Positives
- Customizable pay grid
- Multiple third-party integrations
- Security measures
- Included HR features
- Automated tax compliance
- User-friendly dashboard
Negatives
- No free trial
- Confusing pricing
Payroll management is a vital part of any business and can be time consuming without a reputable service provider to help you. Originally from Canada and one of the biggest companies in the industry, Deluxe Payroll expanded to the U.S. in 2016. The company offers a customizable payroll solution that adapts to the structure of your business, with enhanced security protocols that safeguard confidential financial information. Deluxe focuses on a paperless and automated experience, providing modern software with an impressive set of features, including HR services like hiring, onboarding, and employee management. Alongside this, detailed payroll reporting is easily accessible for both employers and employees. And you won’t be overwhelmed with the many add-ons, as the user-friendly interface means anyone can master the system without needing intensive training. Still, Deluxe Payroll manages to have customizable and affordable pricing plans, with an additional 90-day user satisfaction guarantee.
Features
Deluxe focuses on customer satisfaction by providing total flexibility and control over payroll management. The company understands how important this is to any business and delivers a remarkable set of features. Even better, it’s not a problem if you already have a payroll system as the platform syncs with your current provider.
First-time users will grasp Deluxe Payroll’s functionalities in the blink of an eye. By using the online portal MyPayCenter you can easily manage all payroll tasks from a single control panel. The initial setup involves adding your employees’ information and customizing the pay grid. The latter is an excellent way to keep track of hours worked, payments, earnings, and leave pay accountability, even though worked hours and paid time off are also calculated automatically in the payroll. Likewise, filing taxes is entirely automatic through Deluxe’s onboarding software, capable of handling any benefits deductions enrollment, as well as W-2, W-4, and 1099 withholdings. The company does all the hard work regarding tax compliance by keeping track of legislation changes. It also has tax filing professionals to ensure your business doesn’t get any fines or penalties for non-compliance.
Bonus HR Features
“HR and payroll services are better together,” claims Deluxe, and we couldn’t agree more. Even the cheaper plans come with the essential HR features, such as digital hiring, reports, and support from HR professionals. Additionally, Deluxe facilitates the hiring process, allowing you to post job listings on over 25 websites with one simple click. Then, it welcomes new employees to your company through a self-service onboarding process, with dedicated training from start to finish. Last but not least, the Time and Attendance feature is also one of Deluxe’s highlights. It includes auto-scheduling, a time tracker with real-time notifications, and a drag and drop system that lets employers create new shifts or update existing ones.
Payouts
It’s all about being paper-free with Deluxe Payroll. By setting up a direct deposit, you can pay your employees directly into their bank account, with funds immediately becoming available on payday. There’s no risk of losing, misplacing, or giving a paycheck to the wrong person, as the software eliminates possible human errors.
Of course, pay cards and paper checks are also an option if your team members still prefer a physical payment method. Generated paystubs are accessible by employees through Deluxe’s self-service portal and show a list of wages, taxes, and voluntary deductions. The company knows that payouts are at the core of any payroll service and so delivers a hassle-free and convenient process for both sides. It even allows you to sync up your pay cycles and create custom rules for a more fluid payment setup.
Mobile
Despite MyPayCenter being entirely browser-based and having no desktop version, Deluxe offers a mobile app for iOS and Android. The app provides almost all features but is especially useful for time tracking, where it performs exceptionally well. So you can manage your team’s schedule wherever you are through some simple clicks on your phone. Furthermore, it lets you run payroll, attendance, and annual reports with any date range, with its custom reports feature. You can then either print, email, save as PDF, or export them to Excel.
Naturally – like most mobile versions – Deluxe’s app has its downsides since it’s almost impossible to implement all features on a much smaller screen without losing the intuitive interface. Here, Deluxe opted to keep the user-friendly experience at the cost of losing some minor HR features. It’s worth noting that the app also has some minor bugs, but not enough to ruin the overall experience.
Integrations and Extra Services
As previously mentioned, Deluxe comes with helpful HR features that improve your company’s overall workflow. Still, it has many more features up its sleeve. Software integration possibilities are almost endless, so dealing with point-of-sale systems, employee compensation, and 401(k) administration is intuitive and straightforward. Truthfully, Deluxe offers so many third-party integrations that the process of choosing which ones you want can be overwhelming.
Its compatibility options include accounting software like Quicken, Peachtree, and Quickbooks, along with single sign-on services, such as G-Suite, Microsoft, Slack, and LinkedIn. We recommend seeking advice from a Deluxe representative on what integrations are best for your business when discussing your customizable quote. The Deluxe TimeWorks feature proves very useful for keeping track of your team’s work, schedule adjustments, paid time off, and holiday hours while remaining compliant with current labor laws. But that’s not all, as Deluxe’s impressive list of add-ons continues, even covering workers’ compensation premiums.
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, Deluxe asks its users to fill out a contact form to negotiate costs and conditions. So it’s hard to be precise about the prices since they change depending on your company’s size, location, and desired add-ons. Additionally, the payment structure is flexible, allowing for billing once or twice a week or month. However, Deluxe’s website presents three annual plans (billed monthly) in the form of default packages: Lite, Blended, and The Works.
Starting at $39 per month plus $7 per team member, the Lite package includes the full payroll service and only some HR essentials, such as reports and professional support. The Blended plan is the opposite, focusing on HR features and offering few payroll options, and increases the monthly price to $49. Finally, The Works combines the two plans into one complete package, containing almost all the features Deluxe Payroll provides. Surprisingly, the monthly cost is only $39, but the price per team member goes up to $12.
Although it doesn’t provide a free trial, Deluxe does offer a tremendous 90-day customer satisfaction guarantee – if the product doesn’t meet your expectations, you get a complete refund. On top of this, there are no cancellation fees for any of the plans – default or customized – as you can terminate your annual contract any time with no additional cost.
Customer Service
We had mixed feelings regarding Deluxe Payroll’s customer support. Although you can contact the company through the toll-free number – available on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Standard Time – the company only lets you schedule a meeting to resolve your issue later. This feels a bit underwhelming, considering Deluxe’s other products have a dedicated 24/7 live chat. Likewise, its FAQ page feels small, having generic questions but missing more specific topics. The standard email option is available, usually taking more than a day to get a response unless you’re requesting a quote. If that’s the case, you get an answer in a matter of hours. On the bright side, all the representatives we got in touch with were professional, helpful, and experts in the subject.
Deluxe’s reach on other platforms is impressive, given the company’s extensive and frequently updated blog, as well as its presence on social media. Despite the latter being mainly used to share new products and events, you can still contact them via Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. To top it off, Deluxe’s YouTube page is filled with useful tutorials and webinars.
Bottom Line
All in all, Deluxe Payroll provides a fantastic product, especially for small to medium-sized businesses. When you look at its bundle of features, it’s not hard to understand why Deluxe is such a reputable force in the industry. The company delivers foolproof software, with an uncomplicated dashboard that gives you total control over payroll and employee management as well as automated tax filing and deductions. Its HR features and list of possible integrations are enough to satisfy even the more demanding of customers, and the mobile app is a great on-the-go solution. Although the customer support could be improved, you won’t have problems getting your questions answered by dedicated professionals. Moreover, with its flexible and affordable pricing, Deluxe Payroll quickly becomes one of the best solutions on the market.
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Sandi Remedios says
The service from Deluxe Payroll was never great, but it has rapidly deteriorated over the last few months.
Trying to call their 1-866-772-9932 number is a great way to waste a couple of hours.
Sending an email to [email protected] will get you an answer in 3-5 business days.
I would suggest looking for another service if you have any complexities associated with your payroll.
If you ever do get to speak with a customer service representative they are invariably polite and helpful, however there are not enough of them.
Micael says
Hi Sandi! Thank you for your comment. We’re sorry to hear about your experience with Deluxe Payroll’s customer service. It’s true that contacting the company via email doesn’t grant a reply in less than a day. Likewise, it’s phone line only lets you schedule a meeting for a few days later. We would recommend reaching Deluxe via its social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), where perhaps you’ll get a quicker response. Hope you can solve this issue soon!