Payroll System Setup & Training
One-time payroll system configuration with hands-on training so you can run payroll yourself with confidence.
What This Is
You want to run payroll in-house, but the system needs to be set up correctly first. This is a one-time project where we configure your payroll platform from scratch, making sure employee information, tax withholdings, pay schedules, and filing details are all entered properly. We work with the provider of your choice, whether that’s Gusto, ADP, Paychex, QuickBooks Payroll, or another platform.
Once the system is configured, we walk you through how to use it. Not a quick demo, but actual hands-on training where you process a payroll cycle yourself with someone looking over your shoulder. The goal is that when we’re done, you can handle it on your own without second-guessing whether you’re doing it right.
The Setup
The Setup
Register with the payroll provider if you haven’t already. Enter your business tax IDs, state and federal filing details, and bank account information. Add each employee with their correct pay rate, filing status, withholdings, and any deductions like health insurance or retirement contributions. Configure your pay schedule and verify that tax calculations are correct before anything goes live.
The Training
The Training
Once everything is in place, we sit down with you and walk through the full payroll process. How to enter hours or salary for each period. How to review the payroll before submitting. How to handle common situations like adding a new employee, processing a bonus, or adjusting withholdings. You run through it yourself so the steps become familiar, not theoretical.
Why This Matters
Payroll mistakes are expensive and hard to undo. Enter the wrong tax ID and filings go to the wrong account. Set up withholdings incorrectly and your employees get surprise tax bills in April. Miss a quarterly filing deadline and penalties start adding up. These are not the kinds of problems you want to discover months after the fact.
A lot of small business owners in Riverview and the Tampa Bay area try to figure out payroll setup on their own. The platforms make it look simple, but they assume you already know what a Florida reemployment tax rate is or how to classify workers correctly. One wrong checkbox during setup can create problems that follow you through the entire tax year.
Setup Errors Compound
Setup Errors Compound
If withholding is wrong from day one, every paycheck after that carries the same mistake forward. By the time you catch it, you might owe back taxes, penalties, or corrections across multiple pay periods. Fixing it retroactively is far more work than getting it right the first time.
Confidence to Run It Yourself
Confidence to Run It Yourself
Many business owners avoid running their own payroll because they’re afraid of making a mistake with the IRS. That fear is reasonable. But with a properly configured system and real training, the ongoing process is straightforward. The complexity is in the setup, not in pressing “submit” every two weeks.
What Changes
Your payroll system is ready to go, set up by someone who has done this for businesses across construction, home services, medical practices, and other industries common in the South Shore and greater Tampa Bay area. Every detail has been checked. Tax rates are correct. Employee records are complete. Filing frequencies match what Florida and the IRS expect from your business.
And you know how to use it. Not in a vague, “I watched a YouTube video” kind of way, but because you actually ran through the process with a CPA sitting next to you answering questions. If something unusual comes up later, you have someone you can call instead of guessing.
Independence Without Risk
Independence Without Risk
You are not dependent on an outside firm for every pay run. You handle payroll on your own schedule, with a system that was built correctly from the start. That saves money over time compared to paying for full-service payroll indefinitely, especially if you only have a handful of employees.
A Foundation You Can Build On
A Foundation You Can Build On
As your team grows, the system grows with you. Adding new employees, adjusting pay rates, or changing benefits is straightforward when the foundation is solid. And if you ever decide you want to hand payroll off entirely, the clean setup makes that transition simple for whoever takes it over.
Tampa Bay's Small Business CPA Firm
First Step:
A Short Conversation
Tell us about your business and where you need support. We'll walk through your situation, answer your questions, and give you a clear quote.
