Frequently Asked Questions

• Getting Started

  What do you provide?
  We calculate the deductions and credits on each wage payment, providing you with a printable payslip. We also calculate the tax, NIC and student loan payments that should be made to HM Revenue and Customs each month (or quarter), and at the year end. We provide electronic submission of P35 and P14 returns, all included in the basic price.
  How long does it take?
  Depending on the number of employees, it can take as little as 5 minutes to calculate your first payroll. This can be done at any time of the day or night because the service is 100% automated.
  How "free" is the free trial?
  You can start the free trial immediately with no obligation. You do not need to provide credit card or other billing details and are under no obligation to continue at the end of the trial. We do ask that you supply a valid email address and you will need the tax and payment details for your employees.
  Is the trial version the full version?
  The trial version is fully functional (apart from year end submission) for 1 month, if you wish to continue using the service after that period simply arrange payment and the service will continue.

• Security and Privacy

  What does Secure Login mean?
  With the normal Login option, information is passed between your computer and our server without encryption. Secure Login uses 128 bit encryption and a digital certificate to protect the data between your computer and ours. This makes it far harder for a determined third party to read the information in transit.
  Can you provide some assurances about online security for personal details logged on your server?
  Details about our network can be found by clicking on the 'About Us' option.
  Where is your server located ?
  All customer information is kept securely on computer systems located within a UK datacentre, in compliance with the Data Protection Act.

• Cost and Payment

  How much does it cost after the trial ends?
  If you have up to 5 employees, the cost is £5.75 per month. For larger employers, there is an additional charge of £1 per extra employee per month. (All prices are excluding VAT)
  How come you are so cheap?
  Our service is fully automated, reducing the need for costly human intervention.
  I need weekly payslips - will this increase the cost?
  Our monthly fee is the same whether the employees are paid weekly, fortnightly, four weekly or monthly
  Can I pay by Direct Debit and do you accept credit/debit cards?
  At present we accept SOLO, VISA DEBIT (Delta), ELECTRON, MAESTRO, MASTERCARD, VISA as well as cheques and bank transfers. Payment can be monthly, quarterly or annually.
  If I add more than 5 employees to the system, do I continue paying for them all, even if some of them leave my employment?
  No. The fees for additional employees are based on the number of staff that were employed during a one month period. If you had 10 employees during the first period but only 9 during the second period, the fees would reduce accordingly. If one employee leaves and another joins the following day, typically both would be counted as having been employed during that period.
  Can I pay you over the phone ?
  Unfortunately we cannot accept payments over the phone, please go to the 'My Account' section to pay online.
  Can you send me invoices ?
  All of the billing and invoicing is done directly by the system. When you log in, you can read and print your invoice by going to the 'My Account' section.
  Do your charges include VAT?
  No. VAT will be added at a rate of 17.5%. If you are a VAT registered business, you should be able to reclaim this in the normal way.

• Computer/Browser Requirements

  What software do I need to install, or minimum requirements?
  The service is accessed via a web browser, so you do not need to install any special software on your computer. We recommend that you have a minimum of a Pentium 200mhz or equivalent running any of the following browsers: Internet Explorer 5.5 Internet Explorer 6 Internet Explorer 7 Mozilla Firefox 1.0 Mozilla Firefox 1.5 Mozilla Firefox 2.0 Safari 2.0 for Mac Although lower screen resolutions can be used, a resolution of 1024 x 768 or above is recommended.
  Can I use an Apple Mac or Linux computer to access the site?
  Yes - as long as that computer is connected to the Internet and running one of the supported browsers.
  How do I view the documents you link to on the HMRC website ?
  The HMRC supply their documents in PDF format. These can be read using Adobe Acrobat. Click here to download Adobe Acrobat

• Features and General

  Are you accredited by HMRC?
  Yes, our software is accredited by HM Revenue & Customs as meeting the HMRC Payroll Standard version 7.0 and the relevant sections of the HMRC Quality Standard version number 1. It incorporates an online filing capability by Internet.
  Which specific tax features do you support?
  NI for Company Directors Yes Quarterly or monthly tax payment periods Yes Week1/Month1 Tax Codes Yes Statutory Sick Pay Yes Statutory Maternity / Paternity Pay Yes Statutory Adoption Pay Yes Student Loan Deductions Yes Monthly paid employees Yes Weekly paid employees Yes Fortnightly paid employees Yes Four weekly paid employees Yes Percentage Threshold Scheme for reclaiming SSP   Yes Pensions Yes Attachment of Earnings Orders Yes CSA deductions Yes Electronic Submission of P35, P14 Yes Printable P60 Yes
  What do I do when the tax rates and limits change?
  Absolutely nothing. We will reconfigure the system with the new rates and limits. We will inform you if there are any changes that require your attention.
  What do your finished payslips look like?
  To see an example of our payslips, why not sign up for a free trial? You can have one printed in minutes.
  Which method do you use for tax and NIC calculation?
  There are two HMRC approved methods of calculating PAYE income tax: The manual method and the computerised method. The amount of tax due can differ by up to 2p between the two methods. We use the computerised method. There are two HMRC approved methods of calculating National Insurance Contributions: The table method and the exact percentage method. We use the exact percentage method. The majority of computerised payroll systems use the same methods as us and therefore should produce identical figures for tax and National Insurance Contributions.
  How do I pay HM Revenue and Customs ?
  Our system will work out how much you need to pay. Details on how to make payments can be found in the yellow HMRC payslip booklet or from their website http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/howtopay
  Can I pay my employees through your site ?
  No. Our system will work out how much to pay, you must take care of the payments yourself.
  How do I enter Sick Days?
  If you are operating Statutory Sick Pay and your employee is sick, choose the employee from the OPTIONS menu on the left and then click on the Statutory Pay tab. You can enter any periods of sickness using the Sick Periods table at the bottom of the page. When you are finished, you can pay your employees using the Pay Employee option. The system will automatically prompt you for any extra information needed to work out Sick Pay.
  How do I enter details of previous sick periods?
  If you have just started entering Sick Periods via The Payroll Site, there may be some earlier period of sickness that the system doesn't know about - i.e. it does not appear on the Statutory Pay page. Sick periods are linked if they are separated by 8 weeks or less. Linking sick periods affects the calculation of Statutory Sick Pay. The first time you enter a sick period for an employee, you should consider whether it is linked to an earlier sick period. If it is, you should enter the earlier period as well. Then, when you are paying your employees, the system will prompt you for some extra information needed to correctly calculate SSP.
  What is a Qualifying Day for Statutory Sick Pay?
  An Employee's Qualifying Days are normally defined to be the days of the week that he or she usually works for you. Bank Holidays do not affect the pattern of Qualifying Days. It is possible to choose an alternative set of Qualifying Days, by agreement with your workforce. More information about Qualifying Days can be found in HM Revenue and Customs Help Book E14 "What to do if your employee is sick": www.hmrc.gov.uk/helpsheets/e14.pdf
  When should I complete a form SSP1(L)?
  You must issue an SSP1(L) to your employee if the employee has asked you to do so and the employee has left your employment and you paid them statutory sick pay during the last 8 weeks of their employment You can order a blank SSP1(L) from the HMRC orderline on 0845 7 646 646, or from the HMRC website. Note: Form SSP1(L) should not be confused with form SSP1, which is used for a different purpose.
  If I use your service, do I still need my accountant?
  We do not provide bookkeeping, tax advice or the preparation of VAT returns, company accounts or self assessment tax returns. If you require any of these services then you will need to use a suitably experienced person, such as an accountant.
  What is an ECON?
  ECON stands for Employer's Contracting-Out Number. It is an optional 9 character serial number. You will have an ECON if your company has an occupational pension scheme that is contracted out of the State Second Pension. It is determined by HMRC NIC office or the Occupational Pensions Board. Most employers do not have an ECON and should leave this field blank.
  What do I do when an employee leaves?
  When an employee leaves you should enter the leaving date on the employee's tax details page. Once a date is entered you will no longer be charged for that employee and you will be able to view the employee's P45.
  Can I sign up for more than one account?
  You can sign up for more than one account by using a different email address. If you are an accountant or payroll bureau please contact us about an agent account. It could make administration easier if you manage the payroll of more than one employer.
  How do I print an old payslip?
  Choose the employee from the OPTIONS on the left and then click on the Working Sheet tab. This will show you all of the payments you have made to this employee in the current tax year. Find the payment you are interested in and click on the rightmost figure on that line (you may need to use the scroll bar). The payslip should then appear, with an option to print. You can print a payslip from a different tax year by first selecting the tax year and then following the same steps as above.
  Can I add overtime and holiday pay on the payslip?
  Yes - the gross pay details page has a place to enter overtime and "other pay". If you are using the "other pay" option, it is advisable to put a brief explanation in the "Pay Advice" box.
  Can I put expenses on the payslips?
  Since expenses are normally paid without being taxed, they should not be entered as normal pay. You can use the 'Pay Advice' box to enter any information you wish to appear on the payslip. It will not effect the figures and will be printed exactly as you type it.
  Can the payslip data be transfered into Excel to make my end of year accounts easier to complete?
  Yes, simply cut and paste the relevant pages into an Excel worksheet.
  Can I calculate wages for more than 5 employees?
  Yes you can but an extra fee may apply. See our Pricing page for details.
  What paper do I need to print my payslips on ?
  Payslips can be printed on any type of paper, from any printer.
  Why do your calculations for SMP differ from the HMRC calculator?
  Our system calculates SMP on a weekly basis. When using either the HMRC calculator or the HMRC CD-Rom you have a choice to work it out weekly or monthly. As long as you choose to work it out weekly the figures will match.

• Year End

  Can I claim a rebate from HM Revenue and Customs for filing my year end returns online?
  Yes - If you have fewer than 50 employees: - file online for 2007-08 (return due by 19 May 2008) and get £100 - file online for 2008-09 (return due by 19 May 2009) and get £ 75
  Do you deal with year end P60, P14 and P35 returns?
  We will make the next year end as simple for you as possible, whilst enabling you to claim the HMRC rebate for electronic filing. You will be able to check and print the information that makes up forms P14 and P35, before it is submitted electronically to the HMRC. Following acceptance by HM Revenue and Customs, you will be able to claim your rebate for electronic filing. Forms P60 can not be delivered electronically, as they must be handed to your employees. You can order blank P60 forms from HM Revenue and Customs orderline (a free service). On our website, you will be able check that the information is correct and then print onto the HM Revenue and Customs forms. We will provide printable pages in a format that is easy to align with the pre-printed HM Revenue and Customs P60 forms. We have gained recognition from HM Revenue and Customs for the filing of P14 and P35 returns via the Internet.
  What do I need to do at the end of the tax year?
  Our system makes it easy to move on to the new year, submit your year end return electronically and prepare forms P60 for your employees. Click the following link for a step by step guide: End of Year Guide
  If I don't use the tax payment page, what do I need to do at year end?
  If you don't use our tax payment page, you should keep your own records of payments made to HM Revenue & Customs. At year end, the system will not be able to calculate the amount of tax and NICs that have been paid over to HMRC, so you must enter this figure yourself. To do this, you should finish the tax year, confirm the employees' P14 pages and then enter the figure on the P35 Totals page. More information on these steps can be found in our End of Year Guide.
  Do I need to send off my last tax payment before I click "finish tax year"?
  The HMRC's procedures assume you calculate your last tax payment and send it off before completing your P35. If you wish to do this, you should save the final tax payment on the Tax Payment page before you click "finish tax year". If you have not yet sent the payment, you can enter the date when you expect to send it. Some of our customers prepare their P35 early, before they would normally send off their tax payment for the period ending 5th April. These customers may find it more convenient not to save the final tax payment, as they can use the P35 Totals page to work out their final payment.

• Troubleshooting

  I have lost my password so I am unable to access my account?
  Simply click on the 'Lost password ? ' link below the login button on the main page. You will be asked to supply your email address, and the password will be emailed to you.
  I no longer wish to use the system. How do I cancel?
  Log in and select the Preferences option. There, you will find a Close Account button. We would appreciate it if you would take the time to tell us why you are leaving, either by email or using the form provided.
  How do I enter details onto the system when the box is greyed out ?
  On many pages you cannot enter details until you have clicked the 'Edit details' button towards the bottom of the screen.
  Why won't the system allow me to enter a date beyond the 5th April?
  Your account may still be set to the old tax year. To move it to the new tax year, select the "Finish tax year" option.
  I am getting error 1046 when I submit my year end returns, what could be wrong?
  This means 'Authentication Failure. The supplied user credentials failed validation for the requested service.' The possible reasons for this error are:- Username is wrong Password is wrong (it's case sensitive) (Try logging in at the HMRC site) The service hasn't been activated at the HMRC site by entering the PIN you received in the post. The PAYE Reference on the Employer details page is wrong. You have registered with the HMRC as a 'sender type' different from that which you are selecting on our system. Your password is more than 12 characters long. The HMRC site will allow you to choose a password of more than 12 characters although it will not work for electronic submission. Please change it on the HMRC website and re-enter it on ours. The HMRC gateway is too busy (try again out of hours)
  Why are the period start and end dates incorrect ?
  This can be caused if you don't enter a start date for an employee who started during this tax year or if you are trying to run a single payment without entering all payments from the begining of the tax year. If this is the first out of sync payment you should return to the 'Gross Pay Details' page and check the start and end dates. If you have several payments out of sync then assuming the employee doesn't have any statutory pay the way to correct it is to change the period end dates of the next few payments so that they are shorter than a full period. This will bring the start and end dates into line with reality. As long as the paydates are correct and there are NO STATUTORY PAYMENTS the result will be correct. If the employee does have statutory pay please email us and we will advise on how to correct the situation.
  Why are the NI figures for my employee coming out as zero?
  There are four possible reasons for this: 1) The NIC table letter is set to C or X 2) The employee pay in that period does not exceed the Earnings Threshold. 3) If the employee is a company director, the NI is calculated over a longer period - typically a year. This often leads to zero NI in the first few periods of the year and then higher NI figures later in the year. Full details are given in the HMRC Help Book CA44 (http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/nitables/2006/ca44.pdf) 4) If the employee has a contracted out pension and is paid slightly more than the Earnings Threshold. The Earnings Threshold for 2008/2009 is - £105 per week or - £453 per month or - £5,435 per year
  I have confirmed a pay run that was wrong - can I delete it?
  If you haven't yet paid the tax and NIC for that period to HM Revenue and Customs, then you can delete the payments for an employee like this: 1) Click on the name of the employee on the left hand side of the screen 2) Click on the "Working Sheet" tab at the top 3) Click on the "Delete Last Payment" button at the bottom of the page If you have already paid the tax and NIC to HM Revenue and Customs, then altering the pay run may lead to an incorrect amount of tax being paid. For this reason, the "Delete Last Payment" button does not appear if the tax for the period has already been paid.
  Can I delete a Tax Payment?
  Yes. A tax payment is saved by entering a "Date Paid" and clicking "Save". This indicates that you have paid the tax and NIC to HM Revenue and Customs. If there is no "Date Paid", then the tax payment has not been saved and therefore need not be deleted. The most recently saved tax payment can be deleted at any time by clicking the "delete" link.
  Why am I not receiving any emails from you?
  It may be that our emails are going straight to your bulk mail or spam folder. Please check the filtering settings of your email system. If you have not done so already you need to confirm that the email address we have for you is correct. To do this go to the 'preference' page and click the 'send' button under the heading 'Account validation email'

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