What Do Payroll Outsourcing Companies Do?

Robie Ann Ferrer is payroll and HR expert at Fit Small Business, focusing on software. Prior to becoming a writer, she worked as an HR specialist at several multinational companies. To learn more about QuickBooks’ pay processing features, read our QuickBooks Payroll review. If you want to try the services of a ProAdvisor-certified accountant, check out our guide to finding a QuickBooks ProAdvisor. National bookkeeping firms are best for companies that operate in multiple states.

In addition to regular payroll services, a good payroll service provider can offer peace of mind and reduce risk in the complex area of payroll tax compliance. Yes, they can, and it’s one of the biggest benefits of outsourcing your payroll to a payroll service provider. Plenty of payroll processing programs allow self-service, which can significantly impact employee satisfaction, as employees can make time-off requests or obtain personal payroll information more freely and flexibly. When a business delegates a portion or all of its payroll operations to a third party, it’s known as payroll outsourcing. In addition to running payroll, full-service providers typically help with tax reporting, regulatory compliance, data security and unemployment claims.

When should you outsource payroll?

ADP’s ability to help organizations of any size manage complex benefit offerings, along with its tried-and-true services and platform, make it one of the most comprehensive HROs on our list. A payroll processor can help you gather the necessary data, complete the steps of the application, and increase your chances of maximizing your controller vs cfo: 6 key differences to understand loan forgiveness. Our team has extensive experience with more than 20 different payroll technology providers, including ADP, Paychex, Paylocity, Paycom, Paycor, Ceridian, Workday, and Namely. Reduce risk and save time by relying on a partner to help manage your tax fulfillment needs, including  compliance, filing, and administration.

Companies experienced in arranging outsourcing contracts with third-party entities can rely on past experience for guidance. For companies newer to outsourcing, however, it’s worth taking plenty of time to select the right provider and to make sure all other aspects of an arrangement check out. Allowing a third party to direct company funds and manage highly sensitive information may once have been unthinkable. Much of the payroll process, however, involves routine tasks and follows established guidelines, making it possible to delegate responsibilities to trusted partners without relinquishing decision-making authority. For most of the 20th century, companies strove to own and exercise control over all business functions and assets.

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Companies often do not have the in-house resources to keep on top of legislation themselves, so rely on external providers to stay up to speed… and compliant. Global providers with local knowledge – using a global provider with local knowledge ensures payroll is processed and delivered in-country by local experts located in the jurisdiction where employees work. Many are able to integrate seamlessly with your HCM, as mentioned above, allowing visibility and control over global operations, with local ticket raising capability for local employees. Aggregator model – for businesses looking for a single process globally, using an aggregator payroll provider may seem like the perfect fit. Every person or business wants to be certain they can receive the customer support needed when necessary.

We make sure rules are followed, reputations protected and operational compliance maintained. Accuracy – if an outsourcing payroll vendor gets an employee’s pay wrong once, you will hear about it. If it gets it wrong again, there is a serious issue somewhere in the chain. The reason you engage a third party to take care of your payroll is to ensure someone is there putting time and effort into ensuring accuracy. If that accuracy is absent, chances are you’ll be combing the contract looking for an escape clause. Payroll technology platforms are beginning to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies become better at helping companies automate ever more complex processes.

Service Level No. 2: Expanded Service

At the same time, they’re legally responsible for any cases of misrepresentation or a failure to accurately report employment taxes to federal and state government agencies. Even if you have historically managed payroll without experiencing any significant issues, you may be creating an unnecessary burden by keeping the process in-house. By contrast, opting to outsource payroll to the expert team at OperationsInc will ensure that you maintain an accurate and timely payroll and optimize the efficiency of your compensation processes. Payroll outsourcing partners combine decades of expertise with technology to provide a complete view of your data. Gain access to the talent and resources you need to process your payroll, address employee requests, and execute year-end activities. If you’re overwhelmed by running payroll yourself and are considering options to lessen your burden, you may be thinking about using a payroll outsourcing company.

• It lacks some depth, and you may struggle to customize it, but you get a free trial to see if it will work for your business.
• Horizons is able to process payroll for all your employees around the world, no matter where they are based (180 countries covered).
• Based on our research, we calculated that a weekly payroll for a business with 25 employees would take about 16 hours per month and cost about $4,800 per year.
• Outsourcing your payroll function to us on a full-time basis can help you avoid this issue altogether.

If you’re not sure, contact a payroll professional in your area to get some guidance. The payroll software you use should integrate with QuickBooks or whichever accounting software you use to keep an accurate record of payroll history in the event of an audit. Payroll software should also integrate with benefits administration software for accurate deductions and with time tracking software. Your company leases employees to TriNet—TriNet becomes an employer of record—and it takes care of HR and payroll for you.

How Much Do Payroll Services Cost?

In addition to providing strong customer service and general HR support, TriNet customers can also access support from industry experts to navigate complex industry regulations or HR concerns. Outsourcing payroll to a stable, experienced provider can offer a “safe haven” for your confidential payroll data. Our services ensure that every employee — whether full time, part time, contract, or seasonal — is paid correctly every time.

Paying employees correctly — and on time — is one of the most critical responsibilities of any employer. But the day-to-day difficulties that your organization may face can make payroll administration and management burdensome and complex. Organizations should look for a payroll provider that combines deep functional expertise with innovative technology to provide complete visibility into your payroll data and reporting. That provider should also share best practices and guidance tailored to your needs and goals.

What specific payroll services do you offer?

A good provider will make things easy for the client, but client companies shouldn’t be lured into a false sense of security. Take the time to make sure a provider is both trustworthy and experienced to minimize these inherent risks of outsourcing. In 2023, a wide selection of “payroll outsourcing providers” are to be found both domestically and internationally.

Most payroll services also include benefits administration, so you can use the platform to set up paid time off, retirement plans, insurance and other benefits for employees and integrate benefits with payroll. Many online payroll services include features that help you administer benefits in the same platform, as well as integrations for accounting software. Many offer workers the option to get a payment card, so they can receive money before payday and use the card directly to make purchases. To determine the best payroll services for small businesses, Forbes Advisor researched the industry and analyzed 24 different companies and plans. We then scored these contenders across six categories of features with 16 different metrics that were weighted to favor features that small business owners find valuable in a provider. ADP is the largest and one of the most trusted payroll providers in the world.