Payroll
2019 Review of Accounting CS Payroll
Accounting CS Payroll from Thomson Reuters is part of the CS Professional Suite. Accounting CS Payroll is designed for accounting professionals that handle payroll processing for clients, and can be used as a stand-alone application, or in conjunction ...
Oct. 17, 2019
Accounting CS Payroll
Thomson Reuters
From the 2019 review of professional payroll systems.
Accounting CS Payroll from Thomson Reuters is part of the CS Professional Suite. Accounting CS Payroll is designed for accounting professionals who handle payroll processing for clients, and it can be used as a stand-alone application, or in conjunction with other Accounting CS applications for greater product functionality.
Accounting CS Payroll offers flexibility from the beginning, with the choice of on-premise or hosted deployment. In addition, a mobile app for both iOS and Android smartphones and tablets can be used with NetClient CS Portals, which is what both clients and their employees will use in order to access payroll information.
The Payroll Home Dashboard can be accessed from within Accounting CS; providing users with access to all payroll related information such as tax filing due dates, tax payment information, and a tax calendar. A complete list of payroll clients is also easily accessible from the dashboard, allowing users to manage all clients from a single location.
Accounting CS Payroll offers users a variety of payroll entry options, including a batch entry for entering large amounts of data, or a tab entry option. Both clients and client employees can enter time data into Accounting CS Payroll if provided with system access. The application supports an unlimited number of payment types, deductions, and employer items, and supports multi-state payroll as well. The product also includes after-the-fact payroll capability, and tax tables are included for all 50 states. Accounting CS Payroll handles all federal, state, and some local tax forms, including W-2, W-2C, 940, 941, 941-X, 943, 943-X, 944, 945, 1099, and 1099 Corrected. Electronic filing is available for all federal and state forms where electronic filing is authorized. Local tax forms for AL, CA, CO, KY, MI, MO, NJ, NY, OH, PA, and WV are also supported, with the application automatically generating all necessary forms and remittances by the specified due date.
Accounting CS Payroll offers excellent reporting capability, with a variety of report templates available that can be used to create custom reports for clients. Payroll reports available include Cash Requirements, Employee Earnings, Deduction Register, and a New Hire List. Commonly run reports can also be bundled and sent to clients on a regular basis. A custom report designer is also available in Accounting CS Payroll. All reports can be exported to Microsoft Excel for further customization or saved as a PDF.
Accounting CS Payroll supports numerous time clock applications including SwipeClock, TimeRack, QQest, Kronos, Sierra Computer Solutions, and Restaurant Magic, with users able to import time clock data in ASCII or XML formats directly into the application.
Accounting CS Payroll offers seamless integration with Accounting CS as well as other applications in the suite. Access to various partner products such as payroll debit cards, time clock integration, workers’ compensation, and even employee background checks is available as well.
The Employee Self-Service feature allows clients and their employees to easily access payroll related data including both historical and current check stubs, enter personal information, and access year-end documents such as W-2s, while the Remote Payroll Entry option, mentioned earlier, allows clients and their employees to enter time information directly into the application, even from a mobile device, with users receiving an email when client payroll information has been added. Using the NetClient CS Portal, firms can also upload checks as a PDF directly to their client, allowing them to print checks on-site.
Accounting CS Payroll offers toll-free technical support during regular business hours, with extended support available during tax season. Users can also request support directly from the application or the CS Professional Suite website and connect to the Thomson Reuters community; an online resource center. Various training options are available, including on-demand training, custom training, web training, and classroom training. HR functionality is available through HRAnswerLink, an optional online reference tool that offers information and resources on payroll, HR forms, state laws, and templates to create employee handbooks.
Accounting CS Payroll is a great fit for accounting professionals using other CS Professional Suite applications, though the application can be used as a stand-alone payroll solution if desired. Those interested can download a free-trial of the application to use prior to purchasing, or contact the vendor directly to obtain a custom quote for their firm.