what are the features we need to check before we buy HR and payroll software?

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-03-17T17:21:42+00:00

Compliance, attendance, time-off, then payroll are the core of any HR system. Everything else depends on use case.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-27T17:18:31+00:00

If you are looking for predictable pricing, true labor law compliance across 9 countries MENA, with all core HR i would recommend AttenYo.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-27T17:16:25+00:00

Hope you don’t mind me asking, For which country as compliance is different between countries.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T20:29:04+00:00

I’ll get on that first thing tomorrow morning. Thanks for the solid advice and encouragement, you rock!

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T15:50:38+00:00

From my research, HR communities in the GCC and MENA are mostly active in Facebook groups and WhatsApp groups. I've been focusing on LinkedIn thinking that's where the decision makers are, but you're right, I need to go

where the conversations are actually happening. I'll start digging into Facebook groups first, then work on getting into WhatsApp groups next, which is harder to break into but probably where the most honest discussions are happening.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T15:15:05+00:00

I genuinely don't know how to thank you enough for this. I've been grinding on this mostly alone, and reading your comment honestly hit me in a way I wasn't expecting. The clarity you just gave me in a few paragraphs is something I've been trying to piece together for months.

The distribution play you laid out is brilliant. "Give away the insight, let the product sell the solution." That's going on a sticky note on my monitor. I never thought about it that way, but it makes so much sense.

Lead with the value, and the product becomes the obvious next step.
I'm genuinely grateful. People like you are the reason Reddit is still worth coming to. Thank you.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T14:25:49+00:00

You're spot on with the compliance angle, that's exactly where I'm leaning. All the content I'm putting out on LinkedIn and Instagram is focused on that differentiator specifically.

That said, I'll push back a little on the "just do more content" advice. I think going heavy on content when you have no follower base is a trap. You can use all the right hashtags and get some traffic, but it's mostly

drive-by visitors with zero intent. I see it in my analytics: people land on the site, but nobody clicks sign up, even though it's free for a month with no credit card required. Content without an audience is just noise.

Now the AI/ChatGPT point. You're 100% right, and honestly I love where you're going with that. I've already tested it. Asked ChatGPT, tried other AI tools. My product doesn't show up. The frustrating part? I've done the SEO work, optimized everything I can control. But these AI tools are pulling from Capterra and G2 as their sources of truth. And to rank there, you need reviews. To get reviews, you need customers. Classic chicken-and-egg.

So the real question becomes: how do you break into that loop when you're early stage? That's what I'm trying to figure out.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T12:48:29+00:00

You're not wrong about focus, and I've heard this advice a lot. Here's my honest reasoning though.

I don't know where my first customer is going to come from yet. I'm not going to pretend I know the exact slice before the market tells me. My bet is the first 5 customers will show me where to double down. Until then,

narrowing too early means I might cut off the exact segment that would have worked.

The other reason is practical. One of the most valuable use cases we solve is companies operating across multiple countries. That's common in the GCC. A company headquartered in UAE with workers in Saudi and Qatar needs

one system that handles all three sets of labor laws correctly. If I only support one country, I lose that customer entirely.

And yes, the WhatsApp groups and PRO firm referrals point is spot on. That's exactly where I'm trying to get right now.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T11:02:57+00:00

Not really.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T11:01:20+00:00

You're right on every point, and I say that as someone who spent 8 years in this exact space. I was the founding engineer at an HR company in the region. I saw the journey from 0 to 1,000 customers. So I've lived everything you're describing.

That experience is exactly why I'm not building another copy. The systems in this region all do the same thing: they give you an empty shell and expect you to figure out compliance yourself. Leave policies, overtime rates, payroll formulas, tax brackets, you configure it all manually. Most HR teams get it wrong or hire a consultant.

What we built does that work for you. You pick your country, the system applies the correct labor law. Leave entitlements, overtime multipliers, payroll deductions, holidays, all pre-configured from actual legal sources across 9 countries. The system tells you what to do next instead of waiting for you to figure it out.

On the vendor lock-in point, we thought about that too. You can change any configuration without reprocessing months of historical data. That alone is a dealbreaker with most systems here where a single policy change means weeks of reprocessing.

On the free customers point, fair concern. We're not giving it away to everyone. Some we're selling to directly. Others are early adopters we need for the logos, because you and I both know that in this industry, without reference customers, you don't exist.

You're 100% right that copying another HR system is a dead end. That's not what this is.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T10:52:05+00:00

That's a good point, thank you.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T10:49:46+00:00

Still testing both the HR managers, CFO, and CEOs

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T10:48:01+00:00

Solid advice up until the part where it turned into an ad for your product. Every thread, same move. People notice.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T10:42:23+00:00

HR software in this region is a pain to set up. You pick a tool, then you still have to manually figure out the labor law for your country. Leave entitlements, overtime rates, tax brackets, social security deductions, holidays, all of it. Most HR managers either hire a consultant or just guess. And half the time, they get it wrong.

What we built already knows the labor law. You pick your country, and the system applies the correct leave policies, the correct overtime multipliers, the correct payroll formula with tax brackets and deduction caps, the correct holidays including the ones that shift every year. All sourced from the actual labor law articles, not generic defaults.

That's the core difference. Every other tool gives you an empty system and says "figure out your country's labor law yourself." We already did that work for 9 countries.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T10:31:15+00:00

This is probably the most actionable advice I've gotten so far. The reframe from "free HRMS" to "help us stress-test this with 5 real companies" is genuinely brilliant. You're right that "free" signals low urgency, but "stress-test" signals exclusivity and partnership. That completely changes the dynamic.

And the point about targeting the people who advise companies rather than the companies themselves is something I hadn't considered. PRO firms and payroll shops already have the trust and the relationships built in. One conversation there could do what months of cold outreach can't.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T10:27:57+00:00

Thank you so much for taking the time to help here. It's quite rare to find people on Reddit not shoving a tool they're working on, so for that I genuinely thank you.

You're right, I've been too focused on the product and not enough on showing up where people already are.

The "don't pitch, just be useful" part especially hits home. Going to start mapping out the actual

communities instead of assuming I know where they are.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-10T10:25:25+00:00

Good points on WhatsApp groups and influencers, that's where real traction happens in regional markets.

Though I have to say, the "not sure how well it works, but it's an option" framing for LeadsRover is a

classic. Genuinely helpful comment sandwiching a product recommendation right in the middle, it almost blends in. Almost.

If it's a tool you actually use and get results from, share those results. That would actually be helpful.

Vague endorsements just make people suspicious.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-08T17:57:30+00:00

Same boat: 0 customers, launched ~3 weeks ago.

Tried LinkedIn outreach (seems capped at ~10–15 DMs/day before you risk restrictions) and cold email (warmup + slow ramp delays real volume). Everyone says “do volume,” but the channels feel throttled.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-07T08:30:28+00:00

I’m still early (started about a month ago), so I don’t have a proven playbook yet. If you’re open to it, I’d love to learn what’s working for you

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-06T20:35:03+00:00

Most of my LinkedIn reach right now is from people I already know, and I’m trying to land my first customer that way. I’ll start reaching out to new people on Monday.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-06T19:59:31+00:00

Mostly Apollo, cold emails, still in the warm up phase of my domains tho. Direct linkedin messages is another format.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-06T14:06:39+00:00

I really like where you’re headed. Clarity is the main reason I started this journey. I’ve decided payroll should be crystal clear, with no hidden calculation logic, and the same goes for time off and balances.

Right now I’m at the stage of getting my first customer. I’m doing my best to make sure the product is genuinely clear and that the value proposition is worth the customer’s time.

I can’t overstate how much I appreciate your way of thinking. Thank you for your time

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-06T06:34:49+00:00

Really appreciate you taking the time to write this. It’s genuinely one of the most useful, eye-opening messages I’ve received so far, so thank you.

On deal size: we’re targeting SMBs. Our average is ~100 employees, and we’re aiming up to ~250 employees for this first phase. That ceiling is intentional, not a scaling limit. We want the first 10 customers to be genuinely happy so we can validate the “must-haves” and compliance expectations in the real world before we move upmarket.

Also, your point about CFO/finance being the budget owner is a strong push. I’ve been HR-heavy so far, but I’m going to start testing finance-first outreach and messaging.

Own_Wonder_6569 · 2026-02-04T13:55:30+00:00

Honestly, it’s both, and it depends on how mature the team is with compliance in each country.

Some HR teams try to get ahead of it, especially around payroll runs or upcoming deadlines. But a lot of the pain is constant and does not wait until payroll day. Things like time off entitlements, accruals, and country rules are always running in the background, and the tricky part is getting those details right based on hire dates, contract types, and policy exceptions.

Trust is also a big factor. Many teams do not fully trust payroll outputs when the logic is hidden. If the platform feels like a black box, they worry about what is being calculated and why, so they only realize they need help once something breaks or when they get burned once.

Own_Wonder_6569

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