Last Reviewed: November 29th, 2024

Best Payroll Compliance Software Of 2024

What is Payroll Compliance Software?

Payroll compliance software acts as a safety net for businesses navigating the complexities of payroll tax regulations. Imagine a maze of federal, state, and local tax requirements – this software helps you avoid costly errors and penalties. It automates tax calculations and filings, ensuring timely and accurate deductions for income taxes, social security, and Medicare. Benefits include peace of mind, reduced risk of audits, and potential savings on penalties. This software is a game-changer for businesses of all sizes, especially those with geographically diverse workforces or complex tax situations. While some solutions integrate with payroll systems, a limitation can be the ongoing need to stay updated on regulation changes. Overall, payroll compliance software safeguards businesses from financial risks and administrative headaches.

What Are The Key Benefits of Payroll Compliance Software?

  • Reduced Errors
  • Automated Tax Calculations
  • Accurate & Timely Filings
  • Lower Risk of Audits
  • Penalty & Interest Savings
  • Streamlined Tax Reporting
  • Integrated Tax Forms
  • Compliance Deadline Alerts
  • Detailed Tax Audit Trails
  • Multi-State Support
Read more

Overall

Based on the latest available data collected by SelectHub for 84 solutions, we determined the following solutions are the best Payroll Compliance Software overall:

Start Price
$79
Monthly
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Why We Picked ADP RUN

RUN powered by ADP is a popular payroll and HR solution for a range of small businesses, including startups and newer companies needing robust payroll and HR tools (without extensive expertise).

Its efficient tools for managing employee records, benefits and compliance help these professionals minimize manual effort. Payroll specialists and accountants or bookkeepers also benefit from ADP RUN's automation and error detection.

The main menu and search bar (with shortcuts for common tasks under it) made it easy to find what I was looking for without an annoying amount of redirects or feeling like a game of Where’s Waldo. It’s simple and uncomplicated to view your paystub and when payday is.

For admins, the payroll feature seems straightforward. View your pay period, use “Calculate Paycheck” and check dates. Get an overview of payroll either for all employees or sort by things like last name. When you log in and get to the main page, there’s also a convenient reminder(s) section called “Top To-Dos.”

For famous document misplacers, there’s a document vault that keeps important info secure and accessible.

Onboard fully from your phone, including setting up direct deposit and tax withholdings without waiting for HR to show you how. For me, working remotely makes mobile access a must-have, and ADP RUN checks that box with mobile clocking in and out, viewing company policies, PTO, and pay info. Admins can also fully get payroll done on their phones.

If anything seems off, payroll error detection activates a pop-up box asking, “Does this look right?” and gives a brief explanation of potential issues; from there, admins select “Ignore issues” or “Go back and fix.”

Run a single report or select a popular report option. View payroll details, liabilities and summaries. Choose your date range and download the report from there (on the app or desktop).

Recent reviews cite long wait times over the phone for customer service. When I called the general line, I shared my details and got a specific number to dial. I would prefer direct transfers over calling separate numbers, although this might change once you have a designated contact.

Lastly, I've noticed that the cost is higher compared to competitors like Paychex or Workday. Purchasing add-on features “a la carte” affects the cost, which may be frustrating to some users who need more in-depth functionality on a smaller budget.

The RUN Powered by ADP® Mobile Payroll app is a free download for mobile devices. With the app, you can complete payroll processing, view reports like payroll liability and access or update employee 1099 info. Additional mobile app features vary depending on Apple or Android devices, such as a chat feature for Androids and pay rate changes on Apple devices.

Overall, RUN Powered by ADP is a comprehensive payroll solution for small businesses. Its intuitive design is great for users with little to no experience in most cases. It might be pricier than some alternatives, but most users find the added cost valid, considering its user-friendly interface, payroll automation and mobile app features.

Pros & Cons

  • Easy to Use: A whopping 88% of users found the design intuitive and user-friendly, including the mobile app. Specifically, the payroll side is noted for its clear presentation.
  • Excellent Customer Service: 82% of ADP RUN users praise its customer service, particularly the prompt assistance and effective issue resolution through the 24/7 chat feature.
  • Efficient Reporting: Users enjoy ADP RUN's reporting for ensuring accurate P&L allocation and payroll tracking. The report generator helps tailor payroll reports for seamless integration with accounting files for a more comprehensive overview.
  • User-Friendly Payroll Processing: Most users find the payroll feature easy and efficient. They appreciate the quick data entry process and fail-safe questions to prevent errors.
  • 24/7 Customer Service: RUN offers phone and online support to ensure the speedy resolution of issues. In reviews, users say customer service is polite, knowledgeable and effective.
  • Automated Tax Filing: Companies can leave all their taxes to RUN. They don’t have to worry about filing on time. Instead, they can trust experienced professionals to handle it.
  • Easy to Use: The platform is easy to navigate and use, with a relatively small learning curve.
  • Multiple Reports: Built-in reports are easy to generate; you can also “favorite” frequent reports to save time. They’re also convenient to view online and export as a PDF or Excel file.
  • Limited Timesheets: Some express a desire for a customizable timesheet.
  • PTO Woes: Users have mixed experiences with ADP RUN's PTO feature. They encounter challenges with managers not receiving timely alerts for PTO requests and being directed to incorrect pages when trying to approve requests. There's a desire for more customization options, particularly in setting PTO features tailored to individual employee needs.
  • Holiday Time Off: Some users also face difficulties updating company holidays for specific pay classes within the system.
  • Tax Questions: Some users request additional clarity when setting up earning and deductions tax status in payroll.
  • Add-Ons Get Expensive: Not all functionalities are available in the main application.
  • Costly Upgrades: It’s relatively expensive, and upgrading from one tier to the next isn’t always seamless. It’s not the most affordable for companies with many pay cycles per month. Other payroll options offer similar functions and cost less.
  • Difficult/Limited Functionality: Some issues include:
    • Users can’t edit payroll after submission.
    • No feature for escalating to supervisors.
    • Hard to remove workers hired to cover during vacations.
    • No unlimited payroll runs.
    • No option to create multiple paychecks for one person during the pay cycle.
  • Implementation Miscommunication: Some reviewers have reported poor communication when working through implementation issues. However, some say that after setup, it’s easy to use, and potential hurdles are worth the trouble.
  • Slow Phone Customer Service: Customer service is ultimately helpful, but many users get frustrated by long wait times to speak with a rep. After all, any issue regarding money may be a serious one.

Key Features

  • Payroll: Check employee hours, adjust details like rates and bonuses, and review the payroll (helping estimate costs for your current pay period). This feature also integrates with general ledgers and exports to Xero and QuickBooks.
  • Insurance: Connects with licensed insurance pros to help pick the right coverage for your business with the ADP Insurance Agency. They've got workers’ comp, auto insurance, BOP, liability insurance and group health insurance. This setup makes it easy to handle premium payments and get certificates of insurance.
  • Mobile Solutions: Securely access the system anytime, anywhere, including clocking in and out with mobile timecards via iOS and Android-ready apps.
  • Hiring and Onboarding: Connect with ZipRecruiter to post jobs, invite candidates, access a resume database and use a wizard to create job descriptions. ADP RUN also includes background check capabilities.
  • Self Onboarding: Let employees fill out paperwork and set up account details, such as direct deposit, before their first day of work.
  • Reporting: View custom reports related to profiles, payroll, PTO and deductions. Arrange report fields with the drag-and-drop functionality and filters help you find what you need faster. Export reports in CSV, PDF or Excel formats.
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Why We Picked Paycom

Paycom users in the past year have expressed both enthusiasm and concerns about the software. Many praise its user-friendly interface, mobile app convenience, and comprehensive feature set, which includes payroll, HR, benefits administration, and talent management. Compared to competitors, users find Paycom to be more intuitive and integrated, streamlining HR processes and saving time. Additionally, customer service is often lauded as responsive and helpful. However, some drawbacks are also mentioned. Implementation can be complex and require significant initial effort. Pricing concerns surface, with Paycom perceived as costlier than some competitors. While offering a wider range of features, this may not be necessary for all businesses, leading to potential overpaying for unused functionalities. Overall, Paycom seems to be a powerful and user-friendly option for companies seeking a one-stop HR and payroll solution. However, its complexity and cost warrant careful consideration, especially for smaller businesses or those with simpler needs. Comparing features and pricing with competitors is crucial to ensure Paycom aligns with your specific requirements and budget.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly: 85% of reviews mentioning the interface noted the platform has an intuitive layout, with all features organized and easy to locate.
  • Customer Service: Customer support is highly responsive, as asserted by 100% of reviews referencing it.
  • Employee Self-Services: All users referring to self-service observed that employees can easily upload documents, view information and track performance.
  • Performance Reviews: An open dialogue tool makes employee performance reviews more effective, as indicated by 70% of reviews mentioning this feature.
  • Use Anywhere: The mobile app is easy to use and has all desktop features available, as asserted by 100% reviews on this feature.
  • Customization: Customization for most features helps cater to a company’s unique requirements, as noted by all reviews on product customization.
  • Login Process: All reviews on the login process observed that employees need to log in every time they open the software, as there’s no password save feature.
  • Challenging Transition: Transitioning between the client and employee side is challenging and cumbersome, as users need to log in to both systems, according to all reviews on this aspect.
  • Learning Curve: All users reviewing learning noted that the platform has a steep learning curve, making adaptation difficult for new users.
  • Integration Capabilities: The system doesn't provide integration with major third-party platforms without using SFTP or API, as indicated by 100% of reviews on this feature.

Key Features

  • Applicant Tracking System (ATS): Build customizable databases to view relevant applicant information and track candidates as they move through the application process. Managers can search and sort applicants by information such as degree, specific skill sets, work history and more. 
  • Compensation Management: Define budgets, award bonuses and integrate with payroll to ensure that all employees receive fair compensation without overspending. 
  • Job Posting: Allows managers to post open positions to thousands of job boards. Managers can also rely on recruitment data to build reports to determine if their recruiting efforts are working. 
  • Payroll: Calculate taxes, process payroll, account for employee expenses and more, directly through the platform. Automate payroll processing, ensuring that employees are always paid the accurate amount at the correct time. 
  • Performance Management: Schedule and facilitate employee performance appraisals directly through the platform. 
  • Reporting: Leverage Paycom’s built-in analytics to generate reports on a variety of processes, including payroll, time and attendance, compensation and more. 
  • Scheduling: Create and edit employee schedules and approve requests for time off through the system’s calendar. Automate time tracking and integrate with payroll to streamline pay processing. 
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Why We Picked Paylocity

Paylocity is a user-friendly HCM solution that works well for SMBs and delivers an array of features such as payroll management, hiring and talent management in a unified suite. Self-service capabilities help employees access their information. Some users found issues with its payroll, tracking and timesheet capabilities, reducing accuracy and limiting what can be done. However, it offers an intuitive interface, with tools like onboarding and PTO that make tasks easier while speeding up processes. Businesses looking for an end-to-end system to manage HR functions should consider this as a good contender.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly Interface: 60% of users suggested that the interface is user-friendly, with automated payroll and simplified workflows that make it easy to operate and monitor teams.
  • Unified Dashboard: Paylocity enables HRIS, payroll, timekeeping and admin-related tasks to be handled from a single location, according to 60% of users.
  • Performance Benefits: It eases task management for essential activities such as checking time off balances and paychecks, conducting goal assessments and achievements, performing year-end reviews, and more.
  • Easy PTO: It’s easy to use and implement in a day-to-day work routine, with 30% of users mentioning they can check staff availability before approving leaves.
  • Streamlined Onboarding: The onboarding process checks in candidates and sends paperwork before they start, making it 10%-20% easier for admin setup and paperwork completion according to users.
  • Support Team: Paylocity's support process is lengthy according to 30% of users, requiring a lot of back and forth to get an issue resolved, which usually takes days.
  • Cumbersome Payroll: The payroll module requires set up by different people and doesn’t function accurately according to 10% of users.
  • Timesheets: Tracking time is difficult, as Paylocity doesn’t update and capture time entries until a shift is completed.
  • System Logouts: Despite automation, additional verification is required when logging in, causing 10% of users to completely exit and then log in again.
  • Tracking: Tracking functionality doesn’t work well for all the features in the experience of 10%-20% of users.

Key Features

  • Payroll: Companies can simplify multiple financial tasks related to payroll with this feature. It automates payroll processes and takes care of tax compliance, expense reimbursements into paychecks, garnishment services and custom reports that derive whatever data that’s needed. It provides employees with the flexibility to access a portion of their earned wages when needed. 
  • Workforce Management: This feature helps eliminate the need for manual tracking of tasks, reduces administrative work and maintains accurate records of individual employees. The review forms can be customized to promote employees to set goals via an insight chart. 
  • Employee Self-Service: The software provides users with admin analytics, 24/7 secure access, enrollment and insurance access, and internal plans. This feature helps employees and employers to access, update, enroll and administer data respectively. 
  • Time and Labor Management: Workers can clock in and out via the mobile app, and managers can set geofencing rules that ensure accurate clock-punching. It also syncs with payroll automatically and allows managers to create and adjust schedules as needed, without manually correcting payroll data. 
  • Data Insights: The platform allows users to access demographic information, utilization, headcount, labor costs, position insights, turnover and retention. It also features real-time employee data, analytics for employment trends, strategic hiring and budgeting decisions, and programs to build a diverse workforce. 
  • Reports: The system comes with over 100 standard reports along with an ad hoc reporting tool. Users can schedule reports to automatically generate and track key reports with a favorites feature. 
  • Compensation Management: With this feature, administrators can configure settings such as the approval process and eligibility requirements. It also supports the customization of compensation plans to match organizational pay cycles. Company leaders gain a view into budgets and allocations, while managers can provide increases and view employee data like performance and pay history.  
  • Marketplace Integrations: Organizations can extend Paylocity’s capabilities to streamline the payroll regularity and HR data management across all policies. The solution connects with partner solutions in 20 categories, including single sign-on (SSO), ERP and a variety of HR-related functions. More than 300 integrations are available in the vendor marketplace. Data can flow into or out of Paylocity, or in both directions, depending on the integration. 
Start Price
$39
Monthly
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Why We Picked Paychex

Paychex incorporates a range of different solutions and is used widely by small, medium and large-sized companies. While around 40% of users were happy with the functionality of the system, the majority expressed dissatisfaction with its tax capabilities, pricing and customer service. Many described it as dishonest and complained especially that they were oversold on its capabilities and that the salespeople used pushy tactics to try and upsell them. Other complaints of the system included making errors, overpaying employees or even miscalculating taxes resulting in serious penalties. Current and former clients greatly disliked the service.
The UI was the most positively reviewed element of the platform with around 80% expressing satisfaction with the design and navigation. Around 50% were happy with the pricing structure and a minority of around 30% of users said they had positive experiences with some select customer service members. This disparity in experiences may be in part to the high turnover rate in representatives which is mentioned many times during the reviews. This solution could be appropriate for small and medium-sized businesses. It supports larger enterprises, but buyers should make sure it has the necessary functionality before purchasing.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly UI: A total of 80% of reviewers who mentioned the UI felt it easy to use.
  • Price Within Budget: Around 50% of reviewers that mentioned price were satisfied with the pricing structure and found that the system was worth it.
  • Late Submissions and Missed Deadlines: Around 80% of reviewers that mentioned taxes ran into issues, with around 70% saying they had to pay penalties as a result.
  • Terrible Customer Service: Clients complained that the customer service was rude, unqualified, ill-informed, unhelpful and had high turnover in almost 70% of reviews that mentioned customer service.
  • Broken Features: Over 50% of reviews that mentioned the features said they were left wanting. The most common issues were communication problems. Just under 20% of all reviewers complained about errors made by either the solution or the staff.
  • Late Cancellations: Around 20% of reviewers that discussed price complained that they had canceled the program, but it had kept taking money out of their account.

Key Features

  • Products: It has many different products for different applications. Here are the most important:
    • Payroll: The platform offers payment for businesses with one employee, under 10 employees, from 10-49 employees and from 50 to over 1,000 workers. This includes online payroll, taxes, deductions and many tools to generate reports and look at costs.
    • Time and Attendance: The online time and attendance function ties in directly to payroll, saving time when trying to calculate paychecks. In addition to the software, it also offers TrueShift physical time clocks and the InVision iris recognition clocks. Users can track team activity in real time through the manager’s dashboard, and allow employees to record time, approve timecards and check schedules through the employee dashboard.
    • HR: It has a range of HR services and software including employee development, hiring, records administration, compliance, benefits administration, learning management and more.
      • Professional Employer Organization: This is a full-service HR consulting program that helps organizations with liability issues, daily worker problems, risk management, benefits administration and other related issues.
      • Hiring Service: The software can make the hiring process easier with applicant tracking, screening, recruiting and onboarding capabilities. Please note, they don’t have employee leasing, temp staffing or contract staff services.
      • Employee Benefits: Managers and workers alike can get access to health insurance for groups or individuals, financial wellness and retirement planning.
    • Business Insurance: Users can get property and casualty insurance with the help of agents who assist in the selection and implementation process for the new benefits. This includes business owner policies, cyber liability and workers’ compensation.
    • Finances and Payments: Besides payroll, this program also has business loans, expense management, tax administration and processing for payments.
    • Startup Solutions: For new businesses, it offers guides, consulting, advice and more for multiple aspects of the process. They give aid with marketing, the incorporation process, business management and access to free online tools.
  • Payroll and Tax Filing: Process payroll and automatically calculate taxes. Paychex can calculate, file and pay taxes at the federal, state and local level automatically. The platform can calculate hours, doing setup for direct deposit and setting hours per pay period.
  • General Ledger: Synchronize payroll data with integrations offered by Paychex. The system is compatible with a variety of popular accounting systems, including QuickBooks Online and Xero.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Generate custom analytics and reports or choose from over 160 customizable templates to track and visualize relevant data.
  • Learning and Development: Employees can take advantage of online courses to stay educated on relevant topics. Not only does this increase productivity, but it makes employees feel more invested in.
  • Core HR: It gives employee feedback, manages employee training and tracks important documents through the system’s interface.
  • Onboarding: Applicants and new hires can complete new hire documents, such as tax forms, and set up direct deposit directly through the platform.
  • Paycheck Protection Program: Introduced by the CARES Act as a measure for economic stability during the COVID pandemic, the Paycheck Protection Program loans encourage small businesses to keep or rehire workers that have been furloughed. This system offers a quick way to apply for this loan.
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Why We Picked UKG Pro

UKG Pro is a cloud-based platform that’s designed to streamline global human capital management across all industries. It brings together key functions like payroll, benefits, recruiting, onboarding and learning management in one place.

Some standout features include an advanced scheduling tool that helps balance staffing levels and control labor costs. AI is a big player here, enhancing HR tasks with things like schedule optimization, retention forecasting, sentiment analysis and candidate matching.

From what I've seen through the demo, the mobile app lays everything out in a simple, direct way with menu options like time off, pay, HR help, benefits, goals, notes and learning. Under learning, there's a variety of helpful courses, including security awareness, conflict management and mindfulness training.

Completing requests seems quick and straightforward. Click HR Help and find requests to ask for a shift change, PTO or travel expense.

Manage assignments by viewing "To-Dos," including what's waiting for completion and what's crossed off your list already. Plan effectively with a headcount under metrics, showing who is on leave or on the clock in real time.

On the subject of planning ahead, UKG Pro scores a perfect 100 under succession management, with talent matrix, talent pool and talent insight functionalities.

Document management is also a top feature, earning 100 for its capabilities. It includes access controls, document search, automatic tax document generation and the creation of employee handbooks and policies.

Managing performance can be challenging, especially with a large team. It's important to ensure that everyone feels valued, but time constraints can make this difficult. UKG Pro’s talent dashboard helps by highlighting top performers and potential flight risks, making it easier for you to address issues and make necessary adjustments.

One thing I really liked was that there's a page for work-life balance with improvement ideas, including resisting multitasking, expanding team goals and introducing flexible work schedules. This helps employees feel valued, which ultimately fosters more productivity and job retention.

Additionally, I thought it was admirable there’s a "Giving" option on the platform for creating employee giving programs and tracking donations. This is a great source for team building, increasing engagement and building a more positive work environment.

Using the live chat, I selected customer support and then UKG Pro, which led me to FAQs. After hitting thumbs down to request a representative, I asked for an in-depth demo. The chatbot offered alternative solutions or the option to end the chat. When starting a new chat, the previous conversation was visible, but there was no option to start a new chat from scratch.

Pricing starts at $100 per user per month with a per-user model, and you can request a free trial.

Pros & Cons

  • Employee Data Management: Users commend UKG Pro for its robust employee data management capabilities.
  • Payroll Processing: Reviewers consistently highlight UKG Pro's payroll processing feature for its efficiency, accuracy and intuitive interface.
  • User Interface: Some users found the UI slightly outdated based on confusing design elements, unclear wording choices and inefficient grouping that collectively hinder intuitive navigation within the system.
  • Reporting: Some users describe UKG Pro’s reporting feature as ineffective and lacking user-friendliness.

Key Features

  • Payroll: Incorporate a scalable, configurable engine for accurate, streamlined pay processing. This feature also includes:
    • Role-based access to ensure data security.
    • Prebuilt tax compliance, automatic tax updates every quarter and GIS-powered search to ensure accurate taxes based on employee location.
    • End-of-year reporting tools, including a task checklist.
    • Pay modeling calculator, enabling employees to calculate information on their own.
    • Integration support for global payroll providers and TurboTax.
    • Dashboards showing alerts and metrics.
  • Benefits: Provide help videos and documentation to assist employees. Key components include plan recommendations and side-by-side comparisons, process automation, search filters, compliance reporting, transaction records, admin tools and connectors to hundreds of carriers.
  • Workforce Scheduling: Ensure effective shift planning and workforce management with advanced scheduling capabilities previously found in UKG Dimensions.
  • Workforce Planning and Optimization: Make strategic planning and resource allocation a breeze. UKG Pro now packs the workforce planning and optimization tools from UKG Dimensions.
  • Time and Attendance: Optimize timekeeping and absence management with UKG Pro's enhanced time tracking and attendance features, which are now integrated from UKG Dimensions.
  • Learning: Aid employee learning and development by providing:
    • On-demand, mobile access to training materials in multiple languages.
    • Gamification, rewards and social tools foster engagement.
    • Blended learning, a drag-and-drop interface for content creation and a course marketplace with more than 3,000 courses.
    • Channels for employees to capture and share knowledge with coworkers.
  • Recruiting: Make talent sourcing and acquisition for recruiting teams and candidates easier and more efficient.
    • Recruiters: Dashboards show candidate and opportunity status and AI scoring reveals applicants that are the best match. Multi-language, multiple job board postings and screening questions also included.
    • Candidates: Applicants can submit their LinkedIn profile, receive open position suggestions based on basic information and provide an in-depth picture of themselves by sharing details like motivators and behaviors.
  • Onboarding: Access a dashboard that has a timeline for tasks they need to complete, job-related videos and training material, and required forms, which they can fill out electronically. They can also create goals and connect with teammates.
  • InTouch DX: Give managers and employees flexible, real-time access for time and attendance processes. This timeclock device is designed for an hourly, mobile workforce.
    • Features include configuration options, real-time data, a touchscreen, native intelligence capabilities and multiple integrated readers.
    • Managers can track employee information, confirm transactions and ensure schedules are followed.
    • Employees can request PTO, view time cards and schedules, punch in and out, receive push notifications, and receive suggested actions based on upcoming tasks.
  • BI Reporting: Display real-time data in a clear, user-friendly format, empowering managers and executives to monitor and analyze KPIs. They offer both prebuilt and customizable reports. It provides insights for:
    • Human resource metrics like headcount based on local and global demographics.
    • Benefit plan costs and employee participation.
    • Financial information like overtime cost, pay equity and payroll totals.
    • ACA filing data, including risks, deadlines and eligibility.
    • Recruiting costs and sourcing data.
    • Employee performance, retention estimators and 9-box assessment.
    • Pay factors ranging from expenses and revenue to total compensation at the global level.
    • Survey data, including participation, engagement details, historical trends and metric performance based on industry benchmarks.
  • Compensation Management: Reward employees based on achievements through salary planning, customizable compensation plans, merit rules and analytics. It supports targets based on units, flat amounts or a percentage of base pay.
  • Performance Management: Drive employee engagement and growth while giving managers insight into individual and team performance. Features include tracking dashboards, automated reviews, goals, achievement ratings and real-time feedback.
  • Surveys: Gather employee sentiment using AI, natural language processing and machine learning. They offer a question library, templates, mobile-friendly design, custom dashboards and curated improvement suggestions.
  • File Management: Organize and manage employee documents with a central repository along with role and type-based permissions. Templates automatically fill in employee details, and a compliance assist feature ensures global adherence.
  • Succession Management: Develop a talent pipeline, ensuring your employees are prepared to take on new roles. There are plans for any level in the company, alongside talent evaluation, predictive analytics, reporting and personal development tools.
  • Integration Hub: Support developers in enhancing the system through integrations by offering:
    • A collaborative community, a developer portal and APIs.
    • Sample code and instructional articles to speed up deployment.
    • A marketplace of product and service partners.
  • UKG Talk: Facilitate engagement and inclusivity within your organization by supporting various communication methods like:
    • Company-wide announcements.
    • Direct messaging.
    • Team group chats.
    • Employee feedback and participation through celebrations, idea collection and achievement recognition.
    • Provide actionable insights by measuring communication impact and engagement metrics.
Start Price
$39
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Why We Picked Paychex Flex

Paychex Flex is a solid payroll processing system best liked for its ease of use, positive customer service interactions, fair price and useful functionality. However, it comes with several drawbacks as well. While it’s easy to use, the onboarding takes time and can be initially frustrating. The customer service is good but the high turnover with representatives can be trying. A small but significant percentage had problems with the time and attendance features, either having issues with their punches not being registered or issues with the physical biometric clocks. Overall, it seems best for small and medium businesses looking to automate their payroll. Any organization with multiple types of workers, complex pay rules or many different kinds of income to report should be sure to demo the system carefully and may want to find a more complex option.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly: Just under 50% of reviews said the user experience was good and the interface worked well.
  • Good Support: Around 40% had good interactions with customer service and were happy with their level of care.
  • Proper Functionality: One-third of reviewers felt that the system was fully equipped with the tools they needed and especially liked the efficient payroll processing, benefits management, the transparency employees had on their payments and the PTO features.
  • Value for Price: Around 20% of reviews felt happy with the price and said it was well worth it.
  • Issues with Features: Just under 40% of reviewers felt the features were lacking. The biggest concerns were that the UI was difficult to learn initially and the reporting wasn’t sophisticated enough.
  • Time and Attendance Systems: Over 20% of users had problems with the punching system or the biometric clocks.
  • Poor Customer Service: While users felt that the customer service was helpful overall, they noted a high rate of turnover with their reps which often led to gaps in service.

Key Features

  • Online Payroll: Handle payroll management. Automatically calculate taxes, payments and files. View critical data, including the cash required for upcoming paydays. Use safeguards such as notifications to prevent errors. Employees can access direct deposit and pay stub information directly. Last, administrators can access documentation and records like cash requirements, the payroll journal and tax deposit notices.
  • Tax Administration: Calculate taxes, add hours to each pay period, file returns and set up direct deposit.
  • Mobile: Access information on W-2s, direct deposit and other important information. For organizations that want to use the solution’s attendance functionality, workers can easily punch in and out on the app. Run it on smartphones and tablets with iOS or Android. It requires iOS 12.0 or higher and an Android OS of 7.0 or higher to run.
  • Reporting: Comes with over 160 dashboards and reports. Access reporting for payroll journals, department summaries, notices of tax deposits and cash requirements. For businesses looking for more robust options, look into the workforce management options.
  • Multiple Versions: Choose from a variety of purchase options to select the option that best meets business needs. The packages include:
    • Small Business Payroll: Use for businesses with under 50 workers. Use payment processing and access to the mobile app. Calculate state, federal and local taxes. Finish onboarding, complete forms, edit personal info and see compensation data. Provide direct deposit, pay cards and paper check for payment options. For businesses with multiple worker types, offer payment hourly, by salary or by contract. Provide help with labor compliance, garnishment payments, new hire reporting and over 160 reports for analytics.
    • Mid-Sized Business Payroll: Use for businesses with 10 to 49 employees. Handle applicant tracking, attendance, recruiting, onboarding, hiring, health benefits, retirement, health insurance and other similar administrative tasks. Expand the platform HR capabilities by including HR record management, an events calendar and reporting and analytics for the department.
    • Enterprise Payroll Management: Use for 50 to over 1,000 workers. Provide more robust HR abilities in addition to compensation management. Works for hiring, recruiting, training, compliance, handling offboarding, applicant tracking, time and attendance, health benefits, HR record management, an events calendar, retirement and expanded HR analytics.
  • Benefits: Complete the benefits management process. Run enrollment and analyze data. Manage group health insurance, retirement, section 125 plans, FSAs, POPs, retirement and more. Update information in real time and change benefit data easily. Give employers more control over invoices, benefit costs and bill reconciliations. Work with financial advisers and educate staff about the retirement plan offerings.
  • Compliance: Keep up with new tax laws and determine the status of essential laws like the Affordable Care Act.
  • Workplace Analytics: Analyze data and create a staff and workforce strategy. Create reports for analytics, HR, payroll and benefits. Generate customized reports for more detail. Provide accountants, financial advisors or bookkeepers with the access they need. Access the quick answers function, giving info on total earnings, net pay, tax liability and hours without pulling a full report. View live reporting to see information as it happens. Export information in various file types, including CSV, fixed-width, PDF and XLS. Send data to third-party software where users can add fields, adjust formatting or even build graphs.
  • Time and Attendance: Provide several options for tracking time and clocking in and out. It integrates with other solutions to track labor costs.
    • Time Kiosk: Allow employers to turn a tablet into a time clock where employees can punch in and out, do job transfer and register lunches and breaks.
    • TrueShift: Offer a time clock that has automated tracking and reporting, making it easy to import to payroll. Use biometric technology to prevent buddy punching. Track up to 500 workers per clock and connect to up to 32 other clocks. Punch in via web or mobile and use a backup camera to verify punches and keep compliant. It can track overtime pay and other wage requirements. Print and email timecard reports and clock in or out with a fingerprint, proximity badge, web punch or PIN entry.
    • InVision Iris Recognition Time Clock: Use iris recognition to ensure employees are working. Integrate with the rest of the HR and time and attendance. Prevent rework and cut down on errors. It works with contacts, goggles, glasses and face masks up to 15 inches away. Track up to 50,000 workers. Unlike a retinal scanner, it doesn’t store images. Instead, encrypt templates to guarantee privacy.
  • Online Learning: Use the built-in learning system. Provide eight free courses to users and customize/build current training, classes, quizzes and videos. Promote skill acquisition, up-skilling and career development. Run classes for on and offsite students. Use the calendar to schedule an in-person training, track transcripts and create content. Access the additional content libraries for purchase and provide surveys so employers can get feedback. Subjects include business, HR compliance, leadership, management, sales, software and workplace safety.
  • Payment Options: Gives options for paying employees, including same-day ACH capability, direct deposit, paper checks and pay cards.
  • Accounting: Manage payment and HR data with the accounting-specific dashboard. Access a library of resources, including tax forms and CPE courses. Import files through the general ledger service and post payroll data through the enterprise solution. Integrate with Sage Intacct, QuickBooks and Xero. Upload or download many files for one or multiple companies from one location.
  • Workers Compensation: Handle workers’ compensation covering medical expenses and lost wages while still ensuring stable cash flow. Provide insurance plans from A-rated national carriers.
  • Onboarding: Give new employees paperwork to fill out online. Customize the experience with personalized messages, welcome videos or other information about the company culture.
  • Payroll Protection: Let managers extend funds from a bank account for up to seven days without services being interrupted or charges for insufficient funds. Process two same-day ACH requests for a last-minute payroll, correcting pay or adding an employee. Help build business credit, deal with fraud, gain small business loans and more.
Start Price
$40
Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked Gusto

Gusto is a well-reviewed payroll solution which many users enjoy for its good design and easy-to-use features. It’s UI and payroll processing abilities in particular make it a popular choice for automating payroll. Many also feel it handles benefits and PTO well. Some say it's an affordable choice given what it does while others note that it’s on the pricey side. The time tracking features aren’t universally loved. Users are split on the integration abilities with around 10% satisfied and around 10% dissatisfied. All in all, it appears to be a good solution for small and medium-sized businesses looking to streamline their payroll. Keep an eye on the price and, as always, demo extensively before buying.

Pros & Cons

  • Easy to Use: Just under 70% of all reviewers found this product easy to use with 10% specifically praising the design.
  • Great Conflict Resolution: The customer service was noted for being helpful, knowledgeable and excellent at resolving errors.
  • Helpful Features: Around 40% of reviewers said they appreciated the functionality, particularly praising the tax system, deductions, payroll processing and multiple payment options.
  • Appropriate Pricing: Over 30% of users felt that the price was well worth the system.
  • Good for Small Business: This was called a good choice for small businesses in over 10% of reviews.
  • Issues with Certain Functionality: While around 40% felt the solution worked well, another 40% reported issues, especially with the time tracking and integration features.
  • Slow/Pushy Customer Support: Around 10% of users reported negative experiences with customer service. Of them around 50% felt the staff was pushy and trying to upsell them and 50% felt they had to wait too long for answers or couldn't get in touch with them online.

Key Features

  • Payroll Processing: Automatically calculate employee checks and file taxes while using online faxing, filing and signing technologies.
    • Payroll Reports: Send money out weekly, bi-weekly, twice a month or monthly. Calculate an employee’s gross pay before taxes by simply entering the amount they should receive. Figure out overtime pay for hourly workers whether they have one or multiple pay rates. Leverage other payroll capabilities such as calculating unlimited and off-cycle payrolls, employee reimbursements, bonuses and more.
    • Automated Taxes: Calculate, file and pay all payroll taxes per local and federal legislation through direct deposit. Generate and send 940, 941, 1099, 8974 and W-2 forms for full-time employees and independent contractors. Manage deductions, garnishments and send child support in all states except for South Carolina. Make adjustments, get support and enter claims for the Federal R&D Tax Credit, FLSA minimum wage requirements and the FICA Tip Credit tax.
    • E-Signatures: Sign and file important documents and forms such as W-2’s, 1099s, 940s, 941s and 8974s. Make it easier to get everyone’s ducks in a row, even when separated by thousands of miles.
    • Leave Tracking: Set up and monitor vacation time, time off and sick time. Choose federal holidays or create other holidays for organizations that accommodate different faiths, locations or cultures.
  • Benefits: Make the necessary deductions automatically for medical insurance, 401(K) contributions and more. Give employees dental, medical and vision insurance and help them find the appropriate plan. Provide other benefits such as 529 (college) savings, commuter perks, disability insurance, FSAs, HSAs, life insurance and workers’ compensation.
  • Wallet: Manage banking accounts, emergency funds, paychecks and savings. Create as many as five saving goals, which deduct funds automatically from the correlating spending accounts — transfer funds from savings to spending easily. Put paychecks in different accounts and let workers see checks and the specifics of deductions, hours and taxes. Give access to paystubs, the Wallet app and W-2s.
  • Worker Management: Give workers digital paystubs accessible by the payday email, account or Wallet app. Let employees send money to charities, organize workers into departments and set policies for PTO and sick leave. Customize and assign various permissions to ensure users can access the appropriate content but not sensitive data.
  • Self-Service: Let employees complete tasks like adding dependents, picking out plans and scheduling changes to plans based on personal details. Let them retain access to specific account information after termination to cut down on unnecessary content. Organize reports based on teams or departments and let workers sign essential documents like I-9s and W-4s.
  • New Employees: Report new hires to the government automatically. Send out onboarding papers before new staff members start so they can fill out bank details, contact information and W-4s. Use an onboarding to-do list for tasks like adding employees to the payroll, background checks, filling out an employee’s I-9, setting up benefits and signing forms.
  • Directory: Create an address book of employees with profile pictures and contact information. Give new workers org charts to see where they fit in the organization. Organize fun facts, t-shirt or merch orders, birthdays and communal coffee dates.
  • Calendar Sync: Track deadlines, birthdays and employee anniversaries and sync with other calendars in iCalendar, Google, and Outlook.
  • Integrations: Uses closed APIs. Integrate with platforms like Accelo, Asana, Box, Clover, Dropbox, Expensify, FreshBooks, Github, G Suite, Homebase, Microsoft 365, QuickBooks Online, Receipt Bank, Slack, SpotOn, TSheets, Veryfi, When I Work, Xero, Ximble, Zoom and more. Contact the vendor for custom connections.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Generate and download reports for benefits, payment history, bank transactions, PTO, contract work, tax payments and more

Pricing

License/Subscription Cost
  • Gusto offers the following pricing plans:
    • Basic
      • $6/month per person
      • $19/month base price Core
    • Core
      • $6/month per person
      • $39/month base price Core
    • Complete
      • $12/month per person
      • $39/month base price
    • Concierge
      • $12/month per person
      • $149/month base price
    • For independent contractors
      • $6/month per person with no base price
Maintenance Cost
  • There’s no maintenance fee mentioned on the pricing page.
Installation/Implementation Cost
  • There’s no implementation fee mentioned on the pricing page.
Customization Cost
  • Get customizable employee onboarding tools as part of the Complete and Concierge plans.
Data Migration Cost/Change Management/Upfront Switching Cost
  • Migration costs listed on the website.
Recurring/Renewal Costs
  • The cost appears equivalent to the monthly subscription fee.
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked TriNet PEO

TriNet is a payroll and HR processing software that also offers PEO services and has many excellent reviews from satisfied consumers. The core features of the system such as payroll processing, PTO, benefits management and 401(k) plans. Many also enjoyed the TriNet marketplace that offers discounts and sales for various services. They also had good relationships with their customer service representatives. All in all, many felt the system allowed them to provide good benefits to small companies that wouldn’t have access to them otherwise.
The biggest complaint by far was about the price. Reviewers were unhappy with the overall price, described the structure as confusing or even “opaque,” didn’t like the annual jumps in the price for benefits and didn’t feel the company negotiated well enough with insurance companies. They also had trouble navigating the phone support and didn’t like the dated feeling of the UI. This solution is definitely best for small to medium-sized businesses, especially those looking for HR consulting in addition to payroll management.

Pros & Cons

  • Payroll Processing: A total of 95% of reviewers discussing the tool’s payroll processing were happy with the capabilities and felt it worked well.
  • Benefits Management: Over 90% of users who discussed the benefits felt it was worth the cost and were happy with the management and options it provided.
  • HR and PEO Services: Users were happy with the platform’s HR services as a Professional Employer Organization in over 90% of reviews that discussed it.
  • Small Businesses: People felt this system worked well for small businesses because of its ease-of-use and overall HR and payroll capabilities in more than 90% of reviews.
  • Open Enrollments: Over 80% of users felt that the solution made it easy to go through the open enrollment process.
  • Ease of Use: The UI was described as being intuitive and easy to navigate in more than 80% of cases.
  • Excellent Customer Service: Users were thrilled with their representatives and loved the customer service in over 80% of reviews who discussed this topic.
  • Consistent Rise in Prices: Nearly 80% of reviewers who mentioned price were unhappy with the annual jumps in cost, pricey insurance or simply felt it was too expensive overall.
  • Poor Phone Support: More than 70% of all reviews who mentioned contacting customer service by phone said it was slow and hard to get through to their representative.
  • Dated Look and Feel: While most like the UI, around 20% said the solution’s look was dated.

Key Features

  • Payroll Management: Manage payroll, taxes, hiring, direct deposit, visibility of pay stubs and W-2s, automated and estimated invoicing and more. Let employees view, modify or enroll in benefits, see tax forms and easily track PTO. Follow the entire employee lifecycle such as hiring, onboarding, promotion and offboarding.
  • Benefits:
    • Insurance: Manage insurance for employees, spouses and pets such as health insurance, retirement, critical accident and illness, auto and home insurance, commuter benefits, dental and vision. Use insurance partners like Aetna, Aflac, Blue Shield of California, Kaiser Permanente, Mass Mutual, MetLife, Transamerica and UnitedHealth Group.
    • Retirement: Manage 401(k) plans to attract top talent and handle the contributions, data management compliance testing, investing, loan process and more. Invest in a mix of active and passive funds from more than one company.
  • Company Size: Operates at different company sizes — five to 19 employees, 20 to 29 employees, 100 to 499 employees and 500 to over 1,000 workers.
  • Integrations: Use the open API and a few pre-configured integrations to coordinate with accounting software, general ledger systems, data productivity and more. Some of the integrations include BambooHR, Google Cloud, Microsoft, Netsuite, Okta, Sage Intacct and Xero.
  • Time and Attendance: Handle scheduling, overtime, project expenses, clocking in and out, PTO and time-off requests and more. Give supervisors a comprehensive overview of worker hours whenever they need it.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Provides insight into benefits, HR, payroll, expenses and more. Choose from premade reports and export them into CSV, Excel or PDF formats. See the highest costs, overtime, fees and figure out how to control them. Understand how the organization is growing, turnover rates, benchmarks and sort by function, location or role. Use template options like pre-formatted, flex and customized reports.
  • Compliance: Improve compliance with reporting for ACA standards, required forms and automatic submissions.
  • Manage Expenses: Monitor expenses and examine receipts, cash flow, mileage and other issues. Accessible from phones so employees can accurately report expenses from anywhere.
  • Other Services: Use software for different subjects and HR consulting services such as talent management, recruiting, performance reviews and a learning management system.
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked Dayforce

Dayforce, a popular AI-powered HCM solution, caters to businesses across various industries on a global scale. It’s perfect for large teams and companies needing a scalable and adaptable platform. Most of its features are user-friendly, making it relatively easy to learn and navigate.

Dayforce stands out with its mobile time-off requests, smart benefit enrollment recommendations, TeamRelate, Dayforce Wallet and automated payroll calculations. It also offers robust support for day-to-day operations, including reports and dashboards, org charts, shift trades, and compliance.

The mobile app and self-service platform give employees the freedom to handle tasks like accessing pay stubs, viewing schedules, and submitting time-off requests independently, which reduces the need for admin intervention.

Dayforce tackles common HR challenges like managing varied payroll and compliance needs, dealing with tricky reporting, and making employee self-service easier. While users appreciate its mobile features and schedule management, they’ve mentioned that reporting can be a bit complex and time-consuming, sometimes leading to long waits for customer support.

The demo reveals a comprehensive hub serving as a centralized dashboard, providing news updates, team objectives, pending tasks, and recommended applications like performance management and recruiting.

Personally, I thought the scheduling module looked a little cluttered/complicated for beginners, but you can use filters to narrow down results and make it look less busy/cleaner.

Payroll processing demands a hawk's eye when it comes to details. I thought Dayforce had a reasonably straightforward payroll design.

Engagement surveys offer compact insights into employee sentiment and effectiveness, while customizable dashboards and scorecards display key metrics on workforce dynamics, such as availability, recruitment metrics, and turnover rates.

Automated alerts and integration with job boards enhance recruiting, and self-service features support career development, HR and benefits enrollment.

The chatbot provided a brief welcome and directed me to the Help Center after I chose support. The chat ended there, and I encountered the issue of the conversation not clearing when the page was reopened.

Pricing is competitive, based on user numbers and selected modules (charged per month).

Overall, Dayforce is a comprehensive HCM software that effectively supports managing people, pay and compliance.

Pros & Cons

  • Easy PTO Tracking: Dayforce simplifies requesting and viewing PTO and tracking employee hours.
  • User-Friendly Interface and Features: Dayforce receives praise for being easy to set up and navigate.
  • Comprehensive: Dayforce is effective for managing payroll, benefits, and workforce management (WFM), providing real-time data and streamlined record-keeping. Custom reporting, time management and compensation planning are highlighted as strong features.
  • Consistency: The system integrates well across various functions such as HR, payroll, and time management, helping to consolidate processes and improve efficiency.
  • Reporting: Report creation can be cumbersome and not very user-friendly. The ability to convert fixed reports into customizable formats and access more diverse formats is limited.
  • Outdated Employee Self-Service: Some users found this feature outdated without improved auditing and traceability features for payroll elections.
  • Frequent Updates: Some updates lead to slow down and create a learning curve for some users.
  • Implementation Process: Users reported implementation can have high up-front costs, take longer than expected and cause frustration.
  • Customer Support: Users experienced long response times and additional fees.

Key Features

  • Core HR: Centralize employee info, manage performance, carry out recruiting, oversee payroll and get reports for data-driven decision-making.
  • Employee Self-Service (ESS): Let users enroll in benefits, view pay details, update personal information, access learning resources and stay current on announcements.
  • Payroll: Roll out a variety of payroll tasks, including tax management, employee verification and data entry for unique situations like retroactive payments. Dashboards provide insights and reporting tools support payroll reconciliation.
  • Benefits: Fast track enrollment by letting employees independently enroll for coverage. Admins can access enrollment totals, a library of qualification rules, on-demand calculations and streamlined COBRA management. It also integrates with hundreds of carriers and incorporates features to ensure ACA compliance.
  • Talent Management: Manage every phase of an employee lifecycle, from recruiting and onboarding to succession planning. Track performance in a holistic view, plan budgets effectively and reskill current employees with AI talent tools.
  • Workforce Management: Process payroll, manage sick days or vacation time, and view reports on key trends like spending for proactive planning.
  • Compliance Support: Safeguard sensitive information with role-based access and ease multi-jurisdictional tax filings with tax services for federal, state and local jurisdictions.
  • Customer Support: Get help with questions and concerns through live chat or phone. Access additional resources on the website like the help center and webinars.
  • Dayforce Wallet: Provide employees access to their earned wages before payday. This flexibility improves financial wellness and reduces employee stress associated with waiting for a paycheck. It also provides functionalities such as budgeting tools and financial planning resources. Note: The amount available depends on completed shifts and standard transfer time is between 1-3 business days. Faster transfers require additional fees.
Start Price
$8
Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked TriNet

In HR, you're responsible for a lot of paperwork for core functions like recruiting, tax filing, payroll and performance management (just to name a few). Trying to keep every document organized and secure the old-fashioned way might feel like managing the Smithsonian.;

TriNet can alleviate your document management woes by keeping everything in one place in the cloud.

Its platform includes HR management and administration tools, recruiting, payroll and benefits. Overall, I found the design practical and simple. It didn't leave me guessing where to find things.;

Manage access to folders and documents, create custom folders and specify which employees have access. In the upper right corner, you'll find your profile along with an arrow that reveals menu options. The top right also features your inbox, notifications, help and a handy search bar.

It has separate tabs for worker and company documents. Creating folders to stay organized is easy with the bright orange "Create New Folder" option. Each document allows you to hover over it, where you can click the pencil icon to edit or the trash can icon to delete.

Manage employees’ benefits eligibility, view benefit costs and change enrollment details. Scroll down and see everything covered under your plan, from dental and vision to life insurance. To get employees on board, set your open enrollment dates and automate notifications.;

Customize email invites, preview the employee experience and ensure no one misses enrollment – once it’s open, they’ll see it as a task at the top of their dashboard.;

There’s no guessing when it comes to employee costs, the company contribution and total because it’s laid out clearly in the monthly cost breakdown. Plus, when enrollment time rolls around, there’s a start renewal link, side-by-side plan comparisons and a quoting tool.;

My favorite feature is the step-by-step guide because even if you’ve gone through the labyrinth of benefits enrollment seemingly a hundred times, there’s still a lot of ground to cover, which makes setting everything up less overwhelming. Make your enrollment setup unforgettable with benefits checklists that ensure employees don’t miss important options.

The payroll module is reasonably straightforward. The layout is on the simple side, featuring main menu optionhs including Overviews, People, Timeline, Reports, Taxes, Forms and Settings.;

Just like conveniently passing by a coffee shop on your way to work, essentially every payroll task you have to check off is connected and easy to find. Manage employee notifications, download payroll reports and approve payroll — all in one place.;

The candidate landing page is simple. It shows the person’s name to the very left; on the right, you can view their contact info (there’s a phone icon and email icon), location, workflow status, source (like your career page) and the date they applied.


So, what happens after clicking a candidate's name? You get directed to their profile and, from there, view their resume, scorecard, assessments, emails and documents. There are options at the top to reject or advance candidates. Once they move to hiring, you select their start date and press hire candidate, and ta-da — you’re greeted with virtual confetti.;

I like that there are conveniently automated communication options like sending text messages. It's especially helpful if you’re hiring multiple people and don’t want to lose track of candidates or get anyone stuck in one of the hiring steps.;

While everyone learns things at their own pace, from my perspective, I found TriNet a good fit for beginners.;

Pros & Cons

  • Ease of Use: Many users find the platform simple to navigate, making it easy to view paychecks, track time and attendance, manage payroll, and administer benefits.
  • Automation: Payroll and benefits processes are largely automated, reducing manual tasks and improving efficiency.
  • Customer Support: The support team is often praised for being professional, friendly and helpful. There are various support options available, including chat and phone and the ability to track case submissions.
  • Smooth Benefits Enrollment: Most users like its insurance options (especially with it being all integrated right into the platform), including re-enrollment options, multiple language support and mobile enrollment. Overall, the majority found the process hassle-free.
  • Basic Functionality: Users find the platform design on the basic side, which can be a double-edged sword. While it simplifies navigation, it may feel less intuitive.
  • Customer Support Wait Times: Some users reported long wait times and the need to connect with multiple support representatives. There are designated support representatives, but the availability depends on the plan you opt for.
  • Integration Challenges: There have been difficulties linking multiple companies within the platform, complicating things like time-off approvals.

Key Features

  • Payroll: Log on, go to your payroll overview, and you'll see tasks you need to complete at the top. Click open payroll and review and approve your next pay run. There are also indicators that let you know if anything looks off to prevent payroll errors.
    • Pay Cycle Tracking: Monitor pay cycles and important dates categorized by employee groups (exempt vs non-exempt) with downloadable calendar views.
    • Advanced Issue Notifications: Receive indicators for potential payroll issues prior to final approval, with advanced filters for insights (location, department, job code).
    • Reimbursements: Make reimbursements easy. Choose the type (like driving) and enter the amount right on the platform.
  • Integrations: Integrate with popular accounting software platforms like Xero and QuickBooks.
  • Benefits Administration: Offer standard medical, dental and vision benefits, along with life and disability insurance. Additionally, there are commuter benefits, COBRA administration, workers comp, FSA and HSA. Filter from hundreds of providers for easy comparison and manage their information from a dashboard.
    • Transparent Pricing: Know where your money's going with monthly cost breakdowns that lay out all the details, from dental to life insurance.
  • Time Management: Keep an eye on clock-in/out times and hours worked with real-time dashboards. Set up customizable PTO policies, streamline workflows, view calendars, approve requests with a click and let employees manage their sick days/time-off requests.
  • TimeKeeper iPad App: Protect against fraud and time theft by taking pictures of employees when they check in or out.
  • Performance Management: Leverage goal management, meetings, action items and performance tracking. Run peer and 360-degree reviews using prebuilt templates and customizable questions.
  • Document Management: Centralize employee documents, create custom folders and specify which employees have access.
  • Recruiting and Hiring: Handle all your hiring tasks digitally, fast track completing offer letters with templates and run background checks.
    • Job Post Sharing: Share job listings on free job boards and social media, or boost them on paid channels with just a few clicks.
    • Automated Communication: Send automated texts, emails and notifications to prevent candidates from getting stuck in one step of the hiring process.
    • Candidate Profiles: Click on a candidate's name to access their profile, where you can view their resume, scorecard, assessments, emails, and documents all in one place. Easily reject or advance candidates with just a click from their profile.
    • Seamless Hiring: Once you select a candidate for hire, simply choose their start date and hit "hire." Celebrate when they’re officially onboarded.
  • Onboarding: New hire info syncs across the suite, so you won't have to enter it twice (or worry about double entry). New employees can also manage their part of the process to keep everything accurate and on time.
    • Employee Progress Dashboard: Track who’s completed enrollment and send reminders or invitations to new hires.
  • Compliance Assistant: Use this built-in tool to track federal HR deadlines and set custom reminders. You’ll find detailed explanations of compliance deadlines that could affect your business and sync reminders with your personal calendar. There are also resources to provide a better understanding of regulatory requirements, including ACA, COBRA, EEOC and I-9 compliance.

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SuccessFactors

by SAP, Inc.
SuccessFactors
SuccessFactors HR by SAP is a comprehensive human capital management (HCM) solution designed for businesses of all sizes across various industries.This cloud-based software is ideal for organizations looking to streamline basic HR functions while also driving strategic initiatives and planning. Users appreciate its advanced features for recruitment management, onboarding, time off tracking, time off planning, and goal structure flexibility, which enhance employee engagement and streamline HR processes.In contrast, some users find the overall user interface to be outdated and clunky on certain pages. Additionally, the software’s extensive capabilities can make it complex to learn and require a time investment to fully understand and leverage its sophisticated features.Regardless of your industry, finding and hiring the right talent quickly is a major challenge. SuccessFactors HR tackles this with advanced recruitment tools that streamline the hiring process, from job requisition to candidate selection.SuccessFactors ranks in our list of the top five overall HR products and the top ten for applicant tracking, benefits management, compensation management, document management, onboarding, self service, learning management, performance management and more.It uses AI and machine learning to enhance candidate matching and speed up recruitment, making it easier to find and onboard top talent.Flexible goal structures and comprehensive onboarding solutions boost employee engagement and retention. These features help set clear performance objectives, track progress, and create a more engaging onboarding experience, contributing to a positive workplace culture and better retention.SuccessFactors HR simplifies time off management with its accessible tracking and planning features, allowing employees to easily request and manage leave.Benefits scenario modeling is available with workarounds, compared to some competitors like UKG Pro and Oracle HCM Cloud that don’t currently support it. As a leader in document management, it earns our highest score for tax document automatic generation, access controls and document sharing.SuccessFactors HR pricing varies based on organization size, the specific modules required and the level of customization needed. SAP typically provides customized pricing based on the organization's needs and the scale of implementation.For an accurate quote, businesses should contact SAP or an authorized SAP partner to discuss their specific requirements and receive a tailored pricing proposal.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
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Buyer's Guide

Payroll Compliance Software Is All About Staying up to Date on Regulations and Tax Filing Assistance

Payroll Compliance BG Intro

Are various rules and regulations leaving you overwhelmed and exhausted? Your employees depend on you for accurate, secure payments, and it’s a lot to keep track of. Luckily, payroll compliance software helps you stay up-to-date with ever-changing federal, state, and local regulations to guarantee employees get their salaries on time and maintain a successful bottom line.

Let's get started on taking the stress out of payroll compliance! If your company struggles to learn changes in payroll regulations or you’re scouting for a better way to automate payroll compliance, you’ve come to the right place. In this buyer’s guide, we’ll review payroll compliance software's benefits and features to help you pick an ideal solution.

Executive Summary

  • Payroll compliance software manages employee payments, maintains compliance and protects businesses from penalties.
  • Benefits include on-point recordkeeping, efficient pay management, reduced legal liability and dashboard customization.
  • The key features of payroll compliance software are calculating accurate wages, tax filing, navigating compliance regulations, fringe management, real-time notifications and customized dashboards.
  • When searching for a new payroll compliance solution, be sure to ask potential vendors any questions you have before committing to a purchase.
What This Guide Covers:

What Is Payroll Compliance Software?

Payroll compliance software is a payroll solution providing users with tools to complete their tax returns, stay compliant with different laws and regulations and pay employees the correct amount on time.

A payroll compliance service or system supports you through tax filing, distributing payments and changing regulations based on federal and state.

Compliance keeps companies in business. There’s a lot to learn, but payroll compliance tools are available to make the process a lot less intimidating.

Primary Benefits

Whether your business is a smaller start-up or a large corporation, payroll compliance is always a priority. Laws and regulations constantly need to be on your radar. Check out the benefits of using a payroll compliance solution below.

Payroll Compliance Benefits

On Point Recordkeeping

Records store important information for your business and are equally valuable for larger federal organizations. Simplify your recordkeeping, keep employee information secure and make documents more accessible. When tax season approaches, be confident your paychecks and deductions are on point for quicker, easier tax filing.

Efficient Payment Management

Payroll mistakes leave you over budget, behind schedule or, worst of all, non-compliant. Give your staff peace of mind by automating payroll tasks, reducing the risk of human error. Setting up direct deposits ensures employees get paid the correct amount promptly. Automatically calculate tax withholdings so all your ducks are in a row come tax season.

Reduced Legal Risks

Failing to meet regulations intentionally or unintentionally risks you owing thousands in legal fees. Payroll compliance legal services support you through any arising or potential legal issues. Your payroll provider looks out for regulation changes, saving you time on learning complicated processes and letting you focus on getting work done.

Increased Customization

Every business has its own needs. Payroll compliance tools let you create custom reports, gain visibility on HR data and approve payroll through web-based or mobile platforms. Get the information you need when you need it securely through customized dashboards.

Key Features & Functionality

Now that you know the benefits, check out payroll compliance's key features.

Automatic Calculations and Tax Filing

Reduce errors and save time by automating payroll calculations. Make tax season feel less stressful by automating payroll taxes.

Payroll tools add everything and organize important documents, leaving you to review and approve simply with a click.

Payroll compliance helps you stay FICA and FUTA compliant.

Payment Management and Overtime Calculations

Set up direct deposit for quick payments, ensure payments are right according to wage laws and automate withholdings.

Many payroll providers have overtime calculators or automatically add up overtime for you. Set up alerts to notify employees when they’re close to reaching overtime to reduce the risk of going over budget and prevent employee burnout.

Reports and record keeping

Manage your data, monitor time and attendance and eliminate payroll errors with accurate recordkeeping.

Use cloud-based or web-based platforms to lighten your filing cabinet and know your important documents are safe.

Fringe Management

Fringe benefits are great for supporting a happy work environment. Fringe management helps you determine which fringe benefits are eligible for tax and which are exempt.

Set your budget up for success while ensuring you comply with benefit policies and procedures.

Customized Dashboards

Keep payroll processes running effectively with real-time collaboration tools and updates through dashboards. Different employees require various access and customized dashboards to fit personal needs.

Most dashboards let you favorite the most used areas to save time looking for information. Dashboards also help organize tasks and track the time it takes to complete assignments.

Payroll Compliance Software Categories

Software Comparison Strategy

While many payroll compliance software options have similar features, it’s often overwhelming to pick which solution is actually best for your business.

The first step in your search is considering what your business needs most. How many employees will use the program? Will they adapt to it easily, or will they need training? It’s also important to consider where your current payroll compliance process falls short and how a new solution could help fill the gaps.

It’s also important to research your vendor. Check online reviews, read industry guides and ask colleagues for their recommendations. Some vendors offer a free trial so you can see how your employees do with the new program before fully committing.

A great resource when comparing choices is the Lean Selection Methodology.

Cost & Pricing Considerations

Many types of payroll compliance software share similar factors in terms of cost. So, how do you know the best fit for your company?

You should cover the most obvious factors, like if there's a subscription model or upfront cost, if there are charges associated with multiple users and what factors can contribute to the final cost, like data migration or customization.

Most Popular Payroll Compliance Software

Kickstart your software search with our list of three popular payroll compliance products.

Workday HCM

Workday HCM is a SaaS solution for streamlining payroll processes, meeting compliance standards and managing human resources. Compliance requirements often adapt over time. Workday monitors requirements and notifies you when something's updated. Stay current on regulation changes, save time using auditing tools and ensure your data is secure with the cloud-based platform.

Workday HCM

Global reporting dashboard. Source

Paycor

Paycor is a payroll and HR solution that helps businesses obtain accurate recordkeeping, manage time and attendance and conduct core HR tasks. The cloud-based platform includes tax prep tools, compliance reminders and detailed payroll reports. Calculate overtime expenses, simplify tax filing and pre-schedule payments ensuring compliance every step of the way.

Paycor

Paycor performance review dashboard.

ADP Workforce Now

ADP Workforce Now is a payroll and Human Resources provider helping businesses manage time and attendance, enhance data security and simplify daily HR processes. The cloud-based platform ensures compliance with fraud defense, data syncing to eliminate human error and tax filing assistance. Customize your plan based on business needs, automate payroll to increase accuracy and get prompt alerts when regulations have changed to adapt accordingly.

ADP Workforce Now

ADP Pay Profile dashboard.

 

 

Questions To Ask

To understand your company’s requirements better and narrow down your choices, ask yourself these guiding questions:

  • What’s our budget?
  • How many employees will use the software regularly?
  • Will our employees need the training to use the software?
  • What are the bottlenecks in productivity we’re facing throughout operations?
  • What features do we need the most to address those productivity bottlenecks?
  • Do we have the technical resources to implement and maintain a new system?
  • What problems can this software help us solve?

Payroll Compliance Key Questions

Here are a few questions to ask potential vendors to help you learn more about the software and vendor:

  • How many years of expertise do you have in the industry?
  • Do you have experience working with businesses in our industry?
  • What customer support and training do you offer?
  • What data security features does the software offer?
  • What integrations does the software offer?
  • How can your software’s capabilities benefit companies in my industry?
  • How long does onboarding typically take for your product?
  • What are the core strengths of the software?
  • Can the software automate repetitive tasks?

Next Steps

Just like the needs of your business, compliance laws are bound to change over time. That’s why you need software that always keeps policies, procedures and laws in mind — allowing you more time to focus on your day-to-day operations. It's easy to miss minor updates, but crucial for avoiding non-compliance that can lead to legal issues.

Ready to get started? Payroll compliance tools improve the quality and speed of your everyday payroll processes while providing valuable insight into tax compliance, fringe management and important wage and hour laws.

If you’re still feeling overwhelmed in your product search, get started today with our comparison report to gain insight into top software leaders.

Product Comparisons

Additional Resources

About The Contributors

The following expert team members are responsible for creating, reviewing, and fact checking the accuracy of this content.

Technical Content Writer
As a SelectHub Technical Writer, Olivia Edens loves helping readers navigate through the world of HR, payroll, field service, PSA, and time and attendance software. Olivia earned a B.A. in English from the University of Phoenix. When she's not researching or editing, she loves rewatching The Office, scootering around the city and taking her cat for a walk. Fun fact: In high school, she won an award for most ideas per minute.
Technical Research By Aayushi Kishor Sharma
Senior Analyst
Aayushi Kishor Sharma has been part of SelectHub since 2021, working on categories like HR, EHR and Marketing, for which she also earned an MBA. A self-described "social butterfly," she loves meeting people, exploring and trying new things.
Technical Review By Jaisri Narasimman
Principal Analyst
A graduate of NTU Singapore, Jaisri Narasimman honed her data mining and curation skills during her post-graduate education, focusing on developing strategies to help businesses make the most of their data. In her role at SelectHub, her research spans categories like HR, CRM and EHR.
Edited By Joe Evans
Content Editor
Joe Evans is an Editor and Senior Market Analyst at SelectHub. A seasoned professional wordsmith, he has a bachelor's degree in journalism and electronic media and a decade of professional expertise in crafting top-tier digital content for niche online brands. He leads his small yet formidable team in producing helpful, compelling content in vital categories like HR, payroll, talent management, performance management, marketing automation home health, MES. When not editing and writing, he enjoys sports, quality time with family and dogs, and remains constantly in pursuit of something new and interesting to read or listen to.