2020 Review of Crest Payroll from Payroll Logix, Inc.

crestpayroll.com

From the 2020 reviews of professional payroll systems.

Acquired by Payroll Logix Inc. in 2018, Crest Payroll is designed for accounting professionals that currently or plan to offer payroll services to their clients. A cloud-based payroll solution, Crest Payroll can be used on a variety of common web browsers which include Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Google Chrome. There is currently not a mobile app available in Crest Payroll, although one is expected to be released in the future.

Crest Payroll supports unlimited users and unlimited clients, and includes role-based access for accounting firm employees, clients, and client employees, with clients logging into the payroll portal directly from their website. The payroll dashboard provides a quick look at the total number of clients, total number of employees, total payrolls processed, and total number of states. Users can also access all payroll functions directly from the dashboard, including setup, payroll, compliance, eServices, reports, and add-ons. Support can also be accessed from the dashboard as well. Once users choose an option, a vertical menu bar to the left of the screen displays the features and functions available in that particular module.

Crest Payroll offers complete payroll customization capability, so accounting firms can offer a payroll solution with firm branding.  

Click for larger image: The payroll dashboard provides easy access to all client payroll.

To get started, users can access the setup wizard that guides new users through both company and employee setup. Crest Payroll uses an automated process, so users only need to enter time for an employee once. In addition, users can pay contractors in the application as well.

Once that information has been entered, Crest Payroll automates the rest of the payroll process, with users only needing to make any changes, such as changing an employee salary, or adding or terminating an employee. The application also supports multiple pay dates, so each client can have a separate pay date. In addition, Crest Payroll support multi-state payroll, union pay, and custom pay types, as well as multiple types of payroll deductions, including garnishments.

Crest Payroll also supports after-the-fact payroll, with both print checks and direct deposit available in the application as well.

Crest Payroll includes tax tables for all 50 states, with automated tax filing and remittance for federal, state, and local taxes included in the application. The application also includes all new hire reporting as well as W-2 year-end processing for all clients.  

Crest Payroll includes more than 40 standard payroll reports, with users able to create custom payroll reports using the custom report design features. In addition, all custom reports are able to be saved in Crest Payroll for future use. All Crest Payroll reports can be exported to Microsoft Word or Excel for further customization or saved in the application as a PDF with the option to share reports with clients via the included portal. 

Crest Payroll includes a web-based timeclock for easy time tracking from any location, with all timeclock data able to be imported into Crest Payroll. Other options in Crest Payroll include Workers’ Compensation insurance, an e-sign option, and HR resources including an online document center, expense management, paid time benefits, employee self-service capability, leave management, performance reviews, and training requests.

Crest Payroll offers both a client portal for clients to view payroll information and share data as well as a portal for employee to access their own personal data including paystubs, W-2s, and accrued vacation and sick time totals, with employees able to update personal information in the portal as well.   

Crest Payroll offers both telephone and chat support, with a brief demo of the application available on the vendor website as well. A FAQ page answers common questions, and those interested in learning more can register on the Crest Payroll website to download a brochure. 

Crest Payroll can be completely customized to reflect firm branding. Those interested in Crest Payroll can request a price quote directly from the vendor. There are no per-employee fees or other additional charges assessed, with users billed a flat rate each month.

2020 Overall Rating – 4.75 Stars

Strengths:

• Designed for accounting firms
• Includes a customer portal/employee self-serve feature
• Handles unlimited companies and employees

Potential Limitations:

• No mobile app