The Problem With Monthly Payroll Subscriptions
Most small businesses pay $40–$150 per month for payroll software they use twice a month. That is $480–$1,800 every year, indefinitely, for a task that takes 15 minutes once you have the right system.
Timeline Payroll eliminates this cost entirely. It is a free desktop application for Windows that handles every step of the payroll process without subscriptions, per-employee fees, or internet dependency.
Step 1 — Set Up Your Company Profile
After installing Timeline Payroll, the first step is configuring your company: name, address, tax registration number, and payroll period (monthly, bi-monthly, or weekly). This takes under five minutes and only needs to be done once.
Step 2 — Add Your Employees
Go to the Employees module and add each team member. You will enter their name, designation, department, joining date, and salary structure — basic pay, allowances (transport, housing, medical), and any fixed deductions.
Once saved, employee records persist across every payroll cycle. You only update them when salary or designation changes.
Step 3 — Mark Attendance
Before processing payroll, record attendance for the month. Timeline Payroll supports daily attendance marking: present, absent, half-day, on leave, or overtime. If you use a hardware attendance device, you can import data directly.
The system automatically totals worked days, absences, and overtime hours at month end — no manual counting required.
Step 4 — Process Payroll
Click Process Payroll for the selected month. Timeline Payroll calculates each employee's gross pay, applies all deductions and allowances, computes net pay, and generates payslips in one operation.
Review the payroll summary, approve it, and the payslips are ready to print or share.
Step 5 — Run Reports
After payroll is processed, generate the monthly salary register, department cost breakdown, and tax deduction report. These are useful for accounting, budgeting, and compliance purposes.
Why Windows Desktop Payroll Works for Small Business
Cloud payroll tools charge per seat and require internet access. For a business with one payroll administrator running payroll from a single Windows machine, a cloud subscription adds cost with no practical benefit.
Timeline Payroll runs fully offline. Your employee and salary data stays on your hardware, not a third-party server.
Download Timeline Payroll Free — No Subscription
Related reading: Best Payroll Solutions for Small Business · Best Payroll for Small Business