With almost 30 years providing unrivaled payroll education, you can trust PayTrain® to deepen your understanding of payroll practices and legislation impacting payroll. Whether you are seeking professional development or studying for the Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) exam, choose PayTrain to help you meet your goals.

Course Materials

PayTrain guides you on your path to success through three key steps. The curriculum is drawn from the CPP exam’s content outline. Comprehensive reading materials are combined with interactive study tools to reinforce what you learn.

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ASSESS
Your Current Knowledge
  • Determine your current knowledge with the online assessment.
  • Identify topics for improvement to help guide your studies.
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STUDY
Your Way to Success
  • Read learning modules that cover payroll concepts, recent changes, trends, and best practices.
  • Reinforce your learning with quizzes, calculations, exercises, and flashcards.
  • Review the course content and have fun with module and course games.
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ACHIEVE
Success as a Payroll Professional
  • Build exam-day confidence with a post-test that mimics the CPP exam format and weighting.
  • Score 80% or higher on the post-test to qualify for a certificate of achievement and earn Recertification Credit Hours (RCHs) or Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

Reading Materials

PayTrain course topics include:

  • Module 1: Payroll Concepts
  • Module 2: Calculations of Pay
  • Module 3: Calculations of Deductions and Net Pay
  • Module 4: Fringe Benefits and Other Payments
  • Module 5: Retirement Plans
  • Module 6: Cafeteria Plans
  • Module 7: Payroll Reporting and Employment Taxes
  • Module 8: Record Keeping and Payroll Practices
  • Module 9: Payroll Accounting and Audits
  • Module 10: Payroll Administration and Management
  • Module 11: Health Benefits
  • Module 12: International Payments

Explore a complete outline of payroll topics covered in PayTrain® .

Each year, PayTrain® is updated with the latest payroll concepts, recent changes, trends, and best practices. Download the course outline for a complete list of topics covered.

Download Course Outline

Interactive Study Tools

Key learning components include:

  • Assessment

    • Online assessment helps determine your current knowledge and identify areas for improvement.

  • Calculations

    • Complete calculations for each topic based on scenarios provided.
    • Hints and feedback guide you in developing the calculation and payroll skills.

  • Exercises

    • Complete exercises for each topic based on scenarios provided.
    • Answer a series of questions by filling in a form, completing an entire paycheck calculation, etc.

  • Module Quizzes

    • Check your understanding of the lessons covered in reading modules, calculations, and exercises.
    • Decide whether you need further study or practice on the topic.

  • Flashcards

    • Interact with flashcards covering all learning modules.
    • Practice learning key terms and concepts reinforcing your knowledge.

  • Glossary

    • Look up key terms from anywhere in the system with the glossary.
    • Use the Search box or browse by letter.

  • Games

    • Engage with the module games for a fun and interactive way of reinforcing material at the end of each module.
    • Review the topics covered by the entire course with the entertaining and challenging course games.

  • Resource Center

    • Additional resources including tax tables, forms and publications mentioned in the modules.
    • Certification information on the American Payroll Association website.
    • Feedback forum for evaluation and suggestions.
    • Payroll updates with legislative changes and new developments.

  • Post Tests

    • Tests are weighted and balanced based on the same percentages as the CPP exam.
    • Includes flag for review, review each item, and time limits, similar to the CPP exam.

  • Reports

    • Track your progress, compare the results of quizzes and pre- and post-tests.
    • View a breakdown of your test scores by module to determine your learning gain.

Pricing

IMPORTANT NOTE:

If you are preparing for the Spring 2021 CPP exam, purchase PayTrain® 2020 materials. Purchasers of the 2020 materials will have access to the online portion until September 20, 2021.

If you are preparing for the Fall 2021 or Spring 2022 CPP exam, purchase PayTrain® 2021 materials. The 2021 program will be available for purchase March 16, 2021. Purchasers of the 2021 materials will have access to the online portion until September 17, 2022.

 

PayTrain 2020 Pricing

  • Member: $1,000
    Member Pricing
  • Colleague : $1,100
    Colleague of a member
  • Non-Member: $1,265
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    Non Member Pricing.
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  • Member: $1,100
    Member Pricing
  • Colleague : $1,200
    Colleague of a member
  • Non-Member: $1,365
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    Non Member Pricing.
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PayTrain 2021 Pricing

  • Member: $1,030
    Member Pricing
  • Colleague : $1,135
    Colleague of a member
  • Non-Member: $1,305
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    Non Member Pricing.
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  • Member: $1,130
    Member Pricing
  • Colleague : $1,235
    Colleague of a member
  • Non-Member: $1,405
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    See special offer below
    Non Member Pricing.
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Self-Study

  • Course includes; comprehensive learning modules (available while logged in via ereader and in optional print format), interactive exercises, quizzes, calculations, and flashcards
  • Anticipate spending approximately 40 hours to complete the PayTrain course
  • Member discounts available

Guided-Study

  • Course includes comprehensive learning modules (available while logged in via ereader and in optional print format), interactive exercises, quizzes, calculations, flashcards and online instruction
  • Online instructor provides weekly assignments and feedback
  • Anticipate spending 3.5 hours/week for 12 weeks to complete the PayTrain course
  • Member discounts available

More of a tactile learner? Learning modules are available in print format for an additional fee. You’ll be able to keep the books as a reference manual, with answers to Payroll challenges right at your fingertips.

Taxes are not included in above pricing.

Printed books can be added to your order for an additional $150 plus shipping and taxes.

Join APA: Save $250 or more on PayTrain

Click here or the button below and enter promo code MEMBHLMS to save $35 off an APA membership then complete your PayTrain purchase and enter your membership number to activate your $250 discount.

Join APA Today!

PLEASE NOTE:

The cost of PayTrain does NOT include the CPP exam fee. For details about the CPP exam, visit www.americanpayroll.org/certification/.

Purchasers of PayTrain 2020 will have access to the online program through September 20, 2021. Purchasers of PayTrain 2021 will have access to the online program through September 17, 2022.

International and military purchasers: If you are preparing to take the CPP certification exam at an international testing site or a military testing center before September 4, 2020, please contact Mike Downs to determine which preparation materials to purchase. Email Mike Downs at miked@holmescorp.com or call +1-888-852-6664 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CT).