ADP Best Practices

1. Understand and Leverage SSO Convenience

With SSO, you only need your company credentials to access ADP—no separate ADP username or password is required. This streamlines your login process and reduces password fatigue.

Best Practice:

  • Always access ADP through your company’s designated portal or SSO link. This ensures you’re routed through the correct authentication process and have immediate access to all your authorized ADP services.
  • If you encounter login issues, use your company’s IT support or ADP’s help resources rather than trying to reset your ADP password directly. This avoids confusion, since password resets are managed by your organization, not ADP.

Why It Matters: This approach minimizes login problems and ensures you’re using the most secure, up-to-date access method. It also helps your organization maintain centralized control over user access.


2. Personalize Your ADP Dashboard for Efficiency

ADP Workforce Manager allows you to customize your dashboard to fit your daily workflow.

Best Practice:

  • Pin your most-used widgets: For example, timecards, schedules, or pay statements, so they’re always visible when you log in.
  • Rearrange dashboard elements: Drag and drop features to prioritize what you use most.
  • Set up quick links: If your organization enables it, add shortcuts to frequently accessed resources or help guides.

Why It Matters: A tailored dashboard saves time and reduces the risk of missing important tasks, such as submitting timecards or checking your schedule.


3. Use ADP Mobile App Features for On-the-Go Access

ADP’s mobile app supports SSO, so you can log in with your company credentials on your phone or tablet.

Best Practice:

  • Download the official ADP mobile app and sign in using your SSO credentials.
  • Enable push notifications: Get real-time alerts for schedule changes, timecard approvals, or missed punches.
  • Use biometric login (if available): For faster, secure access on your device.

Why It Matters: Mobile access ensures you can manage your work information anywhere, reducing the chance of missing critical updates or deadlines.


4. Regularly Review and Confirm Your Time and Attendance

ADP Workforce Manager is your source of truth for time worked, schedules, and leave balances.

Best Practice:

  • Check your timecard daily: Confirm punches, breaks, and hours worked are accurate.
  • Review your schedule for changes: Especially after shift swaps or manager updates.
  • Submit corrections promptly: Use the system’s built-in features to request edits or report discrepancies.

Why It Matters: Proactive review helps ensure you’re paid correctly and prevents last-minute issues at payroll time.


5. Take Advantage of Self-Service Features

ADP Workforce Manager empowers users to handle many HR and payroll tasks independently.

Best Practice:

  • Submit time-off requests directly through the platform.
  • Update your contact information as needed.
  • Access pay statements and tax documents without waiting for HR.

Why It Matters: Self-service reduces administrative delays and gives you more control over your work-life management.


6. Stay Informed with Notifications and Alerts

ADP can notify you about important events, such as schedule changes, approvals, or missing punches.

Best Practice:

  • Enable email or mobile notifications for key events.
  • Customize alert preferences in your user settings.

Why It Matters: Timely notifications help you stay on top of your responsibilities and avoid surprises.


7. Use Help and Support Resources Effectively

ADP provides in-platform help, FAQs, and sometimes organization-specific guides.

Best Practice:

  • Access help directly from the ADP interface: Look for the help icon or support links.
  • Bookmark your organization’s ADP support page or contact info.
  • Participate in any training or onboarding sessions offered.

Why It Matters: Quick access to support minimizes downtime and helps you resolve issues efficiently.


8. Log Out When Using Shared Devices

Even with SSO, it’s important to log out when you’re done, especially on public or shared computers.

Best Practice:

  • Always click “Log Out” before leaving a shared device.
  • Close browser windows after logging out to clear session data.

Why It Matters: This protects your personal information and prevents unauthorized access to your account.


9. Report Issues Promptly

If you notice problems—such as missing punches, incorrect schedules, or access issues—report them right away.

Best Practice:

  • Use the in-platform reporting tools or your organization’s help desk.
  • Provide clear details and screenshots if possible.

Why It Matters: Prompt reporting helps resolve issues before they affect your pay or schedule and improves the system for everyone.


10. Set Reminders for Recurring Tasks

Even with notifications, it’s easy to miss routine admin tasks like approving timecards or submitting leave requests.

Best Practice:

  • Block calendar time each week to review and approve your timecard or direct reports’ hours.
  • Create recurring reminders on your personal or work calendar for payroll deadlines, schedule reviews, or time-off submissions.

Why It Matters: Proactive reminders help you stay compliant with company policies and avoid last-minute scrambles.


11. Use Bulk Actions Where Available

ADP often allows bulk approval or edits for managers and admins.

Best Practice:

  • Approve multiple timecards, schedule changes, or requests in one action to save time.
  • Review bulk changes before submission to catch errors.

Why It Matters: Bulk actions dramatically speed up routine management tasks while preserving accuracy.


12. Track Leave Balances and Accruals Regularly

ADP Workforce Manager displays real-time leave balances and accruals.

Best Practice:

  • Check your leave balance before making requests to avoid accidental overuse.
  • For managers: Review team balances before approving time-off to ensure adequate coverage.

Why It Matters: Monitoring balances helps prevent conflicts and ensures compliance with company and legal policies.


13. Export or Download Reports for Personal Records

ADP allows users to export timecards, schedules, and pay statements.

Best Practice:

  • Download pay statements and timecards regularly for personal financial tracking.
  • Export data before year-end for tax preparation or reconciliation.

Why It Matters: Having your own records provides peace of mind and makes resolving discrepancies much easier.


14. Use Comments and Notes for Context

Many ADP workflows—such as timecard edits or time-off requests—allow for comments.

Best Practice:

  • Add clear, concise notes when submitting corrections, late punches, or special schedule requests.
  • Managers: Use the comment field to give feedback or clarification on approvals/denials.

Why It Matters: Good documentation in comments speeds up approvals and creates a clear audit trail for future reference.


15. Familiarize Yourself with Role-Based Views

ADP customizes dashboards and permissions based on your role (employee, manager, admin).

Best Practice:

  • Explore your role-specific features: For example, managers can see team analytics, while employees see only personal data.
  • If you transition roles, request additional training on new ADP features you gain access to.

Why It Matters: Knowing what’s available to you ensures you get full value from the platform and avoid missing out on helpful tools.


16. Encourage Team Use of Self-Service

If you’re a manager, help your team take advantage of ADP’s self-service options.

Best Practice:

  • Direct team members to submit their own requests and corrections through the system.
  • Share tips or quick guides to reduce unnecessary emails and manual interventions.

Why It Matters: Empowering staff to manage their own information reduces your administrative burden and speeds up processes for everyone.


17. Participate in Feedback and System Updates

ADP and many organizations release updates or request user feedback.

Best Practice:

  • Report bugs or suggest improvements through official channels.
  • Stay informed about new features or workflow changes via release notes or internal communications.

Why It Matters: Active participation helps shape a better system for your team and ensures you’re always using the latest and most efficient features.


18. Use Analytics for Insight (Managers/Administrators)

ADP provides analytics dashboards for workforce trends, overtime, absenteeism, and more.

Best Practice:

  • Regularly review dashboard analytics to spot trends or issues.
  • Use data to inform scheduling, staffing, and compliance decisions.

Why It Matters: Data-driven management leads to better planning, reduced costs, and improved employee satisfaction.