Basics Payroll 2012

CNET Editors' review

by: CNET staff on October 12, 2009

Basic Payroll 2009 provides a simple tool that lets even the most novice user create paychecks for employees. Its easy three-step process for handling payroll proved a pleasure to use. For small business owners, it's a real time saver.

The program's interface impressed us, mainly because the entire process is housed within an easy-to-use Wizard. With a few pieces of information, we were able to intuitively navigate through the setup process. Basic Payroll initially allows you to enter up to 30 employees and their personal information, including their withholdings. After you enter each employee's hourly pay rate and the number of hours they worked, Basic Payroll automatically calculates each person's pay and generates a check for printing. We liked this feature because it eliminates the possibility of mathematical error. The program's best feature was a small calculator that you use to determine a salaried employee's pay. The final step in the process is simply viewing and printing the paycheck that you created from the previous information. The results were impressive. Basic Payroll consistently wowed us with its ability to make something as complex as a payroll easy enough for the novice to master.

Basic Payroll 2009 is a free program that downloads as a compressed file. We highly recommend this program for its ability to make the payroll process as simple as possible.