Payroll solutions provider Gusto rolled out a centralized dashboard to unify payroll management across multiple clients, as well as a benefits advisor to help accountants better advise clients on health insurance matters.
The payroll hub, available to Gusto Pro users aims to provide accountants with a customizable dashboard for every client they have. Gusto highlights the most urgent payrolls, but users can still filter the list to show only the payroll clients they focus on, or show payrolls that are blocked or overdue. Eventually, Gusto plans to also include details like the pay period, frequency, and who on the team ran it last. Users will also be able to see the type of payroll, such as for new hires, dismissals or bonuses. The solution maps payroll categories to users' chart of accounts using AI-powered suggestions based on the firm's default chart of accounts. Users set the rules once, and new categories get mapped automatically going forward.
"The message is simple: You shouldn't have to micromanage your payroll platform," said a Gusto blog post. "Gusto Pro helps you manage smarter, so you can focus on what matters most. These updates will give you more visibility, automate manual work, and give you more time to focus on innovating and growing your firm, and the more clients you add, the more you save,"
Gusto's new Benefits Advisor can help guide clients through health insurance processes, allowing users to see which clients are primed for benefits, explore cost ranges, and connect directly with Gusto benefits advisors—without having to be a licensed broker. Gusto's Your Client Tab will now surface recommendations for clients who may be a good fit for health insurance, based on Gusto's data from 400,000+ businesses. These insights take into account company size and industry to show how a client compares to their peers. The tool pre-fills the client's payroll data from Gusto (and revenue from QuickBooks Online, if connected) to show payroll costs as a percentage of revenue. Users can adjust the numbers to explore different scenarios and see how the range changes. The software will eventually provide both a lower-cost and higher-coverage option. If the client is ready to go from estimate to actual quotes, the accountant can explore plan options directly from their Gusto account. Theoretically, they could also schedule a call with a Gusto benefits advisor or refer the client to a Gusto advisor for personalized support
"Accountants are wearing more hats than ever—and clients are taking notice. Small businesses still rely on their accountants for essential services like bookkeeping, tax preparation and running payroll. But increasingly, they're also turning to their accountants for strategic guidance on how to run their business, grow their team, and take care of their people," said Gusto's blog.
Gusto stressed that, unless the user holds the appropriate insurance licenses, accountants must limit their guidance to general affordability discussions and connecting clients with licensed professionals. They must not recommend specific plans, carriers or coverage levels. All cost ranges are estimates based on aggregated data and are provided for discussion purposes only. Actual premiums will vary.
