Intuit — QuickBooks Enhanced Payroll For Accountants

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From the Sept. 2007 Review of Payroll Systems

QuickBooks Enhanced Payroll for Accountants is an add-on module that integrates directly with an accounting firm’s version of QuickBooks. Technically, the module is already in QuickBooks, but a subscription to Enhanced Payroll is required to unlock these functions. The system can also be used for after-the-fact payroll runs with support for up to 50 clients and unlimited employees with a single subscription (additional licenses can be added to support payroll for more businesses. The system provides direct deposit, federal and state tax forms, electronic filing and payment options, customizable reporting features, accruals and benefits management, workers’ compensation tracking, various deductions and a simple net-to-gross calculation feature.

Enhanced Payroll for Accountants ordinarily costs $299 per year, but it is currently discounted at $254 per year, with tax table updates throughout the year and with support for however many user licenses the firm has for its QuickBooks system. Direct deposit costs $0.99 per paycheck, plus a $3 transmission fee per payroll run.

EASE-OF-USE/DATA ENTRY – 5 Stars
For users with an already functioning QuickBooks system, many setup tasks are essentially already completed, with all client company and employee data accessible by the payroll system. This leaves the user with only setup of wages, deductions and other settings. QuickBooks organizes primary system features onto various Navigator screens (Customers, Vendor and Employees), with the Payroll Center as the primary interface for the payroll application.

Payroll is accessible via a toolbar icon, a pull-down menu or from the workflow diagram on the QuickBooks Home Page. The Payroll Center and Navigator screens offer considerable customization options and provide task-specific Help, “How Do I” and plain English search assistance features in panels to the side. The Payroll Center provides a toolbar with links for Entering Time, Printing and E-mailing documents, Microsoft Word integration and other features, along with a tabbed section for accessing Employee lists, Transactions and Payroll functions. The Payroll Center also provides access to tax and liability payments, form filing and payroll expense tracking.

Spreadsheet-based company and employee lists are genuinely intuitive with filter, sort and search options as well as wizards that guide users through the entry of new companies or employees. Informational data-entry screens offer pull-down selection lists and calendar popups for setting deductions, vacation and sick leave accruals and benefit items, as well as for selecting pay type, frequency, GL account and other data. Address fields also have an auto-complete feature for cities and states after ZIP Codes are entered. The Employee screens also allow per-employee customization of deductions, adjustments, EIC and rapid access to YTD information on each worker.

Payroll data, including time, bonuses and accruals, can be entered either on detailed information screens for each employee or on a quick entry spreadsheet window that displays all employees. Data can also be entered via the QuickBooks Employee Timesheet window, which can be accessed through the Payroll module. Drilldown functions allow detailed screens to be accessed from the summary quick entry screen. When a payroll run is ready, the user selects which employees to pay from a list of those scheduled; enters time, tips, commissions and other data for employees; and then verifies that the payroll is correct. The built-in direct deposit system is simple to use and allows for up to two accounts per employee with a per-transaction cost of $0.99 and a batch fee of $3. Direct deposits can also be scheduled to occur automatically up to 45 days in advance.

FEATURES – 4.5 Stars
Enhanced Payroll for Accountants supports salaried, hourly, tipped, commissioned, contract and piece-work payroll employees for up to 50 EINs, and can manage companies with any number of employees, departments, divisions or cost centers. Workers also have multiple pay types, and multiple tax states for employees can be easily managed. Enhanced Payroll for Accountants allows any number of voluntary and involuntary deductions, including insurance plans, 401(k) contributions, garnishments, loans, cafeteria plans, union dues, charitable allotments and other third-party payments. Payroll groups can be set up for employees paid at different frequencies, including weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, monthly or yearly. Specific features for accounting professionals include client-ready reports and an auto-fill preparer ID that automatically populates the primary signature, and third-party designee and paid preparer information on any tax forms, state and federal, including all customer contact information.