Customer Reviews

Essentials of Payroll: Management and Accounting (Essentials Series)

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I think this is a good beginner-to-intermediate level book about payroll. While I doubt this book can serve as your only source to setting up a payroll system (a claim never made by the author), it can serve as a valuable guide to implementing or reviewing your current payroll internal controls, best practices and payroll policy manual. It may also help you analyze whether you are paying too much money or spending too much time on your job costing system. If you like examples, the author uses many short case studies to clarify his main points.

He keeps the book up-to-date by discussing topics such as payroll information technology, current payment alternatives and Internet references. He discusses other issues in detail, such as fringe benefits, vacation pay, minimum wage laws, payroll calculations, retirement plans, and stock option plans.

Given the popularity of outsourcing the payroll function, I think the book could have went into more detail about how to select the right payroll outsource vendor and how to ensure that the outsource vendor maintains proper internal controls (e.g. obtaining an annual SAS 70 Type II). Also, I felt I could have skipped the payroll tax portion and read IRS publication 15, 15a and 15b and my state's corresponding payroll tax publication. Finally, to help improve the books longevity, the author could have either left out the current year tax rates and limitations altogether or listed Internet references where the current and future rates and limitations could be referenced.

Nevertheless, overall I think this is a good book that I will use from time to time to brush up on my payroll process knowledge. Therefore, I think the book is worth buying, reading and referencing.

The title says it all--this is a good basic overview of payroll. You will not become an expert by reading it, but what can you read that makes you an expert? This book will give you the vocabulary and the tools you need to take your first steps in payroll. After that experience is the best teacher.

I found the advice provided practical and spot on. This is real world type advice and discussion and not a textbook. The book is useful for payroll specialists to learn now to navigate competing interests in the organization as they affect payroll duties.

This book contains multiple errors in payroll reporting. Ones that can get you on a first name basis with the IRS and most state agencies. What is correct in this book is "Well Duh!" stuff you should learn in kindergarten. This book is a total waste of money and somewhat dangerous.