Must-have HRIS RFP template for startups in 2025

At a startup, HR is often a “side job” for a founder, COO, or first ops hire. Systems are minimal—maybe spreadsheets and a payroll tool—but as headcount grows, this patchwork breaks fast. 

New hires wait for accounts, managers lose track of PTO, and compliance headaches multiply across states. 

The right HRIS for startups should eliminate manual work, unify data, and help small teams stay compliant while freeing up founders to focus on growth.

This guide shows you the areas to focus on when evaluating HRIS software for startups, what best-in-class looks like, and the RFP questions to ask vendors. Plus, we’ll give you a free downloadable template so you can start evaluating HRIS providers ASAP.

1. Employee system of record

Startups need a single source of truth for employee data that updates everywhere automatically. Without it, every address change or promotion creates manual updates in payroll, benefits, and IT systems. 

Rippling keeps all employee data in one graph, so when a field changes—location, title, comp—it updates instantly across payroll, benefits, and app access.

RFP questions to ask

• How quickly can we import employee data and launch the system?

• Can the HRIS capture custom fields unique to our org (equity grants, vesting schedules)?

• How does the system sync updates across payroll, benefits, and IT systems?

• Do you provide role-based permissions so founders and managers only see what they need?

• Is there a mobile app where employees can self-serve updates and view records?

2. Onboarding and offboarding automation

Every new hire at a startup should be productive on day one—but manual onboarding slows everything down. 

Rippling automates onboarding: employees get added to payroll, benefits, and apps in minutes, and laptops arrive pre-configured. Offboarding is equally automated. Revoking access and retrieving assets don’t require any founder intervention.

RFP questions to ask

• Can new hires complete onboarding paperwork electronically before day one?

• Do payroll and benefits accounts create automatically during onboarding?

• Can devices and app access be provisioned and revoked automatically?

• How are final paychecks handled at offboarding?

• Do you support background checks, I-9, and E-Verify natively?

3. Policies, approvals, and workflows

Startups often rely on ad-hoc Slack approvals that don’t scale. A modern HRIS should let you configure workflows—like time-off requests or expense approvals—that adapt as roles and teams change. 

Rippling runs policies and approvals on live HR data, so when someone’s manager or location changes, the right rules apply instantly.

RFP questions to ask

• Can we configure approval workflows without code (time-off, expenses, training)?

• Do policies auto-update when employee attributes (role, manager, location) change?

• Are workflows mobile-friendly for founders and managers on the go?

• Can we enforce deadlines or escalate overdue approvals automatically?

• Do you provide audit logs of every approval for compliance?

4. Compliance and document management

Even early, startups face compliance obligations: offer letters, I-9s, local training, ACA, and COBRA. A good HRIS should automate document distribution, track completion, and surface compliance risks. 

Rippling ties compliance to the employee record—so policies and documents trigger automatically when someone’s role or location changes.

RFP questions to ask

• How do you handle I-9, E-Verify, and state-specific training requirements?

• Can policies and docs be assigned automatically by role or location?

• Do you support e-signature and expiration tracking for documents?

• Are compliance alerts surfaced in real time to admins?

• What certifications do you hold (SOC 2, ISO, GDPR)?

5. Reporting and insights

Investors and leaders want quick answers: headcount, burn by department, attrition trends. A startup HRIS should provide dashboards and customizable reporting without requiring a BI team. 

Rippling provides live reports built on unified HR data, so founders can view real-time headcount, payroll costs, and org structure in minutes.

RFP questions to ask

• What reports are included out of the box (headcount, attrition, comp)?

• Can non-technical users create and share custom reports?

• Can data be segmented by role, department, or location?

• Do you support exports to Google Sheets, Excel, or BI tools?

• Is row-level security enforced for sensitive data in shared reports?

How Rippling helps startups

Rippling HRIS is designed for lean teams moving fast. It gives startups one system of record for all employee data, automates onboarding and offboarding, and unifies HR with payroll, benefits, IT, and finance. That means no more juggling spreadsheets or chasing signatures—new hires are onboarded in minutes, payroll and benefits update automatically, and compliance tasks run themselves.

Founders and finance leaders can finally focus on strategy, not admin. Employees get a modern self-service experience to view pay stubs, update benefits, and request time off in one app, reducing the load on HR or ops. And as your company grows, Rippling scales seamlessly—adding advanced workflows, global HR support, and deeper reporting without forcing you to change systems.

With Rippling HRIS, startups can:

• Centralize all employee data in one unified record

• Automate onboarding and offboarding workflows

• Run policies and approvals that adapt to role or location changes

• Automate compliance tasks and generate audit-ready records

• Give employees mobile self-service for HR, payroll, and benefits

• Generate real-time headcount and comp reports for investors

Rippling RFP for HRIS for startups example

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