Episodes

  • Real Talk on AI in HR and Payroll Tech | Brandon Toombs

    Real Talk on AI in HR and Payroll Tech | Brandon Toombs
    Aug 21 2026
    Every AI conversation in our industry sounds the same right now. Someone shows a demo, everyone nods, and then Monday happens and nothing changes. So we asked a narrower question: what are you actually doing with this on a Tuesday afternoon? Brandon Toombs answered with five things he built himself - and he is the first to tell you he is not a programmer. Along the way: browser-use agents clicking through an HR system, a blunt read on the reported Workday going-private talk, why token bills are real, and the one nobody in our industry enjoys hearing - that HR admins do not need their consultants as much as they used to. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 07:53 Todd's read on the Workday going-private rumour 11:15 Workday now has the problems SAP and Oracle used to have 14:06 Why Brandon says go to SuccessConnect 15:33 Five things Brandon built with AI 20:28 The support pack bot that repairs itself 31:01 $20 a month, or get left behind 33:02 Refine, refine, refine 34:00 Token bills are real 42:55 Browser use: create a position, hire an employee 51:10 HR admins don't need their consultants as much ABOUT OUR GUEST Brandon Toombs has spent 25 years in HR tech focused on SAP SuccessFactors. He is a three-time SAP Press author, a former CPA, runs his own consultancy, and is behind the leading Employee Central YouTube channel. Brandon also made us something. "Behind the Curtain" is his anthem for everyone who keeps HRIS running: • Behind the Curtain - an anthem for everyon... THE WRITTEN VERSION We break this episode down, with links straight to each moment, in the newsletter: https://payrollbadies.beehiiv.com Hosts: Imran Sajid, Raj Sharmacharya, & Todd Asevedo. #SAP #SuccessFactors #PayrollBADIes #AI #HRIS #payroll #EmployeeCentral #ECP
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    59 mins
  • Welcome to the PayrollBADIes podcast

    Welcome to the PayrollBADIes podcast
    Jul 29 2026
    Welcome to the Podcast!
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    Less than 1 minute
  • Is SAP Really AI-Native? GM/CPO Siva Sundaresan talks AI, SAP SuccessFactors, Joule & Autonomous HCM

    Is SAP Really AI-Native? GM/CPO Siva Sundaresan talks AI, SAP SuccessFactors, Joule & Autonomous HCM
    Jul 29 2026
    Think SAP is just a system of record? Think again. In this must-watch episode of PayrollBADIeS, we sit down with Siva Sundaresan, the new leader of SAP SuccessFactors, to discuss SAP’s AI-native strategy and what it means for the future of HR. Siva shares how SAP is combining decades of enterprise data and business context with Joule, agents, and native AI to move beyond the hype and deliver real customer outcomes. We get into: 🔥 Why being the system of record could be SAP’s greatest AI advantage 🔥 What autonomous HCM actually means 🔥 How AI will transform Core HR, Time, Payroll, and Benefits 🔥 SAP’s continued commitment to the foundation of HCM 🔥 The difference between AI assistance and truly agentic processes 🔥 Why Siva believes AI will bring positive change to humanity 🔥 What is coming next for SAP SuccessFactors Is SAP ready to become both the system of record and the system of intelligence? Watch the full episode and decide for yourself. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction and SAP’s AI vision 02:25 Siva’s background and journey to SAP 05:33 The impact of AI on business and society 11:24 What autonomous HR really means 17:28 SAP’s AI-native strategy 21:39 SAP’s commitment to Core HR, Time, Payroll, and Benefits 25:36 Myth busting: Is SAP only a system of record? 33:06 The future of AI and enterprise software 45:08 What is coming next for SAP SuccessFactors 🔗 CONNECT WITH SIVA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sivasundaresan/ X: https://twitter.com/SivaSundaresan 🔗 LEARN MORE SAP SuccessFactors: https://www.sap.com/products/human-capital-management.html SAP SuccessConnect: https://www.sap.com/about/events/successconnect.html Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders, innovators, and real-life BADIeS shaping the future of payroll and HR. #SAPSuccessFactors #ArtificialIntelligence #PayrollBADIeS
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    51 mins
  • AI Hype vs. Payroll Reality: PayrollBADIes Recap SAP Sapphire & Payroll Congress

    AI Hype vs. Payroll Reality: PayrollBADIes Recap SAP Sapphire & Payroll Congress
    Jun 3 2026
    The PayrollBADIes are back — and this episode is packed with SAP Sapphire, Payroll Congress, AI, autonomous HCM, and plenty of BADIe energy. AI was everywhere this event season: every keynote, every booth, every conversation. But when we asked a room full of payroll professionals how many were actually using AI productively in payroll today… only a few hands went up. That gap between AI hype and payroll reality is where the real conversation begins. In this episode, we break down: Key takeaways from SAP Sapphire What autonomous HCM could mean for payroll Why AI is exciting, but still early for most payroll teams What we saw and heard at Payroll Congress Why SAP’s ecosystem matters more than ever How payroll professionals are finally getting the spotlight they deserve What payroll leaders should be thinking about next Payroll is changing fast. AI is coming. But the people who make sure employees get paid are still the real heroes. Like, subscribe, and keep that BADIe energy strong. ⛓️ #PayrollBADIES #Payroll #AI #SAPPayroll #SAPSuccessFactors #SAPSapphire #PayrollCongress #HRTech #AutonomousPayroll #SAPPayrollIsKing
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    38 mins
  • Behind the Scenes on Why SAP Acquired SmartRecruiters, Autonomous Payroll, AI Agents, & More

    Behind the Scenes on Why SAP Acquired SmartRecruiters, Autonomous Payroll, AI Agents, & More
    Dec 30 2025
    In this episode we are joined by Shahzad Naseem from the SAP SuccessFactors Product Strategy team to discuss the strategic reasoning behind the SmartRecruiters acquisition, the roadmap for Autonomous Payroll., & more! We go "under the hood" to explore why SAP chose SmartRecruiters over other vendors. How they evaluated every vendor and what set SmartRecruiters apart, focusing on the strength of their Applicant Tracking System (ATS) vs. "hollow" AI chatbots. Shazad reveals the 2026 vision for Employee Central Payroll (ECP), including the introduction of Autonomous Payroll Agents for compliance, reconciliation, and alerts that allow admins to "go home at 5:00 PM". We also clarify the future of SuccessFactors Recruiting vs. SmartRecruiters and how native onboarding fits into the new ecosystem. Key Takeaways & Chapters 00:00:00 | Intro: The PayrollBADIes Podcast Kickoff 00:01:12 | Meet Shahzad Naseem: SAP Strategy Lead & Musician 00:06:40 | The SmartRecruiters Business Case: Why SAP Acquired Them 00:12:05 | ATS Strength vs. Hollow Chatbots: The Evaluation Process 00:19:21 | Joule AI vs. Winston AI: Will They Ever Merge? 00:23:23 | The Future of "Headless" AI HR Applications 00:25:51 | 2025 Roadmap: Workforce Scheduling & Business Data Cloud (BDC) 00:27:12 | Autonomous Payroll: The Vision for ECP 00:29:55 | How Payroll Agents Solve Finance Reconciliation Gaps 00:32:33 | What Happens to SuccessFactors Recruiting & Onboarding?00:37:16 | Closing: The Future of Payroll Innovation If you care about Payroll, SAP, AI, Recruiting, Compliance, or the future of HR Technology, this episode is for you. 👇 Drop a comment, subscribe, and join the PayrollBADIes community.
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    40 mins
  • SAP Connect 2025 & PayrollBADIEs One Year Anniversary!

    SAP Connect 2025 & PayrollBADIEs One Year Anniversary!
    Nov 3 2025
    A dynamic recap of the SAP SuccessConnect 2025 event, celebrating the Payroll BADIes 1-Year Anniversary! Join the crew as they discuss the massive announcements impacting SAP SuccessFactors HCM & Payroll. We dive deep into the SmartRecruiters acquisition, the future of AI agent-to-agent communication (Joule, Winston), major updates to SAP Time Tracking / Workforce Management, and the rise of the Payroll Baddy community. Learn what's next for payroll professionals and get the dates for SAP Connect 2026 and SAP Sapphire 2026. Video Chapters: [00:00:00] - Start: Payroll BADIeversary Welcome [00:01:45] - The Payroll Baddy "Knighting" Movement [00:02:41] - Fan Reactions & Gold Chain TSA Stories [00:04:56] - SAP Connect / SuccessConnect Recap & Event Structure [00:05:25] - Payroll's Dominance at the HR/Finance Combined Event [00:06:48] - Keynote Impressions (Business vs. IT Focus) [00:08:37] - Keynote Innovation Highlights (EC, Ask My Pay Statement, AI, WFM) [00:10:23] - The SmartRecruiters Acquisition & Seamless Integration Demo [00:13:45] - AI Agent-to-Agent Communication (Joule & Winston AI) [00:15:07] - Celebrating Payroll Customers & The Baddy Parties [00:16:58] - Workforce Management/Time Tracking Updates & Customer Success Stories [00:19:06] - Talent Management News: The Focus on Skills [00:20:00] - Venue Review & Future Event Dates (SAP Connect 2026, Sapphire 2026) [00:22:52] - Fun Moments & Building the Payroll Community [00:29:43] - Final Thoughts & Call to Action (Newsletter) [00:30:44] - Outro Rap Song
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    33 mins
  • PayrollBADIes with B-RAVE (Bonnie Tinder, Raven Intel): HR & Payroll Better Together, Software Selection, AI Adoption & More

    PayrollBADIes with B-RAVE (Bonnie Tinder, Raven Intel): HR & Payroll Better Together, Software Selection, AI Adoption & More
    Sep 3 2025
    Join this episode to hear from Bonnie Tinder, Founder & CEO of Raven Intelligence, for a no-BS look at what truly drives HR tech implementation success. Bonnie explains why team dynamics and partner quality beat software features, how to use verified customer reviews to pick the right implementation partner, and what really happens when HR and Payroll live on different vendors. We dig into AI in HR (hype vs. outcomes), recent market moves and acquisitions, and where the ecosystem is headed next. Her bottom line: push for unified systems where it counts, and insist on clear accountability across every vendor on the field—because, as Bonnie puts it, running Core HR without Payroll is like running a marathon with one shoe. Highlights Team is greater then tool: the human factors that make or break projects How to leverage customer reviews to choose the right SI Integrations in the real world: HR ↔ Payroll, time, tax, and funding AI adoption in HR: what’s working now vs. slideware What market consolidation means for buyers in 2025+ Subscribe for more conversations with builders, buyers, and doers in HR & Payroll.
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    32 mins
  • Why Payroll Is Still Undervalued and What Needs to Change with Pete Tiliakos

    Why Payroll Is Still Undervalued and What Needs to Change with Pete Tiliakos
    Jul 8 2025
    In this episode of the Payroll BADIes podcast, the group welcomes legendary payroll analyst Pete Tiliakos · Imran & Raj discuss the backlash they received after the previous episode and get Pete’s thoughts on the role of analysts in shaping the industry· Pete gives a sneak preview of his upcoming research: The Payroll Profession Confidence Index· The group talks about the five pillars of payroll excellence.· Pete gives his prediction on the future of payroll and how Artificial Intelligence will change the game
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    47 mins