{"id":8471,"date":"2023-08-08T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-08T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/?p=8471"},"modified":"2026-01-15T11:29:34","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T16:29:34","slug":"how-employee-self-serve-features-can-reduce-payroll-admin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/how-employee-self-serve-features-can-reduce-payroll-admin\/","title":{"rendered":"How employee self-serve features can reduce payroll admin"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/category\/accountants\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Accountants<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHow employee self-serve features can reduce payroll admin\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2023-08-08T09:30:00-04:00\">August 8, 2023<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"How employee self-serve features can reduce payroll admin\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/how-employee-self-serve-features-can-reduce-payroll-admin\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/author\/rogerpierce\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2021\/10\/rogerp.png\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Roger Pierce Author\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Roger Pierce<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Managing client payroll is an increasingly popular move for accountants and bookkeepers looking to grow their practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While employee payroll runs are an essential business function, most busy business owners are keen to outsource it. In fact, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/payroll.ca\/getmedia\/5cc7b191-b1fa-4b6e-9ac9-002b1f3f1637\/CPA-Future-of-Payroll-FINAL-DRAFT-(web).pdf\">recent study<\/a> commissioned by the Canadian Payroll Association, 55% of small organizations are already fully or partially outsourcing their payroll process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When offered in addition to your core accounting and tax services, payroll management can be a lucrative and recurring source of revenue for your firm. You can offer payroll services to your existing clients who don\u2019t want to manage payroll in-house, as well as use the service as a lure to attract new accounting clients looking for a full-serve shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may understandably be concerned about the additional workload on your practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks to cloud-enabled features like an employee self-serve portal, modern software such as Sage Payroll makes it really easy to take on payroll responsibilities for your clients and earn extra revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read this article to learn more about the benefits of employee self- serve payroll apps and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/accountants\/products\/sage-payroll\/\">online payroll solutions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-an-employee-self-serve-portal-and-how-does-it-work\"><strong>What is an employee self-serve portal and how does it work?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An employee self-serve portal is a secure, online HR application where your clients\u2019 employees can submit their time worked, request time off, and modify their personal information with just a tap of the screen or click of a mouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A self-serve portal simplifies the payroll process for employees, clients, and payroll administrators by enabling each party to enter or manage data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The feature is usually offered as part of a subscription to payroll or HR management software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For client employees, the app lets them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Login and enter their work hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Update their bank account information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose how they get paid (by e-Payment including digital cheque or direct deposit).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Request leave, and more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Both the client and the administrator control who has access to the portal and can add or remove users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the account administrator, the app is a powerful tool that can reduce the amount of time it usually takes to process employee information and payroll runs, because some of the work and responsibility is passed to the client and their employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/accountants\/products\/sage-payroll\/\">cloud-based Sage Payroll<\/a>, you\u2019ll get instant access to the Sage HR employee self-serve app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-the-benefits-of-an-autonomous-employee-portal\"><strong>What are the benefits of an autonomous employee portal?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The main benefit is time savings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An autonomous online employee portal will save considerable administrative time because administrators won\u2019t need to manually enter employee hours from timesheets. The portal also helps reduce entry errors as employees are very careful to accurately enter their hours worked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Benefits of the portal include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No more manual timesheets\u2014employees can enter their work hours directly into the application.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Employees can access their own pay information online anytime, anywhere\u2014which can reduce the number of inquiries received by the payroll administrator.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Employees can login to the portal from any device, including smartphones\u2014all they need is internet access and a web browser.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Because employees can be paid electronically, using the HR app can help eliminate printed cheques (and the associated work to print cheques, sign them, stuff in envelopes, and send to each employee).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As your client\u2019s business grows, modular per-seat pricing makes it easy and affordable to add employees to the system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The Sage HR app is a convenient solution for everyone involved in the payroll process\u2014employees, managers, and accounting professionals. It\u2019s included with a subscription to Sage Payroll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-about-sage-payroll\"><strong>About Sage Payroll<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For busy accounting professionals, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/accountants\/products\/sage-payroll\/\">Sage Payroll<\/a> makes it easy to process each payroll run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The cloud-based software does that by automating time-consuming HR processes. Once hourly pay or salaries are entered in the system, the software handles source deduction calculations automatically and releases payment to employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of the things Sage Payroll can do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Generate accurate T4, RL1 and other statutory forms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Produce remittance reports easily.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Individual and accurate journal entry postings with seamless integration with Sage Accounting when processing payroll and paying your employees.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide greater financial insight with payroll and HR dashboards that display relevant information immediately to help make informed decisions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Save time and minimize errors by running reports directly in the software.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Sage Payroll includes basic HR functionalities for free (such as leave management and time tracking) while delivering an integrated HR solution to meet all of your clients\u2019 needs. The employee self-serve HR app is included with each subscription to Sage Payroll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As cloud-based software, subscribers enjoy benefits such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Remote access from any location on any device.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Subscription flexibility to add or remove users (great for clients running seasonal businesses).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Best-in-class data encryption and security.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Automatic software updates to keep you update to date on the most recent tax legislation and product features.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pay per seat pricing so you can buy only what you need.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Option to add-on additional Sage HR functions to meet client needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/accountants\/products\/sage-payroll\/\">Sage Payroll<\/a> gives you everything you need to process all your clients&#8217; pay runs and manage their HR-related processes. You can rely on the software to support your move into HR-related client services and capture additional revenue streams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts\"><strong>Final thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Being in the cloud facilities all kinds of exciting and convenient features for users of financial software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because Sage Accounting integrates with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/accountants\/products\/sage-payroll\/\">Sage Payroll<\/a>, you may find the biggest benefit of cloud-based software is the ability to seamlessly sync payroll and HR data into your accounting solution. With a full view of your clients\u2019 financial picture, you\u2019ll be able to provide deep financial insight and generate reports containing real-time information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Integration of accounting and payroll software also eliminates manually transferring data from one software product to another. That will significantly reduce entry errors that can result in payroll inaccuracies and unhappy clients and employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re thinking about offering a payroll service for your clients\u2014or looking to upgrade your existing software with a cloud solution, be sure to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/accountants\/products\/sage-payroll\/\">select a product that can deliver the efficiency, value, and flexibility<\/a> you need to best serve your clients and continue to build your practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"#gate-e5443569-e24b-41d3-80c3-138b3da08b60\">Download your free e-book: <strong>10 questions accounting professionals ask about cloud-based payroll<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"cta-content__title\">Get a roundup of our best business advice in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-8949a954-88b2-43bb-8b8a-77c53eb34350\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A self-serve portal simplifies the payroll process for employees, clients, and payroll administrators by enabling each party to enter or manage data.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1310,"featured_media":8129,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[146,14,22,124,16,9,21,25],"tags":[165,170,171,173,184,195,199],"business_type":[6],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[61],"coauthors":[324],"class_list":["post-8471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accountants","category-compliance","category-employing-people","category-free-guides-templates","category-growth-customers","category-long-term-planning","category-paying-people","category-technology-innovation","tag-bookkeeping","tag-change-management","tag-cloud-technology","tag-compliance","tag-electronic-payments","tag-making-financial-decisions","tag-payroll","business_type-accountants"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ca","author_name":"Roger 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