💰 Payroll: Get Documents From Your Clients

Getting documents together is a routine you repeat with every client. In this article, you will find a cheat sheet with the most helpful tips on how to get all the necessary documents in time and organize them in a single place, regardless of how you prefer to do it.

Tip: Download this Simple Checklist to track your progress in setting up TaxDome for Payroll and save time!

Covered here:

• Get payroll info automatically
• Request payroll hours via automated messages
• Collect payroll documents via upload link
• Request info from payroll clients via organizers
• Deal with timesheets sent by email and link them to jobs
• Edit TaxDome-stored timesheets from your desktop

Get payroll info automatically

Requesting info or docs in TaxDome automatically gives you multiple benefits: it saves time, builds proper communication with clients, prevents unnecessary delays in your workflow from doc-related issues, and creates an easily accessible document storage for your team.

We recommend you use these options:

• Request payroll hours via automated messages
• Collect payroll documents via upload link
• Request info from payroll clients via organizers

Request payroll hours via automated messages

Once the client uploads files into a chat thread, they will automatically be saved in the Client uploaded documents folder. Get your messages created automatically to request payroll hours in two steps:

1. Create a chat template. Use shortcodes to request specific info (i.e. [LAST_WEEK] for requesting payroll hours for the last week).
2. Add the message automation to your pipeline (usually to the first stage).

 The chat thread is automatically linked to the job so your team members can open it and see the list of documents.

You can optionally add a client task to the chat template (make sure that the Automove for the stage is on), or activate the Reply to the latest thread feature to have each new message sent to the existing chat thread.

Watch this video on how to set up this process:

Collect payroll documents via upload link

If you need to request documents, but don't want your clients to have access to the other information included in their account, use the link to the File Requested page. 

Request info from payroll clients via organizers

The Organizers feature allows you to create a custom-designed set of questions to get any info, such as spreadsheets with hours worked, W-4 forms, payroll banking information, Tax Identification Numbers, employee info, etc.

Send organizers automatically in two steps:

1. Create an organizer template.
2. Add a Create organizer automation to your pipeline.

Here are some setups for your payroll practice:

• New clients: request business documents and company info before sending a proposal. Copy our Payroll Setup Organizer (Best Practice) organizer template from the library and edit it as needed.
• Existing clients: payroll clients send you similar documents every month. Copy our Payroll organizer template with requests for W-4 forms and the hours-worked spreadsheet.
• All clients: send them a year-end survey to find out their level of satisfaction and gather their suggestions.

Tip! This is more convenient than email because you have all documents automatically saved to the default client folder.

Deal with timesheets sent by email and link them to jobs

If you are getting timesheets and other documents from clients by email, you can organize this process, too. Just remember to open your email in TaxDome, not in your mail app. Once you get the email, you can save it to the client folder. 

Or, you can turn on the Automatically save attachments feature. This way attachments you receive via email will be autosaved to a default client folder with Client can view and edit access.

No matter what option you have selected, you can then link documents to your jobs. 

Edit TaxDome-stored timesheets from your desktop

For some of your clients, you end up having payroll timesheets on your desktop (for example, they fax them to you). If this is the case, you can easily transfer them to TaxDome for further work.

You can quickly upload to TaxDome documents from your desktop and edit them without transferring them again. Follow these steps:

1. Install the TaxDome Desktop App.
2. Upload files to TaxDome from File Explorer and link them to the appropriate jobs.
3. Open and edit timesheets stored on TaxDome with Excel or any third-party applications you use on your computer.

Tip: Check out the TaxDome Academy comprehensive course on using TaxDome for Payroll.