PAYROLL SERVICES

A2Z Accountants provides outsourced payroll services to employers right across Australia. From our offices in Hobart and Gregory Hills (Sydney), we work with businesses of all sizes. That includes owners paying one or two employees and organisations with workforces of more than 100 people.

Payroll can take up more and more time as you add employees, rosters, shifts and reporting obligations. Pay runs, leave, superannuation and employee changes all need attention every pay cycle. Our team takes on the processing and reporting work, gives you clear payroll reports and answers your payroll questions as they come up, so you have more time to run your business.

Payroll Services for NDIS Providers

Payroll for NDIS service providers is a particular strength of our practice. For more than seven years, we have consistently provided payroll services for NDIS provider organisations with workforces of more than 100 employees.

Disability support organisations often have payroll arrangements that change from one pay period to the next. We regularly work with:

• full-time, part-time and casual employees within the same workforce
• variable rosters and approved timesheets
• different shift types, including weekend and public holiday work
• overtime, penalty rates and allowances, where applicable
• leave, superannuation and payroll reporting
• new starters, departures and changes to employee details or employment arrangements.

We process each pay run using the timesheets and payroll changes you have approved, together with the employment arrangements that apply to each employee. These arrangements are recorded in your payroll system and confirmed with you.

Many disability support workers are covered by the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (SCHADS Award). Coverage still depends on the employer, the work performed and any enterprise agreement in place, and not every employee in an NDIS organisation will be covered by the same award or classification. We review the applicable award or agreement, and each employee’s classification and entitlements, as part of setting up and maintaining your payroll. Where a question goes beyond payroll into legal advice, we’ll let you know.

Employee payroll is separate from NDIS participant billing and funding claims. What your employees are entitled to is set by their award, agreement or contract and by workplace laws. It is not determined by NDIS pricing arrangements. Our payroll service covers paying your employees. It does not include claiming funding for the supports you deliver.

Payroll for Small Businesses

You don’t need a large team to benefit from outsourced payroll. We also look after small business payroll for employers with only one or two employees, as well as other small teams.

For many small employers, it doesn’t make sense to hire an internal payroll officer. Within the service scope we agree with you, we can help with:

• processing routine pay runs
• setting up and maintaining employee payroll records
• preparing payslips from your payroll software
• explaining your payroll reports and your responsibilities as an employer in practical terms.

Whether you have just put on your first employee or already have a small team, we’re happy to talk through what support would suit you.

Payroll for Larger Organisations

We also support growing businesses and organisations with 100–200 employees. With a larger payroll, a clear structure helps every pay run go smoothly. We work with you to put in place:

• Agreed payroll schedules: pay dates and processing timeframes that suit your pay cycle.
• Clear responsibilities and approvals: who in your organisation supplies, checks and approves payroll information.
• Complete employee information: accurate starter details, employment terms and changes before they affect a pay run.
• Approved timesheets and payroll changes: information confirmed by your organisation before processing.
• Payroll reports for management review: reports your managers can check before and after each pay run.
• Consistent communication: a regular point of contact for questions and changes.

Our experienced team provides practical support that helps reduce the pressure on your internal staff, while your organisation stays in control of approvals and payroll decisions.

Industries We Serve

We provide payroll services across many industries. Our experience includes:

• NDIS and disability support providers: large casual and part-time workforces, variable rosters and shift-based pay.
• Hospitality businesses: casual staff, changing rosters and weekend, evening and public holiday shifts.
• GP and medical practices: employed nurses, practice managers and reception staff on varied hours and sessions. Where doctors are engaged as contractors rather than employees, their payments are kept separate from employee payroll.
• Retail businesses: seasonal staffing changes, casual employees and trading-hour rosters.
• Motor vehicle insurance companies: salaried claims, assessing and customer service staff, including extended-hours rosters, overtime, allowances and payroll reports for management.
• Businesses in other industries: we’re happy to discuss payroll for your industry.

You can read more about the sectors we work with on our Industry Expertise page.

What Our Payroll Service Includes

We agree on the service scope with each client. We run payroll calculations in standard payroll software (Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks). Where a software result conflicts with an award, agreement, tax rule or other requirement, we check it against the source legislation, award or official guidance before finalising the pay run.

Depending on your needs, our outsourced payroll services can include:

Processing regular pay runs

We process each pay run in your payroll software using the hours, leave and changes you have approved. You give us approved timesheets or hours, plus any new starters, departures or changes for the period.

Calculating wages, PAYG withholding and payroll deductions

We calculate gross wages, PAYG withholding and any authorised deductions, such as salary sacrifice or other deductions your employees have agreed to. You give us pay rates, employment terms, tax file number declarations and written authorisations for deductions.

Preparing payslips

We prepare payslips from your payroll software for each pay run, ready to be issued to employees. You confirm the employee contact details used to send payslips.

Processing approved leave and payroll adjustments

We record approved leave in payroll and process the adjustments you have authorised, such as changes to pay rates, hours or allowances. You supply approved leave requests and written confirmation of any changes.

Calculating superannuation obligations

We calculate employer superannuation amounts for each pay run in line with current requirements and include them in your payroll reports. You supply employees’ super fund details and any salary sacrifice arrangements. Your business makes the super contributions using the amounts we calculate.

Payroll summaries and staff cost reports

We prepare pay run summaries and staff cost reports so you can review wages, leave and super, and see total employment costs. Our team can also connect your payroll with your wider accounting and bookkeeping.

Payroll system setup and ongoing enquiries

We can help set up payroll in your existing software, including employee records, pay items and leave settings, and help you set up your own internal payroll processes. We also answer your day-to-day payroll questions as they come up.

Payroll software migrations

If you are moving between payroll systems, for example from MYOB to Xero, we help transfer employee records, pay items, leave balances and year-to-date amounts so payroll continues correctly in the new software. You give us access to both systems and confirm the agreed cut-over date.

Single Touch Payroll reporting

Employers report payroll information to the ATO through Single Touch Payroll (STP) using STP-enabled software. After each pay run you authorise, we lodge the STP report from your Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks payroll, which covers employee payments, PAYG withholding and super information. If an error is found, we correct it through STP within the timeframes set by the ATO.

End of financial year payroll and STP finalisation

At the end of each financial year, we reconcile your payroll records and make the STP finalisation declaration for your employees. This is due by 14 July, unless a deferral or concession applies. Once finalised, your employees’ income statements show as “tax ready” in ATO online services through myGov. You confirm the year’s payroll details before finalisation.

Termination payments and employment termination payments (ETPs)

When an employee leaves, we calculate their final pay. This can include outstanding wages, unused annual leave and long service leave, any notice or redundancy amounts, and any employment termination payment (ETP), with the correct PAYG withholding and STP reporting. You give us the termination date, the reason for leaving and the terms agreed with the employee.

Award interpretation and entitlement reviews

We review how the applicable modern award, enterprise agreement or employment contract applies to your employees’ pay. This covers classifications, pay rates, penalty rates, allowances, overtime and leave, so your payroll is set up to match. You give us employment contracts, position details and any enterprise agreement. Where a matter needs legal advice, such as a dispute about award coverage, we’ll tell you so you can obtain it.

Backpay reviews, payroll remediation and historical corrections

If past pay runs may have been wrong, we review the payroll history, calculate any amounts owed to or by employees, process backpay through payroll and correct the STP, superannuation and leave records. You give us access to past payroll records and timesheets for the period being reviewed.

Payroll tax returns

Payroll tax is a state and territory tax, and each revenue office sets its own thresholds, rates and lodgement rules. Where your business is registered or needs to register, we prepare and lodge your periodic and annual payroll tax returns with the relevant state or territory revenue office. You confirm your grouping details and wages paid in other states and territories.

Workers compensation wage declarations

Workers compensation insurance is managed under each state and territory’s scheme, and insurers generally ask employers to estimate or declare wages each year. We prepare the wage information for your workers compensation declarations from your payroll records. You supply your policy details and any insurer forms.

Employer assistance with government-funded Parental Leave Pay

Under the Paid Parental Leave scheme, employees apply to Services Australia for Parental Leave Pay. Services Australia decides whether they are eligible. Where it determines that the employer must provide the payment, Services Australia sends the employer funding first, and the employer pays the employee through payroll.

Where needed, we assist employers with their part of this process. That can include the relevant Services Australia employer administration, such as registering for the scheme and responding to an Employer Determination, and processing these payments through payroll where applicable. We don’t decide eligibility, approve applications or guarantee payment. These decisions rest with Services Australia.

Weekly, Fortnightly and Monthly Payroll

We offer weekly, fortnightly and monthly payroll. The right pay cycle depends on your business needs, your employees’ arrangements and any requirements in the applicable award, enterprise agreement, contract or legislation.

Under workplace law, employees must generally be paid at least monthly, and many awards and agreements set how often employees must be paid. Monthly payroll may not be an option for every workforce. Before setting up your pay cycle, we’ll ask you to confirm which requirements apply to your employees.

Whatever the frequency, each pay run relies on an agreed cut-off time, approved payroll information and your authorisation. We agree on these steps with you at the start, based on your pay dates.

Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks Payroll

We work with clients who use Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks. If you already use one of these, we can usually provide Xero payroll services, MYOB payroll services or QuickBooks payroll services within your existing software. This depends on your subscription, your software’s payroll features and the scope we agree with you.

In most cases, you can keep the system you already know. If your current software or subscription doesn’t support part of your payroll, we’ll explain the options so you can decide what suits your business.

Customised Payroll Fees

Every payroll is different, so we don’t charge one standard price for every employer. We prepare a quote based on your business and payroll requirements, considering:

• the number of employees
• pay frequency
• your industry and payroll complexity
• the software you use
• the quality and completeness of your payroll records
• the level of processing, reporting and support you need.

To get a tailored quote, contact us to discuss your circumstances.