Ways to Do Payroll

Granted, it’s still possible to calculate payroll manually. Most tax jurisdictions offer paper manuals with detailed calculation instructions. However, unless you have a very small payroll or are

An Excel spreadsheet is an inexpensive and relatively easy-to-use method to perform payroll calculations. However, given the ease with which a spreadsheet can be modified, it can’t promise to maintain accurate payroll records. How do you fulfill the government reporting requirements with all those persnickety forms?

Luckily, there is no shortage of real payroll processing solutions. Many small business accounting packages, such as Intuit’s QuickBooks, come with payroll capabilities. There are a number of stand-alone payroll applications, many of which can integrate, or pass along, information to your business accounting application. You can also use an outsourced payroll service. Most payroll services are now online, though a few still operate using rather quaint touchtone telephone input or paper input forms you fill out and then courier or fax to the central bureau.