Payroll
2019 Review of Gusto Payroll
Gusto is a cloud-based payroll application that is best suited for small to mid-sized businesses. Gusto is also a good solution for accounting firms that offer payroll to clients. Gusto can be accessed from any type of device including desktop ...
Oct. 17, 2019
From the 2019 review of professional payroll systems.
Gusto is a cloud-based payroll application that is best suited for small to mid-sized businesses. Gusto is also a good solution for accounting firms that offer payroll to clients. Gusto can be accessed from any type of device including desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smart phones.
Along with payroll, Gusto also offers a variety of add-on options including a Team module to assist in employee onboarding, a Benefits module, which offers users access to a variety of insurance options designed for small businesses, and HR Experts, which gives users access to HR guides, law alerts, and questions answered by HR professionals.
Gusto supports an unlimited number of payrolls, and can handle flexible payment schedules, multiple pay schedules, multiple pay rates, as well as garnishments, reimbursements, and unlimited bonus and off-cycle payroll.
Gusto offers completely automated payroll capability, with users able to set payroll to run automatically for any or all pay periods. The Gusto dashboard offers easy access to all payroll features, with a menu bar to the left of the screen, and a series of reminders and alerts populating the rest of the dashboard. Access to all clients is available from the user interface, a time saver for firms running payroll for multiple clients.
Gusto also automates the tax process, with all local, state, and federal payroll taxes automatically filed and paid. In addition, the product also issues year-end W-2s and 1099s, and can handle tip credits for minimum wage employees.
Gusto offers a good selection of payroll related reporting including a Payroll Summary report, a Payroll History report and a Contractor Payment History report. Summary reports include a Payroll Journal, Employee Summary, Benefits report, and Contractor Payments. All tax related reports are also available in Gusto. Reports can be downloaded as a CSV file for exporting, or saved as a PDF.
Mentioned earlier, Gusto offers optional HR tools, time tracking capability, employee onboarding, and a benefits option. In addition, Gusto also integrates with numerous third-party applications including FreshBooks, Xero, QuickBooks Online, Aplos, TSheets, TimeTracker, Expensify, and Receipt Bank.
One of Gusto’s best features is the Paperless Onboarding process, which is completed by the employee, allowing them to enter personal and contact information as well as direct deposit details. Accounting firms can also assign a portal to each of their clients to enable them to easily access payroll information and even enter employee time.
Gusto offers a variety of HR tools and resources for those purchasing the Concierge Plan, which offers HR resources including templates for creating an employee handbook, proactive alerts specific to each state, and diversity and discrimination training and guides. One-on-one advising from HR professionals is also available. The Benefits feature offers access to various health insurance plans as well as 401(k) plans, flexible spending accounts, and health savings accounts.
Gusto’s Help Center offers a searchable knowledgebase, as well as a variety of payroll categories that contain step by step instructions designed for new users. An FAQ page is available and users can access a variety of support tools from the resources page that were created with the small business owner in mind. Toll free telephone support is available during regular business hours, and users can also contact Gusto support directly from the application as well as via email or chat. As an added bonus, accounting firms that use Gusto are assigned their own partner advisor at no additional cost.
Truly designed for small businesses, Gusto offers three plans; Core, Complete, and Concierge. The Core plan is for smaller businesses with just a few employees, and currently has a $39 base price, along with a $6 per employee charge. The Complete plan also includes PTO policies, time tracking and employee offers and onboarding and currently runs $39 a month with a $12 per person charge. The Concierge plan is a good choice for businesses that need HR support. The Concierge plan is currently $149 per month, with a $12 per employee charge, and includes complete payroll processing along with the HR Resource Center as well as access to certified HR professionals available to answer questions. Those interested in Gusto can also download a free 30-day demo.