What We Do

Payroll That Works.
Every Time.

Payroll errors are expensive — in tax penalties, in hours spent correcting mistakes, and in the employee trust you lose every time something goes wrong. Your people expect to be paid correctly, on time, without exception. That's a reasonable expectation. Meeting it consistently requires proper processes.

We build payroll systems and processes that are structured for accuracy, documented for consistency, and set up for full compliance — so every pay cycle runs cleanly regardless of who's running it.

With a background in accounting and business operations, Beth Hartley helps businesses maintain accurate payroll processes, organized financial records, and reliable operational support — with attention to compliance, reporting, and day-to-day accuracy.

Payroll Support
Accurate Payroll & Financial Operations Support
100%
Accuracy — the standard we hold every pay cycle to
Flex
Engagement — setup, cleanup, or ongoing administration
What's Included

Everything a Compliant,
Accurate Payroll Requires

⚙️
Payroll System Setup & Administration

Configuring and running your payroll system properly — from initial setup through ongoing administration — so every cycle runs accurately and on time.

Payroll system configuration and setup
Employee data management and maintenance
Pay schedule design and administration
Deductions, benefits, and garnishment processing
📋
Process Documentation & Controls

Written payroll procedures and internal controls that prevent errors before they occur — ensuring consistent, accurate results regardless of who runs the payroll.

Step-by-step payroll processing procedures
Pre-payroll audit and review checklists
Approval workflows and segregation of duties
Error detection and correction procedures
⚖️
Compliance Monitoring

Staying current with federal, state, and local payroll requirements — tax rates, filing deadlines, and regulatory changes — so you're always in compliance without having to track it yourself.

Federal and state payroll tax compliance
Tax filing and deposit schedule management
Year-end W-2 and 1099 preparation
Regulatory change monitoring and updates
🔄
Systems Evaluation & Transition

If your current payroll system isn't working for you, we evaluate alternatives honestly and manage a smooth transition that doesn't disrupt your operations or your employees.

Current system capability assessment
Payroll software comparison and recommendation
Migration planning and execution support
Parallel run management and validation
📊
Reporting & Reconciliation

Clean payroll records, clear reports, and properly reconciled data — ensuring your payroll integrates correctly with your accounting records and provides the visibility you need.

Payroll register and summary reports
General ledger reconciliation
Bank account reconciliation for payroll
Management reporting and cost analysis
🚑
Payroll Cleanup & Correction

If your payroll records are a mess — from errors, missed filings, or a transition that didn't go smoothly — we go back in, clean it up, and get you to a solid foundation.

Historical payroll record review and correction
Tax filing corrections and amended returns
Employee pay discrepancy resolution
Back-payment and adjustment processing
Who This Is For

Payroll Support That Fits
Your Situation

😰
Payroll Is a Monthly Headache

Every pay cycle is stressful, something is always wrong, and you're never fully confident the numbers are right. We fix the process so payroll runs cleanly every time.

🔄
Switching Payroll Systems

You're moving from one platform to another and need the transition done properly — with no errors, no missed filings, and no disruption to employees.

🏗️
Setting Up From Scratch

You're hiring your first employees and need payroll set up properly from day one — the right system, the right processes, and full compliance from the start.

How It Works

Your Payroll Engagement,
Step by Step

01
Payroll Review

We assess your current payroll processes, systems, and compliance posture — identifying what's working, what's broken, and what the risk exposure looks like.

02
Fix & Document

We correct existing issues, configure your systems properly, and write the documented procedures that prevent the same problems from recurring.

03
First Clean Cycle

We run the first fully corrected payroll cycle alongside you — ensuring everything processes accurately before stepping back to let your team run it independently.

04
Ongoing Support

Ongoing administration, periodic compliance checks, and advisory support available as your workforce changes or new payroll situations arise.

Why Choose Hartley Michaels for Payroll

Accurate Payroll & Financial Oversight
In Every Cycle.

Many payroll providers simply process payroll. Beth Hartley focuses on maintaining organized payroll operations, accurate reporting, payroll tax coordination, and smooth integration with business accounting processes — helping businesses stay efficient and compliant.

Because Beth also manages accounting and HR, payroll doesn't exist in a silo. Changes that affect benefits, compensation, or classifications get handled in a way that's consistent across all three functions — with no gaps between them.

15+ Years — Experience supporting accurate payroll and financial processes
Process-first approach — we fix the system, not just the current cycle
Compliance expertise — federal and state requirements correctly handled
GL integration — payroll reconciles properly with your accounting records
Connected to HR — employee changes handled consistently across all functions
Common Questions

Payroll Questions
Answered Honestly

We already use a payroll platform — do we still need help? +
Often yes. Having a payroll platform and having payroll running properly are different things. Many businesses have the software but lack documented procedures, proper compliance monitoring, or correct GL reconciliation. We'll review what you have and tell you honestly what's working and what isn't.
Can you manage the full payroll administration for us? +
Yes. We can take on the full administration — running payroll, managing tax filings, handling year-end W-2s, and maintaining compliance — as an ongoing engagement. Or we can build the processes and hand them to your team to run internally. We'll structure the engagement based on what actually makes sense for your situation.
What if our payroll records are already a mess? +
That's actually one of the most common situations we deal with. We go back through the records, identify what's correct and what isn't, make the corrections, and file any necessary amended returns. It takes time to clean up properly, but it's absolutely recoverable — and getting it right is worth far more than leaving it.
Which payroll systems do you work with? +
We work with the major small business platforms — QuickBooks Payroll, Gusto, ADP, Paychex, and as well as enterprise systems such as Workday used by larger organizations. We'll assess your current system against your needs and give you an honest recommendation on whether to stay or switch, with no referral arrangements influencing that advice.
Related Services

Services That Work
Alongside Payroll

PAYROLL
Free Consultation Available

End the Monthly
Payroll Stress.

One conversation is all it takes to understand what's going wrong and what a properly structured payroll looks like for your business.