SMB Payroll, Expenses, and Tax Spreadsheet Automation

Objective

Automate manual spreadsheet processes for payroll, expenses, and tax calculations to improve accuracy, efficiency, and compliance for a small-to-medium business.

Background

Client currently manages payroll, expenses, and tax-related tasks manually in spreadsheets, leading to potential errors, inefficiencies, and compliance risks. They seek automation to streamline these processes.

Must Haves

• Automated payroll calculation based on employee hours, rates, and deductions
• Expense tracking with categorization and approval workflows
• Tax calculation and reporting for relevant jurisdictions
• Data import/export from/to spreadsheets (e.g., CSV, Excel)
• Error handling and validation for data inputs
• User authentication and role-based access control

Success Metrics

• Payroll processing time reduced by 50%
• Error rate in calculations reduced to <1%
• Tax reports generated within 5 minutes of data input

Out of Scope

• Full accounting software replacement
• Mobile app development
• Integration with third-party payroll services (unless specified)

Clarifying Questions

• What authentication method should be used (e.g., username/password, SSO)?
• What are the specific data sources (e.g., employee databases, bank statements, tax tables)?
• What compliance requirements apply (e.g., GDPR, local tax laws, data retention policies)?
• How many users will access the system, and what are their roles (e.g., admin, employee)?
• What is the current spreadsheet format and structure (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets, specific columns)?
• Are there any specific tax jurisdictions or regulations to support?
• What is the expected volume of transactions (e.g., number of employees, expense entries per month)?