For businesses already using online accounting services, it’s not hard to imagine the benefits of adding online payroll services to the mix. Xero, a New Zealand-based international company now offering its cloud-based accounting services in the U.S., has just announced adding a payroll feature to its own software.
Payroll in Xero, as the new service is called, won’t be a separate feature. In fact, Jamie Sutherland, President, Xero U.S. says the new feature is built as a part of the existing software.
“It’s connected. It was designed to work seamlessly together,†Sutherland says.
Payroll in Xero Features
The payroll services are nothing new in accounting software. Some distinguishing features set Xero’s new payroll software apart, according to the company they include:
- Special security to make sure employee information remains private.
- No double-entries between the accounting and payroll solutions, payments made are automatically deducted on the accounting side.
- Automatic processing of time off requests in employee apps.
- Automatic calculation of vacation time to determine what is owed should an employee depart the company with time accrued.
Xero Stresses Ease of Operation
The new payroll feature will be included on all but a single introductory package of Xero’s software. A simple payroll tab will launch the payroll feature.
“That’s one hallmark of Xero. We want to make everything simple,†Sutherland explained.
In the U.S., the software is immediately available in California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Utah and Virginia and will gradually come on line in other states.
The company will hold introductory sessions for bookkeepers and accountants to get them acclimated to the new software.
As of September, Xero had 85,500 customers in New Zealand, 79,100 customers in Australia and 30,100 customers in the U.K. The company opened for business in the U.S. just two years ago and currently has about 100 domestic employees. About 16,600 additional customers are located mostly in the U.S.
Images: Xero
