TECHNOLOGY
Mastering software
Jerome Smail, freelance journalist , presents the views of five industry luminaries
A lthough many believe knowledge of manual systems still has a vital part to play at the heart of the profession, there’s no doubt that software, and the mastery thereof, is essential to the smooth running of payroll. To dig deeper into the world of technology and how it can be mastered, I spoke to five of the leading lights in payroll software: ● Colin Broad MCIPP , senior business analyst at ADP ● Pauline Green ACIPP MBCS FMAAT, compliance manager for QuickBooks UK ● Jaspal Randhawa-Wayte ChMCIPPdip , director of product management, payroll solutions at Zellis ● Richard Rowell ChMCIPP FCCA , chief executive officer of Dataplan ● Steven Tucker , managing director of The Payroll Site. Here’s what they had to say… When it comes to mastering software, are there key skills for payroll professionals to develop, regardless of platform? Colin Broad: While it does depend on
what software is put in front of you, the core skills at the heart of this are simple. With a good level of computer literacy and common sense, most payroll software should be intuitive and easy to grasp. Other than that, an understanding of the background and the guidelines for what you are doing is more important than any key skills. It’s hard to underestimate the benefit of possessing a basic knowledge of general payroll processes and why they’re important. Additionally, it’s extremely helpful to thoroughly understand HMRC guidelines and local guidelines, and the background to them. Pauline Green: To master software, I believe you do need to know the ‘manual’ process behind. Learn how to calculate gross to net, statutory payments, and so on. Too often, people not in payroll see payroll as ‘pushing a button’ but payroll professionals must know the manual calculations if only to confirm that the payroll software is correct or has been used correctly. Really good payroll professionals can look at a payslip and instantly know if it is right or wrong. As soon as an employee thinks their
payslip is wrong then payroll is the first to hear – even though 99.99% of the time it has been processed correctly. Jaspal Randhawa-Wayte: Modern software should be intuitive enough that payroll professionals should neither need to develop lots of new skills, nor significantly adapt how they work. In other words, it should act as an enabler, rather than a disruptor. Having said that, there are some best practices that payroll professionals should follow. The first is to always keep up with the latest software upgrades, especially if they are mandatory for compliance purposes. A good provider should always communicate this information to its customers; nonetheless, it is worth keeping a calendar for any major software changes or upgrades, so that you are always prepared. Similarly, you should take the time to explore the full extent of software upgrades. Most providers will provide release notes, webinars and additional product collateral. It is worth consuming this information in case you miss critical details – for example, if the upgrade contains new functionality that helps you remove a manual workaround you have been relying on for a long time. Steven Tucker: It helps to be methodical with good attention to detail. Fortunately, these are traits that payroll professionals have in spades. It is always good to have an understanding of what the software
...people not in payroll see payroll as ‘pushing a button’ but payroll professionals must know the manual calculations...
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | October 2020 | Issue 64 42
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