WGU D435: PA (Performance Assessment) | HR Technology
and People Analytics | Questions and Correct Answers with
Explanations | Graded A+ | New Update 2026/2027
Question 1
Which human resources (HR) practice category involves HR software
applications addressing payroll, tax administration, and benefits administration?
A) Talent management
B) Core HR administration
C) Service delivery
D) Analytics and planning
Correct Answer: B) Core HR administration
Rationale: Core HR administration applications oversee payroll, benefits, health,
safety, wellness, and other foundational HR functions. This category addresses the
essential administrative and transactional HR activities including payroll
processing, tax administration, and benefits administration.
Question 2
Which component of the human resources technology system is a group of
programs designed for end users?
A) Software module
B) Software application
C) Application programming interface (API)
D) Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
Correct Answer: B) Software application
Rationale: A software application is defined as a program or group of programs
designed for end-users. This distinguishes it from software modules (which are
parts of programs) or APIs (which enable communication between applications).
,Question 3
How many years on average do organizations keep a core human resources
administrative application?
A) 1 to 3 years
B) 3 to 5 years
C) 6 to 10 years
D) 11 to 15 years
Correct Answer: C) 6 to 10 years
Rationale: Organizations typically keep core HR administrative applications for 6
to 10 years on average. This extended lifecycle reflects the significant investment,
complexity, and organizational impact of these systems.
Question 4
Which applications are used to track current employee numbers and the
number of work hours required to produce the goals desired by the
organization?
A) Talent management applications
B) Service delivery applications
C) Time and attendance applications
D) Analytics and planning applications
Correct Answer: C) Time and attendance applications
Rationale: Time and attendance applications are used to track current employee
numbers and the number of work hours required to produce desired
organizational goals. These applications provide critical workforce data for
operational planning.
Question 5
What does an applicant tracking system (ATS) automate?
,A) The opening of a job requisition, defines a job role, and allows job seekers to
apply online
B) Payroll processing and tax calculations
C) Employee performance reviews
D) Benefits enrollment and management
Correct Answer: A) The opening of a job requisition, defines a job role, and
allows job seekers to apply online
Rationale: An ATS automates the opening of a job requisition, defines a job role,
and allows job seekers to apply online. This streamlines the recruitment process
from job posting through applicant management.
Question 6
What is a distributed structure that partitions programs and workloads between
back-office servers and desktop clients?
A) Mainframe environment
B) Client-server application model
C) Public cloud environment
D) Single tenancy architecture
Correct Answer: B) Client-server application model
Rationale: The client-server application model is a distributed structure that
partitions programs and workloads between back-office servers and desktop
clients. The desktop clients run the applications but request centralized data from
remote servers.
Question 7
Which application typically runs employee reviews?
A) Talent acquisition application
B) Learning management application
C) Performance management applications
D) Compensation and reward management
, Correct Answer: C) Performance management applications
Rationale: Performance management applications are designed to run employee
reviews, track performance metrics, and facilitate performance evaluation
processes, enabling managers to make operational and strategic decisions.
Question 8
A company's human resources (HR) department is preparing a list of specific
benefits for its employees to be included in nonpayroll benefits administration
applications. The employees suggest including health insurance in nonpayroll
benefits. How should the HR department treat health insurance to comply with
nonpayroll benefits?
A) The HR department should exclude health insurance from benefits
administration
B) The HR department should include 100% of health insurance in the benefits
administration application
C) The HR department should only include health insurance for executives
D) The HR department should handle health insurance through payroll only
Correct Answer: B) The HR department should include 100% of health insurance
in the benefits administration application
Rationale: Health insurance is a core employee benefit and should be fully
included in the benefits administration application as part of nonpayroll benefits
administration.
Question 9
A manufacturing facility is planning to develop a setting that helps in
establishing company-wide payroll norms. It needs information on new hires,
their legal status, supporting documents, tax withholdings, and benefits. Which
component of the payroll application will help the company maintain this data
on employees?
and People Analytics | Questions and Correct Answers with
Explanations | Graded A+ | New Update 2026/2027
Question 1
Which human resources (HR) practice category involves HR software
applications addressing payroll, tax administration, and benefits administration?
A) Talent management
B) Core HR administration
C) Service delivery
D) Analytics and planning
Correct Answer: B) Core HR administration
Rationale: Core HR administration applications oversee payroll, benefits, health,
safety, wellness, and other foundational HR functions. This category addresses the
essential administrative and transactional HR activities including payroll
processing, tax administration, and benefits administration.
Question 2
Which component of the human resources technology system is a group of
programs designed for end users?
A) Software module
B) Software application
C) Application programming interface (API)
D) Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
Correct Answer: B) Software application
Rationale: A software application is defined as a program or group of programs
designed for end-users. This distinguishes it from software modules (which are
parts of programs) or APIs (which enable communication between applications).
,Question 3
How many years on average do organizations keep a core human resources
administrative application?
A) 1 to 3 years
B) 3 to 5 years
C) 6 to 10 years
D) 11 to 15 years
Correct Answer: C) 6 to 10 years
Rationale: Organizations typically keep core HR administrative applications for 6
to 10 years on average. This extended lifecycle reflects the significant investment,
complexity, and organizational impact of these systems.
Question 4
Which applications are used to track current employee numbers and the
number of work hours required to produce the goals desired by the
organization?
A) Talent management applications
B) Service delivery applications
C) Time and attendance applications
D) Analytics and planning applications
Correct Answer: C) Time and attendance applications
Rationale: Time and attendance applications are used to track current employee
numbers and the number of work hours required to produce desired
organizational goals. These applications provide critical workforce data for
operational planning.
Question 5
What does an applicant tracking system (ATS) automate?
,A) The opening of a job requisition, defines a job role, and allows job seekers to
apply online
B) Payroll processing and tax calculations
C) Employee performance reviews
D) Benefits enrollment and management
Correct Answer: A) The opening of a job requisition, defines a job role, and
allows job seekers to apply online
Rationale: An ATS automates the opening of a job requisition, defines a job role,
and allows job seekers to apply online. This streamlines the recruitment process
from job posting through applicant management.
Question 6
What is a distributed structure that partitions programs and workloads between
back-office servers and desktop clients?
A) Mainframe environment
B) Client-server application model
C) Public cloud environment
D) Single tenancy architecture
Correct Answer: B) Client-server application model
Rationale: The client-server application model is a distributed structure that
partitions programs and workloads between back-office servers and desktop
clients. The desktop clients run the applications but request centralized data from
remote servers.
Question 7
Which application typically runs employee reviews?
A) Talent acquisition application
B) Learning management application
C) Performance management applications
D) Compensation and reward management
, Correct Answer: C) Performance management applications
Rationale: Performance management applications are designed to run employee
reviews, track performance metrics, and facilitate performance evaluation
processes, enabling managers to make operational and strategic decisions.
Question 8
A company's human resources (HR) department is preparing a list of specific
benefits for its employees to be included in nonpayroll benefits administration
applications. The employees suggest including health insurance in nonpayroll
benefits. How should the HR department treat health insurance to comply with
nonpayroll benefits?
A) The HR department should exclude health insurance from benefits
administration
B) The HR department should include 100% of health insurance in the benefits
administration application
C) The HR department should only include health insurance for executives
D) The HR department should handle health insurance through payroll only
Correct Answer: B) The HR department should include 100% of health insurance
in the benefits administration application
Rationale: Health insurance is a core employee benefit and should be fully
included in the benefits administration application as part of nonpayroll benefits
administration.
Question 9
A manufacturing facility is planning to develop a setting that helps in
establishing company-wide payroll norms. It needs information on new hires,
their legal status, supporting documents, tax withholdings, and benefits. Which
component of the payroll application will help the company maintain this data
on employees?
