> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs-test.symmetry.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction to Payroll Point

> What Payroll Point is, what it does, and how to find your starting point.

Symmetry Payroll Point (PRP) identifies and accurately determines complex state and local taxes based on an employee's work and home addresses. To return the correct taxes and rates, Payroll Point does four things:

1. Validates the work and home addresses provided for each lookup.
2. Determines the exact latitude and longitude coordinates for each location.
3. Applies those coordinates to 35,000 geospatial tax boundary shapefiles.
4. Calls the Symmetry Tax Engine to return all applicable state, local, and employer taxes and rates.

Payroll Point is available as a **Portal** (browser-based UI) and an **API** (REST). Both implementations use the same underlying tax engine and return the same results. The difference is how you interact with the product.

<Note>
  Minimum wage rates are available as an add-on for both Portal and API. If your organization has purchased this add-on, see [Minimum Wage Endpoints for PRP](/prp/payroll-point-api/minimum-wage-endpoints-for-prp) (API) or [View Recent Minimum Wage Rate Updates in PRP Portal](/prp/maps-in-portal/view-recent-minimum-wage-rate-updates-in-prp-portal) (Portal) for more information.
</Note>

## Choose your implementation

Not sure which implementation is right for you? Use the table below to find the best fit.

|                            | Portal                                                                         | API                                                                                    |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Best for**               | HR professionals and payroll administrators who need to look up taxes manually | Developers integrating tax determination directly into a payroll system or application |
| **How it works**           | Browser-based UI with Maps (single lookup) and Batch (bulk upload via CSV)     | REST API with six endpoints; primary endpoint is `/prp/v1/taxes`                       |
| **Technical requirements** | None. Log in and start looking up taxes.                                       | API credentials and integration work required                                          |
| **Typical users**          | HR teams, payroll specialists, benefits administrators                         | Developers, system integrators                                                         |
| **Get started**            | [Portal Quickstart →](/prp/getting-started/payroll-point-portal-quickstart)    | [API Quickstart →](/prp/getting-started/payroll-point-api-quickstart)                  |

## What's in these docs

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Portal Quickstart" icon="rocket" href="/prp/getting-started/payroll-point-portal-quickstart">
    Log in to Payroll Point Portal and run your first Maps or Batch tax lookup.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Quickstart" icon="code" href="/prp/getting-started/payroll-point-api-quickstart">
    Authenticate and make your first `/prp/v1/taxes` call to return applicable taxes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Core Concepts" icon="sitemap" href="/prp/references-and-faqs/understanding-tax-jurisdictions-and-boundary-types-in-payroll-point">
    Learn how tax jurisdictions and boundary types determine which taxes apply to a location. Browse the Core Concepts group for more topics.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Reference" icon="book" href="/prp/payroll-point-api/payroll-point-api-endpoints">
    Full endpoint documentation, authentication details, and API guides.
  </Card>

  <Card title="References & FAQs" icon="book-open" href="/prp/references-and-faqs/payroll-point-tax-types">
    Review the list of tax type codes returned by Payroll Point. Browse the References & FAQs group for more reference material.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
  Before making your first lookup, your account administrator will need to configure your profile settings in the Admin Panel. Contact your Symmetry Client Success representative if you need help accessing your credentials.
</Note>