The Salvation Army secures the future with MidlandHR; High profile charity upgrades to single strategic iTrent platform and commits for further nine years

Nottingham, -- The Salvation Army has renewed its contract with MidlandHR for a further nine years. The high profile church and registered charity, providing social care to anyone in need, will use the HR, payroll, talent management and workforce planning provider's iTrent system as a hosted application service alongside additional payroll bureau processes. This development builds on a highly collaborative existing partnership, helping to streamline HR and payroll operations for 8,000 people across five separate payrolls.

Rosalyn Rudran, application specialist at The Salvation Army, comments: "After working successfully with MidlandHR for the past five years our decision to continue the contract will see us enjoy a further nine years in partnership. We have found MidlandHR's payroll bureau service a suitable solution that allows us to have ownership and control over our data input, providing a functional half-way house solution for the provision of our complex payroll process. Since MidlandHR holds specialist product knowledge, we also take a black-box approach to server management, leaving server and software maintenance to the MidlandHR Managed Service team.

"MidlandHR host our servers along with managing the technical architecture and until this year we managed the communications link between MidlandHR and our site. However in February this year, following our migration to the iTrent system, the final performance tests for the communications link upgrade were completed and our link is now fully managed and maintained by MidlandHR.

"We find MidlandHR's flat quarterly costs make budgeting quite straightforward and a more cost effective model than paying in-house technical staff to manage the delivery and maintenance of our iTrent system. By selecting the managed service option, comprising of hosted iTrent service and payroll bureau, we have a 1-stop solution provider working with us to make our HR and payroll process more streamlined."

The relationship between The Salvation Army and MidlandHR, which began in April 2005, has developed in three stages - initially utilising the benefits of MidlandHR's hosted HR and payroll system, followed by the decision to extend its service to include payroll bureau elements and finally the migration to the latest fully integrated iTrent system. This has proved extremely successful, reducing the costs and logistical difficulties associated with performing entire HR system and payroll functions internally.

Lawrence Knowles, managing director of MidlandHR comments: "We are delighted that our relationship with The Salvation Army, a universally renowned charity, continues to go from strength to strength. We are fully committed to meeting the organisation's core objectives and have tailored our product and service offerings accordingly. Using our hosted iTrent solution, MidlandHR will provide the charity with the opportunity to focus on their primary objectives, safe in the knowledge that all their HR and payroll needs are taken care of."

About MidlandHR:

MidlandHR is the largest independent HR, payroll and talent management solutions provider in the UK. With over 25 years experience in the industry, MidlandHR delivers a wide range of expert tailored solutions and services including in-house or hosted solutions, Software as a Service, payroll bureau services and fully managed payroll outsourcing. MidlandHR's customers span the entire range of business sectors and include: Friends Provident, Severn Trent Water, Chesterfield NHS, QVC, Cambridge University, Oxfam, Brighton & Hove City Council, Oxford City Council, TK Maxx, Liverpool Football Club, Law Officers' Departments, Laing O'Rourke. For more information, visit MidlandHR at www.midlandhr.com

About The Salvation Army:

--     The Salvation Armyis a worldwide Christian church and registered charity, working in 120 countries, and is one of the largest and most diverse providers of social welfare in the world.The Salvation Army Registered Charity Nos 214779, 215174, in Scotland SC009359, SC037691, and in Ireland CHY6399 For more information visit the website www.salvationarmy.org.uk

--In the UK and Republic of Ireland more then 800 Salvation Army social service centres and corps (community churches) offer unconditional friendship, support and very practical help to people of all ages, backgrounds and needs.

--The Salvation Armyis one of the largest providers of support and accommodation in homelessness services where 3,500 people stay every night. This includes83 Lifehouses in the UK and Ireland, which offer accommodation to men, women and families. A Lifehouse is a place of change, built on purpose and relationship and with a large element of fun. Service users are helped to regain their confidence, develop skills, and re-engage with mainstream society to enable them to ultimately move into a place of their own or supported housing project.

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