CompuPay –– XpressPayroll for Accountants

From the September 2009 Review of Professional
Payroll Programs

CompuPay offers several online and PC-based payroll systems for businesses
of all sizes, including options that allow for accountant management and access
to client reporting. The vendor’s web-based XpressPayroll for Accountants,
however, is specifically designed for use by professionals managing their client’s
payrolls, with strong user security settings, direct deposit, employee self-service,
automated tax filing and payment, and support for all states for any number
of business clients with 10 or fewer employees. CompuPay also offers Xpress-Payroll
co-branded with the accountant logo and colors along with a Partner Portal where
they can manage their accounts from a single secure login. Pricing for XpressPayroll
is billed on a per business flat fee per month basis. A client with 10 employees
paid biweekly would cost approximately $50 per month, inclusive of all direct
deposits and compliance filings for federal and one state.

DATA ENTRY & KEY FEATURES:
As an online system, XpressPayroll for Accountants opens within a browser to
a master client selection list. After selection of a client, the program opens
into an attractive page with tab-like links across the top to the key function
areas of payroll, employees, reports, check printing and the system’s
GL export utility. Each of these areas provides additional text links to specific
tasks, such as adding new employees or setting up or editing their deductions,
tax information and direct deposit. Within the employee function area, an employee
list appears as a menu, with employees sorted into active, terminated, on-hold
and incomplete, the latter being for employees whose data is not sufficient
to process payroll for them. Data entry on these screens is performed on simple
web-based forms that include selection lists and the ability to quickly drilldown
into deduction settings, direct deposit accounts, pay rates and other information.

When preparing to run a payroll, the system automatically populates hours
worked with default information set up in each employee’s records. Payroll
data entry and review is performed on summary screens that present all employees
in that payroll run on a single screen. These screens allow quick entry or editing
of employee time, overtime, commissions and bonuses. Employees can be salaried
or hourly, but all for a single client must be on the same payroll frequency.
After entry, the system offers an on-screen pre-transmission report that provides
detailed pay, deduction, tax, net and gross information and allows direct editing
from this screen. Without running payroll, users can also perform gross-ups,
net pay, alter W-4 deductions and perform other tasks using the program’s
various calculators.

XpressPayroll includes the ability to grant client employees online access
to their own paystubs and historical W-2s. The system also includes an online
library of common employment forms, while a web-based payroll resource guide
is available to help less experienced users access and understand payroll laws
and regulations. Tax compliance functions are managed by CompuPay as a part
of subscription pricing.

REPORTING CAPABILITIES:
The reporting functions in XpressPayroll concentrate on traditional managerial
output, including payroll summaries, earnings, deductions, check registers,
direct deposit, and labor and taxable wages reports. All re-ports can be saved
to Word, PDF and HTML formats. Compliance reporting is handled by Compu-Pay
as a part of the service, with the vendor handling filing and payment, as well
as W-2 production and mailings.

INTEGRATION/IMPORT & EXPORT:
In addition to output options in Word and PDF, XpressPayroll includes an easy-to-use
GL export function that outputs to common file types, including QuickBooks-compatible
format.

RELATIVE VALUE:
XpressPayroll for Accountants is a very easy program to master, with payroll
processing functions taking only a few steps and setup of employees easy to
understand. The system is geared toward professionals servicing small business
clients (five to 20 employees) with non-complex payroll requirements, but offers
integrated direct deposit and hands-free reporting and tax payments, since these
tasks are handled by the vendor.

2009 Overall Rating: