I’ve recently been having a bit of trouble keeping up with all of my employees and their time worked; after all, it’s not always easy when you’re the one and only boss. I decided to do some investigating into software programs, apps – whatever I could use to make the entire process easier. In the end, I settled on apps, and boy is I glad I did because they’ve made a world of a difference. In fact, after I came across this article of the top 10 payroll apps on a website called AppGrooves, I realized there were way more of them out there than I ever anticipated.
I decided to group some of my favorites into different types of payroll apps and list them below with their pros and cons so, hopefully, you don’t have to spend a ton of time extensively searching the internet as I did.
- Employee Status Reports
Employee status reports offer real-time alerts when employees approach overtime limits and can prevent employees from cheating the system and punching in for their coworkers by setting device restrictions and identifying IP addresses.
Apps: TSheets Time Tracker, OnTheClock
TSheets Time Tracker enables you to instantly monitor and keep track of your team’s work. You have the ability to access real-time employee status reports as well as what employees are clocked in, the projects they are working on, and even where they are. You can also re-assign shifts and set alerts and messages to send to employees when the need arises. Just know that employees need to keep the app open on their phones in order to receive your messages, so it’s important to communicate this.
OnTheClock has a robust design and simple interface that make it easy to use regardless of the size of your team. You can also set fingerprint requirements in order to access the app as an extra security measure. Plus, you have the ability to know who is clocked in and where each employee is by getting live-status reports sent directly to you. The only negative I have to add is that if you have trouble reading the small print, you may find it hard to read what is on the screen.
- Tracking Expenses
Track expenses by simply snapping a picture of your receipt and saving on time and paperwork. Make all of your work more streamlined and easily see costs in a single glance.
Apps: Paycom, HoursTracker
Paycom gives you access to loads of employee data including past and present pay stubs, performance reviews, benefits, and tax returns. Not to mention, you’re also able to clock your time and submit for approval for time-off requests like those for vacation and medical appointments. It would be good to note that if you’re looking for an app that offers shortcuts to the features you use most, Paycom does not offer any; you will have to enter the app to select the features you want to use.
HoursTracker offers quick and easy time entry as well as time editing so you can easily keep track of your employees’ hours. You can also establish job locations and employees can get clock-in and clock-out reminders when they both arrive and leave so they remember to punch in and out. Not only that, but there are also alerts for when employees have reached their target number of hours per day. It is important to know that HoursTracker does not have a feature to organize jobs under specific clients, so if this is something you need, you may want to look elsewhere.
- Keeping Track of Multiple Jobs
Make easy calculations in just a few taps and track payroll for multiple jobs in one place. Avoid complicated options and get select an app with simple, easy to understand features you can use on one or more jobs.
Apps: Calculate Work Hours
Calculate Work Hours lets you both log in when you arrive at work and log out once you’re finished, making tracking the hours you work much easier. You are also able to make notes and set reminders to track things like your travel so you can know exactly what you’ve done for each job. Plus, the format to input information is simple and the interface is incredibly easy to use, so you can record your hours in record time. Unfortunately, you don’t have the ability to input your breaks in the system, so you will have to do these calculations by hand.
Conclusion
Completing payroll now that I have these apps is nowhere near a headache it used to be and for that, I am extremely grateful. Now, I know some of you out there are going to be like me and want to do some of your own research, so I’ll include a link to the top 10 list I referenced so you can take a look at it for yourself.
Best Apps for Processing Payroll
Who knows, maybe you’ll find another great app that I didn’t manage to include on this list! Whatever the case, completing payroll will certainly be less of a challenge.