Running payroll may seem simple. Calculate hours, withhold taxes, pay employees, and move on.
But as a business grows, payroll can quickly become more complicated. New employees, changing tax rules, benefits, timekeeping, and reporting all add more work and more opportunities for mistakes.
That is why many small and mid-sized businesses choose to work with a payroll company.
What Does a Payroll Company Do?
A payroll company helps businesses manage the process of paying employees accurately and on time.
Depending on the provider, that can include calculating wages, withholding payroll taxes, processing direct deposits, filing payroll taxes, preparing W-2s and 1099s, and maintaining payroll records.
Some payroll companies also provide tools for other parts of managing employees, including timekeeping, onboarding, benefits, HR, and reporting.
The goal is simple: take some of the administrative work off your plate while giving you the tools and support to manage your workforce.
Why Use a Payroll Company?
For many small businesses, payroll starts with the owner, office manager, or another employee handling it internally. That may work for a while.
As the company grows, so does the workload.
Save Time
Payroll takes time every pay period. Hours need to be reviewed, changes entered, deductions calculated, and payroll checked before employees are paid.
A payroll company can handle much of that process so your team can spend more time running the business.
Reduce Payroll Mistakes
A payroll mistake can mean an employee receives the wrong paycheck or an important tax payment is missed.
A good payroll provider has systems and processes built specifically around payroll. That added expertise can help reduce errors and identify problems before payroll is processed.
Help With Payroll Taxes
Employers are responsible for withholding, reporting, and paying several types of payroll taxes.
Those requirements can become even more complicated when employees work in different cities or states.
Payroll providers can help calculate taxes, make required deposits, and file payroll tax returns on behalf of the business.
Give Employees Better Access
Employees increasingly expect easy access to their payroll information.
Employee self-service tools can allow employees to view pay stubs, tax forms, direct deposit information, time-off balances, and more without having to ask someone in the office.
That can save time for both employees and administrators.
Payroll Is Only Part of Managing Employees
One of the biggest advantages of today’s payroll technology is that businesses do not necessarily need a different system for every HR task.
Payroll can connect with timekeeping, onboarding, benefits, HR, applicant tracking, and other workforce tools.
When these systems work together, employee information does not have to be entered multiple times. That can make managing your workforce simpler as your business grows.
How Do You Choose the Right Payroll Company?
Not every payroll provider offers the same experience.
Technology and price matter, but they should not be the only things you consider.
Ask what happens when you actually need help.
Can you reach someone who knows your business? Will you have a dedicated contact? Who helps you during implementation? What happens when there is a payroll problem on a Friday morning?
You should also think beyond what your business needs today. You may only need payroll right now, but later you could need timekeeping, onboarding, benefits, applicant tracking, or additional HR tools.
Choosing a provider that can grow with your business can keep you from having to start over with another system later.
Why Consider ASAP Payroll?
There are plenty of companies that can process payroll. The difference often comes down to what happens when you need help.
ASAP Payroll has been helping businesses with payroll since 1989. Our clients work with a local, dedicated team that gets to know their business, so when questions come up, they have real people to call.
As an isolved Network Partner, we also provide more than payroll. Businesses can manage payroll, timekeeping, onboarding, HR, benefits, applicant tracking, and more through one connected HCM platform.
It is a combination of modern technology and personal service designed to grow with your business.
Want to see if ASAP Payroll is the right fit for your business? Request a Quote today.