Quickbooks Guide - Top 5 Payroll Services

Intuit Quickbooks Guide

Get a look at Intuit Quickbooks and how it can handle your payroll needs in our guide before you sign up for one of the three plans.

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Pros:

Clean and easy to use interface
Lots of built-in support
Streamlines the payroll process
Support for federal and state taxes
Automatically creates reports to save you time and money

Cons:

Expensive
Lacks some of the custom features that others have
Charges more for 1099 reports and support

Though more expensive than some of the other payroll processors out there, Intuit Quickbooks has many features that customers like, including same-day direct deposits and built-in support. It comes with a one-month free trial and access to a mobile app. Intuit Quickbooks will also pay any late fees you incur if it makes mistakes with your taxes.

What is the Intuit Quickbooks?

Quickbooks is a type of software available from Intuit that replaced old and outdated accounting software. When first released, it became the top software of its type and captured 85% of the market. Though it has more competition today, it remains popular as Intuit continues updating the software and adding new features. The 2020 version now includes three levels that you can select from based on your payroll needs and features that let you create and send batch invoices and set up payment reminders.

Features and Services

You can’t look at the top features and services of Intuit Quickbooks without looking at the tax help that it provides. Not only will Quickbooks determine how much your workers should pay in their taxes, but it will automatically deduct that money from each check and send it to the proper government department. With the Tax Penalty Protection, you get more protection than others offer. Intuit promises that if you face any penalties when filing your taxes due to the software that it will pay those fees for you.

Another top feature is the automatic payroll setting. During the initial setup, you’ll answer questions about how many employees you have and how much they make along with their schedules and the number of hours they work. Intuit Quickbooks will automatically run the payroll at the times that you set and send checks to employees. It can send their checks to the bank accounts they have or to a card they list as well as issue paper checks. Thanks to same-day direct deposits, employees will never worry about when they’ll get paid. The software ensures that their checks arrive the same day that you release the payroll.

An additional bonus of using Intuit Quickbooks is that you get support from real-life human resource professionals. They offer guidance to help you hire the best people for your open jobs and find worthy candidates. You can turn to those experts for help writing job postings or listings and when you need help deciding how much to pay new and current employees.

Setting up Intuit Quickbooks is easy too because it lets you focus on one employee at a time. When you add a new worker to the system, it will ask you for the person’s name and other identifying information such as a social security number. You can add any deductions that the individual has, including the price that the employee pays for health insurance or a 401(k) contribution. It also allows you to enter any garnishments that will take money out of the person’s check. You can also add any matching contributions that you offer, which will go directly into that employee’s retirement account.

Who is This for?

Intuit Quickbooks is the best payroll processor for those who cannot afford a full accounting department and those who want access to convenient features. It is also a good choice for those worried about what the future holds, especially regarding their taxes. Thanks to the Tax Penalty Protection, Intuit guarantees that you won’t pay a dime if you use the software and make mistakes with your taxes. The company will pay any fees or penalties that you get.

How it Works

With Intuit Quickbooks, you can watch a demo to see how it works or purchase the software right away. You have the option of viewing the available features and seeing how they can benefit you based on whether you do freelance work or have a small or mid-size business. With the test drive option, you have the chance to see Intuit Quickbooks in action and view how it can help a basic company.

Intuit Quickbooks offers additional support once you become a customer too. You can watch video tutorials that show you how to use each feature. These tutorials walk you through the steps to make sure that you understand how you can do similar things in the office. With the free webinars, you’ll get answers to any questions that you have. These sessions take place every few days and include experts talking about what you can do with Quickbooks and some of the features that you may avoid or ignore. Tax deductions, time tracking, mileage tracking and payroll reports are just some of the things that you can do with Intuit Quickbooks.

Pricing

Intuit Quickbooks offers three different plans that include help and support for business owners. The cheapest of those plans is the Plus plan, which usually costs $70 a month. When you sign up now, you pay only $35 a month for the first three months. The Plus plan works with third-party apps and has tools for paying employees and independent contractors. Up to five people can share and use this plan.

For only $150 a month, you can sign up for the Advanced plan, which can support up to 25 users. You qualify for a discount when you sign up today, which reduces the price to only $75 a month. Advanced users receive time tracking and inventory tools as well as tools that help them estimate reports and organize their receipts. The most expensive plan is the Enterprise Gold Edition. A discounted price of $188 a month is available that drops the price from more than $313 a month. This special pricing lasts for 12 months too.

Customer Support

Full customer support is available from Intuit Quickbooks for anyone who needs help. Before contacting the customer service department, you should visit the website and view the FAQ section. You’ll find tutorials designed for helping you understand the process of setting up the software on a Mac or Windows computer and using the features. When you send an email or use the contact form, you will get a response by the following business day. Intuit Quickbooks also lets you reach customer service representatives over the phone at (800) 446-8848.

Final Verdict

Though you have many options when it comes to payroll support, Intuit Quickbooks is one of the leading choices. Some use it because they purchased older versions of the software and appreciate its top features, but others use it because they want an easy way to view payroll data and issue paychecks. You can manage your federal and state taxes with the software and add any garnishments that your workers have. If you can afford the high price tag, Intuit Quickbooks is worth it.