How to Make Your Payroll Paperless

Make paper checks a thing of the past.

“Going green” is a phrase that businesses are using to tout their commitment to eco-friendly practices. Never before have companies both large and small, looked for ways to go easy on the environment. If you’re a business owner, you may wonder how you can do your part to maintain a greener business. One way is to adopt a paperless payroll system. Gone are the days when you have to fill in time sheets. Such a massive waste of paper was once the standard for most companies. However you can cut massive waste and go green with a paperless payroll system.

Things You'll Need

• Payroll software

Instructions

1. Buy a software program that automates your payroll. There are very well known software programs that can do away with all paper to calculate the time of your employees. Software programs like Kronos and Peachtree can also calculate the payroll taxes of your employees; again, this is all done electronically so it is totally paperless. You can also use the ever popular Quickbooks, if you have a smaller business or company.

2. Offer direct deposit to all employees. Employers who want to succeed in achieving a paperless payroll system should provide direct deposit forms to all employees, set a required deadline for enrollment. The option of direct deposit or required automatic payment provides a perfect opportunity for any accounting department to maintain accurate records of payroll payments without using and keeping loads of paperwork. Employers are encouraged to provide a 24 to 48 hour enrollment deadline for all employees to ensure the proper authorization steps can be taken by the accounting department. Many organizations require the employee to provide bank authorization information or direct deposit authorization information to be completed during the initial hiring process.

3. Meet with your accounting team to stress the importance of going paperless. When your team knows and shares your passion, it is much easier to implement new processes and procedures. Take time to convey how going green will also benefit and save the company money. Funds that may be passed along to the very employees who are aiding in the paperless efforts. After you meet with your core team, put out correspondence to your entire group of employees that speak to the new “green” initiative. Here again, getting everyone on board and showing employees how the new procedures could impact them positively, will also make things run smoothly.

4. Contact a software specialist to inquire about the options available, based on the demands of your business. The benefits of a payroll paperless program exceed the expectations of most employers. However, employers seeking further information on enrollment should make sure to have a software specialist in their corner. Software options can provide the opportunity to customize hours of operation maintenance, employee work activity and payroll information. You’ll want to know which programs will work best for your company’s size and needs.

References

• Intuit Small Business
• Kronos: HR & Payroll
• Sage Peachtree