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Enter payroll checks

Differences between Client Access and remote payroll

Accounting CS offers a variety of ways for your clients to enter their own accounting and payroll information to reduce the time you spend entering data. This topic explains the basic differences between the remote payroll feature and Accounting CS Client Access, and clarifies the general functions of the remote check printing feature and Employee Self-Service. For information about adding any of these services, contact your CS Sales Representative.
tip
We recommend that you perform a thorough analysis of each of your clients’ needs to determine which option is most appropriate and cost-efficient for both your firm and your clients.

Accounting CS Client Access

With Accounting CS Client Access, you can offer your clients controlled, 24/7 access to the client version of Accounting CS from safe, password-protected NetClient CS portals on your website. Portals are fully customizable for each client and they enable the client to record day-to-day accounting and payroll information. There's no need to import or export data, because your client's data entry is saved directly to your firm’s database.
Generally, Accounting CS Client Access is a good choice for larger firms that have a knowledgeable payroll staff in-house and need more advanced payroll features, such as real time reporting (including a Cash Requirement report), and real time payroll amount calculations.
note
Accounting CS can be hosted either through Thomson Reuters servers (using either Virtual Office CS® or Software as a Service) or through your firm's own hosted environment. Your clients’ experience using Accounting CS Client Access will be the same regardless of your hosting choice.
License requirements
Accounting CS Client Access is available to firms that are licensed for:
  • Accounting CS or Accounting CS Payroll
  • Virtual Office CS or SaaS
  • NetClient CS
  • NetStaff CS
Client capabilities
Firms are able to offer clients direct access to:
  • Set up client and employee records
  • Enter client and employee data entry screens
  • Enter payroll information
  • Print reports and checks
Once a client has been set up with a Client Access CS portal, they can open Accounting CS Client Access from their NetClient CS dashboard.
And to help you customize the client's access, we offer the Accounting CS (Client View) application on your dashboard. This opens Accounting CS with the same permissions as the client.

Remote payroll feature

Unlike Client Access, the Remote Payroll feature doesn’t enable clients to enter data directly into Accounting CS. Rather, your firm and your clients use the NetClient CS portals and/or the Employee Self-Service portals to input data, which integrates with Accounting CS.
The Remote Payroll feature is a good choice for most firms. It incurs a lower cost for your firm and clients than integration via Accounting CS Client Access, which is most appropriate for more advanced payroll needs, as explained in the Accounting CS Client Access section.
If your clients are already set up to use Accounting CS Client Access for payroll processing and check printing, you don’t need to use the Remote Payroll Feature.
License requirements
The Remote Payroll feature is available to firms that are licensed for:
  • Accounting CS Payroll
  • Virtual Office CS or SaaS
  • NetClient CS
Firm capabilities
With the remote payroll feature, your firm can send the following items to the NetClient CS portals and Employee Self-Service portals:
  • Payroll schedules
  • Unprinted checks
  • Payroll check stubs
  • W-2 forms
Client capabilities
Via the NetClient CS portals, firms can offer clients the ability to accomplish the following tasks:
  • Enter employee hours and rate information.
  • Add new employees and maintain existing employee records.
  • Record notes to the accountant.
  • With remote check printing, print vendor and payroll checks on site.
  • View payroll reports.
For more information about remote payroll or the NetClient CS personal client portal service, contact your CS Sales Representative.

Remote check printing

The Remote check printing feature is available to firms that are licensed for:
  • Accounting CS or Accounting CS Payroll
  • NetClient CS
Once you've prepared payroll and/or vendor checks for a client, the remote check printing feature enables you to transmit PDF copies of those checks to the client's NetClient CS portal for your client to print.
note
If your client is set up to use Accounting CS Client Access, you don’t need to use the remote check printing feature. Your client can print payroll and vendor checks directly from Accounting CS Client Access.

Employee self-service

With Employee Self-Service, your firm can upload W-4 information, check stubs, W-2 forms, 1095-C forms, and (for independent contractors) 1099-MISC or 1099-NEC forms to an employee portal. Your client's employees can then sign in to view, edit, and print their information.
Employee Self-Service is available to firms that are licensed for:
  • Accounting CS and/or Accounting CS Payroll
  • Accounting CS Payroll (for time entry features)
  • Employee Self-Service (for time entry features)
    • NetClient CS (if using Employee Self-Service for time entry)
  • Virtual Office CS or SaaS

This article applies to:

  • Product: Accounting CS
  • Subject: Payroll checks

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