Frequently Asked Questions About Zoho Payroll

General FAQ

How can I avoid payroll mistakes ?

To avoid payroll mistakes for Indian businesses, invest in an automated payroll software like Zoho Payroll. Zoho Payroll calculates salaries, deductions, and taxes (EPF, ESI, TDS, PT) accurately and pays employees on time. It also keeps employee records organized, ensures compliance with Indian laws, and prevents errors. When used with Zoho People (HRMS software), employee information flows seamlessly, avoiding duplication and mismatches.

Should I switch to Zoho Payroll for managing payroll for my business in India?

Switching to Zoho Payroll can greatly benefit your HR and Finance teams by saving time and effort. Its automation reduces manual errors, accelerates payroll processing, and simplifies tax filings, helping your business stay efficient and compliant. Zoho Payroll automates complex payroll tasks, ensures adherence to Indian statutory laws such as EPF, ESI, TDS, and Professional Tax, and seamlessly supports salary revisions, arrears, and final settlements.

Zoho Payroll also integrates smoothly with other Zoho products like Zoho Books, Zoho Expense, Zoho Analytics and Zoho People, offering a unified platform for your HR and finance operations. The software also has an employee self-service portal.

How can payroll software help me save time for business in India?

Payroll software helps save time by automating manual tasks like tax calculations, deductions, data management, and report generation, which reduces processing errors and speeds up payroll cycles. It also integrates with leave, attendance, and time-tracking systems to ensure accurate inputs, and provides employee self-service portals to update information or download payslips, tax forms, anytime.

For example, GeeksforGeeks was able to save eight hours per month simply by digitizing payroll. A good payroll software, like Zoho Payroll, goes a step further by connecting with accounting software (Zoho Books), expense management (Zoho Expense), analytics tools (Zoho Analytics), and HRMS solution (Zoho People). This unified system minimizes repetitive work and frees up HR and finance teams to focus on growth.

How much does payroll software cost per employee in India?

Payroll software costs vary based on team size and subscription plans. Zoho Payroll in India offers a free plan for up to 10 employees, making it ideal for small businesses.

Paid plans include the Standard Plan at ₹1,000/month for 25 employees (₹40 for each additional employee), the Professional Plan at ₹3,000/month for 50 employees (₹60 per additional employee), and the Premium Plan at ₹4,000/month for 50 employees (₹80 per additional employee).

Example: 100 employees on the Standard Plan

  1. Base cost for the first 25 employees = ₹1,000
  2. Additional 75 employees = 75 × ₹40 = ₹3,000
  3. Total monthly cost = ₹4,000

Zoho Payroll also offers flexible pricing and doesn’t strictly hold businesses to the minimum employee limits (like 25 for Standard or 50 for Professional/Premium). You can subscribe with fewer employees, and easily scale as your team grows.

What factors should I consider before choosing a payroll software for Indian market?

The right payroll software doesn’t just ensure fast and accurate payroll processing, it also keeps employees, HR teams, and regulatory bodies happy. Here are the key factors to consider before choosing one for your business in India:

  1. Ease of use: The software should be intuitive, with minimal training required for HR and finance teams.
  2. Data security: Payroll data is highly sensitive. Look for strong encryption, multi-factor authentication, and compliance with data protection standards.
  3. Scalability: Choose a solution that can grow with your business, whether you’re a startup or a large enterprise planning to expand.
  4. Integration: Payroll becomes more efficient when it works with other systems. For example, Zoho Payroll integrates with Zoho Books (accounting), Zoho People (HRMS), Zoho Expense (expense management), and Zoho Analytics (reporting) to create a connected system and avoid duplicate data entry.
  5. Customer support: Reliable, responsive, and accessible support is crucial. Check if the provider offers help through chat, email, or phone.
  6. Features and functionality: Look for flexible pay schedules, support for multiple employee types (full-time, part-time, contractors), one-time payouts, overtime allowances, and automated compliance for Indian laws like EPF, ESI, TDS, and PT.
  7. Employee self-service: A employee portal lets employees download payslips, submit documents, raise claims, access tax forms, and update information themselves.
  8. Reporting and insights: Detailed reports on payroll expenses, tax liabilities, and compliance help in strategic decision-making.
  9. Credibility of provider: Choose a trusted provider with proven reliability and positive reviews. Zoho Payroll is trusted by thousands of Indian businesses for its accuracy and compliance.
  10. Cost: Understand the pricing model (subscription, per-employee, or hidden charges) to ensure it fits your budget.
  11. Customizations and automation: See if the software can be customized to suit your business needs, and if it helps automate repetitive tasks and workflows.

How do I evaluate if a payroll software can solve my payroll challenges (Indian business)?

Start by mapping your payroll challenges, these could be errors in salary/tax calculations, compliance with Indian laws (EPF, ESI, TDS, PT), time-consuming processes, or lack of employee self-service. Then check if the payroll software can:

  • Automate salary, deductions, and statutory compliance to reduce errors.
  • Support different employee types (full-time, part-time, contract) with flexible pay schedules.
  • Manage role-based approvals and access permissions.
  • Provide employee self-service for payslips, tax forms, and a good employee experience.
  • Ensure strong data security and reliable customer support.
  • Scale as your business grows and customize to new needs.
  • Offer built-in or seamless integration with leave and attendance tracking.

In simple terms, what is payroll software, and why do I need one?

Payroll software is a tool that helps businesses calculate salaries, deductions, and taxes automatically to reduce manual error, hence save cost and time. In India, payroll software like Zoho Payroll also ensures compliance with EPF, ESI, TDS, and Professional Tax.

You need payroll software to:

  • Save time by automating salary processing.
  • Avoid mistakes in tax and compliance.
  • Pay employees accurately and on time.
  • Keep employee records organized.
  • Give employees self-service access to payslips and tax forms.

A payroll system like Zoho Payroll makes the entire process faster, error-free, and fully compliant with Indian regulations.

How can I manage payroll for remote or hybrid teams in India?

Managing payroll for remote or hybrid teams can be streamlined with the right payroll software:

  • Centralized, cloud-based system: Use a platform like Zoho Payroll which functions as a remote payroll management system and helps process payroll anytime, anywhere.
  • Automate statutory compliance: EPF, ESI, TDS, and Professional Tax calculations are handled automatically, avoiding location-based errors.
  • Provide employee self-service: Remote staff can access payslips, submit investment proofs, or update personal details online without HR intervention.
  • Attendance & time tracking integration: Automatically pull in data for employees working across different shifts or locations.
  • Enable direct deposits: Salaries are paid directly to employees’ bank accounts, reducing delays.
  • Statutory compliance updates: Stay compliant with Indian payroll laws automatically, no matter where employees are based.
  • Secure access & approvals: Role-based permissions make payroll processing safe for distributed teams.

This ensures payroll runs smoothly, no matter where your employees work from in India.

What’s the best way to avoid salary processing delays?

Key ways to avoid salary processing delays for business in India:

  1. Automate payroll: Use software like Zoho Payroll to calculate salaries, deductions, and taxes (EPF, ESI, TDS, PT) automatically. Monitor statutory deadlines.
  2. Maintain accurate employee data: Keep salary structures, attendance, and tax details updated.
  3. Set clear payroll timelines: Schedule pay runs and approvals in advance, and set reminders for statutory payments, timelines for data submission, approvals, and disbursements.
  4. Use employee self-service to cut down last-minute queries and manual requests.
  5. Enable multi-level approvals in advance to prevent bottlenecks.
  6. Keep backup for contingencies: Maintain a payroll checklist, track audit trails to quickly identify errors and backup data to avoid delays in case of system issues. Zoho Payroll helps automate this process and securely store payroll records.
  7. Automate payroll with software like Zoho Payroll to reduce manual work and errors.

How does payroll automation reduce costs?

Payroll automation reduces costs by minimizing errors in salary and tax calculations and saving HR and finance teams time, allowing them to focus more on strategy.

It further cuts costs by:

  • Reducing admin overhead with less paperwork, fewer spreadsheets, and fewer employee follow-ups
  • Ensuring compliance through automatic updates to Indian payroll laws, helping avoid fines
  • Streamlining processes with seamless integration across HR, accounting, and attendance tools to eliminate duplication

For businesses in India, using a software like Zoho Payroll helps achieve these savings while keeping payroll accurate, timely, and compliant.

What is the easiest payroll software to use?

For Indian businesses of any size, Zoho Payroll is one of the easiest payroll management software to use. Built with simplicity in mind for the world, from India like all Zoho products. It offers a simple, intuitive interface that requires minimal training, automates salary calculations, ensures compliance with Indian laws, provides an employee self-service portal, supports off-cycle payments, integrates with HR, expense and accounting systems, and high data security for highly sensitive payroll data.

Other options include GreytHR and Keka Payroll, which also provide automation, compliance support, and easy-to-use interfaces for HR and finance teams.

Which payroll software is best for small businesses in India?

Choosing the best payroll software for small businesses in India depends on factors like team size, compliance with statutory regulations, payroll complexity, and must-have features. For small teams without a dedicated HR or finance department, the right solution should be easy to use, affordable, and automated.

Zoho Payroll is a great fit, it has a clean, user-friendly interface, requires minimal training, automates payroll processing, updates compliance automatically, and generates tax forms with ease. It also comes with an employee self-service portal, scales with your business, pricing is transparent with no hidden costs, and even offers a free plan for small businesses.

Other options like GreytHR and Keka Payroll are also worth considering, but Zoho Payroll stands out for its simplicity, affordability, and compliance-first approach, it's also built in India for Indian businesses.

How much does payroll software cost?

Payroll software price depends on features, automation, and the number of employees managed. For example, Zoho Payroll's standard plan costs ₹1,000/month for up to 25 employees, with ₹50 for each extra employee.

GreytHR's Essential plan is ₹3,495/month for up to 50 employees, plus ₹35 per additional employee. See our pricing plan for India here.

Can payroll be fully automated?

Yes, payroll can be fully automated with the right software. With tools like Zoho Payroll, you can set up recurring pay runs, the system auto-updates statutory compliance, and give employees access to payslips and tax forms through a employee self-service portal. With the help of automation tools, such as webhooks, can trigger actions and send real-time notifications and alerts when tasks are completed or certain action is taken. While HR teams may still need to review or approve entries like new hires, salary revisions, or bonuses, the majority of payroll runs hands-free, saving time and reducing errors.

Who can use Zoho Payroll?

Zoho Payroll is built for businesses of all sizes in India, from startups, small teams, growing companies to medium to established large enterprises. Whether you have no dedicated HR team or a full-fledged HR/finance department, Zoho Payroll automates payroll from start to finish. Learn about all our features here.

Zoho itself runs on Zoho Payroll, paying 17,000+ employees every month across all its India offices, making it a proven, scalable solution trusted at every level.

How is Zoho Payroll different from traditional payroll outsourcing?

AspectZoho Payroll (Payroll Software)Traditional payroll outsourcing
Control & OwnershipRun payroll in-house with full control over data, salary structures, and timelines.Vendor controls payroll. You must share sensitive employee data.
Speed & FlexibilityReal-time processing. Make last-minute changes and generate payslips instantly.Dependent on vendor timelines, delays, and extra charges for changes.
Compliance & AccuracyAuto-updates with Indian laws (EPF, ESI, TDS, PT). Errors are minimal.Relies on vendor’s knowledge. Missed updates can make you liable.
CostAffordable subscription (per employee/month), no hidden charges.Higher recurring cost. Extra fees for changes, reports, or filings.
Data Security & PrivacyCloud-based, encrypted, with restricted HR/finance access.Sensitive payroll data shared externally, raising privacy risks.
Employee ExperienceEmployees get self-service portals for payslips, tax forms, and reimbursements.Employees rely on HR/vendor to access documents, creating delays.

What makes Zoho Payroll different from other payroll software?

Few critical and necessary factors that make Zoho Payroll stand out from other payroll software in India are:

  • Simple, intuitive interface requiring minimal training and a complete automated payroll system.
  • Built-in compliance with Indian statutory laws (EPF, ESI, TDS, PT, Bonus, LWF, Gratuity).
  • Secure and cloud-based with role-based access controls.
  • Affordable, transparent pricing, including a free plan for small businesses.
  • Seamless integration with the Zoho ecosystem (Books, People, Expense, and Analytics).
  • Scalability from startups to enterprises, businesses of any size can use Zoho Payroll (Zoho itself uses it to pay 17,000+ employees).
  • Employee-first approach with a self-service portal for payslips, tax forms, and claims.

This makes Zoho Payroll an end-to-end solution for payroll management in India.

Is Zoho Payroll a cloud-based software?

Yes, Zoho Payroll is a 100% cloud-based payroll software. You can access it anytime, anywhere in India. Being on the cloud also means:

  • Seamless collaboration between HR, finance, and employees
  • Zero maintenance worries — Zoho takes care of backups, updates, and system upkeep
  • Secure data storage with encryption and role-based access controls

Is Zoho Payroll easy to use for non-technical HR teams in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll is simple and intuitive for non-technical HR teams. Its clean and simple interface, guided setup, and dedicated support (phone and email) make payroll easy without IT expertise.

How can small teams with no HR manage payroll in India?

Small teams without HR can easily run payroll with Zoho Payroll in India. The software handles everything end-to-end, from onboarding employees to calculating TDS, managing and tracking leave and attendance, paying salaries, generating statutory forms, and creating reports.

How user-friendly is Zoho Payroll?

Zoho Payroll is highly user-friendly with an intuitive design, simple navigation, and automated processes that make payroll management easy and simple for all businesses in India.

Can I switch to Zoho Payroll in the middle of a financial year?

Yes, you can switch to Zoho Payroll in the middle of a financial year in India, it is supported and is a common scenario for businesses migrating from other systems. The software lets you import employee details, previous salary records, and tax deductions, so payroll continuity is maintained without errors or data loss.

To make the transition smooth, Zoho Payroll offers onboarding and implementation support, and for businesses with more employees needing in-depth guidance, the Zoho Jumpstart service provides hands-on assistance with setup, customization, integration of third-party tools, training, and post-implementation support. Learn more about Jumpstart here.

Note: Zoho Payroll provides a "Prior Payroll" feature where you must import all your historical payroll data for the current year before running your first pay run using Zoho Payroll. Learn to do it here.

What are the challenges of moving to a new payroll software from an existing system?

Challenges of moving to a new payroll software include:

  • Data migration: Transferring employee records, salary history, and tax details accurately. (Zoho Payroll supports importing prior data and pay run information for accurate year-round calculations, ensuring a smooth transition.)
  • Learning curve & process adaptation: Teams may take time to adapt, and payroll workflows may need adjustments.
  • Compliance alignment: Ensuring statutory settings (PF, ESI, TDS, PT, etc.) are correctly configured as per requirements. With Zoho Payroll, the transition is seamless with prebuilt templates, comprehensive help documentation, onboarding support, and a robust support ecosystem making migration easy. It helps businesses streamline payroll, reduce manual work, and improve accuracy, making the switch both easy and worthwhile.

How responsive is Zoho Payroll’s customer support?

Zoho Payroll offers responsive customer support through phone, email, and our community forum. You can also access in-app guides and resources for quick self-help.

Zoho Payroll’s customer support is highly rated, with SoftwareSuggest giving it a 4.5 out of 5.

Which is the best payroll software in India?

Finding the "best" payroll software in India depends on your business needs, but Zoho Payroll is one of the top choices because it’s built specifically for Indian businesses. It offers:

  • Built-in statutory compliance with Indian payroll laws.
  • A free plan for up to 10 employees, making it ideal for startups.
  • Scalable plans that suit small teams, large enterprises, and even hybrid/remote work setups.
  • Cloud-based access with secure data storage for anytime, anywhere collaboration.
  • Seamless integration with Zoho Books, People, Expense, and Analytics.
  • An employee self-service portal for payslips, tax forms, and claims.

Other good options include greytHR and Keka, but Zoho Payroll stands out for its blend of compliance, affordability, and scalability.

Which are the top 10 best payroll softwares for SMEs in India?

Zoho Payroll: Cloud-based, designed for Indian compliance, support multiple work locations, built-in leave and attendance, and has strong integrations with the Zoho ecosystem, provides onboarding and migration support. It also includes loan management, role-based access control and affordable/free plans. The software works well for startups, small businesses, SMEs, and large enterprise customers across industries.

  • GreytHR: Robust, configurable compliance and extensive HR features like leave and attendance management. Good track record in the Indian market.
  • Keka: A modern platform with a modern UI/UX, strong features for remote/hybrid ,teams, and tools for performance management and employee engagement.
  • RazorpayX Payroll: Provides a fully automated, payment-integrated payroll engine that handles salary disbursals, trusted for automated payments, TDS, PF, PT, and ESIC compliance directly.
  • Quikchex: Offers a full-suite HRMS, strong compliance management, and the option for payroll outsourcing services with dedicated account managers.
  • HROne: A robust HR and payroll solution that can handle complex payroll scenarios, including multiple entities and custom salary components, has a fast, user-friendly mobile app.
  • Saral PayPack: A simple, affordable tool, essential payroll and statutory compliance, good for SMEs.
  • Zimyo: A feature-rich HRMS that covers a wide range of functions including loans, arrears, and analytics.
  • Asanify: A payroll solution with automated compliance, a self-service portal, smart validation, and payroll calendars.
  • Darwinbox: An enterprise-grade HR and payroll platform with strong analytics, mobile-first design, and robust features for employee engagement.
  • PeopleStrong: An AI-powered, scalable HR and payroll suite. It is known for its strong support for multi-state compliance and is built for growing companies.

How to create salary slip for employee?

A salary slip should clearly show an employee’s monthly earnings, deductions, and net pay. The key details to include are:

  • Company details – Name, logo, address, and contact information
  • Employee details – Name, employee code/ID, designation, department, and pay period
  • Income – Earnings (basic salary, allowances like HRA, DA, etc.) and deductions (PF, ESI, PT, TDS, loans)
  • Net salary & employer contributions – Take-home pay along with employer’s PF/ESI contributions

You can create a salary slip in Excel or Word using a template, or use our free payslip generator.

With Zoho Payroll, salary slips are created automatically after each pay run, and employees can securely download them anytime from their self-service portal.

Which is the best payroll software for accountants in India? What software do most accountants use?

The best payroll software for accountants in India must be one that makes it easy to manage multiple clients of any size, ensures statutory compliance, and saves time with automation.

Zoho Payroll is a top choice for accountants in India managing multiple client organizations. It offers:

  • Built-in support for Indian compliance (PF, ESI, PT, TDS, Form 16).
  • Ability to manage multiple client organizations from a single account.
  • Formula-based salary components for flexible salary setup.
  • Automated payslip generation and statutory filings, with ready-to-use templates for salary slips.
  • Deep integrations with Zoho Books (accounting), Zoho Expense, Zoho People, and Zoho Analytics for a complete finance and HR ecosystem.

Things to note: Some advanced HR features (e.g. recruitment or performance management) are available when integrated with Zoho People. Zoho Payroll is focused on Indian payroll, so it may not suit clients with international operations.

Other options: GreytHR is popular among accountants managing small to mid-sized businesses; the interface can feel dated and pricing can add up as headcount grows. QuickBooks Payroll suits firms already using QuickBooks for accounting and offers tight integration, but pricing is higher and support in India is often cited as slow or inconsistent.

Which software is best for payslip in India?

It’s best to choose payroll software that not only generates payslips but also runs payroll end-to-end and shares them instantly with employees through a self-service portal. Zoho Payroll does this seamlessly: Salary slips are auto-generated after every pay run, employees can download them anytime from their self-service portal, and it also comes with built-in templates that can be customized to your needs.

Does Zoho have a payroll software?

Yes, Zoho offers Zoho Payroll, a cloud-based software designed specifically for Indian businesses. It automates salary calculations, tax deductions, and compliance, while giving employees easy access to payslips and tax forms through a self-service portal. Zoho Payroll simplifies payroll management for startups, SMEs, and large enterprises just as easily.

Which is the best HR payroll software?

For Indian businesses, Zoho Payroll is one of the most recommended HR payroll software. It seamlessly integrates with Zoho People and manages everything from onboarding to exit. HROne, Keka HRMS, and GreytHR are also good options for HRMS software with payroll.

What is a web-based payroll system?

A web-based payroll system is payroll software that runs entirely online through a web browser, with no installation required on individual computers, allowing you to access it anytime, anywhere. For example, Zoho Payroll is a web-based system hosted entirely on the cloud designed for Indian businesses, offering secure cloud storage and automated payroll management.

What is the best way to do payroll for a small business in India?

The best way to manage payroll for a small business in India is to use automated payroll software. It ensures accurate salary calculations, tax deductions, and compliance with Indian laws, while saving time for the business owner or small HR team.

Zoho Payroll, for example, is ideal for small businesses in India, it’s easy to use, affordable, and scalable. Zoho Payroll also offers a free plan for businesses up to 10 employees. Other good options include Keka, RazorpayX Payroll, GreytHR, and Saral PayPack.

Alternative approaches (not recommended)

  • Manual payroll processing: Time-consuming and prone to costly errors.
  • Payroll outsourcing: Sensitive employee data is shared with a third party, with lots of back-and-forth communication and less transparency.

What is smart attendance?

Smart attendance is an automated system that tracks employee attendance, work hours, and leave in real time often using biometric devices, RFID, or online check-ins. For instance, Zoho People provides smart attendance, and Zoho Payroll integrates with it, so attendance and leave data automatically flow into payroll for accurate salary calculations.

Which countries have Zoho Payroll?

Zoho Payroll is currently available in India, the United States, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.

What is the cheapest way to do payroll for a small business in India?

The cheapest and the easiest way to do payroll for a small business in India is to use payroll software with a free or low-cost plan. For example, Zoho Payroll offers a free plan for up to 10 employees in India, perfect for startups and very small teams.

Paid plans are also affordable and scale as the business grows.

While manual payroll might look cheaper, it’s error-prone and risky for compliance. Outsourcing is usually more expensive. So, the most cost-effective and reliable option for small businesses is using salary management software like Zoho Payroll.

Is there a free payroll software?

Yes, Zoho Payroll provides a free plan for up to 10 employees in India, making it a great option for startups and small teams.

How much does payroll software cost per employee in India?

Payroll software costs vary based on team size and subscription plans. Zoho Payroll in India offers a free plan for up to 10 employees, making it ideal for small businesses.

Paid plans include the Standard Plan at ₹1,000/month for 25 employees (₹40 for each additional employee), the Professional Plan at ₹3,000/month for 50 employees (₹60 per additional employee), and the Premium Plan at ₹4,000/month for 50 employees (₹80 per additional employee).

Example: 100 employees on the Standard Plan

  1. Base cost for the first 25 employees = ₹1,000
  2. Additional 75 employees = 75 × ₹40 = ₹3,000
  3. Total monthly cost = ₹4,000

This pricing structure makes Zoho Payroll flexible and affordable for businesses of all sizes.

Features & Functionality

Can I process salary arrears in Zoho Payroll?

Yes, Zoho Payroll can handle salary arrears automatically for businesses in India. It calculates and processes arrears in the next pay run, ensuring accurate payments without manual adjustments or extra steps, making payroll management simpler and error-free. It can also manage arrears for new joiners.

For example, if an employee worked overtime and wasn't paid in the previous month, Zoho Payroll automatically calculates the arrears for that period and includes it in the next pay run.

Can Zoho Payroll manage rehiring in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll allows you to rehire employees. When you rehire a previously exited employee, Zoho Payroll automatically fetches their details from the previous financial year, ensuring accurate payroll and statutory records for the current year. You can learn more about how to rehire employees in Zoho Payroll by checking the help document here.

Can Zoho Payroll handle TDS filing and payments in India?

Zoho Payroll helps you calculate TDS accurately based on employees' salaries and investment declarations and generates all necessary TDS forms for businesses in India. However, it does not file or deposit TDS on your behalf. It does help you track TDS liabilities, associate them with employees, and manage payment challans, making the TDS process easier and more organized.

Does Zoho Payroll support formula-based salary components?

Yes, Zoho Payroll supports formula-based salary components for Indian businesses. You can configure earnings and allowances to be calculated automatically as either a fixed amount or a percentage of CTC, giving you flexibility to design pay structures that suit your organization.

Can Zoho Payroll handle reimbursements claims?

Yes, Zoho Payroll can handle reimbursement claims for businesses in India. Employers can create reimbursement components, set monthly limits, and even include them as part of a flexible benefits plan (based on employee's preferences). Employees can then submit claims (e.g., fuel, telephone, travel) through the self-service portal, and once approved, the amount is automatically added to the payroll and paid out along with salaries. This is how you can accept or reject claims submitted by employees.

Does Zoho Payroll support salary revisions and increments?

Yes, Zoho Payroll fully supports salary revisions and increments for Indian businesses. Employers can revise salaries by updating CTC or components, apply bulk revisions, set effective/payout months, and send revision letters via the employee portal or email, all with a structured approval workflow for accuracy and compliance.

For example: If an employee's salary is increased by 10% starting from July, the HR updates the new salary and sets July as the effective month and August as the payout month. The revision goes through approval, and once approved, the employee receives the revised salary from August onward.

Can I collect Investment Proofs through Zoho Payroll?

Yes, you can collect investment proofs through Zoho Payroll in India. Employers can set deadlines and lock dates, while employees submit proofs via the self-service portal. Once approved, the system automatically updates income tax calculations for accurate TDS. Learn in detail about investment proof here.

Can Zoho Payroll generate challans and help with TDS liabilities?

Yes, Zoho Payroll helps with TDS liabilities and challans for businesses in India. It auto-calculates TDS for each employee based on their salary and declarations, provides monthly liability reports, and lets you record multiple challans while associating employees with them. It also generates Form 24Q files, making quarterly return filing much simpler.

What tax forms are available in Zoho Payroll such as, Form 16, Form 24Q?

Zoho Payroll provides essential tax forms for Indian businesses. It generates Form 16 for employees, Form 24Q text files for quarterly TDS returns, and also supports Form 12BA for perquisites.

Can I create multiple work locations in Zoho Payroll?

Yes, Zoho Payroll lets you create and manage multiple work locations in India. Employees can be assigned to their respective locations, and the system applies professional tax and state-specific laws. This makes payroll management seamless for businesses with offices across different cities or states.

Can Zoho Payroll handle full and final settlements in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll supports full and final settlements. It can process final settlements for exiting employees by including pending salaries, leave encashments, notice pay, loss of pay (LOP), gratuity, and other applicable components. The software ensures accurate tax calculations, generates settlement payslips, and helps businesses stay compliant during employee exits.

For instance, if an employee resigns, Zoho Payroll automatically calculates their final payable salary by adjusting for unused leave encashment, pending reimbursements, and statutory deductions, then generates a settlement payslip for record and payment.

Can I hold or pause employee salaries using Zoho payroll software?

Yes, Zoho Payroll lets you hold or pause employee salaries in India for various reasons, such as new hires or employees on notice periods, while still processing statutory deductions accurately. The withheld salary can be released in the subsequent pay run. Learn how you can hold employee salary here.

Can I run off-cycle payroll using Zoho Payroll in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll allows you to run off-cycle payroll for different one-time payments that occur outside your regular monthly pay schedule such as bonus payments, arrears, or corrections, overtime payments, without affecting the regular pay runs.

Can I run donation campaigns using Zoho Payroll?

Yes, Zoho Payroll's Giving Module lets you run donation campaigns for employees in India. Once set up, the campaign is visible in the employee portal. Employees can pledge contributions to specific causes, and the pledged amounts are automatically deducted during payroll processing. These contributions are also reflected in their Income Tax calculations and Form 16 for potential exemptions.

Can I schedule one-time earnings and one-time payouts in Zoho Payroll?

Yes, Zoho Payroll allows you to schedule variable pay components such as bonuses, commissions, or special allowances for a future month for businesses in India. These payments are automatically included in that month's payroll. Here's how you can do it.

Can Zoho Payroll manage payroll for employees on leave or terminated employees?

Yes, Zoho Payroll can manage payroll for employees on leave or terminated in India. For employees on leave, the built-in leave and attendance module accurately tracks employee leave balances so salary calculations reflect leave deductions or encashments.

For terminated employees, Zoho Payroll facilitates full and final settlements, ensuring all dues are paid correctly on exit.

Can Zoho Payroll store employee documents securely?

Yes, Zoho Payroll securely stores employee documents in dedicated folders categorized by the organization or individual employees for businesses in India. The document management system also offers customizable access controls ensuring sensitive files like contracts, payslips, and Form 16 are only accessible to authorized users. Employees can also access their own documents safely through the self-service portal.

Does Zoho Payroll have built-in leave and attendance management?

Yes, Zoho Payroll includes built-in leave and attendance management in India. You can create and customize leave types, manage holidays, track attendance, and regularize records, while employees can apply for leave and view their attendance through the self-service portal. Here's an overview of the leave and attendance feature.

Employee Experience

Is there a Zoho Payroll mobile app for both admins and employees?

No, there isn't a Zoho Payroll app for administrators in India, but employees can use the dedicated Zoho Payroll employee portal app to access their payslips, raise reimbursement claims, submit investment proofs, and manage payroll information on their mobile devices. For administrative tasks, users must access the web-based portal through a browser.

Can employees use the Zoho Payroll self-service portal to submit reimbursement claims and proof of investments?

Yes, employees can use the Zoho Payroll self-service portal to submit both reimbursement claims and proof of investments in India. Once approved, reimbursements are automatically included in payroll, and investment proofs help adjust TDS calculations. Here's how they can submit it.

Can employees apply for leave through Zoho Payroll's self-service portal for businesses in India?

Yes, employees can apply for leave through Zoho Payroll's self-service portal. With the built-in leave and attendance module, they can view leave balances, submit leave requests, track approvals, and also regularize attendance.

Note: If your Zoho Payroll account is integrated with Zoho People, all leave and attendance requests will be managed through Zoho People.

Can employees regularize their attendance using the self-service portal in India?

Yes, employees can regularize their attendance through Zoho Payroll's self-service portal. They can submit corrections for missed punches or attendance discrepancies, and managers can review and approve them.

If Zoho Payroll is integrated with Zoho People, attendance regularization is managed through Zoho People.

Can employees view and download payslips and other payroll documents online using the self-service portal?

Yes, employees in India can view and download payslips, Form 16, tax documents, and other payroll documents anytime through Zoho Payroll's self-service portal.

Can employees download Form 16 directly from Zoho Payroll?

Yes, employees can download Form 16 directly from Zoho Payroll through the self-service portal. Once the employer generates and shares Form 16, it becomes instantly accessible for employees to view and download securely, without depending on HR.

Can employees view their leave and attendance summary in Zoho Payroll's self-service portal in India?

Yes, employees can view their leave and attendance summary in Zoho Payroll's self-service portal. They can check available leave balances, past leave history, and attendance records all in one place, giving them better visibility and control.

Reports

What types of payroll reports can I generate with Zoho Payroll? Can I create custom payroll reports?

Zoho Payroll offers a wide range of report types for businesses in India to help manage and analyze your payroll and employee data effectively including payroll reports, statutory reports, attendance and leave reports, employee reports, declaration and investments reports, deduction reports, taxes and loan reports.

Yes, you can create custom reports to suit your specific needs based on several criteria such as, work locations, department, designations, time frame, and tags associated with employees.

Does Zoho Payroll provide audit-ready reports?

Yes, Zoho Payroll provides audit-ready reports for businesses in India. You can generate detailed reports on payroll, taxes, deductions, reimbursements, loan and compliance, all structured and formatted to support audits. These reports can be exported easily, ensuring accuracy and transparency for both internal and external audits.

Does Zoho Payroll provide statutory compliance reports?

Yes, Zoho Payroll provides all the statutory compliance reports required in India including EPF (Employee Provident Fund), ESI (Employees' State Insurance), PT (Professional Tax), LWF (Labour Welfare Fund), and TDS (Tax Deducted at Source).

Which payroll reports are available in Zoho Payroll in India?

Zoho Payroll offers a wide range of report types to help you manage and analyze your payroll and employee data effectively including payroll reports, statutory reports, attendance and leave reports, employee reports, declaration and investments reports, deduction reports, taxes and loan reports.

Can I download payroll reports in Excel or PDF in Zoho Payroll?

Yes, Zoho Payroll India allows you to download reports in multiple formats including Excel (XLS or XLSX), Zoho Sheet and PDF.

Approvals & Permissions

Can I set up multi-level or custom approvals for pay runs in Zoho Payroll in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll allows you to set up simple, multi-level and custom approvals for pay runs. Learn in detail here.

Can I set up approval workflows for salary revisions in Zoho Payroll?

Yes, Zoho Payroll lets you set up approval workflows for salary revisions for businesses in India. Employers can configure simple, multi-level, or custom approvals to ensure any salary change whether by percentage or flat amount is reviewed and authorized before being applied. The same process works for bulk revisions, and once approved, Zoho Payroll can automatically generate and send revision letters to employees via the portal or email.

Can I manage role-based access and permissions within Zoho Payroll in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll supports role-based access and permissions. You can assign predefined roles or create custom ones, ensuring admins, HR managers, finance teams, and employees only see and access information relevant to their role to ensure data security.

Payroll Components & Payments

What salary components are supported in Zoho Payroll in India?

Zoho Payroll supports a wide range of salary components, including earnings (like basic pay, HRA, allowances), deductions (PF, PT, ESI, TDS), benefits, and reimbursements. You can also add new earnings, benefits etc and even create new components such as one-time corrections.

Does Zoho Payroll support both fixed and variable pay in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll supports both fixed (Basic pay, HRA, DA) and variable pay (Bonus, commission etc.).

Can I create new or custom salary components in Zoho Payroll?

Yes, Zoho Payroll lets you create custom salary components including new earnings, deductions, benefits, reimbursements, or even correction components for businesses in India.

Can I create one-time and recurring deductions using Zoho Payroll in India?

Yes, using Zoho Payroll, you can create both one-time deductions (like salary advances, meal coupon) and recurring deductions (like loans, and health insurance).

Does Zoho Payroll support loan management and automatic EMI deductions for businesses in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll supports loan management by allowing you to record employee loans and automatically deduct monthly EMI repayments from their salaries. The software helps manage loans, track repayments, and offers features like real-time notifications and loan reports to ensure transparency for both employers and employees.

Does Zoho Payroll support direct bank deposits?

Yes, Zoho Payroll supports direct bank deposits in India through integrations with YES bank, HSBC and ICICI bank.

Scalability & Business Fit

How scalable is Zoho Payroll for businesses in India?

Zoho Payroll is a payroll management software built to be highly scalable. It can adapt to businesses of any size, whether you're a startup, small business, medium enterprise, or a large organization. The software can smoothly handle complex salary configurations, flexible pay schedules, bulk approvals and pay runs, while also offering role-based access to ensure smooth collaboration across teams.

By Company Size

Can Zoho Payroll be used by companies with 1000 ,5000, 10000 employees?

Yes, Zoho Payroll is designed to scale for businesses of all sizes in India, including enterprises with 1,000, 5,000, or even 10,000+ employees in India. Its infrastructure can handle large employee databases, bulk payroll processing, complex approval workflows, customizations, and extensive compliance requirements without compromising performance.

For example, Aparajitha Corporate Services uses Zoho Payroll to manage payroll for over 2,000 employees in 24 cities across India. Read full case study here.

Can small businesses use Zoho Payroll?

Yes, small businesses can use Zoho Payroll. In fact, Zoho Payroll offers a free plan for up to 10 employees in India, making it an affordable and efficient choice for small businesses to manage payroll.

Can Zoho Payroll be used by enterprises?

Yes, Zoho Payroll can be used by large enterprises in India. The software is highly scalable and can adapt according to your business needs; it's also customizable and you can build on an already powerful system. Hear from our diverse customer base here.

Can Zoho Payroll handle 50, 500, or 1000+ employees?

Yes, Zoho Payroll is built to scale seamlessly. Whether you're managing payroll for 50 employees in India or over 1000, the system ensures smooth processing, accurate compliance, workflow automation, customizations and efficient approvals. Here's a quick step-by-step article on how to process payroll in India.

Can Zoho Payroll be used by companies of varying sizes, from small businesses to larger enterprises?

Yes, Zoho Payroll is designed to adapt to businesses of all sizes in India, startups, SMBs, mid-market firms, or large enterprises, ensuring a reliable payroll experience at every stage of growth.

By Industry & Use Case

How do I know if Zoho Payroll can run payroll for my business type?

Zoho Payroll is designed to work for a wide range of business types and sizes, startups, small and medium businesses, and large enterprises, across different industries in India. The product's flexibility lets you configure salary structures and components, multiple work locations, flexible pay schedules, all your compliance needs in India, detailed reports, and approvals to match your specific business setup. Whether you have 10 employees or 10,000, Zoho Payroll can adapt to your payroll requirements. Here's a complete guide to payroll management in India.

Is Zoho Payroll a good option to run payroll across multiple locations?

Yes, Zoho Payroll works well for multiple locations in India. You can assign employees to different offices, and the system handles location-specific taxes and compliance like professional tax, keeping payroll accurate and centralized.

Can Zoho Payroll handle payroll for employees in multiple states or countries?

Yes, Zoho Payroll can handle employees across multiple states in India by applying state-specific taxes and ensuring compliance. For global payroll, Zoho Payroll runs payroll for enterprises in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, USA, and Canada.

Is Zoho Payroll efficient in manufacturing/retail industries with contract staff?

Yes, Zoho Payroll supports contract employees such as project-based contributors, freelancers, and consultants in India and is efficient for industries like manufacturing and retail in India. Learn in detail here. However, we don't natively support contract staff yet, the Contractors feature is currently in early access. You can reach out to support@zohopayroll.com to have it enabled for your account.

Does Zoho Payroll support IT/Tech companies with remote employees?

Yes, Zoho Payroll supports IT and tech companies with remote employees in India. Employers can set weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly, or quarterly pay schedules, while ensuring accurate compliance across multiple locations. Remote employees can also access their payslips, proofs, and tax documents anytime through the self-service portal.

Is Zoho Payroll suitable for payroll outsourcing companies in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll is a great fit for payroll outsourcing companies, it's scalable, supports bulk processing, and secure role-based access.

  • One login to manage multiple clients, flexible salary components, client-specific salary structures, and multi-level approvals.
  • Supports direct deposits, ready-made bank advice formats, and nationwide compliance with readily available tax forms.
  • Employee Self-Service portal for clients to access proofs, payslips, and tax documents.
  • Detailed activity logs ensure transparency and ensures accountability
  • Vault-like security protects client data

Can Zoho Payroll handle payroll for remote or hybrid teams?

Yes, Zoho Payroll can handle payroll for remote or hybrid teams across India. It ensures nation-wide compliance, secure payroll with multi-level approvals, automatic updates for changing tax laws, and generates statutory and tax reports for faster filing. It also includes built-in leave and attendance management and an Employee Self-Service portal for employees, making payroll management seamless for distributed teams.

How much time can Zoho Payroll save every month? (based on case studies)

Zoho Payroll can save a significant amount of time every month for businesses in India.

For instance, companies like Geeks for Geeks have run payroll four times faster, saving about 8 hours per month by digitizing processes.

At Vedatya Institute, the HR team now spends less than 15% of their time on payroll after switching to Zoho Payroll, saving 54 hours per month on proof collection and validation, and increasing overall HR productivity by 40%.

Is Zoho Payroll suitable for very small companies or single-employee businesses?

Yes, Zoho Payroll is suitable for very small companies and even single-employee businesses. It offers a free plan for up to 10 employees in India, making it ideal for startups, micro-businesses, or sole proprietors.

Can companies without an HR department manage payroll using Zoho Payroll in India?

Yes, companies without a dedicated HR department can manage payroll using Zoho Payroll. The software is designed to automate complex payroll tasks, from salary calculations and deductions to tax form generation, while offering a user-friendly interface. It also offers user-friendly setup guides and comprehensive help documents. Zoho Payroll also has a responsive customer support (email & phone). Even small teams can run accurate payroll with minimal training.

Is Zoho Payroll suitable for the hospitality industry in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll is well-suited for the hospitality industry. It can handle complex payroll scenarios such as flexible pay schedules, variable shifts, overtime, and other allowances. It also supports off-cycle pay runs, has a built-in leave and attendance management system, and provides employees with a self-service portal.

Can founders or business owners run payroll efficiently with Zoho Payroll in India?

Yes, founders and business owners can efficiently run payroll using Zoho Payroll. The software is intuitive and easy to use, automates calculations and statutory compliance, and provides ready-to-use reports. Even without a dedicated HR team, owners can process salaries, manage taxes, handle reimbursements, and generate payslips quickly and accurately.

Is Zoho Payroll a good fit for payroll outsourcing companies or CA firms?

Yes, Zoho Payroll is a strong fit for payroll outsourcing companies and CA firms in India. This payroll management software is used and trusted by payroll service providers, HR consultants, and CA firms to process payroll for many clients quickly and accurately. It supports managing multiple client organizations, automates compliance and tax filings, and provides flexible features for handling diverse salary structures, direct deposit, and real-time reporting.

Can Zoho Payroll manage payroll for companies in travel and tourism industry in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll can manage payroll for companies in the travel and tourism industry. It automates salary calculations, supports multiple pay structures, and integrates seamlessly with tools like Zoho Expense for managing travel reimbursements and employee expenses. This makes it ideal for businesses with frequent travel, variable pay, and complex reimbursement needs in the tourism sector.

Pricing & Plans

Does Zoho Payroll provide Voice & email support for all plans?

Zoho Payroll provides voice and email support with its paid plans in India. The free plan offers email support, however voice (phone) support is available only to customers on paid subscriptions.

How much does Zoho Payroll cost?

Zoho Payroll has three paid plans and a free plan. Free plan costs ₹0/month for up to 10 employees. The product also has a 14 day free trial for the premium plan.

Feature / PlanStandardProfessionalPremium
Base Cost (Monthly)₹1,000.00₹3,000.00₹4,000.00
Included Employees255050
Additional Employee Fee₹40.00₹60.00₹80.00
Voice & Email SupportYesYesYes
Key FeaturesIncludes salary templates, loans/advances, online salary payments, Form 16 with digital signature, Form 24Q, statutory bonus, letter templates, audit trail, new joinee arrears, predefined user roles and permissionsEverything in Standard plus bonus/off-cycle pay runs, reporting tags, pay run and salary revision approvals, advanced salary components, salary hold, customizable user roles, custom fields, reminders, and payroll documents.Everything in Professional plus leave and attendance management, advanced pay run and salary revision approvals, workflow rules, custom functions, webhooks, employee custom views, and webtabs.
SuitabilityEstablished payroll operations needing salary templates and statutory complianceMore complex payroll scenarios needing custom payroll components, approvals, and bonus managementAdvanced payroll automation with leave and attendance integration, custom workflows, and scalable payroll for multiple locations and complex structures

Does Zoho Payroll charge per employee/month in India? Are there hidden fees?

Zoho Payroll charges a monthly fee per organization plus an additional fee per employee, with no hidden fees in India. It offers various pricing tiers where cost increases with features. The free plan is of no cost forever for up to 10 employees. Zoho Payroll also provides a 14-day free trial that gives access to all premium features, enabling users to test the software before committing.

Can I try Zoho Payroll before buying? Is there a free trial or demo?

Yes, Zoho Payroll offers a 14-day free trial that provides access to all features of the premium plan in India. This allows users to explore and test the full capabilities of Zoho Payroll before purchasing.

How does Zoho Payroll's pricing model work for users managing multiple businesses in India?

Zoho Payroll's pricing model charges per organization, so if you manage payroll for multiple businesses (separate legal entities or organizations), each organization requires its own subscription plan.

For example, if you handle payroll for three different companies, you would pay the subscription fee plus per-employee charges for each company individually. This allows separate management, compliance, and reporting for each business.

How is Zoho Payroll standard plan different from Premium and professional plan in India?

Choose the pricing plan based on the business size and payroll complexity requirements.

Standard Plan: Includes salary templates, loans/advances, online salary payments through ICICI bank, Form 16 with digital signature, Form 24Q, TDS challan recording, Custom salary components - earnings, deductions, statutory bonus, letter templates, audit trail, new joinee arrears, predefined user roles and permissions. Ideal for essential payroll tasks for small to medium businesses.

Professional Plan: Everything in Standard plus bonus/off-cycle pay runs, reporting tags, pay run and salary revision approvals, advanced salary components, salary hold, customizable user roles and permissions, custom fields, reminders, giving module, and payroll documents. Suitable for larger or more complex payroll operations needing advanced customizations.

Premium Plan: Everything in Professional plus leave and attendance management, advanced pay run and advanced approvals, workflow rules, custom functions, webhooks, employee custom views, custom schedulers and webtabs. Best for highly scalable and sophisticated payroll needs with comprehensive automation.

Should I go for the standard plan or the premium or professional plan for Zoho Payroll in India?

Choosing between the Standard, Professional, and Premium plans depends on the size and complexity of your payroll needs:

  • Standard Plan is best for small to medium businesses with straightforward payroll requirements. It covers all essential payroll tasks, statutory compliance, and basic customization.
  • Professional Plan suits medium to larger businesses that need advanced customizations, bonus and off-cycle pay runs, salary and pay run approvals, custom fields and reminders, salary hold, and more flexible user roles.
  • Premium Plan is ideal for larger organizations or those with complex payroll processes needing comprehensive automation and custom functions, it includes leave and attendance management, workflow automation, and advanced integrations.

If payroll is relatively simple, the Standard plan is cost-effective and sufficient. For growing businesses needing more control and custom workflows, choose Professional. For the highest level of automation and scalability, go for Premium.

Implementation & Support

Onboarding & Migration

How long does it take to implement Zoho Payroll?

Implementing Zoho Payroll for businesses in India typically takes from a few hours to a few days, depending on the company's size, payroll complexity, and compliance needs. Smaller businesses can often complete setup within hours, while larger organizations may take longer. To ease the process Zoho Payroll provides onboarding assistance and migration support. The software also supports bulk uploading of prior payroll data and employee details to streamline setup and transition for users migrating from other systems.

How easy is it to switch from my current payroll provider to Zoho Payroll?

Switching to Zoho Payroll for Indian businesses is designed to be straightforward. The platform provides:

  • Step-by-step onboarding: Guided setup helps you migrate your company, employee, and payroll data.
  • Data import tools: You can easily upload employee records, salary details, and past payroll history using ready-to-use templates.
  • Dedicated support: Onboarding assistance, training sessions, community forums and webinars are available to help you get started smoothly. Customer support via email and phone is available.
  • Flexibility: The time required depends on the size of your business and the complexity of your payroll, but many small businesses can complete the switch in just a few hours because of the simple design and support.

Do you offer migration support from existing payroll systems?

Zoho Payroll offers both paid and free migration support for users in India. Businesses with more than 20 employees receive free onboarding support to help with setup and migration.

For companies with complex payroll requirements, such as having over 100 employees, Zoho Payroll provides comprehensive paid assistance to ensure smooth implementation and data transfer.

Can I migrate historical payroll data using Zoho Payroll in India?

Yes, you can migrate historical payroll data into Zoho Payroll by using the Prior Payroll feature.

Can we import employee records from Excel/legacy software using Zoho Payroll in India?

Yes, you can import employee records and past payroll data into Zoho Payroll from Excel/legacy software.

What are the onboarding training or support that Zoho Payroll provides in India?

Zoho Payroll offers onboarding support in three levels:

  • Standard onboarding & migration support – Included with every subscription (more than 20 employees) at no additional cost. This covers assistance with setup and data migration.
  • Zoho Jumpstart (paid service) – A comprehensive onboarding and migration assistance program that includes product setup, customization, detailed user training, and post-implementation support. This is ideal for businesses that need hands-on, end-to-end guidance during their payroll transition. We recommend the jumpstart program to companies with more than 100 employees who have more advanced payroll requirements.
  • Onboarding training & online course (paid) – Specially designed for payroll admins and finance/accounting teams to help them confidently handle payroll setup and ongoing processes.

Zoho Payroll provides built-in migration tools with predefined templates. The product also provides extensive support and help documents to help users onboard smoothly.

Is onboarding support paid or free for Zoho Payroll?

Onboarding support in Zoho Payroll is available in both free and paid options for users in India.

Free: All Zoho Payroll subscriptions include basic onboarding assistance and migration support at no extra cost (for companies with more than 20 employees).

Paid: For businesses that need deeper, end-to-end guidance, for example companies with more than 100 employees, Zoho offers the Jumpstart service as a paid add-on. This covers product setup, customization, user training, and post-implementation support.

Training & Help

Does Zoho Payroll provide training for HR/payroll admins?

Yes, Zoho Payroll provides expert-led training programs in India. The training is designed for payroll admins, finance teams, and accounts staff responsible for payroll setup, configuration, compliance, and day-to-day management. Programs include personalized and group sessions, interactive modules covering payroll basics, compliance, onboarding, employee self-service (ESS), integration training, etc. Participants can also earn Zoho-recognized certification, helping them master payroll operations and compliance using Zoho Payroll's cloud-based platform.

Does Zoho Payroll offer a user community or knowledge base?

Yes, Zoho Payroll has both a user community and a comprehensive knowledge base for users in India. The Zoho Payroll Community is an active forum where users can ask questions, share insights, and receive prompt responses from the Zoho team and other users. The platform also provides product updates, expert tips, and a learning series.

Additionally, the knowledge base includes detailed guides, blogs, and best practices to help users make the most of Zoho Payroll and stay informed about new features and improvements.

What kind of customer support is available for Zoho Payroll?

Zoho Payroll offers multiple channels of customer support in India. Paid plan users get access to both voice (phone) and email support, while the free plan includes email support only. In addition, Zoho Payroll provides an active community forum where queries are addressed promptly, along with a comprehensive knowledge base, guides, and help documents to ensure users have a smooth experience.

Does Zoho Payroll provide setting up assistance?

Yes, Zoho Payroll provides both free and paid setup assistance for users in India.

Can i learn how to use Zoho Payroll on my own?

Yes, you can learn how to use Zoho Payroll on your own. Zoho Payroll offers extensive self-learning resources including a comprehensive knowledge base with guides and blogs, FAQs, and tutorials. There are also recorded webinars, video demos, and a community forum where users share tips and solutions and are answered by the Zoho Payroll team.

For structured learning, Zoho Payroll provides online training courses and certification programs.

Does Zoho Payroll have a payroll training program in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll offers expert-led payroll training programs ideal for payroll admins, finance, and accounts personnel responsible for their company's payroll operations.

Does Zoho Payroll have multi language customer support?

Zoho Payroll does not offer multi-language customer support in India, support is primarily provided in English.

Integrations & Customization

Integrations

Can Zoho Payroll software integrate with other existing systems for businesses in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll can integrate with other existing systems. It connects seamlessly with Zoho People (HRMS), Zoho Books (accounting), Zoho Expense (expense management), Zoho Analytics (reporting) for companies in India and supports direct salary payments through banking partners like ICICI, YES Bank, and HSBC.

For example, a company in India using Zoho People to manage employee attendance can automatically sync LOP to Zoho Payroll for salary computation. Employee business reimbursements are tracked via Zoho Expense, and once payroll is processed with reimbursements, the payrun expenses are recorded in Zoho Books for accounting, and payroll data is visualized in Zoho Analytics, all while salary payouts are made directly through ICICI/YES/HSBC bank without manual intervention.

Can Zoho Payroll integrate with HRMS, attendance, or ERP systems?

Yes, Zoho Payroll integrates seamlessly with HRMS, attendance, and ERP systems for businesses in India. It offers tight integration with Zoho People (HRMS) to synchronize employee details, leave and attendance, LOP and payroll data automatically. Zoho Payroll also connects with accounting software (Zoho Books), expense management solutions (Zoho Expense), and banking partners to automate payroll components like reimbursements and direct salary payments.

Does Zoho Payroll support APIs in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll supports APIs, allowing businesses to integrate with third-party services by creating webhooks to receive information from other services or APIs into Zoho Payroll when a specific event occur.

Can Zoho Payroll sync data with Zoho Books, Zoho People, and other Zoho apps in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll can sync data with Zoho Books, Zoho People, and other Zoho apps seamlessly.

Customization

Can Zoho Payroll be customized based on my industry?

Yes, Zoho Payroll can be customized to suit your industry and specific business needs in India. It offers a wide range of flexible customization options.

What kind of customization is available in Zoho Payroll in India?

Zoho Payroll offers the following customization features:

  • Custom salary components and structures
  • Custom fields for employee and payroll data
  • Custom functions to automate workflows
  • Custom buttons and links to trigger specific actions
  • Custom email, letter and payslip templates with your branding
  • Custom roles and permissions for secure access control
  • Custom workflows and approvals
  • Reporting tags to filter reports
  • Integration capabilities with other business systems

Can I set up custom buttons & links in Zoho Payroll software?

Yes, you can set up custom buttons and links in Zoho Payroll software for businesses in India. This feature helps automate repetitive tasks, improve efficiency, and tailor payroll operations to your company's specific needs.

Example: An HR manager can create a button linking directly to the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) site, populating the employee's PF number automatically, to quickly check PF details without manual navigation.

Can I create custom fields in Zoho Payroll?

Yes, Zoho Payroll allows creating custom fields to capture additional employee or payroll-related information not included in default fields for businesses in India. This enables organizations to gather unique data such as Aadhaar numbers, vehicle registration, professional licenses, or loan details if an employee has taken a loan.

Can I create salary templates for employees at the same level using Zoho Payroll?

Yes, Zoho Payroll allows you to create salary templates for employees at the same level or with similar salary structures in India. This helps save time by letting you define and reuse common salary components for groups of employees instead of entering details individually.

Does Zoho Payroll provide built-in email templates for businesses in India? What kind of email templates are available in Zoho Payroll?

Yes, Zoho Payroll offers built-in email templates to support various employee payroll notifications, these are the templates available for Indian users:

  • Employee Notification: Notifies employees about updates or actions in the Employee Self Service (ESS) Portal.
  • Payslip Notification: Sent to employees when their regular salary payslip is generated.
  • Payslip Notification (For Portal Disabled Employees Only): Sent to employees who do not have ESS portal access after salary processing.
  • Off Cycle & One-Time Payrolls Payslip Notification: Sent when off-cycle or one-time payrolls are processed and payslips are generated.
  • Full & Final Settlement Payslip Notification: Sent at the time of employee exit with final settlement payslip details.

Does Zoho Payroll offer built-in PDF templates?

Zoho Payroll offers built-in PDF templates for payslips in India (multiple options like standard, mini, professional, simple spreadsheet), final settlement payslip, salary certificate, salary revision letter, and bonus letter. These templates are customizable to suit your organizational branding, content, and layout requirements.

Can I group employees or filter payroll reports using tags in Zoho Payroll for businesses in India?

Yes, in Zoho Payroll you can create and associate reporting tags with employees to group them by categories and filter payroll reports easily. For example, you can categorize employees by shifts (day/night), employment type (full-time/temporary), or departments.

Can I customize salary components based on my business needs using Zoho Payroll in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll allows you to customize salary components based on your business needs. You can create custom earnings, allowances, deductions, corrections, and reimbursements tailored specifically to your organization's payroll structure and compliance requirements. Also, variable pay can be calculated as a flat amount or as a percentage of the basic salary.

Note: You can choose to include certain salary components as part of Flexible Benefit Plan (FBP), which allows employees to personalize their benefits and reduce their taxable income.

Automation

Can I automate repetitive payroll tasks in Zoho Payroll (for businesses in India)?

You can automate repetitive payroll tasks in Zoho Payroll with features such as:

  • Automatic salary calculations and tax deductions
  • Auto-generation and distribution of payslips and tax forms
  • Scheduled payroll runs with options for bonuses and off-cycle payments
  • Integration with Zoho Books, Zoho Expense and Zoho People for seamless data sync
  • Automated EMI deductions for employee loans
  • Workflow rules to trigger actions based on conditions
  • Scheduled actions for regular task automation
  • Custom functions for business-specific automation
  • Field updates to modify records automatically
  • Alerts and notifications for approvals and milestones

These automation tools save time, reduce errors, and ensure timely payroll processing and compliance.

Can I set up automated actions such as alerts, notifications, and workflows in Zoho Payroll?

Here are the main automation features available in Zoho Payroll India explained simply:

  • Workflow Rules: Automatically perform tasks when something happens.
    1. Example: Send an email to HR whenever a new employee is added.
  • Alerts & Notifications: Get automatic alerts and messages to remind you about important things.
    1. Example: Notify the payroll admin when an employee updates their address.
  • Scheduled Actions: Set tasks to run regularly without manual work.
    1. Example: Generate bonus payments every quarter automatically.
  • Custom Functions: Run small programs to handle specific business rules.
    1. Example: Calculate commission automatically based on sales numbers.
  • Field Updates: Change data automatically in the system based on certain updates.
    1. Example: Update tax deduction fields if employee status changes (like marriage).
  • Workflow Logs: Keep a history of all automated tasks for easy tracking and fixing issues.

Can Zoho Payroll receive data from other applications?

Yes, Zoho Payroll can receive data from other applications through integrations. In India, Zoho Payroll is integrated with Zoho People (HRMS), Zoho Books (accounting software), Zoho Analytics and Zoho Expense (Business expense management).

Third-party applications: Zoho Payroll supports integrations with various external apps via APIs and webhooks. Incoming Webhooks in Zoho Payroll allow you to receive information from other applications automatically. This helps automate payroll workflows and saves time.

For example, A company's attendance system can send daily employee attendance data to Zoho Payroll through an incoming webhook, updating attendance records automatically.

Can Zoho Payroll send information to other apps?

Yes, Zoho Payroll can send information to other apps through built-in integrations with other Zoho apps in India, such as Zoho Books and Zoho Analytics, as well as through webhooks for custom integrations with third-party apps. You can also create connections in Zoho Payroll and use them in custom functions, custom buttons, and schedules to securely access data from third-party services.

Compliance & Security

Data Security

How secure is Zoho Payroll?

Zoho Payroll is highly secure and built to protect sensitive employee and business data. The following features help keep your payroll data safe, private, and compliant with local laws:

  • Multi-factor authentication: Adds an extra login step to enhance security.
  • Independent data centres: Stores data securely in ISO-certified, GDPR-compliant data centers in India.
  • 24/7 security monitoring: Ensures your data is protected around the clock.
  • No third-party ads: Protects your privacy with no ads inside the product.
  • Activity logs and audit trails: Keeps detailed logs of data access and changes for accountability.
  • Automated backups: Regular backups help prevent data loss and enable quick recovery.

How secure is employee data? Is employee data encrypted?

Zoho Payroll prioritizes the security of your employee data by implementing advanced measures such as multi-factor authentication, role-based access control, continuous security monitoring, audit trails, and automated backups.

All data is encrypted and securely stored in GDPR-compliant data centers located in India, ensuring full compliance with local regulations.

Can we set role-based access control?

Yes, Zoho Payroll allows you to set role-based access control. You can define user roles and permissions based on responsibilities, such as payroll admins, HR staff, finance teams, or approvers, ensuring that each user only has access to the information and actions relevant to their role.

For example, if an HR manager wants to revise salary for few employees, you can grant access to the HR staff specifically for that task, maintaining both security and control.

Does Zoho Payroll comply with GDPR/ISO standards?

Yes, Zoho Payroll complies with GDPR and ISO standards.

Regulatory Compliance (India-specific)

Is Zoho Payroll compliant with Indian payroll laws (PF, ESI, PT, TDS)?

Yes, Zoho Payroll is fully compliant with Indian payroll laws such as Provident Fund (PF), Employee State Insurance (ESI), Professional Tax (PT), and Tax Deducted at Source (TDS). It automates statutory calculations, filings, and deposits related to these laws, ensuring accurate and timely compliance. Learn in detail here.

Does Zoho Payroll support evolving tax regulations automatically?

Yes, Zoho Payroll automatically supports evolving tax regulations. The software regularly updates its tax rules and compliance features to reflect changes in laws such as income tax slabs, TDS rates, PF/ESI regulations, and other statutory requirements.

Does Zoho Payroll auto-update with government regulation changes?

Yes, Zoho Payroll automatically updates in response to changes in Indian government regulations.

Is Zoho Payroll compliant with state-wise tax regulations in India?

Yes, Zoho Payroll is compliant with state-wise tax regulations in India. It supports varying Professional Tax (PT) rules, tax slabs, and other state-specific statutory requirements like Labor Welfare Fund across different Indian states.

For instance, if your company has employees in both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, Zoho Payroll will automatically apply Tamil Nadu's PT slab rates (with a maximum of ₹1250 paid half yearly) and Karnataka's PT slabs (up to ₹200 per month), along with the respective Labour Welfare Fund deductions, ensuring accurate compliance for every employee.

What statutory components does Zoho Payroll support ?

Zoho Payroll supports key statutory components required for compliance in India. This includes Employees' Provident Fund (PF), Employee State Insurance (ESI), Professional Tax (PT), Labour Welfare Fund (LWF), and Tax Deducted at Source (TDS).

The system also generates all necessary statutory reports and forms such as EPF-ECR, ESIC returns, Form 24Q, and digitally signed Form 16 for employee tax filing, helping businesses stay compliant with ease.

Does Zoho Payroll support statutory bonus payments?

Yes, Zoho Payroll supports statutory bonus payments in India.

Does Zoho Payroll support the Labour Welfare Fund (LWF)?

Yes, Zoho Payroll supports the Labour Welfare Fund (LWF) as a statutory component in India.

Does Zoho Payroll support Professional Tax (PT) payments?

Yes, Zoho Payroll supports Professional Tax (PT) payments in India. It automatically calculates and deducts Professional Tax based on the employee's salary and state-specific rules.

Does Zoho Payroll support Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and Employee State Insurance (ESI)?

Yes, Zoho Payroll fully supports both Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and Employee State Insurance (ESI) compliance in India. It automates monthly deductions for EPF. It also handles voluntary provident fund (VPF) contributions and supports schemes like ABRY (Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana).

Does Zoho Payroll support Flexible Benefit Plans (FBP)?

Yes, Zoho Payroll supports Flexible Benefit Plans (FBP) in India. It allows employees to personalize their salary structure by choosing and managing various benefit components as part of their CTC. Payroll admins can enable the FBP declaration window for employees to submit their planned expenses under eligible categories through the employee self-service portal. Zoho Payroll automates the calculation and tax treatment of these flexible benefits, helping employees reduce their taxable income.

For example, an employee can choose to allocate part of their salary towards tax-saving components such as fuel allowance, conveyance allowance, travel allowance etc.