Thoropass Integrations

Google Cloud serves as an online platform where users can develop anything from basic websites to intricate business applications, catering to organizations of all sizes. New users are welcomed with a generous offer of $300 in credits, enabling them to experiment, deploy, and manage their workloads effectively, while also gaining access to over 25 products at no cost. Leveraging Google's foundational data analytics and machine learning capabilities, this service is accessible to all types of enterprises and emphasizes security and comprehensive features. By harnessing big data, businesses can enhance their products and accelerate their decision-making processes. The platform supports a seamless transition from initial prototypes to fully operational products, even scaling to accommodate global demands without concerns about reliability, capacity, or performance issues. With virtual machines that boast a strong performance-to-cost ratio and a fully-managed application development environment, users can also take advantage of high-performance, scalable, and resilient storage and database solutions. Furthermore, Google's private fiber network provides cutting-edge software-defined networking options, along with fully managed data warehousing, data exploration tools, and support for Hadoop/Spark as well as messaging services, making it an all-encompassing solution for modern digital needs.

Optimize your team's payment processes by utilizing advanced tools, employee benefits, and professional assistance offered by a top-tier online payroll service provider. You can manage payroll while enjoying access to comprehensive HR and employee resources all in one user-friendly platform. Once you have completed your payroll setup, you will be able to pay your employees automatically and effortlessly. Our service takes care of calculating, filing, and managing your payroll taxes, ensuring accuracy and compliance. With our free same-day direct deposit options, you can enjoy the advantage of retaining your cash for a longer period. Moreover, you can manage employee benefits and services directly from your payroll account, providing you with greater control and convenience. The direct deposit feature also allows for greater flexibility in determining when your team gets paid. Your time tracking data integrates smoothly into your account, making it easy to approve timesheets, process payments, and create invoices right from your mobile device. By automating your payroll tasks, you can save significant time, and with Auto Payroll enabled, you will receive timely alerts to help you manage your account effectively. This ensures that you can dedicate more energy to growing your business while having peace of mind about your payroll responsibilities. With such an integrated approach, your payroll management becomes not just easier but also much more efficient, allowing you to focus on your core objectives without unnecessary distractions.

BambooHR is a highly regarded HR solution designed to assist expanding organizations in streamlining, consolidating, and linking their employee information in a single platform. This comprehensive tool serves as a central hub for managing data, recruiting new talent, processing payroll, and facilitating employee development. By utilizing BambooHR, companies can enhance their operational efficiency and improve workforce management.

Gusto offers a robust and intuitive platform that streamlines payroll, benefits, and HR management tasks. Trusted by more than 40,000 businesses, it features a wide range of tools aimed at automating these critical functions, enabling small business owners to focus on their primary objective: growing their companies. Furthermore, Gusto integrates effortlessly with well-known business applications for expense tracking, time management, banking, and accounting, enhancing its utility. Transform your business practices with a platform that values the well-being of your team every day, not just at payday. Gusto serves as the ultimate platform for small businesses, providing a unified solution for managing payroll, benefits, and employee support. A successful business is built on a solid team, and Gusto's comprehensive platform helps cultivate an outstanding workplace that encourages development. By simplifying the challenges of team growth and management, Gusto makes this process remarkably straightforward, ensuring that you can focus on what truly drives your success. Moreover, with Gusto, you can enhance employee satisfaction and retention, ultimately leading to a more prosperous organization.

Rippling simplifies human resources, payroll, IT, and expense management for companies operating on a global scale. With ease, you can oversee the complete employee lifecycle, encompassing everything from recruitment to benefits management and performance evaluations. It offers automation for HR processes, eases the approval workflow, and guarantees adherence to regulations. You can also control devices, manage software access, and monitor compliance, all from a single dashboard. With timely payroll processing, effective expense tracking, and adaptable financial policies, you can save time, lower expenses, and boost overall efficiency in your organization. Discover the advantages of integrated management solutions with Rippling and transform the way your business operates today.

Presenting Microsoft 365, formerly recognized as Microsoft Office 365, a comprehensive suite designed to enhance creativity and help you achieve your objectives through essential tools such as Outlook, OneDrive, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Yammer, and more. By subscribing to Microsoft 365, you gain access to the most current versions of Office applications, available both on your desktop and online, along with regular updates as they become available. No matter if you're on a desktop, tablet, or smartphone, the combination of Microsoft 365, your device, and an internet connection enables you to stay productive from virtually anywhere. With OneDrive, your work is always within reach, promoting effortless collaboration and sharing opportunities with colleagues and friends. Furthermore, assistance is easily accessible through email, chat, or phone, ensuring you can connect with a real support representative whenever you require help. Take advantage of the capabilities of Office now and discover the subscription plan that aligns with your specific needs for maximum efficiency. Elevating your productivity has never been more attainable, so seize the moment and transform the way you work today!

Having everything centralized is essential as opposed to relying on a singular solution. If you're feeling inundated by a myriad of systems and procedures related to employee management, you're not alone. The struggle with manual data entry, a mountain of payroll documents, and poor integration between systems can significantly hinder productivity and increase the likelihood of compliance errors. ADP Workforce Now presents a robust cloud-based HR management platform that enables you to manage all your HR requirements—ranging from payroll and workforce management to talent acquisition and benefits—while delivering insightful analytics across these areas. This platform ensures that payroll can be processed both quickly and accurately, while also granting employees convenient access to their personal information at any time and from any location. Renowned for its affordability and effectiveness, ADP Workforce Now® Payroll is engineered to streamline payroll and tax filing while helping you adhere to compliance standards, making it adaptable as your company grows. Discover the potential of ADP Workforce Now to transform your organization’s payroll processes into a seamless operation. With this cutting-edge solution, you'll boost overall efficiency and enhance employee satisfaction, ensuring your team is engaged and motivated.

Paycor offers a comprehensive HR software platform that revolutionizes the way organizations oversee their workforce. More than 29,000 clients rely on Paycor to enhance nearly all facets of human resource management. This versatile platform encompasses functions such as recruitment, onboarding, payroll processing, tax compliance, administration of HR benefits, reporting, analytics, talent development, and learning management, among others. By transforming the methods used for recruiting, onboarding, and nurturing talent, as well as for compensation and retention, Paycor significantly improves HR practices. Ultimately, Paycor enables leaders to rise above the minutiae of HR tasks, allowing them to focus on strategic initiatives.

Asana empowers teams to manage their workflows efficiently, ranging from everyday tasks to overarching strategic projects. By utilizing Asana, teams experience enhanced confidence, increased speed, and improved productivity, regardless of their geographical locations or the number of departments involved. Over 119,000 paying customers, along with millions of free users in 190 countries, depend on Asana to oversee everything from corporate objectives to digital transformations, product launches, and marketing efforts. Rather than relying on fragmented spreadsheets and emails, it is essential to enable teams to work collaboratively and communicate seamlessly in a unified platform. Asana facilitates this by allowing various teams and departments involved in a project to share context and delegate responsibilities through tasks, link related work, exchange files, receive immediate updates, and establish efficient cross-departmental workflows. Furthermore, Asana simplifies the tracking of project statuses, offering a clear perspective on progress towards objectives. Users can generate reports on project advancements in just minutes, providing transparency for both teams and stakeholders. Experience the benefits of streamlined work management by joining millions of users and starting with a free trial to maximize your team's potential.

Jira serves as a project management platform that enables comprehensive planning and tracking for your entire team’s efforts. Atlassian’s Jira stands out as the premier choice for software development teams aiming to effectively plan and create outstanding products, earning the trust of countless teams. It provides a variety of features designed to assist in the planning, tracking, and launching of top-notch software. In addition, Jira facilitates the organization and management of issues, task assignments, and the monitoring of team progress. The tool seamlessly integrates with leading development software, ensuring complete traceability from start to finish. Whether tackling minor tasks or extensive cross-department initiatives, Jira empowers you to decompose substantial ideas into actionable steps. It allows for effective organization of workloads, milestone creation, and dependency management. By linking tasks to overarching goals, team members can easily understand how their individual contributions align with the broader company objectives, ensuring everyone stays focused on what truly matters. Furthermore, with the aid of AI, Atlassian Intelligence proactively recommends tasks, streamlining the process of bringing your ambitious ideas to fruition. This not only enhances productivity but also fosters a collaborative environment among team members.

GitHub remains the foremost platform for developers around the world, celebrated for its robust security, impressive scalability, and strong community engagement. By becoming part of the vast network of millions of developers and organizations, you can play a role in creating the software that propels society forward. Engage and collaborate with some of the most innovative communities while taking advantage of our exceptional tools, support, and services. If you are managing multiple contributors, consider utilizing our complimentary GitHub Team for Open Source feature. Furthermore, GitHub Sponsors is designed to help finance your initiatives and projects effectively. We are excited to bring back The Pack, a program that offers students and educators free access to top-notch developer tools throughout the academic year and beyond. In addition, if you are affiliated with a recognized nonprofit, association, or a 501(c)(3) organization, we provide a discounted Organization account to help further your mission. Through these initiatives, GitHub continues to empower a diverse range of users in their software development endeavors, fostering a more inclusive tech community. With ongoing support and resources, GitHub is dedicated to enhancing the development experience for everyone involved.

Microsoft Azure is a dynamic cloud computing platform designed to streamline the development, testing, and management of applications with speed and security. By leveraging Azure, you can creatively turn your ideas into effective solutions, taking advantage of more than 100 services that support building, deploying, and managing applications across various environments such as the cloud, on-premises, or at the edge, all while using your preferred tools and frameworks. The ongoing innovations from Microsoft ensure that your current development requirements are met while also setting the stage for your future product goals. With a strong commitment to open-source values and support for all programming languages and frameworks, Azure grants you the flexibility to create and deploy in a manner that best fits your needs. Whether your infrastructure is on-premises, cloud-based, or edge-focused, Azure is equipped to evolve alongside your existing setup. It also provides specialized services for hybrid cloud frameworks, allowing for smooth integration and effective management. Security is a key pillar of Azure, underpinned by a skilled team and proactive compliance strategies that are trusted by a wide range of organizations, including enterprises, governments, and startups. With Azure, you gain a dependable cloud solution, supported by outstanding performance metrics that confirm its reliability. Furthermore, this platform not only addresses your immediate requirements but also prepares you for the future's dynamic challenges while fostering a culture of innovation and growth.

Zenefits is a cloud-based human resources platform that assists more than 11,000 small and medium enterprises in empowering their workforce, managing transitions, and ensuring compliance with regulations. The Zenefits People Platform stands out as one of the most user-friendly HR solutions available, featuring a comprehensive suite of HR, Benefits, and Payroll applications that work seamlessly together, along with advisory services and integrated partner apps, to streamline HR administration effectively. This integration allows businesses to concentrate on their core operations while minimizing administrative burdens. Furthermore, Zenefits enables HR teams to swiftly complete online forms to kickstart the onboarding of new hires, with automated processing of all employee details. Employees have the convenience of signing necessary agreements online, and HR personnel can efficiently manage employee transitions by easily removing individuals from benefits and payroll, while also setting up COBRA when needed. Additionally, the platform includes an employee self-service portal, enhancing accessibility and convenience for users. This comprehensive approach not only simplifies HR tasks but also fosters a more engaged workforce.

GitLab serves as a comprehensive DevOps platform that provides an all-in-one CI/CD toolchain, simplifying the workflow for teams. With a singular interface, unified conversations, and a consistent permission model, GitLab transforms collaboration among Security, Development, and Operations teams within a single application. This integration leads to significant reductions in development time and costs, minimizes application vulnerabilities, and accelerates software delivery processes. Furthermore, it enhances developer productivity by facilitating source code management that promotes collaboration, sharing, and coordination among the entire software development team. To expedite software delivery, GitLab enables efficient tracking and merging of branches, auditing of changes, and supports concurrent work efforts. Teams can review code, engage in discussions, share knowledge, and pinpoint defects, even in distributed settings, through asynchronous review processes. Additionally, the platform automates and tracks code reviews, generating reports that enhance transparency and continuous improvement in the development cycle. By offering these robust features, GitLab not only streamlines operations but also fosters a culture of collaboration and efficiency within development teams.

Google Workspace, an upgraded iteration of G Suite, consolidates all the vital tools necessary for enhancing productivity within a single, intuitive platform. This cohesive workspace streamlines your workflow, enabling you to concentrate more on completing your tasks rather than managing them. With cutting-edge AI and search functionalities, Google Workspace empowers you to prioritize what is most important while it handles the rest. You can collaborate effortlessly from any location and on any device, even offline, thanks to customizable features tailored to meet your team’s unique needs. Similar to G Suite, Google Workspace provides personalized email solutions for businesses alongside a range of collaborative tools such as Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms. Discover our variety of plans designed to meet your specific business requirements, and choose the one that best fits your objectives on our pricing page. By adopting Google Workspace, you will witness a significant transformation in how your team collaborates and achieves its goals, ultimately leading to greater success. Embrace this opportunity to elevate your teamwork and productivity to new heights.

For those seeking computing power, data storage, content distribution, or other functionalities, AWS offers the essential resources to develop sophisticated applications with improved adaptability, scalability, and reliability. As the largest and most prevalent cloud platform globally, Amazon Web Services (AWS) features over 175 comprehensive services distributed across numerous data centers worldwide. A wide array of users, from swiftly evolving startups to major enterprises and influential governmental organizations, utilize AWS to lower costs, boost efficiency, and speed up their innovative processes. With a more extensive selection of services and features than any other cloud provider—ranging from fundamental infrastructure like computing, storage, and databases to innovative technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, data lakes, analytics, and the Internet of Things—AWS simplifies the transition of existing applications to the cloud. This vast range of offerings not only enables businesses to harness the full potential of cloud technologies but also fosters optimized workflows and heightened competitiveness in their industries. Ultimately, AWS empowers organizations to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Bitbucket provides much more than just basic Git code management; it functions as a comprehensive hub for teams to strategize projects, collaborate on coding tasks, test, and deploy software applications. For smaller teams with up to five members, it offers free access, while larger teams can choose between Standard ($3 per user per month) and Premium ($6 per user per month) pricing plans that scale with their needs. The platform allows users to efficiently organize their projects by creating Bitbucket branches directly linked to Jira issues or Trello cards, and it incorporates integrated CI/CD tools for building, testing, and deploying applications seamlessly. Furthermore, it supports configuration as code and encourages rapid feedback loops that enhance the overall development experience. Code reviews are made more efficient through the use of pull requests, which can be supplemented by a merge checklist that identifies designated approvers, facilitating discussions within the source code using inline comments. Through features like Bitbucket Pipelines and Deployments, teams can effectively oversee their build, test, and deployment workflows, ensuring that their code remains secure in the Cloud with protective measures such as IP whitelisting and mandatory two-step verification. Users also have the option to limit access to specific individuals and exercise control over their actions with branch permissions and merge checks, which helps maintain a high standard of code quality throughout the development process. This comprehensive suite of features not only boosts team collaboration but also enhances security, ensuring a more efficient and productive development lifecycle overall. As teams navigate the complexities of software development, having a platform like Bitbucket can significantly improve their workflow and project outcomes.

Square offers an intuitive application tailored for both desktop and mobile users, designed to assist businesses in optimizing their payroll functions. This adaptable platform meets the payroll requirements of employees, contractors, or a mix of both, with pricing that varies according to the total count of individuals receiving payment. Furthermore, it includes functionalities like tracking work hours, automatically filing state and federal tax documents, managing sick leave, and overseeing workers' compensation, rendering it a thorough solution for payroll oversight. By utilizing this platform, companies can efficiently handle their payroll obligations while remaining compliant with a range of regulatory standards. Ultimately, Square empowers businesses to focus more on growth while leaving the complexities of payroll management in capable hands.

Datadog serves as a comprehensive monitoring, security, and analytics platform tailored for developers, IT operations, security professionals, and business stakeholders in the cloud era. Our Software as a Service (SaaS) solution merges infrastructure monitoring, application performance tracking, and log management to deliver a cohesive and immediate view of our clients' entire technology environments. Organizations across various sectors and sizes leverage Datadog to facilitate digital transformation, streamline cloud migration, enhance collaboration among development, operations, and security teams, and expedite application deployment. Additionally, the platform significantly reduces problem resolution times, secures both applications and infrastructure, and provides insights into user behavior to effectively monitor essential business metrics. Ultimately, Datadog empowers businesses to thrive in an increasingly digital landscape.

A custom-built, unified software platform will empower you to stay ahead of both industry developments and client demands. With a focus on smooth implementation, you will benefit from a dedicated Account Manager along with an exceptional service team that stands out from other providers. Paylocity employs its own solutions daily to foster engagement, collaboration, success, and overall productivity. Both administrators and employees can enhance their daily operations, ensuring greater efficiency throughout the organization. Furthermore, Paylocity can integrate seamlessly with other business systems, facilitating a smooth data exchange between your most frequently used tools. Located in Chicago, Paylocity has transformed the landscape for human resources and payroll experts for more than two decades. As a payroll and HR professional, you serve as the crucial link between employers and employees during this public health crisis. In the midst of navigating the challenges brought on by this pandemic and adapting to new operational methods, think of us as your invaluable resource. The impact of the coronavirus outbreak has reshaped our everyday lives, but together, we can overcome the obstacles ahead. It is essential to remain connected and support one another during these trying times.

Whether at the workplace needing to stay connected or at home checking payroll or benefits, certain responsibilities must be addressed without delay. The newly upgraded TriNet Mobile app provides employees the convenience of managing HR tasks directly from their mobile devices. Available free of charge to all active TriNet employees, this app guarantees secure access to crucial HR information. Users can effortlessly view a summary of their most recent paycheck, which includes a detailed breakdown of earnings, taxes, and benefits. In addition, it enables comparisons with previous paychecks and allows access to essential tax documents such as W-2 and W-4 forms. Employees can also obtain member identification cards from select medical insurance providers for themselves and their dependents. The app goes further by offering insights into TriNet's benefits coverage, encompassing medical, life, disability, and flexible spending accounts. During the annual Open Enrollment phase, users can easily evaluate and renew their existing benefit plans with just a few taps on their screens. This remarkable level of accessibility ensures that important HR tasks can be managed from virtually anywhere at any time, enhancing employee satisfaction and efficiency. Ultimately, the TriNet Mobile app represents a significant step towards modernizing HR management for a mobile workforce.

Jamf Pro is an Apple device management solution crafted to streamline the management process, ultimately fostering productivity and creativity among end users while assisting IT professionals. This comprehensive tool enhances the management of Apple devices by fulfilling the need for cohesive ecosystem oversight. With a variety of functionalities, Jamf Pro simplifies the deployment of devices, offers insightful inventory analysis, and facilitates prompt responses to security vulnerabilities, ensuring a secure and efficient operating environment. Additionally, the platform's user-friendly interface contributes to a more intuitive experience for both IT staff and end users.

Managing projects has reached new levels of simplicity. With our assistance, contemporary software teams can collaborate effectively and deliver results swiftly. Shortcut, previously known as Clubhouse, empowers you to strategize, develop, evaluate, and celebrate your achievements. We provide project management that cuts through the complexities often associated with it. Our dedicated software team has crafted Shortcut with your development team in mind. Employed by thousands of teams worldwide, Shortcut facilitates software creation across various sectors. While shipping software can present challenges, our platform allows for seamless navigation between Stories, Iterations, and quarterly Roadmaps. Essential context is conveniently accessible with just a click. Our customizable Kanban boards and Workflows enable teams to tailor their management processes to fit their unique requirements. The integration of Teams, Epics, and Objectives fosters collaboration among employees from different departments, driving them toward shared larger goals and initiatives. To keep track of project management effectiveness, users can leverage burndown charts, time-in-workflow state graphs, cycle time and lead time metrics, alongside a suite of other insightful reports that enhance decision-making and strategic adjustments. This comprehensive approach ensures that teams remain aligned and focused on achieving their objectives.

Uncover the issue tracking solution that you'll genuinely enjoy using. Linear is crafted to boost the productivity of software projects, effortlessly managing sprints, organizing tasks, and tracking bugs. Designed for top-performing teams, it offers a seamless experience akin to that of premium professional tools. Its intuitive layout supports daily operations and ensures real-time synchronization for all users, effectively removing any waiting periods or loading delays. The focus on enhancing productivity is apparent through its extensive array of keyboard shortcuts, demonstrating that it was developed by software professionals specifically catering to software product teams. You have the flexibility to access and update your projects both online and offline. Users can personalize their interface by selecting from various themes, including light and dark modes, to suit their preferences. All teams can work together within a unified workspace, which is both comprehensive and easy to navigate. Creating issues takes just seconds, and assigning priorities, labels, and estimates is a breeze. Whether you favor a list or board view, you can visualize your tasks in the way that suits you best. The command menu facilitates swift access to any action, enabling task completion within moments. Moreover, you can keep an eye on your team's workload and performance metrics, ensuring effective tracking of their progress. With automated cycles operating on a predetermined schedule, this tool empowers you to focus on what truly matters—your work and efficiency. The thoughtfully designed interface not only encourages collaboration but also fosters a cohesive environment, allowing teams to stay informed and aligned on project developments while enhancing overall productivity. Ultimately, this tool transforms the way teams manage projects, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and engaged in a shared vision.

Justworks serves as a comprehensive platform that appeals to business owners, HR personnel, and leaders alike. Unlike conventional large-scale software, Justworks offers an aesthetically pleasing interface that organizes essential information for both employees and employers in a user-friendly manner. With Justworks, employees have the convenience of inputting their information directly through the application, which eliminates the cumbersome process of using traditional pen and paper. Additionally, they can set up automatic payments and receive notifications when their scheduled payments are processed, ensuring they stay informed. For administrators, managing various benefits such as gym memberships, healthcare plans, and commuter assistance is a straightforward task. The platform also simplifies year-end reconciliations, keeping up-to-date records for each employee and contractor, which streamlines the process for W-4s and 1099 forms. Moreover, Justworks enhances efficiency in administrative tasks through its automated systems, allowing businesses to focus more on growth rather than paperwork. Overall, this innovative solution not only eases the burdens of HR management but also fosters a more organized and responsive workplace environment.

As an expert in your industry, you can lean on our vast experience in small business payroll and HR, allowing you to focus on your core competencies. RUN Powered by ADP presents an innovative web and mobile software solution that streamlines the complex tasks associated with running a small business, so you can invest your energy into what you do best. Designed to enhance your payroll experience, this tool simplifies the process, making payroll management quick and easy. Thanks to its effective systems and cutting-edge technology, you can complete your payroll responsibilities in no time. The platform allows you to manage payroll from anywhere, at any frequency that meets your requirements, all under a single, user-friendly subscription. With ADP's dependable software, executing payroll becomes a seamless experience, providing the flexibility to perform tasks on any device—whether it’s a computer, smartphone, or tablet. Employees have the option to receive their payments via direct deposit, prepaid Visa® cards, or ADP® Checks, depending on their preferences. By utilizing DIY payroll software from ADP, you enjoy the autonomy and convenience to oversee payroll at your own pace, all for one simple monthly fee. Take command of your payroll process confidently and effortlessly, ensuring it perfectly aligns with the unique demands of your business while benefiting from ongoing support and resources. Embrace this opportunity to simplify your operations and enhance productivity.

Swif is a sophisticated MDM solution driven by AI that effortlessly oversees your macOS, Windows, and Linux devices. It streamlines both the onboarding and offboarding procedures, ensuring adherence to essential compliance frameworks such as SOC 2, HIPAA, and ISO 27001. Additionally, by automating these processes, Swif enhances operational efficiency and reduces the potential for human error.

Our cutting-edge solution enables teams to deliver outstanding results by harnessing real-time AI insights and feedback. The streamlined setup allows for immediate benefits to be seen. Develop an AI-driven workforce that accelerates the growth of high-performing, autonomous teams, ultimately boosting the capabilities of every individual involved. By merging your data, strategies, and standards, we facilitate the seamless sharing of knowledge and priorities that directs teams effectively in real-time. New employees can reach full productivity up to three times faster, while supported teams can surpass their rivals by as much as 14%. Moreover, communication overhead can be reduced by nearly 30%, allowing leaders to focus on making a substantial business impact while teams function independently. You can meet and even exceed KPIs by aligning discussions and decisions up to 25% more efficiently throughout the organization. Additionally, compliance and regulatory requirements are ensured through real-time guidelines that appear as necessary. Our system automatically connects with and learns from all your data, delivering pertinent insights in real-time across any work platform you use, thanks to our user-friendly browser extension and desktop widget. This approach not only boosts productivity but also cultivates a culture of ongoing improvement and agility, paving the way for long-term success in your organization. Ultimately, embracing this innovative solution positions your teams to adapt swiftly to changing demands and maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace.