DEOnline payroll in Germany
Running payroll in the browser instead of an installed Windows program. What that changes day to day, and which routes exist.
What online payroll means
Most German payroll programs are Windows applications installed on a workstation or terminal server. Online payroll means the software runs in the browser and the calculation logic sits on the server. Day to day that changes three things above all: it makes no difference which device or location you work from, several people can work on the same client at once, and updates, parameters and backups are nothing anyone in the office has to think about.
Not every program that calls itself online actually calculates online. Some only offer a web portal where employees retrieve their finished payslip, while payroll itself still runs locally.
Three routes to payroll
| Route | Fits when |
|---|---|
| Run it yourself with software | the expertise is in house, control over data and deadlines should stay there, and ongoing changes need to be applied quickly. |
| Tax adviser | few employees are involved and payroll already sits with the same office as financial accounting. |
| Payroll service provider | payroll should be handed over entirely and hiring specialists is not worthwhile. |
Lohnica is software for the first route. We do not run payroll for you, we give you the tool to run it.
Where Lohnica stands today
The calculations are usable today: gross to net, net to gross, employer costs and trial payroll runs, each with daily-updated contribution rates. Live operation with electronic social insurance reporting starts in 2027, once the ITSG system audit is complete. Until then we keep a waiting list.
Frequently asked questions
The software runs in the browser and the calculation logic on the server. Local installations and manual updates disappear, several people work from the same state, and access is not tied to one workstation. The biggest practical difference concerns the annual parameters: they are simply there instead of having to be imported.