When I first started my bookkeeping business, I was using about ten different software for bookkeeping, payroll and organization. Not to mention programs for email, HR and other administrative tasks. Oof. Thinking about it gives me a headache!  I knew I had to simplify things — not just for myself, but for my clients as […]

Payroll articles and news, from your payroll BFFs.

Overtime and Tax in Canada: Common Misconceptions Debunked

One of the best perks of running a small business is the close relationships you build with your employees. After all, you work together every day, and you know you can rely on them to show up when you really need them. It’s like having a second family, right? The flip side is that you’re […]

8 Must-Have Payroll Software Features: 2023 Update

A robust payroll software can be a lifesaver for organizations both small and large. From automating processes to minimizing errors and supporting compliance, a good payroll solution is a valuable investment for your business. So, you’re in the process of automating your small business’ payroll or want to upgrade your existing software. Awesome! There are […]

A Totally Simple Guide to TD1 Forms for Canadian Small Business Owners

If you loathe spending hours on tax forms (and who doesn’t) you might be dreading having to deal with TD1 forms. These might seem like yet another admin task to put on your never-ending to-do list, but they play an essential role in determining how much tax you need to keep back from employee wages […]

Handling Maternity and Parental Leave in Canada: A Comprehensive Guide

If you hire employees, there’s a good chance that one or more of them might become a parent while they’re working for you. It’s important to understand the ins and outs of how maternity and parental leave will affect your small business so you’re not scrambling to figure everything out at the last minute. In […]

Payroll Year-to-Date: A Guide for Small Business Owners

If you’re new to the world of payroll, you might have come across one of the common acronyms, YTD. This stands for year-to-date. You might now be wondering how it fits into the overall scheme of things. This is an important calculation in payroll management, so understanding how it works is essential for both your […]

Gross Pay versus Net Pay: What’s the Difference?

If the thought of calculating the correct pay for your employees is making your palms sweaty, you’re not alone. As a business owner, gross pay versus net pay calculations might feel like payroll Armageddon (especially when there’s a calculation SNAFU). Not to mention, you also need to be able to explain these calculations clearly to […]

Vacation Accrued: The Benefits For Employers And Employees

Ah, vacation time. Two of the best words in the English language (aside from “paid vacation” that is). But while employees dream about pina coladas and hammocks, small business owners tend to view vacation time (and terms like vacation accrued) as yet another complicated task they need to take care of. Tracking paid vacation time […]

Minimum Wage by Province 2023

As an employer, there are many decisions that you’ll have to make when it comes to hiring and paying your employees. Minimum wage, AKA the lowest hourly pay rate that an employer can pay an employee? That’s not one of them. In Canada, minimum wage by province or territory falls under the domain of the […]

A collection of our best small business articles.

12 Best Payroll Companies in Canada

As a small business owner, the payroll process can be a hassle. It’s filled with time-consuming tasks, lots of legislation and rules, remittances to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) — and all just to ensure the amazing people that make up workforce receive their pay cheques. Enter payroll software. There are a wide variety of […]

8 Must-Have Payroll Software Features: 2023 Update

A robust payroll software can be a lifesaver for organizations both small and large. From automating processes to minimizing errors and supporting compliance, a good payroll solution is a valuable investment for your business. So, you’re in the process of automating your small business’ payroll or want to upgrade your existing software. Awesome! There are […]

Setting up Payroll for Small Businesses: 10 Expert Tips for Success

Paying your employees manually is no walk in the park. It’s usually boring, time-consuming and complex. A recent OnPay survey established that manually paying employees will cost 18 hours monthly. That’s where correctly setting up payroll comes in: To help eliminate these challenges taking up so much time and streamline employee remuneration. Yet, most tips […]

How to Pay Employees: Choosing Your Payment Method

Running your own business can be an amazing adventure despite all the countless tasks that come with it. One of those very important tasks is paying your incredible employees. Providing an income isn’t just about crunching numbers — it’s also an opportunity to support their livelihood. So, buckle up and get ready to explore the […]

11 Best QuickBooks Payroll Alternatives: 2023 Update

When it comes to taking care of your business, finding the right payroll solution is an absolute must. While QuickBooks Payroll may be one of the more popular choices, it’s not the perfect fit for everyone. This list of alternatives that can help save time, effort and provide you with a top-notch payroll experience. So, […]

Top 10 QuickBooks Integrations for Canadian Small Business Owners

We’re yet to meet a small business owner who leaps for joy at the thought of taxes, payroll, and all the mind-numbing accounting tasks. Fortunately, Intuit QuickBooks is a handy tool you can rely on for all your accounting needs. The best part? QuickBooks isn’t just any ordinary accounting assistant. It’s an essential sidekick with […]

The Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Payroll for Canadian Small Businesses

You’re running your own business. You’re on top of everything and multitasking like a champion. You’re also processing your payroll and calculating taxes and… kind of wishing you were doing literally anything else. We get it. Payroll isn’t exactly the most thrilling thing on your to-do list. Especially when you could be building up your […]

How to Calculate the Break Even Point for Your Business

The break even point is one of the most important and widely used metrics in the business world. If you’re a small business owner, it can be a decision-making guiding star for everything from pricing products to hiring employees. Although calculating this metric is fairly straightforward, it can have specific nuances that might affect company […]

A collection of our best articles for the accounting and bookkeeping community.

5 Best Bookkeeping Apps: The Simplified App Stack Method

When I first started my bookkeeping business, I was using about ten different software for bookkeeping, payroll and organization. Not to mention programs for email, HR and other administrative tasks. Oof. Thinking about it gives me a headache!  I knew I had to simplify things — not just for myself, but for my clients as […]

A Small Business Guide to the 2023 Canadian Federal Budget

On March 28, 2023, the government released its federal budget for 2023, titled “A Made-in-Canada Plan: Strong Middle Class, Affordable Economy, Healthy Future” (Budget 2023, for short). As inflation has created significant financial hardships for many Canadians, Budget 2023 proposed measures to provide various relief to both small businesses and individuals, while simultaneously tightening certain […]

What You Need to Know About Your Payroll Remittance Schedule

In this post, we’ll outline the types of payroll deductions you need to make, along with which kind of remittance schedule you’ll need to follow. As advocates of simple, fast, friendly payroll, we’ll do our best to try to make this as painless as possible.

How are bonuses taxed in Canada?

This blog post is written for Canadian businesses. Click here for How to Handle Taxes on Bonus Wages for US companies. As exciting as bonus payouts can be for your employees, for most of them, it’s a bittersweet payment because of the amount that is paid out in taxes. While those concerns are valid, they […]

Top 100 Wagepoint Growth Partners of 2022

In 2022, we witnessed accountants and bookkeepers work hard to meet the needs of many new and recovering small businesses across Canada. While the 2021 theme was “Resilience and Recovery,” this year’s theme is “Evolve and Grow” — and boy, did this community grow!  Adding thousands of new small businesses to not only their firm […]

Time and Attendance Tracking for Accounting Professionals Made Easy [Webinar Recap]

Question: Why does accurate time management matter? Hint: Sharing candy is expensive!

Have No Fear, Here’s How to Avoid a PIER This Year!

In my experience, the most feared year-end document is the Pensionable and Insurable Earnings Review (PIER). Unfortunately, that’s because it tends to make payroll professionals or employers feel like they’ve done something wrong. Don’t worry, the PIER is just a simple review process to understand why there could be differences between the Canada Pension Plan […]

Level Up Your Account Security with Two-Factor Authentication

When it comes to protecting your personal and business information, there are a number of approaches to get the job done. For example, simple solutions like updating your password to be more complex or reviewing payroll reports can help you prevent fraud and catch suspicious activity on your account before it’s too late. At Wagepoint, […]

Our best stories about time and attendance tracking for small businesses.

5 Questions to Ask When Comparing Time and Attendance Software Alternatives

Punch cards, folded up pieces of paper, written timesheets and emails with best-guessed numbers were once the common ways of tracking employee time. For some of you, it may still be! The reality is these methods had their time, and with efficient time and attendance software now here to do the job, we think that […]

Time and Attendance Tracking for Accounting Professionals Made Easy [Webinar Recap]

Question: Why does accurate time management matter? Hint: Sharing candy is expensive!

Productivity Hacks and Time Management Tools for Small Businesses

We all love a good hack or two that makes life so much easier, and that’s no different for small business owners. Productivity is the name of the game for smooth sailing in small business, so why not use time management tools and other hacks that make it happen? We’ve gathered some of our favourite […]

5 Things to Consider Before Adding New Time Tracking Tech to Your Small Business

Deciding which technology to invest in can be a challenging guessing game for any small business owner. No matter what industry you’re in, there are hundreds of solutions available and there seems to be a new gadget or service that comes out everyday — offering to make your work easier in some way. Being a […]

3 Timesheet Mobile Features that Make Time Tracking Easy [Webinar recap]

Time tracking and payroll go hand in hand. Tracking employee hours lets you know when they’re working and ultimately factors into the calculations of how much to pay them when payday rolls around.

8 Employee Time Tracking Myths and Misconceptions Busted

Time management is the key to productivity in the workplace. The phrase “time is money” is a cliché for a reason — if you organize your time effectively, you can maximize efficiency. Outsourcing is one of the biggest ways you can save time and connect your business to the wider world in 2022, whether it’s […]

Time Tracking for Construction, Trade, and Field Workers [Webinar Recap]

Having simple, straightforward tools is always a great way to stay organized and save time. But if you’re one of the many types of businesses that has more complicated processes, sometimes the simple tools don’t do the trick. When it comes to time tracking and payroll, you need to be able to accurately monitor and […]

What You Need in Small Business Time Tracking Software [Webinar Recap]

Not every business is the same, so each business’s workflow can vary greatly from the next. There’s one thing we know for sure, though: Anyone can benefit from having timekeeping software. In general, it allows you to spend less time on spreadsheets and more time on the more important tasks in your day.  In fact, […]

Our best HR articles and tips.

The Step-By-Step Guide to New Hire Onboarding Process

New employees can be vulnerable, out of their element, stressed, and eager to please. Instead of providing a nurturing environment and offering instant validation, however, many businesses expect their new hires to turn into genuine attack dogs in a matter of weeks, providing little training coupled with high expectations. Given that the newest workforce generation […]

Setting Employee Objectives for the New Year

It’s the end of December! Businesses around the world are planning for the new year and thinking about what they’d like to accomplish in the coming year. Call them what you will — goals, objectives, milestones, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) — it’s important for small businesses to plan and set targets for the business and […]

5 Small Business HR Myths Busted [Webinar Recap]

Whether you’re just starting your small business and looking ahead to your future needs or you’re at the cusp of growth where you’re considering a human resources (HR) solution, you probably have questions. HR gets a bad rap, but realistically, it’s people management, and something you’ll want to consider as you grow your team. So, […]

Combat Quiet Quitting and Quiet Firing with a Solid Performance Management Process

There are a lot of challenges facing workplaces these days — from employee shortages to layoffs to the continued fight for equal pay. You may have even heard of the two latest buzzwords (that really aren’t new to the workplace at all): Quiet quitting and quiet firing. Quiet quitting = An employee doing the bare minimum […]

Wagepoint Named One of Canada’s 2022 Best Workplaces for Inclusion and Mental Wellness

Wagepoint may be in the business of payroll, but it’s the business of people that truly sets it apart. This week, we’re super excited to announce that Wagepoint was named one of Canada’s 2022 Best Workplaces for Inclusion and Mental Wellness by Great Place to Work®, a global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Our […]

Wagepoint Acquires KinHR to Build the Ultimate Workplace “Happiness” Solution

Today, Canadian fintech company Wagepoint is doubling-down on its mission to bring happiness to small businesses and their teams with a new acquisition. KinHR – soon to become People by Wagepoint – has joined Wagepoint’s family of products, which will create a single solution that takes payroll, time and attendance and (now) human resources tasks […]

Give Your Small Business Onboarding a Glow Up

Onboarding is a journey — it’s a foundational part of the employee experience you offer. In onboarding, we want new employees to feel a sense of belonging, as well as learn what defines their success and what makes your business a successful one. Here are some ideas to give your small business onboarding experience a […]

10 Ways to Be a More Inclusive Employer That Employees Love

An inclusive small business workforce model strategy will make your business more profitable and your employees and customers happier. That means developing a diversity strategy for your business. We’re working in a candidate’s job market right now. There are a lot of jobs out in the market. So, how are you making your company stand […]

Real stories from real Wagepoint customers, just like you.

Empowering Payroll Advisory with Wagepoint and Xero at King Business Solutions [Case Study]

As a payroll practitioner and professional bookkeeper, Melissa Lenos, CPB, PCP, of King Business Solutions knows her stuff when it comes to the payroll and bookkeeping process. She understands the implications of many finer payroll details that small business owners might not know to look for, what the consequences are of not meeting compliance or […]

Venom Classics Solves the Small Business Time Dilemma by Using Wagepoint for Payroll [Case Study]

Venom Classics is all about revving up engines and memories. This auto shop specializes in customizing and repairing American classic and muscle cars and trucks between the 50s and the 80s. Co-owner Mary Hinton says the core of Venom Classics is integrity and honesty. Whether doing minor repairs or major overhauls, keeping their clients’ classic […]

How Flux Connectivity Overcame the Challenge of Processing Payroll for Contractors and Employees [Case Study]

As the name suggests, Flux Connectivity‘s space is connectivity equipment such as cables, wire harnesses, junction boxes and control panels. Founded in early 2018, the Alberta-based company describes itself as an innovative contract manufacturer of various connectivity products, but they aren’t just making any old cables and boxes. The company’s mix of 16 employees and […]

Walk the Store Adds Wagepoint to its Tech Stack Shelves [Case Study]

Walk the Store is a force behind brands in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) space looking to get their products on store shelves. The mission doesn’t stop at representing a brand to a retailer and getting their items on the shelf. The brokerage also strives to help brands build relationships with retailers that’ll give them […]

Payroll Software that Keeps Up with Client Needs for Yoogs Inc. [Case Study]

Yoogs Inc. is a bilingual Québec-based accounting and bookkeeping practice that likes to keep things super simple for themselves and their clients. They know their clients just want to run their business, so they help by taking the bookkeeping work off the table via easy peasy, paperless applications online. It’s not just about a simple […]

Payroll Simplicity and Functionality by Design for Dubbeldam [Case Study]

When Dubbeldam Architecture + Design isn’t running payroll (which is a lot of the time!), they’re taking on design projects that bring sustainable approaches to the forefront. This Toronto based architecture and design practice is a multidisciplinary studio, so you might catch them putting their magic touch on residential, hospitality and commercial spaces or even […]

Out of this World Payroll Software for Milky Way Virtual Business Services [Case Study]

Milky Way Virtual Business Services, or Milky Way for short, is a virtual practice whose team wears many hats. Apart from bookkeeping, they also support online-based businesses through project and operation management. These multiple skills and diverse services equip them to take on multifaceted businesses, and they have a particular love of helping startups grow […]

A+ Payroll Software for The St. Lawrence Academy [Case Study]

The St. Lawrence Academy‘s eight full time and two part time employees come together to shape the minds of youth from kindergarten to grade 8. Their goal: To inspire children and teach them skills that’ll shape them into leaders and active members of their communities. Care, acceptance and respect are among the traits they strive […]

Extra! Extra! Get the scoop on the latest Wagepoint news.

Wagepoint Named One of Canada’s 2022 Best Workplaces for Inclusion and Mental Wellness

Wagepoint may be in the business of payroll, but it’s the business of people that truly sets it apart. This week, we’re super excited to announce that Wagepoint was named one of Canada’s 2022 Best Workplaces for Inclusion and Mental Wellness by Great Place to Work®, a global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Our […]

Wagepoint Acquires KinHR to Build the Ultimate Workplace “Happiness” Solution

Today, Canadian fintech company Wagepoint is doubling-down on its mission to bring happiness to small businesses and their teams with a new acquisition. KinHR – soon to become People by Wagepoint – has joined Wagepoint’s family of products, which will create a single solution that takes payroll, time and attendance and (now) human resources tasks […]

Wagepoint Kicks Off a New, Simply Awesome Integration With Xero

Inspired by small businesses who love simplicity and hate doing things the “ugh” way, Wagepoint is excited to announce a new integration with our friends at Xero, the global small business platform that helps SMBs and their advisors grow and thrive. (We love that!) Our relationship levels-up this week with the release of a new […]

Wagepoint Acquires a New Friend in Tech — Timesheet Mobile

Wagepoint announces its first acquisition deal with Timesheet Mobile (TSM), a like-minded friend and leader in geofence-enabled workforce management for small businesses in over 30 countries.

Wagepoint Joins Forces With FoundersBeta

FoundersBeta ​​is a global online community of founders, innovators and change-makers with over 6000 members. They’re on a mission to become the number one online destination for startups and scaleups across the globe to find top talent and resources. Wagepoint is proud to announce our partnership with FoundersBeta. We firmly believe in their mission and […]

Can Working In Payroll Be Fun? Wagepoint Says “Yes!”

“Awesomesauce” is not a word typically used to describe payroll companies, but for the People Ops team behind Wagepoint’s human resources successes (and shenanigans), it’s exactly the type of compliment that fits. The fintech company known as the world’s friendliest payroll provider is now being recognized for being a friendly employer, too, with a Silver […]

Wagepoint CRO, Anastasia Valentine, Joins Forbes Business Development Council

We’re excited to announce that Anastasia Valentine, Wagepoint’s very own Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), is the latest trailblazer in business to be accepted into the Forbes Business Development Council! The Council is an esteemed, invitation-only community for senior-level sales and business development executives from all walks of business. We are honored to welcome Anastasia Valentine […]

Wagepoint Partners With Craver

We’re pleased to announce that Wagepoint is now collaborating with Craver — a leading mobile ordering and engagement application for the restaurant industry — to share companion offers for our respective hospitality customers. At Craver, our mission is to democratize access to technology for local businesses. We’re excited to partner with Wagepoint to make it easier […]

Handy research and reports about small businesses, accounting and payroll.

The Step-By-Step Guide to New Hire Onboarding Process

New employees can be vulnerable, out of their element, stressed, and eager to please. Instead of providing a nurturing environment and offering instant validation, however, many businesses expect their new hires to turn into genuine attack dogs in a matter of weeks, providing little training coupled with high expectations. Given that the newest workforce generation […]

The Everything Guide to Small Business Payroll Reports

Have you ever wondered how much it costs your small business to pay its employees? Do you want to know what percentage of your revenue is being spent on payroll? Are you curious about how many hours your employees are working each week? The answers to these questions lie in your payroll reports! Payroll reports […]

2023 Canadian Small Business Payroll Calendar

The Wagepoint 2023 Canada Small Business Payroll Calendar gives you a year-long overview of key small business payroll deadlines so you can focus on running your business without worrying about missing important dates.

2023 American Small Business Payroll Calendar

The Wagepoint 2023 US Small Business Payroll Calendar gives you a year-long overview of key small business payroll deadlines so you can focus on running your business without worrying about missing important dates.

Small Business All-In-One Resource for T4s

Welcome to your all-in-one resource for T4s! ‘Tis the season to fill out or generate these forms to hand off to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and your employees, so we thought it’d be handy to have the information you’ll need in one place. Whether you’re doing so manually or using a payroll software like […]

Need-to-Know COVID-19 Financial Assistance Programs for Canadian Small Businesses (January 2022)

It’s no secret that the pandemic has challenged and continues to challenge businesses across Canada — and let’s not think about the fact that 2022 sounds like “2020, too.” Whether it’s reducing the amount of people you can have in your shop or a complete, temporary stoppage of operations, responding to these situations can look […]

The 2021 Canadian Small Business Resilience Report [PDF Download]

Quick Links Request the report Business resilience defined What the numbers and businesses say The 2021 Canadian Small Business Resilience Report. As we look back on the events of 2020 and the ongoing social and economic impacts, narratives will be dominated by the word “pandemic.” However, as our research has uncovered, conversations about the past […]

How to Contact the CRA Without Losing Your Mind

In our fast-paced world, sometimes picking up the phone is the best way to ensure proper communication and get a problem resolved for our clients. Although you may not have time for a friendly chat, our friends at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) do. Emails are a frequent way to communicate on a timely basis, […]