Payroll software is now often incorporated as a component of accounting software. still their remain standalone payroll options that help you organise and carry out the task of paying your employees their salaries each month.
How does it work?
There are two main types of payroll software:
- one that you buy up front and download onto your computer
- one that you access online and pay an ongoing monthly fee
Both connect up to HMRC’s online PAYE reporting system, so you can automatically send them the information they require.
Why do I need a payroll software?
Working out your employees’ payslips can be a real headache. Simply working out the basic salary can be hard if you need to take into account overtime, sick pay, maternity leave and so on. On top of that, you must calculate tax, benefits and both employer and employee contributions. Finally, you need to make sure that all the bank details are correct and that you pay everyone on time. Nightmare.
The practicalities
A basic payroll software package will enable you to do all of the above plus print out pay slips. If you opt for an online version, it will automatically update with any changes in government employment legislation. Higher-spec versions also enable you to print out HMRC-approved forms.
Things to consider
Payroll can be both complicated to set up and administer as well as time-consuming. Instead of investing in payroll software, you might also want to think about outsourcing the entire payroll function to a third party.
It can cost as little as £8 per employee per month, and it will save you hours of effort and frustration. As your business grows, there will be a point when it will naturally make sense to bring your payroll in-house. For the first few years, however, let someone else deal with numbers and taxes, so you can focus on scaling your business instead.
Top tip
If you buy your payroll software from the same manufacturer as your accountancy software, you will be able to integrate the two systems.
How much does it cost?
The price goes from around £110 plus VAT for downloadable software, and from £5/month plus VAT for an online version. If you want to outsource the whole thing, it starts at £8 per employee/month. There is also some open source software available but these can be complex.
HMRC also provides a free downloadable calculator as part of its Basic PAYE Tools package. The calculator will automatically complete payroll calculations, although it does not offer all the functionalities of a commercial package.
Where can I find out more?
HMRC provides a list of approved payroll software providers on its website.