7 Best Payroll Software for Small Businesses: Comparisons and Reviews

managing payroll for small business

One of the policies you’ll want to design is how your business manages paid time off, overtime and other types of non-mandatory leave. Your handbook will be unique to your business, but there are free and paid online resources available to help you shape it. You can check the websites of organizations like Score, the National Association for the Self-Employed and the National Federation of Independent Business for guidance on what to include in your handbook.

Paychex customer reviews

With limited HR and payroll staff, payroll processing can become a challenge. a beginner’s guide to imputed income Automating your payroll process is the easiest way to keep up with time-consuming tasks. Your payroll budget should include not only wages and salaries, but also other expenses such as employer-paid taxes, benefits, bonuses, and overtime pay. It’s important to forecast these expenses accurately to prevent any unexpected shortfalls.

managing payroll for small business

Save your records

There’s nothing easier than handing some business responsibilities to a capable team of experts. For some of your functions, such as workers’ compensation administration, that is what Justworks’ PEO allows small businesses to do. And, it offers a 24/7 team of HR consultants who go above and beyond to resolve customer issues quickly and completely. Justworks’ standout feature is its professional employer organization (PEO) services, allowing businesses to outsource some HR and payroll tasks. Justworks is a professional employer organization (PEO) that appeals to remote teams.

Time is money—get more of both

Both federal and state governments have laws about retaining and storing payroll records, in case government agencies need to access that information. For active employees, you cannot dispose of time cards for two years, and any payroll information regarding paid wages for at least three years. There are also laws governing the disposal of payroll records after termination.

By clicking “run payroll” from the dashboard, I completed a payroll run in just a few clicks. The employee app offers a robust self-serve interface that is efficient and not overwhelming. The initial dashboard offers key summary information and links, such as time-off and sick-day calculations, paycheck stub links, a task list and a time tracker.

Check with your state tax assessor’s office to determine the right amount to withhold for state taxes. Taxes are usually paid monthly, so collect them, set them aside and make payments as required. There are two ways to go about getting payroll processed; you can do it yourself manually or use a service provider. It is important to know that ignorance or honest mistakes are not justification for errors in taxes or withholding.

  1. Once payroll was run, the software summarized how much was paid out and when.
  2. Paychex Flex users posting on popular ratings sites say the platform is easy to use both on the employer and employee end.
  3. The Internal Revenue Service requires businesses to keep employment tax records for at least four years and the U.S.
  4. It can handle tasks like tracking hours worked, calculating taxes, and managing deductions.

Legislation may differ based on your state or county, so make sure you check your state and county websites in addition to federal for all paperwork and deadlines. Employees will likely want to participate, as everyone is directly affected by the process. At this meeting, ask employees what payroll processes work for them and what areas need improvement.

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