The idea of having replacement wage slips for workers who lose their paper payroll data (pay stubs) is something that may become somewhat obsolete in an increasingly paperless work world. But for today, the issue still persists, and businesses still hunt for payroll data backup options, where resources on replacement wage slips for beginners may be a lifesaver for novice HR planners looking to account for these kinds of situations. Having solid, reliable backups for payroll data can help a business avoid a lot of headaches.

For managers or decision makers who have not yet found out a lot about payroll backup options, it's good to start online with some basic resources that beginners can use to get educated about how payroll data backup works in various companies. The web offers great overviews for:

1. Top brass considering moving an old-school paper-based payroll system that may need paper "replacement wage slips" into something more versatile and less prone to information loss.

2. HR reps trying to figure out the best payroll options possible for their specific jurisdiction.

3. Business brainstorming "task force" groups looking for the premier payroll processing for the future of a company.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Browse sites of companies offering electronic alternatives to replacement wage slips

Options for feature-rich payroll software packages with time-saving aspects like direct deposit can save both the manager and the employee a lot of hassle.

I recommend: Find payroll systems with direct deposit at sites like ISS-Software. More full-scale systems are on display at DDPlus, where readers can find out how the company can offer solutions for keeping all payroll data safe and sound.

Take a look at online guides to payroll alternatives to replacement wage slips

Other websites include detailed guides for beginners to get more tips and clues about what goes into 'virtual' or electronically-backed payroll solutions. Scan pages and take notes on what is important and useful to your in-house payroll system.

I recommend: The HR World's Essential Guide to Choosing a Payroll Solution guides readers through some of the main factors, including cost and other parts of the equation for making a decision about payroll. Or browse blog style sites like this one from ZDNet.

Consider outsourcing payroll to handle issues like replacement wage slips

Another option for beginners to think about is the idea that a third party could provide efficient, legitimate payroll management without having to introduce that complex process into an in-house system.

I recommend: Check out this "Eight Benefits of Outsourcing Payroll" site to see how outsources solutions cover data backup and other aspects of payroll management. It may also be good to scan resources like this one from top payroll service provider ADP. Be sure to get the official IRS take on the subject to see how you, as a beginner, can anticipate tax liabilities well.

If your employees have ever been asked to provide proof of income but can't find their pay stubs, consider replacement wage slips. Replacement wage slip services are worth investigating. Proof of income is required for many large purchases, including loans, mortgages and rental agreements. When a lost or damaged pay stub just won't do, then consider providing them with a replacement wage slip.

Utilizing state-of-the-art technology, replacement wage slip companies provide you with a duplicate pay stub. You submit the details online and a replacement will arrive in the mail. Consider the following when searching for a replacement wage slip manufacturer:

1. Make sure the replacement wage slip provider can handle weekly or monthly pay variations.

2. Make sure anything you order will arrive in the mail quickly.

3. Consider electronic pay stubs to eliminate the need for replacement wage slips in the future.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make sure income variations can be handled by the replacement wage slip provider

Those who work for hourly wages, or who work in sales, can attest to the fact that their income varies from pay period to pay period because of commissions, bonuses or overtime. Make sure the replacement wage service provider you select can handle these regular fluctuations.

I recommend: OS Payroll Services does not charge extra for commissions or bonuses and has an easy online application order form. Payslips P60 handles extras for a small fee.

Verify your replacement wage slip order will be shipped ASAP

If you are searching for a replacement wage slip provider, it's probably because your employees need to provide proof of income NOW! Make sure the replacement wage slip company has rapid shipping options so the pay stub is delivered as quickly as possible.

I recommend: Wageslips4u guarantees next day delivery if your order is posted before 2 p.m., although you should plan appropriately for international deliveries, which can take 4-5 days. Payroll Management UK promises all orders are guaranteed to be posted the same day and will ship internationally if necessary.

Eliminate the need for replacement wage slips with electronic pay stub software

From the employer perspective, electronic or paperless pay stub systems bring immediate savings because the cost of printing and delivering paper pay stubs is eliminated. From the employee perspective, the need no longer exists for obtaining a replacement wage slip.

I recommend: PayStubs Online is a secure, easy-to-use, web-based tool that lets employees view current and past pay stubs anytime they want as long as they have Internet access. National Payment offers EZStub, a similar electronic tool. EZStub even provides employees with text alerts on payday.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure the replacement wage slip provider prints on quality paper. Shoddy paper may hurt your chances for the slip to be accepted as proof of income.
• •  Consider going high tech so you can provide your own proof of income. You can scan original pay stubs, save them to your computer and compress them so they don't take up too much space on your computer.
• •  Store copies of employees' pay stubs for record keeping purposes.

Small businesses often rely on accountants processing payroll by hand, which requires a regular supply of replacement wage slips that are kept on file and given to employees. With the increase in technology used by many small offices, many businesses choose to use office letterhead to print their own payroll forms, and even to process payroll electronically using accounting software. Other offices prefer to purchase specially designed carbon copy payroll forms or books for processing accounts by hand.

Regardless of the type of payroll forms you choose to use, you can expect to require some budgeting for the forms, paper or software programs used to produce replacement wage slips. While a software program may reduce the recurring cost of ordering payslips, keep in mind that some services are by subscription, and others may require updates every few years. Buying replacement wage slips in bulk can also help cut some recurrent costs.

When budgeting for replacement wage slips pricing and costs, consider the following options:

1. Find payroll books for annual bookkeeping use at a low unit price;

2. Order inexpensive payroll forms and carbon copy order slips for processing by hand;

3. Cut recurring costs and add convenience with software programs for payroll.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Order payroll books for keeping track of replacement wage slips

One way to handle your need for payslip replacements is to keep track of payroll in a payroll book. Payroll books are easy to find at any office supply store, often for under $10 for a year of records. Keep in mind that you may wish to keep two payroll books, with one serving as a backup in case the original record is damaged or destroyed.

I recommend: Gotoforms.com sells payslip books for $11 to $13. You can also find payroll books at Office-Supplies.us.com for $8 to $9, depending on how many books you purchase in a single order.

Order replacement wage slips individually or in a package

Another way to stock up on your replacement payslip forms is to order sets of forms, either as loose forms or as a generic purchase order book. These are standard payment record forms with carbon copy paper, allowing you to easily record the payroll transaction and keep a copy for your account files.

I recommend: Buy sales and order books for an easy replacement payslip solution from Office Depot for $3 to $13. You can also find payroll forms for $4 each or a pack of 100 for $30 from BuyOnlineNow, with reduced rates on larger orders.

Cut recurrent replacement wage slips pricing and costs by using software or online payroll

Electronic payroll solutions are another option if you want to eliminate the need to order replacement wage slips on a regular basis or have limited office space for storing hard copies of bookkeeping files. Payroll software programs, which may be either software you install and use on a single computer or an online program you can access from anywhere, allow you to organize and process payroll entirely electronically. You can also use software programs to print pay stubs directly from your computer.

I recommend: Intuit provides an online payroll service for $9.95 to $29.99 per month. You can also get a software program like Payroll Mate, available for about $99 from RealTaxTools.com.

People may need to show a pay stub when they apply for loans, but coming up with a lost pay stub was once an a big problem for an employee at a company. Now, a replacement wage slip acts as a convenient alternative to a misplaced original pay stub. Today, there are various solutions to the problem of a lost wage slip, such as the electronic pay stub, replacement W-2s or P60s and self-service human resources.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Electronic pay stub

An electronic pay stub, also called an online pay stub or a paperless pay stub, is a record of the same pertinent information found on a traditional pay stub, but is stored electronically instead of printed on paper for an employee.

I recommend: To find out more about electronic pay stubs and the advantages of using them please visit PayStubs Online.

Self-service human resources

Many human resources departments are trying to save time and money by using self-service human resources. Employees can log on to the system and check their important data, including the retrieval of lost wage slips.

I recommend: Learn more about self-service human resources from Oracle.

Payroll software

Payroll software is used by companies to manage employee time sheets, calculate the amount of money that they should receive and even print out the checks. If an employee needs a replacement wage slip, human resources should be able to print a new one out using the software.

I recommend: Learn more about payroll software at Payroll Data Services.

Check stub template

When an employee needs a replacement wage slip, human resources may choose to use a check stub template to create a new one. They simply have to fill in the employee's data.

I recommend: See check stub templates at File Guru.

Replacement P60s or W-2s

The certificate referred to as the P60 (in the U.K.) and W-2 (in the U.S.) contains the total amount of pay earned by an employee along with deductions. This document is given to a worker by his or her employer at the end of that particular tax year.

I recommend: To find out more about the specific information contained in a P60 and why it is an important document go to Directgov. Learn what to do if you need a new W-2 from Bankrate.com.

Paper pay stub

A paper pay stub is a printed document including important pay stub information that is usually sent to an employee by his or her employer via the traditional mail system or simply given to the person at work.

I recommend: For a rundown of the different types of information that are normally found on a pay stub check out Clearpoint Financial Solutions.