Choosing the right payroll software program is incredibly important. One of the best ways to ensure you’re making the right choice is to write out a list of questions about payroll software programs. These may be questions that you ask software companies directly or ones you answer yourself through research.

These questions should be on essential topics like the program’s features, whether a free trial is available, whether the software company provides training, what the customer support is like, whether regular updates will be released and what the program’s price point is. You may also need to consider other things depending on your company’s specific needs.

Read on to learn more about the questions you should ask when looking for a payroll software program.

What features does the program offer?

Perhaps the most critical question businesses should ask when looking for a payroll program is about the features they offer. It is essential to look for a payroll software program that provides more than just the ability to calculate employees’ wages or salaries.

Leading payroll software programs also have time sheet features. Additionally, a good payroll software program should help companies pay out benefits in addition to wages and salaries.

Is there a free trial?

It is vital to ask payroll software companies whether they offer a trial. In many instances, payroll software companies advertise their free trials. Sometimes, software companies will only provide a free trial to prospective customers who contact them and ask for it.

Free trials are necessary because they allow your company to learn more about the program’s features and see how they can use them on a day-to-day basis.

Does the software company offer training?

Payroll programs can be very complex. If you are considering a specific payroll software package, you should ask the software company if they offer training. Many payroll software companies offer training for new users of their software.

Even if a specific payroll software package is user-friendly, training will allow your employees to fully use all the program’s features. While finding a payroll software company that offers training may not be an absolute necessity, it is certainly one factor your company should consider when looking for the right payroll program.

What is the customer support like?

Many companies in the market for payroll software programs focus on the program’s features rather than customer support. While the features of a program are undoubtedly important, the level of customer support offered by the software company is absolutely vital. As previously mentioned, payroll programs can be complex.

Your employees need to be able to reach out to the software company’s customer support team with any questions they have. It is also vital that the customer support team get back to your team members quickly with a helpful and informative response.

Every software company is going to claim it has great customer service. The only way your company can truly get an answer to this question is by testing out the software company’s customer service yourself.

Will the company release regular updates?

Most software companies these days operate on a software-as-a-service basis. This means that you pay for an ongoing subscription to the software rather than paying for the program once. While this can result in a more expensive program, it could also mean your payroll software is constantly being updated and upgraded.

It is essential to ask the software company about its update schedule. You may want to look elsewhere if you have to pay a monthly subscription and the company does not regularly upgrade and enhance its software.

What is the program’s price?

Of course, you need to determine the price of a software program you are considering. You should first figure out whether you have to pay one time or for an ongoing subscription.

However, this should not necessarily be the most critical factor in choosing a payroll software program. Selecting a better payroll software program over a cheaper program will enable your company to save more money and be more profitable in the long term.

Other things to consider

Your business may have particular specific needs based on the industry you’re in and how your company operates. For example, if your business works with many freelancers, you may want a payroll software program that makes it easy to pay freelancers.

Consider the specific needs of your business rather than the general needs of any company looking for a payroll software program when looking for the correct payroll application.

Questions to Ask Before Getting a Payroll Software Program

Choosing the right payroll software program is incredibly important. One of the best ways to ensure you’re making the right choice is to write out a list of questions about payroll software programs. These may be questions that you ask software companies directly or ones you answer yourself through research.

These questions should be on essential topics like the program’s features, whether a free trial is available, whether the software company provides training, what the customer support is like, whether regular updates will be released and what the program’s price point is. You may also need to consider other things depending on your company’s specific needs.

Read on to learn more about the questions you should ask when looking for a payroll software program.

What features does the program offer?

Perhaps the most critical question businesses should ask when looking for a payroll program is about the features they offer. It is essential to look for a payroll software program that provides more than just the ability to calculate employees’ wages or salaries.

Leading payroll software programs also have time sheet features. Additionally, a good payroll software program should help companies pay out benefits in addition to wages and salaries.

Is there a free trial?

It is vital to ask payroll software companies whether they offer a trial. In many instances, payroll software companies advertise their free trials. Sometimes, software companies will only provide a free trial to prospective customers who contact them and ask for it.

Free trials are necessary because they allow your company to learn more about the program’s features and see how they can use them on a day-to-day basis.

Does the software company offer training?

Payroll programs can be very complex. If you are considering a specific payroll software package, you should ask the software company if they offer training. Many payroll software companies offer training for new users of their software.

Even if a specific payroll software package is user-friendly, training will allow your employees to fully use all the program’s features. While finding a payroll software company that offers training may not be an absolute necessity, it is certainly one factor your company should consider when looking for the right payroll program.

What is the customer support like?

Many companies in the market for payroll software programs focus on the program’s features rather than customer support. While the features of a program are undoubtedly important, the level of customer support offered by the software company is absolutely vital. As previously mentioned, payroll programs can be complex.

Your employees need to be able to reach out to the software company’s customer support team with any questions they have. It is also vital that the customer support team get back to your team members quickly with a helpful and informative response.

Every software company is going to claim it has great customer service. The only way your company can truly get an answer to this question is by testing out the software company’s customer service yourself.

Will the company release regular updates?

Most software companies these days operate on a software-as-a-service basis. This means that you pay for an ongoing subscription to the software rather than paying for the program once. While this can result in a more expensive program, it could also mean your payroll software is constantly being updated and upgraded.

It is essential to ask the software company about its update schedule. You may want to look elsewhere if you have to pay a monthly subscription and the company does not regularly upgrade and enhance its software.

What is the program’s price?

Of course, you need to determine the price of a software program you are considering. You should first figure out whether you have to pay one time or for an ongoing subscription.

However, this should not necessarily be the most critical factor in choosing a payroll software program. Selecting a better payroll software program over a cheaper program will enable your company to save more money and be more profitable in the long term.

Other things to consider

Your business may have particular specific needs based on the industry you’re in and how your company operates. For example, if your business works with many freelancers, you may want a payroll software program that makes it easy to pay freelancers.

Consider the specific needs of your business rather than the general needs of any company looking for a payroll software program when looking for the correct payroll application.