Intuit has expanded its QuickBooks Online Payroll offering to encompass a full suite of payroll and HR software features. Small businesses can now run payroll and file taxes automatically, as well as receive tax penalty protection and access on-demand human resources, health benefits, and workers’ compensation.

QuickBooks Online Payroll now comes in three tier options, Core, Premium and Elite. All three tiers include payroll and automated tax filing, and Premium and Elite come with TSheets time tracking. Intuit acquired TSheets in 2017.

The TSheets acquisition has proven key to the developing out of QuickBooks’ payroll products. Laurent Sellier, vice president and business leader of QuickBooks Online Payroll, said that he learned how important TSheets had become to QuickBooks Online Payroll users during one of Intuit’s accountant council meetings, where Intuit staff listen to ideas and insights from accountants.

“I asked one accountant to share how he runs his business, and he said any time he has a new customer that needs payroll, they provide full service payroll, including TSheets every time,” Sellier recalled. “After that, it’s all automated. At that point, I talked to some other leaders at Intuit about whether time tracking should be something we provide. Six months later, we bought TSheets. Now the big innovation — making TSheets available as part of Payroll so you don’t have to buy something else. We removed the seams between Payroll and TSheets. It’s one offering, well integrated.

Another highlight of the new suite is tax penalty protection, offered in the Elite tier. This feature protects the accountant in case of error in tax filings, Intuit assuming the risk.

QuickBooks Online Payroll users also now have the option to have live experts review their setup. The experts are full time Intuit staff on the Payroll support team who specialize in payroll onboarding.

Finally, a feature worthy of mention is the new online information portal, accessible to any user, including clients. The portal was created in partnership with HR tech provider Mammoth, and is integrated directly into QuickBooks Online Payroll.

“We hear not only from small businesses but also from accountants that HR is a growing area for questions and stress,” said Sandy Edwards, group product manager for QuickBooks Online Payroll. “That’s why we created an online portal powered by Mammoth, giving users access to a host of questions, forms, and information. It’s embedded in QuickBooks, so they don’t have to go anywhere else.”

The key features of the new QuickBooks Online Payroll, broken down by tier, are as follows:

Core
Previously known as QuickBooks Online Self-Service Payroll, QuickBooks Online Payroll Core is QuickBooks’ simplest solution for automated payroll and includes:

• Full-service payroll includes automated tax and forms;
• Auto Payroll;
• Next-day direct deposit;
• Automated federal and state payroll taxes (including year-end filings);
• A Workforce Portal for employees;
• Product support from U.S.-based experts;
• Health benefits for employees powered by Simply Insured.

Premium
Previously known as QuickBooks Online Full-Service Payroll, QuickBooks Online Payroll Premium includes all the features of Core, as well as:

• Same-day direct deposit;
• Time tracking on the go;
• Expert setup review;
• HR support center powered by Mammoth.

Elite
This new, top-tier offering was designed specifically for growing businesses. In addition to all the features provided in QuickBooks Online Payroll Premium, Elite customers receive:

• Manage projects and track time on the go;
• White glove customized setup by U.S.-based specialists;
• Tax Penalty Protection;
• An on-demand HR advisor powered by Mammoth.

For more information, follow the embedded links.