It's no longer a secret. Forward-thinking ag retailers are increasingly using the Internet to run their businesses.

For retailers searching for online services that can streamline administrative chores, it might be a time to take a look at online payroll services.
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Simple and Reliable

Would anyone like to have a simple, reliable and economical way to process and distribute payroll in minutes? Of course. Every ag retailer knows the pain of payroll. Keeping up with all the changes in payroll regulations and withholding tables can be a full-time job. Getting it right is somewhere between a challenge and a nightmare.

Worse yet, if mistakes are made, employees and the IRS will not be happy. Indeed, the IRS indicates that 40 percent of all small businesses are fined for payroll errors - the average fine is $845.

When value of time is factored in along with the prospect of penalties for potential mistakes, processing payroll internally can be very expensive, and it definitely makes sense to outsource.

Still, for some ag retailers, the notion of outsourcing payroll raises the fear of incurring substantial expense and losing control. But the payroll industry has changed for the better recently and ag retailers are finding that outsourcing payroll via the Web makes good sense.

More Convenience

Historically, outsourcing payroll meant you needed to call in payroll on a predetermined day and time. Business owners inconveniently had to jump away from important tasks to call in payroll.

Some payroll providers offered software solutions, allowing data to be entered locally and sent in via modem. While this represented a step forward in terms of convenience and control, the software was too complex, designed to handle the payroll needs of large corporations like IBM rather than the simple needs of small businesses.

The new breed of outsourced payroll services overcomes these deficiencies by offering simple Web-based interfaces. The business owner controls the process, not visa versa. Payroll can be processed anytime, anywhere - when it's convenient.

With SurePayroll's offering, for example, all you need is a Web browser and an Internet connection. Once you enter your payroll data, SurePayroll automatically calculates, deducts, pays and files all taxes. Payroll can be completed in just a few short minutes.

And there's an added bonus. Since the retailer enters the data and views the results in real time, there's no worry about a data entry clerk making errors when information is given on the phone.

Multiple Outlets

An ag retailer with multiple outlets can set up each store as an individual account or set up multiple stores under one account. There's no need to be at every location on payday since everything is handled electronically. Not having to send paper checks and reports back and forth between your multiple locations and the accountant can lead to significant savings on shipping and administrative costs.

Regardless of how the account is configured, a "real-time" preview feature ensures that the payroll administrator will always know the exact amount that will need to be in the bank account prior to payroll processing. If the payroll administrator wants additional information, he or she can drill down on any employee to see detailed payroll information.

Employees can access their payroll history online and print off pay stubs directly. There is no need for them to go to accounting people to get payroll information. When they need other information to apply for a loan or rent an apartment, they can simply go online and retrieve the information. Such time-savings add up, giving employees more time to spend on tasks that directly enhance the value of the business.

For retailers who are considering outsourcing payroll for the first time or looking for a new provider, it's a good time. There's a level of competition in the payroll industry that didn't exist previously. For ag retailers, that translates into good prices for online payroll services.

The bottomline for ag retailers? New outsourced online payroll solutions on the market can save time and money. More importantly, the retailer controls the process.

Michael Alter is a Senior Vice President at SurePayroll, a leading national provider of Web-based payroll services. SurePayroll's simple per-payroll fees include payroll processing, all tax filing and payment, quarterly reports, and more. Visit www.surepayroll.com for more information or call (877) 954-SURE.

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