OneSource Virtual is Workday’s 2026 Partner of the Year for Innovation. Learn more
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Search our site

  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

OneSource Virtual vs. ADP

OSV operates within workday, while ADP integrates. That difference determines whether your team spends time managing systems or driving payroll outcomes.

Schedule a demo
Get a detailed comparison

Trusted by 1,400+ Workday customers

logo-JazzPharma
QAD_logo
Innisfree2
tradedesk-logo
2U
eisneramper-logo
equifax
greenix_logo
logos_website_assets_HKS
Amenity Collective logo
ERPAlogo
CCSlogo

onesource-virtual-versus-adp-infograph-4

Why should Workday customers choose a native approach?

You invested in Workday for unified data and streamlined workflows. Now you need payroll and compliance services to support that investment.

ADP connects to Workday through public APIs, but that's where their Workday relationship begins and ends. Your data travels out for processing in their separate system, then flows back in, creating integration points your team must maintain and reconcile.

OSV operates directly inside your Workday tenant using native functionality that external providers simply can’t access. Our Workday-certified experts configure, execute, and manage your payroll processes where your HCM data already lives, inside of Workday.

That’s not just a technical distinction; it’s the difference between a partner bolted onto Workday and one built within it.

onesource-virtual-versus-adp-infograph-4

adp-in-tenant-model-2

With ADP's platform:

  • Sensitive payroll data flows out of Workday, processes in ADP's system, then flows back into Workday
  • Your team manages integrations, reconciles discrepancies, and monitors file transfers
  • Employees toggle between Workday and ADP portals
  • Your HCM team audits two separate systems

osv-in-tenant-model-2

With OSV's in-tenant model:

  • All payroll and HR operations happen inside your Workday instance — your data never leaves
  • Zero integrations to manage, we operate within Workday's architecture
  • Employees access everything through Workday
  • Your security framework stays unified
The difference isn't just technical; it cascades through your entire operation.
Modern, in-tenant solution vs. legacy BPO
OSV's in-tenant model ADP's external platform
Payroll operations Work entirely within Workday, using OSV's proprietary technology Switch between Workday and ADP systems
Data movement Fully managed in-tenant. API setup, maintenance, error flagging and reconciliation included Customer-managed API integrations and fees; manual error reconciliation required
Security model Utilize existing Workday security framework Separate logins and security permissions
Support model Named, dedicated team, and direct contact details Multi-ticketing and triage system
Operating model Works within Workday New platform to learn and maintain
Get a detailed comparison

What our customers achieve with OSV

“[With OSV] I'm on a first name basis with the team that I have. With other companies like ADP, you don't get that.”

Senior Payroll Manager, Del Monte Foods

“Our partnership with OSV supports our overall business strategy by taking things that are not core to our business, such as payroll administration, tax, garnishments, or just areas where we need help, and it needs to be able to flex up and down, and provides those services to us in an operationally efficient way and a cost-efficient way.”

Vice President, People Services and Insights, E.W. Scripps

“It's the fact that it's a dedicated team. ADP, you call up, and most of the time you get different people every single time. It's thrown into this sea of tickets and issues. The whole ticketing system of just going in and creating the ticket, being able to track where it is in real time. And it's always coming back from usually the same person.”

Senior Payroll Analyst, Tory Burch

“It's such a relief to have another team there that are both experts in what they do, but also care enough to want to help. I think OSV has been really good and a lot more personable than ADP, especially.”

Payroll and System Specialist, TopGolf Callaway

“It is comforting to know that we can call up OSV, and they can get inside our tenant at any time and look at the same data that we’re looking at and understand the complexity or the issue or set-up at any point in time, whereas the previous vendor didn’t have that. So it’s huge. It really is huge.”

Payroll Manager, NACCO Natural Resources

Questions that Workday customers ask

Why is OSV's in-tenant model better than ADP's external platform approach?

OSV runs payroll and compliance directly within your Workday tenant. As a OneSource Virtual customer, you can scale the level of support you need, thanks to our in-tenant approach. We configure, execute, and manage your payroll processes while providing a layer of human support to prevent errors.

How does OSV's service model compare to ADP's for Workday customers?

OSV provides dedicated, named support teams staffed with access to Workday-certified experts who understand Workday. OSV works within your tenant, our team can proactively identify and resolve issues before they impact your operations.

ADP's call center and ticketing model means you're often explaining your Workday setup to different support representatives who primarily know ADP's platform. Since their system operates externally and since they do not have in-tenant expertise, troubleshooting requires coordinating between your Workday environment and their platform, which adds time and complexity to issue resolution.

Is it secure for OSV to work inside our Workday tenant?

OSV’s in-tenant model enhances security by operating through Workday’s native role-based controls. You determine what OSV can access through existing security groups, and all activity is captured in standard Workday audit logs. ADP’s external platform transmits data out of Workday via APIs, creating multiple data stores with separate security protocols and access controls to manage. Many enterprise security teams prefer OSV’s model because sensitive data stays inside their controlled Workday environment rather than being replicated across external systems.

Do payroll teams need to access a separate system for payroll?

OSV is built using Workday's native functionality, which means all payroll operations happen within your Workday instance. Your team never needs to leave Workday to process payroll, review reports, or make payments. You see what we see.

Does OneSource Virtual 'native integration' mean we lose flexibility?

OneSource Virtual operates within Workday's framework; you retain full access to Workday's configuration and customization capabilities. Unlike external platforms that impose their own constraints and workflows, OSV adapts to how you've configured Workday, not the other way around.

How do our employees experience this change?

With OSV, employees access pay, tax forms, and statements through Workday, not through a separate portal. Organizations see fewer support tickets and better adoption because the experience is unified.

The real question isn't which provider has more features

It's which provider lets you stop managing systems and start driving outcomes. 

OSV works where your Workday HCM data lives — inside the platform your team already trusts. 

onesource-virtual-versus-adp-collaborating-team

Get started with
OneSource Virtual

The task list for payroll professionals is growing. And so are employee expectations. We help you automate processes.

Reach out
Explore services