Processing payroll on time is crucial to the management of your business. As your company grows, you may find that payroll processing becomes more complex with tax requirements, multiple employee types, increasing deduction types, and much more. To efficiently manage your payroll, you will need to choose the best options for your business to process payroll allowing you to continue to pay your employees on time, ensure taxes are filed promptly by due dates and still have access to the information you need.

1. Cost

   As your number of employees grows, so do your labor expenses. Many people start their business using a payroll service, yet as business increases, they realize the expense grows out of hand. Once the cost of using a payroll service starts to outweigh the convenience, you may be ready to bring your payroll processing in-house and use payroll software.

2. Staffing

   Whether you use a payroll service or payroll software, you will need somebody to manage the process. Functions such as collecting employee pay data and editing employee information will need to be manually entered into a payroll software system or delivered to a payroll service.

3. Tax Filing

   Probably the biggest benefit to processing payroll with a service is their guarantee that they will file your taxes in a timely manner. However, payroll software providers currently offer online tax filing or complete tax filing fulfillment options. These options make the Federal and State tax filing processes much easier.

4. Control

   Some companies need or desire tight control over their payroll. Some reasons for this include having a large number of employees or the need to track data by different departments. Companies needing control of their payroll are better suited, in most cases, to processing payroll in-house using payroll software because often times a payroll service cannot provide the flexibility they need. With in-house payroll software, changes can be made instantly and there is no need to wait for somebody else to make them.

5. Security

   Obviously pay data is sensitive, and should be protected. With in-house payroll software, be sure the system offers security tools so that only authorized employees can see certain screens or data. A system with menu level security is helpful so that certain users can only see the screens you give them access to within the system. With a payroll service, if you are entering data online, be sure your service offers security measures so your data cannot be captured by somebody else.

6. Reporting

   Every business has a different set of payroll reporting needs. Perhaps you want to know labor expenses by department or expenses for just one or a combination of your locations. Typically, there is more flexibility in reporting when you are using an in-house program with report editing capabilities. If you are using a service, be certain your service provider can give you the data you need, when you need it.

There are variations of product offerings among payroll software providers as well as payroll service providers. No matter which method you choose, be sure to consider all of the above so that your payroll runs smoothly.

When researching accounting and payroll software for your company, be sure to get these commonly forgotten questions answered, or you may have unwanted surprises down the line.

What are my ongoing yearly costs, and what does that include?

People often remember to ask the upfront costs for a software package but place less importance on the ongoing costs, which can be substantial. Even if your upfront costs are minimal, you may be shocked when you find out as the years go by that there are additional costs for functionality your company requires. For example, you decide you want to start processing payroll via direct deposit, only to find out there is an expensive per-check fee for that service. Another example is support, which can be handled in various ways depending on the software company. Be sure to ask what support is included in the price, what that support includes, and what the ongoing costs for it are.

Can I talk to somebody in my own industry for a reference?

If you own a retail store, then talking to a manufacturer for a reference probably won't help you much because your company processes accounting and payroll in a completely different way. Be sure to talk to a reference that is in a business similar to yours, so you get a true feel of how it could work for your own business.

Will it work with other software products I use?

Most businesses now use software for many different purposes whether it's for word processing or spreadsheet management to time clock entry and electronic data interchange ("EDI"). Be sure to find out whether your accounting and payroll software can fit together with your other software. Having your programs work together saves you significant reentry of data, which saves you time and cuts out a margin for error.

What are the product limitations?

A salesperson by nature does not want to tell you all the details of what a product cannot do; however be sure you understand what its limitations are. For example, you might find out that a software package has the capability for unlimited concurrent users. This may be true in theory, but in reality there is a limitation of how many the system can handle while still running efficiently. This number likely depends on many things like the number of items, customers, transactions, and history saved in the system, not to mention the database technology used. Gain a good understanding of these limitations before purchasing your new software.

How experienced is their technical support staff, and where are they?

Technical support experience varies greatly by company. Be sure to ask about the experience level of the staff that provides support. If you don't get a better answer than, "I'm not sure," you have reason to be skeptical. At times when you need help, you will definitely appreciate having an expert available instead of somebody who knows nothing about accounting or payroll. Do they outsource support services to another company?

Will this work for everybody at my company?

Don't forget that many people in a company are affected by the accounting and payroll software choice. Shipping may need to print special packing lists; accounts payable may need to print 1099 forms, and the warehouse may need a better way to perform a physical inventory count. These are just a few examples of problems that can easily be solved with your accounting software. Include input from people in all departments, so your new system will work well for the entire company.

According to Wikipedia, “A garnishment is a means of collecting a monetary judgment against a defendant by ordering a third party (the garnishee) to pay the money, otherwise owed to the defendant, directly to the plaintiff. Wage garnishment, the most common type of garnishment, is the process of deducting money from an employee’s monetary compensation (including salary), sometimes as a result of a court order.”

Calculating wage garnishment withholdings and making payments can be complex, and processing them incorrectly can result in legal repercussions. Here are some ways your business can use payroll software to help ensure deductions are made accurately and on time.

• Set up and track garnishment calculations. Set up garnishment calculations to compute automatically when payroll is processed, and you are assured a consistently accurate dollar amount is being withheld, keeping both employee and creditor happy.
• Specify a minimum net pay. Many garnishment court orders require that an amount be deducted from the pay, yet the employee pay should not go below a specified amount. Set this up in your payroll software, and you can be confident the proper garnishment is taken out, and that the employee gets their minimum amount.
• Set up a garnishment priority. When an employee has more than one garnishment, you need to know which garnishment takes priority. Setting up a priority system within your software allows you to automatically deduct the garnishment in the correct order, so that the proper amount is deducted for each creditor.
• Specify the priority of other deductions. A garnishment may be set up to allow the employee to contribute money to other areas before the garnishment is taken, such as a 401(k) contribution. In this case, setting up a rule within your system to handle this will make certain that the garnishment is taken only after the other deductions are taken.

Using these methods of tracking wage garnishment keeps your information accurate, and also makes it much easier to calculate payments. Keeping track of employee payroll wage garnishments can be overwhelming. Use your payroll software to make the job of tracking and paying wage garnishments much easier, and also to stay in compliance.

Red Wing Software has been in business since 1979, and some of you were even here for the grand opening! And, now we are blogging. Who would have guessed it? We’ve all come a long way, haven’t we?

This is Red Wing Software’s official company blog, and it is meant to provide you, our readers, with information to help you improve your business, whether you are a customer or a prospect.

For this inaugural blog, we decided that a good subject for all readers would be a useful list of things to consider when choosing accounting software or payroll software. We hope you enjoy it!

Ten Crucial Points to Consider when Choosing Accounting Software or Payroll Software for your Company

1. Choose a company with experience and a proven track record.

   There has been a lot of change in the accounting software industry over the past ten years. If you or a company you know of has endured your software company’s being purchased, you know that the process can be painful. The software’s support, enhancements, training and other aspects of the company’s service can all be affected in the changeover. You want your business to run smoothly, and that’s why it’s important to choose a company who you feel is stable.

2. Choose a company with on-staff experts to help you decide whether their software is a fit for you.

   During the software selection process, the most difficult part is trying to maneuver through a software system with which you are unfamiliar, in order to determine whether it’s a fit for you. Check to see whether there is a staff or partner available who will listen and understand your needs, and then clearly show and prove to you whether their software fits for your company. Some companies have experts on staff or partners who can guide you through this process. Some do not charge for this valuable service—take advantage of this service when available. It will take half of the burden off your shoulders, and your time invested will pay off greatly in the long run.

3. Choose a software package that will grow with your company, considering your goals for the next ten years.

   The average company changes software every ten years. As a company grows, so does its business accounting software needs. Look at your company’s goals for the next ten years. Will you need to open and manage an additional warehouse? Will you need to add another product line and see its profitability separately? Will your sales commission payment scheme need to change as your profit margins change and you add more sales reps? These are important considerations, and having a system to handle them will keep your business running smoothly instead of becoming a stumbling block. Be sure to communicate these anticipated needs clearly in order to ensure your needs will be met as you grow.

4. Choose a company who provides excellent support.

   Whether you are learning how to use a new function of your software, trying to streamline processes with it, or even trying to troubleshoot, it is crucial that you have a team of experts to help you through it. By accessing the software company’s team of experts, your company can save time and money. Check into the software company’s team of experts—their support department. Does the company outsource their support, or handle it in-house? Be sure they can clearly communicate with you, and also that they are easily accessible to you. Be sure you know what their guaranteed response time is. In times of need, it will become crucial to your company.

5. Choose a company whose updates are meaningful, and include customer feedback.

   Have a look at the company’s most recent version update. Ask a company representative how those enhancements were chosen for the update. The answer should include customer feedback as a primary component, which in turn creates a software package constantly being shaped and formed by its own users.

6. Be sure the company’s training options will meet your company’s needs.

   No matter which software package you choose, you and your employees will need training. The more time invested on training at the start, the more successful your company will be at implementing the software and moving forward with it. Does the company offer training that will meet your needs? Perhaps you cannot have all of your employees gone at the same time to attend training, so you need to have web training available. Maybe you don’t have a high-speed connection so you need to have the training done in person. Or maybe your needs are so specific, the training must be customized and done at your facility. Be sure to choose a company who can accommodate your training needs.

7. Choose a company who will provide you with references for you to contact.

   By speaking with references, you can get a third-party, unbiased opinion regarding the software’s performance and functionality. If the software company can provide references of similar businesses to yours, even better.

8. Find out whether there is a local partner.

   Do you prefer to have a representative local to you? Ask the company if they have a representative near you, typically called a ‘partner’. If so, get the partner’s information and contact them. Partners can provide a wealth of services, ranging from implementation, data transfer, training, and may also offer other valuable services. If the company does not have a partner near you, check out what services the software company can provide you directly.

9. Choose a software company who has proven itself helpful in moving its customers forward to newer products.

   Technology is always changing; hardware is constantly being improved. Be sure your software company is also changing with the times. Check out what they have done over the years to be sure they have constantly improved their products. By choosing a company who keeps up with technology, your company can always choose to take advantage of the newest technology available.

10. Choose a software package that, with its value proposition, can pay itself off within a year.

    Accounting software is an invaluable tool for providing you up-to-date financial information. In addition to providing financials, many software packages also offer tools to help companies streamline their processes and improve efficiency. Choose a software package that provides these tools. When considering all of the tools available, get a general feel for how much time and money your company can save within one year. This amount of money should exceed the cost of the software within one year. Your sales representative should be able to help you determine your potential savings.

Summary

Choosing an accounting software package to fit your company can be a long and complicated process. By following the above key points, you can ensure that whatever software package you choose, the company will be there to stand by your side and grow with you for years to come.