The Cezanne HR cloud-based payroll solution is now generally available. The new solution fully integrates with the Cezanne HR solution. It also meets HMRC requirements such as supporting RTI. In addition, Cezanne HR recently developed Furlough Claim Report. This facilitates the process of making claims through the HMRC’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme portal.
The system has an API to support integration with pension and accounting solutions. However, it is not clear whether any solutions are yet integrated into the new module. Enterprise Times has asked this question of Cezanne HR and is awaiting a response (update below). It does support a CSV files which will work with virtually any accounting solution though. The payroll solution also supports specific requirements for England, Scotland and Wales.
Automated at birth
Cezanne HR has built-in several components that automate payroll functions. For example, the HMRC issues notices to vary tax codes, these include:
- P6 or P9 to change the tax code of an employee.
- SL1 and SL2 to start or stop a Student Loan.
- PGL1 and PGL2 to start and stop a Postgraduate loan.
The payroll can pick these up and automatically apply the changes. Sensibly they have made this optional allowing payroll administrators to verify the changes if they wish to until trust is built.
The module is also integrated to the Cezanne HR self-service login. This means that employees can access the system to see and retrieve payslips and P60s as required. The system can also email payslips to employees unwilling or unable to access the portal, such as leavers.
It also supports auto-enrolment and pensions. The system includes the ability to manage multiple pension schemes such as Relief At Source, Salary Sacrifice and Net Pay arrangements. It simplifies the process for payroll administrators, lessening their burden.
Other neat automation features include the ability to submit requests to HMRC to validate national insurance numbers. Much of the year-end process is automated as well. This includes:
- Updating employee tax codes.
- Resetting the Week 1/Month 1 flag.
- Creating an Employment Payment Summary (ESP).
The payroll administrator can check changes and then press a button to submit them all.
Fully-fledged payroll solution
The module includes much of the functionality one would expect from a payroll solution. This includes:
- Support for different pay requirements including base pay, commission, expense repayments or pay in lieu of notice.
- Statutory pay calculations including Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Sick and Shared Parental Leave.
- The ability to send payment summary files including payments due to HRMC and pension providers, to third parties.
- Process benefits and expense claims alongside payroll and submit P11D and P11D(b) forms together with any necessary adjustments.
- Safely submit pension contributions to leading providers or, use the PAPDIS standard to download contribution data to send to other pension providers.
- Comprehensive reporting and dashboards including detailed payroll history, statutory reports (P30, P32 & P11s etc.).
The solution is also built with a modern user interface and screens that display the right information in an easy to consume design. As a cloud solution, Cezanne HR will regularly update the application with minimal disruption to clients to ensure that regulatory requirements are always in place.
John Hixon, Director of R&D, Cezanne HR noted: “Companies need to know that their payroll system is up to date. One of the most significant advantages of Cloud-native HR systems, like Cezanne HR, is how quickly and easily new features can be made available.
“Software updates that typically take days or weeks to implement in an older system, are rolled out in just a few minutes – without impacting customers’ day-to-day use of the system.”
Enterprise Times: What does this mean
This is not a small endeavour by Cezanne HR. Developing and keeping a payroll solution updated is not a simple exercise. It will need to win business quickly from within its existing customer base in order for it to ensure that the solution is profitable in the short term and pays back on the development costs in the medium term.
It is perhaps surprising that there was, therefore, no customer quote available as part of the release that might have shown others the value of the new solution.
Update from Cezanne HR
The following questions were asked and the response were received:
The documentation makes reference to the payroll supporting Scotland and Wales specific requirements. I assume it also supports England, but what about Northern Ireland.
The payroll module currently covers England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – the last two have slightly different requirements.
What Accounting/ERP solutions integrate to payroll using the API. It does not mention any. I understand that it can use the CSV import /export to provide the integration but I am specifically interested in API integration.
Accounting integrations are Sage One, Xero, KashFlow, Reckon One and QuickBooks. There is also the option to submit payroll contributions to Nest, SmartPensions and the people’s pension.
Is there any intention to add additional countries?
No immediate plans to support other countries.
