The end of 2020 is just a few weeks away. Making plans now for your end of year processes will help ease last minute stress.
Datatech payroll software requires a closing process between payroll quarters and years. Before issuing payroll in a new year, you’ll also need to install the annual year-end update and new federal & state tax rate tables.
First Payroll Check Date in 2021
One of the considerations to make in scheduling your year end closing process is what your first check date of 2021 will be. January 1 occurs on a Friday. If you typically issue checks dated Friday or Saturday, you may want to date those checks for Thursday, December 31. This way you have a few extra days to get year end updates installed and closing done.
If you are going to date checks for January 1, you will need to install the new tax tables and close the payroll quarter/year before creating or entering payroll checks the week of Dec. 28th.
Please plan carefully for anticipated holidays, time off, etc, to allow enough time to complete these processes before your 2021 payroll.
Tax Rate Table Updates
We will release tax updates as soon as federal & state tax tables are finalized and reviewed. Tax updates do not require a program update this year.
How often your system checks for these updates is set in Tools > Program Setup > Payroll tab > Control Numbers. You may want to specificy a specific user, so that a particular person receives the notification when tax rates have been installed.
You’ll receive prompts similar to the following images:
The tax rates may be installed before the year end update is released. Once you have been notified that the new tax rates have been updated, you can proceed with closing your payroll year.
Software Updates
The software will prompt you to check for program updates based on the settings in Tools > Program Setup > Backup & Updates. We will send an email to all our customers when the year end update is available. You may use the Check for Updates to download the update at your convenience.
Before clicking the Download button, please print or save the Release Notes. You may then review these at your convenience to be aware of included program changes in the update.