What is Sana and is it the right HCM platform for your organisation?

Sana is a Human Capital Management (HCM) platform designed to simplify and enhance how organisations attract, manage, and develop their people.

With capabilities across onboarding, workforce planning, compliance, and learning management, Sana supports organisations looking to modernise manual HR processes and deliver a more connected employee experience.

Sana’s cloud-first architecture and intuitive design make it particularly appealing to mid-sized organisations across healthcare, professional services, education, and the public sector. Whether you’re replacing spreadsheets or looking to consolidate disparate HR tools, Sana positions itself as a flexible and user-friendly solution.

This page outlines Sana’s core capabilities, where it fits best, and how to assess whether it supports your broader workforce strategy.

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Key features of Sana HCM

  • Centralised employee records and workforce planning
  • Onboarding workflows and role-based task automation
  • Leave, benefits, and compliance tracking
  • Employee and manager self-service portals
  • Performance management and goal tracking
  • Learning and development tools with training library support
  • Payroll integration and reporting dashboards
  • Cloud-based platform with mobile accessibility

Which organisations is Sana best suited for?

Sana is typically a strong fit for:

  • Mid-sized organisations with growing HR complexity
  • Teams moving from manual HR processes or legacy systems
  • HR leaders focused on compliance, engagement, and automation
  • Sectors like healthcare, aged care, education, and services
  • Organisations looking for an HCM platform with integrated learning support

Pros and cons of Sana

Where Sana delivers value:

  • Simple, user-friendly interface for HR and employees
  • Streamlined onboarding and compliance management
  • Integrated learning and performance tracking tools
  • Flexible configuration without heavy IT reliance
  • Affordable and scalable for mid-market businesses

Where it may fall short:

  • May lack some of the advanced analytics or talent features of enterprise suites
  • Requires integration with payroll, finance, or ERP systems for end-to-end automation
  • Learning functionality may not replace full LMS platforms in regulated industries
  • Implementation success depends on internal process clarity and data readiness

Alternatives to Sana

If your organisation has different priorities or complexity levels, you may also consider:

  • ELMO – broader HCM suite with strong LMS and compliance features
  • Employment Hero – all-in-one HR and payroll for fast-growing teams
  • Workday HCM – enterprise-grade HCM for larger, complex organisations
  • BambooHR – intuitive HCM platform for SMEs
  • Cornerstone HR – strong learning and talent focus with HCM core

Compare these options in our Human Capital Management Solutions Guide and Learning Management Systems Guide.

Planning your Sana journey

Whether you’re exploring Sana for the first time or reviewing your current HR technology, SMC can support you through evaluation, selection, and implementation.

Expert insights from SMC

At Solution Minds Consulting, we’ve helped organisations in healthcare, education, government, and professional services define their HCM and learning needs and select the right-fit platform. We understand the HR pain points our clients face – from manual onboarding to compliance risk to disengaged teams – and work to align your systems with your strategy.

Our vendor-neutral approach ensures you get objective advice based on what your organisation actually needs, not just what’s in a demo.

Explore our services in HCM Software Selection, Digital Strategy and Roadmaps, and Change Management.