By Stephanie Elsen

I work for a company that has been developing, distributing and supporting payroll software since 1979. As part of my job, I monitor the terms people use to search the internet for payroll programs and services. At the time of writing this, around 3,600 people per month* search for the term “free payroll software”. I find it simply amazing that businesses try to find a free tool for such an important function. The stakes are high! Getting employees paid` and tax payments done correctly (and on time) are important to employees and the government. The penalty for filing taxes late or incorrectly can be severe. Paying employees late or incorrectly, well you know that’s just not good. If you got a vehicle for free and didn’t want to pay any money to keep it up, fill it with gas, get the oil changed and maintenance done regularly, how long do you think it would last? Well, in fact without putting gas in the car, it would probably quit running by the end of the week. What would happen to a payroll program, if somebody created a payroll program, put it out there for FREE, for people to download, and didn’t support the program after the sale was made?

Computer operating systems would still change.

Microsoft® is always working on and improving their operating systems, and as time goes on, the older operating systems become obsolete (and un-supported) and the newer operating systems take their place. Software needs to keep up with the changes and upgrades to operating systems, or it will not continue to operate properly.

Tax requirements and tax tables would change.

More and more states are requiring business to file taxes electronically. When government entities make requirements like this, payroll processing systems must adapt, or their software won’t meet the needs of its users and will become obsolete. Similarly, payroll tax rates change by state, and those rates need to be used correctly by employers. How will you process payroll if the tax rate changes haven’t been updated?

Technology would advance.

W-2s used to be filled in with a typewriter and pay used to be limited to printed checks. Now W-2s can be done on your printer, and checks can be deposited directly into bank accounts. Technology is always changing. If your payroll system doesn’t remain current, you will not be able to take advantage of things that can help your processes and make employees happy.

You would need help.

There are many things to think about when it comes to payroll, and payroll processing. Some programs are easier to use than others, but as your business grows and adapt, you will have questions along the way. It is crucial to have a support team available to help you with questions on setting things up in the system so they work correctly, help troubleshooting a problem, or just help with using the system.

Updating, maintaining and supporting a payroll program takes time and resources. Those things cost money. So the next time you see the term ‘FREE payroll software’, it’s a good idea to ask the vendor how they keep the program up to date and how they support the software users, without charging them any money.

*Data comes from Google AdWords Keyword tool. Global monthly searches with exact match keyword.

Forbes provides IRS tips for those outsourcing their payroll.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/irswatch/2013/07/17/new-irs-fact-sheet-tips-for-employers-who-outsource-payroll-duties/

By Stephanie Elsen

An accounting program can be a lot like a car. When you first buy a new car, it’s all shiny and new and hums along the highway smoothly. You probably enjoy that new car with the window down, a smile on your face, arm out the window and the wind in your hair. Who wouldn’t? And then one day, something gives out. Maybe it’s the engine or perhaps the battery dies. What do you do when this happens? Do you keep driving it anyway? The answer is ‘no’. You can’t continue to drive without an engine or a battery.

The situation is similar when the accounting software program you’ve been using for your business does not keep up with your business needs. Oh sure, everyone loved it at the start! They used the shiny new program to enter their respective data day after day; financial reports were run and distributed. Taxes were filed, and financials were managed. Things were great! And then *POOF*, one day you realized things were getting more difficult. Maybe you had two physical inventory locations but your program only let you manage one, resulting in a confusion about where in-stock items were located. Maybe you needed a key piece of information on a financial report which was unavailable for you to add. Or maybe your method for managing local taxes was getting far too time-consuming. Most probably, it was not one thing but many different things all together that made you notice your system could no longer keep up with your business.

I know, I know. You hate change, and so do your employees. You don’t want to find something new because switching is painful, and there are very few who enjoy it. But accounting programs cannot last forever. Use accounting software long enough to manage your business, and you will eventually outgrow its feature set.

If the accounting program you are using to run your business is starting to be that old rusty car with bald tires and a loud whirring noise while driving above 35mph, it’s time to look for something new. Yes the process of finding something new might be a little time-consuming, and yes it will cost you some money, and yes your employees might complain. But when the transition is complete, your business will prosper and have that *new car smell*, and you can rest easy again for a nice long time.

Make your accounting software program search easier with these tips:

Use these to help you find the right software:

• Advice from peers in a similar industry to yours.
• www.findaccountingsoftware.com
• www.Capterra.com
• www.accountingsoftware411.com
• Your accountant’s advice.

Take advantage of these resources to make the transition easier:

• A plan for who does what for the transition.
• Training for all employees involved.
• Easy-to-use resources for users to find answers as time goes on.

I work for an accounting software company, Red Wing Software. Our product CenterPoint Accounting Software can help meet the needs of your growing business, especially if you are outgrowing a basic accounting program. We offer resources to ease every single step of your transition. Click to learn more about Red Wing Software’s Accounting Software Programs for business, agriculture, nonprofits and municipals.

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My name is Larry Kirkpatrick, and I work in the Technical Support department at Red Wing Software. I have worked for Red Wing Software two different times: from 1981-1985, and then I came back in 1997 and have been here since then. The quality of the people I work with and service at Red Wing Software is incredible and I think it shows to our customers. I still talk to customers today who I talked to back in the 1980s. I am married and have two kids. My son Ian is 30, and my daughter Keli is 27.

When I am not working, I love to spend time with family and friends and my two dogs Kiska, a yellow lab, and Will, my boxer who has been a challenge since he was born deaf. One of them has to go everywhere with me. I also have a passion for rebuilding old cars and motorcycles, or as my wife says, ‘anything with a motor’. My wife and I have had an exciting past year. In June, my daughter was married, and two weeks later we decided to sell our larger family home and downsize to a smaller one with more property. We are finally settling in and enjoying our new home.