Best Payroll Management Software

 Payroll software is a tool used to manage the payroll process. It can be used by businesses of all sizes, from small to large.

Payroll software automates many steps in calculating a worker's pay and preparing it for payment. This allows companies to deduct taxes, benefits and other expenses without manually entering each employee's information every week or month (depending on how often they want their employees' paychecks).

Payroll software is a computer program that helps companies administer their payroll. Payroll software tracks employee hour computes wages and manages benefits and taxes. It can also help automate other aspects of payroll, such as generating tax forms or communicating with the IRS or state agencies.

The software can be installed on a company's computer system or accessed in the cloud. It typically comes with user manuals and tutorials to help employers start using it quickly.

1. Payroll Management 

Payroll management is one of the most time-consuming tasks a company must face. It involves paying employees on a pre-determined schedule and calculating tax deductions. Payroll software automates these processes, which helps you manage your team's payroll with ease.

 In addition to saving you time and effort, using a payroll system is also beneficial for its ability to calculate employee wages based on set schedules automatically. For example, if you pay your employees once every two weeks (biweekly), the system will divide their salary by two to match their payment dates. 

If an employee has multiple jobs with different employers who use separate systems, some types of software allow you to import salaries from other providers into one place for easy management and reconciliation purposes.

 2. Time and Attendance Tracking 

Time and attendance tracking software help you keep track of employee hours, whether for payroll or management purposes. It can also monitor time off, sick leaves, absences, overtime, etc.

This software allows you to define pay rules based on employee status and activity. For example:

• If an employee is working extra hours but not being compensated for it (because they are unaware), their manager would need this information to follow up with them.
• If an employee doesn't get paid for all the days they've worked while they were out on leave due to illness or injury (because other workers covered their shifts), then their manager will want a record showing how many days were missed as soon as possible so that they can process a delayed payment request if necessary

3. Taxes

Most payroll software systems include Federal and state tax calculations. However, it’s important to note whether these taxes are included in the price of your payroll system or if they will be billed separately.

If you want to calculate different types of taxes (for example, unemployment insurance) or non-standard situations (such as garnishments), this is also something to consider when choosing a system; some programs will allow for custom calculations while others do not. Regardless of how it’s done, it's always good practice to use up-to-date tax laws when calculating employee paychecks so that no mistakes are made on behalf of yourself or your employees!

4. Additional Financial Management 

Some payroll software also comes with additional financial management tools. These are useful for creating budgets, forecasting cash flows, and managing accounts payable and receivable. They can help you keep track of your general ledger and give you access to financial reporting tools that let you see how much money is coming in and going out. Some payroll software also offers payroll tax management tools so that you can be sure not to miss any deadlines or incur penalties from the IRS or state agencies.

If all these features sound overwhelming, don’t worry! Plenty of options are simple enough for small businesses but powerful enough for larger companies looking to streamline their operations. You can check these 5 Reasons why you need payroll software.

1. Unlimited Payroll Processing 

A payroll system is a software application that automates the payment of employees' wages and other expenses. Payroll systems are available in on-premise and cloud-based models, with the latter being more common for small businesses.

An essential feature of any payroll system is its ability to process unlimited payrolls at any pay period. In other words, whether you have one employee or 100 employees, your software should be able to handle all of them without issue or delay. It should also support unlimited tax rates, tax jurisdictions (i.e., countries), and withholding schedules so that you can account for each country's specific tax laws as necessary.

2. Payment Options 

You can pay your employees in whatever way is convenient for them, such as:

• Direct deposit: This option directly deposits payroll funds into employees' bank accounts. While many prefer this method for its ease and instant access to their money, direct deposit requires the employee to have a bank account first.
• A paper check: A physical document that needs to be printed or written, then handed out to employees or mailed— is an older payroll method and creates more paper trail than electronic payment methods.
• Pay cards: Paycards are a relatively new form of payroll that gives employees immediate access to their paychecks but may require them to pay ATM fees.

3. Payroll Tax 

A payroll system automatically calculates payroll taxes, including Social Security and Medicare—a federal requirement. Correctly calculating these taxes is crucial for accuracy, so a payroll system makes this process much easier for your HR department.

4. Year-End Tax Forms 

Year-end taxes are a headache for everyone, but they're exceptionally challenging for small businesses. At the end of the year, your HR department must compile tax forms for every employee. With a payroll system, you can automatically create these forms, making it easier and faster to get them to your employees.

5. PTO Management 

PTO (paid time off) is integral to your employee benefits package. You need to keep track of how much PTO each employee has accrued and when they can use it. With a payroll system, you can manage PTO more efficiently and make sure that your employees aren't abusing their time off.

With PTO management, you can easily add earned time off to your employees’ profiles and calculate how much PTO has been taken and how much is left. This could be useful if you’re trying to figure out whether an employee has enough days left to take off this summer.

6. Employee Self-Service 

Employee self-service features are available in many payroll software. These allow employees to access their information and make changes directly, such as requesting time off, getting answers to questions, and managing their benefits.

Self-service features can make it easier for employees to manage their time off. Some systems allow staff members to request time off from a mobile device and enter all the requested details into an online form. This saves company HR departments vast amounts of time processing these requests because they don't have to deal with individual emails or phone calls from employees about upcoming holidays or sick days.

1. Easy to Use 

A good payroll system is easy-to-use. It has a simple interface that doesn't require training for employees or managers and can be customized to fit your company's needs. It also shouldn't require much time or effort from HR, IT, payroll or finance departments.

When choosing between different systems, look for features that make it easy for everyone in the company to use.

2. Available Support 

Support is important for several reasons. First, you need to know what you are getting into before buying the software. It's important to understand how payroll software works, how much time it will take to use and keep up with, and what support is available if something goes wrong.

The second reason support is important is to know if the software is working properly. You don't want issues with the software causing problems in other parts of your business or having errors that could cause employees not to be paid correctly.

The third reason support matters are because it allows you to make sure that both parties are doing things correctly - whether this means checking over employee forms before submitting them or looking up answers online as needed when filing taxes on behalf of clients or customers

3. Document Management 

Document management is a vital part of any payroll software. The importance of document management has grown significantly over the last decade, as businesses have seen the advantages of storing important documents electronically rather than in paper format.

Documentation is essential to any business, from employee handbooks to customer contracts and receipts. These documents must be stored securely and readily available for employees or clients who need them. Document management within payroll software allows you to store these documents in one place where they can be accessed easily by anyone who needs them.

In addition, document management also helps with tracking changes made throughout your organization's history - such as adding or revising policies or procedures - making it easy for everyone involved in your business operations (including future managers) to keep track of what has changed in the past, so they don't repeat mistakes made by past employees!

4. Affordability

The cost of payroll software depends on what you're looking for. If your employees are mostly full-time and you're not managing many employees, then an entry-level system may be the right choice. On the other hand, if your business has seasonal or temporary workers who aren't full-time or need different benefits packages, you'll want to consider investing in a more advanced system that can accommodate your specific needs.

Payroll software can also save money over traditional paper-based methods because it automates processes like calculations and notifications so that fewer mistakes happen. In addition to saving time, there are many ways that payroll software reduces costs:

With automated systems, there's no chance for an employee's paycheck amount getting lost in translation between them and their manager/supervisor/HR rep (whoever is responsible for approving paychecks). Everyone involved knows exactly what they need to do without confusion about whether someone forgot something important along the way!

5. PTO Tracking 

PTO tracking is an important part of payroll software. Employees can use their paid time off to take a vacation, sick leave, personal time off and other types of time off. These days, many employees also receive bonuses or other compensation for hours worked on holidays or weekends. If you aren't tracking how much PTO your employees have taken, you could be losing out on some money!

When it comes to PTO tracking in your payroll software:

• Make sure you can see all the information about each employee's balance of PTO at one glance. This makes it easy for managers and HR personnel to check up on everyone's balances at any time with minimal effort required from them.
• Use a calendar view when reviewing balances to display dates according to their actual date values rather than numeric integers representing days remaining until expiration.

6. Reporting Features 

Look no further than payroll software if you're looking for software that can help track employee time off, hours worked, and payroll costs. It will provide a wealth of reports to help you understand your company's payroll needs. Some of the reports available include:

• Employee Pay Rate Report - This report helps employers track the wages paid to their employees using different pay rates.
• Overtime Report - This report allows employers to see when an employee has worked overtime and keeps track of how many hours were worked compared to how many hours were paid.
• Taxable Wages Report - This report shows all taxable wages, including federal taxes, state taxes, social security tax and Medicare tax, and any other deductions from an employee's paycheck. It includes retirement plans or 401K plans they may have participated in during their employment term, with the organization being evaluated by this tool's feature set.

There are many more valuable features inside of our software suite, such as benefits tracking (health insurance coverage), time off tracking (vacation days earned per year), sick leave tracking (amounts taken per month/year)

1. Check the Features you need the most

Before looking at payroll software, knowing what features are most important to you is essential. Don't just look at the software's list of features and think, "Yep! That sounds great!" Instead, take some time to think about how those features might affect your company's employees and business.

For instance, one of your biggest concerns is ensuring employees are paid correctly. A payroll system that does not allow for online filing will probably not be ideal for your organization. Similarly, suppose you have several hundred employees needing specialized paycheck calculations (such as overtime) to ensure accurate compensation or benefits calculations (such as COBRA). In that case, a simple payroll system might not cut it either.

The best way to determine which features matter most for your particular needs is by thinking about them.

2. What Cost Structures Can You Afford?

Next, it's important to consider your budget. Costs will vary depending on the size of your company and the specific features you need. Free or low-cost payroll software is available, but it may not have all the necessary features. In addition, many providers offer discounts for larger businesses, so be sure to ask about those.

3. Do You Need the Payroll System to Integrate With Other Software?

If you're looking for a payroll system that integrates with other software, you'll want to find one that integrates easily with your accounting software. This is because the companies that make payroll software usually don't make accounting software, so it's helpful if the two can communicate.

You may also want to look for a company that offers integration with HR Software and finance platforms and time-tracking systems.

4. Do Employees Need Self-Service Access?

If your company has many employees, payroll software that allows them to access their paystubs online is essential. It allows for more efficient communication between employees and HR (human resources). For example, if an employee has questions about their paycheck or wants to make a change, they can easily do so without waiting or requesting assistance from someone else in the company.

You also want a payroll system that lets employees view their paystubs online and make changes on their own. This gives them control over how much money they spend on things like taxes and insurance. Choose a program that requires you to submit all information manually. It can be difficult for employees who use different systems than yours—especially if they're using something outside of the U.S., like PayPal or Skrill account balances instead of bank accounts.

5. Do You Need to Manage Time Off for Your Employees?

If you're planning on managing your employees' time off, you'll want to know what's involved. Time off can be an important part of a healthy work-life balance, but it also has a cost that should be considered when purchasing payroll software.

Are you currently manually managing time-off requests for your employees? Do you want an easier way to handle these requests? As you consider different payroll systems, look for one that offers time-off management to help you streamline the process.

Paying is critical to your operation if you're a small business owner. Payroll systems are used by many large businesses as well, and they can be found in every industry. Many non-profits use them, too—they need to track employee hours and ensure that their employees get paid on time, so having an effective payroll system is essential for these organizations. 

Government agencies rely on payroll systems, too; these organizations may have more complex needs than other companies when it comes time to hire new employees or pay out wages from cash flow problems or other issues requiring a quick response from their financial department.

Schools and agencies can also use payroll systems across the board: teachers who want easy access to student records; teachers who need accurate documentation about attendance; principals worried about data security concerns at the school level (usually using some kind of cloud storage). And let's not forget employers themselves—the most common use case for payroll software is managing employee benefits like health insurance coverage. 

These programs offer tax deductions and save money over time through lower premiums (or no premiums at all). Finally, some self-employed individuals need help tracking income taxes so they don't fall behind on filing deadlines!

1. Free vs Paid

There are two types of payroll software: paid and free. Free systems offer fewer features but often include all the basic functions you need to run your payroll. You can use them to pay employees, calculate taxes due, file quarterly reports with the IRS, manage sick leave and vacation time, keep track of deductions from paychecks, and print checks for employees' direct deposit accounts—you get the idea.

The downside? A free system will have a lot less functionality than its paid counterpart. For example, if you're looking for an automated way to handle paycheck stubs or W2 forms (which will save you time), it's unlikely that even the best free options will provide this service for free. Some providers offer these services as part of their free packages—but don't count on it! Paid options typically have better reporting capabilities, too—important if you're paying close attention to how much money is coming into and going out of your business each month.

2. In-House

In-house payroll software is an option for companies that want to control the entire process themselves. You can use basic payroll software to handle easy, straightforward payroll processes, especially when you have a dedicated employee to run the system and stay up-to-date on tax laws, tax withholdings and filing procedures, and any staffing changes and company procedures. But you should consider all of these factors before deciding if this option is right for your business:

• Costs associated with implementing an in-house system
• Existing staff resources (both technical ability and time availability)
• Skills required for managing the system

3. Outsourced Payroll

If you have a business with more employees, it’s time to consider outsourcing your payroll. While many small businesses can do payroll in-house, doing so forces you to hire specialists and become experts on legal compliance and government regulations.

Outsourcing your payroll means hiring a professional service provider who will handle all aspects of payroll for your small business. The benefit of outsourcing is that you don't need to worry about the infrastructure of maintaining software updates, security patches or new releases; these are all handled by the company providing outsourced services.

4. On-Premise vs Cloud-Based SaaS

You'll need to make the next major decision between On-Premise or Cloud-Based SaaS.

On-Premise means that your software is installed on your servers, but the downside is that it's difficult to upgrade and often requires more maintenance than a cloud solution. While on-premise systems have many benefits, including greater control over security and customization options, most businesses can't justify this additional cost when opting for payroll software. 

Cloud solutions like most of those we've reviewed here offer convenience, flexibility, scalability and affordability without sacrificing functionality—so why wouldn't you want one?

The main drawback with a cloud solution is that it relies on an internet connection; if there's no internet access in your company office (or if you're working remotely), this option won't work for you either. However, this could be the right choice if these issues don't apply to you!

Payroll is something that every business needs, but it's not always easy to choose from the many different software packages on the market. The fact is that the best payroll software for your business will depend on several different factors. If you're in India, you'll need to consider how well the software integrates with other aspects of your company's operations and how quickly it can adapt to changing regulations or new features from your industry.

Look at five of the top payroll software for small businesses in India.

1. Keka

Keka is a cloud-based software which helps you manage all the payroll operations efficiently. It also acts as a complete HR management solution and can be used by small and medium businesses to streamline their HR processes.

It lets you manage human resources, talents, payroll calculations etc with ease by providing all the necessary features to automate your business processes.

You can easily send salary slips on messages, email or through the app to employees using Keka’s mobile app feature.

Pros

• Keka has a feature that allows important files to be uploaded and accessed easily.
• It can integrate with third-party applications, accurately tracking employees' time on projects without having them clock in or out manually.

Cons

• Difficulties in using templates
• Slow loading.

2. Saral Paypack

Saral Paypack is a cloud-based payroll software for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

This payroll software automates many of the operations that are involved in human resource and payroll management. The software allows you to manage employee data such as salary details and deductions, along with other information like leave balance, tax status, etc. Sara PayPack's security measures ensure that clients' sensitive data remains safe.

Pros

• The payroll program automatically calculates every employee's wages.
• The Saral Paypack software is easy to use.
• It comes with an employee self-service portal.

Cons

• It occupies a lot of room in your storage.

3. Qandle

Qandle is a cloud-based payroll software and one of the best payroll software in India. This app helps organisations to manage their workforce and payroll efficiently. It is a comprehensive solution for all your HR processes, ensuring no errors since all operations are automated with improved accuracy.

The features of Qandle include:

• Payroll Management Module
• Employee Self-Service (ESS)
• Employee Onboarding Module
• Time & Attendance System, including Access Control System

Pros

• This powerful, easy-to-use tool can be used for a variety of applications.
• The app is scalable and can be customized to accommodate almost any business.
• The mobile version of the website includes all functionalities.

Cons

• When the application is under load, lags can sometimes be observed.

4. Zoho Payroll

Zoho Payroll is a cloud-based payroll software that helps you manage your employees' payroll and tax compliance. The Zoho Payroll has a simple and intuitive user interface. 

The payroll calculator of this top payroll software automatically does all the calculations in no time. It's easy to create unlimited employee profiles, add multiple jobs and pay rates, track attendance with attendance cards, calculate taxes due on salaries, generate payslips and print checks.

Pros:

• Simple & intuitive user interface
• Automatic calculation of tax deductions & exemptions
• Prints payslips & checks

Cons:

• Limited integration options.

5. 247HRM

247HRM is an all-in-one HR and payroll solution that simplifies HR operations like time tracking, performance appraisal, payroll management—and more. It controls your business and helps you manage your employees more efficiently. 

The software provides a unified dashboard that lets you view all your data in real-time. It supports unlimited users, multiple languages and currencies, and multiple company profiles with different tax rates—making it ideal for small businesses or large enterprises.

Pros:

• Full-featured HR & payroll solution
• Easy-to-use interface
• Best customer support

Cons

• It doesn't support iOS
• Difficulties in customization.

1. Per month, per employee

If you choose a cloud-based payroll system, you will likely pay per month, per employee basis. This means that the cost of your payroll system is based on how many employees you have and how much time is needed to process their paychecks. You can use software to calculate this or ask your provider for an estimate.

2. Per Month 

This is a monthly subscription plan in which you pay for cloud access but can have an unlimited number of employees working within the system. However, this option generally offers limited features and support—so it's best for smaller companies with simple payroll needs.

3. Perpetual License

If you have a small or mid-sized business that doesn’t plan to change its payroll system in the future, then getting a perpetual license is a good option for you. This is the most expensive option, but it also has the benefit of being the most stable option. A perpetual license means that once you pay for your software and start using it, there are no extra fees involved with updating or upgrading your system in the future.

It’s important to note that this type of license does require an initial payment—it isn’t free like some other types of licenses are—but after that first payment, all updates and upgrades will be included with your purchase price. If this sounds appealing to you, then make sure that any company offering such licensed software also offers good customer service so they can help answer questions when problems arise (see our next section).

4. Additional Costs

When you're looking at payroll software, you need to consider the costs that are associated with it. There are three main aspects of this:

• Implementation - This is the cost of getting the software up and running. Some vendors will charge a per-user or one-time fee for implementation, but others may offer a free initial setup.
• Maintenance/support - You'll also want to think about how much support you'll need from your vendor now and in the future when it comes to troubleshooting issues and learning how to use their system effectively. This can be an ongoing monthly fee or an annual charge that lets you access updates or phone support as needed.
• Third-party integrations - Some payroll providers integrate with other applications such as HR systems (e.g., ADP) so that all of your data stays in one place—which means less time spent on data entry overall! However, if these integrations aren't available (or don't meet your needs), this could be a deal breaker for your business.

You can automate many tasks in your payroll system, including:

• Payroll calculations. This includes hourly and salaried employees and overtime pay for hours worked over 40 per week. Your payroll software will handle all of this for you!
• Time and attendance tracking. Suppose a company has hourly workers or salaried employees. In that case, it's important to track when they clock out so managers know how much time each person has worked on a given day or week (and whether they're paid appropriately). You'll want this information easily accessible via an employee portal so managers can monitor their employees' productivity levels throughout the year and see if they leave early or late without warning (which might not be legal).

 You can automate many tasks in your payroll system, including:

• Payroll calculations. This includes hourly and salaried employees and overtime pay for hours worked over 40 per week. Your payroll software will handle all of this for you!
• Time and attendance tracking. Suppose a company has hourly workers or salaried employees. In that case, it's important to track when they clock out so managers know how much time each person has worked on a given day or week (and whether they're paid appropriately). You'll want this information easily accessible via an employee portal so managers can monitor their employees' productivity levels throughout the year and see if they leave early or late without warning (which might not be legal).

What are the benefits of payroll software?

The advantages of payroll software can be summed up in one word: convenience. Payroll is an important aspect of running a business, but it’s also extremely time-consuming. The software automates the process and allows you to focus on more important things—like growing your company!

With payroll software, you can:

• Reduce your payroll costs by up to 50%.
• Increase productivity. The software allows employees to submit their timesheets without going through multiple people and departments. This saves time for everyone involved in the process and reduces errors.
• Increase employee satisfaction by providing accurate and timely paychecks and allowing for more control over their timekeeping. Employees love knowing that you’re invested in helping them manage their finances!
• Reduce errors associated with manual data entry (i.e., typing info into a spreadsheet) thanks to automatic calculations that eliminate human error from the equation—you don’t want HR getting confused about which employee worked how many hours during what week while they were off sick because they missed a day or two! 
• It also eliminates any mistakes made when copying/pasting numbers into different cells/sections of these spreadsheets, reducing human error and saving time spent on accounting instead of working on other projects like increasing productivity levels by implementing new processes.
• Another great benefit of automated payroll software is that it can be used for more than just calculating employee paychecks. It can also help manage benefits and deductions and track time worked and attendance, ensuring that your company complies with all laws and regulations.

 Payroll is a complex business. It is an integral part of any company’s operations and requires constant monitoring to ensure compliance with various regulations. When you implement a new payroll software, several challenges may arise. The following are some of the most common challenges:

• Setting up an effective payroll can be difficult, particularly when you’re doing it for the first time.
• Getting your employees to input their payment information on time is also challenging.
• The payroll process can be complicated, and many different steps are involved. This means that you have to be very organized to ensure that your business complies with all of the laws and regulations related to employee payments.
• It can be difficult to manage all the different things you must do, especially when you’re just starting.

If you are a small business owner and need to manage payroll for your company, our first question is: How many employees do you have? Are they all located in one place, or do some work from home or at different locations across the country? Depending on your answers, several types of payroll software may be right for your organization.

Some companies have only one location and require only one set of monthly timesheets. Other companies have multiple offices with many employees in each office submitting their own time cards every week or even every day. In this case, it’s best to look at portfolio solutions that offer multiple modules within the same system so that each location can benefit from customized features that meet its unique needs – such as managing sick pay policies, rewarding paid time off (PTO) accruals during slow periods and more.

Payroll software can be a great tool for business owners. It offers all the tools you need to process payroll quickly and efficiently. Before deciding if you’re in the market for a new payroll system, you must know what features are available.