Company setup overview
Streamline your company setup with Check's four-step payroll integration process for partners.
Overview
The set-up process is a collaboration between partners and Check, delivering a seamless, technology-driven experience, enabling companies to start using a partner’s payroll product. Check works closely with partners to develop streamlined processes which minimize risk and, over time, improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the pre- and post-sales customer experience.
There are four high-level steps:
- Verify the business: Due diligence review of the company’s business to determine payroll product and feature eligibility.
- Collect and migrate data: Collect and review the company set up materials, employee history, demographic data, tax profile, and employee / employer banking materials.
- Validate and authorize company info: Review data quality, complete company setup, authorize tax payments, and confirm mid quarter tax liabilities.
- Test running payroll: Run a parallel payroll with the previous provider in partner system to build confidence.
Verify the business
This can be kicked off prior to contract signature and run in parallel to other processes. It typically takes 30 minutes to 48 hours. The partner owns data collection and Check owns verification.
Compliance review
Goal: Collect and review the legal requirements a company must meet
Key components:
- Business registration & entity review
- Ownership and OFAC review
Business risk assessment
Goal: Conduct a quantitative risk analysis to determine ability to support specific processing periods
Key components:
- Business viability analysis
- Corporate entity validation
- Financial viability and payroll analysis
Pre- and post-decision communication
Goal: Provide streamlined and transparent communication to partners and their customers about the status and results
Key components:
- Collect relevant customer data from partner
- Communicate results of KYB review
Information requirements
Check’s process evaluates a consistent set of data in accordance with legal requirements. In certain circumstances, additional information from the company may be required to assess a company’s risk profile and minimize fraud. Some information is always required. Additional information may be needed to confirm EIN / DOS or resolve issues with OFAC screening.
Information used in every business verification:
- Legal name
- d/b/a
- Business type
- Address
- Industry
- Individual signatory
- Website
- Number of W2 and 1099 employees
Additional information required on a case by case basis:
- Proof of state registration
- Proof of EIN
- Proof of address
- Historical payrolls
- Bank statements
- Legal ID for signatory/owner
Collect & migrate data
Every company requires a similar set of information to be collected and data to be migrated from a previous payroll system. Our payroll software experts work with you during the product development process to optimize product design and company set-up flow to create a frictionless customer experience.
This process typically takes 4-8 business days. Check provides automated data collection and upload tools to make this process easier.
For more information, review Deep dive: Collect & migrate data.
Initial company information
Goal: Collect and review the company set up materials
Key components:
- Company legal details
- FEIN & State IDS
- Company industry
- Expected start date
- Pay schedule
Primary data requests
Goal: Collect and review employee history and demographic data
Key Components:
- Company legal details
- YTD Payroll Data
- Employee Data
- Quarterly Returns
Programmatic data collection
Goal: Complete the tax profile and EE/ER banking materials
Key components:
- EE/ER withholding, PTD, and Benefits information
- Company authorization and filing forms (federal & state)
Information requirements
Create the company entity and adds required employee information. YTD payroll data is then uploaded, if required, to complete the migration process.
Employer set-up data
- Legal name
- Address
- Phone number
- Pay frequency
- FEIN & state EINs
- State-given SUI rates
- Banking info
- Other state-specific info as required
Employee set-up data
- Name
- Address
- Start date
- Date of birth
- SSN
- Workplace address
- Federal filing status
- Federal withholdings
- State filing status
- State withholdings
- Citizenship/Visa
Year-to-date payroll data (if required)
- Gross pay by type (bonus, regular, commission, etc.)
- State & federal EE taxes
- State & federal ER taxes
- Employee benefit contributions
- Employer benefit contributions
- Reimbursements
- Garnishments/ Post-tax deductions
Note: *YTD payroll is required if company is transitioning payroll providers any time except its first payroll of a new calendar year
Validate & authorize company information
Check’s rigorous and efficient data verification and government authorization process ensures every company is set up correctly before payroll is run. Our process helps partners deliver the best possible customer experience, quickly and accurately.
This process typically takes 24 to 48 hours. Check provides in-product auditing tools, Forms API, and embedded workflows to make the process easier.
For more information, review Deep dive: Validate & authorize company info.
Review data quality
Goal: Review set up materials for missing components.
Key components:
- Verify employees / contractors uploaded
- Tax profile review
- Company authorization filing documents
Complete company setup
Goal: Confirm information is balanced, submit filing authorization documents
Key components:
- Identify if payroll history loads are in balance
- Loading company to EFTPS
- Submit filing documents
State & federal authorization
Goal: Verify ability to file tax returns/move money on companies behalf
Key components:
- Proactive Power of Attorney submission
- Third Party Administrator (TPA) submission
Confirm & collect mid-quarter tax liabilities
Goal: Collect payments not deposited by prior provider
Key components:
- Identify if current quarter and/or annual payment taxes are fully funded
- Process collection of outstanding funds
Test running payroll (Optional)
Running a parallel payroll before go-live instills confidence in Check’s partners and our partners’ customers that the new payroll systems works correctly. For more information on how to run a parallel payroll, view our help center article. Alternatively, partners can use the Historical Payroll Audit Report to avoid running a parallel payroll.
This process typically takes 2 hours.
Parallel payroll run
Goal: Produce the identical output of the prior provider.
Key components:
- Run payroll in partner system with live data
- Match output against previous payroll provider
Build confidence
Goal: Show that changing providers poses no risk.
Key components:
- Share output reports with client to show same output
- Build confidence in seamless transition between systems
Additional validation
Goal: Shadow offers confirmation of data migration.
Key components:
- Confirms all setup information matches previous system before live run
- Benefits/statuses that may have changed between import/go-live
Last updated on March 31, 2024