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What should you look for in payroll software?

With payroll software you create payslips and file the payroll tax return. What matters is that the return is filed on time and correctly, and that the package connects to your accounting and your pension provider.

  1. Price per payslip

    Payroll packages often charge per employee or per payslip per month, sometimes with a fixed amount on top. With a few employees, the fixed part can weigh more than the price per payslip.

    Ask the vendor

    What do I pay per payslip and per month, and do I also pay for an employee who gets no pay that month?

    Sort by lowest price5 of 10 tools have a public price

  2. Payroll tax return from the package

    With staff you file a payroll tax return every month or every 4 weeks. With 10 or fewer employees you can do that with the software of the Dutch Tax Administration (Belastingdienst); with more than 10 you have to use commercial software. If you outsource it, you remain responsible for the return yourself.

    Ask the vendor

    Does the package send the payroll tax return to the Belastingdienst itself, and who checks that it arrived correctly?

    We do not have a filter for this yet. Ask the vendor.

  3. Pension return

    If you have a pension scheme, the data also has to go to your pension provider. If that does not happen automatically, you do it by hand every period.

    Ask the vendor

    Does the package send the pension data directly to my pension fund or insurer?

    Sort by most integrations8 of 10 tools list integrations

  4. Integration with your accounting

    After every payroll run, the journal entry has to go into your accounts. With an integration your accountant does not have to type it over.

    Ask the vendor

    Which accounting packages does it integrate with, and does the journal entry go in automatically?

    Sort by most integrations8 of 10 tools list integrations

  5. Support that knows the payroll rules

    Payroll rules change every year. With a question about an allowance or a sick report, you want to talk to someone who knows how it works in the Netherlands.

    Ask the vendor

    Can I call a payroll specialist in Dutch, and do you process changes in the payroll rules automatically?

    Show tools with support in Dutch7 of 10 tools meet this

  6. Data processing agreement

    Payroll data is sensitive: citizen service number (BSN), pay and sometimes sickness absence. The vendor processes it for you, and the GDPR then requires a data processing agreement.

    Ask the vendor

    Do you offer a data processing agreement, and how do you secure the BSNs and pay data?

    Show tools with data in the EU and a data processing agreement6 of 10 tools meet thisMore about the data processing agreement

  7. Keeping payslips and taking them with you

    Your payroll records also fall under the 7-year retention requirement. If you switch, you still need to be able to view the old payslips and returns.

    Ask the vendor

    Can I export all payslips and payroll journal entries, and can I still access them after I cancel?

    We do not have a filter for this yet. Ask the vendor.

Frequently asked questions about choosing payroll packages

What should you look for in payroll software?

Look mainly at price per payslip, payroll tax return from the package, pension return, integration with your accounting, support that knows the payroll rules, data processing agreement and keeping payslips and taking them with you. For each point we explain why it matters and which question to ask the vendor.

Which questions should you ask a vendor of payroll packages?

What do I pay per payslip and per month, and do I also pay for an employee who gets no pay that month? Does the package send the payroll tax return to the Belastingdienst itself, and who checks that it arrived correctly? Does the package send the pension data directly to my pension fund or insurer? Which accounting packages does it integrate with, and does the journal entry go in automatically?

How many payroll packages in the guide can you use or try for free?

Of the 10 payroll packages in our guide, 0 have a free plan and 1 can be tried for free, according to the vendor's site.

Sources

  1. Belastingdienst: Filing your payroll tax return (in Dutch)
  2. Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens: Data processing agreement (in Dutch)
  3. Ondernemersplein (KVK and government): Keeping and storing your records (in Dutch)

Texts and sources checked on . The counts follow from the facts in the guide. Rules can change; the source prevails. This is an explanation, not legal or tax advice.

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