Sage instant payroll vs HMRC CDROM

[chris79]

At the moment I'm using Sage Instant Payroll and coming up to the year end I have a choice:-

1. Pay ~£90 or whatever it is to get Sage support, which from my knowledge is required to get the updates to the software making it work into the new tax year.

2. Ditch it and start using the HMRC payroll CDROM from the new tax year.

I've done last years payroll year end using Sage and it was quite straightforward and submitted everything online. Is the HMRC CD as easy? What are people's experience with using it? Also does it print wageslips?

Thanks.

[KackAttack]

I use it exclusively to run my payroll and find it very easy. I doesn't produce monthly wage slips - but these are not required so I don't do them, you could easily setup a separate document to drop the info into if you need to.

Each month you enter the figures into the P11 calculator for each employee and it tells you what payments are due.

At year end, it produces a P60 for each employee & submits the P14's + P35 online.

It is then down to you to complete the P11D online.

The helpline is very good and there is lots of information available.

[FarmerPalmer]

I use it exclusively to run my payroll and find it very easy. I doesn't produce monthly wage slips - but these are not required so I don't do them, you could easily setup a separate document to drop the info into if you need to.

Each month you enter the figures into the P11 calculator for each employee and it tells you what payments are due.

At year end, it produces a P60 for each employee & submits the P14's + P35 online.

It is then down to you to complete the P11D online.

The helpline is very good and there is lots of information available.

WHS

I've never used Sage so can't compare - but if you are a 1 or even 2 employee business then I can't see the need to be honest.

HMRC CD does everything I need.

[Little'Old Me]

Try Moneysoft Payroll Manager 20 - for a single employer/contractor with up to 20 employees/subcontractors (http://www.moneysoft.co.uk/pm_intro.htm)

£49.95 + VAT a year. This includes all the updates, support etc.

Its really easy to use - and they'll let you download it and try it for a month for free.

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

Try Moneysoft Payroll Manager 20 - for a single employer/contractor with up to 20 employees/subcontractors (http://www.moneysoft.co.uk/pm_intro.htm)

£49.95 + VAT a year. This includes all the updates, support etc.

Its really easy to use - and they'll let you download it and try it for a month for free.

I'd second that.

[chris79]

Cool cheers, I'll check it out.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

I use FreeAgent (freeagentcentral.com) which includes basic payroll for company directors which is all I really need. It looks like everything on the HMRC CD-Rom will do the trick too.

I currently use Nixon Williams as my accountants so I will let them finish off my payroll for the end of this year and handle the various returns but I'm currently considering whether or not to continue using them as it seems that FreeAgent does everything I need at a third of the price.

[Gravy Train]

So freeagent isn't free then?

[AlanR]

I doesn't produce monthly wage slips - but these are not required so I don't do them, you could easily setup a separate document to drop the info into if you need to.

I am pretty certain that the production and issue of wage slips - even if operating as a 1 man Ltd Co - is a legal requirement. At least that is what i was told by HMRC. Edit - have just found this on the HMRC Website:

Issuing pay statements
By law, every pay day you must give your employee a written record of pay and deductions, including:
'gross pay' - before the deduction of tax or National Insurance contributions (NICs) and any other deductions
employee's Class 1 NICs deducted
tax deducted
Depending on the employee's circumstances you may also need to include other payments and deductions on the payslip. The later sections of this guide tell you what these might be but we look at tax and National Insurance first.
At the end of each tax year you must also complete a form P60 End of year certificate providing a summary of the employee's total pay and tax/NICs deductions for year. You must give this to your employee by the 31 May after the end of the tax year.

Further details here

Also, have a look at 12 Pay, in addition to producing wage slips it is HMRC Accredited and allow annual P35/P14 submission via the internet. I use it and it is really easy and intuitive to use.

Alan

[Grinder]

I worked for Logica and they didn't provide 'written' payslips, but access to an on-line payslip (which I never checked as long as my Net Pay into my bank was the same).

If you are using a tool for your own business, you can run off the payslips at any time. The p60 (end of year return) must be filed and kept by both employer & employee.

My wife is a professional bookkeeper with a dozen payroll clients. She has just switched from Sage payroll to Money Soft (mentioned above) due to the cost of Sage support. She says MoneySoft is great! Don't know about the other suggestions above.