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Multiple apps for scheduling, time tracking and payroll complicate workflows. TriNet provides an integrated system that streamlines human resources while improving employee experiences. It supports several time clock methods and alerts staff when schedules come out. Best of all, attendance information and time-off requests sync with payroll, which make it our top pick for a payroll service with built-in time tracking.
As a full-service payroll and HR platform, TriNet helps small business owners across a range of industries easily manage multiple HR functions. TriNet’s scheduling and employee time tracking features, included with all plans, earn our pick for best payroll system with integrated time and attendance functionalities. Whether you’ve got hourly and tipped workers clocking in on site, remote salaried employees or temporary commissioned team members, TriNet’s time and attendance integrations give you the tools to seamlessly manage it all.
The platform offers multiple ways to log hours, including desktop and mobile apps, as well as onsite terminals. Employers can enable time card fraud protection or GPS to prevent buddy punching and ensure worker safety. Moreover, TriNet’s built-in compliance features notify staff when it’s time for lunch or automatic breaks. It computes overtime regulations and simplifies benefits management with built-in Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance tools.
When it’s scheduling time, your HR team doesn’t need to switch applications. Instead, they can create shifts around roles or times and manage paid time off (PTO) requests from computers or iOS and Android devices. TriNet’s reporting tools also help your team stay one step ahead with features such as timecard summaries that monitor overtime and operational predictions that help you accurately schedule when business picks up the most.
TriNet’s mobile apps, which received solid ratings on par with ADP’s mobile solutions, also stood out to us in testing. TriNet’s mobile tools are built to make life a whole lot easier for both employees and your HR team. Employees can use the mobile apps to access health insurance or flex benefits, submit time off requests or connect with co-workers. Your workforce can also clock in or out or schedule time off right in the mobile app.
HR teams that have simple payroll needs can also approve and run payroll directly from the app. We also liked that admins have the ability to push out announcements to the whole team, such as upcoming holiday schedules.
We got to see firsthand how easy it is to navigate TriNet’s user interface during an exclusive demo for the platforms’ PEO. While some payroll software feels like a glorified spreadsheet, TriNet’s dashboards are detailed, clean and straightforward, with vertical and horizontal toolbars, well-placed to-do lists and metrics. We were immediately able to locate the payroll and time functions in the menu on the lefthand side.
We also appreciate that TriNet has added timecard error alerts, so your HR team can catch any potential manual mistakes before they become a bigger headache. One potential drawback, though, is that TriNet does not have automated payroll. Small businesses must manually run payroll each pay period.
If this is a no-go for your company, see our review of Gusto, which offers automated payroll and features time tracking on its Plus plan. However, TriNet’s time off solution does automatically sync time off requests to your payroll, so your team doesn’t have to worry about taking care of manually adding PTO.
We also liked that you can enter independent contractor information on the same screen as employee payroll data. Many payroll systems, including Gusto, require users to open a separate page. But TriNet can handle in-house or agency-paid temporary and contingent workers from a single screen.
TriNet’s mobile app also stands out for giving employees lifetime access to paystubs, tax information and employee benefits. Several payroll providers limit this access to three years.
As an HR, payroll and people platform, TriNet centralizes your data and workflows. Its HR and payroll features are more than enough to allow most small and midsize businesses to manage employees, benefits and more.
Both TriNet’s PEO and HR Plus subscriptions include scheduling, time-off management and attendance tracking tools. We didn’t find another payroll service that offers scheduling on its base plan. These HR functions sync seamlessly with TriNet’s payroll software, which eliminates manual data entry and reduces errors. We were particularly impressed with the PTO Balance Calculator, which includes the ability to block out dates, perfect for retailers in need of a full staff during holidays.
Several payroll solutions offer basic HR tools. In contrast, we like that TriNet provides robust features for smooth hiring and onboarding processes. The entry-tier subscription includes customizable offer letters and background checks through Checkr. New hires can complete the onboarding process digitally by signing tax forms online, filling out direct deposit information and choosing benefits. We appreciated the account provisioning feature, which lets you assign login accounts for Slack and Salesforce.
We also really liked that TriNet allows employers to add custom fields into their onboarding documentation. During testing, we saw fields available for information such as food allergies and clothing size, which is great for businesses that require uniforms. Once employers have reviewed all necessary documents, they can set up an automated email trigger so that new hires immediately get all the paperwork they need to complete. And best of all, new employees can fill out all the onboarding documents directly from the mobile app.
Like other full-service payroll systems, TriNet offers unlimited pay runs, multiple pay rates and general ledger reporting. Companies can pay employees via direct deposits or paper checks. TriNet now also offers pay cards as a direct deposit alternative. It can also set aside funds for garnishments, such as remitting payments to child support agencies, which not all payroll providers can do.
TriNet’s payroll tax filing process is on par with other providers we reviewed. It calculates the correct amounts for your federal, state and local taxes; files common payroll forms with government agencies; and remits payments on your behalf. We like that TriNet also allows companies to pay state employment taxes manually. Additionally, it gives small business owners the ability to generate W-2s, and employees can see their tax information online or in the mobile app.
During our testing, we were impressed to see that TriNet makes all of this easier with their AI assist feature. If you need to see any historical data regarding past payroll taxes, you can simply ask the AI chat assistant to pull it for you in one quick prompt.
Every TriNet subscription comes with a unique compliance assistance feature. It provides custom deadline reminders, detailed explanations and a dashboard to keep your HR staff abreast of critical compliance tasks. In addition, TriNet builds compliance tools into its HR software with automated mandatory notices for continuation of health coverage through COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) and monitoring of FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) overtime pay regulations. This feature saves time and prevents errors for companies calculating blended overtime pay or managing multistate teams.
TriNet’s compliance tools extend to all workflows. Representatives from TriNet explained to business.com that their team is happy to assist small businesses building out employee policies in accordance with local regulations. These compliance tools apply to global businesses as well, automatically embedding all relevant local labor regulations into your HR functions. For instance, TriNet will alert your team if local laws stipulate any specific notification periods before terminating employees.
Several HR and payroll providers have HR and benefits management tools. However, the TriNet comprehensive toolkit stands out. Small businesses can benchmark salaries for effective compensation management strategies or post employee engagement surveys in the people hub. Employees can compare benefit plans right on their smartphones without scheduling a meeting with HR. The Healthee AI assistant feature can also display rates by specific provider, with the ability to book an appointment directly from the app.
TriNet can operate as a SaaS or an HR outsourcing service, depending on what you are looking for. The company’s preset plans and add-on functions allow you to create a customized solution with all the necessary features. If you partner with TriNet as your HR outsourcing solution, you can take advantage of several of the following HR features to manage your employees, run payroll and administer employee benefits.
Both TriNet’s PEO and HR Plus plans include dedicated HR support, although this may vary with HR Plus, depending on your customized TriNet package. TriNet’s HR advisory services include on-demand access to a team of HR professionals and payroll experts that can answer your HR questions and guide you through the process. Whether you are trying to create new HR policies, handle compliance challenges, or understand employment rules and regulations, the advisory services are there to help you.
Every TriNet plan comes with core HR services. These include hiring and onboarding tools, like automated offer letters (templates and customizable), comprehensive background checks, electronic tax documents (W-4s and I-9s), e-signatures, and account provisioning. Users also have access to document management capabilities for things like company policies, employee handbooks and noncompete agreements, all accessible via desktop and TriNet’s mobile app.
We like that TriNet’s intuitive website and mobile apps allow for employee self-onboarding, freeing up your HR team to focus on other tasks. In testing, we were impressed to see that TriNet supports the entire employee lifecycle from onboarding to offboarding, which we found to be competitive with others in the industry. Employers get access to automated workflows for tasks like promoting, transferring or terminating employees. Having an automated process for key employee events can be a great way for startups to improve efficiency, reduce errors and maintain legal compliance.
Every TriNet HR outsourcing plan includes time and scheduling features. For example, you can build employee schedules around roles or times, create PTO policies, manage time-off requests, set blackout dates and automatically calculate PTO.
With TriNet’s in-house payroll processing and administration service, you can conveniently integrate this data into your payroll. The add-on service also handles your payroll processing and allows for varying schedules and pay rates, direct deposit, wage garnishments, tips reporting and general ledger reporting. We like that TriNet caters to multiple payroll formats for all types of small businesses, regardless of whether the staff comprises employees, independent contractors or a combination of the two.
TriNet provides flexibility in administering employee benefits that not all competitors offer: You can use one of TriNet’s certified broker partners or your own benefits broker. This choice allows startups the opportunity to find the best broker to fit their budget. However, if employee benefits administration is your top priority, you may also want to check out our review of ADP HR outsourcing.
TriNet requires a minimum of five employees for all plans. Unfortunately, TriNet does not list its pricing publicly for its PEO or HR Plus plans. To get pricing details for your business, you’ll need to schedule a meeting with TriNet to get a custom quote. However, a TriNet representative did explain to us that their pricing is based on a per employee per month structure, not a percentage of your overall payroll.
Although it can be frustrating for employers that want to compare payroll service costs without needing to schedule a demo, TriNet did express that they are committed to providing transparency to their customers. Once you sign up, you can expect a line-by-line invoice detailing every cost per employee. We also appreciate that TriNet doesn’t require long-term contracts. You can cancel with 30 days notice if their service isn’t meeting your needs, although cancellation fees may apply. [Read related: Best PEO Service Providers]
TriNet’s onboarding takes about 14 days to complete, with the help of a TriNet account representative. Because the platform is so user-friendly, onboarding the rest of your workforce isn’t a huge burden once your admin team is up to speed. We found the interface easy enough to navigate, and can see how most team members could find what they need on their own without external support.
We appreciated being able to contact the TriNet team via email, chat and phone. Chat support is available 24/7 via Connect 360 and you can contact TriNet by phone Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. EST. While we appreciate that TriNet’s phone line is open outside business hours, platforms like ADP do include 24/7 support for all channels. If you need more custom support from someone who understands your unique needs, administrators have the ability to directly email their assigned account relationship manager.
When we spoke to TriNet, we were informed that average wait times via phone were about 13 seconds with a 94 percent resolution rate on all requests. Some users, however, have reported longer than expected wait times and less-than-desirable agent knowledge levels in past reviews. This could concern less tech-savvy users or companies new to online payroll software.
TriNet provides a one-vendor scheduling, payroll and time tracking solution. While it offers many common benefits of paperless payroll, TriNet won’t meet the needs of all companies. Although TriNet offers third-party integrations such as QuickBooks for expense management, we were disappointed in what’s available compared to their competitors. Rippling offers a similar workforce platform with payroll and HR modules that syncs to more than 500 point-of-sale, accounting and enterprise resource planning systems. However, Rippling lacks employer mobility, so it’s not a good fit for business owners who want to run payroll from smartphones.
When researching the best online payroll services and software for small businesses, we spoke with vendor representatives, interacted with support agents, participated in exclusive demos and tested dozens of software systems. We considered factors like ease of use, implementation, navigation and integrations with existing tools. We also examined user reviews and ratings to understand potential drawbacks. When looking for the best payroll service for time tracking specifically, we looked for built-in scheduling tools and time and attendance features that benefit employees and employers. Our goal is to help businesses choose the right payroll provider for their needs.
We recommend TriNet for …
We don’t recommend TriNet for …
Natalie Hamingson contributed to the reporting and writing in this article.
