Durango Fire Seamless Integrates Payroll and Scheduling with UKG Ready and UKG TeleStaff

Client Background

Durango Fire is a combination fire department located in Colorado, serving a 1,000-square-mile area with two stations. The department employs a mix of full-time, part-time, and volunteer staff, all of whom are crucial to maintaining smooth operations and ensuring public safety.

Like many public sector organizations, Durango Fire relied on disparate systems and manual processes for payroll, scheduling, and time tracking; scheduling was often managed on paper or through non-specialized systems. To modernize operations, Durango Fire sought a solution that would unify scheduling and payroll while meeting the unique needs of fire department operations.

The Challenge

Durango Fire’s legacy systems created operational friction. While UKG TeleStaff is widely used in public sector organizations for scheduling due to its line-of-business-specific functionality, it does not handle payroll, and valuable time was taken up by manual payroll processes. To leverage UKG TeleStaff’s scheduling capabilities and ensure timely employee payments, Durango Fire needed to implement UKG Ready as well for efficient payroll management. The department’s primary challenge was implementing and integrating both systems in parallel to ensure a simultaneous go-live.

Durango Fire had very clear objectives for the project, which included streamlining scheduling, shift changes, and vacation bidding for its employees, automating payroll processing through UKG Ready, and ensuring both systems worked in harmony with minimal disruption to daily operations.

Client Profile

• Combination fire department serving a 1,000-square-mile area
• Headquartered in Durango, Colorado.
• Approximately 180 full and part-time employees
• Partnered with HRchitect to implement and integrate UKG Ready and UKG TeleStaff concurrently

The Project

HRchitect partnered with Durango Fire and the UKG implementation team to implement UKG TeleStaff and UKG Ready concurrently, focusing on a smooth integration between the two systems. The HRchitect team led the implementation of UKG TeleStaff, while the UKG team led the implementation of UKG Ready. The project included:

• Full implementation of UKG TeleStaff for virtual roster management, shift bidding, and scheduling flexibility.
• Implementation of UKG Ready for payroll processing and HR functions.
• Integration between UKG TeleStaff and UKG Ready to ensure accurate, timely payroll.
• Two payroll cycle post go-live support services focused on user adoption and system questions, with additional hours purchased for ongoing system support.

By closely collaborating with both the UKG team and Durango Fire, HRchitect ensured that the integration was flawless. The project team emphasized the importance of strong communication, proactive problem-solving, and careful change management to minimize disruptions to the department’s day-to-day activities.

Key Benefits

• Integrated Payroll and Scheduling: Payroll is now automatically aligned with UKG TeleStaff schedules, eliminating manual tracking and reconciliation.
• Streamlined Scheduling: Staff can now view rosters, swap shifts, and bid for vacation time electronically, reducing administrative burden.
• Reduced Errors and Improved Accuracy: The integration between UKG Ready and UKG TeleStaff ensures that payroll is correct and up-to-date.
• Smooth Onboarding and Training: Staff adapted quickly to both systems, benefiting from UKG TeleStaff’s intuitive scheduling processes.
• Enhanced Collaboration Between Teams: HRchitect’s team worked closely with UKG, ensuring project milestones were met on time and on budget.

The Results

The implementation of UKG TeleStaff and UKG Ready at Durango Fire was a resounding success. The project went live on time and within budget, with no major escalations or challenges. The integration between UKG TeleStaff and UKG Ready functions flawlessly, providing a unified solution for payroll and scheduling and enabling Durango Fire staff to leverage each system’s automation capabilities, saving them countless hours.

Durango Fire staff quickly adapted to the new systems, praising HRchitect’s knowledgeable guidance and responsive support throughout the project. By leveraging HRchitect’s expertise, Durango Fire has modernized its operations, improved staff scheduling and payroll processes, and set the stage for ongoing operational efficiency and future growth.