Switch from Patriot Payroll to Gusto, step by step

This is the step-by-step move. Weighing whether to switch at all? Our Patriot vs. Gusto comparison covers pricing, features and where Patriot shines. Gusto is the payroll product we use and recommend.

What to export from Patriot first

Download these while you still have full access, and keep them in one folder. You’ll want them for Gusto setup, your CPA and your records.

• Payroll Register and Payroll Details for this year.³
• Year-to-date totals by employee, including people who left. Patriot’s help center has a short how-to for finding them.³
• Payroll Tax Liabilities and company tax deposits, plus filed tax forms.³
• Contractor Payment History and Employee W-2 Summary.³
• Employee info: addresses, pay rates and deductions to re-enter in Gusto.

Timing around paydays and quarter ends

• The check date decides the quarter. A pay period ending Dec 31 that pays on Jan 8 is a 2027 payroll.⁴ Decide which provider runs it before you set your Gusto first check date.
• One filer per quarter. Gusto files from the quarter of its first check date. Patriot files the quarters before that.⁵
• Easiest starts: the first payday of a quarter, and best of all the first payday of January. Mid-quarter works too; it just means a few more numbers.
• Mid-year switch? Gusto files the full year’s W-2s, so keep Patriot’s year-to-date reports and proof of this year’s tax payments handy.⁵

Giving notice or cancelling, without overlap

• Enter every payroll you want Patriot to run first. Patriot suggests reviewing the Payroll Details report for any future pay dates before cancelling. Direct deposit money is collected four business days before payday.¹
• Cancel in Settings: Manage Subscription, then Add or Cancel Software, then follow the prompts and Save Changes.¹
• Full Service end date: choose your cancellation date, end of month, end of quarter or end of year, and answer whether the upcoming 941 is your last. For a January switch, end of year lines up neatly with Patriot filing 2026.¹
• Heads-up on access: software access ends when you submit, so finish payrolls first. You can still download reports and tax forms afterward.¹
• One last invoice. Patriot bills in arrears, so a final bill follows the cancellation.¹

How Gusto setup works

1. Tell Gusto who you pay. Employees, contractors, and yourself if you’re on payroll.⁶
2. Company and federal tax info. Legal name and FEIN exactly as the IRS has them, company type, Form 941 or 944, and your deposit schedule.⁶
3. Connect your bank. Verified instantly or with small test deposits.⁶
4. Pay schedule and first check date. Pick your first Gusto payday, ideally the first one after your last Patriot payroll.
5. State tax details. Withholding and unemployment account numbers and your current rates for each state.⁷
6. Enter earlier Patriot payrolls, if you’re switching mid-year. Gusto asks for quarter-to-date totals from the last pay stub of each finished quarter, plus every pay stub in the current quarter, for current and former employees. This step is only available during onboarding.⁴ Switching with a January first payday? There’s usually nothing to enter.
7. Invite your team. Everyone adds their own W-4 and bank account by email invite.⁸
8. Sign Form 8655 and run your first payroll. Form 8655 lets Gusto file and pay payroll taxes for you.⁶

Your Patriot-to-Gusto step list

1. Pick your first Gusto check date. The first payday of January is the cleanest. The Switch Planner works backward from it.
2. Download your Patriot reports from the list above.
3. Open Gusto through our referral link and work through setup at your own pace.
4. Invite your team a week or two before the first Gusto payday.
5. Run your last payroll on Patriot, then get written confirmation of which returns and W-2s Patriot will file.
6. Run your first payroll on Gusto.
7. Cancel Patriot once its final filings are done and you’ve saved copies. Here’s how to cancel Patriot.

Prefer a tick-box version? The switching checklist saves your progress. Switching at the turn of the year? See switch payroll before January 1.

Every business is a little different, so check with your CPA for your situation. Good CPAs love a clean switch, and they’re on your team.

Your next step

Two moves, in this order. First, let the free Switch Planner turn your team, states and paydays into a dated plan. Then open Gusto when you’re ready. You won’t be doing it alone, and we’ll help you get every step right.

FAQ: moving from Patriot to Gusto