Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Accounting Suite vs. Stand-alone Payroll Software

It can be quite daunting to choose whether you need an accounting suite or stand alone payroll software for your company. There are several payroll systems available that can take care of business needs ranging from small business to larger enterprises. All you need to do is to take a look around and make the right choice. You can choose from accounting suite such as Peach tree, QuickBooks, etc. If you are small business owner and has limited knowledge of computer and finance, stand alone software, such as ezPaycheck payroll software from halfpricesoft.com, may be a better choice.

Step 1: Assess Your Needs

Most of the payroll systems are fast affordable and easy to use. However, you need to assess your own requirements before you make a serious purchase. If you own a small company, you can opt for standalone payroll software. However, you can still opt for ones that can be integrated into your existing HR or accounting software in your organization.

Step 2: Establish Budget

After you assess your needs, shop around for payroll software available in your budget. Remember, that it is worth spending a bit more to get payroll software offering all the features rather than cutting down on costs and doing small jobs manually. This way you would end up spending more man-hours that could have been easily saved by one time investment.

Step 3: Different Options

Weigh your options from different payroll systems. You can take your pick from the ones that suit your requirements and compare the prices. You can also check out various options available with the local vendor. You may also find a good bargain or he may also help you with training with the software.

Step 4: Trial Version

Ask for trial version of the desired software. You can easily get them from the manufacturer's website on the internet or CD from the local vendor. Make sure you test the trial version enough before making a serious purchase.

Step 5: Make a Purchase

You can download your program and purchase your license key online . Usually, you can get your software registered in several minutes.

TIPS

1. Be sure to check for any hidden charges while making the purchase. You may need to pay annual charges for updates.

2. If you own a very small firm or run your own business then it is easy to manage stand alone accounting software as ezPaycheck. However, if you have large payroll requirements you can buy one that can be easily integrated in to your existing accounting or employee management software

3. Test drive trial version of your software efficiently. Firstly, you should be very comfortable with the GUI and should be able to handle it on your own even before you make a purchase.