Printall Elevates HR and Payroll with HRM4Batics Solution
Source: Äri-IT Autumn 2025
Author: Gerli Ramler
Printall AS is a printing house with a history dating back to 1971. Nearly two-thirds of its production is exported outside of Estonia, primarily to Scandinavia and Europe.
The company is renowned for producing high-quality periodicals and advertising print materials, and it has continuously invested in both its machinery and IT infrastructure. In recent years, the focus has shifted to HR management and its digitalization, driven by the need for a more modern and integrated solution. “Just a year ago, we used Excel spreadsheets for timekeeping, the Taavi program for payroll, plus a multitude of separate files and manual calculations,” says Printall’s CFO, Triinu Raav. “We were looking for a solution that would link all of these into one system—personnel, payroll data, and work schedules. HRM4Baltics best met these expectations.”
The company chose BCS Itera as its partner, having previously worked with the IT firm on an IT audit. The project began in June 2024 and took almost a year, including testing and a parallel usage period. “You always hope a software implementation will be quick, but the reality is often different—things inevitably drag out. We also had some personnel changes, and the summer period took its toll, but generally, the deployment went smoothly. The most crucial factor was that the team embraced the project.”
Overcoming Resistance and Ensuring a Smooth Transition
Adopting the new system wasn’t just a technical change; it required new habits and initially caused some hesitation among employees. “When we invited the schedule planners to test the program, they initially said they would come only when it was actually working,” Raav recalls with a smile. “The core team made the additional configurations ourselves, and the planners were able to provide input later on how to fine-tune the system.”
The CFO notes that it’s challenging to focus on anything else and think ahead about ideal processes while managing day-to-day work. On the HR side, Printall involved 2–3 people during different periods: the HR Manager, the Payroll Accountant, and the Chief Accountant. As the project began to take shape, it was the right time to involve those responsible for work schedule creation and planning.
To ensure the smoothest possible transition, both the old and new programs were used in parallel for the first three months of 2025. Time data gathered in Excel was transferred to HRM4Baltics, and payroll was calculated in both systems. “This was the right decision for us,” Raav states. “It allowed us to catch errors and gain confidence that everything was working. By April, the fourth month, when we started calculating exclusively in HRM4Baltics, everything was already in place. Sure, there are many programs on the market that promise to do everything, even ‘cook porridge.’ But you have to consider what’s important and what information you need to get. I suspect the chosen HRM solution is more complex than average to implement, but once you grasp its logic, it’s a great tool. Our Payroll Accountant is certainly very satisfied with the current solution.”
Key Wins and Future Steps
The CFO considers time savings to be one of the biggest wins. For example, some bonuses previously required separate manual orders that the Payroll Accountant had to process manually. Now, managers can approve these directly in the program. “There are no more endless Excel tables or separate documents. The best part is the clarity—all information and reports are accessible from one place. The quality and comparability of data are on a completely different level.”
Over ten people use the HRM solution daily at Printall. The company employs 175 people in total, making clear management of working hours and schedules essential. Because Printall operates with shift work and uses 35 different shift codes, timekeeping is particularly complex. Employees use chips to register their arrival and departure, and this data automatically moves to HRM4Baltics, making it easy to compare planned and actual working time.
The company already has ideas for expanding the system. Initially, the focus was on the most critical areas: payroll, working hours, and personnel data. “You can’t do everything at once, and you don’t have to. We prefer to take a step-by-step approach and test how it works. For example, we’re thinking about how to manage workwear inventory in HRM4Baltics. New ideas will emerge over time, and we’ll definitely implement them,” says Raav. “We have also decided to upgrade our IT solutions more broadly. The Business Central finance module is already being implemented, and we are replacing our manufacturing software with a more modern solution. Usually, companies go in the opposite order—finance first, then the others. We started where the shoe pinched the most. I see this as the right move for us.”
Triinu Raav highly values BCS Itera’s contribution. “The consultants are very capable and solutions-oriented. A good partner makes the entire process much easier.” Implementing the HRM solution has given Printall more than just a new tool. It has changed the entire organization of work, simplified processes, and reduced the number of errors. “No program is ever truly finished, but when you see that with every step, you can make the company’s work life easier and more transparent, it has been a fully justified investment.”
Printall’s business focuses on printed communication, such as magazines, newspapers, catalogues, brochures, direct mail, flyers, and similar items. Production complies with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards, and the company offers printing services certified with PEFC, FSC, Nordic Swan, and ClimateCalc labels. Over 65% of production is exported. Customers are served in neighboring countries to the south and north, Scandinavia, the UK, the Netherlands, France, and Germany, but Printall’s printed publications have also reached readers in North America, Asia, and Africa.