Human Resources

, one of the products in Intuit’s suite of solutions, gives you full-service payroll, automatic tax filings, next-day direct deposits, and multiple HR functions. It’s ideal for businesses that already use QuickBooks Accounting or want to make the move to a reliable accounting solution that integrates with payroll. With monthly fees that start at $45 plus $5 per employee, it’s a reasonably priced option that works well for small businesses. What We Recommend QuickBooks Payroll For We’ve examined and compared QuickBooks Payroll against several payroll software for multiple uses—from general business to specific industries like trucking—and it almost always ranks in our lists of best employee pay processing tools because of its versatility, ease of use, and breadth of features. It’s also easily accessible through the QuickBooks Online accounting software, so it’s a simple transition for small employers that are existing QuickBooks users. In short, QuickBooks Payroll is best for: QuickBooks users: If you are already comfortable using QuickBooks Accounting, then having its payroll system natively integrated makes handling your payroll a breeze; all of your payroll transactions flow to the general journal, and you don’t have to spend time on the front-end setting up and assigning accounts. In addition, the system lets you use the information in the payroll application for budgeting and other analysis using QuickBooks. Small businesses: Intuit’s payroll pricing is reasonable for small business owners since you can process unlimited pay runs without paying extra; in fact, it ranked well in our best payroll software for small businesses guide. QuickBooks Payroll also has several plan options you can choose from, all of which provide full-service payroll processing (pays your taxes and employees). You can even add time tracking and get access to HR experts as the need arises—and still keep it at an affordable rate as compared to other providers. Mobile businesses: If you’re out in the field often, QuickBooks Payroll’s mobile app will come in handy. In fact, it holds the No. 1 spot in our best payroll apps buyer’s guide. You can use the app to run payroll, e-file taxes, and even pay employees, no matter where you are—provided an internet connection is available. When QuickBooks Payroll Would Not Be a Good Fit Large businesses: QuickBooks Payroll is best for small and midsize businesses. If you are a large business with complex payroll and HR needs, consider one of our recommended HRIS services. Businesses on a tight budget: QuickBooks Payroll is relatively inexpensive for what it offers, but if you need something simpler and cheaper, consider —it has a lower-cost full-service plan in addition to an even cheaper self-service plan, if you’re willing to file the taxes on your own. There are also free payroll software options that may suffice. Businesses without consistent internet access: QuickBooks Payroll is an online payroll software; therefore, you will need internet access to stay connected. If your business is located in an area that doesn’t have reliable internet or you just don’t want a regular Wi-Fi bill, consider a QuickBooks Desktop Payroll product. Top QuickBooks Payroll Alternatives If you’re not sure if QuickBooks Payroll is right for you, see how it compares with other HR payroll software. Intuit QuickBooks Payroll Pricing Intuit QuickBooks Payroll pricing for its three plans (Core, Premium, and Elite) ranges from $45 to $125 per month plus per-employee monthly fees of $5–$10. Each plan comes with full-service payroll, tax payments and filings, next-day direct deposits, and automatic pay runs. However, you have to pay extra for some services (like multiple state filings and workers’ compensation administration), depending on your plan. *QuickBooks offers discounts (such as its current 50% off for three months for new users) from time to time, so check its website to see the latest promotions on offer. **Additional fees may apply, depending on the type of plan selected. ***Workers’ compensation insurance isn’t available in Ohio, North Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming. Unsure which QuickBooks Payroll plan to get? Read our QuickBooks Payroll: Core vs Premium vs Elite guide to help you find the right payroll package for your business. Intuit QuickBooks Payroll Features QuickBooks Payroll is easy to use and set up. You can input payroll information by hand or, if you’re a QuickBooks user, through the QuickBooks accounting software. However, if you get the Premium plan, QuickBooks offers a setup review to ensure everything is put in correctly, while the Elite plan gives you access to custom setup services. Once setup is completed, running payroll is as easy as putting in the hours and clicking a button. Check out our guide to setting up and running QuickBooks Payroll. It also includes a video tutorial if you prefer a visual walk-through. QuickBooks Payroll Ease of Use Automatic integration with QuickBooks Accounting software Self-service onboarding Intuitive interface Chat and phone support How-to guides and videos Mobile app lets you run payroll and e-file taxes QuickBooks Payroll is an easy program to use, especially if you are already familiar with QuickBooks in general. You do have to set up payroll on your own unless you get the Elite plan, but you can contact support with questions. The Premier package does give you access to a setup review to ensure everything is correct before you run your first payroll. Once you run payroll for an employee, you can no longer add historical data, so be sure to add all the information first. When running payroll in QuickBooks Payroll, the whole process requires only several button clicks. Its system automatically pulls up the necessary employee and pay information, including time data (if you have QuickBooks Time), and you can make changes before completing the payroll run. The interface is not complex, and there is a help button with how-to articles, plus a way to contact its 24/7 chat support. You can also call a customer service rep via phone from Mondays to Fridays, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., Pacific time. What Users Think About Intuit QuickBooks Payroll The Intuit QuickBooks Payroll reviews on third-party sites (such as G2 and Capterra) showed solid ratings. Many users highlighted its ease of use, fast direct deposits, and efficient online tools that make paying employees and managing taxes easy. Some reviewers like that it integrates with QuickBooks as it helps them efficiently update general ledgers after pay runs. However, others said it is expensive compared to similar small business payroll providers. Customer support is also hit or miss. Many reviewers complained about the long wait times when contacting its support team, while a few said that the customer reps they spoke with are not helpful. At the time of publication, QuickBooks Payroll earned the following scores on popular user review sites: Capterra: 4.5 out of 5 based on more than 700 reviews G2: 3.6 out of 5 based on 40+ reviews Bottom Line If you like QuickBooks, then its payroll software is a natural choice. With seamless integration, it makes calculating employee pay simple and easy; plus, it handles tax payments and filings for you. In addition, QuickBooks’ parent company, Intuit, has partnered with several reputable companies to enable you to offer and manage benefits and basic HR tasks for your employees, so you can do it all on one system. What’s great about this software is you don’t have to have QuickBooks Accounting to use QuickBooks Payroll. You can get its payroll module as a standalone solution and then add Intuit’s other products to your platform as you grow your business. Sign up for QuickBooks Payroll’s three-month free trial today and learn more about its features.

Doing payroll as a small business can be challenging—even more so when you have remote employees. The most common questions from employers with remote workers surround payroll taxes. How are payroll taxes for remote employees different? Where do you pay taxes? Do you have to register as a business first? What withholding rate do you use for your remote workers? As an employer with remote workers, it’s vital that you understand payroll taxes in every state where you have workers to ensure full compliance. If you prefer not to worry about understanding tax obligations for remote employees, consider using a payroll provider like . Its system will use each employee’s address to determine all employer accounts needed and complete all filings and payments on your behalf. State-by-State Tax Breakdown You’ll need to determine each remote employee’s tax residence and then register your business in every state where you have a remote worker. For those working from their home or hometown, the tax residence will be their home state. But what about employees who travel to different states? Some states require your company to withhold income taxes even if the employee only works for one day in that state. Other states have a longer threshold of time. For example, as ADP points out, Maine requires withholding after 23 days in the state and earnings of more than $3,000; Utah, in 2022, adopted a threshold of 20 days. This means you must familiarize yourself with multiple state laws to compute different tax rates for each employee according to their state’s rate. Refer to our interactive map for each state’s tax rate. Employee Withholdings Generally, an employee’s wages are taxed on a state level in the state in which the work is performed. For remote or work-from-home employees, that means that they are required to pay state tax in the state where they reside. Remember, if you’re partnering with independent contractors, you don’t withhold any taxes as they are responsible for paying those. State Income Tax (SIT) Remote employees who live in a state that has state income tax are required to have SIT deducted from their wages and remitted to their home state. While not all states have income tax, for those that do, it is the employer’s responsibility to have these taxes deducted correctly and have the funds paid to the state agencies in a timely manner. For the employer to be able to withhold taxes in an employee’s home state, they’ll need to make sure that they have followed the proper procedures to register within that state. If you partner with a payroll provider, it may be able to help you streamline this process. Local Income Tax (LIT) Besides state income tax, some states, such as Pennsylvania, also have local taxes that residents are required to pay. If your remote employees live in local jurisdictions that require them to pay local taxes, you will be required to deduct and remit those on their behalf as well. Employer Taxes In addition to federal tax liabilities such as FICA and FUTA (federal unemployment tax), there are also state obligations that employers must follow for remote employees, ensuring the correct tax rates are paid. State Unemployment Tax (SUTA) States have the responsibility of paying unemployment benefits to eligible workers who are involuntarily terminated. To fund these programs, states impose unemployment tax on employers. State unemployment needs to be paid to the state that your employees live in; before being able to withhold and pay SUTA, you’ll need to sign up for an account with that state’s applicable agency. Bottom Line Remote employment has become more prevalent in many jobs today. It’s important small business owners know their role and what’s required of them to remain in payroll compliance. Processing payroll for remote employees can be complicated, but using our state guides to understand your obligations on a state-by-state basis will make the process much easier. Payroll providers like can make processing payroll for remote employees much easier. Its system will use each employee’s address to determine all employer accounts needed and complete all filings and payments on your behalf. You May Also Like … How to Hire Remote Employees in 5 Simple Steps Remote Work Statistics to Know in 2022 Paying Your Employees: What Options Do You Have? How to Pay International Payroll Employees

Workforce analytics is the data collection and analysis that businesses use to understand their people (i.e., employees, teams, etc.). It can help your business measure employee performance, engagement, behavior, retention, and overall return on investment (ROI) related to your workforce. With technology, it is easier than ever to gather and crunch big data, simplifying work for managers wanting to make data-based decisions for their company. Types of Workforce Analytics All forms of workforce analytics help identify issues and present courses of action to improve business processes. Knowing the type of analytics you want can help define the problem, although sometimes the issues you need to identify may cover more than one solution. Depending on the purpose and end goal, these can be divided into the following types: Descriptive Predictive Prescriptive Diagnostic Descriptive This data can provide a clear view of your employees’ current state or help you understand a past event. For instance, a company can run analytics reports to determine the steps taken when onboarding employees (when the offer letter was sent, how quickly the offer was accepted, how long onboarding took, etc.) or a survey can be done to analyze the hiring and onboarding to find areas for improvement. This can help reduce costs for future hiring decisions by finding ways to expedite the process. Predictive This analysis helps you anticipate future outcomes based on current and existing data. For example, a company may run analytics on the number of support tickets plus the per ticket cost over a period of time. From there, they can predict how much IT help desk support they may need based on trends throughout the year, answering questions like, “When do the number of issues peak, and what months are they at their lowest?” and “Is there a trend around when the most complex and costly issues occur, or is it sporadic?” This data will help users predict the number of support tickets that will be produced and determine areas they can investigate to help them improve support time and potentially decrease their cost per ticket. Prescriptive This type of data can help in deciding better courses of action based on past performance. For example, a company can run a report on their target vs actual employee headcount to determine gaps in hiring and which departments have historically lacked necessary employees. Besides the use of software, such a report can be done from an analysis of records and using the results to project the growth within the company and each department. This data can then be used to make better hiring decisions and improve the recruitment process. Diagnostic This type applies to solving specific problems and is used to find the underlying cause and suggest a course of action. For instance, a company with a high turnover rate may use workforce analytics to determine if the problem lies in pay, company policies, managers, or office culture. A detailed compensation report can help determine where there may be a pay gap within a department or the company as a whole. Company surveys can also determine employee satisfaction, while exit surveys can identify areas where employees may be unhappy. You can use this information to adjust pay to be more competitive with industry standards. How to Use Workforce Analytics Much of today’s HR software and workforce management software allows you to collect data on a regular basis. In addition, some HRIS systems, payroll services, and PEO programs come with employee survey data, which employers use every month to check in on worker satisfaction. Using workforce analytics software, such as , can make tracking and analyzing your workforce easier. Rippling brings all employee data (HR, IT, Finance, and third-party systems) into one platform and allows you to control who can view data by location, role, department, and more. Hiring and interview notes, exit surveys, and performance feedback also provide excellent, ongoing data for workforce analytics. Regardless of how and where you get the data, you should have a clear game plan when using workforce analytics. Identify the Problem Begin with a clear idea of what problem you are addressing and how you want to solve it. Be specific—for instance, “causes for employee dissatisfaction” is very general, whereas “Why do employees leave after four to seven years?” gives you greater focus. Determine the Information You Need You are looking for actionable data—information your business can apply when making a decision. You also need to consider what information you have access to and can gather. How you define the problem can determine the type of analytics you do. For example: Why do they leave? Use exit surveys and interviews to determine a pattern. How do we stop them from leaving? Specific questionnaires throughout the life of an employee can help with retention. What kind of employees leave after four years? Use hiring notes, personality tests, and manager feedback to determine the types of employees who leave. Can we improve retention by doing X? Researching who had the training, support, or promotions in question and whether or not they continued in the company can help determine a path for improved retention. Set Benchmark Questions & Goals Determine what your benchmark questions will be to help you gather the data for your overall goal. For example, if your goal is to improve employee retention, you could ask whether a certain action helps retain employees. Does a raise of a minimum percentage motivate employees to stay, or will a flexible schedule promote better retention? It can also mean getting a certain number or percentage of replies and assessing which responses fall within the different metrics/criteria you use. For example, in the larger analysis of “Why do employees leave,” your benchmarks may include specific lifestyle markers, like a new baby or completing an advanced degree, employee satisfaction at the time of exit, performance factors, and even personality types. Gather & Analyze the Data When you have identified the problem and the information you need and established benchmarks, you can then determine how to gather and analyze your information. You’ll consider what data you may already have available and what new data you may need. As we mentioned earlier, your software tools will often have data readily available for you. Other data you already have may come from previous survey results, resumes and personality assessments, company goals and key performance indicators (KPIs), etc. If you need new information to make the best, most informed decision, consider new team surveys (Slack is a great tool for running frequent informal surveys) or adding new questions or areas of discussion to your performance review process. Benefits of Workforce Analytics Workforce analytics can help lead to actionable changes that make a difference. While an investment, they can save you time, money, and headaches down the line. For example, the Workforce Institute’s 2022 Retention Report found that the majority of reasons for employee turnover are preventable, and it costs nearly 33% of an employee’s annual salary just to replace them. The proper use of workforce analytics can help with the following: Improving Hiring: With analysis, you can determine the best types of employees for your business and what factors you should look for in recruiting and interviewing. Additionally, you can determine which of your company’s values and cultural aspects attract the best candidates. (A recent survey shows that strong company values and culture ranked third, below compensation and work-life balance, for what candidates look for when accepting a job offer.) Managing Employees: Managers can encourage traits that high-performers have in common and determine what keeps them loyal to the company. Analytics can be used to find a correlation between training and performance and improve company policies. Job stress, including lack of proper training, is listed as one of the top reasons employees become dissatisfied with their positions. Organizing Roles: Analytics can be used to determine roles within your organization. For example, you may find three employees are doing different parts of the same task and getting in one another's way. To ease the situation, you could reshuffle the project to one employee, whether an existing worker or a new hire. Engaging Employees: Analysis of how engaged your employees are can give you insight into how you can improve the office culture and encourage collaboration. It will enable you to keep morale high in stressful seasons. According to a popular retention survey, when employees have a higher rating of their supervisors and managers, they stay longer with an organization. Reducing Employee Churn: Workforce analytics can give you insight into why employees leave. Knowing the metrics around employee satisfaction can help your business devise a plan to reduce turnover. In a recent employee turnover insight report, lack of job growth was the top reason employees leave a company. Bottom Line Workforce analytics uses information gathered from surveys and mined from employee records to help you make informed decisions concerning employee hiring, management, and retention. With the amazing amount of data available, especially for companies using HR or workforce management programs, it’s not hard to create and conduct studies to answer vital questions on how to run your company better.

Hubstaff is an all-in-one time tracking and productivity monitoring software best for companies with remote or field employees. Its features include GPS tracking, online time sheets, team scheduling, payroll, geofencing, and task management. It is available via desktop, web browser, and mobile apps, and its monthly prices range from $0 to $15 per user. Hubstaff Overview What We Recommend Hubstaff For Hubstaff earned a spot on our best free time tracking software roundup because of its solid employee time tracking features and robust job labor costing and reporting capabilities. Its productivity tools (app and URL tracking, idle time warning, and screenshots) identify and, subsequently, boost your team’s performance. However, its paid options are more expensive than other providers since it requires users to pay for a minimum of two seats. We recommend Hubstaff for: Mobile businesses and companies with field employees working at multiple locations: Using Hubstaff’s geofencing feature, you can either auto-start/stop its timer or send reminders to your staff to clock in when they arrive at their designated location. With its GPS tracker, you can monitor time spent driving and view routes taken. Both features enable you to get detailed, location-based records of work hours even if you are offline. Freelancers needing a time tracking tool with payroll and invoicing capabilities: Hubstaff is one of our top-recommended time tracking software for freelancers. It has online invoicing tools that let you set your rate per project, track budgets and billable hours, and create and send invoices in multiple formats (HTML, PDF, or by email) to your clients. You can also process your team’s payroll by indicating their hourly rates and schedules (weekly, biweekly, and monthly) and pay your staff using third-party providers, like PayPal, Wise, Payoneer, and BitWage. Companies with international contractors: Hubstaff supports multiple currencies, e.g., PHP and GDP. If you’re solely using the system to track time and productivity for international staff in one country, the app may be useful. You can send payments as needed but assign only one currency to your organization (you can’t send multiple currencies to different countries). When Hubstaff Would Not Be a Good Fit Companies needing to track actual work hours of hourly staff: Hubstaff’s time tracker doesn’t monitor employee attendance, breaks, and overtime efficiently. If your business needs this functionality, we would recommend Homebase. It has solid compliance support and tracks federal and state overtime laws plus break regulations. It also has online time clocks that support PIN code clock-ins/outs. Gig workers wanting time tracking solutions with invoicing tools: Hubstaff gives you client billing features and integrations only with its Pro plan and requires you to pay a minimum for two users. If you need free invoicing, then we recommend Harvest. Although its free option is only for one user with two active projects, it comes with time tracking and invoicing. It is the best option for freelancers with a few projects. Hubstaff Top Alternatives Hubstaff Pricing Hubstaff has a free plan and three paid options with tiers that range from $7 to $20 per user, per month. Click on the following tabs for more information on its paid plans. Hubstaff Time, Desk and Field Enterprise: Hubstaff offers custom pricing if you get an Enterprise plan. It includes all features in the Pro tiers, plus VIP support Concierge set up Unlimited job sites Pay by bank debit Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance Hubstaff offers a 14-day free trial of its paid tiers alongside the demo on its website. Also, it has a 60-day money-back guarantee. Hubstaff Features Hubstaff has a mix of time tracking, invoicing, geofencing, and GPS tracking capabilities, and it lets you monitor your employees’ real-time performance using its productivity tools. Paying employees and creating invoices are also easy for freelancers and/or firms that charge by billable hours. To learn more about this solution, let’s look at Hubstaff’s key features to help you determine whether or not it’s the right tool for you. Hubstaff Ease of Use User-friendly controls Intuitive user interface Extensive knowledge base (has FAQs, walkthrough videos, and how-to guides) Overall, Hubstaff is a user-friendly time tracking software with a straightforward interface. It has a feature-rich mobile application that syncs well with its web version—even when offline. In addition, you can access an extensive knowledge base that has FAQs, user guides, and walkthrough videos. For support, Hubstaff has a team of experts who will respond to you through email, live chat, on-screen shares, or video conferencing. What Users Think About Hubstaff Users who left Hubstaff reviews online said they appreciate how easy it is to deploy, given its straightforward interface. Others commented that its robust employee productivity tools helped them improve their team’s overall performance, and some complimented its responsive support team. On the other hand, some reviewers complained that they experienced occasional software glitches, whereas others mentioned that they get distracted from work with the frequent screenshot capturing. Several even suggested that there should be more third-party integrations. At the time of publication, Hubstaff reviews earned the following scores on popular user review sites: Capterra: 4.6 out of 5 based on 1,200+ reviews G2: 4.3 out of 5 based on around 400 reviews New to management? Check out our guide to employee management for practical advice. Bottom Line If you’re looking for a time tracking system with robust employee productivity tools, then Hubstaff is a good choice. It automatically captures work hours, including your team’s location, with its geofencing and GPS tracking features. Also, it allows you to keep an eye on your employees’ day-to-day activities using its app and URL tracking, idle time warning, and work-in-progress screenshot capturing. If you are on a limited budget, Hubstaff has a free plan for a single user, and it’s complete with basic timekeeping and productivity functionalities. If you want to learn more about the platform, then sign up for its 14-day free trial.

Paying employees in Georgia is more straightforward than in more complex states like California. The primary difference is that Georgia requires employers to pay state income taxes. Understanding how to do payroll in Georgia requires understanding these nuances and other unique Georgia payroll laws. Step-by-Step Guide To Running Payroll in Georgia Although doing Georgia payroll is fairly simple, there are special laws you need to pay attention to, especially on your first few payroll runs. Step 1: Set up your company’s Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If your company is brand-new, you may need to apply for a FEIN. This is a simple process completed entirely online via the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS). If your company already has one, keep the FEIN nearby as it is required to pay federal taxes. Step 2: Register your business in Georgia. Any company that pays employees in Georgia must register with the Georgia Secretary of State. The Georgia Department of Revenue provides a comprehensive guide to help you tick all the boxes of proper registration, including how to calculate and withhold payroll taxes. Step 3: Set up your first payroll. This isn’t where you actually start running payroll but rather begin your process of setting it up. You may need to create a process for yourself, so you are certain not to miss any important steps. You can opt to do payroll yourself manually or set up an Excel payroll template. Your best bet, however, to avoid problems is to work with payroll software to help you handle your Georgia payroll. Step 4: Collect employee payroll forms. Most efficiently done during onboarding, your employees need to complete various payroll and employment forms. All employees must complete I-9 verification no later than their third day on the job. You need to keep I-9s even after the employee no longer works for the company. Every employee must also have a completed W-4 on file. Unlike some states, Georgia requires a state-specific W-4, called the State of Georgia Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate. Employees must also provide you with direct deposit information. Step 5: Review and approve time sheets. Companies record time in a variety of ways. Whether electronically or using paper time sheets, you need to collect, review, and approve them. Georgia employers must pay employees regularly and at least twice monthly. So, you need to make sure you begin this process several days before the scheduled payday to make sure you have enough time. Having employees sign their time sheets is a good idea. Step 6: Calculate your payroll, including taxes, and pay employees. Calculating every employee’s pay, the taxes owed by them and the company, and the deductions and withholdings required will be a huge challenge if you do it by hand, especially if you have more than a few employees. You can simplify the process and reduce mistakes if you use a standard process and payroll software to calculate pay automatically. Step 7: Pay federal and state payroll taxes. At each regular payroll run, you must pay federal and state taxes. The IRS provides instructions on paying federal taxes, while the Georgia Department of Revenue provides instructions on paying state taxes. Step 8: Save your payroll records. This step is often overlooked but is also one of the most important. It is vital that you keep detailed payroll records showing that you have regularly and correctly paid every employee, as well as state and federal taxes. Federal law requires you to maintain these records for three to four years, and Georgia’s law aligns for all private employers. Step 9: Process annual payroll reports. Every employer, regardless of which state your business is in, will need to complete W-2s for all employees and 1099s for independent contractors. By law, you must provide all employees and contractors with their annual tax form no later than Jan. 31 of the following year. Download our free checklist to help you stay on track while you’re working through these steps: Georgia Payroll Laws, Taxes & Regulations Doing payroll in Georgia is very similar to doing payroll in other states. Most regulations follow federal laws, so you are less likely to get confused by conflicting rules. No municipalities or cities in Georgia charge additional taxes, simplifying the process even more. Georgia Payroll Taxes Beyond federal taxes, Georgia levies state taxes on businesses and employees. Businesses must calculate and withhold the correct amount of tax from both employers and employees. Employer Unemployment Taxes Georgia does not have state disability insurance, but it does have State Unemployment Tax Act (SUTA) taxes. The current rate for employers ranges from 0.04% to 7.56% on a wage base of $9,500. With few exceptions, every employer in Georgia must pay SUTA. Workers’ Compensation Any Georgia employer with three or more full-time, part-time, or seasonal employees must carry workers’ compensation insurance coverage. Depending on the industry in which your business operates, your premiums will vary. Income Taxes Georgia has a progressive income tax system, meaning that the more an employee makes, the more they are taxed. The state’s income tax has six brackets ranging from 1% to 5.75%. Make sure that you are withholding the correct amount for each of your employees, especially as their salaries change over time. Georgia Minimum Wage Georgia’s minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour, aligned with the federal minimum wage. Tipped minimum wage is $2.13 per hour. The tips the employees receive make up the difference, but if an employee’s tips do not get them to the $7.25 per hour minimum wage, the employer must make up the difference. Calculating Overtime Georgia’s overtime rate is time and a half. So, if an employee makes minimum wage, any overtime hours they work will be paid at $10.88 per hour. In Georgia, overtime pay is only required when an employee works over 40 hours in a single workweek. Paying Employees Georgia requires that employers pay employees at least twice per month. Companies are free to run payroll more frequently. Regardless of the pay schedule your company uses, you must have regular and consistent pay days. Employers in the farming, sawmill, and turpentine industries are not subject to this requirement and may pay employees just once per month. Employers have several options for paying employees: Cash Check Direct deposit Payroll cards Pay Stub Laws Georgia does not require businesses to provide pay stubs to employees. Your business may choose to do so, and if you use payroll software, it may create one automatically. If you’d like a template to make creating your own pay statements easier, then download one of our free pay stub templates. They’re already formatted—you can print and use them today. Georgia Paycheck Deductions Georgia does not specify what deductions can be taken out of an employee’s pay, aside from taxes. Because of this ambiguity, employers may be able to deduct the following, provided that it does not take the employee’s hourly pay below the minimum wage: Cash register shortage Damage or loss of employer property Uniform fee Tool or equipment fee Other items necessary for employment Terminated Employee’s Final Paychecks Georgia has no specific law or regulation detailing when or how an employer pays wages to a recently resigned, laid off, or terminated employee. To be safe, we recommend that you follow normal payroll practices and simply pay them their final paycheck during the next regular run; this aligns with federal regulations as well. Georgia HR Laws That Affect Payroll Many of Georgia’s HR and employment laws align with federal regulations. However, there are some additional employment laws and regulations you need to be aware of to make sure your company remains compliant. Georgia New Hire Reporting Employers are required by law to report all new hires to the Georgia New Hire Reporting Center. You must do this within 10 days of the employee’s start date. You must report new hires, rehires, and temporary employees. No business is exempt from this law. Breaks Georgia does not require employers to provide breaks, paid or unpaid, to employees. Businesses in the state are still required to follow federal law and may choose to provide paid breaks beyond that. So, at a minimum, companies in Georgia must pay employees for small breaks, around five to 20 minutes. Georgia Child Labor Laws Georgia does not restrict workers aged 16 and over. Employees under 16, however, are restricted from working more than: Four hours on a school day Eight hours on a non-school day Forty hours during a non-school week In addition, workers under 16 cannot start work before 6 a.m. or finish work after 9 p.m. No workers under 16 can work during school hours. Time Off & Leave Requirements Georgia doesn’t regulate paid time off (neither does the federal government). However, you will need to pay attention during voting season, as you are required to allow employees time off to cast their ballots. Payroll Forms Payroll forms can vary from state to state. Fortunately, the only state-specific form your employees need to worry about is the Georgia W-4. Three forms are applicable to Georgia employers (you’ll likely qualify for two of them): G-7: Required for businesses submitting quarterly tax returns and may be filed electronically DOL-4A: Only required if you’re a household employer, meaning you’re paying nannies, caregivers, and other staff who work at your home); you’ll use it to report quarterly tax and wage reports DOL-4N: This form is used to submit quarterly employee wages, tax information, and account changes. Federal Payroll Forms Here is a complete list and location of all the federal payroll forms you should need: W-4 Form: Provides information on employee withholdings so you can properly calculate and withhold federal and state income taxes W-2 Form: Used to report total annual wages for each employee W-3 Form: Used to report total annual wages for all employees Form 940: Used to calculate and report unemployment taxes due to the IRS Form 941: Used to file quarterly income tax Form 944: Used to file annual income tax 1099 Forms: Provides information for non-employee contract work Georgia Payroll Tax Resources The Georgia Department of Revenue provides many forms, information on the latest laws and regulations, and other employer-specific information. Tax withholdings may be confusing, and reviewing Georgia’s Employer’s Tax Guide may help you. For extensive information on how to get workers’ compensation coverage, Georgia’s Department of Labor offers guidance. Bottom Line Learning how to do payroll in Georgia can seem complicated at first glance. However, the state follows federal regulations fairly closely, and you only need to concern yourself with less than a handful of state-specific forms. Once you make sure your business has the proper registrations, completing regular payroll runs becomes routine. By keeping up with ever-changing employment laws and regulations, you can make sure you get your Georgia payroll right every time.

Onboarding new employees is the process of integrating a new worker into your company culture, ethos, policies, and teams. The goal is to provide the new hire with the tools and information needed to become productive and to help them feel welcome. Prepare your new employee for success by: Confirming new hire data before the first day Providing welcome materials Introducing new employees to other team members Holding a formal orientation Defining job responsibilities Discussing strategic growth Providing company training Scheduling regular performance reviews Our new hire onboarding checklist is designed to provide you with the best practices you should follow when onboarding your new employees. It can be downloaded and customized to fit your business needs. Step 1: Prepare for Your New Hire Before your new employee begins their first day with your company, we suggest mapping out your onboarding plan and materials, confirming that pre-hire paperwork has been completed, and working out their schedules. Start by making sure you have: Confirmed all documents from the hiring process have been signed and verified, including the offer letter Verified the salary and start date Set up all IT systems and equipped the new hire to use office equipment, including computer, printer, building access keys, and company software Prepared a welcome packet that includes new hire paperwork, payroll information, a summary of benefits, the employee handbook, etc. Then, prepare the new employee’s schedules, especially if they are an hourly employee who may work different shifts throughout the week. Consider using scheduling templates and software—they can help streamline your employee scheduling demands overall. We recommend: : Best for brick-and-mortar businesses (such as retail and restaurants); free for one location : Best for shift-based workplaces (such as medical and professional services); free 14-day trial Step 2: Provide Onboarding Materials On the first day on the job, your new hire should receive onboarding materials that include paperwork and a generalized exposure to their new role. Give your new hire time to digest the new employee forms and fill out needed documents. All of the personnel information that you need should be included in the first section of any packet (even if it is an electronically shared packet). The onboarding materials packet should have: Payroll-related forms, including W-4, a direct deposit form, and Form I-9 Personal information and contact numbers. Create an employee data sheet with emergency contact information Employee handbook. Have the employee review and sign it and ensure they understand your employment-at-will policy Company policies unique to your business that aren’t covered in your employee handbook; examples include sexual harassment policies, maternity leave policies, and time-off policies Confidentiality, noncompete, or nondisclosure agreement Employment contract Job description Background check authorization (if relevant) Drug screening approval (if relevant) Summary of benefits Organizational chart with important emails Use a new hire checklist to ensure you are providing your new hire with all necessary documents. Step 3: Hold a Formal Company Orientation The new hire should participate in a new employee orientation, which introduces them to the company culture. While the onboarding process can (and should) last up to a year, overall new hire orientation (including the presentation) should be established within the first week of employment. New hire orientation should follow the steps below: Welcome and Introductions: Introduce the new hire to key team members they’ll work with and provide them with important policy information. Also, describe the training they will undergo and let them know where they can raise their questions. New Hire Paperwork: Provide the new employee forms and other required documents, collect their identifying information, and give them time to review the materials. Orientation Video: Through an orientation video (or a one-on-one with HR), provide the new employee with information on the company culture, history, mission, vision, and values. Also, make sure to highlight the benefits offered by the company. Training Sessions: Set up one-on-one sessions and provide how-to videos for software, non-discrimination and sexual harassment training videos, and job-specific training videos. Acclimation to the New Position: Provide the new employee with the tools and software needed for job success, set up job shadowing with a peer, and give them time to digest everything. Read our article on conducting new employee orientation for a more in-depth guide. Step 4: Clearly Define Job Responsibilities Although your new hire may have experience in their assigned role, they may not have experience working in your industry or with your specific product or service. Be sure to sit down with them and discuss the job description and role requirements. We recommend utilizing both the employee’s job description (details of their job) and a company organizational chart (who in the company their role will be impacting) when sharing with the new team member what their role is all about as the organization strives to meet its strategic goals. Step 5: Discuss Their Strategic Growth Plan Each employee within your organization should have a clearly defined strategic growth plan that outlines their goals and responsibilities. The growth plan should be specific and focus on the employee’s continued improvement within their position. When developing a growth plan within a specific position, be sure to Set clear, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals Add an educational plan for training and development Implement strategies for success Analyze results with performance management Your new employee should clearly understand their role and responsibilities related to the growth plan and have a clear understanding of how to achieve those goals. Step 6: Introduce the New Team Member The new team member should be introduced to their immediate team and the entire company within their first week of employment. This helps to acclimate the employee to their environment and allows them to meet the employees they may need to interact with regularly. Step 7: Provide Role-specific Training Throughout the first months on the job, the new employee should be exposed to education and training sessions specific to their role. This goes beyond the basic training during orientation (where the employee learns their role) and encompasses more detailed training and development sessions. Personalized training provides the necessary education for employees and helps them keep track of their progress. Training management software can be used to deliver courses and track progress in one easy place. Step 8: Schedule Regular Performance Evaluations Throughout the first year of employment and as your new employee gets settled into their role, it is important to schedule performance evaluations. This ensures the employee is following their growth plan and meeting metrics set for success with the company. Onboarding for Transitioning or Remote Employees Although everyone thinks of new employees when discussing employee onboarding best practices, there are a few employee groups that require a renewed introduction to parts (or all) of the company and its processes. Whether an extended period away from work or moving into another company region, large changes can more easily be embraced with onboarding processes. Objectives of Great Onboarding The reason for ensuring that you have a solid onboarding experience for new team members is because of the value it adds to the new hire and the organization, leading to optimal organizational performance. Successful onboarding also: Ensures legal compliance: A robust onboarding process includes many requirements and legal obligations. Deploys consistent experience: Maintaining an onboarding program that all new employees receive ensures that everyone gets a thorough welcome and direction. Makes new hires feel “at home”: The purpose of an onboarding program that offers a comprehensive experience is to embrace new employees so that they feel welcome at the earliest stages possible. Leads to better ROI: When a thorough onboarding process meets talented and ambitious new hires, companies get an incredible ROI. Improves employee retention: When you hire an employee, you are investing in people. It takes money, people, and time to properly onboard new team members. Safeguarding your investment by retaining your top employees is critical to competing in business. Using HR Software for Onboarding HR software can help with the onboarding process by automating many of your HR-related tasks such as creating custom employee profiles and tracking employee progress. With onboarding software, HR professionals can focus on more important tasks such as helping new employees learn the company's culture and policies. For as low as $8 per employee, per month, software can handle onboarding for you, leaving you to get back to the heart of your business. Rippling can automatically add employees to the apps they need, internationally onboard contractors in over 100 countries, and prepare your new employees with a laptop that is set up, ready to use, and delivered straight to the employee. How To Onboard With Rippling Below are the steps to onboard a new hire with Rippling. Once the new hire has been successfully input into the system, Rippling will reach out to the new hire to complete the final steps of onboarding, which include entering their address information, banking, healthcare options, I-9 form, and more. Bottom Line Onboarding your new team members is one of HR’s (or a supervisor’s) most critical roles. New team members’ first impressions play into how long they remain with your company and how they feel about leadership. Incorporate employee onboarding best practices and you will have an edge on your competition. The good news is that your company does not need to spend a fortune to get a robust, polished onboarding program established and active.

Knowing how to hire great employees is the key to growing your business. The process of hiring employees includes well-written job descriptions, effective recruitment ads, and strong interview processes—all of which should promote your values and culture and adhere to fair labor practices. can make hiring employees a breeze. In fact, around 80% of employers who post a job on the platform get a quality candidate through the site within the first day—and, you can post your jobs for FREE. Plus, get an exclusive free “Highlight” Enhancement to make your job stand out! Step 1: Create a Detailed Job Description A detailed job description helps you connect with qualified applicants as well as clarify their work expectations once hired. A great job description should include the educational and professional requirements and a preview of the company culture. Include the following in every job description: Job Outline Before the duties of the job are discussed, basic information is often shared at the top of the job. For example: Company logo Job title Status (full time, part time, temporary) Job location (remote, city/state) Salary range A position summary can be added at the bottom of this section that gives a brief (four to six sentences) description of the position. This is where you let potential candidates know the basics of the position; greater detail can be given further down in the job description that outlines specific duties and responsibilities. Detailed Position Information This is the area of the job description where you define the job and its duties and responsibilities in specific detail. It is not uncommon to highlight more than 10 primary features of the job, listed in order of importance. The more detailed a picture you paint of the position, the more qualified candidates you will attract. Essential Functions Be sure to include all essential functions of the position. These are the duties that an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) governs what is considered an essential function, partially through the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA). Some of these functions may include: Ability to sit or stand for long periods Able to lift a certain amount (i.e., 50 pounds) Languages required to be successful Required travel Ability to use general office equipment Skills When you create your job description, make sure you’re describing the skills necessary for a candidate to be successful in the role. These may be learned skills, like proficiency in certain computer software, or soft skills, like personal development. Education Most business owners list a minimum educational requirement in their job description based on the job role when hiring employees. For example, a solar installation company may desire its workers to have at least a GED or high school degree to be able to read complex instructions. Meanwhile, a CPA firm might prefer its associates to have a business or accounting degree (bachelor’s or master’s), whereas a Biomed testing facility may need Ph.D. candidates for licensing purposes. Experience Think about the work experience a candidate must have. In addition to education and training, many skills are learned on the job. More often than not, it is best to clarify what is “required” and what is “preferred” in experience, education, and skills. Here are some examples of the kind of “experience statements” that you might want to include in your job description: Four years of customer service experience in a fast-paced sales environment; two years in IT sales preferred. Five years of diesel mechanic experience or two years of experience if ASE certified. Ten years in multi-restaurant management or former GM managing at least $100K in sales each month. Three years of transportation dispatch experience with temperature-controlled carriers; foodservice transportation experience preferred. Six years of technical or supervisory experience in any construction trade; three years of solar panel installation referred. Company Culture This is the section of your job description where you can let your business shine. Define the cultural and management values of your company. Explain how employees can benefit from working for you. Describe your company values and how you got your start in the business. Besides these, give some details of your employer branding; this highlights how your company is perceived by prospective and current employees both online and on-site. And, positive employer branding can reduce hiring costs by attracting more candidates per job opening. Step 2: Advertise & Recruit Once you’ve created your job description, it’s time to advertise your job. Many businesses use job boards to find qualified employees and make recruitment easier. Job board services like will not only increase visibility and attract top-tier candidates, but it offers templates to assist you with crafting a job advertisement. Follow the steps below to advertise your job: Write a Compelling Job Ad The difference between the job description and a job ad is subtle. A job ad starts with a job description’s most critical details, but it also adds marketing details and a call to action to entice job seekers to apply. For example, it might include more about your company culture, showcase the benefits you offer, or include a hiring bonus. However, it is not necessary to list every single duty the job requires—this can be discussed during the interview. Post the Job Online You can post a sign at your business to attract walk-in applicants, but the most common means of finding qualified job candidates is to use an online job board for hiring employees. Once you post a job, you can share it on social media or email individuals you hope will apply. In addition, some employers prefer to use a free applicant tracking system to keep track of where their jobs are posted and who has applied to each job. Ask Employees for Referrals Employee referral programs are a great way to find job talent, as your employees may know of qualified candidates to join your company. If you post your job on an online job posting site, you can share the link and job description with existing employees and ask them to help you recruit their next co-worker. Here are some tips on making the most of employee referrals: Be a company of choice: That’ll make your existing team members more likely to recommend jobs to people within their network. Communicate your enthusiasm: When talking about open roles and opportunities, share your enthusiasm, which can help engage and attract employees’ friends and family to apply. Focus on the opportunity: Emphasize what a great opportunity the role is and the importance of the position to the company. Reward employees: When you hire an employee referred to you by an existing team member, consider offering your team member a referral bonus. Hire a Recruiter Another popular option is to work with a recruiter or recruitment firm with expertise in sourcing candidates. Typically a recruiter will charge you a percentage (ranging anywhere from 20%–35%) of the new hire’s first-year salary. For example, if you are looking to fill a position at a salary of $40,000, it would typically cost around $8,000 in fees. But, that may be worth it to get a top-notch candidate you may not have found on your own. Step 3: Evaluate Resumes Once you begin receiving job applications, you’ll have to screen job applicants to find qualified ones to take to the next step. If you’re using a job posting site like , you’ll have access to online tools that assess job applicant qualifications in advance; otherwise, you’ll start by reading applications and resumes to determine which candidates to interview. Thoughtfully Read Through Resumes Pick a time during the day when you can fully concentrate on the resumes. Give them a full read-through and look for any skills or experience the candidate has that aligns with your job description. You should be looking for past job experience similar to the role, skills the candidate possesses that can help them perform the job, and anything “extra” that the candidate might bring to the table (i.e., certifications). Sort Resumes You’ll find that a large percentage of job seekers fire off resumes with no regard for whether their skills match the ad posting. It’s easiest to set those aside into a “no” or “not qualified” pile once you recognize that candidates do not qualify for your role. Sorting your resumes into three groupings is a great way to get a handle on which candidates you may want to follow up with. Oftentimes you have a “Qualified-Interview” pile, a “Qualified-Maybe” pile, and a “Not Qualified-No” pile. The “No” pile will typically be your largest, followed by your “Maybe” pile and then your “Interview” pile. Your end goal is to have a short stack of three to five individuals to interview. Step 4: Interview Candidates Once you’re done sorting, it’s time to schedule interviews. Be certain you have a good interviewing process established, which should always include more than the hiring manager or the HR representative. Schedule Interviews Set up an interview schedule with your top candidates. Although this can be done via email, we suggest doing so through a phone call to assess each job seeker’s interest before committing yourself or your managers to the full interview process. Some applicants may have already accepted a job with another firm, while others may not be as good a fit as they appear to be on paper, so this could be another layer of screening before settling on one candidate. The most common forms of interviews include: Phone Interviews: A phone interview is generally brief. You contact the candidate, thank them for applying, and ask if they would mind answering a few questions. How they react will tell you much about their true interest in the role. Video Interviews: Video interviews are great for team interviews (with more than one of your managers) or remote and work-from-home candidates. Don’t worry if you don’t already have video conferencing software as many are free. In-person Interviews: In-person interviews are the most common interview type managers think of when they imagine interviewing a new hire. But in-person interviews are notoriously inefficient and may result in you selecting a candidate based on how similar they are to you rather than how qualified they are. Thank Candidates A best business practice is to acknowledge those candidates that took the time to apply to your open position. Remember to communicate just as promptly with those who didn’t make the cut as those who did. For those you’re going to be turning down, you can send rejection letters or use a job board, like , that will allow you to send bulk emails to candidates, including interview requests and rejection letters. Select the Best Candidate for the Job The best candidate for the job is the individual who most closely fits the job requirements and has the highest likelihood to succeed in the role within your organization. If the candidate will be working in a specific department, it’s recommended for direct supervisors to have a say in which candidate is right for the job. It’s also a good idea to contact prior employers and check the candidate’s references to get insight into the candidate’s strengths. Take a look at your candidate’s LinkedIn profile to be sure it matches the attributes listed in their resume. [Optional] Conduct a Background Check Once you have selected the candidate you want to hire, consider conducting a background check and/or a pre-employment drug screen. A background check can verify a candidate’s employment history, experience, education, and may shed light into any criminal activity. This is especially important for certain roles such as finance, accounting, and jobs that include driving. A background check company will verify the candidate’s information and report any issues directly to your business. The best companies are FCRA-compliant, offer transparent pricing, and provide you with a quick response. Step 5: Craft a Job Offer Your final step in hiring a new employee is to write a formal job offer letter. This letter should outline what the role is, when it starts, and what it pays. Additionally, include a benefits statement, contingencies, and an offer timeframe that the candidate must respond by to accept the offer. Download our free offer letter template. When describing your company and the position being offered, make sure the personality and culture of your company come through. Include benefits as well as your company’s unique mission. It’s also a good idea to make the job offer contingent upon a successful background check, required physicals, drug tests, or any other pre-hire requirements. Don’t be surprised if your job candidate doesn’t accept your first job offer. Be willing to negotiate unless you simply can’t pay a penny more. Many new hires are open to receiving off-site training, getting a few more days of paid time off (PTO), or working remotely in exchange for a lower-than-desired salary. Post-hire Considerations Once your new hire has agreed to your job offer, it’s time to plan their onboarding. Additionally, when you take into account recruiting expenses and new employee training costs, retaining good employees is the most profitable way to keep your business fully staffed. Bottom Line Hiring employees to grow your business and promote your brand is a huge building block in your company’s foundation for sustained success. Take your time to find the person most likely to be successful in the job based on the candidate’s resume, interviews, and employment references. Maintain a clear vision when recruiting and selecting your new team member. Consider using to find your next top employee. It can assist with the entire hiring process—job description templates, job posting to over 100 sites, interviewing, tracking, and hiring. Plus get an exclusive free “Highlight” Enhancement to make your job stand out. You May Also Like… Hiring Seasonal Employees How To Hire Temporary Employees How To Hire Remote Employees How To Hire International Employees Hiring Employees in China

The best payroll software for accountants makes it easy to handle payroll for many clients. It should integrate with accounting software, have a dashboard to manage multiple clients, and offer benefits specific to the needs of CPAs. Below are our seven top-recommended payroll software for accountants. : Best (overall) payroll software for accountants, especially those interested in or already using QuickBooks Accounting : Best for small accounting businesses wanting tools to help market their payroll add-on service : Best for accountants with clients needing HR, payroll, and IT tools to manage remote employees : Best for accounting companies requiring flexible permissions for managing client payroll duties : Best for accounting firms looking for an affordably priced payroll solution : Best payroll for accounting firms wanting continuing education perks for accountants : Best for accountants looking for client billing tools that let them adjust fees on a per-customer basis Best Payroll Software for Accountants Compared See fullscreen table × *Pricing is based on a quote we received **Access to the providers’ accounting software may require additional fees If you’re unsure which payroll for accountants platform is best for your business, answer a few questions in our free quiz and we will help you decide. QuickBooks Payroll for Accountants: Best Overall Payroll Software for Accountants If you use QuickBooks for your clients, then we highly recommend for Accountants. It lets you set client permissions, guarantees tax accuracy, and includes 24/7 support—plus, its accounting and payroll modules sync seamlessly with each other. If you sign up for its free QuickBooks Online Accountant solution, you can easily access your clients’ QuickBooks accounts to check their books, edit transactions, and address issues. It even comes with free access to QuickBooks Payroll Elite (which you can use to pay your employees), discount pricing for your clients, a revenue share option, and a partner ProAdvisor program with preferential rates for both you and your customers. Scoring an overall of 4.68 out of 5 in our evaluation, QuickBooks Payroll for Accountants earned high marks (4 and above) in nearly all of our criteria, given its solid accounting and payroll solutions, ease of use, robust reporting, and transparent pricing. Users also appreciate its efficient payroll tools, as it helps simplify employee pay processing. However, its limited HR tools prevented it from getting a perfect rating because, unlike Gusto and Paychex, QuickBooks doesn’t have a suite of HR solutions for managing the entire employee lifecycle. QuickBooks Payroll for Accountants Discounts & Perks With QuickBooks Payroll for Accountants, your clients can choose from three QuickBooks Payroll plans (Core, Premium, and Elite) with monthly fees that start at $45 plus $5 per employee. For your new clients, discounts are available, but only for the first three months. Accountants who are part of QuickBooks’ ProAdvisor program can also choose to pay the monthly fees on behalf of their clients. This allows them to enjoy an ongoing ProAdvisor discount. They can even pass the discount to new clients through a Direct Discount option, but this is only for the first 12 months—plus, QuickBooks will send the billings directly to the clients. *Your new clients get 50% off the software base fee for the first three months. Note that the discounted rates may change, so check QuickBooks Payroll’s website from time to time to view the latest promotions on offer. Note, however, that QuickBooks Payroll doesn’t offer local tax filing and payment services in its Core package. You have to convince your clients to sign up for at least a Premium plan if they want full payroll tax filing services (federal, state, and local). While you get preferential pricing under the ProAdvisor program, QuickBooks Payroll for Accountants’ discounted Premium tier ($52.50 per month plus $6.80 per employee monthly) is still pricier than Patriot Payroll—which offers full-service payroll and automated tax filings for only $37 per month plus $4 per employee monthly. QuickBooks Payroll for Accountants Key Features Gusto: Best Payroll Software for Accountants Wanting Help Marketing Their Payroll Services is a highly rated and popular payroll service that provides HR support. It offers an accountant partnership program that goes beyond supplying client payroll and includes certification programs and marketing venues for getting more clients. And with Gusto Plus, you get a client dashboard and tools to help you serve your customers well. In our evaluation, Gusto earned an overall rating of 4.38 out of 5, with perfect scores in pricing, popularity, and reporting capabilities. It lost some points for fewer HR features than others on our list and for not providing insurance in all 50 states (unavailable in Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming), although it does offer online onboarding. However, users still love its efficient payroll and tax filing services, plus they find its features robust given its price. Gusto for Accountants Discounts & Perks With Gusto, you and your clients can choose from three reasonably priced plans (Simple, Plus, and Premium) with monthly fees that start at $40 plus $6 per employee. New clients are only entitled to a one-month free trial, although you can choose to share your accountant discount with them. As a Gusto partner, you enjoy several perks, like free payroll migration for your clients and free payroll software for your firm (provided you enroll one client with Gusto per year). You also get the chance to be People Advisory Certified and featured in the Gusto Partner Directory. When signing up for Gusto’s partner accountant program, you will be asked to choose one of its discount and incentive options: Gusto to bill your clients at discounted rates Gusto to bill your clients using advertised rates, but you’ll receive revenue shares Gusto to bill you at a discounted rate The percentage of the discount or revenue share varies, depending on the number of clients you have. Newly enrolled accountant partners are also required to run client payroll with Gusto within 30 days of signing up for the program to receive the resulting discount or revenue share. You need to have at least three clients with Gusto to enjoy discount perks. If you want to get discounted pricing or plan to pass discounts to your customers, consider QuickBooks Payroll. Its accountant partner program doesn’t have client limits and offers higher discounts (30% and 15% off the monthly base and per-employee fees, respectively) compared to Gusto’s discounts (10%–20% only). Gusto for Accountants Key Features Rippling for Accountants: Best Payroll Software for Accountants With Clients Looking for Payroll, HR & IT Tools Compared to the other providers in this guide, allows you to provide clients with a wider range of solutions given its modular HR, payroll, benefits, and IT tools. It even has efficient computer devices and apps provisioning and deprovisioning processes, plus Rippling can store your unused computers in its warehouse for safekeeping. However, its partner accountant program isn’t as robust as Paychex’s (with its CPE webinars). Aside from a client dashboard, Rippling only provides discounts for your clients and free payroll, dedicated support, and HR tools for your firm. Scoring an overall of 4.33 out of 5 in our evaluation, Rippling received ratings of 4 and up in all of our criteria, with perfect marks in reporting and popularity. Many users like its intuitive interface and the seamless integration between its products. However, its paid HR advisory services and lack of a dedicated payroll specialist (similar to what Paychex offers to its clients) prevented Rippling from ranking higher on our list. Rippling for Accountants Discounts & Perks Rippling’s partner program provides accountants free access to payroll and HR solutions that you can use for your firm (up to 25 employees only). You even get a dedicated partner success manager and partner enablement materials, so you can become a better payroll adviser to your clients. For your new customers, it offers free white-glove payroll migrations to help your clients easily transition from their current payroll system to Rippling. Your clients can also enjoy discounts of up to 35%. However, if you want training perks, then consider QuickBooks Payroll and Paychex since both include learning courses in their partner programs. Rippling for Accountants Key Features OnPay: Best Payroll Software for Accountants Needing Flexible Permissions To Manage Client Payroll Duties lets you provide clients with payroll, essential HR tools, and benefits options available in all 50 states. Its software has six levels of system permissions (more robust than the other providers in this guide), allowing you to efficiently manage client payroll and user access, as well as delegate pay processing tasks (such as payroll approvals) to customers. If you want to streamline HR tasks across multiple business software (like accounting), consider Rippling, as it offers customizable workflow triggers that work with its 500+ partner systems. For its accountant partner program, you get a client dashboard and an incentive scheme that lets you choose between revenue sharing and discounted pricing. What we like best about OnPay for Accountants is that you get free payroll software for your firm without having to meet client limits or add a customer to your client base every year (like QuickBooks Payroll). The platform earned an overall rating of 4.24 out of 5 in our evaluation. It received scores of 4 and above in nearly all of our criteria, given its HR functionalities, reporting capabilities, efficient payroll tools, and affordably priced plan that many users appreciate. It would have ranked higher on our list had it offered an in-house accounting software (like QuickBooks and Patriot do). OnPay for Accountants Discounts & Perks OnPay’s partner accountant perks include free account setup, free data migration, marketing resources, free payroll for your firm, and options for either discount or revenue sharing. You can also pass the discount to your clients and have OnPay send billing statements to their offices. The incentives are based on the number of clients you have. OnPay for Accountants Key Features Patriot Payroll for Accountants: Best for Accounting Firms Wanting an Affordable Payroll Tool , which is the least expensive option in this guide, lets you handle client payroll efficiently. It also comes with time tracking and basic HR solutions for monitoring staff work hours, creating overtime rules, and managing an online employee database. While these tools are paid add-ons, adding both to Patriot’s payroll platform makes it ideal for your clients who employ mostly hourly workers and want to accurately capture employee attendance. In our evaluation, Patriot Payroll earned 4.07 out of 5, with perfect marks in reporting, pricing, and popularity among users. It also received high scores in accountant-specific and pay processing tools, given its helpful client dashboard, seamless integration with its accounting software (including QuickBooks), and the ease of running payroll with Patriot. It scored the lowest in HR features because it lacks onboarding, state new hire reporting, and benefits options. Patriot Payroll for Accountants Discounts & Perks Accounting firms that join Patriot Payroll’s partner program enjoy discounted rates based on the number of clients they have. It offers product discounts of up to 20% for its payroll, accounting, time and attendance, and basic HR modules. Unlike discount perks from Gusto and OnPay, which require at least three customers, Patriot Payroll provides 5% off even if you only have one client. While you can’t pass the discount to your customers, paying Patriot Payroll’s subscription fees on behalf of your clients lets you set your own price for your services—regardless of the discount you enjoy. *Patriot’s HR solution consists of employee information, document management, and HR reporting tools. For clients only requiring payroll and automated tax filing solutions, Patriot Payroll is a great choice as it is affordably priced and has full-payroll services. However, if you want to offer access to employee benefits, the other providers on this list are better options since they have several options that include health, workers’ compensation, and retirement plans—although Gusto’s health insurance coverage is limited to 39 states. Patriot Payroll for Accountants Key Features Paychex for Accountants: Best Payroll Software for Accountants Looking for Continuing Education Perks payroll and HR software for accounting professionals offers technology and partnerships that help you provide excellent service for your clients. It starts with a client dashboard, called AccountantHQ, where you can work with clients to run payroll (through its Paychex Flex solution) or run it yourself. Next, it adds HR tools like onboarding, new hire reporting, background checks, and hiring services. On top of that, it includes access to professional education webinars, compliance support, resources and tools to help improve client relationships, and a dedicated account services team of accountant relationship managers. In our evaluation, Paychex earned an overall of 4.05 out of 5. It scored the lowest in pricing because most of its HR and payroll products require you to call for a quote. It also charges by pay run, making it more expensive for most clients. Nonetheless, it offers a terrific range of payroll and tax filing services, including a dedicated payroll specialist. You can offer clients HR support, given Paychex’s wide selection of online tools—from hiring and employee benefits to learning management and even PEO services. Paychex for Accountants Discounts & Perks As part of its partner program, you’re granted access to Paychex Flex (an online payroll solution), including a variety of accountant tools and resources. Paychex will also provide you with its official logo and company description that you can add to your firm’s website. Paychex for Accountants Key Features SurePayroll for Accountants: Best Payroll Software for Accountants Wanting Customizable Client Billing Tools is a Paychex company and offers many of the same services, but it’s a simpler and less expensive software. In addition to full-service payroll, tax filings, basic HR tools, and access to benefits options, it offers a partner program for accountants with a platform for managing clients, dedicated support, and wholesale pricing. It also provides white-label branding features (i.e., you can customize its client portal). For an additional fee, you can use its Revenue Share option to manage client billings. This allows you to set specific markup fees for each client and send them invoices. In our evaluation, SurePayroll received an overall rating of 4 out of 5, earning high marks of 4 and above in pricing, HR tools, payroll functionalities, and reporting. While it offers efficient payroll and accountant tools and has mostly positive feedback on online review sites, it scored the lowest in popularity among users since its average number of reviews on third-party sites is below 500. SurePayroll for Accountants Discounts & Perks SurePayroll doesn’t publish its payroll accountant pricing on its website, but you can easily request a quote from the provider. The one we received indicates that its pricing is based on the number of clients you have, wherein monthly base fees (which start at $39.99) decrease as your client base increases. It also offers two free user seats, after which it charges $3 per employee monthly for each additional staff; W-2/1099 filings cost an extra $45 plus $4.50 per tax form. SurePayroll’s partner accountant program also includes free account setup and free access to its payroll tool that you can use for your firm—provided you have 10 or more clients. Flexible billing options are also available. Direct billing: SurePayroll will bill you its software costs, allowing you to set a markup rate when invoicing clients for payroll services. Revenue share billing: For an additional fee, SurePayroll lets you handle all customer billing through its software. You can even specify markup rates for payroll services on a per-client basis. SurePayroll is the only payroll software for accountants that we reviewed that charges extra for revenue sharing. With Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll, and OnPay, you only have to sign up for its partner accountant program and either select revenue sharing as your incentive or earn dividends. SurePayroll for Accountants Key Features How We Evaluated the Best Payroll Software for Accountants The first thing we looked for is payroll software with partner programs specific to accountants. The software also needed to provide more than discounted pricing, so we checked for client dashboards and benefits specific for accountants. Then, we compared essential features, such as pay runs, tax filings, and HR tools. Finally, we considered the price for clients and accountants. Click through the tabs below for a more detailed breakdown of our evaluation criteria. Bottom Line Finding a payroll software that also offers an accounting solution is critical if you’re offering payroll accounting services. It makes bookkeeping easy and doesn’t require you to manually input payroll-related data into your books since its accounting and payroll tools integrate seamlessly with each other. If you have preferred accounting software, check if it offers payroll and vice-versa. Then, consider the needs of your clients and add-on solutions that would be helpful to you and your customers—like basic HR and benefits options. We find QuickBooks Payroll to be the best payroll software for accountants managing small businesses because you can use its integrated payroll and accounting platform to transfer payroll data to the general ledger, saving you time from doing it yourself. It also offers free payroll for your company, a client dashboard, a revenue share option, and discounted rates for you and your clients.