WGU D435: HR TECHNOLOGY AND PEOPLE ANALYSIS
COMPLETE EXAM QUESTIONS AND 100% VERIFIED ANSWERS
(2026/2027) PASS GUARANTEE
Q1: What is an HRIS?
Answer: A Human Resource Information System (HRIS) is integrated
software used to collect, store, manage, and process employee data and
HR-related tasks, including payroll, benefits, recruitment, and
performance management.
Q2: What is the difference between an HRIS, HRMS, and HCM?
Answer: HRIS focuses on data management and administrative tasks;
HRMS (Human Resource Management System) adds broader process
automation including payroll and time tracking; HCM (Human Capital
Management) is the most comprehensive, adding strategic talent
management, workforce planning, and analytics.
Q3: What are the core modules typically found in an HRIS?
Answer: Core modules include employee data management, payroll,
benefits administration, time and attendance, recruitment/ATS,
onboarding, performance management, learning management (LMS),
and reporting/analytics.
Q4: What is a Talent Management System (TMS)?
Answer: A TMS is software that supports the full employee lifecycle
from recruitment and onboarding through performance management,
learning and development, succession planning, and compensation
management.
WGU D435: HR Technology and People Analytics | Page 1 of 42
,Q5: What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?
Answer: An ATS is software that automates the recruitment process by
managing job postings, collecting and sorting resumes, tracking
applicants through hiring stages, and facilitating communication between
recruiters and candidates.
Q6: What is a Learning Management System (LMS)?
Answer: An LMS is a software platform used to create, deliver, manage,
and track employee training and development programs, supporting e-
learning, certifications, and compliance training.
Q7: What does SaaS mean in the context of HR technology?
Answer: Software as a Service (SaaS) means HR software is hosted in
the cloud by a vendor and accessed via the internet on a subscription
basis, eliminating the need for on-premises installation and reducing IT
maintenance burdens.
Q8: What are the advantages of cloud-based HR systems?
Answer: Advantages include lower upfront costs, automatic updates,
scalability, remote access, reduced IT burden, faster implementation,
and easier integration with other cloud tools.
Q9: What is an employee self-service (ESS) portal?
Answer: An ESS portal allows employees to access and manage their
own HR information, such as updating personal details, viewing pay
stubs, requesting time off, enrolling in benefits, and completing training,
reducing the administrative burden on HR.
Q10: What is manager self-service (MSS)?
Answer: MSS is a feature in HR systems that allows managers to
access and perform HR-related tasks for their teams, such as approving
timesheets, submitting performance reviews, requesting compensation
changes, and viewing team dashboards.
WGU D435: HR Technology and People Analytics | Page 2 of 42
, Q11: What is workflow automation in HR?
Answer: Workflow automation uses technology to automatically route
tasks, approvals, and notifications through predefined steps in HR
processes, such as onboarding checklists, leave approvals, or
performance review cycles, improving efficiency and consistency.
Q12: What is the role of APIs in HR technology?
Answer: APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) allow different HR
software systems to communicate and exchange data, enabling
seamless integration between tools like an ATS, HRIS, payroll, and LMS
without manual data re-entry.
Q13: What is a best-of-breed HR technology strategy?
Answer: A best-of-breed strategy involves selecting the top-performing
individual software for each HR function (e.g., best ATS, best LMS) and
integrating them, rather than using a single all-in-one suite.
Q14: What is an all-in-one or unified HR suite?
Answer: An all-in-one suite is a single platform that covers multiple or all
HR functions (HRIS, payroll, talent management, analytics) from one
vendor, offering easier integration, consistent data, and a unified user
experience.
Q15: What factors should be considered when selecting an HR
technology vendor?
Answer: Factors include total cost of ownership, scalability, ease of
integration, user experience, vendor support and reputation, compliance
capabilities, data security, configurability, and alignment with
organizational strategy.
◆ People Analytics Fundamentals
Q16: What is people analytics?
WGU D435: HR Technology and People Analytics | Page 3 of 42
, Answer: People analytics (also called HR analytics or workforce
analytics) is the practice of using data, statistical analysis, and
technology to understand, predict, and improve HR decisions, workforce
outcomes, and business performance.
Q17: What are the four levels of analytics maturity?
Answer: The four levels are: Descriptive (what happened), Diagnostic
(why it happened), Predictive (what will happen), and Prescriptive (what
should we do about it).
Q18: What is descriptive analytics in HR?
Answer: Descriptive analytics summarizes historical workforce data to
answer 'what happened,' using metrics like headcount, turnover rate,
time-to-fill, and absence rates presented in reports and dashboards.
Q19: What is diagnostic analytics in HR?
Answer: Diagnostic analytics investigates why something happened by
drilling deeper into data, identifying correlations and root causes, such
as determining which departments have the highest turnover and what
factors are driving it.
Q20: What is predictive analytics in HR?
Answer: Predictive analytics uses historical data, statistical models, and
machine learning to forecast future outcomes, such as predicting which
employees are at risk of leaving or which candidates are most likely to
succeed.
Q21: What is prescriptive analytics in HR?
Answer: Prescriptive analytics recommends specific actions based on
predictive models, telling HR what to do to achieve desired outcomes,
such as suggesting personalized retention interventions for at-risk
employees.
Q22: What is a HR metric?
WGU D435: HR Technology and People Analytics | Page 4 of 42
COMPLETE EXAM QUESTIONS AND 100% VERIFIED ANSWERS
(2026/2027) PASS GUARANTEE
Q1: What is an HRIS?
Answer: A Human Resource Information System (HRIS) is integrated
software used to collect, store, manage, and process employee data and
HR-related tasks, including payroll, benefits, recruitment, and
performance management.
Q2: What is the difference between an HRIS, HRMS, and HCM?
Answer: HRIS focuses on data management and administrative tasks;
HRMS (Human Resource Management System) adds broader process
automation including payroll and time tracking; HCM (Human Capital
Management) is the most comprehensive, adding strategic talent
management, workforce planning, and analytics.
Q3: What are the core modules typically found in an HRIS?
Answer: Core modules include employee data management, payroll,
benefits administration, time and attendance, recruitment/ATS,
onboarding, performance management, learning management (LMS),
and reporting/analytics.
Q4: What is a Talent Management System (TMS)?
Answer: A TMS is software that supports the full employee lifecycle
from recruitment and onboarding through performance management,
learning and development, succession planning, and compensation
management.
WGU D435: HR Technology and People Analytics | Page 1 of 42
,Q5: What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?
Answer: An ATS is software that automates the recruitment process by
managing job postings, collecting and sorting resumes, tracking
applicants through hiring stages, and facilitating communication between
recruiters and candidates.
Q6: What is a Learning Management System (LMS)?
Answer: An LMS is a software platform used to create, deliver, manage,
and track employee training and development programs, supporting e-
learning, certifications, and compliance training.
Q7: What does SaaS mean in the context of HR technology?
Answer: Software as a Service (SaaS) means HR software is hosted in
the cloud by a vendor and accessed via the internet on a subscription
basis, eliminating the need for on-premises installation and reducing IT
maintenance burdens.
Q8: What are the advantages of cloud-based HR systems?
Answer: Advantages include lower upfront costs, automatic updates,
scalability, remote access, reduced IT burden, faster implementation,
and easier integration with other cloud tools.
Q9: What is an employee self-service (ESS) portal?
Answer: An ESS portal allows employees to access and manage their
own HR information, such as updating personal details, viewing pay
stubs, requesting time off, enrolling in benefits, and completing training,
reducing the administrative burden on HR.
Q10: What is manager self-service (MSS)?
Answer: MSS is a feature in HR systems that allows managers to
access and perform HR-related tasks for their teams, such as approving
timesheets, submitting performance reviews, requesting compensation
changes, and viewing team dashboards.
WGU D435: HR Technology and People Analytics | Page 2 of 42
, Q11: What is workflow automation in HR?
Answer: Workflow automation uses technology to automatically route
tasks, approvals, and notifications through predefined steps in HR
processes, such as onboarding checklists, leave approvals, or
performance review cycles, improving efficiency and consistency.
Q12: What is the role of APIs in HR technology?
Answer: APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) allow different HR
software systems to communicate and exchange data, enabling
seamless integration between tools like an ATS, HRIS, payroll, and LMS
without manual data re-entry.
Q13: What is a best-of-breed HR technology strategy?
Answer: A best-of-breed strategy involves selecting the top-performing
individual software for each HR function (e.g., best ATS, best LMS) and
integrating them, rather than using a single all-in-one suite.
Q14: What is an all-in-one or unified HR suite?
Answer: An all-in-one suite is a single platform that covers multiple or all
HR functions (HRIS, payroll, talent management, analytics) from one
vendor, offering easier integration, consistent data, and a unified user
experience.
Q15: What factors should be considered when selecting an HR
technology vendor?
Answer: Factors include total cost of ownership, scalability, ease of
integration, user experience, vendor support and reputation, compliance
capabilities, data security, configurability, and alignment with
organizational strategy.
◆ People Analytics Fundamentals
Q16: What is people analytics?
WGU D435: HR Technology and People Analytics | Page 3 of 42
, Answer: People analytics (also called HR analytics or workforce
analytics) is the practice of using data, statistical analysis, and
technology to understand, predict, and improve HR decisions, workforce
outcomes, and business performance.
Q17: What are the four levels of analytics maturity?
Answer: The four levels are: Descriptive (what happened), Diagnostic
(why it happened), Predictive (what will happen), and Prescriptive (what
should we do about it).
Q18: What is descriptive analytics in HR?
Answer: Descriptive analytics summarizes historical workforce data to
answer 'what happened,' using metrics like headcount, turnover rate,
time-to-fill, and absence rates presented in reports and dashboards.
Q19: What is diagnostic analytics in HR?
Answer: Diagnostic analytics investigates why something happened by
drilling deeper into data, identifying correlations and root causes, such
as determining which departments have the highest turnover and what
factors are driving it.
Q20: What is predictive analytics in HR?
Answer: Predictive analytics uses historical data, statistical models, and
machine learning to forecast future outcomes, such as predicting which
employees are at risk of leaving or which candidates are most likely to
succeed.
Q21: What is prescriptive analytics in HR?
Answer: Prescriptive analytics recommends specific actions based on
predictive models, telling HR what to do to achieve desired outcomes,
such as suggesting personalized retention interventions for at-risk
employees.
Q22: What is a HR metric?
WGU D435: HR Technology and People Analytics | Page 4 of 42
