Payroll Services
Key Figures
Figures are published for NAICS 541214 directly.
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Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments (except offices of CPAs) engaged in the following without also providing accounting, bookkeeping, or billing services: (1) collecting information on hours worked, pay rates, deductions, and other payroll-related data from their clients and (2) using that information to generate paychecks, payroll reports, and tax filings. These establishments may use data processing and tabulating techniques as part of providing their services.
Source: US Census Bureau, 2017 NAICS Definitions. Public domain.
Which code does this activity belong in?
Payroll Services establishments collect payroll data from clients and process it to generate paychecks, payroll reports, and tax filings, but crucially do not provide accounting, bookkeeping, or billing services. This distinguishes them from Offices of Certified Public Accountants, which may offer payroll processing alongside broader accounting services, and from Other Accounting Services, which can combine payroll with accounting work. Tax Preparation Services handle only tax returns without payroll functions, whereas Payroll Services focuses exclusively on payroll-related activities.
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