Cloud Payroll Software Built for Modern Businesses: The Sunrise HCM Story

Quick Summary

Sunrise HCM is cloud payroll software built for growing businesses who need payroll, HR, time tracking, and billing in one system. After 30 years in payroll, we got tired of the hidden fees and built the system we wished existed. Whether you use Salesforce or not, Sunrise HCM works for you.

In 2017, businesses faced the same frustrations they'd been dealing with for years. Payroll software promised simplicity but delivered complexity. Hidden processing fees appeared on every invoice. Tax filing fees, W-2 fees, and per-check charges stacked up, often doubling the advertised price.

Your employee data lived in one system. Payroll taxes got processed in another. Time and attendance tracking happened somewhere else. Project billing used a fourth platform. Every month, someone spent hours exporting data from one system and importing it into another, hoping nothing broke along the way.

When mistakes happened (and they always did), tracking down the source meant checking multiple systems to figure out which one had the right information. Finance teams reconciled numbers that never quite matched. HR answered the same questions over and over because employees couldn't access their own pay stubs without calling someone.

Key Takeaways:

• The vision: Combine proven payroll expertise with modern cloud technology
• Time-to-value: 2-4 weeks to operational (full implementation 8-12 weeks)
• Cost reality: Transparent monthly pricing with no processing fees or surprise charges

We knew there had to be a better way.

Tom Jansen, founder and Chief Product Officer of Sunrise HCM, saw these problems first-hand. We wanted to build software that actually solved the real issues businesses faced, not just automate the same broken processes.

The vision was clear: take advantage of proven, enterprise-grade cloud technology that already existed. Combine it with deep payroll knowledge. Create transparent pricing that doesn't hide fees in fine print. Unite payroll and billing for professional services firms who were logging time in three different places. Give businesses one system instead of many disconnected tools.

The concept took shape in 2017. We spent three years building it right, learning from customers, and refining the approach. Sunrise HCM launched commercially in 2020.

The foundation runs deep. Paymaster, founded in 1995, brought more than 30 years of payroll processing experience. Our technology team contributed over 35 years of combined expertise working with cloud platforms and enterprise systems. This wasn't a startup experimenting with payroll. This was seasoned experts reimagining what payroll software could be.

At some point, we stopped asking how to connect payroll to everything else and started asking: what if it was already there? Instead of building another standalone payroll platform that required complex integrations, build on infrastructure that already handles security, reliability, and scalability for thousands of companies. Give businesses of all sizes enterprise capabilities without enterprise complexity.

Most cloud-based payroll systems talk about integration. We built something fundamentally different. Here's what that means in practice, not in technical jargon.

Everything Lives in One Place

Your data finally works together, not through syncs or connectors, but in one shared system. Employee information, payroll records, project time, and customer data all live in the same database.

No export files. No overnight batch processes. You'll never wonder which system has the current version of someone's salary. Update an employee's pay rate once. It's immediately available for payroll processing, project costing, and billing. Not tomorrow. Right now.

When someone logs time to a project, that information flows to both billing and payroll in real time. One entry. Multiple uses. Zero reconciliation.

Security You Can Trust

Sunrise HCM runs on the same infrastructure that banks and hospitals use. This isn't marketing speak. This is SOC 2 Type II compliance, the same security standard Fortune 500 companies require.

Data security includes encryption when information moves and when it sits still. You control exactly who sees what through role-based access. Your CFO sees financial reports. HR sees employee records. Managers see their teams. Everyone sees only what they need.

Your data backs up continuously across multiple locations. Security updates happen in the background. You don't schedule maintenance windows or worry about patches.

Easy Connections

Need to connect your accounting software? Your benefits provider? Your time clocks? The connections exist or they're straightforward to build.

Cloud technology means changes flow immediately. Update an employee's information once. It's available everywhere that needs it. No batch updates running overnight. No middleware breaking every six months.

Software integrations use standard protocols that most developers already understand. This isn't proprietary code that only one vendor can maintain.

Always Current

Three times per year, you get new features and improvements. Not paid upgrades. Not premium features. Just better software, included in your subscription.

Updates happen while you work. No downtime. No compatibility testing. No upgrade fees. Everyone runs the same version, which means when one customer asks for better reporting and we build it, you benefit too.

Your subscription includes the product as it evolves. When we improve multi-jurisdiction payroll, you get it. When customers ask for better project profitability reports, we ship it and you get it. When we streamline time tracking based on user feedback, you get it.

Flexibility Without Code

Your business changes. Your payroll processes adapt without requiring developers.

Need three approvers instead of two? Change it with clicks. Want custom dashboards showing what your managers actually care about? Build them. Need to track information specific to your industry? Add custom fields.

The system separates what your business does from how the software works. This means you can customize workflows, approval chains, and reports without touching code.

Payroll That Gets It Right

Our automated calculations handle regular pay, overtime, bonuses, and commissions. Automated taxes cover federal withholdings, state taxes, local taxes, and social security. When tax rates change, Sunrise updates in real time. Your next payroll reflects it without manual edits or missed filings.

Multi-jurisdiction payroll supports all 50 states and US territories. Manage employees across multiple locations with different tax requirements. Handle multiple EINs in one payroll platform. Process direct deposit, paper checks, and pay cards.

Tax withholdings, statutory deductions, and compliance reporting all happen in the background. The system stays current with federal and state regulations as they change.

HR Management in One System

Employee records, onboarding documents, and benefits administration live in the same place as payroll. New hire paperwork flows directly into payroll processing. Benefit elections connect to payroll deductions without manual entry.

Post jobs, interview candidates, and hire employees all within the same system. Our applicant tracking capabilities let HR teams manage the entire hiring process without switching platforms. Post job openings, track candidates through the interview process, and when you're ready to hire, create the employee record right there. No duplicate data entry. No exporting information from your recruiting tool into payroll. The person you just hired becomes an employee with one click.

PTO tracking shows balances in real time. Approval workflows route time-off requests to the right managers. Accruals calculate in the background based on your policies.

Compliance management tracks required documentation. The system alerts you when certifications expire or required forms need updating.

Time Tracking Connected to Everything

Project-based time entry lets employees log hours to specific projects, tasks, or clients. Mobile time capture works from phones or tablets. Approval workflows ensure managers review time before payroll processes.

Time and attendance data feeds both payroll and billing. One entry serves multiple purposes. Project managers see time costs. Finance sees billable hours. Payroll processes regular and overtime pay. Everyone works from the same information.

Payroll and Billing in One Platform

Most companies treat payroll and billing as separate problems. We built them as one solution.

Track time to projects. Generate invoices from the same time entries that process payroll. The system supports fixed-fee projects, time and materials billing, and hybrid approaches. Monitor project profitability in real time, not after invoices go out.

Log time once. It flows to client billing and employee payments without duplicate entry or reconciliation. Billing always matches what you paid people.

Expense Management That Makes Sense

Employees submit expenses with receipts attached. Approval workflows route requests based on your policies. Approved expenses process through payroll as reimbursements or feed into project costs for client billing.

Employee Self-Service Built In

Employees access pay stubs, W-2s, and tax documents without calling HR. They request time off, update personal information, and check PTO balances themselves. Companies report our employee self-service reduces routine HR inquiries by up to 75%.

The employee experience matters. Modern interfaces work on phones and answer questions instantly. Your HR team focuses on strategy instead of "Where's my pay stub?"

We work with businesses of all sizes and support up to 2,000 employees. We handle US payroll only. All 50 states and US territories, but not international payments.

Professional services firms find particular value in our combined payroll and billing capabilities. Law firms, consulting companies, accounting practices, and technology services companies need to track project time for both client billing and employee wages. We built exactly that.

You're probably a good fit if:

• You need project time tracking that connects to billing
• You're managing employees across multiple states
• You want predictable costs without surprise fees
• You value transparent pricing
• You're tired of juggling disconnected systems

Companies scaling from small teams to several hundred employees often hit the pain point where spreadsheets stop working but enterprise software feels like overkill. Our cloud-based solution gives you enterprise capabilities at a scale that makes sense for growing businesses.

We charge a $58 monthly base fee per company, plus per-person pricing based on access level:

• Employees: $16 per person per month
• Functional Managers (time approvers): $48 per person per month
• HR Managers & Super Users: $58 per person per month

Implementation fees apply and are customized based on your business requirements.

Special Pricing: Non-profit organizations, government agencies, and educational institutions are eligible for discounts. Contact us to learn more.

Want to see what Sunrise HCM costs for your organization? Get your customized pricing.

Once you know what it costs, here's what working with us actually looks like.

Here's something important: you don't need Salesforce to use Sunrise HCM. We include the platform infrastructure as part of your subscription.

If you already use Salesforce, your payroll data lives right next to your customer data. Sales, marketing, finance, and HR work from the same system. You get even more value from your existing investment.

If you're not on Salesforce, you get enterprise-grade infrastructure without buying anything else. We manage the platform. You run your payroll. You get all the benefits (security, reliability, mobile access, regular updates) without the complexity.

Implementation typically takes 2-4 weeks to get operational. Full configuration usually runs 8-12 weeks depending on your specific requirements. Our team stays hands-on from kickoff through training. We run payroll in parallel for two cycles to protect your pay dates and ensure everything processes correctly before you fully transition.

Our pricing is straightforward: a $58 per month base fee plus per-person costs based on access levels. Unlike traditional providers, we don't charge processing fees, tax filing fees, or W-2 fees. You know exactly what you'll pay every month.

One 50-person consulting firm cut their payroll processing time in half after replacing three separate systems with Sunrise HCM. The manual data entry between HR and accounting? Gone. The integration gave them exactly what they needed to scale operations.

A tech company with 125 employees told us their HR inbox went quiet after implementing employee self-service. Their team finally has time to focus on strategic initiatives instead of answering the same questions about pay stubs and PTO balances. Implementation went smoothly and support has been excellent.

A regional services firm with 250 employees was getting hit with surprise fees every quarter from their old provider. Processing fees, tax form fees, you name it. Since switching to Sunrise HCM, they know their costs every single month. As they put it: no surprises, and the cloud solution does more than what they had before.

These aren't isolated cases. Companies discover that transparent pricing, combined systems, and modern technology solve real problems they've dealt with for years.

What is cloud payroll software?
Think of it like online banking, but for payroll. You log in through your browser, run payroll, and everything stays current. Updates happen in the background. Data backs up continuously. You don't manage servers or install software updates.

Does Sunrise HCM require purchasing Salesforce separately?
No. You don't need to buy anything else from Salesforce. We include the platform infrastructure as part of your subscription. We manage the technical side. You use the payroll and HR services.

How is payroll and billing software different from traditional payroll?
Most payroll systems only handle employee payments. Payroll and billing software connects the time your team logs to both client invoices and payroll processing. Professional services firms bill clients for the same hours they pay employees. We built one system that handles both.

Which is better for project-based billing?
Sunrise HCM. Time is entered once and flows to both invoices and payroll without re-entry. You track project costs, bill clients, and pay employees from the same time data. Traditional payroll providers require separate billing software and manual reconciliation between systems.

What does "native" mean for non-technical users?
Native means everything lives in the same place, not just connected through integrations. Your payroll data and business data share the same database. Changes happen everywhere instantly. You don't export files or wait for overnight syncs.

How long does implementation take?
Most organizations get operational in 2-4 weeks. Full configuration with training typically takes 8-12 weeks. We provide dedicated support throughout. Implementation doesn't disrupt your existing pay cycles.

What are the hidden fees in traditional payroll software?
Traditional providers often charge processing fees per payroll run, tax filing fees per quarter, W-2 fees at year-end, and per-check transaction fees. These weren't clearly advertised and often doubled the actual cost. We don't charge any of those fees.

Does Sunrise HCM support multi-state payroll?
Yes. We support payroll across all 50 states and US territories. The system handles different state tax regulations, local taxes, and compliance requirements automatically. You can manage multiple EINs in one platform.

Can Sunrise HCM handle international payroll?
No. Sunrise HCM currently provides payroll services exclusively within the United States. We handle all US jurisdictions but don't process payroll for international employees.

What size companies does Sunrise HCM work best for?
We're built for businesses of all sizes and support up to 2,000 employees. Whether you're a small team just starting out or a mid-sized company scaling operations, our cloud payroll software adapts to your needs.

How does pricing work with Sunrise HCM?
We charge a $58 monthly base fee plus per-employee costs that vary based on the features and access levels your team needs. Unlike traditional providers, we don't charge processing fees, tax form fees, W-2 fees, or other hidden charges. Your monthly cost covers everything.

The journey from recognizing the problems with traditional payroll in 2017 to building cloud payroll software that solves them took vision, expertise, and time. We combined 30 years of payroll knowledge with modern cloud technology. We eliminated hidden fees. We connected payroll and billing. We gave businesses one system instead of many.

The result: transparent pricing that doesn't hide surprise charges in fine print. One platform for payroll, HR, time tracking, and billing. Security that meets enterprise standards. Regular updates with new features included. Implementation measured in weeks, not months.

It works whether you use Salesforce or not. You don't need to buy additional systems or manage complex integrations. You get enterprise capabilities at a scale that makes sense for growing businesses.

Sunnier days are ahead with Sunrise HCM. If you're ready to stop juggling systems, eliminate surprise fees, and run payroll from a single platform, schedule a meeting with our team to see how we can help.

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