We work in whatever payroll and HR system a client already has, and we have no referral deals with any vendor. That gives us a useful vantage point: we see the same systems succeed at one company and frustrate another. The software is rarely the problem. The fit is.
Here is how to choose a system based on your workforce instead of the demo.
Start With Your Workforce, Not the Feature List
Before you look at any vendor, write down the facts that will make or break the fit:
- Headcount today and in two years. Some platforms are built for 10 people, some for 1,000.
- How many states. Each state adds withholding, unemployment and often paid leave programs.
- Hourly and shift work. Overtime, differentials, split shifts and multiple pay rates need strong time and attendance.
- Locations and departments. Multi-site employers need reporting and approvals by location.
- Industry reporting. Skilled nursing facilities need clean PBJ exports. Construction may need certified payroll. Restaurants need tip handling.
- Who will run it. A system built for a full HR team can overwhelm an office manager.
What to Evaluate
Payroll accuracy and tax filing. Does the vendor file and pay federal, state and local taxes, and does it take responsibility for penalties caused by its own errors?
Time and attendance. Native or integrated? How are overtime and differentials calculated? Can managers approve timecards on a phone?
Benefits. Can deductions flow from enrollment to payroll automatically? Does it connect to your carriers, or will someone re-key elections every year?
Onboarding. Can new hires complete W-4s, state forms, I-9 section 1 and policy acknowledgments before day one?
Reporting. Ask to see the actual reports you need, not a dashboard. Labor cost by department, overtime by manager, turnover, PBJ hours if relevant.
Implementation and support. Who sets it up, how long it takes, and who you call when payroll is due in two hours.
Questions to Ask in Every Demo
- Show me how you would run payroll for an employee with two pay rates, overtime and a shift differential.
- Show me how a benefit change in enrollment becomes a payroll deduction.
- What does implementation include, and what will we have to do ourselves?
- Who is our support contact after go-live, and what is your response time on payroll day?
- How do we export all of our data if we leave, and in what format?
- What is the total cost per employee per month, including time tracking, benefits, onboarding and year-end forms?
Contract Red Flags
- Auto-renewal with a long notice window. Some contracts renew automatically unless you cancel 60 to 90 days ahead.
- Implementation fees with no defined scope. Get the setup tasks in writing.
- Per-feature pricing that grows quickly. Time tracking, onboarding and ACA reporting are often add-ons.
- No clear data export. Your employee history should leave with you.
- Price increases after year one. Ask what renewal pricing looks like.
Plan the Switch Before You Sign
The best time to switch is at the start of a quarter, and ideally the start of a year, so tax filings and year-end forms come from one system. Plan for at least one parallel payroll, where you run the old and new systems side by side and compare every paycheck. Our payroll switching guide walks through the full process.
Where King & Co. Helps
We help you define requirements, sit in on demos, review contracts and run the implementation, then train the person who will own it. Because we work in every major system and sell none of them, our only interest is the right fit.
Book a free 15-minute call and tell us what you are using today.
Josh runs HR, payroll and PBJ support for employers across New England and New York, from five-person offices to multi-building nursing home groups. He works in every major payroll system and answers the phone personally.
Book 15 minutes with Josh