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How to Connect Your Accountant or Payroll Provider to ADP Run
There are two ways to do it — and the right one depends on what access your accountant or payroll provider needs. This guide covers both options in plain language.
Why Give Your Accountant or Payroll Provider Access?
When your accountant or payroll provider can log in to ADP Run directly, they can run payroll, pull reports, fix errors, and handle compliance tasks without waiting on you to send files or answer questions.
If your provider also needs access to ADP Time & Attendance — to pull hours, manage time-off requests, or sync time data with payroll — you'll need to set that up a specific way. The Accountant Connect invite does not give access to Time & Attendance. Creating a new user is the only option for that.
Which Option Is Right for You?
Option 1 — Accountant Connect Invite. The easiest option if your accountant or payroll provider already uses ADP's Accountant Connect portal. Use this if they only need access to payroll and reports.
Option 2 — Create a New User. Works for any provider and is the only way to give someone access to ADP Time & Attendance. Use this if they don't use Accountant Connect, or you want more control over exactly what they can see and do.
Option 1: Send an Accountant Connect Invite
Step 1 — Log in to ADP Run at runpayroll.adp.com.
Step 2 — From the main menu, click Setup.
Step 3 — Click "Accountant Connect."
Step 4 — Enter your accountant's Accountant Connect email address.
Step 5 — Click "Send Invite."
Step 6 — Your accountant accepts the invite through their Accountant Connect portal, and you'll see them listed once accepted.
Option 2: Create a New User
Step 1 — Log in to ADP Run.
Step 2 — From the main menu, click Setup.
Step 3 — Click "Users," then "Add User."
Step 4 — Enter their name, email, and phone number — this email becomes their login username.
Step 5 — Assign the right role: Payroll Specialist, HR/Payroll Admin, or Time & Attendance Admin (required for Time & Attendance access).
Step 6 — Click Save. ADP emails your provider instructions to set their password and log in.
Common questions
What's the difference between Accountant Connect and creating a new user?+
Accountant Connect is a portal accounting and payroll firms use to manage multiple clients. Creating a new user is more manual, but it's the only way to give someone access to ADP Time & Attendance.
My provider needs access to Time & Attendance. Which option do I use?+
You need to create a new user. Accountant Connect does not grant access to ADP Time & Attendance — make sure you assign a role that includes those permissions.
How do I remove access when I no longer work with my accountant or provider?+
For Accountant Connect: go to Setup → Accountant Connect and remove the connection. For a user you created: go to Setup → Users and deactivate or delete the account.
Can my accountant run payroll on my behalf?+
Yes — if you assign them a role that includes payroll permissions, they can run payroll, review and approve pay, and pull payroll reports.
My provider didn't receive the setup email. What do I do?+
Ask them to check their spam or junk folder first. If it's not there, go back to ADP Run, find their user account or pending invite, and resend it.
Need help managing payroll?
If you're looking for an accountant or payroll provider who knows ADP Run inside and out, Account Cloud is here to help.
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