Is there a way for a gallery that uses Square for sales to use pay artists for a sale?

[OrcaSoul]

I sell my art through a local gallery that uses Square for sales. Is there a way for them to automatically pay the artists when a sale is made, after subtracting the commission?

[RHatch]

No, there is no such feature.  They would have to cut a check or initiate a transfer thourgh there bank.

[OrcaSoul]

OK...thanks. 

Are there any plans to add this in the future?

Could it be done through the payroll app, treating the artist as a "part-time" employee?

[Chad · Accepted solution]

Hello @OrcaSoul, that would be a pretty neat feature request for Square Payroll. 

I don't think it would work to well right now, because payroll only has the options to pay employees by hourly or salary. Although, I see where you're going with this! 

I'll make sure to flag this post for our Payroll Team! I don't know if this feature is on our roadmap currently, but I'll make sure to let you know as soon as I have more info. 😁

[OrcaSoul]

Thanks! I'll keep checking for it.

[ciderbite]

Actually, Square Payroll allows the payment of Contractors, which seems to be the appropriate process for payment to the artists as it is. The fee for contractors is $5 per contractor per month. You can pay each contractor as many times as you’d like each month at no extra charge. If you do not have any employees, you can avoid having to pay the $25 monthly subscription fee.

Add a Contractor to Square: https://squareup.com/help/us/en/article/6005

Contractor FAQs: https://squareup.com/help/us/en/article/6007-square-payroll-contractor-faqs

*Make sure you verify that the artists are actually designated as contractors (by the IRS). I am not a tax professional, so I would recommend you consult one to confirm if this is appropriate for your situation.

[Chad]

@ciderbite is right, technically you could have the artist be contractors if you you're willing to do the leg work/paper work for it. It might get wonky at some parts though. For example calculating hourly rates to add up to the total value of the art sold might be off putting to some artist, but hey if it works for you and the artists that's great.

Our Payroll Team would be happy to help you set it up if you want to go this route. 

[OrcaSoul]

Yeah, I can see some problems there.

In addition, this gallery is a non-profit, and only takes a 15% commission, so any fees would be a deterrent.

Thanks for the responses - food for thought....

[Connielk]

I have the same question and the same problem.  We have about 120 artists displaying in the gallery at any one time.  $5/artist/month? That would put us at $600/month.  

[Arie]

Thanks for highlighting this thread, @Connielk. Right now, there isn't a workaround that would make Square Payroll work for the number of artists you've got at your gallery. This would be considered a feature request, which you can submit here. 

PS. As always, feel free to stop by The Community with questions, concerns and feature requests. We are more than happy to assist. ✨