How to tell if you’ve outgrown your payroll software, what to do about it

Payroll software.

---

Managing your company’s payroll should be a seamless experience, but if your payroll department is constantly in a state of crisis management, it’s highly likely that the payroll solution you’re using is no longer capable of meeting the organisation’s evolving business needs.

As a company grows, its payroll processes may become more complex, and the payroll system needs to be able to keep pace, says Ian McAlister, general manager at CRS Technologies, authorised distributor of the Engage HR and payroll suite.

“But if the current payroll solution is struggling to handle increased employee numbers, different pay structures or additional benefits, and administrators are being forced to resort to manual processes and spreadsheets to perform payroll-related tasks, the chances are good that the system has outlived its usefulness. This is when paydays start becoming a nightmare of never-ending delays and queries about late and inaccurately paid salaries.”

Additionally, McAlister continues, an inability by the system to adapt to changing payroll legislation could expose the company to risks of errors or non-compliance. “Besides the financial ramifications, the reputational damage to the organisation can be monumental, as trust in the company wanes, and with it, employee morale.

Ian McAlister, general manager, CRS Technologies.

---

“Consequently, it’s important to invest in a payroll solution that has capability to not only accommodate the company’s current size, but also its future growth.”

McAlister cites several must-have solution components that are critical to ensuring the company’s payroll is never at risk.

Scalability is key. A scalable payroll system ensures the organisation can adapt to growth, regulatory changes and technological advancements.

Comprehensive reporting and analytics tools play a crucial role in providing insights and facilitating decision-making. The ability to analyse payroll data empowers organisations to optimise their payroll processes, manage costs and remain legislatively compliant.

Seamless integration with other HR and accounting systems reduces the need to capture information manually, which in turn minimises errors. Thus data becomes more accurate and operational efficiency is enhanced.

The information stored in a payroll system is extremely sensitive, which calls for robust security features. The system must have the correct safeguards in place to ensure that data integrity is never compromised.

Today’s employees want to be able to do certain HR-related tasks for themselves, such as viewing salary slips, updating personal information, applying for leave and managing benefits. Consequently, the solution should also incorporate an employee self-service system, so that staff can interact with the organisation’s human capital systems at their convenience – on any internet-enabled device and from any location.

“Payroll is the lifeblood of running a successful company and payroll software plays a pivotal role in managing a growing organisation. Only by investing in the right solution can companies enjoy the benefits of reduced costs and time savings, together with enhanced employee and management satisfaction and experience,” McAlister concludes.