sized companies, and it has a built-in onboarding feature. iCIMS and ADP have a long-standing partnership; in fact, ADP even resells iCIMS in some contexts. Integrating iCIMS to ADP WFN for onboarding is typically done through an API or secure file feed. iCIMS has a standard integration to ADP where when a candidate is hired, it creates the new hire in ADP (with options to trigger different pieces). ADP’s own documentation mentions an “ATS to AD” integration for onboarding automation – presumably for Active Directory or similar, but the key is ADP expects to get the info from the ATS to start onboarding. Once the data is in ADP WFN, ADP’s onboarding module can take over. ADP’s Marketplace listing also shows an integration for Smart Onboarding (which is another ADP offering), though here we focus on ADP WFN Onboarding. The integration usually covers personal data, job info, and possibly the trigger to send the ADP onboarding welcome email. Because ADP WFN is a closed system in some ways, often the integration with iCIMS is a batch file that gets picked up by ADP’s import process, or now via API through ADP’s API services if the client enabled them. ADP and iCIMS being popular in mid-market means many have done it – iCIMS likely offers an out-of-the-box connector for ADP that they configure for you, which means minimal custom work. In summary, integrating iCIMS to ADP Onboarding is straightforward; ADP actually highlights iCIMS as a key partner and has a guide for it.

Core Features & Differentiators: ADP’s onboarding (within WFN) is focused on making the administrative side of onboarding easy and paperless. Core features include: a centralized onboarding portal for the new hire, electronic completion of forms (federal/state tax forms, I-9, direct deposit, etc.), ability to present company policies for acknowledgment, task assignment for managers (like a checklist to ensure equipment and training are ready), and the ability to send a personalized welcome message via the portal. ADP emphasizes that it is a “centralized, simple and streamlined process”. One differentiator is that ADP Onboarding ties directly into ADP’s payroll and HR systems, so when a new hire completes onboarding, they are essentially already in the HR database and ready for payroll, benefits, etc., without further data entry. Another differentiator is ADP’s mobile accessibility – new hires can use their phone to complete many onboarding tasks (which suits hourly workforce well). ADP also touts that with their onboarding, new hires do less paperwork and spend more time connecting with coworkers. They facilitate that by offering a “personalized welcome portal” where HR can include welcome videos, organization information, etc.. Interestingly, ADP also mentions a feature for managers: they can be assigned tasks via the onboarding dashboard, and ADP can track those (like ensuring the manager completes all items on their checklist). ADP Onboarding tries to incorporate a bit of culture as well – features like sharing core values or welcome videos in the portal are possible. However, compared to some others, ADP’s differentiators lean towards compliance and convenience – for example, turnkey integration with ADP’s core HR is a big plus if you’re already in that ecosystem. ADP also leverages its compliance expertise: the onboarding ensures forms are completed correctly (reducing errors) and even offers Work Opportunity Tax Credit processing in some packages (as indicated by Efficient Hire example – although Efficient Hire is separate, ADP’s own might integrate that too). Lastly, ADP’s solution is known to be adaptable through templates (so HR can configure different onboarding workflows for different groups) and fairly quick to deploy if you’re an ADP customer, since it’s part of the system.

Candidate & Recruiter Experience: For the new hire, ADP’s onboarding provides a step-by-step guided experience primarily oriented around completing necessary tasks. Upon an offer acceptance, the new hire gets an email to join the ADP onboarding portal. Logging in, they see a welcome message (which the company can customize – maybe a note from the CEO or their manager, and possibly a video). Then, most of the interface is about getting their info set up in the system. ADP’s interface for onboarding is quite user-friendly and wizard-driven. For instance, it will prompt “Let’s start with your personal details” – and it will have fields for address, emergency contact, etc. Then it might move to “Tax Forms” – it will present the W-4 in an online format that’s easy to fill (and it can even provide guidance or a calculator). Next, “Direct Deposit” – letting them input bank info. And “I-9” – ADP can guide them through Section 1 and also orchestrate Section 2 for HR (and connect to E-Verify if the employer uses that). There may also be “Acknowledgments” – where the new hire reads policies (like a code of conduct) and electronically signs acknowledgment. Throughout this, ADP’s UI is straightforward, and on the side or top there may be a progress indicator. New hires can save and resume if needed. ADP’s portal allows for documents to be uploaded if necessary (like documents for I-9 verification in remote hire scenarios). On the softer side, ADP does allow the company to include a welcome video or info about company culture and values, which the new hire can view. Another feature: ADP mentions “Introduce them to your company and neighborhood” in a feature listing – implying the portal could show things like office location maps, local eateries, etc., though that might require some HR input to set up. Once the new hire completes all tasks, they get a congratulatory message and instructions for Day 1 (which might be provided by HR via this portal or separate email).

From the recruiter/HR side, using ADP onboarding means they rely on ADP to capture the data, rather than gathering forms manually. Recruiters mostly will hand off to HR as soon as the candidate is marked hired and data flows to ADP. HR then monitors ADP to see that the hire is progressing. ADP’s admin view lets HR see the completion status of each new hire’s forms. If a new hire hasn’t finished, HR can send reminders (the system likely auto-reminds as well). HR can also enter data on behalf of the employee if absolutely needed (like if the person had trouble with something, HR can override or input directly into the HR system). The administrative interface also has a “Manager tasks” tracking – ADP specifically calls out that practitioners can track manager checklist tasks via an Onboarding Administrative Dashboard. So if, for example, the manager was supposed to meet the employee on Day 1 and confirm it in the system, HR could see if that is done or not. HR can configure what tasks managers get vs. employees. The recruiter’s role, per se, might end with initiating onboarding. One potential drawback some mention is that ADP’s onboarding is very focused on the forms – it might not have advanced customization for communications cadence beyond the portal. But for many HR teams, that simplicity is fine and even preferred. Another aspect: ADP’s onboarding is integrated with its recruiting in some cases (ADP has its own ATS for WFN) – but if using iCIMS, recruiters are not dealing with ADP’s recruiting piece at all, just sending data over. As long as integration works, HR and recruiters trust ADP’s onboarding to systematically gather all needed info and alert them if something’s missing. The overall recruiter/HR experience is largely about efficiency and accuracy – ADP Onboarding ensures everything (tax withholdings, I-9, etc.) is done correctly before the person is fully added to payroll. That in turn spares HR and payroll from chasing new hires for missing info post-hire.

Industry Use Cases: ADP Workforce Now (and its onboarding) is heavily used in mid-sized companies and smaller enterprises across many industries, especially in the U.S. For example, professional services firms, manufacturers, non-profits, hospitality companies, and financial services (like community banks) often use ADP for HR/Payroll and thus use it for onboarding. If a company has relatively straightforward onboarding needs – primarily ensuring compliance and getting people into the system – ADP onboarding is usually sufficient and preferred. It’s commonly seen in organizations where perhaps they don’t have a huge HR tech team to manage a complex onboarding tool; they lean on ADP’s all-in-one nature. Also, industries with significant hourly or distributed workforce (retail, restaurant chains, healthcare clinics) find ADP onboarding useful because it’s easy for a new hire to quickly go through the forms on their phone, and everything flows right into payroll for their first paycheck (no delays due to missing paperwork). For iCIMS customers, if they chose ADP as their HR system, using ADP’s onboarding keeps things simple. The typical scenario: a mid-market company uses iCIMS for its strong recruiting capabilities (better candidate experience perhaps than ADP’s ATS), and ADP for core HR. They’ll then use ADP Onboarding to handle the formalities once hiring decisions are made. In some cases, an iCIMS+ADP client might evaluate a specialist onboarding tool if they want more engagement, but many will stick with ADP because of cost and convenience. ADP Onboarding especially shines if the priority is compliance and integration to payroll. So industries with heavy compliance paperwork (like healthcare needing lots of certifications, or trucking needing license info, etc.) also appreciate that ADP can be configured to capture those specifics and store them in the HR record. It’s less often chosen by those who want flashy onboarding experiences; it’s chosen by those who say “We need to get onboarding done efficiently and correctly.”

Pricing Model: ADP Workforce Now is typically sold as a bundle of HR, payroll, benefits modules on a per-employee per-month basis, often tiered by company size. Onboarding is usually part of the core HR module or available as an add-on at a modest cost. For example, ADP might have packages where onboarding is included in the “HR Plus” package or similar. The pricing for a mid-sized firm could range widely (ADP is known for custom quotes based on exactly what modules and services you use). For reference, some sources note ADP WFN starts at around $6-$12 PEPM for basic packages and goes up with more features. Onboarding would not drastically change that. If one uses ADP’s “Smart Onboarding” (a more advanced onboarding module ADP offers, often to larger companies or as a standalone via Marketplace), that might have separate pricing – but ADP WFN’s native onboarding is just part of WFN. For an iCIMS user, you’d already be paying for ADP as your HR system, so using the onboarding feature is likely already in your subscription or an incremental cost that’s far less than hiring a separate vendor. Implementation cost is low because it’s integrated – it might have been set up during your ADP deployment. If not, ADP can activate it quickly. The integration from iCIMS may have had a one-time cost from iCIMS or ADP side, but again, that’s part of the initial project. TCO is minimal: ADP maintains compliance updates (like if W-4 forms change, ADP updates it in the system automatically; if state tax forms update, ADP handles it). That’s a big relief for HR – you’re essentially outsourcing the maintenance of onboarding compliance to ADP, which is part of why you pay them. So the cost you pay ADP for the platform covers that ongoing update and support. Compared to, say, paying for Enboarder, ADP’s onboarding could be seen as a “free” or sunk cost component of a larger system – the trade-off is you get a bit less razzle-dazzle for the new hire, but you save on having multiple systems. In summary, the pricing model is bundled and subscription-based; for any company already on ADP, the financial argument to use ADP Onboarding is strong (since you’re already paying for the ecosystem). Only if ADP’s onboarding was failing their needs (in complexity or experience) would they consider layering another paid tool on top.

Feature Comparison Chart

Below is a side-by-side feature comparison of the onboarding solutions, focusing on integration with iCIMS, key differentiators, ideal use cases, and pricing model:

(Table legend: Native = same platform integration; API = real-time integration via application programming interface; Flat-file = batch data transfer. PEPM = per employee per month.)

Sources

1. iCIMS – Employee Onboarding Product Page: iCIMS – Official product page outlining features of iCIMS Onboarding and its integration with ATS.

2. G2 Comparison – Enboarder vs. iCIMS: G2.com – User feature ratings comparing Enboarder’s and iCIMS’s onboarding capabilities (e.g., workflows, notifications).

3. Enboarder – User Review (G2): G2.com – Review by a mid-market user highlighting Enboarder’s customizability and user experience focus.

4. TrustRadius – Enboarder Overview: TrustRadius – Description of Enboarder as an HR workflow platform with engagement features and ATS/HRIS integrations.

5. Guru – Sapling vs. Rippling Article: Guru (getguru.com) – Comparison noting Sapling’s strong onboarding automation and user-friendly interface.

6. SoftwareAdvice – Sapling Profile: Software Advice – Sapling overview mentioning key features (self-service portal, automated workflows, integrations) and starting price.

7. SilkRoad RedCarpet Brochure: SilkRoad Technology – Marketing PDF with RedCarpet highlights (tailored experiences by role/location and paperwork automation).

8. SelectHub – Click Boarding Review: SelectHub – Review of Click Boarding emphasizing its customizable workflows, compliance tracking, integration friendliness, and modern interface.

9. SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding – SAP Site: SAP.com – Solution brief and product page for SF Onboarding, describing unified workflows from candidate to productive employee (and global capabilities).

10. Homebase Blog – Top Onboarding Software 2025: JoinHomebase.com – List of top onboarding tools including Workday; notes Workday’s robust platform for large orgs and its onboarding strength equal to its HR features.

11. Aptitude Research – Phenom Acquires Tydy: AptitudeResearch.com – Article discussing Phenom’s acquisition of Tydy and how Tydy provides personalized, automated onboarding workflows connecting multiple systems.

12. UKG – Pro Onboarding Product Info: UKG.com – Product information page for UKG Pro Onboarding highlighting personal, impactful onboarding with collaborative tech (buddy system, connections).

13. ADP Marketplace – ADP Onboarding for WFN: ADP Marketplace – Description of ADP’s onboarding features (streamlined process, mobile access, manager task tracking, personalized portal).