Moving from one payroll software to another can sometimes be a daunting task, but with preparation, this needn't be.

To help with this preparation, we have put together the following guidance to assist you with the migration to BrightPay from a previous payroll software:

Check if your current software allows the exporting of employee information

Where BrightPay Desktop doesn't offer a direct import option, BrightPay can instead facilitate the importing of employee information in CSV format. Therefore, if your current payroll software allows the export of employee information in CSV format (or to Excel, which can subsequently be converted to CSV format), BrightPay's import utility can be used.

We have a direct import option from Sage, the documentation for this import can be found here.

Should your current payroll software not allow either the export of employee information using CSV file, then you can follow our guide to set up employees using the RPN.

The remaining employee details will then need to be set up manually within BrightPay.

Allow yourself enough time

It is important to allow yourself enough time to perform an import before your next payroll run is due for the company. Performing the import well in advance of your next payroll due date will allow you to review and check the employee data you have brought in and also to manually enter in additional employee information, if required.

Allowing yourself enough time is also particularly important if you are required to manually set up your employees (and if applicable their mid-year cumulative pay information), due to your current payroll software not allowing the export of employee data.

Choose a convenient time to migrate to BrightPay

For most companies, the easiest time to migrate to a new payroll software is at the start of a new tax year, as this only requires the importing of employee details. As employees will start the new tax year with zero balances, there is no requirement to import across mid-year cumulative pay information.

If migrating to BrightPay at the start of the tax year isn't viable, then an import of both employee and their mid-year pay information can be performed in BrightPay at any point in the tax year (should your current software allow the export of such information). If migrating to BrightPay mid-year, then you should make sure to select the option 'Continue Partway in the Tax Year' when setting up your employer details in BrightPay, to facilitate the mid-year import.

Familiarise yourself with BrightPay's terminology

Payroll software providers can often differ slightly on the terminology they use within their software - for example, what is known as 'works number' in BrightPay may be known as 'employee number' in another payroll software. Before performing a CSV import into BrightPay, it is therefore recommended to familiarise yourself with the terminology used in BrightPay and to find its equivalent in your existing software, if different. This will assist at the import stage, when matching columns to the data it represent.

Still have access to your previous software at time of import into BrightPay

It is advisable to still have access to your previous payroll software when performing your migration to BrightPay - this is in case you need to create a new export file in your previous software (for example, employee data hasn't exported out correctly, mid-year totals are for the wrong period etc.) or you wish to cross-check employee data after import. If your previous software licence has expired and a new export file is needed, you may be left with having to manually set up your employee information.

Run a parallel payroll with your previous software

If you do still have access to your previous software, then a useful exercise is to run both your old payroll system and BrightPay side-by-side for a period of time. This is a good way to determine that everything has been set up correctly in BrightPay and there are no inaccuracies. 

Important note: if running parallel pay runs, ensure that only one PSR submission is submitted, from either your old or new system.