2012 Review of RUN Powered by ADP Payroll for Accountants

ADP, Inc. — RUN Powered by ADP Payroll for Accountants
855-408-3751
www.accountant.adp.com

From the October 2012 review of professional payroll systems.

Best Firm Fit: Accounting professionals looking to provide full service payroll options to small businesses with 100 or fewer employees and prefer a web-based interface

Strengths

• Internet-based to achieve anytime, anywhere payroll processing
• Integrates with most accounting software currently used by small businesses
• Phone and e-mail support is provided and on-demand help is accessible from virtually every screen
• Fully outsourced compliance filing and tax payments
• Scalable to meet the growing demands of client needs
• Enables accounting professionals a solution that helps their clients to comply with payroll and HR rules and regulations

Potential Limitations

• Employee self-service portal is not as fully-featured as competitors
• Add-on modules required to achieve full HR and employee management functions

RUN Powered by ADP Payroll for Accountants is a wholesale platform designed specifically for accounting professionals. The RUN platform is designed exclusively for Internet-based payroll processing and may be implemented across a wide range of industries. Backed by ADP, one of the premiere online payroll vendors, extensive marketing materials are provided to aid accounting professionals in generating a payroll service revenue stream.

Basic System Functions: 4.5 Stars

RUN Powered by ADP Payroll for Accountants is part of an Internet-based payroll service platform designed for businesses with 100 or fewer employees. Since the service is wholly web-based, ADP secures client data through the latest encryption techniques as well as being mirrored and backed up in duplicate sites

User login controls may be tightly controlled to only allow access to certain clients or tasks. Upon login, users are presented a client listing, which may be searched and filtered to select client data files. Navigation through the system is generally intuitive and is provided through a series of category tabs at the top of the screen with category specific tasks presented on the left part of the screen. The system is multi-user capable and users can access client data concurrently, but editing of information is limited to one user at a time.

Payroll processing is accomplished in two easy steps. The first step involves time entry which is accomplished by manual data entry by the client or accounting professional. The second step allows the accounting professional to preview the payroll for validation before finalizing the payroll. After that, ADP takes care of all tax compliance reports and payments of all federal, state and local liabilities.

Direct deposit is included with the full service payroll offering and ADP will process this on behalf of the client. Each employee may have up to four separate bank accounts setup for direct deposit. ADP checks or direct deposit may be available on the next business day as long as the payroll is submitted to ADP on the day prior by 3pm local time.

Pay cards are available instead of direct deposit, but a small charge will apply to the cardholder for each employee payroll card. In addition to the full-tax filing service, accounting professionals can use the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) service, and help their clients remain compliant by submitting the tax payments, filings and pay data themselves. The DIY platform offers electronic payment and filing of tax forms for both federal and state jurisdictions.

ADP offers several optional add-ons to further enhance RUN Powered by ADP Payroll for Accountants. One of the more popular add-on modules is HR411, which offers a live HR help desk and serves as a self-service human resource management function.. Additionally a host of information is provided to employers regarding various support, administration and compliance aspects.