Payroll Setup
Get your payroll configured correctly from the start. We handle the setup and train you to run it yourself.
What This Is
You’ve made your first hire and suddenly need payroll. Or you’re switching from handwritten checks to actual payroll software. Either way, the setup is where things get tricky. Tax IDs, withholding rates, employee classifications, Arkansas-specific requirements. Miss something during configuration and you’ll find out about it months later when a notice arrives.
This service gets your payroll system configured correctly so you can run it yourself going forward. We handle the technical setup, connect everything to your QuickBooks, register for any tax accounts you’re missing, and train you on processing pay runs. You end up with a working system and the knowledge to use it.
The Configuration
The Configuration
Register for Arkansas state payroll tax accounts if you don’t have them. Set up federal and state withholding correctly. Create employee profiles with proper classifications and pay rates. Connect bank accounts for direct deposit and tax payments. Integrate with QuickBooks so payroll expenses flow into your books automatically.
The Training
The Training
Walk through processing a complete pay run from start to finish. How to add new employees or update someone’s pay rate. Handling situations like bonuses, reimbursements, or final paychecks. Enough hands-on practice that you can run payroll confidently on your own without calling for help every time.
Why This Matters
Payroll configuration errors don’t announce themselves. You process payroll, employees get paid, everything seems fine. Six months later a notice arrives from Arkansas DFA saying your withholding rates were wrong. Or an employee’s year-end W-2 shows errors because they were classified incorrectly from the start. These problems are much harder to fix after months of incorrect filings.
Then there’s the anxiety of running payroll when you’re not confident in your setup. Every pay period you’re wondering if you did something wrong. Did I handle overtime correctly? Is this employee actually exempt? Should I be withholding something I’m not? The software doesn’t explain these things. It just asks you to make choices and assumes you know what you’re doing.
Setup Mistakes
Setup Mistakes
Wrong tax jurisdiction selected. Incorrect workers’ comp classification. Missing a local withholding requirement. These don’t cause obvious errors when you click submit. They cause notices and penalties months down the road when agencies catch the discrepancy and want back payments plus interest.
The Uncertainty
The Uncertainty
Should this person be W-2 or 1099? What’s the difference between exempt and non-exempt? How do I handle tips or mileage reimbursements? Payroll software presents dropdown menus without explaining the consequences of each choice. Making the wrong selection has real costs you won’t discover until later.
What Changes
Your payroll system works correctly from the first pay run. Withholdings calculated accurately. Tax deposits scheduled automatically. Employees classified correctly for unemployment and workers’ comp. Everything flows into QuickBooks in the right categories. You’re not hoping it’s right. You know it’s right because someone who does this regularly set it up for you.
When you hit a question three months from now, you have someone to ask who actually knows your setup. Not a support line where you explain your situation from scratch to someone reading from a script. Someone who configured your system and can give you a direct answer quickly.
Confidence from Day One
Confidence from Day One
Running payroll becomes routine instead of stressful. Enter hours, review the numbers, approve the run. Direct deposits go out, taxes get paid, records update in QuickBooks. You’re not second-guessing every step or wondering what you might have missed.
Ongoing Support
Ongoing Support
Questions come up as you go. How do I handle a mid-year raise? What if someone needs to change their withholding? How do I process a final check for someone who quit? You can reach out and get answers from someone familiar with your specific setup instead of starting from scratch with a generic help line.
Northwest Arkansas's Dedicated Bookkeeping Partner
The Next Step:
A Quick Conversation
Tell us about your business and where you need help. We'll listen, ask a few questions, and give you a clear plan and honest price.
