Payroll Companies & Payroll Services in Dallas, TX

Overview

Slaton Financial Services is the trade name of Michael F. Slaton, Inc., a Dallas company formed in 1983 to serve as an outside finance team for businesses and organizations. It says it works with nearly 1,000 clients, concentrated in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex but also located in several other states.

Its range covers bookkeeping, payroll, tax preparation, human resources support, time and scheduling tools, cost reports and background screening. The company's central argument is that clients get experienced, local financial staff at a lower cost than hiring and training their own.

Payroll capabilities

Payroll is a main part of the business. The firm's bookkeepers run each cycle so that checks go out when they should, and each paycheck is figured with the right withholdings for retirement plans, health plans, federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare. Because the same team also handles tax work and bookkeeping for many clients, it describes itself as familiar with local sales tax rules and federal withholding requirements.

• Paper checks, direct deposit and cash cards
• Positive pay reporting to support bank fraud protection
• Payroll, sales and franchise tax preparation
• Real-time time cards through automated time keeping
• Labor reports meant to make Affordable Care Act tracking simpler

Time, scheduling and HR support

Slaton also offers systems that send dependable hours data into payroll. Its automated time keeping is intended to remove errors, whether accidental or deliberate, and to improve attendance and cut waste. The scheduling system lets managers fill shifts fast and share changes by text, email, app or web. Managers learn right away when someone misses a shift, even at another location, and staff can swap shifts with less hassle.

For human resources, the firm provides two modestly priced packages. Subscribers can draw on a library of researched material and documents, and can reach a real HR professional by phone. Clients can also order background checks and drug testing through a partner, National Crime Search, paying per search without a monthly fee or retainer. Screening options include criminal history, employment and education verification, motor vehicle reports and tenant screening.

Bookkeeping and who is served

On the bookkeeping side, the firm describes regular deliverables such as reconciled bank statements, balance sheets, cash flow and operating statements, performance graphs, a detailed general ledger and quarterly tax reports. Its clients include large and small companies, start-ups, franchise owners, churches, nonprofits, homeowners associations and property managers. It also lists general ledger work, property administration, securities and other financial services, and cost reports, for which it says it is licensed.

The company argues that independence lets it give frank, numbers-based feedback, and that outsourcing offers continuity when a client's own staff changes.

Background and team

Founder Mike Slaton holds an accounting degree from the University of North Texas. Before starting his own practice, he worked twelve years in healthcare in the roles of CFO and hospital administrator. He cites 45 years of experience. The staff includes four professionals and eight bookkeepers and payroll clerks, with more than 100 years of combined experience. Slaton emphasizes a local, face-to-face relationship. Reviews posted on its site describe working relationships of a decade or more and same-day responses.