Getting payroll software.

[bbSquire]

I'm wondering, those of you bookkeepers using the accountant versions of SA or QB do you also have the payroll software to go with it?

I have taken courses in doing payroll in excell and SA so I'm not affraid of it. (But it will be extra for the service. ) So I'm wondering if I do endup doing a clients payroll should I just get the payroll update for my pro versions or jump up to the accountant version?

Kim.

[SaraASB]

Payroll in Excel? That is the same as doing it by hand. Not in 2010! If you are interested in doing payroll properly, you need a real payroll program. The payroll in QuickBooks is excellent. You need the Enhanced version to enable you to print all of the payroll returns and W2s. My concern is that if you are this new to payroll in general, should you be hiring yourself out? One beauty of the QB payroll is the resources available in setting it up. I got a client that needed to pay 2 online employees. One in NJ and one in PA and I only know GA and SC payroll law (25 years of doing this). Between the QuickBooks set up and reading government websites, I was able to figure out exactly what I needed to do. And OMG, is NJ different than GA! Educate yourself in payroll rules. Software will do the calculations for you and you are wise to figure out how to do it manually.

[bbSquire]

I have experience in payroll in Excell and Simply Accounting. I'm offering bookkeeping services. If a client wants me to do payroll and it's 5 employees or less I'm willing to do it, but will charge extra for the service. I'm just wondering if the payroll software that comes with some accounting software (Quickbooks, Simply Accounting) is worth the more expensive price. If they have more then 5 employees, I might not even consider doing it for them. I'm wondering if the added expense of the payroll software is worth it.

Kim.

[SaraASB]

If you have to prepare any returns by hand, it is worth it.

[Office Goddess]

I have experience in payroll in Excell and Simply Accounting. I'm offering bookkeeping services. If a client wants me to do payroll and it's 5 employees or less I'm willing to do it, but will charge extra for the service. I'm just wondering if the payroll software that comes with some accounting software (Quickbooks, Simply Accounting) is worth the more expensive price. If they have more then 5 employees, I might not even consider doing it for them. I'm wondering if the added expense of the payroll software is worth it.

Kim.

The QuickBooks payroll subscription is $399/year. I do payroll for less than 5 employees by hand (sortof) by using an online calculator to figure taxes/deductions and entering the numbers in QuickBooks and printing the checks from there; it works just fine for me and doesn't take much time.

[SaraASB]

If you are "entering the numbers into QuickBooks," then in order to enter paychecks, you must still have the basic tax service, correct? Or were you able to set up employees and payroll item codes without it? What is the price difference between the two tax services? I charge $75 per quarterly and $125 min for 4th quarter returns and W2s. In your case, with one client, you would barely break even, but the hours to do this by hand, calculating, recording, typing W2s by hand.. need to be considered when you could charge the same regardless of hours worked, you could be off working on another billable job and Quarterlies take a seconds to print. I make money being efficent. This subscription lets you do 50 clients. Now, you can probably find some 3rd party inexpensive payroll program on the market to crunch the numbers in, but I only use QuickBooks. I used to use Pensoft. It was great.

[Office Goddess]

If you are "entering the numbers into QuickBooks," then in order to enter paychecks, you must still have the basic tax service, correct? Or were you able to set up employees and payroll item codes without it? What is the price difference between the two tax services?

You don't need a payroll service to enter the numbers so there IS no fee. You just set up the employees and payroll item codes in QB.

In your case, with one client, you would barely break even, but the hours to do this by hand, calculating, recording, typing W2s by hand.. need to be considered when you could charge the same regardless of hours worked, you could be off working on another billable job and Quarterlies take a seconds to print.

You can buy a w-2 forms package that includes software allowing you to print the w-2s directly by entering the numbers; QuickBooks has a report that sends the w-2 information to an excel spreadsheet so all you end up doing is data entry into the system, which for 5 employees is a few minutes.

I charge my bookkeeping on an hourly basis in 15 minute increments. I can do a 5-person payroll and their w-2's in under 30 minutes per session so I AM making money on the processes involved without having the expense of a payroll service.

Here is the link to a 'how-to' do QB Payroll w/out buying the service.

[SaraASB]

It's nice that there are options. And interesting how everyone does business differently. I gave up charging by the minutes years ago. I spent too much time tracking and billing. I value bill. $200 week min plus tax returns. Support and reviews may be hourly.
Some weeks I make money and other weeks I don't. I have to be available so they pay a min fee. If the job is less than $200, I don't need it. I have to invest in the tools and software to do my job as fast and efficient as possible. Retyping employee info and SS#s in yet another program may leave room for error. If it isn't all integrated, there is a lot of room for mistakes. But, we are juggling 15 weekly clients and another 30 monthly or periodic support clients. I'm just saying that the Enhanced service works great in my business model.

[Office Goddess]

Does what require a time tracking tool? I receive timesheets from the client's employees with the total hours for each billing period. Obviously, I don't need timesheets for salaried employees.

[fharvey]

So what version of QuickBooks do you all have? I trying to prepare myself in case I am awarded a contract that I submitted a proposal on. I would have one employee working in a state other than where my company is located and I want to be sure that I accurately capture payroll costs so that I can develop an accurate price proposal. I haven't had the need to hire an employee until now. Any help?