Dec 2022
20
Our Christmas Opening Hours 2022
Here are our opening hours for the Christmas period:
| Friday 23rd | 09:00 - 13:00 |
| Saturday 24th | Closed |
| Sunday 25th | Closed |
| Monday 26th | Closed |
| Tuesday 27th | Closed |
| Wednesday 28th | 09:00 - 13:00 | 14:00 - 17:00 |
| Thursday 29th | 09:00 - 13:00 | 14:00 - 17:00 |
| Friday 30th | 09:00 - 13:00 | 14:00 - 16:45 |
| Saturday 31st December | Closed |
| Sunday 1st January | Closed |
| Monday 2nd January | Closed |
All of the staff here at BrightPay would like to thank you for your valued custom in 2022. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
To contact our support team you can call us on 01 835 2074, or email us at [email protected]
Sep 2022
27
BrightPay Customer Update: October 2022
Welcome to BrightPay's October update. Our most important news this month includes
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What you need to know about Statutory Sick Pay
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New living wage to replace minimum wage by 2026
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5 reasons to choose Surf Accounts Production
Webinar: Statutory Sick Pay
Join us for our free upcoming webinar on everything to do with Statutory Sick Pay. During the webinar, we will explore how this new legislation will affect us all, and we will discuss the new responsibilities that are associated with it.
Speed up the process of signing documents
Getting your clients' documents signed can be a difficult task. Surf Accounts Production offers an inbuilt electronic signing feature, allowing you to send documents digitally, track the signature's status, and download a fully signed version of the document.
In action: BrightPay's integration with Surf Accounts
BrightPay and Surf Accounts have teamed up, making it easier to keep your payroll and accounting systems aligned. Our seamless integration allows you to save time, reduce errors and create cost efficiencies. Book your place now to avoid disappointment.
Time management tips for accountants in practice
It's tax season and managing your time effectively is critical for meeting deadlines and growing your practice. In Surf’s new free guide, learn essential tips that can help you to improve your time management and save you money.
4 ways to boost your payroll profits
By using the right technology, payroll can be a profit machine for your practice. In this guide, discover how you can save time on tedious admin work, and boost the speed and security of your payroll processes today.
Skyrocket your payroll processing speed in the cloud
In this free guide, learn how your business can cut the time it takes to distribute payslips, manage annual leave and back up your payroll data. Managing payroll and HR tasks has never been more seamless.
What you need to know about Statutory Sick Pay in Ireland
From 2023, paid sick leave is being phased in over a four-year period across the country – but what does this mean for you? We cover all the essential information you need to know in our latest blog post.
Apr 2022
1
BrightPay Customer Update: April 2022
Welcome to BrightPay's April update. Our most important news this month include:
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5 mistakes to avoid when running payroll
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What is the best method to pay employees?
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Yikes, is your business GDPR compliant? (+ 3 simple GDPR tips)
Keep your payroll data safe from harm's way
Whether you manually back up your payroll data or don’t back up your data at all, it’s important to consider the risks involved. With BrightPay Connect, your clients' payroll data is automatically backed up to the cloud every 15 minutes, with a chronological history of these backups kept for you to restore at any time.
Free Webinar: Increase your business’ efficiency with flexible same-day payments
Our integration with direct payments platform Modulr, offers you the flexibility to schedule payments in advance and make same-day payments when processed before 2 pm. Join our upcoming webinar on 7th April to find out more about Modulr and how to offer payments as a service to your clients.
Make your payroll bureau stand out
In a world where customers have infinite choices, it’s important to stand out from the crowd. There are many factors which employers take into consideration when outsourcing their payroll to an accountant, such as security, compliance and reliability. In this guide, we examine the impact that cloud platforms have on these factors, and how you can differentiate yourself in the industry.
Supercharge your payroll workflow
From automatic data backups and annual leave management to employer dashboards and employee apps – cloud platforms can enhance your entire payroll workflow. Discover how by downloading our free guide.
5 payroll mistakes to avoid
Mistakes happen – whether it’s due to human error, non-compliance or untrained staff. In our recent blog post, we go through five common mistakes to avoid when running payroll, along with two solutions to prevent these mistakes from happening again.
Mar 2022
11
BrightPay’s direct API with Xero
BrightPay Payroll Software now integrates with the accounting software, Xero. Using direct API technology, BrightPay users can now send their payroll figures to Xero instantly with no manual entry required. The API uses a file format that is unique to Xero ensuring a seamless process for the user. Once the systems are integrated and mapping is complete, it will be saved for future use, so you only have to set up that part once. This integration will eliminate duplications and manual errors that sometimes occur when exporting and importing data files. It not only saves time, but also increases productivity as this manual task is now automated.
How it works
- Within BrightPay, select Xero from the journal menu in the toolbar. A window will appear where it will prompt you to log in to Xero.
- Once logged in, it will retrieve your nominal ledger codes from your Xero account.
- Simply map each payroll data item to the relevant nominal ledger code which can be used for multiple items. You can also include records for payslips across multiple pay frequencies.
- There is an option to set exceptions where items should be mapped to an alternative nominal account code.
- When you are ready to send your journal, click ‘send to Xero’. Once sent, the payroll figures will automatically become available in Xero. You also have the option to print, email or export your payroll journal.
Watch a step-by-step 4-minute video that shows you how the BrightPay and Xero integration works or read our useful online support documentation with the relevant steps on how to connect BrightPay to Xero using API integration.
About Xero
Xero offers fast, simple and powerful accounting software for a range of customers including small businesses and accountants & bookkeepers. Manage your practice efficiently with Xero to pay bills, claim expenses, accept payments, track projects and much more.
You can access all Xero features for 30 days for free, then decide which plan best suits your business.
Find out more
Book a free 15-minute online demo of BrightPay to see the software in action. The demo will run through all of the must-have features that BrightPay has to offer while using a sample company.
BrightPay is a cost-effective payroll solution with no hidden charges or strings attached. Try BrightPay for the remainder of 2021 for FREE and see for yourself how much easier processing payroll can be!
Related articles:
- Introducing BrightPay’s New Accounting API Features
- How to integrate AccountsIQ and BrightPay
- Budget 2022 - Employer Payroll Focus
Mar 2022
1
BrightPay Customer Update: March 2022
Welcome to BrightPay's March update. Our most important news this month include:
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New bill for remote working set to be introduced
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Revolutionize your payroll this year with digital banking
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How to process a leaver in BrightPay
Additional public holiday in Ireland
The extra once-off public holiday on 18th March 2022 was brought in to recognise the efforts of the public and in remembrance of those who lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that employees are entitled to an additional day’s paid leave.
Upcoming webinars you don’t want to miss
Connecting payroll and payments with Modulr
Register for our upcoming joint webinar with Modulr on 10th March to discover how you can make payments to employees from within BrightPay.
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BrightPay’s integration with Surf Accounts: How it works
Join our upcoming webinar on 23rd March at 11.00 am where we discuss BrightPay's new API integration with Surf Accounts.
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Make your payroll bureau stand out
In a world where customers have infinite choices, it’s important to stand out from the crowd. This guide will showcase ways that you can grow your practice while saving money, time, and improving efficiency.
Supercharge your payroll and HR processes
Your payroll and HR processes can be more integrated thanks to cloud technology. This guide will showcase six ways that cloud platforms enable employers to work more efficiently, by streamlining administrative processes and delegating manual tasks to their employees.
BrightPay & Relate Software Merger - 6 Months On
In September we announced that we have joined forces with Relate Software. Over the past six months, we have been working hard to merge both companies into one, and we are now jointly operating as Bright Software Group. By operating as Bright, we have access to additional resources to improve the services and support we provide to our customers.
There are no changes to the functionality of the software or the support you may receive from our team.
New bill for remote working
The government wants to introduce legislation that will underpin employees’ right to request remote work. BrightPay, in tandem with BrightPay Connect, will allow for completely seamless “working from home” functionality, where there are multiple individuals who work on or require access to the same employer files.
Feb 2022
8
Data backup: 3 strategies to ensure you never lose your payroll data
Do you backup your data regularly? 17% of businesses keep no data backups whatsoever and store information only on their computer's hard drive. The purpose of a backup is to create a copy of your data which can be recovered in the event that the original is disrupted. Backups protect against hardware failure, virus attacks, natural disasters, and human error.
A recent Hiscox report, which surveyed 355 companies in Ireland, showed that 41% of Irish businesses suffered at least one cyber-attack in 2020. The report also revealed that 6.5% of Irish firms paid a ransom following a ransomware attack.
It is essential that you backup your payroll data to protect your business and your employees. Your business can save time and money if any of the above events occur, and you have a copy of your data elsewhere. Discover three ways you can backup your data below.
1. Backup using cloud storage
Investing in cloud storage such as Google Drive or Dropbox allows you to keep your data safe in the cloud. You will need to remember to manually backup your data regularly. With cloud storage, an advantage is that your data has multiple backups within your storage provider’s data centres. This means that if something catastrophic happened to your backup, it is already backed up somewhere else.
2. Use an external hard drive
A less popular option is backing up your data using a physical storage device or USB key. Your data transfer speeds are typically faster as you don’t require an internet connection. This method can come with its own risks and cost per GB can also be expensive.
3. Use BrightPay Connect
If you process payroll in-house, BrightPay Payroll Software’s add-on product, BrightPay Connect, automatically backs up your payroll data to the cloud every 15-minutes and again when you close the file. A chronological history of backups will be maintained which can be restored to your PC at any time. Click here to book a free 15-minute online demo of BrightPay Connect.
Discover more:
To discover more about BrightPay and BrightPay Connect and how it can improve your payroll services and save you time, schedule a free online demo with a member of our team today. BrightPay payroll software also offers a 60-day free trial of its payroll software, an ideal way to test out the software to see if it’s the right fit for your business. The free trial version has full functionality with no limitations on any of the features. BrightPay Connect is not included in the free trial.
Related articles:
Feb 2022
1
BrightPay Customer Update: February 2022
Welcome to BrightPay's February update. Our most important news this month include:
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EWSS Update: Changes from 1st February
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Statutory Sick Pay – Preparing for 2022
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New bill for remote working set to be introduced
Webinar: Updated EWSS guidance
Register for our upcoming webinar on 4th February at 2.00 pm where we will be joined by guest speakers from the Revenue Commissioners to discuss the upcoming changes to the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) which will take effect on 1st February 2022.
Integrate with Surf Accounts
BrightPay’s latest API integration with Surf Accounts allows both the payroll software and the accounting software to directly communicate with each other to upload the payroll journal seamlessly. This eliminates the need to manually export and import the file, ensuring no manual data entry errors occur.
Protect your business from data loss
It is essential that you backup your payroll data to protect your business, your clients, and their employees. Backups protect against hardware failure, virus attacks, natural disasters, and human error. BrightPay Connect will automatically backup your payroll data to a secure server every 15 minutes.
Pay employees through BrightPay
Get greater flexibility when paying employees with BrightPay’s payments partner, Modulr. Schedule payments in advance or make last-minute changes at the click of a button as you can make same-day payments when processed before 2 pm.
Keep up to date with us
In 2021 we hired 40 fantastic employees and we are looking to hire more. Follow Thesaurus Software on LinkedIn to keep up to date on company news, industry insights, and all our latest job postings.
Jan 2022
13
Increase profits and improve client satisfaction with BrightPay Connect
A recent customer survey revealed that only 27% of BrightPay bureau customers actually charge their clients for the extra features of BrightPay Connect. This is a very surprising figure, as we expected it to be much, much higher. BrightPay bureau customers are losing out on potential profits and revenue by not, at the least, passing on the cost of BrightPay Connect to their clients – even though they are providing an additional service to their clients.
Additional services
You may not use every single BrightPay Connect feature, but below is a list of additional services alongside processing the payroll, that can be offered to your clients. Remember, once signed up for BrightPay Connect – all of these features are included in the price - so why not make use of them!
- Client dashboard
- Client payroll entry and approval
- Annual leave management tool
- Multiple users
- Extra support for remote working
- Employee self-service
Client dashboard
Invite your clients to their very own client dashboard where they can view and run payroll reports, upload important documents for employees, and manage annual leave. We recommend that you book a 15-minute online demo to view an overview of BrightPay Connect.
Client payroll entry and approval
Bureaus can request payroll data from clients via a secure online portal where the client can enter payroll information and send it back to the payroll processor at the click of a button. This eliminates emails back and forth requesting information and helps prevent payroll errors. The payroll approval functionality sends a payroll summary to the client for approval before the payroll is finalised. This ensures that the client is 100% accountable that the payroll is correct.
Annual leave management tool
Employees can be invited to a self-service portal where they can request and cancel annual leave. Once the client approves the leave request, it flows automatically into the payroll software on the bureau’s PC and is added to the employee’s calendar. Watch a short 6-minute video on our annual leave management tool.
Multiple users
Both the bureau and client can add as many users to BrightPay Connect as they wish. We recommend that you only set users up as standard users. You will be able to edit permissions on what each user will have access to. Follow step-by-step instructions to assign a new user on BrightPay Connect.
Extra support for remote working
Post-pandemic, there has been a growing trend of businesses implementing long-term and permanent remote working and hybrid working work environments. BrightPay Connect has been updated to include improved remote working functionality. This includes a ‘version checking’ feature when opening the employer file and an ‘other users check’ to prevent the risk of conflicting copies. This is extremely useful when there are two of more processors, processing payroll from multiple PCs.
Employee self-service
BrightPay Connect’s employee self-service portal allows employees to access their payslips, documents or their holiday calendar 24/7, anywhere, anytime. The portal can be accessed through an internet browser or through the BrightPay smartphone and tablet app which is available on both iOS and Android devices. This employee app reduces admin work for a manager or HR department having to accept and track annual leave and sending payslips.
Increase profits and client satisfaction
The many features and benefits mentioned above will ensure that your business is future proof in keeping up with all payroll trends. BrightPay Connect will benefit you, your clients and their employees. The client will have more control over payroll data and can create custom reports without having to request them. There is less admin work needed overall, meaning that the time saved can be spent on other important aspects of the business that need attention.
We recommend that you list all of the additional services that your client can benefit from by introducing BrightPay Connect. BrightPay has a dedicated client-hub webpage that you can direct clients to give them access to help guides and videos. They might want to use all of the features or others might want to select a few. Either way, it’s helpful to include everything as they might want to re-visit the features at a later date. The client could be saving money themselves as they could have been paying for a separate annual leave system that they can now get rid of as BrightPay Connect includes one.
If you are interested in finding out more about BrightPay Payroll and our additional add-on product BrightPay Connect, book on to our free 15-minute online demos now.
By introducing BrightPay Connect to your clients, you are giving them access to the great benefits of cloud technology. Integrate your payroll and HR processes to save time by eliminating manual data entries, using one system that caters for multiple processes. Book a demo today to view an overview of BrightPay Connect.
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Jan 2022
6
BrightPay Customer Update: January 2022
Welcome to BrightPay's January update. Our most important news this month include:
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Five payroll resolutions for January 2022
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Watch on-demand: EWSS Changes
-
Transform your payroll this year with digital banking
5 ways to boost the efficiency of your payroll process
Boost the efficiency of your payroll process by using cloud technology. BrightPay Connect enables your HR and payroll processes to be more streamlined than ever before. Join our webinar to find out how your business can benefit.
How to make a profit while streamlining your payroll services
Kick-off the new year by aligning your payroll software around key goals that will help propel your company into the future! By introducing cloud technology to your payroll, such as BrightPay Connect, your payroll and HR processes can be more streamlined than ever before.
BrightPay seamlessly integrates with Surf Accounts
Using API technology, BrightPay will produce the payroll journal in a file format that is unique to Surf Accounts. This allows users to easily send their payroll figures into their general ledger at the click of a button and avoid any manual processing errors.
2022 is the year of the payroll app
An employee app has many benefits, including improving employee engagement and reducing admin work for employers. BrightPay Connect gives employees access to their payslip library 24/7, the ability to request annual leave, and update personal details. Book a 15-minute online demo to see for yourself.
Transform your payroll this year with digital banking
BrightPay users now have access to Modulr, the payments platform behind banking app Revolut, to pay employees. Having an integrated system between the payroll software and the digital finance platform can offer a smoother, more efficient payroll workflow each pay period.
Dec 2021
1
BrightPay Customer Update: December 2021
Welcome to BrightPay's December update. Our most important news this month include:
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Year End - Frequently Asked Questions
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BrightPay Payroll: Evolving to exceed customers expectations
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Christmas bonuses and tax-free vouchers: your holiday payroll guide covered
Time to renew your 2022 payroll licence
The quickest and easiest way to purchase your 2022 licence is online. The order process is straightforward and takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. Once your order is complete, you will receive your invoice along with your licence key which you will need to activate your 2022 licence.
Please note: BrightPay 2022 has not been released yet. We will send you another email once the software is available to download and install. The estimated release date is mid-December.
No annual leave headaches this Christmas
Trying to accommodate staff leave over the Christmas period can be stressful as it's a very busy time for leave requests. BrightPay Connect's annual leave management tool will ensure managing staff holidays over the Christmas period is a stress-free experience for everyone.
Your holiday payroll guide covered
It’s coming close to the end-of-year madness, and as payroll processors, you’re likely to be particularly busy in the lead-up to Christmas. Read our tips on managing the annual leave requests, Christmas bonuses, and holiday pay in our latest blog.
5 payroll resolutions for January 2022
With the new year approaching, now is the perfect time to reflect on your business’s past year and decide what you want to do differently for 2022 to grow the success of your business. Here are five payroll resolutions that you could take on for 2022.
Free Webinar: Pay employees through BrightPay
BrightPay have recently partnered with Modulr, the payments platform, to enable the ability to pay employees directly through BrightPay with same-day payments and without the need to create bank payment files. Register for our upcoming webinar on 9th December.
