This article addresses frequently asked questions regarding GroundCloud Payroll.
Note: GroundCloud Payroll Support Hours are Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm CST.
General
Is GroundCloud an Approved Payroll Provider?
Service providers may use any payroll provider of their choice, with one exception: If a service provider has received an Opportunity to Cure (OTC) letter specific to payroll, they must use a specified payroll option.
What Does GroundCloud Payroll Cost?
$35 base company rate plus $5 for each employee enrolled in payroll, billed monthly.
Onboarding
Company Onboarding
What Are the Three Types of Addresses I Must Have on File?
Mailing Address: The address where a business receives government mail.
Filing Address: The address on file with the IRS when the business is registered.
Work Address: The physical location(s) where employees perform their work, which may be the same as the mailing or filing address.
When Should I Cancel Service with My Current Payroll Provider?
Each payroll provider is different. Before canceling service, the customer should contact their current payroll provider to understand how they handle service cancellations.
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At the very least, customers confirm:
Their current payroll provider has or will handle tax filings for previously completed quarters. (Unless they choose to do that themselves.)
How and when will billing be stopped?
Billable service with GroundCloud starts when their first payroll is submitted.
My state needs information about my payroll agent/provider. What information should I provide?
Refer to this agent details help article.
Note: External links are maintained by third parties and are provided here as a convenience only. Descartes does not endorse, approve or make any claims as to the accuracy or reliability of the contents, which may be changed from time to time by the third party without warning.
Employee Onboarding
As an Owner, Do I Add Myself as An Employee?
Yes: As an owner, you should add yourself as an employee if you are paying yourself as a W2 employee and have an applicable GroundCloud compensation type assigned to your GroundCloud profile.
No: If you have been taking an owner's draw (tax-free transfer of money from the company bank account to your personal bank account).
Do I Add My 1099 Contractors as Employees?
No, 1099 contractors are set up separately and are not currently supported by GroundCloud Payroll (as of August 2023).
What Is My Employee's Filing Status and How Do I Complete Their Federal Tax Withholdings Setup?
Employees complete their federal and state tax withholdings during the self-onboarding process.
Although we cannot advise what to put for an employee's withholding, we can point you and your employees in the direction of the W4 form and the IRS calculator. A CPA can also give some guidance on this.
If an Employee’s Legal Name Is Different from What Is Used in Ground Cloud, Will Their Ground Cloud Profile Be Updated to Match What Is Entered for Payroll Onboarding?
No, the employee’s GroundCloud profile remains the same.
Do Jumpers Need a Driver Profile to Be Part of Payroll?
Yes.
If an Employee Has a Fleet Manager and Driver Account, Which One Should Be Enrolled in Payroll?
Fleet manager.
Federal Tax Information
How Do I Update the Deposit Schedule?
You don't need to worry about this. Our payroll partner receives a report from the IRS that automatically matches your EIN (Employer Identification Number) to the correct deposit schedule.
I Mistakenly Entered the Wrong EIN Number During the Onboarding Process. Could You Please Update It for Me?
Yes, as long as you haven't processed the first payroll. It’s sensitive information, so we restrict access but reach out to the GroundCloud Support team through normal channels.
State Tax Information
Where Do I Find These Numbers?
You will need to register in the state where your employees are doing work. You can find a step-by-step guide here.
The State Won’t Let Me Register for a UI Number without a Payroll. How Do I Proceed?
The UI number is not mandatory for running the first payroll. We only require the UI rate. However, registering for the UI number promptly once you become liable is important. If you are a new employer, you can find the new employer rate in the state registration article.
The Withholding Number Format I Have Is Different from What Is Being Requested.
Make sure you are entering the correct identification number. The terms might be a little different.
How Long Will It Take for Me to Receive My State Information?
It depends on the state. You can find more information here.
Note: External links are maintained by third parties and are provided here as a convenience only. Descartes does not endorse, approve or make any claims as to the accuracy or reliability of the contents, which may be changed from time to time by the third party without warning.
I Am Switching from Another Provider, and They Did Not Require Some of The State Numbers Ground Cloud Payroll Is Asking For, What Should I Do?
GroundCloud Payroll is prompting for numbers based on the exact work location. You may want to check with your previous provider to see if they were taxing you correctly.
Can You Walk Me Through the Application for the California EDD?
We cannot walk you through the application, but you can find more information on the application here.
Bank Account
Do I Have to Use Instant Bank Verification (Plaid)?
No, you can verify manually, but it will take longer as verification is done via test deposits.
I Didn’t Get Test Deposits. What Should I Do?
Contact Descartes GroundCloud Support to make sure your bank routing and account number match what is in the system. Once we ensure the correct routing/account number is entered, we can resend the test deposits.
Is Money Being Taken out Of My Bank Account when Verifying?
No, when verifying your bank account, a small amount is deposited into your account and then withdrawn, ensuring that the balance remains unchanged.
Instant Bank Verification Doesn’t Work for My Bank, and the Test Deposits Won’t Go Through Until Tomorrow. I Need to Run Payroll ASAP. What Do I Do?
We need to verify your bank before you can run payroll. You can run payroll as soon as we manually verify your bank account and your company account is approved.
Sign Documents
Can Anyone Be the Company Signatory?
The signatory should be someone internally affiliated with the company who has the power of attorney. This person is usually the owner of the business.
Why Does the Signatory Have to Add Their SSN to Become a Company Signatory?
Because they are signing legal documents, a light background check is performed to make sure they are who they say they are. That way, we can keep that person and their company compliant.
Verify Bank Account
How Long Does the Manual Bank Verification Process Take?
The verification process typically takes one to two business days. If you set up your bank account today, the test deposits are likely to appear in your account tomorrow.
How Does the Manual Bank Verification Process Work?
The company enters bank account information by 4 pm PT.
Gusto sends the company bank account two test deposits (both under $1) overnight, which appear in the company bank account the following morning.
The company goes into its bank account portal and writes down the two test deposit amounts.
The company goes into Payroll Setup > Finalize Onboarding > Verify Bank Account and enters the two test deposit amounts.
Gusto pulls back the funds that were put into the company bank account.
Do I Get to Keep the Money That Is Put Into My Bank Account?
No, the money will be withdrawn.
What Words Show Up Next to The Deposit in My Bank Account?
“Gusto EBV”
External Payroll
What Documentation Is Needed Before Entering Previous (External) Payrolls?
Quarter-to-date (QTD) pay setup information from each prior quarter for active and dismissed employees paid this year.
Individual pay stubs from the current quarter for active and dismissed employees.
If your first check date is... |
You will need... |
Quarter 1 (January 1 - March 31) |
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Quarter 2 (April 1 - June 30) |
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Quarter 3 (July 1 - September 30) |
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Quarter 4 (October 1 - December 31) |
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Run Payroll
What Is the Timing for the Standard Two-Day Payroll with a Friday Checkdate?
Wednesday: Run payroll by 4 pm PT.
Wednesday: Funds are debited from the company's bank account and are being processed.
Friday: Funds are deposited in the employee's bank account(s), if paid via direct deposit.
If My Employee Is to Be Paid by Check, Who Is Responsible for Issuing the Check?
Employers are responsible for issuing checks.
When running payroll, if an employee is to be paid by check, Gusto debits the employer’s bank account for any employer-owned taxes but does not remove the net wages owed to the employee. The employer then needs to issue a check to the employee for the amount owed.
How Do I Pay Jumpers, Employees who Only Run Contingency, or Employees who Do Not Use the Ground Cloud Mobile App?
Create driver profiles for each employee and do one of the following:
Have the employee login to the GroundCloud mobile app to start/end their shift.
Have the employee login to groundcloud.io to start/end their shift.
Add time cards manually on the Timecards page in groundcloud.io prior to running payroll.
What Happens if I Have Nonsufficient Funds (NSF) After Running Payroll via Fast ACH (i.e., Two-Day or One-Day Payroll)?
If this NSF error is the first ever experienced and Gusto is able to recover funds in a timely manner (less than eight days), you may be allowed to stay on faster payroll processing speeds.
Otherwise, you may be moved to four-day payroll processing for multiple months and repeated failures (five+) result in permanent suspension from Gusto.
Reporting
Where Can I Find Company Tax Forms (e.g., Form 941) and Other Payroll Documents?
Company tax forms and other payroll documents can be found on the Payroll Forms page within groundcloud.io
How Do I Generate a Payroll Journal or Other Payroll Reports?
Contact Descartes GroundCloud Support for any reporting needs.
Warning: This article is not to be taken as tax, legal, benefits, financial or HR advice. Since rules and regulations change over time and can vary by location, consult a lawyer, accountant or HR expert for specific guidance.