Hello, this is S from Sayu CPA Office.
In this article, I would like to introduce Money Forward’s cloud-based labor management software.

Differences from freee

First, let’s start with the differences from freee, which we introduced previously.
The biggest difference is that freee provides an integrated product called “freee人事労務,” which combines employee management, attendance management, payroll/bonus calculation, year-end adjustment, and social insurance procedures all in one.
On the other hand, Money Forward offers separate products such as “クラウド給与,” “クラウド勤怠,” “クラウド年末調整,” and “クラウド社会保険.”
With freee, once the employee master data is updated, all related payroll and social insurance tasks are seamlessly reflected, which is convenient. By contrast, Money Forward allows integration between its products, but updates in one (e.g., クラウド給与) are not automatically reflected in another (e.g., クラウド年末調整) unless you manually synchronize the data. Also, you may need to log into different products depending on the task.
However, the advantage of Money Forward is that you can start by implementing only the specific product you need, such as payroll only or year-end adjustment only. Each product is relatively specialized and simple, so you don’t get overwhelmed by unnecessary settings or information.

Employee Registration

In Money Forward, employee registration is usually managed through “クラウド人事管理” (or alternatively “クラウド給与”).
This is because information flows from “クラウド人事管理” or “クラウド給与” to other products, but not in the reverse direction. “クラウド人事管理” is designed specifically for managing employee data and organizational structures. It also provides an input form where employees can directly enter their own information, reducing the burden on HR staff, similar to freee.
If you choose to start from “クラウド給与,” however, the administrator will need to input all employee data manually. Therefore, if your company has many employees or a structured organizational system, implementing “クラウド人事管理” first is advantageous. On the other hand, for smaller organizations with simpler structures, managing employees solely within “クラウド給与” is often sufficient.

Payroll and Bonus Calculation

Payroll and bonus calculations are performed in “クラウド給与.”
Data can be integrated from “クラウド人事管理” or entered directly. In addition, if “クラウド勤怠” is being used, attendance records are automatically imported, allowing payroll and overtime to be calculated automatically.
Similar to freee, the main task for payroll administrators is verifying that the settings are correct and that any changes from the previous month have been applied. Once settings and integrations are complete, calculations are automatically prepared as soon as you open the payroll menu, making the process very fast.
After reviewing each employee’s payroll, you can confirm and finalize with just a few clicks. If you are also using Money Forward’s accounting software, journal entries are automatically created upon finalization. In case of corrections, you can re-finalize before posting to the accounting side to ensure accurate entries.
Another strong point of cloud-based payroll systems, including Money Forward, is that they automatically calculate health insurance and labor insurance premiums based on the selected grade or rate. Updates such as annual rate revisions (including region-specific health insurance rates) are also applied automatically, eliminating manual work and reducing the chance of errors.
Note, however, that while rate revisions are automated, changes such as standard monthly remuneration adjustments (e.g., 定時改定, 随時改定) still need to be managed manually or by integrating with “クラウド社会保険.”

Year-End Adjustment

Year-end adjustment tasks are handled in “クラウド年末調整.”
Employee and payroll data can be imported from “クラウド給与,” and, as with freee, required information can be collected online. The input screens are provided in a questionnaire style, making the process easier for both employees and administrators compared to traditional paper-based forms.
After calculations, withholding slips (源泉徴収票) can be distributed to employees via their online portal. The system also allows the adjustment results (refunds or additional payments) to be integrated back into payroll automatically, eliminating manual data entry and reducing errors.

Other Procedures

Social insurance filings are managed in “クラウド社会保険.”
Information from “クラウド給与” can be linked, and required forms are automatically populated. This eliminates the burden of manually preparing complex documents and ensures accuracy.
The tasks are categorized into “Employee Procedures” (e.g., enrollment/withdrawal, childcare leave benefits) and “Company Procedures” (e.g., 算定基礎届, 月額変更届, bonus reports). Progress is displayed clearly on the dashboard, helping prevent missed filings.
Additionally, Money Forward provides other HR-related products, such as “クラウド勤怠” and “クラウドマイナンバー.” With Money Forward’s pricing structure, once you subscribe to a plan, you can access most of its products, including accounting and invoicing, even if only in a limited capacity. If you already have a plan, it may be worth exploring other products to see if they fit your needs before committing to full implementation.

Conclusion

At our office, we support the implementation and operation of cloud-based systems, including Money Forward.
If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.