Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/382390
PAYROLL Reviews 11 BEST FIT • A c c o u n t i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l s of fer i ng t hei r pay rol l ser v ice through a cloud- based solution STRENGTHS • E l e v e n y e a r s o f e x p e r i e n c e w o r k i n g s p e c i f i c a l l y w i t h ac c ou nt a nt s i n f u nc t ion a nd pricing • A c c o u n t i n g f i r m b r a n d i n g opt ions for web i nter face a nd marketing materials • Mobile device enabled POTENTIAL LIMITATIONS • No management features for HR or benefts SUMMARY & PRICING Pay rol l R elief is a cloud based payroll solution designed specif- c a l l y f o r a c c o u n t a n t s . W i t h enhanced design and strong client level dashboard reporting, Payroll R e l i e f i s a st ro ng o f f er i ng f o r accounting professionals looking to add or enhance their payroll service oferings. S e v e r a l p r i c i ng o p t i o n s a re available and range from unlimited payroll processing to per paycheck or per payroll processing. First year pricing for accountants is $997 and includes unlimited processing of payroll for 12 months. Per paycheck pricing is available as low as $0.45 per paycheck for large volume users. Per payroll pricing is available for $5.95 per payroll run and is based on a 10-paycheck weekly c ycle. Additional fees apply depending on the payroll time cycle and number of paychecks in each payroll run. www.AccountantsWorld.com AccountantsWorld Payroll Relief Read the full review and see expanded ratings for this product online at: www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com/11675539 4.75 2014 OVERALL RATING How Payroll Relief Helped A Firm Thrive S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T READ THE 2014 REVIEW OF ACCOUNTANTSWORLD PAYROLL RELIEF www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com/11675539 FIRST-HAND When John Magaletti started his payroll services firm five years ago, he did so because he saw a need in his community and also the opportunity to partner with other local financial professionals to help their clients. His vision was accurate, and the business quickly took off, ramping up to over 80 clients in his first year. BEFORE PAYROLL RELIEF Unfortunately the payroll software he started with couldn't handle that rapid growth. "The online system we first used was good when we only processed payrolls for a few dozen very small employers," he said. "But when we grew even more, it couldn't keep up with our volume and it didn't provide the comprehensive reporting features we really needed." After reading payroll software reviews and trying several other systems, Magaletti tried Payroll Relief from Accoun- tantsWorld and was impressed because the system offered all of the features he needed and is priced so affordably. Since switching to Payroll Relief, his company Swift- Checks Payroll Services (www.SwiftChecks.com) has grown to more than 300 employer clients, and his staff of five processes more than 100,000 paychecks and 4,000 W-2 forms annually. VALUABLE FEATURES With the white label option offered by AccountantsWorld, Magaletti is able to keep all branding of the payroll service under his SwiftChecks name. He says this reinforces the valued service he is providing his clients. The online system is also very user friendly, which helps him gain new clients. "Payroll Relief has made it easier to grow as quickly as we have, since the old system wasn't as effective. With Payroll Relief, once we've set up a client, processing their payrolls is almost completely automated, except for entering hourly employee times and a few other details. And with the ability to assign some of those functions to clients, where they enter the information on our secure website, it gets even more streamlined." AccountantsWorld automatically manages all of the direct deposits and state and federal reporting functions, and Magaletti can either print checks and W-2s from his office, or his clients can easily print them at their own offices. When he was looking at payroll service bureau systems, he said that many of them required partnering with a third party vendor to handle ACH, taxes and other functions. With Payroll Relief, all of the payroll process is included in one simple price. "When new clients see how easy it is to use, and how much better it is than the old system they were using, they are always impressed," he said. Our main role then is to provide full support and ensure their payrolls are processed efficiently and that they are satisfied. He has also integrated time and attendance tools and employee benefits programs into the payroll system, allowing him to offer his clients a comprehensive service. Client employees can also use the online system to view their personnel information, download W-2s or paystubs, and, if the employer wants to offer the feature, employees can make time off requests and other functions. COMPETING AGAINST THE NATIONAL PRO- VIDERS "With Payroll Relief, we are able to offer the same level of service as the big national payroll chains, but at a rate that is more affordable for our clients, and with the benefits of being near his clients. This allows us to not only compete, but to beat the national guys when they go knocking on our clients doors." Plus, he says the system makes it easy for him to scale up when clients grow or open additional offices. Transitioning clients and training staff has been very easy, he says, because the system is very user friendly and can be tailored so that users only see the functions they need ac- cess to. Through the years, his interactions with support staff has been positive, with the team providing quick resolution to any issues, and taking his advice for future development. He's even visited the main office of AccountantsWorld on two occasions, meeting with staff, designers and the execu- tive team of the company. THE RIGHT SOLUTION "We're in business to help our clients run their businesses better," Magaletti said. "Payroll Relief gives us the powerful, streamlined tools we need to be successful, and we simply couldn't have grown this fast without the system."