Jan 2021
12
BrightPay Customer Update: January 2021
Welcome to BrightPay's January update. Our most important news this month include:
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BrightPay: The COVID Heroes of the Accounting World
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From the support desk: How do I start processing 2021 payroll?
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How your payroll bureau can survive the COVID-19 crisis
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How to avoid a payroll nightmare during COVID-19
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BrightPay 2021 is now available – What's new?
Revenue announce further changes to the EWSS for 2021
Revenue have introduced further changes to the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme. Join us on 20th January as we recap upcoming changes to the EWSS and what these changes mean for your business. Plus, we will share some of the key lessons learned from processing payroll in a pandemic, and how it prepares us for payroll in the ‘next normal’.
BrightPay Connect – It's better than ever before!
We are committed to consistently improving our software to better serve your needs and enhance your customer experience. This year we have introduced many new features to BrightPay Connect, including improved multi-user / working from home functionality and an extra layer of security.
- Version checking when opening a payroll file
- ‘Other users’ checking when opening a payroll file
- Define and set custom leave types
- Improved calendar functionality
Pricing Strategies that work – what other practices are doing
In this free webinar for accountants and payroll bureaus we explore how you can maximise the value of your payroll service offering. Learn how technology and automation turn daunting payroll tasks into a smooth and profitable process. We look at four tried and tested pricing strategies that will help secure your payroll profitability.
Moving from BrightPay 2020 to BrightPay 2021
Every tax year we release brand new software in line with the new budgetary requirements. Thus, to move your payroll on to a new tax year, simply download the new tax year version of BrightPay. Your software for the new tax year will contain a seamless import facility to bring across your employee details from the previous tax year.
Updates to EWSS Eligibility and Subsidy Rates
There has been a change to the EWSS qualifying criteria for pay dates on or after 1st January 2021. The change relates to the periods to be used for assessing the minimum 30% reduction in sales/orders. Where employers have been availing of EWSS in 2020, they will now need to review expected turnover for the 6 months to 30th June 2021 versus the 6 months ended 30th June 2019 (not 2020). The rates of subsidy have also been revised to better support businesses.
Jan 2021
11
BrightPay Connect – It's better than ever before!
We are committed to consistently improving our software to better serve your needs and enhance your customer experience. This year we have introduced many new features to BrightPay Connect, including improved multi-user / working from home functionality and an extra layer of security.
Version checking when opening a payroll file
When you open the payroll, BrightPay Connect will check to see if there is a more up to date version of the employer file, for example, if the payroll was last updated on a different computer. If a more up to date version is available, you will be given the option to use the latest version, or you may also decide to ignore the latest version and continue working on the version that you are trying to open.
‘Other users’ checking when opening a payroll file
When you open the payroll, BrightPay Connect will notify you if someone else is still working on the same employer. BrightPay can notify you when the other user closes out of the payroll, and it will also tell the other user that you are waiting to access the payroll. This new functionality will allow for a completely seamless working from home process where there are multiple people that work on the same employer files.
Define and set custom leave types
You can now define up to nine additional custom types of employee leave. Six of the custom types are set up with default descriptions, which you can edit, add, or remove as need be.
Custom leave types act like the existing built-in kinds of leave, in that they are mutually exclusive and can only be applied to working days. They can be set on a per-employee basis, or batch set for multiple employees at once.
Improved calendar functionality
The calendar functionality in BrightPay Connect has been updated and improved, making it more user friendly and graphically appealing for both employers and employees. Improvements such as calendar and leave view, custom leave types and requesting leave are part of the new enhancements.
Book a demo of BrightPay Connect today to discover more features that can help you streamline your payroll and HR processes.
Dec 2020
21
Our Christmas Opening Hours
The management and staff of Thesaurus Software Ltd would like to thank you for your valued custom in 2020 and to take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Here are our opening hours for the Christmas period:
| Monday 21st | 09:00 - 13:00 | 14:00 - 17:00 |
| Tuesday 22nd | 09:30 - 13:00 | 14:00 - 17:00 |
| Wednesday 23rd | 09:00 - 13:00 | 14:00 - 17:00 |
| Thursday 24th | Closed |
| Friday 25th | Closed |
| Saturday 26th | Closed |
| Sunday 27th | Closed |
| Monday 28th | Closed |
| Tuesday 29th | 09:30 - 13:00 | 14:00 - 17:00 |
| Wednesday 30th | 09:00 - 13:00 | 14:00 - 17:00 |
| Thursday 31st | 09:00 - 13:00 | 14:00 - 17:00 |
| Friday 1st | Closed |
Call us on 01 8352074, email us at support@brightpay.ie or complete our online form.
Dec 2020
4
BrightPay: The COVID Heroes of the Accounting World
BrightPay has been announced as the winner of COVID-19 Hero Award (supplier) at the Accounting Excellence Awards. The judges recognised that BrightPay went above and beyond to support payroll professionals at a time when they were under pressure with government schemes and trying to interpret guidance.
Paying employees was one of the areas most impacted by COVID-19 and we recognised customers would struggle to implement government schemes. The main challenge for BrightPay has been delivering upgrades to minimise the stress for customers. Our COVID-19 upgrades were released in advance of scheme changes being implemented. In most cases, we were first to the market with upgrade releases with other providers taking longer or needing additional software bug fixes, not automating scheme calculations or not implementing functionality for every change.
Our speedy upgrades to the payroll software focused on automation functionality to accurately calculate scheme payments and claims which meant customers were prepared and compliant.
Our customer support strategy involved additional staffing and increased hours. Our comprehensive webinar, blog and email strategy educated and informed customers about COVID-19 processes and presented demonstrations of how to action these schemes in our payroll products. Our multi-channel approach guided our customers to easily implement government measures.
Speaking at the Accounting Excellence Awards, host extraordinaire Mike Goldsmith said “the judges saw that BrightPay went above and beyond to support their client base and payroll professionals at a time when they were under pressure with furlough claims and interpreting guidance. BrightPay did this through a coordinated strategy that went beyond product enhancement. Their success in this was evidenced by high customer satisfaction and impressive reach with their support material.”
Find out more about BrightPay’s COVID-19 Response Plan and how we have helped our customers throughout the pandemic.
Make sure you’re using a payroll software provider that can support your business during difficult times. Book a demo of BrightPay today.
Related Articles:
Payroll in a Pandemic - Make sure your practice isn't left behind
BrightPay’s COVID-19 Response Plan
Free Webinar: EWSS Explained | Guest: Revenue
Dec 2020
1
BrightPay Customer Update: December 2020
Welcome to BrightPay's December update. Our most important news this month include:
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National Minimum Wage to increase by 10c per hour
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BrightPay’s Response to COVID-19
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A Thank You Note...
*** Extra Dates Added to COVID-19 Webinar Series ***
Still confused about the Wage Subsidy Scheme? Don’t worry you’re not alone. Due to phenomenal demand, extra dates have been added to our COVID-19 & payroll webinar series. Join us on 9th December for our free webinar: Important Updates to the Wage Subsidy Scheme | Guest Speaker: Revenue
Time to Renew your 2021 Payroll Licence – What's the Quickest Way?
Due to the impact of the pandemic, our phone lines are busier than ever before which is leading to longer than normal wait times. The quickest and easiest way to purchase your 2021 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 2021 licence.
Please note: BrightPay has not been released yet. We will send you another email once the software is available to download and install.
New improved ‘working from home’ functionality (Coming 2021)
BrightPay 2021 in tandem with BrightPay Connect will allow for completely seamless ‘working from home’ process where there are multiple individuals who work on or require access to the same employer files. This new functionality improves the remote working experience, giving you all the benefits of the cloud while utilising the power and responsiveness of your local device.
Payroll in a Pandemic - Make sure your practice isn't left behind
Accountants and payroll bureaus are urged to plan and prepare for the upcoming challenges COVID-19 brings to their payroll services. Now is the time to plan and future-proof your payroll bureau for survival. This guide highlights practical tips to ensure COVID-19 doesn’t affect your payroll performance.
Nov 2020
3
BrightPay Customer Update: November 2020
Welcome to BrightPay's November update. Our most important news this month include:
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Budget 2021: Employer Payroll Focus
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Revenue Start Compliance Checks and TWSS Reconciliation
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Free Webinar: Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme Explained
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Beyond Payroll: How to Price BrightPay Connect for Payroll Clients
COVID-19 Webinar with Guest Speakers Revenue: Wage Subsidy Scheme Explained
We have teamed up with Revenue to bring you a free webinar where we discuss everything you need to know about TWSS reconciliation and the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), including key changes to the scheme, eligibility criteria, processing subsidy claims, and operating the scheme in BrightPay. The webinar will also include a live Q&A session with experts from BrightPay and Revenue. Only 30 places remaining – book your place now.
COVID-19 & achieving business continuity in the cloud
In the ‘new normal’, employers and employees expect to access their payroll information in the cloud. Self-service online portals are changing the way businesses interact and communicate with their employees, whilst providing the cloud functionality to get things done smarter and faster. BrightPay Connect enables clients to submit employee hours, approve the payroll run, manage their employees’ leave, run payroll reports and much more.
BrightPay 2021 is coming soon...
We have some exciting new features coming in BrightPay 2021, including improved cloud functionality with BrightPay Connect. This new functionality gives you the best of both worlds – a desktop-based payroll software but with cloud access capabilities, improving the remote-working experience. Pre-order your BrightPay 2021 licence today!
How can an employee app improve your payroll processes?
Traditionally, using a mobile phone in the workplace could sometimes be seen as a complete no-no. But that’s rapidly changing thanks to the myriad of ways that employers are now using mobile technology to streamline their business and boost employee morale. But these apps can do more than make your business a nicer place to work for your employees. They can improve your payroll processes too.
Reduce payroll overheads to futureproof against the impact of COVID-19
As businesses look at creative ways to save jobs, many are moving to reduce their business overheads. Savvy businesses have already saved thousands by opting for a payroll provider that does not have an additional charge for PAYE Modernisation or customer support. BrightPay is one of the most competitively priced payroll software on the market with no contract ties. Making simple changes and investing in payroll solutions with integrated cloud access can save money, improve productivity and increase profits.
Oct 2020
1
BrightPay Customer Update: October 2020
Welcome to BrightPay's October update. Our most important news this month include:
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Deadline for EWSS Sweepback is fast approaching!
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Increase to CWPS Rates on 1st October 2020
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Remote working is becoming ‘The New Normal’ - What does this mean for payroll?
TWSS Reconciliation - Upload to ROS before 31st October
As the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme is now closed, to enable an accurate reconciliation between subsidy amounts refunded by Revenue and the amounts of subsidy that employers paid to their employees, Revenue requires employers to report the actual subsidy paid to employees, on each pay date. TWSS Reconciliation files can be created in BrightPay within Employees > Reconciliation CSV File. This file must be uploaded to ROS by 31st October.
How Does Remote Working Affect Payroll and HR?
When employees are working remotely, even the most basic tasks such as distributing payslips, applying for annual leave and internal communication can be more difficult. However, in the wake of COVID-19, many employers have had to adapt and implement working from home and are now looking for clever solutions to overcome the payroll and HR challenges presented by remote working.
Are you entitled to EWSS for July & August? Don’t miss the sweepback deadline
If you are currently eligible for EWSS, you may be entitled to receive subsidies and PRSI credits in respect of employees paid by you during July and August. In order to make a claim, a CSV file must be uploaded on ROS before 14th October. BrightPay includes the ability to prepare the CSV file within the ‘Employees’ menu. It will also calculate the estimated claim value for you. Claims could be quite substantial, so we urge you to run the report and, if applicable, submit your claim as soon as possible.
Free Webinar: Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme – Extra Dates Added
After the success of our previous booked-out webinar, we have decided to add another date. Join us on 8th October where we discuss TWSS reconciliation, EWSS sweepback and processing wage subsidy claims. Guest panelist: Sandra Clarke - President of the Irish Tax Institute.
Only 10 places left - Book your place now to avoid disappointment!
BrightPay Connect’s Employee Calendar: Track Attendance at a Glance
The company-wide employee calendar on BrightPay Connect allows managers to see at a glance who is on leave and when, with different display options to suit your needs. The colour-coded calendar highlights the various types of leave, including annual leave, unpaid leave, sick leave and parenting leave, making staff scheduling and managing leave a walk-in-the-park.
Sep 2020
30
Is BrightPay the right fit for your business?
As we approach the final few months of 2020, many employers are wondering if their current payroll software is the right fit for their business. Having the right provider for your business is crucial and can mean the difference between a laborious payroll process that you dread every pay period, and a quick and easy payroll that you hardly think about at all.
The key to making the right choice for your business is finding out what options are available, and then exploring whether or not they can make your life easier.
But finding the right one isn’t necessarily as easy as it seems. There are so many payroll software providers today that sifting through them can be overwhelming. To make it easier for you, we have summarised the key reasons why you should switch to BrightPay today.
Book a demo today to discover more about BrightPay or read on to find out more.
8 Reasons to Switch to BrightPay Today
- At the forefront for COVID-19...
With the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme and the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme being processed through payroll software, our development and support teams have been working hard to provide a quick response with ample payroll upgrades. We have been at the forefront for our customers both with product upgrades and expert guidance - over the past few months we’ve hosted 32 informative free COVID-19 webinars, with a massive 25,000 attendees. - Revenue compliant payroll software...
BrightPay includes full functionality for PAYE Modernisation and is Revenue compliant. BrightPay not only ensures you are kept fully compliant with the new requirements, but makes it really clear and easy. Retrieve Revenue Payroll Notifications (RPNs) each pay period and update employees as required. Seamlessly submit payroll submissions (PSRs) to Revenue each pay period. - Payroll software you can trust...
BrightPay is created by Thesaurus Software – the number one payroll software provider in Ireland. With over 25 years’ developing payroll software, our products are trusted by over 250,000 businesses across Ireland and the UK. With a 99% customer satisfaction rate, it’s no surprise that BrightPay won Payroll Software of the Year awards in both 2018 & 2019. - Supporting you when you need it most...
We're here to help you every step of the way with FREE phone and email support. We also have a whole range of step-by-step guides and video tutorials available on our website. Not only do our team of experts offer product advice, but we also run free online webinars and distribute free eBooks regarding legislative updates and changes. Whether it’s PAYE Modernisation, GDPR, Employment Legislation or COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Schemes, you will always be kept one step ahead. - It’s easy to get up and running...
BrightPay installation is quick and simple, with the ability to import employees from RPN, CSV, Thesaurus Payroll Manager or from many other payroll software packages. Start at the beginning of the tax year, start in the middle of the tax year, or continue partway in the tax year from migrated payroll records. Better still, our designated migration team are at hand if you require assistance with getting up and running. - Online access anywhere, anytime...
With our BrightPay Connect optional add-on, you can access a whole range of payroll and HR features anywhere anytime. As well as the peace of mind of having your payroll data automatically backed up to the cloud, you will also have access to a secure online employer dashboard. Access employee payslips, run payroll reports, view amounts due to Revenue, manage your employees’ leave, upload and distribute HR documents, send notifications to employees and much more. - Improve employee satisfaction...
BrightPay Connect also enables you to invite employees to their own online employee self-service portal which is accessible through a free Android and iOS app. Employees can access a payslip library, view payroll & HR documents, update their personal contact details, get notifications from their employer or manager, view their leave calendar and leave balance remaining, and request leave on the go, directly from their smartphone or tablet. Click here to discover how the employee app can improve employee satisfaction. - Cost-effective solution with a 60-day free trial...
BrightPay's 60 day free trial is a great way for you to discover just how easy BrightPay is to use without having to make any commitment. The trial version has full functionality with no limitations on any of the features. You can submit PSRs to Revenue, retrieve up-to-date RPNs, email payslips and much more. There is no obligation to buy. We will not ask you for any credit card details or get you to sign any contract. Should you decide to purchase BrightPay, our pricing structure is simple and straightforward with no hidden charges, in-year upgrade charges or additional charges for customer support.
But don’t just take our word for it. Have a read of our customer testimonials to see why 99% of customers would recommend BrightPay. Book a free online demo of BrightPay, and a member of our team can talk you through what your business’s payroll needs are, why your current provider isn’t meeting those needs, and explore whether or not BrightPay is the right choice for you and your business.
Sep 2020
11
Don't forget about your July / August EWSS Sweepback!
The Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) replaced the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) which ended on 31st August 2020. As some employees were excluded from the TWSS, eligible employers can backdate a claim for EWSS to 1st July 2020 in respect of certain employees.
If you are currently eligible for EWSS, you may be entitled to receive subsidies and PRSI credits in respect of employees paid by you during July and August.
- If you previously claimed TWSS for July and August, any employee who did not qualify for TWSS may be eligible for an EWSS claim. Essentially, this means that any employee who started with you on or after 1st March, who was not employed by you at any stage during January or February, should be eligible for EWSS in respect of any payments made to them during July or August. The potential claim can be quite substantial e.g. if you had just one employee qualifying for EWSS being paid by you for July and August, the combined subsidy and PRSI credit could exceed €2,000.
- If you did not previously qualify for TWSS but now qualify for EWSS, any employees paid by you at any stage during July or August should be eligible for EWSS.
In order to make a claim, a CSV file listing the PPSN numbers and Employment IDs for all eligible employees must be uploaded on ROS. Our latest software upgrade (available when you launch our software), includes the ability to prepare the CSV file. It will also calculate the estimated claim value for you. This is available in the 'Employees' menu in BrightPay.
Because of the tight timelines in releasing our upgrade and because we may not have access to all payroll data since the start of the year, we cannot guarantee the calculated claim value and it should therefore be viewed as indicative.
The ROS upload facility is expected to be available from 15th September within the “Employer Services” Section on ROS. All applications must be submitted by the employer or agent through ROS before 14th October.
Following receipt of the sweepback CSV, Revenue will then process these files and validate them against the rules of the scheme. If an employee is deemed eligible, Revenue will calculate the total subsidy due to be paid and will arrange for the subsidy to be paid as soon as practicable after 16th September. Payment in respect of additional submissions received after 16th September in respect of July/August will be made weekly thereafter up until 14th October.
Claims could be quite substantial, so we urge you to run the report and, if applicable, submit your claim as soon as possible.
Revenue guidance on the rules surrounding the sweepback and the claim process can be viewed here.
Free Webinar: Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme
Interested in finding out more about EWSS? Join us for our free webinar on 8th October where we discuss everything you need to know about EWSS eligibility, processing subsidy claims and the new guidance in relation to the July/August Sweepback.
Don’t miss out – Places are limited. Click here to book your place now.
Sep 2020
1
BrightPay Customer Update: September 2020
Welcome to BrightPay's September update. Our most important news this month include:
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Revenue to join BrightPay for free webinar & panel discussion
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Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme comes to an end
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BrightPay Guidance - Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme?
BrightPay now caters for the EWSS
Although the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) is a subsidy payable to employers only and will not impact employee payslips, several steps need to be performed within BrightPay in order to transition from TWSS to EWSS. BrightPay has now been upgraded to cater for this new scheme.
Join Revenue & BrightPay’s Free Webinar & Panel Discussion
The Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) will replace the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) from 1st September 2020. We have teamed up with Revenue to bring you a free webinar where we discuss everything you need to know about TWSS Reconciliation and the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme.
Register for EWSS before it’s too late!
Eligible employers will be required to register for the EWSS via ROS. Employers must hold up-to-date tax clearance to register for the scheme and receive the subsidy payments. Where an employer files an EWSS payment submission without first registering for EWSS, it will be rejected in full. The date of registration cannot be backdated prior to the date of application, and so it is imperative that registration is undertaken prior to the first pay date in respect of which EWSS is being claimed.
Benefits of employee apps that you never knew (and why employees love them)
BrightPay Connect offers a whole host of additional features, from automatic cloud backup to employee dashboards. However, the employee app is one of the most attractive of these additional features, and for good reason. It enables you to introduce more effective ways of communicating with employees and streamline everyday processes such as annual leave requests.
TWSS Reconciliation - Coming Soon
During the first few weeks of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (known as the transitional phase), Revenue refunded a flat rate of €410 per employee per pay period, which, in a lot of cases, exceeded the subsidy that the employee was entitled to receive. Revenue are hoping to commence the TWSS reconciliation in October to address any outstanding subsidy refunds or repayments necessary. TWSS CSV reconciliation files will be uploaded to Revenue to enable them to reconcile the amount of subsidy paid to the employee against the amount refunded by Revenue.
