Payroll Companies & Payroll Services in Manchester, CT

Total Pay Inc. is an independent payroll provider based in Manchester, Connecticut. It has processed payroll for employers since 1991. The firm works with businesses across the state and says it also has clients elsewhere in the United States. It does not build its own platform. Instead, it runs on Apex Payroll Software, a nationally known system, and pairs that technology with a local team that clients can reach directly by phone rather than through automated menus.

Payroll processing and input options

The core offering is full-service payroll, from direct deposit and paperless pay to traditional printed checks. Clients choose how to submit hours and pay data. They can send it by phone, fax or email, or enter it through Employer On The Go. This online portal is aimed at small and mid-sized firms that want to review payroll details whenever and wherever they need to. Total Pay also files payroll taxes and signs checks for clients. Key capabilities include:

• Direct deposit and paperless payroll
• Payroll tax filing and check signing
• A manual check writer that handles both gross-to-net and net-to-gross calculations
• Tracking of benefit accruals
• A general ledger interface with export formats compatible with QuickBooks and Peachtree
• A library of 800-plus reports that users can customize and sort by location, department, individual employee or a chosen period

Timekeeping

For employers still collecting hours by hand, Total Pay sells automated time tracking through a web-based system. Staff can punch in and out remotely without dedicated clock hardware. Managers can view and edit time cards in real time and pull reports. Configurable features include:

• Scheduling with rounding rules
• Lunch breaks deducted automatically each day
• Restricted supervisor logins
• Holiday pay rules and overtime settings
• Labor distribution for allocating costs

Clock data feeds straight into payroll. The company presents this as a way to cut errors and lighten the workload on payroll staff.

HR, insurance and retirement support

The firm also offers a set of employer services beyond paychecks. Employees on the online package can look up pay stubs and W-2 forms themselves through self-service access. Workers' compensation is available on a pay-as-you-go basis. Premiums are drawn with each payroll based on actual wages instead of one upfront sum, which helps limit year-end audit adjustments, and clients can choose among several carriers. An HR Support Center provides:

• Help writing employee handbooks, policies and forms
• Unlimited consultations
• Downloadable job descriptions
• Reference material on state and federal employment law

Through strategic partners, Total Pay can also set up and administer retirement plans, including 401(k) and 403(b) plans, SIMPLE IRAs and company pensions. Plan contributions and census reporting can optionally be linked to payroll.

Background and approach

After more than three decades in business, Total Pay names accuracy, dependability, technology and accessible local service as its guiding values. Its staff works from a single office in Manchester, and the company says it treats clients as partners rather than account numbers.

Through its use of Apex, it belongs to a network of 125 firms spanning the U.S. and Canada. It reports that more than 20,000 clients rely on Apex and Total Pay combined. For buyers comparing providers, the main appeal is an established national software platform, flexible ways to submit payroll, and a Connecticut-based team that answers questions personally.