Hamilton County on shifting payroll from hands-on to hands-off

Many payroll teams in state and local government organizations know the struggle of relying on manual processes and legacy systems. Compliance isn’t optional, and auditors are watching. Hamilton County’s payroll team had built manual processes that worked for them — printing and folding 1095s by hand, processing payroll reporting in-house, coordinating W-2 distribution across departments. Handing it off to an outside partner felt risky.

Dottie Carlson, payroll and benefits administrator for Hamilton County, evaluated a Workday partner to modernize their legacy system and simplify public-sector compliance. She needed someone who would listen to her and understand her unique demands. “The other vendors, I feel like they were talking at us and not talking to us,” Dottie recalls. “But with OSV, we just felt like they heard us.”

OneSource Virtual (OSV) approached the work by understanding Hamilton County’s needs. Working in-tenant meant accommodating their operational reality, not just pushing a standard template. In addition to adapting to how they worked, OSV automated the manual processes that were consuming resources.

When Hamilton County went live with Workday in 2024, there was skepticism. But instead of navigating changes alone, Dottie’s team had patient partners who were fluent in Workday. By early 2025, the payroll reporting process shifted from manual and anxiety-prone to something the team could stand behind. The forms that once required hours of printing and folding disappeared. Tax season went from constant stress to manageable. Monthly check-ins continued beyond implementation. When questions surfaced, responses were quick.

Beyond operational efficiency, the outcome meant Hamilton County’s teams were free to focus on what public-sector compliance demands: accuracy, attention, and the ability to respond to change without being overwhelmed by manual tasks.

Read the full case study to learn how OSV and Hamilton County’s partnership shifted the team from hands-on to hands-off.