Payroll Software and People Management blog

Sage Summit is igniting the passion of small and medium businesses

Posted by Anthony Pignatiello on Thu, Jul 21, 2016 @ 10:20 AM

Sage Summit is the world’s largest event for small and medium businesses, and it takes place from July 25–28th in Chicago.

Over 20,000 people will attend this unforgettable event, which will also host some 300+ informative sessions.

Joining Sir Richard Branson on the keynote agenda at Sage Summit are some of the biggest names from the world business and entertainment, including:
Gwyneth Paltrow, Oscar-winning actress, founder and CCO of goop, a lifestyle newsletter that sets trends
• Zooey Deschanel, actress, singer-songwriter, and cofounder of HelloGiggles, a positive online community for women which was recently acquired by Time Inc.
• Robert Herjavec, founder and CEO of Herjavec Group and investor on ABC’s Emmy Award-winning hit show Shark Tank
• Daymond John, founder and CEO of FUBU, star of ABC’s Shark Tank and CEO of Shark Branding

Van Diamandakis, EVP of Brand, Sage, said,

”Sage Summit is the largest global gathering of entrepreneurs and small businesses, and we want to ignite their passion with some of the most successful celebrity entrepreneurs speaking, sharing their passion for business, living and giving on stage.

They believe, like we do, that small businesses are the driving force of our economies, and they will share their incredible stories and expertise to inspire 20,000 attendees on to greater success."

How to avoid missing out on Sage Summit

Even if you can’t attend Sage Summit this year, don’t worry.

Invited_to_Sage_Summit_Live.png

Sage Summit Live is the best way to follow the top speakers are saying at Summit… and you can attend this virtual event from your computer.

Once you register, you will:
• Get a front row seat to featured keynote conversations
• Hear from visionary speakers and thought leaders on their success strategies
• Discover new technology to drive success

Register for Sage Summit Live Today  It’s free!

Follow the Sage Summit conversation
It’s easy to follow what the speakers and attendees are saying on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
You can also take part in the conversation on Twitter using #SageSummit or follow @Sage_Summit.

Also by joining the Sage Summit Facebook event and reply as ‘Interested’ or ‘Attending’ so your network will discover Sage Summit on Facebook.

The SuperStream Deadline Is Quickly Approaching. Is Your Small Business SuperStream Compliant?

Posted by Sage MicrOpay on Mon, May 16, 2016 @ 01:32 PM

DrumbeatCreative_GL_040414-74.jpgThe ATO SuperStream compliant deadline for small business (with 19 or fewer employees) is 30 June 2016.  But don’t panic if you haven’t finished your compliance.  We are here to help you every step of the way.

Just a quick refresher on SuperStream first:

SuperStream is a government reform requiring employers to make their superannuation contributions in a consistent, timely and efficient manner to a member’s account.  You will now have to adapt your superannuation process and collect additional information particularly if you are making multiple superannuation contribution files and making cheque payments.  Here is a brief summary of the new SuperStream requirements:

  • All data must be sent electronically and in standard message format
    This means no more hard copy reports can be sent and data cannot be faxed, emailed or posted
  • All superannuation contribution payments must be made electronically as you will no longer be able to make cheque payments
  • Data and money need to be linked with a unique payment reference number
  • Data and payments must be sent on the same day
  • Additional employee information and contribution information is required to meet the SuperStream data standard

While these new requirements may look scary and seem like a lot of change for your small business, compliance is not as difficult as it may seem.  In the long run, there will be substantial benefits for your business; costs will decline and efficiencies will increase by improved data flows and the elimination of manual handling. 

If you are struggling with how to start the process, here is some information to help you with your compliance journey:

Choose your packaged SuperStream solution

Sage WageEasy customers can integrate their payroll system with Sage Express Super , our superannuation clearing house, which will distribute payments to multiple employee superannuation funds on your behalf. The clearing house automates your processes to make it easy to achieve compliance, and well in time for the 30 June deadline.

Numbers, Codes and Other Acronyms

Throughout the compliance process you will see reference to lots of new acronyms, identifiers, numbers and codes.  Here is a brief rundown to make sense of all of these for your small business:

USI: Unique Superannuation Identifier. This is a code given to all superannuation funds and can be found through the ATO SuperTick, Fund Validations Service (VFS), or by simply asking the individual fund. 

Payment Reference Number (PRN): This is a unique reference that you will create and add to both the contribution data and banking file to link payment to contribution data for each superannuation payment.  This number is generated by your business every time you generate superannuation data and payments.

ESA (Electronic Service Address): This is used in order for those people who have Self-Managed Funds to be able to receive data messages notifying them of SuperStream employer contributions.  Your employees who have a Self-Managed Super Fund should provide you with the ESA.

Gather your employee’s relevant data

This task may seem daunting to larger businesses but for small businesses with under 20 employees, this should not be too time consuming.  Plus many of you will already have this employee information on file.

Once you choose and start running your SuperStream product, you will need to collect and enter the following details for each of your employees: tax file number, super fund, Australian Business Number, Unique Super Identifier, Account Numbers and BSBs and electronic service addresses.  Once you have collected all of your employee’s data and have updated your employee record, you are set to start making SuperStream payments.

We understand as a small business owner you are focused on achieving your business goals, once you are SuperStream compliant you will see the benefits.  Electronic payments and single file transactions will save you time and effort, time that you can reinvest into your small business.  And most importantly of all you will be fully SuperStream compliant with the Tax Office.

For more information on SuperStream please visit the ATO at www.ato.gov.au/superstream.

We are also pleased to offer our customers a free webinar on Sage Express Super and SuperStream in time for the 30 June deadline.  Click here to register. 

Topics: payroll, SuperStream, superannuation

Why it’s important to have a Data Care plan in place for your business

Posted by Sage MicrOpay on Thu, Dec 10, 2015 @ 01:10 PM

Sage_AUS_Colleague_81I2299.jpgThere are many benefits of having a Data Care service in place to ensure that you have anytime, anywhere access to your payroll software

You will always be able to pay your employees 

Your employees rely on being paid each pay cycle and it's your obligation as an employer to ensure this occurs on time, every time. Backing up your payroll database and having disaster recovery in place will ensure that you can always pay your employees on time, even without direct access to your payroll software.

Peace of mind that your business has a plan in place in the event of unforseen circumstances

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Thinking ahead and utilising a Data Care service to backup your data gives you peace of mind that you will be able to access your payroll data at any time and from anywhere with an internet connection.

Your business can maintain productivity and reduce lost time with remote access
With a Data Care recovery service, even when your systems are out of action you can get remote access to a Private Cloud server where your data is recovered to a stand by payroll application and you are up and running your payroll again in no time.

At Sage, we have a payroll Data Care service available for your Sage MicrOpay software. Our complete data care service includes backups, off-site storage and disaster recovery, or if you maintain your own payroll data backups we have a disaster recovery only service.

To find out more visit www.sagemicropay.com.au/datacare or email enquiries.au@sage.com

Topics: payroll, disaster recovery

Single Touch Payroll - New ATO Proposal

Posted by Anthony Pignatiello on Thu, May 14, 2015 @ 12:01 PM

iStock_000025640918Low

Businesses that employ staff are currently burdened with a number of tax, super reporting and payment obligations. Single Touch payroll is a proposed ATO initiative that will revolutionise the way businesses report and make payments.

Single Touch Payroll proposes to reduce red tape by simplifying the administration of employee payroll, tax and superannuation requirements by employers. Significant changes are being designed for both employers and employees with the ‘on-boarding’ process being streamlined to determine what efficiencies can be gained as the ATO moves to a digital platform for all business interactions.

Digital ‘real time’ reporting and payments within Payroll and HR are one of the main features of this initiative. By using compatible business software, employers will be required to communicate with a multitude of departments simultaneously to easily produce required information.

It is proposed that Single Touch Payroll is planned to start from July 2016 with a rollout over a two year period, however the final scope is yet to be determined. The ATO has been engaging with various sectors of the business community to understand all considerations before a final announcement.

In order to meet the needs of this change, employers would need to use an approved software solution that delivers on all required obligations and the ATO would need to be ready to handle this type of reporting from all businesses.

Sage MicrOpay is actively involved in regular discussions with the ATO about Single Touch Payroll to ensure that our customers software and time considerations are taken into account. 

Topics: Single Touch Payroll

Cloud Computing, it's time!

Posted by Anthony Pignatiello on Thu, Feb 26, 2015 @ 09:00 AM

iStock_000030561060LowCloud computing in recent years has exploded to be terminology that we are all familiar with. Although for many of us this new technology is not easily understood, what businesses must understand though is there are many positive ways cloud technology can help your business excel, saving you time and money and giving you peace of mind in the event of a disaster.

A recent survey conducted by Infosys found that Australia businesses are leading the way in accepting cloud computing(1), this shows there is obvious benefits to cloud computing, but how can you use cloud computing to help your business and ultimately increase your bottom line.

 Here are our top five benefits on why your business should start cloud computing now.

1) Infrastructure and Upgrades
Because technology is always changing, and so is the infrastructure that goes with it. The cost of updating your infrastructure is always a large financial investment. By using a dedicated cloud company which continuously purchases state of the art equipment to ensure your service is reliable in an environment, eliminates the need for maintaining hardware and associated IT administration. Most of the cloud solutions offer upgrades for free as part of the package and can easily be downloaded via the internet or even automatically completed to help with easy software integration.

2) Capital Cost
Businesses are quickly waking up to the fact that cloud solutions make good business sense when it comes to cost management. Managing in-house IT infrastructure and operating costs are the main reasons that businesses are turning to the cloud. With so many cloud providers in Australia, the cost of this service has become very competitive. Evaluating your business requirements for a cloud service before approaching providers will ensure the service you will be provided with matches your company needs. When it comes to cloud services cheapest may not be the best option.

3) Disaster Recovery
Implementing a system of backups where your data is stored both on your system and on the cloud is a perfect contingency plan for your business. Make sure that your cloud provider has a Disaster Recovery and business continuity plan in place for those “what –if” scenarios. Ensuring your Cloud Computing provider can support your business if a disaster does occur is also a prerequisite.

4) Security
Security concerns are still one of the greatest apprehensions that businesses have in regards to using cloud technology. Trusting your valuable data to a third party does have risks. But by acquiring knowledge about the physical and technical controls of the data centre, it’s country location and who can access it, is a good way to put you at ease that your data is safe. Ensuring that both the data centres’ and it’s anti-virus software and firewalls are updated will help secure your data.

5) Performance/Availability
In today’s world having fast, secure access to your data when you want it is essential. To achieve this select a cloud provider that includes a multi-server environment or multi location access. Ask if your cloud provider can easily increase its capacity when you need it without interrupting your workflow is essential for business to run smoothly.  

To discover more about Sage MicrOpay’s Private Cloud solution and how it can help your business, you can find out more information on our website.

1) Source: www.theage.com.au/it-pro/cloud/cloud-computing-is-now-mainstream-and-australia-is-ahead-say-new-reports-20141103-11fze9.html

Topics: private cloud, Cloud Security, disaster recovery, Cloud Costs, Cloud Computing

Mobile technology has the power to liberate, not enslave

Posted by Sage MicrOpay on Tue, Feb 10, 2015 @ 11:46 AM

Mobility_blog

One of the most exciting things about technology is its power to divide opinion. Whether it’s the sustainability of wearables or the iPhone versus the Galaxy, everyone has a view. And as technology evolves and beds into people’s lives, so people’s views evolve.

For some people, mobile technology is changing the way they live their lives for the better, liberating them at work and at home. For others, it’s the complete opposite – they feel like they can’t escape their mobile and that technology is in charge. 

Whichever side of the debate you sit on, one thing is clear – mobile technology is completely changing how small and medium-sized businesses operate. Today an estimated 4.5 billion of us worldwide are using a mobile phone, of which about 2 billion are smartphones.

At Sage, we believe that mobility is a disruptive force for good. It helps balance your life, it connects you with customers and it can put you in control of your business.

According to our latest Sage Business Index, SMEs embracing mobile working tend to come from emerging economies, such as Brazil, South Africa and Malaysia. Cheap smartphones – some less than $50 – are flooding emerging markets, leapfrogging cost and infrastructure barriers to connect a new generation of consumers and businesses to the Internet. 

However, SME leaders in established economies such as France, Germany and the UK fear that the lines between their business and personal lives are becoming blurred. In Australia we sit pretty much in the middle, with 47% thinking that mobile business has had a positive effect on their work/life balance while 21% believe it has had a negative effect.

By failing to take advantage of new ways of working, businesses in the developed world risk missing a huge opportunity.

We believe that mobile technology should enable your business, not disable your life. Business owners have to make sure they are the boss, and not be commandeered by the demands of their smartphone or tablet. Just because it’s possible to work from anywhere, doesn't mean that you have to. Mobile provides the flexibility to spend more time with your family, doing the things you want to do, and helping to balance your life - including switching off emails at the dinner table.

The truth is that if you get the balance right, the rewards are great.

Mobile technology is helping business leaders to run smoother operations, drive innovation and access new markets. New productivity apps, for instance, are transforming how businesses do what they do, and the speed with which they do it. The rise of ecommerce is being accelerated by people shopping on the move. This change has been fuelled by mobility and represents a huge opportunity for small businesses to sell to customers wherever they are.

Mobile has come of age. It’s not an emerging trend, it’s a live reality. Entrepreneurs that have embraced this change are enjoying the rewards, at work and at home, and they’ve got happier customers and stronger businesses as a result.

Those that haven’t, now risk being left behind. 

Topics: Australian business, mobility, Mobile technology, workplace mobility

4 tips to prepare your business for SuperStream

Posted by Sage MicrOpay on Mon, Nov 17, 2014 @ 11:04 AM


WinnershOffice UK 080813 246 smallerWhere do you sit in the SuperStream journey and how confident is your business about meeting the implementation date?

SuperStream is fast approaching and now is the time to make sure that your business is compliant with the new requirements and data standards. Every business is different and there is no “one-size fits all” solution or approach so it is important to look at what needs to be done for your business specifically to stay compliant. So that your business doesn’t get left behind and risk non-compliance, we have some tips to prepare for SuperStream.

Understand what the new requirements for SuperStream are and how they impact your current process

The new requirements for SuperStream are being introduced to ensure that employer contributions are paid in a consistent, timely and efficient manner to a member’s account. The new requirements will require you to adapt your superannuation process and to collect additional information, particularly if you are manually generating multiple superannuation contribution files and making cheque payments. The new requirements for SuperStream are:

  • All data must be sent electronically in a standard message format.
    This means that no more hard copy reports can be sent and data cannot be faxed, emailed or posted. 

  • All superannuation contribution payments must be made electronically. 
    You will no longer be able to make cheque payments.

  • Data and money need to be linked with a unique payment reference number.
     

  • Data and payments must be sent on the same day.
     

  • Additional employee information and contribution information is required to meet the SuperStream data standard. 

    For Employee Information, the additional mandatory data fields include address fields  to include country and address usage code and Supergender. 

    For superannuation contributions, the additional mandatory data fields include  providing  a Unique Superannuation Identifier (USI) for APRA-regulated funds,  Electronic Service Address (ESA) Alias for Self-Managed funds and a Payment  Number (PRN).

Engage your provider of payroll services or software to find out their plans for SuperStream compliance

We recommend that you find out what plans your payroll provider has for their software updates to meet the ATO and SuperStream requirements. Do they have the correct fields for the new data, when will the software update with SuperStream additional fields be ready and are they running education sessions and support services that can assist your business in preparing for SuperStream?

Consider whether a superannuation clearing house service is the right option for your business

Using a Superannuation clearing house service, like Sage MicrOpay’s Express Super, is one of the options for meeting the SuperStream requirements. Clearing house services can meet SuperStream requirements on your behalf and remove the risk of non-compliance.

The features of superannuation clearing house services include integration with your payroll software, superannuation payments processed with one file and one payment, secure payments and up-to-date superannuation fund information, all features which comply with SuperStream requirements. When you are looking into using a superannuation clearing house service, find out how they will receive your data, when you can test your data with their system, if they are running information sessions and if they have support to assist you?

Have a plan for SuperStream compliance before it’s too late

A common cause of problems in the implementation of new processes and software in a business is not having a project plan in place. When your business is preparing for SuperStream, identify who is responsible for overseeing the process, identify the gaps, ask for help, set a date to start using SuperStream and try not to wait until 30 June 2015.

The key dates for SuperStream implementation are: 

3 November 2014: From this date, superannuation funds will begin to receive compliant SuperStream contributions and employers are encouraged to start moving to the SuperStream standards. 

1 July 2015: All employers with 20 or more employees must be submitting superannuation contributions and funds using the SuperStream standards. 
 

 New Call-to-action

 

Topics: Sage MicrOpay, SuperStream, superannuation

Top Tips for Increasing Recruitment and Retention Success

Posted by Sage MicrOpay on Tue, Oct 21, 2014 @ 09:00 AM

Newcastle_UKI_100913_0190-cropped-2How can you ensure that you hire the right people, in the right positon, that are suitable for your business? Successful recruitment involves following a process that contains steps for identifying, attracting and hiring the right person.

In this blog, we share a few useful tips for engaging with Recruitment Consultants and increasing your recruitment and retention success.

Allow time in your busy schedule to meet with your Recruitment Consultant

The initial job briefing meeting is the opportunity for you to tell your Recruitment Consultant everything there is to know about your organisation and the role.  Think of it like an interview; make sure you share with your Recruitment Consultant everything they should know about the position, your organisation and the company culture, so that they are able to find the most suitable candidates. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your own about how the recruitment process works and what is included in the service.

Discuss the candidate screening process with your Recruitment Consultant

Find out the candidate screening process your Recruitment Consultant undertakes for their candidates.  Do they take references during the candidate registration process or only at the offer stage? A best practice guidelines for recruitment recommends that Recruitment Consultants should take at least one reference after they have interviewed a candidate, before your first round interviews begin. A candidate’s resume and interview performance is only part of the picture, references can either support an application or in some cases bring information to light that the Recruitment Consultant was not aware of that might hinder their suitability for the role.

Provide an up to date position description

A good position description in the hiring process is an absolute must. Your Recruitment Consultant will use this to brief the candidate effectively and can send the detailed position description on to interested parties. Candidates can decide if the role is still interesting to them once they see the actual duties and responsibilities on the position description. If it is well written and up to date, it can rule out candidates before the interview who might not be suitable and this will save you time in the interview process.

Agree on a recruitment timeline with your Recruitment Consultant

Plan out a timeline during your job briefing meeting so that you can schedule when your new hire will be on-board and move through the process efficiently and without unnecessary delay. Timelines need to take into account the time taken for all aspects of the process from start to finish.

Remember that the more thorough the hiring process, the more effective and successful the placement will be. Your Recruitment Consultant should be experienced in discussing these timelines with you and giving you an indication of when you can expect to be inducting your new hire.

Be available to discuss your feedback following the first round of interviews

Have an open conversation with your Recruitment Consultant to discuss how the interviews went. Be specific and provide feedback on each candidate interviewed. This will ensure that you only take candidates through to the second round that you are really interested in and will save you time in the long run.

Keep in touch with your Recruitment Consultant during your new hires first three months

They are there to assist you with any concerns that you might have following the placement and act as an intermediary to find out how both yourself as the client and the candidate is getting on. Share your feedback, both positive and negative, so that they can provide valuable aftercare advice as part of the recruitment service.

New Call-to-action

Topics: recruitment, people management

New study shows two thirds of Australian businesses are more optimistic and predicting growth in the next twelve months

Posted by Sage MicrOpay on Fri, Oct 17, 2014 @ 10:42 AM

BusinessIndexBlog Image Cropped resized 600

Australian businesses are confident about their prospects for growth with the majority predicting an increase in turnover in the next twelve months, according to research  published by The Sage Group Plc. The annual Sage Business Index surveys close to 14,000 small and medium sized businesses in 18 countries around the world, and for the first time Australian businesses have been included in the global survey.  

For the first time in four years, businesses around the world are also more optimistic than pessimistic, with scores rising above 50 across all three areas surveyed: their own prospects; their national economies; and the global economy. 

Confidence

Australian businesses are optimistic about their own prospects scoring their confidence at 63.71 points out of 100. They are more confident than many other countries when it comes to their national economy scoring it at 54.52, 2.89 points above the global average. Similarly, confidence in the global economy was 2.47 points above the global average at 54.15. This suggests that Australian business decision-makers believe that both the national and global economies are improving rather than declining. 

Predictions for growth 

Australian business optimism also resulted in predictions for growth over the coming year. Over half of businesses (53%) anticipate their turnover will grow by an average of 0.6% in the next year. Australian small and medium sized businesses also expect to increase headcount by 2.7% over the next year, 0.7pp higher than the global average. 

Attitudes to risk

Australian businesses are also seen to be more open to risk. Over half of business decision makers (53%) described themselves as risk-seekers, 4% above the global average of 49%.

It’s encouraging to see this positive business outlook from small and medium Australian businesses which has buoyed the nation’s business growth expectations and appetite for risk. This is an important indicator as taking risks often paves the way for new innovation. 

Exporting

Among the most confident Australian businesses were those with operations beyond their domestic market. Nearly half of those surveyed (42%) currently do business in countries outside their own, stating that exports account for 21% of turnover on average. Indeed, exporters say the last year has been a strong year, with 41% seeing their level of exports increase and just 11% saying they have fallen. Furthermore, businesses expect export turnover to increase in the next year by 3.5%.

However, many Australian businesses do not feel they are supported in their ambitions to grow their exports. Less than a fifth (19%) say they receive the support they need from government, with over a third (34%) saying the one thing the government should do to help them grow exports is to provide greater financial incentives.  

New Call-to-action

Topics: Australian business

Top 5 reasons to maximise your return on employee investment

Posted by Sage MicrOpay on Thu, Oct 09, 2014 @ 10:58 AM

MadridOffice Spain 290813 632There are many benefits in taking the time to understand your employees and to enhance their engagement and growth within the company.

Your employees are a big and unique asset for your company, and for most businesses the workforce is also its largest investment. Here are our top 5 reasons to maximise your return on employee investment.

Benefit from engaged employees

Building a positive work culture focused around what motivates your employees can go a long way towards better customer engagement, increased revenue and higher profits. Organisations that can establish trust between the workforce and management, and between co-workers, can create an engaged workforce and experience the many benefits that go along with it.

Increase employee retention

High turnover rates can be attributed to several different factors and how they impact on your employees. This can include unchallenging work, poor relationship with management or co-workers, ability to fit into the goals of the organisation and the overall corporate culture.

Whilst at times turnover can be unavoidable, turnover among your top performers is largely avoidable and it is certainly worth the investment, given the extraordinary expense of replacing them. It is worthwhile investing in key areas such as analysis of employee performance and information, company communication, work environment, employee engagement and recognition, training and compensation and benefits. 

Reduce your employee replacement costs

Employee turnover is a very high and often underestimated cost for employers. The costs associated with replacing a departing employee include recruiting, interviewing, hiring, orientation, training, compensation and benefits while training, lost productivity and administrative costs.

Reduce sick leave and absenteeism

Missed work time and unscheduled absences can have large cost consequences for your company and can contribute to lowered productivity and morale. One way for a company to reduce absenteeism is by using a HRMS system. This technology can make information about each employee available to managers so it is easier for them to identify possible patterns of absenteeism or illness and address them with employees. 

Focus on managing and developing your talent

Talent management is much more than just a performance appraisal tool or process. A successful talent management solution should also address alignment with business goals and people performance. Businesses that use performance appraisal and management software show a reduction of low performers. Talent management can impact your company’s return on employee investment in cost savings, revenue growth and improved employee productivity.

 New Call-to-action

Topics: Meridian, people management, Sage MicrOpay, hr systems, hr software