Jan 2018
4
PAYE Modernisation is coming… are you ready?
The Irish PAYE system is currently undergoing a massive overhaul, with new changes being implemented from 1st January 2019. This is called PAYE Modernisation. The existing system was introduced nearly 60 years ago and so this update is long overdue.
With PAYE Modernisation, employers, or bureaus on their behalf, will need to submit an electronic file to Revenue each time an employee has been paid. This real time reporting will enable Revenue to ensure that employees are receiving their correct tax credits and cut off points at all times.
Fortunately for employers and payroll bureaus, this real-time reporting will replace most of the “P” forms (P30, P35, P45, P46 and P60) enabling them to reduce their workload. Most payroll systems will automate many of the new processes, whereby electronic files will be automatically created and sent to Revenue at the click of a button.
How will PAYE Modernisation affect your payroll bureau?
Revenue is joining Thesaurus Software for a series of free, CPD accredited webinars. The webinars are customised to both employers and payroll bureaus for them to find out how they will be affected by PAYE Modernisation.
- Employer Webinar: Wednesday 24th January - register here
- Bureau Webinar: Thursday 25th January - register here
Our previous PAYE Modernisation webinars were highly sought after with over 2,000 employers and payroll bureaus in attendance. Places are limited - make sure to book your place now to avoid disappointment.
If you are unable to attend the webinars at the specified time, simply register and we will send you the recording afterwards.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
We have lots more webinars scheduled over the coming months. Don’t miss out - make sure to sign up to our newsletter today! You will have the option to unsubscribe at any time.
Thesaurus Payroll Manager | BrightPay Payroll Software
Dec 2017
20
BrightPay 2018 is now available!
BrightPay 2018 is now available!
BrightPay 2018 is now available to download. The bureau licence is just €299 + VAT per tax year and includes unlimited employers, unlimited employees and free phone and email support.
Book a BrightPay demo and find out why our customers give us a 99% satisfaction rate. Still not convinced? Why not download a 60 day free trial to see what all the fuss is about.
Customer Testimonials:
- “BrightPay is an excellent product. Quick and efficient to use and they have a helpline that is always available to talk you through a query.”
- “I am very happy about BrightPay Payroll, easy to set up, easy to use, very good value for money.”
- “Easy. Efficient. Excellent.The program speaks for itself.”
- “BrightPay has been the perfect fit for our business- it has reduced our workload and in turn increases productivity within our business.”
- “Best payroll software I have used. Couldn't say enough good things about it! I recommend it to all the payroll users I know.”
Upcoming Webinars
25th January: How will PAYE Modernisation affect your payroll bureau - Find out more
22nd February: Irish Employment Law Overview - Find out more
8th March: GDPR for your Payroll Bureau - Find out more
Each webinar is CPD accredited and free to attend. If you are unable to attend a webinar at the specified time, simply register and we will send you the recording afterwards.
Sign up to BrightPay’s newsletter
Do you want to hear more about future CPD events, free ebooks, industry updates and special offers? Sign up to our newsletter. You will have the option to unsubscribe at anytime.
BrightPay Payroll Software | Thesaurus Payroll Software
Related Articles
Dec 2017
7
BrightPay Customer Update - December 2017.
Free Webinar - How will PAYE Modernisation affect your business?
PAYE Modernisation is probably the biggest overhaul of the PAYE system since PAYE itself was introduced back in 1960. It will have wide ranging effects on all employers across Ireland. Places are limited.
Employers: 24th January | Bureaus: 25th January
Sign up to BrightPay’s newsletter
Do you want to hear more about future CPD events, free ebooks, industry updates and special offers? Subscribe to BrightPay’s newsletter today. You will have the option to unsubscribe at anytime.
Auto Enrolment to be introduced by 2021
Today, we are all living longer healthier lives. However, as a nation, we are not saving enough for our retirement. The Irish government aims to bring in an auto enrolment system where all employers would be required to enrol their employees into a workplace pension scheme and contribute towards the employee pension pot.
Changes to Illness Benefit from 1st January 2018
With effect from 1st January 2018, employers will no longer be responsible for taxing Illness Benefit. From this date Revenue will tax Illness Benefit by adjusting employee's tax credits and/or rate bands.
Cut down on payroll processing time with BrightPay Connect
Employers across Ireland are automating the process of providing payroll and HR documents to employees, such as payslips, P60s, employment contracts and company handbooks. Annual leave management can also be simplified and automated giving you more time to focus on pressing business matters.
Free Webinar - What does GDPR mean for your business?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect on 25 May 2018. Employers process large amounts of personal data, not least in relation to their customers and their own employees. Consequently, the GDPR will impact most if not all areas of businesses and the impact it will have cannot be overstated.
Employers: 30th January | Bureaus: 8th March
Payroll for bureaus: From loss leader to profit centre (bureaus only)
New technologies can positively impact the way bureaus offer payroll services. There are several exciting developments that are happening right now in the cloud. Be ready to offer a new level of payroll and HR services by embracing new-world online technologies.
Oct 2017
19
Customer Update - October
Free Webinar: What you NEED to know about PAYE Modernisation
PAYE Modernisation is probably the biggest overhaul of the PAYE system since PAYE itself was introduced back in 1960. It will have wide ranging effects on all employers. Register now for our free webinar to find out what you need to know about PAYE Modernisation. Speakers include Paul Byrne (Thesaurus Software) & Sinead Sweeney (Revenue)
CPD Webinar: GDPR for your Payroll Bureau (Bureaus Only)
Data protection and how personal data is managed is changing forever. On 25 May 2018 the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into force. The GDPR is a European privacy regulation replacing all existing data protection regulations. Register now for our free, CPD accredited webinar to find out how this new legislation will affect your payroll bureau.
"What do you mean... Do I have a backup?” - A day in the life of Customer Support
One of the most common calls on the support line is from a distressed customer who tells us they have lost their payroll information. Reasons for the loss of this information are varied and could be anything from a laptop being stolen, a virus attacking the computer or fire or water damage to the computers in the office.
Take a look at BrightPay Payroll Software
Brought to you by Thesaurus Software, Ireland's number one payroll provider. With over 100,000 businesses across Ireland and the UK, you can guarantee BrightPay is the perfect solution for your bureau. BrightPay's bureau licence includes unlimited employers, unlimited employees and free support - all for just €299 per year.
BrightPay Connect - Try for Free
We are giving customers one free BrightPay Connect 2017 licence. With BrightPay Connect, employers can login to their own personal employer dashboard where they can access employee payslips, payroll reports and a company wide calendar. It also includes a self-service portal for employees to view payslips and request annual leave.
Redeem your free licence / Book a demo
New Automatic Enrolment Pension System to be in place by 2021?
Brian Hayes MEP has called on Minister for Social Protection, Regina Doherty to start work on the introduction of an automatic enrolment pension system, whereby all Irish private sector employees would be automatically enrolled into a pension scheme.
BrightPay Customer Survey: The Results are in!
In our recent survey, we were delighted to discover that BrightPay has a 99% customer satisfaction rate. Customers are also highly satisfied with our customer support team, with a satisfaction rate of 98%.
Oct 2017
10
BrightPay Ireland - Customer Survey - The Results are in!
Opinions and feedback from our customers matter to us. We love to hear comments and suggestions from users in order to improve the customer experience. Last month we conducted a customer survey to get an insight into what customers think about BrightPay and find out what new features our customers want.
The survey also looked at customer satisfaction rates, software performance and customer support. We were delighted to discover that BrightPay has a 99% customer satisfaction rate. Customers are also highly satisfied with our customer support team, with a satisfaction rate of 98%. Many customers agree that BrightPay saves them time (99.5%) and money (99.4%).
The survey also looked at awareness of PAYE Modernisation. 23% of customers were unaware of this upcoming change to the PAYE system, which will be effective from 1st January 2019. BrightPay’s parent company, Thesaurus Software, recently hosted a number of free PAYE Modernisation webinars, with a guest speaker from Revenue. The webinars incorporated everything you need to know about PAYE Modernisation. Watch the PAYE Modernisation training session on demand.
Customer Testimonials
We also received a number of customer testimonials from the survey - all of which will be added to the BrightPay website in due course. Some of our favourite testimonials received include:
- "I am now in my fourth PAYE year since I switched to BrightPay. I wish that I had switched sooner. I would have saved a lot of money without any reduction in the quality of service I provided to my clients, not to mention one or, two enhancements."
- "BrightPay is a very user friendly payroll system. The feature to go back and amend a previous weeks payslip for an individual employee instead of having to go back and amend all employees is a great feature."
- "I am very happy about BrightPay Payroll, easy to setup, easy to use, very good value for money. I've recommended it to a couple of businesses. There is the same story, all happy!"
- "Best payroll software I have used. Very user friendly and the reports that can be compiled are great because they can be tailored depending on what you want in the report. Couldn't say enough good things about it! I recommend it to all the payroll users I know."
- "BrightPay is an excellent product. Quick and efficient to use and they have a helpline that is always available to talk you through a query. I would even recommend this product to someone who has little knowledge of payroll because most of the calculating is programmed in."
- "I tried BrightPay free trial. After the first week I purchased it. It was so easy to use. When I rang support, I was answered straight away, no holding, and my query answered quickly and explained that even I could understand it. Since using BrightPay my payroll is a joy to do, easy and quick."
- "BrightPay is very easy to use for my small business. Without it I would be very worried about making a mistake so it gives me total peace of mind."
- "BrightPay has been the perfect fit for our business - it has reduced our workload and in turn increases productivity within our business."
Prize Winners
As a thank you for taking part in the survey, we are giving away four €50 Amazon vouchers. We are delighted to announce that the winners are:
- John Ganly - Blanchardstown Amalgamated Sports Ltd
- Geraldine Grennan - PJ Grennan Ltd
- Elaine Donnelly - Irish Theatre Institute
- Eugene O'Donovan - SME Finance
The BrightPay team will be in contact with the winners shortly.
We appreciate all the feedback received from this year’s survey and would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who took part.
Useful Links
- What is PAYE Modernisation?
- Revenue moves to PAYE Modernisation / Real Time Reporting
- PAYE Modernisation in BrightPay Payroll
- BrightPay Payroll Software / Thesaurus Payroll Manager
May 2017
30
BrightPay Ireland - Customer Update
PAYE Modernisation - An Update
From 1st January 2019, whenever Irish employers pay their employees, a file must be submitted (electronically) to Revenue containing details of these payments. Unlike the annual P35, this file must be submitted each pay period. Find out more about what direct effects this will have on employers.
BrightPay to discontinue Windows XP support
The technology that BrightPay utilises has been updated and improved. As a result of this improvement, BrightPay will no longer be able to run on Windows XP operating systems. This technological enhancement brings many performance, reliability and security improvements.
Cyber Security - Keep your payroll data safe against Ransomware
Ransomware is when your files are held for ransom. It is a type of malware that essentially takes over a computer and prevents users from accessing their data until such time as a ransom is paid. Learn more about keeping your payroll data safe.
Do you need help with your employee contracts?
Our sister product, Bright Contracts enables you to create tailored, professional contracts of employment and staff handbooks. What was once a very expensive and time-consuming process can now be done on your PC.
Be careful of discrimination in job interviews
When conducting an interview, you may veer off your pre-set questions when building rapport with a candidate and to do a little digging in some areas, however asking the wrong question could leave you at risk of a hefty discrimination claim.
Have you tried BrightPay Cloud?
BrightPay Cloud is an optional cloud and HR add-on which offers an online self-service portal for employees, automatic cloud backup, annual leave management, uploading of employee documents (including contracts and handbooks) and much more.
May 2017
23
BrightPay to discontinue Windows XP support
The technology that BrightPay utilises will be updated and improved from January 2018. As a result of this improvement, BrightPay will no longer be able to run on Windows XP operating systems. This technological enhancement will bring many performance, reliability and security improvements, while also opening up new possibilities for our development team to add further functionality. Users will not notice any obvious difference using BrightPay 2018 compared to previous versions as all the changes will be operating in the background.
Microsoft discontinued support for Windows XP in April 2014. This means that Microsoft are no longer releasing upgrades for these systems. Although Windows XP machines may still work normally, it does mean that these PCs are more vulnerable to security risks and viruses.
If you are still using Windows XP, you should consider upgrading to a newer PC or operating system. Due to the greater security risks, more and more programmes and applications are discontinuing support for Windows XP. Internet Explorer 8 is also no longer supported. If your Windows XP PC is connected to the Internet and you use Internet Explorer 8 to surf the web, you might be exposing your PC to additional threats.
These security threats became a reality for many Windows XP users in recent weeks with more than 200,000 organisations becoming victims of the widespread ransomware attack, WannaCry. This cyber attack affected organisations across the globe, including hospitals, banks and government agencies. The majority of these victims were using outdated or older Windows operating systems, such as Windows XP and Windows Vista.
While we do apologise for any inconvenience this change may cause, it is the best decision for our customers’ security and user experience.
Useful links:
May 2017
15
Keep your payroll data safe against a Ransomware attack
Ransomware, like the name suggests, is when your files are held for ransom. It is a type of malware that essentially takes over a computer and prevents users from accessing their data until such time as a ransom is paid. The ransomware encrypts data on the computer using an encryption key that only the attacker knows. If you want to decrypt them, you have to pay. If the ransom isn’t paid, the data is often lost forever.
A ransomware attack, also known as WannaCry or WeCrypt, recently spread across the globe and is believed to have affected over 200,000 organisations. The cyber-attack struck banks, hospitals and government agencies in more than 150 countries, exploiting known vulnerabilities in Microsoft operating systems.
How to protect against a ransomware attack?
- Think before you click – It is important to look for malicious email messages that are often concealed as emails from companies or people you regularly interact with online. It is important to avoid clicking on links or opening attachments in those messages, since they could unleash malware. However, unlike many other malicious programs, WannaCry has the ability to move around a network by itself. Once the virus is inside an organisation, it will hunt down vulnerable machines and infect them too.
- Keep software up to date – Users should ensure that security updates are installed on their computer as soon as they are released. Last month, the NSA revealed software vulnerabilities in a Windows Server component which allows files to spread within corporate networks. Since then, Microsoft has released software patches for the security holes. Anyone who applied this patch more than likely was not affected by WannaCry. However, not everyone has installed these updates and so these users are susceptible to an attack. It is also important to note that the vulnerability does not exist within Windows 10, but is present in all versions of Windows prior to that, dating back to Windows XP. Support for Windows XP was discontinued in 2014, and so if you are using XP it is recommended to upgrade to a more secure system. It is important to keep all software packages up to date to maximise protection against attacks.
- Keep backups of data files – Users should regularly back up their data, which will make it possible to restore files without paying a ransom. This can be done by saving files to a USB key, external server or a cloud sharing facility such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Individual software packages may also offer a backup facility, enabling you to automatically back up sensitive data, for example BrightPay Cloud allows users to easily backup payroll data.
How can BrightPay Cloud help?
BrightPay Cloud allows employers to automatically and securely backup payroll data to a highly secure cloud server. Payroll data (including payslips, payroll reports etc.) is automatically backed up every 15 minutes ensuring that you will never lose your payroll data if you are the victim of an attack.
You may decide that you only want to use BrightPay Cloud for payroll backups, however, the features listed below can also be availed of.
With BrightPay Cloud, employers can invite their employees to their own self-service portal. Employees can login to their own personal account, be it on their PC, tablet or smartphone, where they can view payroll documents relevant to them, with a full history of payslips and P60s. Employees can also request annual leave and view annual leave remaining through their portal.
Furthermore, BrightPay Cloud provides users with an annual leave management facility and a document upload facility, where all information is stored within the same location. With the document upload, employers can upload employee contracts & staff handbooks, training manuals, employment documents and much more, which can be accessed by employers and employees on any device.
Find out more about BrightPay Cloud with an online demo.
Oct 2014
23
Breakfast with Bright Contracts
Thesaurus Software had an interesting morning yesterday as we had our first Employment Law breakfast meeting. We met with a number of our customers at the Pillo Hotel in Ashbourne for a two hour employment law seminar.
The morning had a particular emphasis on our HR software Bright Contracts and the importance of having employment contracts and employee handbooks in the workplace. The topics under discussion throughout the morning included:
• Managing sick leave
• How to handle workplace theft
• Employee dismissal - what you need to know
• Employment law update: The Whistleblowing Bill and The Workplace Relations Bill
We were delighted with the turnout for the event and really enjoyed meeting our customers and answering their queries. With the morning being a great success, we are starting to plan more breakfast meetings in various locations across Ireland.
