Criterion vs. Arcoro

A Unified Platform Designed with Construction in Mind

Criterion offers a unified payroll, HR, and talent engagement solution — all built on a single database, designed for HR leaders in construction. Arcoro is an assortment of acquired software patched together for the construction industry.

What’s the difference for a growing construction company? Realized ROI.

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Trusted by organizations like

a best-in-class hcm

No more workarounds. Just less work for your HR team.

Criterion is a unified human capital management (HCM) solution designed to help your business achieve efficiency and compliance at scale. It’s fully configurable for multiple unions and locations, with an open API for integration with any tool.

Criterion is built with real construction companies in mind.

Process complex payroll for union and non-union workers across multiple states and employers.
Manage employee data all in one place and connect it seamlessly to all your other tools.
Engage talent with custom recruiting, preboarding, and onboarding workflows.

Arcoro’s disconnected tools just won’t cut it in the field. You need an HCM that can handle the real-world complexity of the construction industry.

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Why Real Construction Companies Trust Criterion

“One of the things that works really well with Criterion is the integration of benefits and time off plans…basically you set up a benefit plan and just apply a benefit plan to employees. Rather than having to manage a whole lot of separate deductions, it’s all contained in the benefit plan. That’s a really nice feature.”

Adam Pinsky
‍Chief Financial Officer
Bayley Construction

“We have never, ever, ever skipped or were worried about missing payroll. We feel extremely confident…Our payroll managers said they will NEVER go back to the old system because there is no comparison.”

Patryk Kubiszyn
‍VP Systems & Process
‍Smith & Long Construction

“We used to go all the way to the end of our direct deposit timeline deadlines. Now, we are able to process a live payroll within two business days. So they shaved off like a day and a half [of the payroll process].”

Eric Ogawa
‍Controller
‍BAPKO Metal, Inc.

“The certified rate functionality of Criterion is something that I'd highly recommend, especially if you’ve got multiple locations, multiple unions, multiple disciplines under different unions. The more complex it is, it’s worthwhile.”

Lacey Unrau, BHRLR, CPHR
‍Vice President, Human Resources
‍Des Nedhe Group

“From a construction industry perspective, there’s always so much customizable work that’s required…. And Criterion can do a lot of different things — but the biggest thing is to feel like you’re working with people on it as you go through, and they accommodate the needs.”

Patrick Goodhue
‍Project Manager for Systems and Analytics
‍Inflector

"[The customer service] has been the best service that we've experienced on any software platform that we've used — I wish my bank was like that!"

Patryk Kubiszyn
‍VP Systems & Process
‍Smith & Long Construction

Criterion is a single, unified database. Arcoro is not.

Arcoro claims to have a unified solution. But in reality, they just acquired several smaller companies (BirdDogHR, InfinityHR, ExakTime, etc.) and stitched them together.

Most Arcoro users agree that it doesn’t take long to feel how disconnected the tools really are.

With Criterion, all your data is unified. Employee data is automatically connected to payroll (and every other part of the system) — because it’s all the same system.

No sync issues or data silos. That makes integration, automation, and reporting easier (and more reliable) than ever.

Criterion has payroll and time tracking built in.

Criterion offers a complete, in-house payroll solution, which we’ve been continuously improving for decades.

In 2023, Arcoro was just announcing their plans to build a payroll module.

By that time, Criterion had already added a new standard feature to help users easily upload CBAs and configure certified rate tables to automate union payroll processing. In fact, we built this specifically for our construction clients.

When you track time in Criterion, the system automatically uses time tracking and HR data to process payroll with all your unique configurations within minutes.

This has helped some construction companies cut payroll processing by an entire day.

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Integrations That Really Work

Criterion's open API makes it easy to integrate with any third-party software. Plus, we have existing integrations with Sage, Procore, Microsoft Dynamics, and more.

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Cover for the PDF version of the whitepaper titled “How Criterion Streamlines HR and Accounting Processes for Sage Intacct Users.”

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A Sage integration that actually works.

Need an HCM that can really integrate with Sage? Forget cheap file exports. Integrate Sage with Criterion via seamless API connection. No callback limits or extra fees.

Rest assured, general ledger (GL) mapping is just the beginning. Use our Sage integration to generate powerful custom labor allocation reports, initiate budget-informed hiring, and much more.

Download the whitepaper on Criterion’s Sage Intacct integration to learn more.

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Every Criterion module is completely configurable.

Every company has unique challenges — especially in construction.

Criterion gives you access to all the backend tables for every process, so you can make payroll, HR, recruiting, reporting (and more) work exactly how you need.

You can make any configurations yourself, with an easy-to-use sandbox environment you can deploy in minutes for testing and validation.

Or, you can just ask us for help. Whatever you need, we’ll help you get it done.

How Other Companies Are Using Criterion HCM to Tackle Big Challenges

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Criterion different from Arcoro?

The difference is in the quality of the system for construction companies with complex HR and payroll requirements. Criterion is a highly configurable, user-friendly HCM platform built to handle the complexities of construction companies (union compliance, multi-location payroll and HR, high-volume recruiting and reporting, etc.).

Arcoro, on the other hand, is a collection of acquired software rebranded for construction. With an Arcoro subscription, users get access to all the tools, but many agree the system isn’t truly unified. This makes it difficult to streamline complex processes.

Criterion is designed to be flexible. You can use whatever modules you need and integrate them with any third-party platform. Arcoro users are stuck with a patchwork system that offers limited customization and integration options.

Can Criterion really integrate with Sage?

Yes. We already have! While our integration with Sage Intacct (the cloud-based offering) is our most popular, our open API means you can integrate any Criterion module with any version of Sage you want — Sage 50, Sage 100, Sage 300.

What other tools does Criterion integrate with?

Criterion has several proven integrations with construction-related tools like Sage, Procore, Acumatica, and Microsoft Dynamics. However, our open API means you can integrate with any third-party software you choose — including custom, in-house software you build yourself. The sky’s the limit.

How does Criterion’s unified system really work?

While you can purchase modules individually to control monthly costs, all the modules remain connected if you decide to upgrade later. This allows you to build the system with only the pieces you need while still reaping the benefits of a unified system. Meanwhile, the pod-style infrastructure scales infinitely on the backend as your business (and data needs) grow.

Will Criterion help our company customize the solution?

Yes, and not only that — every Criterion client gets a dedicated customer support rep to help you implement any changes or unique configurations you need. Do you have an idea for a new feature? Ask us. We just might build it for you.

A fully integrated HCM, built the right way.

Criterion is more than an HCM. We’re a construction partner.

We built our solution with real HR leaders in mind — for construction, engineering, nonprofits, franchises, conglomerates, and beyond.

Construction is a complex business. To grow, you need someone who knows your business and cares about making it better. That’s Criterion.

Put people at the center of your projects. Learn more about our construction solution, or book a demo to see Criterion in action.

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Transform your employee satisfaction with an AI-Powered solution that actually works for you.

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