Addressing 5 key payroll challenges with the cloud

Cloud payroll software is revolutionising the accounting landscape, providing a seamless solution for professionals seeking to optimise their payroll processes. This technology not only simplifies the task of managing payroll but also introduces a level of efficiency and accuracy unattainable with desktop-based software. In this article, we'll uncover the ways cloud payroll systems are empowering accountants, enabling them to tackle five of the most common payroll challenges more effectively. 1. Flexibility Processing payroll and flexibility aren’t generally two things that go hand in hand. Payroll is something that demands a high level of accuracy, as well as adherence to strict deadlines and schedules. But what about being able to be flexible when it comes to where, when and how you manage payroll? For example, if you and your team are limited to processing payroll from the office computer, this hampers flexibility and can make meeting payroll deadlines all the more stressful. How cloud payroll software can help you be more flexible: Cloud-based software is changing the way we work, making it easier for people in traditional roles to work with more flexibility. This is especially helpful for working remotely, a trend that's growing fast. A report from Beaming and Opinium showed that about 30% of businesses moved to cloud-based applications mainly to make working from home easier. But cloud payroll software can go beyond simply enabling working from home; it allows you to work from any location in the world. All you need is an internet connection, and you're ready to start processing the payroll, no matter how far you are from the office. What's more, as an accountancy practice grows, cloud systems can grow with it, handling more clients without extra paperwork or hassle. This means accounting firms can focus on giving better advice to more clients, instead of getting stuck in administrative work. In short, cloud technology makes remote work easy and helps accounting practices expand without the usual growing pains, proving it's a crucial tool in today's work environment. 2. Collaboration Effective collaboration is crucial when it comes to payroll. When team members fail to work together effectively, it can lead to miscommunication, the same work being done twice, payroll errors, or not being able to get the payroll finalised in time for payday. This in turn can impact the smooth running of businesses, as well as the satisfaction of clients and employees. How cloud payroll software can help you and your team be more collaborative: Cloud software that allows for multiple users means that you can collaborate and work alongside colleagues who are in different locations. So, let’s say you've gone to meet a payroll client on-site for example, and they’d like to add bonuses to their employees’ pay for that week. With cloud technology, you can take out your laptop, or tablet, access the client's payroll, and add the bonus pay there and then. Your colleague, Sarah, who’s currently working on finalising the client's payroll in the office, will see the bonus pay that you’ve added and can make sure it is included in that week’s pay. This fosters effective collaboration, reduces the chance of errors being made, and most importantly, keeps client and employees happy. 3. Data Security With payroll systems storing vast amounts of sensitive personal and financial information, a data breach can have catastrophic consequences for businesses. This includes reputational damage, loss of trust from clients and employees, and even penalties and fines. How cloud software can help you keep your data secure: Cloud-based software provides a secure solution to managing sensitive data, effectively mitigating the risk of GDPR non-compliance. The Information Commissioner’s Office has reported that nearly 80% of data breaches can be attributed to human error, with the most common mistake being misdirected emails containing sensitive data. So why is the cloud safer? Data transferred to the cloud is usually encrypted, making it very difficult for unauthorised individuals to interpret it if intercepted. Cloud service providers use highly secure data centres with robust physical security measures and advanced cybersecurity protections. This makes it much harder for unauthorised individuals to access the data. 4. Data Recovery Imagine your computer crashes, there’s a fire, or your laptop is stolen, if you don’t have a secure way of backing up your data, it can be easily lost - and you won’t be able to get it back. When it comes to payroll, this means employees may not be paid on time which can really hurt your business. How cloud software can help you avoid losing payroll data: Cloud-based systems host data on a secure server, so regardless of what happens to your PC, your payroll data will always be kept up to date, without the need to take any backups. This serves as a safeguard against data loss that could happen due to things like hardware malfunctions, natural disasters, or human error. Cloud systems provide more than just data storage; they offer a robust infrastructure for data protection, ensuring both the availability and recoverability of your data. This gives businesses the confidence to operate without fear of data loss, knowing their information is secure and retrievable whenever needed. 5. Staying compliant With payroll, there are often legislative changes introduced - from National Insurance rate changes to a rise in the minimum wage. If you don’t stay on top of these updates and make sure your payroll software is up to date, you are at risk of non-compliance. This can lead to employees not being paid correctly, as well as the risk of penalties and reputational damage. How cloud software can help you avoid losing payroll data: With cloud-based software, any updates are automatic. This ensures all users have access to the most recent version of the software, without the need to manually run updates. This can be especially handy when there have been legislative changes, and it can help you stay compliant. For example, if there is an increase to the minimum wage or a change to National Insurance rates, cloud payroll software will automatically update, so you don’t need to worry about making any changes or manually updating your software to the latest version. Bright’s cloud-based payroll software Bright’s cloud-based payroll software, BrightPay, can be accessed from anywhere, once you have a device that is connected to the internet. So, no matter where your team are working from, be it from home, from the office, or from the other side of the world, everyone has access. BrightPay allows for unlimited users, meaning multiple users can access and process the payroll, and you and your team can make updates to the payroll from anywhere, at the same time. Any updates will be visible to all users in real-time. BrightPay enhances security by storing sensitive data in an encrypted form on secure servers, reducing the risk of data breaches and unauthorised access. BrightPay utilises the cloud computing service, Microsoft Azure. Azure provides robust data security, ensuring the protection of your payroll data. BrightPay is fully HMRC-recognised and RTI compliant. When you access BrightPay, it will always be the latest version of the software, meaning any changes to things like National Insurance or minimum wage rates, will be automatically updated in the software, with no need for you to take any action, helping you to stay compliant. To learn more about BrightPay and how the payroll software can help you overcome the five payroll challenges discussed in this article, why not book a free demo of the software today by following the link below. Learn more