Payroll Companies & Payroll Services in Salem, OR

American Payroll Corporation is a payroll bureau based in the Salem-Keizer area of Oregon. Its office is in Keizer. The firm focuses entirely on payroll for small and midsize employers. Its role is that of an outside extension of a client's back office. It takes over the calculations, recordkeeping and tax paperwork, so owners and managers can spend their time running their own operations.

How the service works

Onboarding is designed to be low-tech and flexible. Each pay period, clients send their hours and pay details by fax, phone or in-person drop-off. The company's staff then produce everything needed to pay employees and stay current with tax agencies. The firm describes its team as local, experienced specialists in payroll accounting. It emphasizes speed, accuracy and confidentiality, and it guarantees that payroll is completed correctly and on schedule.

Confidentiality is a recurring theme in how the company presents its value. When an outside provider handles pay, wage information stays out of general circulation within the client's office. According to the firm, this gives employers more freedom to set individual compensation and reduces friction among coworkers.

What is included

A single per-processing fee covers a core bundle of deliverables on a recurring calendar:

• Every pay period: payroll checks ready for signature, tax deposit notices and checks, a check register, a report of employee earnings and deductions, and a worksheet to prepare the following payroll
• Quarterly: the federal Form 941 return, the 940 federal unemployment deposit, and state payroll reports
• Annually: the Form 940 federal unemployment return and a recap of state and local withholding

Optional add-ons

Employers that need more can layer on additional services. These include direct deposit for employees, checks that arrive pre-signed and stuffed in envelopes, and reports tailored to the client's needs. The firm can also issue checks to third parties, file new hire reports and prepare workers' compensation reports.

Its year-end package delivers W-2 forms for each employee along with the W-3 federal withholding summary. The company notes that it will consider other reports and services on request, which suits businesses with unusual reporting requirements.

Why buyers consider them

For organizations comparing payroll providers, the main draw is a local firm with a narrow specialty and a predictable bundle of included filings. National platforms often expect clients to enter their own data online. Here, clients can simply phone in or hand over their figures, which may appeal to owners who would rather not manage payroll software. Prospective clients can request a quote with no obligation before committing, and the office keeps standard weekday business hours for questions and support.

Ascension Accounting is a bookkeeping, payroll and accounting firm based in Salem, Oregon. It works with businesses that want their financial records kept in order and their employees paid correctly. Its work spans day-to-day bookkeeping, payroll administration, financial statements and QuickBooks support. That range suits owners who would rather hand payroll and books to one local provider than manage separate vendors.

Payroll support at different levels

The firm adjusts how involved it is to fit each client. Some companies need it to run the entire payroll cycle. Others only want help with a payroll that an outside platform processes. Within that range, the team handles the following:

• Calculating employee wages and producing pay stubs
• Printing physical paychecks at its Salem office or at the client's site
• Direct deposit through a specialist partner focused on preventing fraud
• Tracking payroll tax liabilities and expenses, with electronic deposits through EFTPS and Oregon's Revenue Online
• Workers' compensation tracking and reports, plus preparation for premium audits
• New hire reporting and wage garnishment setup, withholding and reporting
• Enrollment and ongoing contribution management for the Oregon Saves retirement program
• Year-end W-2 and 1099 work, filed with the IRS and with Oregon through its iWIRE system
• Quarterly and year-end payroll packages, along with standard or tailored payroll reports

On the software side, the team works in the online and desktop editions of QuickBooks Payroll and in Accounting CS Payroll from Thomson Reuters. It can also provide time tracking tools. When a business switches payroll systems, the firm can enter year-to-date figures into the new program and reconcile them so that records carry over cleanly.

Administrative and setup help for Oregon employers

Ascension Accounting also helps with the paperwork involved in starting, changing or winding down an Oregon business. It can build a QuickBooks chart of accounts and company file and apply to the state for a business identification number for new payroll accounts. It notifies the Department of Revenue and the Oregon Employment Department of changes in status.

It also handles initial and annual business registration with the Secretary of State. When a company no longer has employees, the firm can file to close its payroll accounts with both agencies. In addition, it can order check stock at wholesale pricing that is passed on to the client and help set up insurance and benefits.

Bookkeeping, cleanup and reporting

Beyond payroll, the firm manages receivables, payables, transaction entry, adjusting journal entries and monthly reconciliations. It can also review books that a business already has in place. It takes on cleanup projects for prior years, disorganized records and payroll liability errors. It can also migrate clients off the desktop version of QuickBooks and onto QuickBooks Online.

Reports are available monthly, quarterly or annually. They cover balance sheets, profit and loss statements, trial balances, general ledger detail, cash flow, fixed assets, inventory and loans, and custom reports are available on request.

The firm describes its approach as personal and tailored, beginning with an understanding of each client's needs before shaping the engagement. It coordinates with clients' outside CPAs, provides audit support and can set up budgets in QuickBooks. The office keeps weekday business hours, and clients can pay invoices through a Firm360 portal.

Books N Billing Inc is a woman-veteran-owned bookkeeping and payroll firm with an office in Salem, Oregon. It is incorporated in Florida and has been working with small businesses since 2012. The firm serves clients in the Willamette Valley and across the country. Its staff are degreed accountants with more than six decades of collective experience.

The company says openly that it is not a CPA firm. It positions itself as a specialist in bookkeeping, payroll and QuickBooks, and it prepares organized records that a client's outside accountant can use.

Payroll Services

Payroll is one of the firm's core offerings. It is built for employers with between one and fifty staff members who have no in-house HR or payroll department. The team takes a business through the full payroll cycle:

• Collecting new-hire paperwork such as W-4 and I-9 forms
• Running payroll on a weekly, every-other-week, or monthly schedule
• Setting up direct deposit, or issuing paper checks where needed
• Calculating wages and handling tax withholdings
• Remitting payroll taxes and filing the required returns
• Producing pay stubs and compliance reports
• Preparing W-2 forms for employees and 1099 forms for contractors at year end
• Tracking employee benefits and coordinating workers' compensation
• Configuring QuickBooks Payroll so payroll data flows into the books

The firm handles both salaried and hourly staff as well as independent contractors. Clients can submit hours and employee details through an online portal or with spreadsheet templates the firm provides. Beyond payroll, it also helps with sales tax compliance. The company publishes reminders about Oregon and Florida quarterly payroll filing deadlines for its clients.

Bookkeeping, QuickBooks and Accounting Support

Many clients combine payroll with the firm's other services. Its bookkeeping work includes categorizing transactions each month, reconciling bank and credit card accounts, and keeping general ledgers up to date. The firm also does catch-up and cleanup work on neglected books. Its QuickBooks ProAdvisors work with both the Online and Desktop editions.

They help clients choose a version, build a chart of accounts, connect bank feeds, and train owners or staff one-on-one or in groups, in person or remotely. The firm also manages accounts payable and receivable, prepares profit and loss statements, balance sheets and cash flow reports, and carries out financial reviews.

These reviews flag problem areas and help keep books ready for lenders or audits.

Who They Work With

The client base is mostly small and mid-sized organizations, including:

• Retailers, service firms and creative businesses
• Construction contractors and solo operators
• Nonprofits managing grants and staff
• Independent professionals and startups

Locally, the firm serves Salem, Keizer, Albany, Dallas and Silverton. Remote clients elsewhere in Oregon and nationwide are supported virtually.

What Sets Them Apart

Books N Billing offers itself as a hands-on alternative to large national payroll processors. Clients deal with real people rather than a call center, and they can book in-person consultations at the Salem office. The firm says its services generally cost less than national providers such as ADP. It quotes flat-rate or hourly packages based on each client's needs, and it offers a free initial consultation to new clients.