Sage Software — Sage Payroll Services

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From the August 2006 Review of Service Bureau Style Payroll Systems

Sage Software introduced Sage Payroll Services to the payroll marketplace in April 2004, but Sage Software has been in the payroll business for more than 20 years. Sage Payroll Services is an outsourced payroll offering for small to midsize businesses and organizations. Accountants can opt to partner with Sage either through the Sage Software Accountants Network and/or through the Sage Certified Business Partner Program. Sage Payroll Services is built using web-native architecture within the secure confines of Sage Online Services. Available 24/7, Sage Payroll Services delivers real-time reporting.

Sage Payroll Services will work with any accounting system while offering significant advantages in integration directed to the Sage family of accounting and HR/payroll products. SPS currently integrates with Peachtree by Sage, Sage MAS 90 ERP, Sage MAS 200 ERP, Sage Accpac ERP, and Sage Abra HRMS. New integrations with other Sage accounting products are planned in the future.

Sage Payroll Services requires nothing more than an Internet connection. Clients enter company, employee and payroll code data, followed by data input, review and approval of entries. Then, Sage Payroll Services takes over by delivering a secure, online, real-time access and reporting system. Sage Payroll Services handles direct deposit, tax deposits, reporting and compliance filing, including gross-to-net calculations and electronic report delivery and archive. Sage Payroll Services supports on-demand, in-house printing of checks or users can opt to fully outsource with a check printing and year-end W-2 printing service, followed by delivery to a single or multiple locations.

LEARNING CURVE -- 4.5 Stars
Since Sage Payroll Services is a hosted, online service, there is no software to install, no hardware to buy, and no update or other maintenance tasks to perform. Data entry is straightforward and data-entry screens are populated with relevant company information during the enrollment process. Upon logging into the online portal of Sage Payroll Services, users of Sage’s accounting and HR/payroll products will immediately feel right at home with Sage Payroll Services, as it sports the same look and feel of the vendor’s accounting or HR/payroll application. Payroll professionals using accounting products not supported by Sage will quickly pick up the Sage Payroll Services interface and will find themselves quickly enabled to enter data. Here again, once data entry is complete and approved, Sage Payroll Services takes over and performs its payroll outsourcing duties.

All users can expect to receive up-front assistance from trained Sage Payroll Services payroll specialists who will walk them through the complete Sage Payroll Services enrollment process on a step-by-step basis, starting with login to the Sage Payroll Services online application. The recipe for SPS data entry is as follows: To access the online portal, users will need some rudimentary experience with a web browser like Internet Explorer and an operating knowledge of the point-and-click conventions applied when accessing the Windows desktop (don’t forget to add a dash of high-speed Internet connection and a pinch of desktop PC, please).

FEATURES & SERVICES -- 5 Stars
Sage Payroll Services offers support for multiple pay groups and an unlimited number of departments with the same pay date. It handles unlimited direct deposit accounts, tax calculations for all 50 states, SDI and SUI reporting, ACH tax deposits, real-time gross-to-net or net-to-gross payroll calculations, new hire reports, and electronic report delivery in *.PDF format. Also available is support for on-demand in-house printing of checks or full outsourced payroll with check printing and full-service delivery, including separate client locations, if desired. Like many outsourced payroll products, Sage Payroll Services offers a penalty-free guarantee, provided that payroll data is provided on a timely basis and sufficient funds exist to satisfy applicable tax deposit obligations.

REPORTING CAPABILITIES -- 5 Stars
Sage Payroll Services automatically provides users with 15 comprehensive reports, provided in electronic *.PDF format for printing and archiving. Alternatively, Sage Payroll Services can retain the archived Sage Payroll Services reports on its hosted site.