Based on checking the website Zpay.com, it’s clear that the company, ZPAY Payroll Systems, ceased operations on December 31, 2023. This significant information impacts any “review” of their services, as they are no longer selling products to new customers. The closure was due to the serious health issues of President Paul Mayer, a Vietnam Veteran suffering from Agent Orange exposure, which led to vision loss, tremors, and dementia. This means that while Zpay.com previously offered a comprehensive payroll software called PayWindow, it is no longer available for purchase or new subscriptions. Therefore, any discussion of “Zpay.com reviews” must be framed within the context of its historical offerings and the fact that it is no longer an active service provider, directing users towards alternatives like Payroll Mate.
Find detailed reviews on Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org, for software products you can also check Producthunt.
IMPORTANT: We have not personally tested this company’s services. This review is based solely on information provided by the company on their website. For independent, verified user experiences, please refer to trusted sources such as Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org.
Zpay.com: A Look Back at PayWindow Payroll Software’s Features
Given that ZPAY Payroll Systems has ceased operations, reviewing Zpay.com now primarily serves as a historical overview of their flagship product, PayWindow Payroll Software.
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This section delves into the robust features that made PayWindow a relevant option for businesses and tax professionals for over 35 years.
Comprehensive Payroll Processing Capabilities
PayWindow was designed to handle a wide array of payroll scenarios, offering flexibility for businesses of various sizes and structures.
Its core strength lay in its ability to manage diverse pay periods and employee types.
- Flexible Pay Periods: The software supported virtually every common pay period, including:
- Weekly
- Biweekly
- Semimonthly
- Monthly
- Quarterly
- Semiannually
- Daily or Miscellaneous
- Diverse Employee Support: PayWindow accommodated different compensation structures, catering to:
- Hourly employees
- Salaried employees
- Commissioned workers
- Non-employee contract workers 1099-MISC
- Unlimited Employees and Clients: A significant advantage was the absence of per-employee or per-client fees. This meant businesses could manage an unlimited number of payroll employees, and accountants could handle as many client company files as their hard drive allowed, offering immense scalability.
Tax Management and Reporting
One of the most critical aspects of any payroll software is its ability to accurately calculate, withhold, and report taxes. Pineseven.com Reviews
PayWindow demonstrated strong capabilities in this area, keeping businesses compliant with federal and state regulations.
- Updated Tax Tables: The software included regularly updated Federal and State Withholding tax tables, ensuring accurate calculations based on the latest tax laws.
- Multi-State and City Support: For businesses operating across different regions, PayWindow supported withholding and reporting taxes for all US states and territories, including:
- District of Columbia
- Commonwealth of Northern Marianas
- Guam
- Puerto Rico
- Virgin Islands
- It also offered support for multiple City Tax Tables, crucial for localized tax compliance.
- Automated Tax Form Generation: PayWindow streamlined tax reporting by enabling direct printing of essential forms on plain paper, eliminating the need for pre-printed stock for many common forms. This included:
- 941 Reports Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return
- 944 Reports Employer’s Annual Federal Tax Return for Small Businesses
- 940 Reports Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment FUTA Tax Return
- 943 Form for Agricultural Farm workers
- W2 Forms Wage and Tax Statement and W3 Forms Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements
- 1099-MISC forms for non-employee workers
Advanced Deduction and Tracking Features
Beyond basic pay, PayWindow offered granular control over deductions and tracked various types of leave and earnings, providing a holistic view of employee compensation.
- Six Additional Deduction Fields: Users could set up six extra deduction fields, allowing for a high degree of customization. These deductions could be:
- Taxable or Tax Exempt
- Percentage-based or Fixed Dollar Amount
- Applied to each paycheck
- Vacation, Sick, and Holiday Pay Tracking: The software diligently tracked and accrued different types of paid leave, ensuring accurate balances and reducing manual errors. This included:
- Vacation pay accruals and tracking
- Sick pay accruals and tracking
- Holiday pay
- Diverse Earning Types: In addition to regular pay, PayWindow tracked and reported:
- Bonus earnings
- Commissions
- Reported and Collected Tips
Integration and Reporting Capabilities
Seamless integration with other accounting systems and robust reporting were key selling points for PayWindow, aiming to reduce data entry and provide valuable insights.
- QuickBooks Export: For businesses using QuickBooks, PayWindow offered direct export capabilities to QuickBooks Pro or Premium versions from 2002 to 2019, simplifying the transfer of payroll data to the general ledger.
- Direct Deposit ACH NACHA: A modern convenience, the software could generate ACH NACHA formatted files, allowing businesses to pay employees automatically via direct deposit, streamlining the payroll disbursement process.
- Custom Report Builder: For specific analytical needs, PayWindow included a custom report builder, enabling users to create tailored reports beyond the standard offerings.
- Extensive Report Center: The software boasted a comprehensive report center with a multitude of pre-built reports, including:
- Employer’s Totals Report
- Cost Accounting Reports
- Check Printing and Check Register
- Wage reports for Month, Quarter, and Year to Date
- Tax Liability Report
- Payroll History Reports
- Employee Mailing Labels, Lists, and Pay Envelope Labels
- Flexible Export Formats: Reports could be exported in various popular formats for further analysis or integration with other systems:
- Adobe Acrobat *.pdf
- HTML Document *.htm
- RTF Document *.rtf
- CSV File *.csv
- ASCII Text File *.txt
- Bitmap File *.bmp
- Excel file OLE *.xls
- Excel table XML file *.xls
- XML table file *.xml
Technical Specifications and Usability
PayWindow was designed with practical usability in mind, catering to various Windows operating systems and offering network capabilities for multi-user environments.
- Operating System Compatibility: The software ran on a range of Windows operating systems, ensuring accessibility for a wide user base, including:
- Windows Vista
- Windows 7
- Windows 8
- Windows 10
- Network Ready: PayWindow was designed to be network-ready, allowing installation on all workstations at no extra cost. This feature was particularly beneficial for businesses with multiple users needing access to payroll data.
- User-Modifiable Tax Tables: The ability to modify tax tables provided an extra layer of control and adaptability for users, although this feature would require careful management to ensure compliance.
- Multiple Pay Rates: For hourly employees, PayWindow supported multiple pay rates, allowing different rates for working in different departments within the same pay period. This facilitated accurate cost accounting and employee compensation.
The End of an Era: Why Zpay.com Closed Down
The closure of ZPAY Payroll Systems on December 31, 2023, is a poignant story of personal sacrifice and the challenges faced by small businesses. Dinnerfy.com Reviews
The decision to shut down was driven by the severe health decline of the company’s President, Paul Mayer.
Paul Mayer’s Health Struggles
The website explicitly states that Paul Mayer, a Vietnam Veteran, was facing the devastating long-term effects of Agent Orange exposure from his tour in Vietnam. These health issues included:
- Approximately 90% vision loss
- Tremors in his hands
- Dementia
These conditions made it increasingly difficult for him to continue running the company effectively, highlighting the profound and lasting impact of military service.
Lack of Succession
Despite the challenges, a crucial factor in the closure was the unwillingness of his developer to take over the company. This underscores the often-overlooked aspect of small business succession planning. Without a clear and willing successor, even a well-established company with a loyal customer base can face an insurmountable obstacle when its leadership can no longer function.
Impact on Customers
The immediate consequence of the closure was that ZPAY Payroll Systems stopped selling any of its products to new customers starting well before the December 31, 2023, final shutdown date. Existing customers were likely supported until the final closure, but the company’s communication indicates a definitive end to service provision. This necessitates former users to seek alternative payroll solutions. Fullenrich.com Reviews
Finding Alternatives to Zpay.com’s PayWindow
With Zpay.com no longer offering PayWindow, former users and new businesses seeking payroll software must look for alternatives. The Zpay.com website itself points to a highly recommended option: Payroll Mate payroll software.
Payroll Mate: A Recommended Alternative
The Zpay.com homepage directly recommends Payroll Mate payroll software, stating it is “trusted by thousands of businesses and tax professionals nationwide since 2006 and named a Top Payroll software product by Capterra.” This endorsement from the former ZPAY team suggests Payroll Mate offers a comparable level of functionality and reliability.
- Key Features to Look For in Alternatives: When evaluating any payroll software, consider these critical features that PayWindow previously offered:
- Comprehensive Tax Compliance: Ensure the software handles federal, state, and local tax calculations and generates necessary forms 941, W-2, 1099, etc..
- Direct Deposit: This is a standard feature for modern payroll and significantly simplifies payment distribution.
- Integration with Accounting Software: Compatibility with QuickBooks or other accounting systems is vital for seamless financial management.
- Employee Self-Service Portal: Many modern solutions offer portals where employees can view pay stubs, update information, and access W-2s, reducing administrative burden.
- Time Tracking Integration: Look for software that integrates with timekeeping systems to automate hours worked.
- Report Customization: The ability to generate custom reports provides valuable insights into payroll costs and trends.
- Scalability: Choose a solution that can grow with your business, whether it’s adding more employees or expanding to new states.
- Customer Support: Reliable and accessible customer support is crucial for troubleshooting and guidance.
The Legacy of ZPAY Payroll Systems: 35 Years of Service
Commitment to Small Businesses
Payroll software like PayWindow played a vital role for small and medium-sized businesses SMBs, offering an in-house solution that provided control over their payroll processes without the ongoing costs of external payroll services. For many, having a desktop-based, self-contained system was preferable for data security and immediate access.
Adapting to Regulatory Changes
Over 35 years, payroll regulations undergo numerous changes.
For PayWindow to remain viable, it would have required continuous updates to tax tables, form formats, and compliance rules. Socra.com Reviews
This commitment to staying current was essential for its longevity and for keeping its users compliant.
A Niche in Desktop Payroll
While cloud-based payroll solutions have become dominant, desktop software like PayWindow carved out a significant niche.
For businesses that preferred to keep their payroll data locally, or those with specific IT environments, a robust desktop application was often the preferred choice.
The “Network ready” feature of PayWindow further supported multi-user environments within a local network.
User Experience and Interface Based on Website Information
While direct user experience reviews are no longer relevant for an inactive product, we can infer aspects of the user experience based on the features advertised on Zpay.com. Corbado.com Reviews
The design philosophy seemed to prioritize functionality and comprehensive control.
Focus on Control and Detail
The sheer number of features listed, from granular deduction fields to various report formats, suggests that PayWindow was designed for users who wanted detailed control over every aspect of their payroll. This would appeal to experienced payroll administrators or accountants.
- Customization: Features like user-modifiable tax tables and the custom report builder indicate a high degree of customization was possible, empowering users to tailor the software to their specific needs.
- Comprehensive Reporting: The “reports galore!” in the report center suggests that decision-makers would have had access to a wealth of data for financial analysis, cost accounting, and compliance auditing.
Desktop Software Considerations
As a desktop application, the user experience would inherently differ from cloud-based platforms.
- Installation and Local Hosting: Users would have been responsible for installing the software on their computers and managing data backups locally. This provides a sense of direct ownership and control over data.
- Updates: While the software provided updated tax tables, core software updates would likely have required manual downloads and installations, unlike the automatic updates common in cloud services.
- Offline Access: A key advantage of desktop software is the ability to work offline, which can be critical for businesses with unreliable internet access or those performing payroll tasks from various locations without constant connectivity.
Regulatory Compliance and Data Handling
For any payroll software, strict adherence to regulatory compliance and secure data handling are paramount.
While Zpay.com doesn’t detail their specific security protocols, the long history of the software implies a focus on these areas. Lottiebox.com Reviews
Federal and State Compliance
The explicit mention of supporting all US states and territories, along with specific federal forms 941, 944, 940, W2, 1099-MISC, indicates PayWindow was designed to meet a broad spectrum of tax compliance requirements. This would have involved:
- Accurate Tax Calculations: Ensuring correct federal, state, and local withholding amounts.
- Timely Form Generation: Providing the ability to print required tax forms on plain paper, simplifying the submission process.
- User Modifiable Tax Tables: While offering flexibility, this feature would also place a burden on the user to ensure any modifications maintained compliance.
Data Security Inferred for Desktop Software
For desktop software like PayWindow, data security largely relies on the user’s local system security.
- Local Data Storage: Payroll data would be stored on the user’s local hard drive, providing a sense of control over data residency.
- User Responsibility: Users would be responsible for implementing robust security measures on their computers, including strong passwords, antivirus software, and regular backups, to protect sensitive payroll information.
- Network Security: For networked installations, securing the local network would have been crucial to prevent unauthorized access to payroll files.
It’s important to note that while this provides an overview of Zpay.com’s historical offerings, the fundamental takeaway for anyone searching “Zpay.com reviews” is that the company is no longer operational, and users should seek active, supported alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zpay.com still operational?
No, Zpay.com, representing ZPAY Payroll Systems, ceased all operations on December 31, 2023, and is no longer selling any products to new customers.
What was PayWindow Payroll Software?
PayWindow Payroll Software was the flagship product of ZPAY Payroll Systems, a comprehensive desktop payroll solution that operated from 1983 to 2023, designed for businesses to manage their payroll in-house. Design-buddy.com Reviews
Why did ZPAY Payroll Systems close down?
ZPAY Payroll Systems closed due to the serious health issues of its President, Paul Mayer, a Vietnam Veteran suffering from Agent Orange exposure, which resulted in significant vision loss, tremors, and dementia, making it impossible for him to continue running the company. His developer also did not want to take over.
Can I still buy PayWindow Payroll Software?
No, you cannot buy PayWindow Payroll Software.
ZPAY Payroll Systems stopped selling new licenses well before their final closure date of December 31, 2023.
What operating systems did PayWindow Payroll Software support?
PayWindow Payroll Software ran under Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
Did PayWindow support multiple pay periods?
Yes, PayWindow supported a wide range of pay periods including Weekly, Biweekly, Semimonthly, Monthly, Quarterly, Semiannually, and Daily or Miscellaneous. Your-domain-bot.com Reviews
Could PayWindow handle federal and state tax withholding?
Yes, PayWindow included updated Federal and State Withholding tax tables and supported withholding and reporting taxes for all US states and territories.
Did PayWindow integrate with QuickBooks?
Yes, PayWindow could post transactions to QuickBooks Pro or Premium versions from 2002 to 2019.
What types of tax forms could PayWindow print?
PayWindow could print 941, 944, 940 Reports, 943 Form for Agricultural workers, W2 Forms, W3 Forms, and 1099-MISC forms on plain paper.
Did PayWindow offer direct deposit for employees?
Yes, PayWindow could create ACH NACHA formatted files to facilitate direct deposit payments to employees.
Was there a limit to the number of employees or clients in PayWindow?
No, PayWindow supported an unlimited number of payroll employees and allowed accountants to manage as many client company files as their hard drive could hold, with no extra cost. Theydo.com Reviews
Did PayWindow track vacation and sick pay?
Yes, PayWindow tracked Vacation, Sick, and Holiday pay in addition to Regular, Bonus, Commissions, Reported and Collected Tips.
What reporting features did PayWindow offer?
PayWindow featured a comprehensive report center with reports like Employer’s Totals, Cost Accounting, Check Register, Wage reports, Tax Liability, Payroll History, and allowed for custom report building.
What export formats were available for reports in PayWindow?
Reports could be exported in various formats including PDF, HTML, RTF, CSV, ASCII Text, Bitmap, and Excel files both OLE and XML.
Was PayWindow suitable for businesses with multiple locations or states?
Yes, PayWindow supported multiple State and City Tax Tables and could handle tax withholding and reporting for all US states and territories, making it suitable for businesses operating across different regions.
How long had ZPAY Payroll Systems been in business?
ZPAY Payroll Systems had been providing payroll software for over 35 years, from 1983 until its closure in 2023. Shadowlens.com Reviews
Was PayWindow a cloud-based software?
No, PayWindow Payroll Software was a desktop application that ran on Windows operating systems and could be installed locally on workstations.
Does Zpay.com recommend an alternative payroll software?
Yes, Zpay.com recommends Payroll Mate payroll software as a replacement for PayWindow or QuickBooks Desktop Payroll.
What should former Zpay.com customers do now?
Former Zpay.com customers need to transition to an alternative payroll software solution.
They should explore options like Payroll Mate or other reputable payroll providers to ensure continued payroll processing and tax compliance.
Where can I find more information about Payroll Mate?
The Zpay.com website provides a link to learn more about Payroll Mate, which is highlighted as a trusted payroll software product. Tailbox.com Reviews
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