CRYSTAL LAKE – The gap is closing in payroll services.

As time-tracking technology becomes more readily available and easy to use, local accounting firms are putting up more of a fight against the traditional payroll powerhouses.

"You're seeing them come through now with a lot more software and also the interfaces, the hardware, to make that possible for even the small provider," said Kurt Schneider, a certified public accountant with Exemplar Accounting & Tax Advisors Inc. in Crystal Lake. "So now it can come back into the local CPA's office and have it handled from there, because their capabilities have grown so much."