Published date: 03/31/2020

UPDATE: This article was originally published March 2020 but has since been updated in February 2022.

We sat down with LCPtracker’s Director of Client Services, Aliecia Taormina, for a quick Q & A session discussing user support and a few of the more underutilized tools and features that some contractors may not be taking advantage of in LCPtracker products.

Q: In light of the world’s growing virtual landscape since the onset of the pandemic, would you say LCPtracker’s attention or focus has shifted in any way?

A: I think our focus is exactly where it always has been, with maybe the exception that we’re really doubling-down on our efforts to provide the best support that we possibly can to all of our users during a time like this. With so many more interactions now occurring virtually that otherwise wouldn’t have been, it’s more important than ever that we ensure continuity throughout our services. In fact, I think we’re all optimistic that we can use this time as an opportunity to go above and beyond in helping our user base.

Q: What’s the best way to go about doing that?

A: Well, I think it starts with encouraging our users, especially contractors, to optimize the software and use it more efficiently. As a previous contractor and LCPtracker Pro user, myself, I know that there is always more to learn. As a matter of fact, I’m sheepish at how much I thought I knew before… and how much I’ve learned even in the last few years. I continue to uncover something new about the system every single week. And as is the case with any software (or rather any aspect of life), sometimes it can be all too easy to learn a basic function and stick to it, even if there are multiple (and possibly better) ways to do it. The truth is, if we never deviate from that same routine, we could be missing a shortcut that could save us quite a bit of time and effort. LCPtracker Pro, like many applications, has plenty of those.

Q: What’s an example of a feature that might sometimes get overlooked?

A: Well, for one, during the initial setup for new projects, some contractors may not know that they are able copy worker records from one account to another.

Q: When would a function like that that be useful?

A: Many contractors are often working on multiple projects awarded from different agencies. It’s very possible that some of the agencies have their own separate LCPtracker Pro license that they require their contractors to submit certified payroll under. This means a contractor may have many different accounts to choose from once they log in. However, even though a user has access to multiple accounts, it doesn’t mean they need to repeat employee setup each time. We always cringe whenever we hear a horror story of a user that hasn’t been taking advantage of this shortcut to copy employees. It’s exactly what we want to avoid, and it’s precisely why we provide a training materials section in LCPtracker Pro to help users optimize the use of the system. Users can find a document there entitled Copy Employees that shows them exactly how to take advantage of this feature.

Q: Where can users find these training materials?

A: For both LCPtracker Pro and LCPcertified, there’s a bright yellow button at the top of the page once a user has logged in that is labeled Training Materials. We have a host of documents and videos in there that walk through features and time-saving tools – with everything from a beginners’ user guide and account setup, to reports and other more advanced tools.

Q: Aside from the setup process, are there any shortcuts for data entry? What are some underutilized features for this process?

A: Ah, yes. This is one of the most time-consuming aspects of creating certified payroll reports. For starters, much like the Copy Employee feature, there is a similar tool to copy a payroll (called Copy Previous Payroll in the Training Materials documents). This can save a lot of time when workers commonly work the same hours week-after-week. Rather than enter them individually, contractors can just enter one payroll and then copy it for the next week, making any necessary edits. Plus, you can take things a step further and utilize the bulk processing feature to create multiple certified payroll reports with one click. These can be for payrolls across multiple weeks or even multiple projects.

Q: Is it possible to streamline data entry even further?

A: Yes. In fact, this is one thing that I wish every user was aware of. Contractors often say that the worst part about doing certified payroll is reentering data onto certified payroll reports after already having entered it once before into their payroll system. And because of this, we’ve continually worked to provide users more options to import data from their payroll software. Users can check out our website to find which payroll providers we’re currently partnered with. These companies provide an Excel or .csv file which can be exported from their system and imported into LCPtracker Pro or LCPcertified to upload data. And if a contractor happens to be using a provider other than one of our partners, they can also choose to purchase a service where we map out an interface specifically to match with their software’s export file. Or, there’s also our free spreadsheet template that they can utilize to map their own payroll file.