Tuesday, 24 September 2013
How to Find the Best Time Clock Software for Your Business
Because your company is unique, you'll want to find software that is compatible with your unique needs. The features that sell another company on a time clock software package may not be the features that are right for your company, and it may take some work to find which has the best features for the needs of your business. In addition to features, there are four important considerations in selecting a time clock software:
1. What kind of trial is offered?
2. What kind of technical support is available?
3. Is the provider reputable?
4. What are the costs of the software and support?
Let's consider each:
1. Time Clock Software Trials
Free trials are a great way to get acquainted with new software. They give you an opportunity to explore the features and get a feel for the utility and ease of use of the software. This can be a great way to do side by side comparison of rival time clocks. Some companies only offer limited versions of the software to trial users. The most useful trials give you full access to the software, allowing you to explore everything it will allow you to do.
2. Time Clock Technical Support
Good technical support can spare you hours of frustration and lost time and ensure that you are getting the full benefits of the software you purchase. Because you don't want to be bogged down with technical issues, you'll want to purchase a time clock system that is backed by reliable technical support. When looking for technical support, there are several important factors to consider:
Format: What types of support are offered with the software? Common forms include email, live chat, and phone support. Having live support via chat or telephone can get you real-time solutions and ensure you get minimal frustration and maximum usefulness from your time clock software.
Hours of availability: You'll want to know when support is available and if the hours work for you and your company. If a company's live technical support is only available from nine to five in the Philippines, but you operate in the North America or Europe, the support might not be very compatible with your business.
Availability during trial period: Can you access technical support during the trial period? This access can help you determine whether the technical support is going to meet your needs and can allow you to make an informed decision on the software and support package that you purchase. The trial period is a great time to learn how easy it is to contact technical support, whether you get to talk to an actual person, how timely technical support is in responding to your communications, and how helpful the people are to you. These factors will all make a big difference when you run into questions or issues down the road.
3. Reputation of Time Clock Provider
The legitimacy of a company is important to consider in any kind of purchase. While the internet allows you to compare thousands of options before making a transaction, the ability to purchase remotely comes with certain risks. Among these is the difficulty of distinguishing reputable companies from pop-up companies or scammers.
One determinant of credibility is the length of time a company has been in business. If the company has been around for years, it is likely to be a legitimate company. It is also more likely to have reviews from external sources that support (or detract from) its claims, and these can help you to make an educated buying decision. A company that has sustained success over a long period of time is likely to have the skills and infrastructure to remain a viable company in the future. This means they're more likely to be there to support you and stand behind the time clock software you purchase.
External software reviews come in various forms, ranging from customer reviews to professional reviews. Customer reviews can be found on company websites, personal blogs, and throughout social media. These can give you an indication of the satisfaction of current or past customers with the company, its products, and the customer service it provides. Professional reviews can be found on industry websites or professional review websites. These often review multiple products or services in the same category and can help you compare one company or product to another. Such reviews are a great way to compare time clock features and support plans side by side and determine which software package is best equipped to meet the needs of your business.
4. Time Clock Software and Support Costs
When it all boils down, costs can largely determine which time clock program will meet the needs of your business. You'll need to consider how much you are willing to pay for a time clock software package. The nature, structure, and size of your business will determine the savings you can expect by purchasing an electronic time clock, and this can help you decide on a price that is right for you.
Comparing prices of similar time clocks can help you get a feel for the range of reasonable prices. You should also consider the payment method and structure. Will the purchase require monthly or yearly payments or a one-time fee? Will you be charged per number of computers or number of users? Are there additional fees?
One additional fee that's important to consider is technical support. Support is often available on a per-incident basis, but it can be much less expensive in the long run to have a support plan that will cover all of your needs. You will want to ensure that you have access to good tech support, so you'll want to know what it costs and what the support plan includes.
When you know what features you're looking for and what you are willing to pay, download a free time clock software trial and find out how well the software and technical support will work for your business.
Jonathan McGarry is a marketing and communications specialist for Hawkeye Technology Inc., creator of TimeClick Time Clock Software. TimeClick helps thousands of businesses streamline their payroll process by keeping track of employee hours.
Sunday, 22 September 2013
5 Advantages of Using a Payroll Service
Processing payroll can be a complex and time-consuming task for any small business. The different payroll functions include determining the employee wages, withholding taxes, updating sick and vacation pay and deducting different staff-contributed payments for the benefits.
Mistakes in preparing the payroll can have a negative effect on the business and it is important to make sure that the job is performed accurately. Many businesses choose to outsource this service for a number of good reasons.
- It is cost effective
The cost of hiring the payroll service is quite affordable and you can spend about half of what it would cost to do the job in-house. Paying a salary to a full time payroll manager will translate to more money in the long run. This means that the service is cost effective and you can free your employees to focus on other important functions of the business.
- It is convenient
When you use the outside service, you can benefit from the convenience that allows you to arrange the work with a simple phone call. By simply contacting the firm and giving them details of the salary amounts, hours, deductions and any other necessary information, the firm will process the checks conveniently. You can even update any staff payroll information on the firm's website.
- Enhanced accuracy
The professional services are experienced at their job and you can be guaranteed of accuracy. With the increase in competition, the payroll firms know that they have to provide excellent services in order to maintain your business. The service providers also ensure that they stay up to date with any laws relating to taxes and employee payroll.
- Increased functionality
Many of the payroll companies offer a wide range of additional services such as handling employee retirement plans and providing direct deposits. You can also get functions like provision of management reports. Some will also help in the preparation of W-2 forms; they calculate employee tax obligations and perform other services that the client may need.
- Ensure compliance
The payroll functions include a range of laws and regulations and when you hire the professional service, you can be sure of staying compliant. The firms can help to save you legal fees that accrue when laws are broken. When you use professionals who understand the legal issues, you can have peace of mind from knowing your business is in good hands.
When looking for a payroll company, it is a good idea to carry out research and get recommendations so that you can get the best service.
We provide the best info about payroll services UK. For further details please visit the provided link.
3 Reasons Why You Should Use Managed Payroll Services
Payroll is a very important function in any business and it is usually the most sensitive and time-consuming task of the HR department. The process involves maintaining the collective financial records of the employees in a company.
For any small business owner, the payroll process can be a thankless job that never ends for as soon as you complete the process, it is time to do it again. When something goes wrong during payroll preparation, it can lead to legal issues. There are good reasons to consider using a third party to provide the service.
Avoid the headaches
For a small business owner who is working with a limited budget and resources, managing the payroll can be a real headache. It can be quite expensive to manage the process internally when you think of the high cost of hiring qualified staff. For any small business that is probably working with a limited number of employees, freeing someone to carry out that task can have a negative effect on the business.
Some business owners try to do the job themselves but this can be very difficult if you have several employees. The process can also take up all of your time affecting other areas of the business.
Disgruntled employees
The easiest way to affect productivity negatively is by having angry employees. If you try to administer the payroll function yourself, it can result in errors such as failing to include overtime earnings or someone's holiday pay.
Having dissatisfied workers will affect your business and you need to make sure that you avoid the errors. Sometimes, the issues can be caused by misunderstandings and hiring professional services can help to ensure that this does not happen.
Changing wage laws
One of the best reasons to get managed payroll services is to avoid legal problems or penalties that occur when you fail to comply with the employment and wage laws. The outsourcing services will make direct tax deposits to make sure that this is performed on time.
The reporting and filing for tax returns service provided will help to ensure that you do not have to worry if you are not aware of the latest changes. The service providers make sure that they stay informed to ensure compliance.
There are many companies that provide payroll service and they play an important role in providing small business solutions. You will not have to worry about delays in paying your employees or dealing with complaints about errors.
We provide the best info about managed payroll services. For further details please visit the provided link.
Friday, 20 September 2013
4 Good Reasons to Use Clocking In Machines
Time clocks have been around for years and they have been an important tool in the workplace. The clocks help companies to keep track of the hours that the employees work, making them important tools for payroll.
While not all companies use the systems, they come in very handy especially for businesses that have a large workforce. There are several reasons why it is a good idea to use clocking in machines to enhance efficiency in your business.
Precise Tracking of Hours
The machines make it easy to track time because if it is left to the individuals or the employer, it is not possible to get precise records. With the machines in place, you can ensure that the attendance records are accurate and you do not have to worry about fraud. Without the time clock, trying to figure out the hours worked can be very difficult.
Make Processing Payroll Easier
The modern machines make it easy to record information that is relevant for payroll. The information is collected and transmitted to a central file and this helps to eliminate transcription errors or issues of delay. Apart from reducing the work of the payroll staff, it reduces cases of complaints due to errors. Manual transcription often leads to errors.
Determine Employee Presence
When you have to deal with many employees, it is very difficult to know when they are working and when they are away from the office. Trying to monitor employee presence in a busy company can be nearly impossible. It can be a real problem when something needs attention, or a customer needs help, and you do not know if the employee responsible is present.
Enforcing Company Policy
The advanced machines can be programmed to maintain the schedule of each employee and they can be used to monitor employee behavior. The system can inform the manager if an employee is late and it can also take note of any employees who have not taken a break by the end of the shift. The information obtained can be used to discipline some employees and encourage others to take breaks.
Time clocks have many benefits and the new systems can help to simplify life for employees who work outside the office. The multi-location systems compile payroll information from multiple locations at the same time and the employees do not have to return to the office to clock out. The systems help to simplify record keeping that helps to save time and enhance efficiency.
We provide the best info about time recorder and clocking in machines. For further details please visit the provided links.
Thursday, 19 September 2013
Need of Every Business - Perfectly Managed Payroll
Every business owner knows the importance of perfectly managed payroll system. The size of the business is irrespective while managing the payroll because all the paper work still remain the same. The payroll does not only mean the calculation of employee's salary, it basically means:
- Keeping a track of every employee working hours
- Giving due importance to their traveling bills, meal vouchers, retirement benefits etc.
- Keeping a track of all the taxes and their deadlines
- Processing the invoices, receipts and company's payroll
Wrong paper work and unmanaged bills can create lots of problems for the business owners by the end of the year. Hence, the owners of the company should pay special attention towards accounting and payroll department from day one. The company can also choose to outsource their services to some other payroll processors.
Some of the basic advantages of outsourcing payroll processing to other company are:
- Time efficient and accurate: when you outsource your business to some other company, you will see that they are on top of it 24x7. You can call them or e-mail them with your employee's details and they will get back to you with the accurate amount of checks for every employee. You will be able to work on other things while a professional is working over your payroll processing.
- Less paper work: as a company, you will have to do paper work on a minimum level. You just have to either call the payroll processing company or just e-mail them with your employee's details, working hours, benefits etc. They will do the rest for you. You don't have to perform all the difficult calculations yourself.
- On top of the things: payroll processors are always very well versed with all the latest tax slabs, new amendments, deadlines etc. They do not miss any deadlines. They make sure that your employees get their salary checks on time, you pay state, federal as well as Medicare taxes on time. This otherwise can be a very painful job to perform.
- No liability: when you hire a payroll professional, you hire them as your consultant. You do not take their liability on your company. It basically serves your purpose as well as make you tension free.
- Cost effective: hiring a full time person to do a payroll for you can be a very costly affair. Having said that, when you outsource your company's payroll processing to some other company you only pay them by the hour. At times, you also pay them fixed amount which is way lesser than hiring an individual for your company.
Outsourcing or in-house, the bottom line is that business owner should maintain their taxes and payroll papers properly. If you still finding it difficult to manage, then you certainly need an expert.
Author is a very dynamic person who has gigantic familiarity with payroll processing services. He understands the importance of paying taxes on time and in his writing explain the same to the readers. He also has started writing about work opportunity tax credit and its assistances for small business owners.
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Is Check Fraud Damaging Your Bottom Line?
In today's world, businesses face a number of challenges, but few are as daunting as combatting fraudulent checks. Technology has made it easier than ever before for criminals to produce or alter a check so that only an expert eye can detect it. This crime is no longer the exclusive domain of large check fraud rings. The home PC and desktop publishing has brought this technology within reach of the smallest petty criminal. Others choose to modify checks by using chemicals to remove all, or a portion, of the information and change it to benefit the criminal.
Often, these crimes begin with the theft of a blank, canceled or valid check. Occasionally, this is accomplished with the cooperation of an employee, but it can also be accomplished by someone rummaging through company garbage, stealing company mail, or by the theft of blank checks or financial documents stored in an unsecured area. Recent changes in the Uniform Commercial Code has made it clear that business share responsibility for preventing check fraud. For example, if the bank offers check stock with security features, the bank can claim negligence on the part of the company and is only partially liable for loss due to fraud.
There are many ways that a business can prevent check fraud. One of the most popular methods is the use of MICR-check printing software that prints checks from secure, blank stock. This eliminates the possibility of someone stealing blank checks. Most check printing software incorporates a number of security features such as restricting user access to certain functions unless authorized, dollar amount limits for specific or authorized uses, and requiring that an authorized employee log in and verify all checks before they are printed. MICR-check printing software and accounts payable automation has become one of the most popular methods of preventing fraud through internal security.
Another more common way to avoid dealing with check fraud is to carefully examine all checks that pass through a business or individuals hands. Bad checks may not be obvious but there are ways to tell them apart from a valid check. Bad or fraudulent checks usually lack perforations and in their check numbers may not change at all. The printed font is arguably different and often does not look professional. They are questionable when the name and the address are printed in different fonts whereas with a legitimate check, they are usually printed with the same font. If the MICR coding at the bottom is shiny then it is likely a fake check. MICR printing is not glossy at all, it's rather dull in appearance.
Businesses can also limit the damage caused by fraudulent checks by placing maximum dollar limits on checking accounts and by establishing a separate account for large payments. Companies that request detailed reports from their bank for all large payments increase their likelihood of detecting a dishonest employee. It may not be possible to prevent all check fraud, but through the use of MIRC-check printing software, internal security and limiting the potential cost of fraud, an organization's bottom line need not be affected by fraudulent checks.
Learn more about check fraud and accounts payable automation at http://www.piracle.com.
Your Payroll Needs a Good Paystub Template
If you are in business, you would have surely searched the net at some time to find an appropriate template for keeping record of the payrolls and paystubs of your workers. Probably you were a bit surprised to find a lot of templates for your needs, making it rather difficult for you to choose the one that will deliver satisfactory results for the kind of business you are running. It is quite a normal practice for companies to select a template on which they can depend to give accurate results consistently, as it makes the job of their accounting personnel easier. The most essential feature of a good paystub is that it should provide accurate information, in an easy to read manner.
Your Employees count on you
Certainly, you expect your employees to put in their best for the sake of your business. In turn, they also have certain expectations from you, apart from the salary you pay them. On their payday, apart from expecting their paycheck, they also expect to get a precise paystub that is easy to understand. As an employer, it is your responsibility to see that the paystub they get is to the point and easily understood.
That's because your workers depend on you and look forward to getting informed of their salary periodically. They certainly require that information for availing any kind of loan or when applying for a house mortgage. Moreover, the paystubs giving details for how many hours they were without work enables them to apply and qualify for the benefits available to them in the form of public assistance.
You need a dependable template giving accurate output
If you are in business, you essentially require a payroll template for delivering accurate and dependable paystubs month after month. As most companies these days employ some accounting software or the other, it becomes absolutely necessary to choose a template that is compatible with the accounting software in use. That makes it a lot simpler to transfer the data of each employee straight from the software to the paystubs.
Whatever template you may select, you must ensure that it is designed to provide the essentially required information, including gross pay of worker, and the hours of work put in by them. Additionally, it also needs to show deductions made towards income tax and healthcare. The end of the stub should show the net income of each employee.
A very important benefit of offering your employees their payrolls, including a precise paystub, is the fact that your accounts department is well-equipped to resolve all disputes, if any. By going online, you can surely locate a lot of templates available for preparing paystubs. You may want to try a couple of them, to see which ones would best match the accounting software you are using, and then decide the one for use in your business.
If you are looking for a free paystub template, you can get one right now at paycheckstubtemplates.org! Visit the website!
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