Going With Gusto

Part of being a CPA is getting really excited about things like innovative payroll platforms. We’ve seen a lot of businesses running their employee payments on a variety of systems and right now, there is a clear winner for us.

Gusto is a relatively new payroll processing platform on the scene, but we are liking what we see.

If you’re in a position where it’s time to pick a payroll service, here are a few reasons why we feel like Gusto should be at the top of your list.

New, but not Amateurs

While Gusto may be a new name to some, they’ve actually been in business since 2012. They came onto the scene as ZenPayroll and in the last decade, have processed billions in payroll and served over 100,000 businesses across the country.

Competitive Pricing

As far as we can tell, Gusto gives you the biggest bang for your buck. They offer several financial services to help you run your business. Many companies are often paying for multiple services in an “a la carte” attempt to cover their needs. With Gusto, there is an “all-in-one” approach that we think is bound to save most small businesses money and time.

Automation

Automation is such a game-changer for any small business. Most operate their small and medium-sized businesses on a very lean staff, so any system that will handle things automatically tends to be a huge benefit. And Gusto has automation galore.

• Reporting new hires: Did you know you’re supposed to report every new hire to the government? It’s true. But Gusto will do that for you when you input a new employee into the payroll system.

• Tax processing: While some payroll systems require you to initiate that process, Gusto does it for you.

• Payroll on autopilot: Obviously you’re doing this to support your payroll needs so you should go with a system you can essentially “set and forget” which you can with Gusto.

• 1099s issued on your behalf: If you are working with contractors then you know those 1099s have to go out on time to avoid penalty. And, you guessed it, Gusto sends those forms automatically. 

Whether it’s your marketing, inventory, or payroll, the more things that a business owner can hand over to an intelligent software system, the better. Automation means flawless execution with little to no effort. If you are someone who particularly dislikes the money management side of business, a service with maximized automation is ideal. 

Auto-Sync to QuickBooks Online

If you are working with QBO already, Gusto’s integration with the world’s premier bookkeeping service is an incredibly useful crossover. All your payroll data going through Gusto will communicate back to QBO and make for smooth reporting. You won’t have to double down on your efforts whatsoever with these two programs talking to each other seamlessly.

Time Sheets, Reimbursements, and Digital Paystubs

Gusto offers a whole host of employee-connected aspects as well. From logging time to reimbursing mileage and auto-emailing paystubs, the system ensures that the information you need from employees and the information they need from you, with regards to pay, is all in one space.

Employee-led Data Entry

For a long time, employees provided their employers with data and then the employer (aka you) had to submit that information to their payroll system. The employee-led data entry allows your employees to fill out their own payroll info which not only saves you time entering but also helps reduce errors.

Smooth Software, Excellent Customer Service

In our experience, Gusto is a very intuitive platform that even the most tech-resistant business leaders feel comfortable using. But even if you do get stuck, we’ve found that their team is top-notch when it comes to customer service. They are helpful and knowledgeable in handling any challenges that might arise. 

They also offer a free migration service to anyone transferring from another payroll system to Gusto. A helpful addition if the main reason you’re resisting a switch is due to the work involved with moving everything from an existing service. 

Properly managed payroll can save companies money, make things much smoother come tax time, and (with proper automation in place) take manual tasks off a busy business owner’s hands.

We are an affiliate of Gusto and can earn commission on a sale, but that’s not why we rave about it. We encourage our clients to use this service because, frankly, we feel it’s the best one out there. And after seeing it function well for clients for years, we think it’s a system just about any business can benefit from. We wouldn’t recommend it if we didn’t feel 100% confident in the services they are offering.

We’ve seen a lot of clients not only save money by switching but also improve the quality of their payroll management. Our biggest goal for you is to make your finances not only visible, but useful to you. The cleaner the systems you use are, the better you can interpret data that will have a long-term impact on your overall growth and success. If you are also able to automate tasks that are currently on your plate, that just means you’ll have more room for creativity and innovation in the areas that need your attention most. If you need more support in managing your small business finances, Beam Financial Group is here to help.