Ultimate Software (Nasdaq:ULTI), a leading provider of end-to-end strategic human resources, payroll, and talent management solutions, announced today that Knight Oil Tools has selected Ultimate Software’s UltiPro delivered through its software-as-a-service model, Intersourcing, to manage human resources and payroll, in addition to Ultimate’s talent management feature-set, including recruitment, performance management, and learning management functionality. Today, Knight and its operating companies — Knight Oil Tools™, Knight Fishing Services™, Knight Well Services™, and Knight Manufacturing™ ― are the largest privately held rental and fishing tool companies in the world.

Louisiana-based Knight Oil Tools had been using a payroll service bureau that lacked the HR functionality the company needed to manage its employees strategically, forcing the HR team to rely on spreadsheets for the majority of their workforce data. With significant growth in the past 36 months, expanding the rental tool company from approximately 200 to more than 700 employees, Knight Oil Tools’ executives charged the company’s new HR director to research and recommend an integrated HRMS/payroll solution that would allow the department to function more effectively. Knight selected Ultimate Software’s UltiPro in July 2008.

“After reviewing eight vendors, no one compared with Ultimate, so this was not a difficult decision. UltiPro’s functionality, versatility, customer support, and ease of use for the average employee immediately drew me to the solution,” said Mike Brady, director of human resources for Knight Oil Tools. “We are looking forward to a very long relationship with Ultimate and know that UltiPro will allow our HR department to better serve not only the people of our company, but our financial objectives as well — giving us the ability to improve our bottom line.”

“As they become more successful, many businesses find that payroll service bureaus will not address the employee management needs of their organization as they increase in size and complexity,” said Greg Swick, Ultimate Software’s chief sales officer.