Quick answer: Back office support is the administrative work that keeps a team running without facing customers: payroll inputs, statutory filings, records, vendor invoices, travel and HR admin. For an India team, most of it follows a fixed statutory calendar. Salary TDS is deposited by the 7th, EPF and ESI by the 15th, and Form 138 TDS statements go in quarterly.
- Under the Code on Wages, salaries for a month reach employees before the 7th of the next month.
- TDS deducted from salaries goes to the government by the 7th, except March deductions, which have until 30 April.
- EPF and ESI contributions are due by the 15th of the following month.
- Form 138, the quarterly salary TDS statement, replaced Form 24Q under the Income-tax Act, 2025.
What does back office support cover for an India team?
Anything that has to be done correctly and on time, but adds nothing your customers see.
| Area | Typical tasks |
|---|---|
| Payroll inputs | Attendance cut-off, joiners and leavers, reimbursements |
| Statutory compliance | TDS, EPF, ESI, Professional Tax and Labour Welfare Fund |
| Records | Employee files, wage and attendance registers, policy sign-offs |
| Finance admin | Vendor invoices, expense checks, GST invoices |
| HR admin | Letters, leave queries, insurance enrolments |
The back office meaning contrasts with the front office. Sales and support teams face clients. The back office keeps them paid, legal and equipped.
What does a monthly back-office calendar look like in India?
Three fixed dates and a quarterly cycle. Miss one and penalties start.
| When | What is due |
|---|---|
| Before the 7th | Previous month’s wages paid to employees |
| By the 7th | Salary TDS deposited (30 April for March) |
| By the 15th | EPF return (ECR) and contributions, ESI contributions |
| 31 July, 31 October, 31 January, 31 May | Form 138 quarterly TDS statements (formerly Form 24Q) |
| By 15 June | Form 130 annual salary TDS certificates, from tax year 2026-27 |
The Income Tax Department’s Form 138 FAQs confirm the quarterly dates.
Professional Tax and Labour Welfare Fund follow state calendars. Maharashtra deducts LWF on 30 June and 31 December.
Overseas finance teams tend to treat these as annual tasks, handled once a year by an accountant at head office who has never seen an Indian payslip. Most are monthly. Some are quarterly. None can wait.
Who handles back-office work under an EOR?
The EOR, because the filings sit in its name as the legal employer.
Under an employer of record model, the EOR runs payroll, files TDS, EPF and ESI, and keeps the registers. You send monthly inputs and approve them. That is the main difference from payroll outsourcing, where you stay the employer and carry the liability.
An HRIS usually ties it together. Inputs flow in, payslips and filings flow out.
How does Remunance provide back-office support for your India team?
Back-office support is bundled with Remunance’s EOR service, along with onboarding, benefits administration and every statutory filing. Pricing is a flat fee from USD 99 per employee per month, with employment costs passed through at cost. Our piece on shared services with an employer of record shows how teams scale this. Find out what we can take off your plate.
What else do people ask about back office services in India?
What is the difference between front office and back office?
The front office faces customers, such as sales and support. The back office handles internal admin, such as payroll, compliance and finance.
Is back office the same as BPO?
Not quite. BPO is the outsourcing model. Back office describes the type of work, which can be done in-house or outsourced.
Can a foreign company outsource back-office work in India without an entity?
Yes. An EOR employs the team and runs the back office through its own Indian entity, so you need no subsidiary.