By Stephanie Elsen

Have you ever wondered how you can save yourself some time during payroll processing? Well, if you are currently entering time from time cards by hand, there is surely a better way. Investing the time in setting up parameters and using your payroll software to import that time is definitely worth the effort, and will likely pay itself off the first time you use it! (Please note that importing from a time clock requires the use of an electronic time clock capable of outputting a file compatible with your payroll software.)

Setting up a time clock import in your payroll software basically consists of setting up a routine for the time clock to communicate with the payroll software. This routine you set up is called a time import definition. It tells the time clock (or other time collection device) which fields to import and bring into your payroll software. Once you set up your import definition and get it exactly how you want it to be, you can then import the time seamlessly each time you run payroll.

Red Wing Software offers time import as an add-on purchase for CenterPoint Payroll Software. If you don’t use CenterPoint Payroll, ask your provider if a time import function is available.

Intro By Stephanie Elsen:

Red Wing Software Payroll Programs use Aatrix as a provider of payroll tax reports and filing options. This feature is integrated directly into the payroll programs. Payroll tax reporting is a crucial component of payroll software which can have a direct impact on your processes. We checked in with Bruce Senti of Aatrix this month, and in this post he shares survey results and other information about customers using Aatrix.

By Bruce Senti:

Aatrix has asked their customers opinion on their performance every year for six years. The response has been amazingly consistent. Below is a brief comparison of desired features in a W-2 eFile solution and the responses to the 2012 Aatrix W-2/1099 eFile survey.

The best measure of overall satisfaction of any service is whether customers would recommend that service to other businesses. 93% of Aatrix’s customers say they would recommend the service to others.

W-2 eFiling solution.

Processing W-2s is one of the most important requirements businesses face every year. It is the time of year many payroll administrators dread for obvious reasons.

Complete W-2 eFiling services can eliminate most of the pain associated with processing W-2s in-house. In the past these services were provided by payroll service providers and were often very expensive. The addition of complete eFile services to many payroll software solutions has made this option very affordable, and offers significant efficiencies to small businesses.

What to look for in a W-2 eFile solution.

When determining whether a complete W-2 eFile solution is the right choice for your business, there are key features to look for.

The solution should be integrated with or connect to your payroll software to improve the ease of processing W-2s and the accuracy of the filings. Getting set up for the service should be simple and easy to complete. The process should be easy to follow and understand. Below are the results of the 2012 survey of Aatrix eFile customers. The results were compiled from over 1800 businesses that responded to the survey conducted in April 2012.

• 97% of Aatrix’s customers agreed that the Aatrix solution worked well with their payroll software.
• 95% of Aatrix’s customers agreed that the Aatrix process was easy to understand.
• 95% of Aatrix’s customers agreed that the Aatrix enrollment process was easy to understand and complete.

The service must be affordable. Typical in-house cost of processing W-2s is from $3.85 to $4.35 per employee. This cost includes processing time, forms, envelopes, and postage.

98% of Aatrix’s customers agreed that the Aatrix solution is affordable.

Many of Aatrix’s customers offered comments regarding their experience with their W-2/1099 eFiling experience with the Aatrix solution. The following are a few of these unedited customer comments from Red Wing Software users:

• “WONDERFUL!!!! It's great to have this at my fingertips since at this time of the year when all the taxes need to be sent out there is so much more going on. Whether it is personal or work related it's a huge pile of things that NEED to be done. So Aatrix was a life saver this year!!!”
• “LOVE IT!!!”
• “We found that overall the prices were very affordable.”
• “I could do it myself but because the value is there and the price is reasonable I continue to use Aatrix.”
• “With the prices you charge a person would be silly to do it on their own when you add up your time, stamps, ink, paper etc.”
• “I love this service. It saves me hours every year over the old way we used to do it!”
• “I have never had a problem, it is fast and easy and along with all the year end taxes and stress, this definitely was the easiest part.”
• “Time saver and definitely a user friendly system!”
• “I was hesitant at first but realized how much easier it was to have you do it. We winter in AZ so very efficient for me to do. Quick and easy.”
• “This makes payroll processing in house extremely economical and so easy! We put in the data and Aatrix does all the work. It's great!”
• “Aatrix takes away the headaches of printing my own tax forms.”
• “Aatrix is a great way to e-file W-2s. Quick, easy & economical.”
• “I have never gotten the service I get at Aatrix anywhere else. The people totally ROCK!!!!!”

by Stephanie Elsen

CPA Practice Advisor has released its 2012 Review of Professional Payroll Systems. Only ten systems were reviewed this year, and Red Wing Software's CenterPoint Payroll was one of them! Read the complete review by clicking on the link below!

CPA Practice Advisor 2012 Review of Professional Payroll Systems

by Stephanie Elsen

As an accounting and payroll software development company, we talk to customers everyday who are looking to make data entry processes more efficient. Thankfully Red Wing Software products have the capability of helping in various ways. Use these features to avoid data errors and increase data entry efficiency!

Time Clock/Time Capture Tools

Using time clocks or other time capture tools can decrease the amount of time spent processing payroll. Instead of entering data by hand, you import the data that has been collected in the time clock or other device, directly into your payroll software. You can map the fields of information you need to import to your payroll software, so that only the information you desire is imported along with the time.

Copy from Previous and Recall

When entering new information into the system, make use of the recall, recurring and copy functionality instead of entering the data manually. These tools provide a way for you to copy from data that’s already in the system. Consider how many similar transactions, employees, customers, and more that you enter over the year, and you will see why this is such a time-saving feature!

Mass Update

If there is a piece of information you need to update for a wide variety of records, you can use the mass update function to save significant time! One example is the updating of vendors to be marked as 1099 vendors. If you need to update several vendors at once, use the mass update tool! It allows you to see a list of vendors available, pick from a list which ones to change, and then make those changes all at once. The same update function is available for employees, customers, vendors and other master files.

Whether you are using Red Wing Software or other accounting and payroll software, using these functions can save time and make your work more efficient!

Thinking about ways to improve your payroll processes? In this post we have uncovered some ‘hidden gems’, features within CenterPoint Payroll Software that you may not currently be using, but that can help you and your business. These are features that our customers and the Red Wing Software support team have described as valuable, yet you may not be aware they are available. They are actually not at all hidden, but readily available within the program for you to use!

1. Reminders Set up reminders in CenterPoint Payroll to help keep you organized and on time! Set up a reminder to pay your taxes when they are due, change the status of an employee’s benefits after a certain time period, and much more.
2. Electronic Publish Pay Advice The publish pay advice function provides a secure Web site where employees who receive pay via direct deposit can view an electronic version of their pay check. Employees can quickly access their current and previous pay advice information from any computer that has a connection to the Web. Employers save time, reduce paper waste and decrease the costs associated with mailing pay checks and direct deposit pay advices. (The Publish Pay Advice module is available for purchase as an additional option for CenterPoint Payroll.)
3. Customizable Transaction Entry Make transaction entry much easier by only stopping on fields where you enter data often. CenterPoint also allows you to add, remove and sort columns on the transaction entry screen for quicker and easier entry.
4. Customizable reports You have the ability to pull out the information you need, whether requested by auditors, management, or others. CenterPoint Payroll makes it easy with the ability to modify reports, or even create a custom report from scratch. No need to be a programmer; the custom report tools are built for all users!
5. Time Import If you are storing your time information in one place, and re-entering that data into CenterPoint Payroll, you may want to check out the Time Import function. You can map out exactly which fields of information you want to import, save it as a custom import for just your needs, and then use it every time you want to import pay information. This is a huge time saver! (The Time Import feature is available for purchase as an additional option for CenterPoint Payroll.)

Wondering how to get started using these hidden gems? Call today and we will be happy to help you! 800-732-9464.