Payroll is one of those areas that I have typically stayed out of because I don't know a lot about it. I remember back in the 90s when I had my own employees, I sat down and figured out how to take out all the deductions and withholdings and all that crazy stuff. From what I understand, it's different for each state and county, and there are just so many rules. I threw my hands up in the air at the time and just hired Paychex or one of those payroll firms to do it for me because I didn't feel like doing it. It was more about the different rules that were applicable to each employee than it was the database end of it. So, if you can direct me to some kind of guide online that simplifies the process and can show me how to do the calculations, then I would be happy to learn it and make a database for it. But it's been one of those weird accounting things that I never wanted to get my hands dirty with.

Yes, I understand what you mean. I worked in accounting in a small retail lumberyard for 30 years and did payroll among many other things. We used an outdated software called Computer Systems Dynamics running on IBM AIX/Linux. Very stable and worked very well, but text based and outdated. And knowing the file structure somewhat, I think it would be possible to build something very similar in Access. I find when I make a database, it works for me because I built it and know the quirks. Then when someone else uses it, the first thing they do is try to do something that I hadn't thought of. (I've also done payroll using Quickbooks--and I dislike the direction they are going with their software subscriptions and it has become quite expensive for a small business owner with 1 or 2 employees--and think there has to be be a better way.)

Sometimes you say, to keep it simple for class. There are different types of earnings and deductions. Some taxable, some not taxable. There's the FICA withholding, Medicare, Federal & State. Retirement. 401(k). And then, not only to print reports, but to generate the forms for the IRS. So often, it seems it's the "logic" on how the legos are put together--and usually you make it look so simple.

Thanks for your response!