Patriot Payroll Review

As a business owner, you have a lot on your plate. Patriot Payroll offers to take payroll services off your hands by providing you with an easy-to-use program with a slate of bells and whistles. Here, we take a closer look at what Patriot Payroll has to offer and help you decide if it's the payroll system you've been looking for.

Patriot Payroll(Patriot Payroll) from Patriot Software is an easy-to-use payroll software designed for small businesses.

The software is available in two versions, Basic and Full-Service, with both versions offering free payroll setup, free direct deposit, and a free employee portal.

Who is Patriot Payroll for?

Small but growing businesses seeking an affordable payroll system may benefit from Patriot Payroll. In addition to handling all initial payroll setup and data entry, Patriot Payroll provides small businesses with an automated payroll process, taking that responsibility off leadership's plate.

The basic version of Patriot Payroll is suitable for very small businesses. However, fast-growing businesses that need someone to handle federal, state, and local payroll taxes will want to upgrade to the full-service option.

Patriot Payroll's features

Free direct deposit

Patriot provides qualifying customers with free two-day direct deposit, so employees are paid on time. The software also makes it easy to handwrite or print checks if that's your preference.

Multiple pay rates

Patriot Payroll offers the option to add up to five pay rates for each hourly employee. This is a convenient feature if you routinely cover overtime or holiday pay.

Workers' comp integration

Partnering with AP Intego, Patriot Payroll provides free pay-as-you-go workers' compensation integration. Once set up, AP Intego uses your payroll information to calculate premiums, make payments to your insurance carrier, and submit all needed paperwork. For some small business owners, it's nice to know they won't be hit with one large workers' comp bill at the end of the year.

401(k) integration

Through its partner Vestwell, Patriot offers free 401(k) integration and walks you through the easy process of setting up the retirement plan for your employees.

Easy software integration

Patriot allows you to seamlessly integrate its payroll program with other programs you regularly use, including time and attendance, HR, accounting, and workers' compensation.

Mobile friendly

The 100% online, mobile-friendly program allows you to run your accounting or payroll directly from your tablet or smartphone. You'll never need to waste storage space by downloading an app.

No long-term contract

With Patriot's monthly pricing system, you can cancel anytime without penalty.

Full-Service Feature: Year-end payroll tax filings

Full-service customers can lean on Patriot when it's time to:

• File year-end payroll tax filings
• File and deposit federal payroll taxes
• File and deposit state payroll taxes
• File and deposit local payroll taxes
• File year-end 1096-MISC for contractors

Patriot guarantees accuracy, promising to cover all penalties and interest if it makes a mistake.

Patriot Payroll's ease of use

Patriot Payroll(Patriot Payroll) is a great solution for small businesses, particularly those that have never run payroll before. The payroll dashboard offers easy access to complete payroll processing, where you can also add a new employee or view all current employees.

A vertical menu bar to the left of the screen displays all of the features available in Patriot Payroll, including any optional modules such as Time and Attendance and Human Resources.

When you enter a new employee, you can add pay information, taxes, and advanced tax settings, along with deductions and contributions as needed. The entire payroll process is easy, with limited data entry needed in order to process payroll; even if you're not using the Time and Attendance module.

When you're ready to run a payroll, just access the Run a Payroll feature, enter employee hours and overtime, and move to the next step, which provides an overview of payroll totals. Once payroll is approved, you can choose to run payroll immediately or come back later to complete the process.

Patriot Payroll Customer Support

Customers with questions can access free, U.S.-based support via phone, email, or chat -- whichever is most convenient. Whether you have a question about a product or service or aren't sure your account is set up right, there's someone available to help. According to Patriot, the company's mantra is "leave no customer behind."

Pros

• Affordable payroll solution: Whether you're just starting out in business or have been in operation for years, you probably always have at least one eye on the budget. Patriot Payroll provides a robust menu of payroll services at an affordable price.
• Fast setup: According to those who use Patriot Payroll, setup is fast and easy, and if you do have questions, customer service is there to provide answers.
• Minimal data entry required to run payroll: Many small business owners spring for a payroll service because they would rather spend their time seeing to other aspects of the business. The fact that little needs to be done on your end to run Patriot Payroll is a time-saving benefit.

Cons

• Unlike some programs, Patriot Payroll does not include benefits management: Patriot partners with other companies to provide workers' comp and 401(k) support but does not manage employee benefits.
• Does not offer 24/7 customer support: If you're the kind of person who works (and worries) in the middle of the night, it may be tough to wait until morning to contact customer support. Patriot's customer service hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
• Payroll tax service is only available with the Full Service plan: Although Full Service costs $20 per month more than the Basic plan, it's one more expense that you'll have to plan for.

Deciding if Patriot Payroll right for your business

Patriot Payroll is easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and scalable as your company grows. If you're looking for software that is focused almost exclusively on payroll issues, Patriot may be the right choice for you.

If you're unsure if Patriot Payroll is right for you, the company offers a free, no-obligation 30-day trial. If you like what you see, give Patriot a call to get set up.

If you need a program that covers everything, from payroll to accounting and human resources, you won't find it here. However, Patriot Payroll can be easily integrated into software that provides those services.

Thanks to the 30-day trial, though, you have a risk-free opportunity to see for yourself how much easier Patriot Payroll can make your life.