{"id":73893,"date":"2025-06-25T16:33:24","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T14:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/?p=73893"},"modified":"2025-07-02T11:59:03","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T09:59:03","slug":"what-is-hr-analytics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/what-is-hr-analytics\/","title":{"rendered":"HR analytics: What it covers and why it matters"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/category\/people-leadership\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">People &amp; Leadership<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHR analytics: What it covers and why it matters\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2025-06-25T16:33:24+02:00\">June 25, 2025<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"HR analytics: What it covers and why it matters\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/what-is-hr-analytics\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/author\/yassirmalik\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/03\/Yassir-Malik.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"yassir-malik-profile-picture\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Yassir Malik<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>No business owner views their workforce as just another part of the machinery. We soon learn how important it is to keep people happy, engaged and motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But without the right data, it\u2019s hard to know what you\u2019re doing right and where you\u2019re missing the mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s where HR analytics comes in. It helps you spot behavioural trends, understand them, and make the appropriate decisions in response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this guide, we\u2019ll explain how HR analytics works, and how you can incorporate the practice into your operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s what we\u2019ll cover:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-hr-analytics\" data-level=\"2\">What is HR analytics?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-why-are-hr-analytics-important-for-businesses\" data-level=\"2\">Why are HR analytics important for businesses?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-are-the-4-types-of-hr-data-analytics\" data-level=\"2\">What are the 4 types of HR data analytics?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-key-hr-metrics\" data-level=\"2\">Key HR metrics<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-examples-of-hr-analytics-in-action\" data-level=\"2\">Examples of HR analytics in action<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-businesses-can-get-started-with-hr-data-and-analytics\" data-level=\"2\">How businesses can get started with HR data and analytics<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-hr-analytics-as-a-strategic-advantage\" data-level=\"2\">HR analytics as a strategic advantage<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-final-thoughts\" data-level=\"2\">Final thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-hr-analytics\">What is HR analytics?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>HR analytics, sometimes called people analytics, is the practice of using data about your employees to guide better business decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It goes beyond simple record-keeping by helping you uncover patterns and connections in employee performance that aren\u2019t always obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This data can come from HR systems, but also from finance, operations or even external benchmarks. It might include things like pay, training history or attendance records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When analysed in the right way, it helps you understand workforce trends and challenges with more precision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Advanced analytics tools can even use algorithms to flag changes in behaviour as they emerge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This gives you a stronger basis for planning HR strategies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Adequate systems also ensure that your company always follows data protection rules like POPIA when working with employees\u2019 personal data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-are-hr-analytics-important-for-businesses\">Why are HR analytics important for businesses?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>HR analytics gives you an insight into what\u2019s really happening with your workforce. It turns raw data into useful information, allowing you to take action with confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can identify issues and correct them before they grow and disrupt your operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, these systems can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Improve recruitment efficiency <\/strong>by analysing time to hire and source of hire. This helps HR teams to spot bottlenecks in the recruitment process and identify which channels bring in the best candidates fastest.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reduce employee turnover <\/strong>by pinpointing departments or roles with high turnover and uncovering the reasons\u2014such as lack of training or poor management.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Optimise workforce planning<\/strong> based on business results, seasonal patterns or attrition rates. Analytics aids these decisions by providing headcount trends or forecasting future hiring needs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Boost training effectiveness<\/strong> by linking training data with performance metrics. HR can see which learning programmes deliver the best results and adjust their approach to upskill staff more effectively.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enhance employee engagement<\/strong> by tracking survey results and engagement scores over time. The system identifies dips in morale and tests the impact of new initiatives aimed at improving the employee experience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, this means you can make better decisions around hiring, retention and engagement based on facts rather than hunches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Analytics also helps you measure the success of HR programmes\u2014from onboarding to training\u2014and link your people strategy to wider business goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-the-4-types-of-hr-data-analytics\">What are the 4 types of HR data analytics?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are four core types of HR analytics, each offering a different view of your people data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Descriptive analytics<\/strong> look at historical HR data and tells you what\u2019s happened. It might show your employee turnover rate has increased or that your average time to hire is slipping.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Diagnostic analytics<\/strong> explores why something happened. It could help you learn that increased departures are driven by one particular team, or that hiring delays are due to longer approval processes, for example.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Predictive analytics<\/strong> looks ahead. It uses patterns in your data to predict trends and outcomes, such as which employees are most likely to leave.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prescriptive analytics<\/strong> goes further by suggesting what you should do next. Based on the data and the problem at hand, it offers concrete actions. For example, it may indicate that the priority is to reduce turnover, or to improve engagement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-key-hr-metrics\">Key HR metrics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Within the four types of HR analytics you have the option to monitor specific metrics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The ones you choose should reflect your business goals and help you answer strategic questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The right metrics for people analytics help you understand how your workforce is performing and where to improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are three of the most important categories to track:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-employee-turnover-and-absenteeism\">1. Employee turnover and absenteeism <strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If many people are leaving or frequently off work, it may point to poor morale, management problems or some systemic issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spotting this early allows you to address the root causes before the issue escalates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-productivity-and-efficiency-indicators\">2. Productivity and efficiency indicators <strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These help you assess the value your team brings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Revenue per employee<\/strong> shows how efficiently you\u2019re operating in financial terms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cost per hire<\/strong> helps you control your recruitment spending and improve your hiring process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Training effectiveness<\/strong> looks at the value of learning programmes. Are staff applying their skills? How long does it take for productivity to improve, if at all?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-employee-sentiment\">3. Employee sentiment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)<\/strong> focuses on loyalty and overall satisfaction. It asks how likely someone is to recommend your workplace to others. This gives you a simple, high-level view of how your team feels about working for you\u2014and whether there\u2019s a risk of mass disengagement or turnover.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Engagement scores<\/strong> dig deeper into day-to-day motivation and involvement. These are usually based on broader surveys that cover areas such as purpose, recognition, workload and communication. High engagement scores suggest your people are connected to their work, which often leads to better performance and retention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-examples-of-hr-analytics-in-action\">Examples of HR analytics in action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine you notice a spike in staff leaving from one department. With HR analytics, you can look at exit survey response, performance data and absentee patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019d compare this information with the results for other teams. This might show that poor management\u2014such as excessive workloads\u2014or lack of progression is driving people away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may respond by providing management training, offering clearer career paths or improving internal communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You could also review workload distribution or conduct stay interviews to learn what motivates current team members to stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal is to learn how to retain more staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Or take hiring. You could analyse time to hire and cost per hire across roles. If one position always takes longer to fill, you can change the recruitment process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maybe your job ad isn\u2019t clear, or your interview steps take too long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-businesses-can-get-started-with-hr-data-and-analytics\">How businesses can get started with HR data and analytics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting started with HR analytics needn\u2019t be overwhelming. Follow these simple steps to build a solid foundation and grow your approach over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-align-your-data-with-business-goals\">1. Align your data with business goals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Begin by identifying what matters most to your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you focused on reducing turnover, speeding up hiring or improving employee engagement?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Choose metrics that directly support those goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-collect-the-right-hr-data\">2. Collect the right HR data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you\u2019re gathering accurate data that corresponds to those metrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This could include attendance records, performance reviews, training history or survey results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/human-resources\/performance-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Performance management tools<\/strong><\/a> can help in this respect. However, don\u2019t collect data just for the sake of it\u2014focus on what you\u2019ll actually use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-ensure-data-governance-and-protection\">3. Ensure data governance and protection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You must handle all employee data responsibly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Set clear policies for how data is stored, accessed and used. Make sure you comply with legal requirements like POPIA at every stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-start-simple-then-build\">4. Start simple, then build<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t jump straight into complex predictive models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Begin with basic descriptive analytics and a few key metrics. As your confidence grows, you can explore deeper insights and more advanced tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-use-the-right-tools\">5. Use the right tools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Good software makes the process easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Human resources information system (HRIS) platforms and analytics tools can help you gather, track and analyse data efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Choose one that fits your size, needs and budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, some advanced tools now use AI and machine learning to support predictive analytics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They can help identify high-performing employees who may be at risk of leaving, or flag potential leaders for succession planning based on performance patterns and development history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-hr-analytics-as-a-strategic-advantage\">HR analytics as a strategic advantage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The benefits of HR analytics go beyond improvements to your HR processes\u2014the practice strengthens your entire business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It gives you a clearer picture of how your workforce operates and helps you connect your people strategy to wider business goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also a valuable skill. Understanding how to interpret and act on workforce data can help HR professionals and business leaders make better informed decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the right software, even those new to analytics can build this skill over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tools simplify the process by pulling data together and flagging trends. Combined with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/human-resources\/reporting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>HR reporting software<\/strong><\/a>, you can present these insights in a clear, usable format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>HR teams can also upskill in data literacy, learning how to extract insights responsibly and connect them to strategic outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This helps ensure analytics activity stays aligned with long-term organisational priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>HR analytics allows you to harness the full power of your HR data, helping you to become proactive rather than reactive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can plan ahead, reduce risk and create stronger, more productive teams. That in turn boosts performance, improves employee engagement, and supports your long-term growth.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice enewsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get a roundup of our best business advice in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-84fe79b5-668d-41f8-a0cc-6229018c4ac9\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1181404518-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1181404518-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/business-intelligence\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbusiness intelligence\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/business-management\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbusiness management\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/data-analysis\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata analysis\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/hr-payroll\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHR &amp; Payroll\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/staying-competitive\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tstaying competitive\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-76358 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accountants tag-audit tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-profit-loss business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1064\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-38-1064x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Two businesswomen looking at report on tablet\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-38-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-38-768x585.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-38-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-04T12:39:10+02:00\">June 4, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">10 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/accounts-payable-reports-guide\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThe ultimate guide to accounts payable reports and reporting\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tAccounts payable reports help you track the money your business owes suppliers and other short-term creditors. They show outstanding invoices, payment due dates, vendor balances, and cash flow commitments, so you can manage liabilities, avoid late payments, and plan ahead with more confidence.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-76331 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-accountants tag-audit tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-business-management tag-profit-loss tag-staying-competitive tag-tax business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/accounts-payable-process\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-175138802_super-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-175138802_super-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-175138802_super-768x585.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-175138802_super-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-04T11:51:14+02:00\">June 4, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">8 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhat is the accounts payable process? Steps, workflow and how to improve it\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-76286 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-accountants tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-data-analysis tag-financial-insights tag-making-financial-decisions tag-profit-loss tag-trending-topics business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/accounts-payable-reconciliation\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/11\/HR-and-Payroll-image--684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/11\/HR-and-Payroll-image--684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/11\/HR-and-Payroll-image--768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/11\/HR-and-Payroll-image--1213x810.jpg 1213w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-22T12:28:04+02:00\">May 22, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tThe ultimate guide to accounts payable reconciliation\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-76271 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-accountants tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-data-analysis tag-profit-loss tag-trending-topics business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/accrued-expenses-vs-accounts-payable\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1252669747-2-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"people in office\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1252669747-2-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1252669747-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1252669747-2-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-22T11:35:30+02:00\">May 22, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">8 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tAccrued expenses vs accounts payable: Key differences\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-76206 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-accountants tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-financial-insights tag-profit-loss business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/accrual-basis-accounting\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1316107530-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1316107530-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1316107530-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1316107530-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-15T12:46:05+02:00\">May 15, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">16 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tAccrual accounting: What it is, benefits and examples\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your people are your biggest asset, and they perform best only when you fully understand what drives them. HR analytics unlocks workforce data to improve hiring, retention and productivity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1774,"featured_media":68325,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[315,166,327,201,209],"business_type":[2,3],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[12,14,16],"imagine_tag":[63,57,99,84,397,85,81],"coauthors":[401],"class_list":["post-73893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people-leadership","tag-business-intelligence","tag-business-management","tag-data-analysis","tag-hr-payroll","tag-staying-competitive","business_type-small-business","business_type-medium-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-za","author_name":"Yassir Malik","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/07\/resize-1675x1275-41.jpg","imagine_tags":{"63":"Business intelligence","57":"HR and Payroll","99":"HR software","84":"Midsized business","397":"Sage AI","85":"Small business","81":"Technology and Innovation"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice South Africa","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73893","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1774"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73893"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73893\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/68325"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73893"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=73893"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=73893"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=73893"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=73893"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=73893"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=73893"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=73893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}