Four Ways Cloud Equals Payroll Productivity

Once synonymous with being a drain on productivity, payroll is using the latest cloud technology to turn what was once a weakness into a strength. 

For the typical bureau, the payroll function has long been regarded as a drain on time and resources. The high volume of repetitive tasks has seen the payroll provider operating as a loss leader for many accounting firms.  

Distributing payslips and managing annual leave are standard actions for payroll teams, consuming valuable time that could be better spent on growth activities. Mundane tasks such as processing employee requests for past or lost payslips and updating employees’ personal information both add to the number of routine tasks that jeopardize invaluable time.  

Thanks to cloud payroll automation, much of the grunt work associated with payroll can now be eliminated, making both payroll and HR services more productive. Cloud systems, such as BrightPay Connect, can automate repetitive, day-to-day processes in favour of a more productive payroll bureau.  

Here are just four ways BrightPay Connect accomplishes that feat: 

1. Self-service access eliminates payslip requests: 

With BrightPay Connect, employees can be invited to a secure self-service portal where they can access an online payslip library and historic payroll documents. Should an employee need a history of payslips, for example, if they were applying for a loan or a mortgage, the employee can easily login anywhere, anytime to view and download their past payslips. Instant access for employees simultaneously reduces the volume of payslip queries that the payroll team have to deal with. 

2. Online employer dashboard gives instant access to clients: 

Payroll bureaus can invite their clients to view their own online employer dashboard where they can access payroll reports, employee payslips, amounts due to HMRC, an annual leave calendar and much more. Payslips and payroll reports are automatically available on the client’s online portal as soon as the payroll has been finalised by the payroll processor.  

3. Real-time employee calendar streamlines leave management 

The BrightPay Connect employee self-service app enables employees to view their annual leave entitlement and leave balance remaining. Employees have the ability to request leave instantly from their smartphone or tablet. The client will receive an automatic notification stating that an employee has requested leave. Once a leave request has been approved, the leave will automatically appear in the employee and employer calendars, and it will also synchronise to the payroll software on the bureaus PC, streamlining the entire annual leave process. 

4. Client payroll entry removes the duplication of workload 

One of the most time-consuming and error-prone payroll tasks is the need to manually enter the client’s payroll information into the payroll software. Regardless of whether the client sends the payment information to the bureau in a spreadsheet, in an email or over the phone, this information has to be re-entered into the payroll software. With BrightPay Connect’s client payroll entry feature, the client can send the payments, additions and deductions for their employees to the payroll bureau through their secure online dashboard. The payroll processor can then download and pre-populate the pay data into BrightPay, eliminating the duplication of work and the risk associated with manual data entry.  

To summarise, BrightPay Connect enables payroll and HR workloads to be streamlined and simplified, reducing the volume of routine tasks and ultimately ensuring greater productivity. In effect, cloud innovation has turned the nature of payroll management on its head.  

Book a demo today to discover more ways that BrightPay Connect can revolutionise your payroll processes.  

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