Payroll softwware recommendations

[Helenagrace]

I've been doing the HMRC paper based system for our payroll for 5 years. Apparently I have to move to real time reporting to HMRC which means software. I've spent all morning trying to get HMRC basic payroll tools to work but they appear to be useless. We only have 5 employees. I've had quotes from payroll bureaux but £200 a month to do our payroll seems a bit steep.

I've paid out for Sage accounts software in the past and been stung because it requires vast amounts of training, which I don't have the time or inclination for. I'm keen not to go down that route again.

Does anyone have any recommendations please?

Do you have an accountant? If so, speak to them and they will be able to recommend someone locally. There will be local bookkeepers etc able and willing to do that work for much less.

I use Sage Payroll, there are different versions depending on how many employees you have.

We have downsized and the version I am using now is Instant Payroll, think it cover up to 10 employees at any one time.

I have never had or needed any training, and I dont even pay for their expensive Sage support anymore either as I never seemed to be using it.

HRC basic tools is fine up to a point
BUT
there are lots of free and cheap ones
have a search through the threads on here
www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=fe597ff8bcaa8fb17efa0412da4588db&f=55
there are some REALLY helpful people

Stay away from Sage, it will stop working unless you pay their annual fee which is more expensive than most other suppliers for software which is not as good (all IMHO of course). You will also need to buy specific stationery.

I like Moneysoft (£56/year) but you should take advantage of the free trial to make sure you get on with it, or you could try the online service MyPAYE (£1 per employee per month). Both of these can print payslips on plain paper, MyPAYE will email them too if you want.

Or shop around for some better quotes for a bureau service - £200 a month is about 10x too much

£200 is very expensive. I have 5 employees and I pay about £35 a month to my accountant to do it. There is too many laws etc... to keep up to speed with and I'd rather not be responsible for buggering it up!! - it makes it much easier for them to go and do the end of year reports etc... as well. I'd shop around for someone else to do it. I use SAGE as well for everything else - payroll is in it too, but we don't use it - looks OK, but as it's been said before, it works out expensive long term.

I like 12Pay but would agree with others, it may be cheaper and easier to use a payroll bureau or bookkeeper to prepare your payroll for you as it can get complex if you don't know what you are doing

I'm an accountant and use moneysoft payroll manager. It's really straightforward and cheap.

DH has been going on about payroll software recently. He just switched to Brightpay - here. He said it's the best one he's used. Might be worth a look? He runs a small/medium sized business too...

I would second the Payroll Manager. Very good software and you can submit forms from it, too.