Albany Software Blog and Press Releases

February 2013 HMRC RTI Update - Deadline draws near

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

As we draw closer the April deadline for Real Time Information, HMRC predicts that by March 2013 over 6 Million employees will have their PAYE information reported in real time. HMRC will launch a major awareness campaign on March 11th via radio, newspaper, online advertising and Twitter Q&A sessions.

Given the importance of the April go-live date, HMRC will look to begin monitoring the service for compliance following this to ensure that companies are submitting both the PAYE information and Bacs data containing the cross-reference. As a minimum, the HMRC has reiterated the importance of sending your PAYE information from April, as this is key to the operation of the service. During this year, the significance of RTI to the introduction of Universal Credit will gain more focus from DWP and HMRC.

HMRC confirmed that the pilot has been broadly positive. Key points to remember:

Data quality is important to prevent submissions being rejected. Check your data to ensure you have included all the mandatory fields for all employees (Name, Date of Birth, Gender, Address) - and that it is correct. Include the NINO where known.
Check your submission to ensure that you have not included invalid characters such as ' or # in particular fields. Some characters may be permitted in some fields and not others. Please check to ensure you are using the most appropriate characters for each field.
Ensure you have your correct Accounts Office Reference number.
Check you have registered for the Government Gateway and your credentials are valid prior to submission.
If you pay your employees by direct Bacs, ensure that your Bacs software is compliant and if so, that you've done the necessary to ensure the file definitions have been updated accordingly. You only need to include the cross reference (hash) where you make PAYE payments via Bacs.

Bottomline Technologies HMRC RTI Updates is an ongoing series about the new HMRC RTI initiative that is being implemented in the UK. As and when new information emerges, an update email will be mailed to those registered to receive them and a new blog posted on the Bottomline Technologies website.

If you'd like to be kept updated on developments, then please register to receive the latest posts.

You can also view individual posts from the HMRC RTI Update Series or a consolidated view of all HMRC RTI related articles. More recent update posts are provided below:

January 2013 HMRC RTI Update - Countdown is underway

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The countdown to HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) is underway… Act now for a seamless migration

There is not much to report on the HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) front at the moment, so this month's update is a little shorter than normal. If you are not fully aware of the implications involved with the changes in submitting PAYE information in real time, then these four easy steps will help you prepare your RTI migration plan.

1. Establish your key facts

By October 2013, you must provide HMRC with Real Time Information about tax and other deductions each time you run your payroll.

2. Check your systems

To assess your readiness, HMRC recommends you ask the following questions:

Is your Payroll software RTI compliant?
If you use Bacs software, is it RTI compliant?
Is your employee data is accurate and up to date?
If you use BPT, are hours worked entered prior to pay details?
If you use BPT, do you enter leavers before adding users to your database?

3. Join our webinar on Tuesday 29th January

In just 30 minutes, you'll learn the changes you need to make, how they'll affect your payroll and what deadlines apply to your business. You'll also have the chance to put questions to our RTI specialists. If you would like to join us, please visit our website to find out more and register your attendance.

[NB. This webinar is now available to watch online]

4. Discuss your individual needs with our experts

Many organisations will leave RTI compliance to the last minute. So it makes sense to act now. Talk to an RTI expert on 01420 547650 or book a callback.

Act now to beat the rush for RTI compliance!

If you'd like to be kept updated on developments, then please register to receive the latest posts.

You can also view individual posts from the HMRC RTI Update Series or a consolidated view of all HMRC RTI related articles. More recent update posts are provided below:

December 2012 HMRC RTI Update - Free webinar

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We are now in the next phase of the RTI pilot programme which will complete by 1st April 2013. After this date it will become mandatory for all UK businesses to submit PAYE information in real time.

If your company has not yet made any plans for the RTI change, now is really the time to ensure that your business has the correct procedures in place to avoid any possible disruptions. With anticipated implementations reaching high volumes over the next 13 weeks, it is vital that you have the latest RTI-compliant Bacs software installed to meet the April 2013 deadline.

On Tuesday 29th January 2013 at 11.00am GMT, we are hosting a free educational webinar to explore the changes HMRC are making to PAYE, looking into how they will affect the your payroll processes and which deadlines you will be required to meet in order to remain compliant with HMRC. You will also be given the opportunity to ask questions throughout the webinar via the online facility.

Register your attendance here

If you'd like to be kept updated on developments, then please register to receive the latest posts.

You can also view individual posts from the HMRC RTI Update Series or a consolidated view of all HMRC RTI related articles. More recent update posts are provided below:

Only 3% of UK businesses ready for SEPA

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A report from business service provider, Steria, shows that companies in the United Kingdom are far behind European competitors in the race to prepare for the Single Euro Payments Area migration in 2014.

The joint European Commission (EC) and European Payments Council (EPC) initiative, which aims to reduce the costs of cross-border electronic Euro payments, is due to replace all country-specific schemes by February 2014. While that seems a long way off, it's barely more than a year away, and it's paramount that businesses who make international transactions prepare for the deadline.

Worryingly, the report found that only a quarter of UK organisations have heard of the mandate - while 80% of those in France and Germany are aware. The pressure is on for UK businesses to discuss their global payments needs with their payments software providers, or they will be left behind their European counterparts come 2014.

The changes are a useful opportunity to analyse the payments process and find extra efficiencies while also preparing for the SEPA migration.

Protect against cheque fraud with electronic payments

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Figures from the Cheque & Credit Clearing Company (C&CCC) show an alarming increase in fraudulent cheque use over the first six months of 2012, despite volumes of cheques reducing. The cost of cheque fraud in that period came to almost an astounding £18 million.

One of the most common schemes involves intercepting cheques and altering them to pay into a criminal account set up purely for the purpose. All of this risk can be avoided using automated, electronic payments to cut out the dangers of criminal manipulation.

Among the recommendations made by the C&CCC to help prevent fraud, which include drawing lines through blank spaces and writing names in full, is the advice to use Bacs or Faster Payments - especially for high-value transactions.

Electronic payments solutions allow you to track the progress of your transaction and validate all bank account details at point-of-entry. This means you know the status of the payment at each stage of its journey, as well as having additional security methods to prevent malicious use.

November 2012 HMRC RTI Update - Some employers given extra time

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The pilot programme for HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) continues to progress well with the next phase rolling out as planned. This phase will complete before 1st April 2013 when it will be mandatory for all UK businesses to submit PAYE information in real time”.

A very small number of specific organisations will have already been informed by HMRC of a later migration date, which will still happen before October 2013. With only 5 months left until the deadline date, and high volumes of anticipated Bacs implementations required, businesses need to ensure that they avoid any last minute rush or disruptions to their business. Kindly confirm whether your Bacs software is RTI-compliant and if not, make the necessary arrangements well in advance of the April deadline date.

HMRC has recently published information about specific circumstances where employers will be allowed extra time to send real time PAYE information to HMRC. In April, all UK employers will start sending PAYE information in real time, 'on or before' the date the payment is made. The benefits of this mean that:

Reporting is integrated with their normal payroll process
Separate end-of-year PAYE return forms (P35/P14) are no longer needed
Starter and leaver information is reported as part of the routine payroll process rather than separate submissions

In summary, employers will have up to 7 days, or the next routine payday, to report when:

Payments are made on the day of the work and vary depending on the work done, and where it is impractical to report in real time. e.g. where a crop picker paid in cash at the end of the day, when their pay is based on how much they have picked; or a casual worker in a pub paid at the end of the night
Payments are made to employees for whom employers do not have to maintain a Deductions Working Sheet (P11)

There will also be extra time to report payments of benefits and expenses subject to Class 1 NICs but not taxed under PAYE. These can be reported the next time the regular payroll is run, or 14 days after the end of the tax month the payment was made in - whichever is earlier. Notional payments can already be reported to the same timescale.

If you'd like to be kept updated on developments, then please register to receive the latest posts.

You can also view individual posts from the HMRC RTI Update Series or a consolidated view of all HMRC RTI related articles. More recent update posts are provided below:

Harbour and Jones goes live with Albany ePAY saving time and money on payment processes

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Harbour and Jones switches from online banking for more efficient and streamlined financial control

Harbour and Jones, one of the UK's most innovative contract catering companies, has gone-live with Albany ePAY from the pioneering developer of electronic payment software solutions, Bottomline Technologies, to streamline its payment processes and realise substantial savings in time and money. Harbour and Jones had previously used its online banking facility to process around 1000 staff and supplier payments a month; a method which was proving restrictive and time-consuming.

Harbour and Jones is a contract caterer with more than eight years' experience providing food & hospitality services within some of the City's most prestigious organisations from law firms to insurance brokers and financial institutions as well as various high-profile public venues such as St Paul's Cathedral and The Cutty Sark. The move to Albany ePAY came after the acknowledgement that a quicker, more reliable and efficient solution would save the organisation time and money.

Louise Bell, Finance Director, Harbour and Jones, comments, "Before implementing Albany ePAY we processed all payments via our online banking service, which was very restrictive as we were only able to make a certain number of Faster Payments. Because of this, we also had to make some of our payments via CHAPS which proved very costly and time-consuming. CHAPS transfers are relatively expensive, with banks typically charging as much as £35 for a transfer. Going live with Albany ePAY has made our financial control more thorough, providing us with an efficient payment process and streamlined back office procedures."

Bell continues, "Using the online banking facility, we always had to ensure that payment files were arranged in the correct format and it was critical that we adhered to the restrictive banking times in order to make the payment submission. Albany ePAY is much quicker and easier to use and we can now make payments up until 10 o'clock at night if necessary. This means that we don't have the time restrictions as we had before, and can work flexibly to suit our business and working practices. The solution overall provides us with a more reliable and coordinated service."

Bell concludes, "I have been extremely happy with the efficiency and attentiveness of Bottomline Technologies and feel completely confident that Albany ePAY is the right choice for our business over competitive vendors, not only on price but also by quality of service and implementation process."

The Accounting Centre becomes HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) compliant with Albany ePAY

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Leading payroll and accounting services bureau becomes RTI-ready with Bottomline Technologies to process 100,000 payments per year

The Accounting Centre, one of the leading payroll and accounting services bureaux has selected a pioneering developer of electronic payment and collection solutions, Bottomline Technologies, to provide its payments solution to ensure compliance with the HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) initiative that comes into force next year. As an existing Bottomline customer, The Accounting Centre required some guidance to implement an effective payments solution which was RTI-ready in order to process 100,000 payments per year.

As a payroll and accounting services bureau, it was key that The Accounting Centre ensured that the small yet vital elements of planning for the RTI transition were implemented correctly by having RTI-compliant Bacs software in place, up-to-date payroll software and ensuring that all information is correct within each system. Albany's advice and industry pedigree helped to guide the company through this process.

Tejas Somaiya, Accounting & Payroll Director, at the The Accounting Centre, comments, "We process approximately 100,000 payments per year for over 250 clients, including McDonald's franchisees." We can offer them a competitively priced, efficient service because of the way in which Albany's solution and assistance has streamlined our business processes. This has a direct impact on our business and results in year-on-year business growth."

The pressure is on for all businesses to prepare for RTI in order to minimise disruption. Planning is a critical part of this process and it is essential that organisations ensure that they are up to speed with RTI requirements as soon as possible.

Somaiya continues, "The transition to becoming RTI ready has provided us with huge time savings, not only for our business but for our customers. Many of our 250 clients were using cheques or processing payments via online banking; these payments and collections can now be made at the click of a button, resulting in a more efficient process."

He concludes, "The support we have received throughout the time we have worked with Bottomline has been second to none. They are always on hand for support and advice and have effectively and quickly helped us to prepare for the RTI pilot."

October 2012 HMRC RTI Update - Awareness campaign launches

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

As you may recall from our last update, HMRC kick started their Real Time Information awareness campaign earlier this month, highlighting key actions that companies need to do in order to prepare for RTI.

If you haven't already updated your payroll and Bacs software to cater for RTI, now is the time to ensure you are ready - you have less than 6 months to do so and need to factor in standard lead times from your suppliers. Avoid the last minute rush and possible disruption for your company by preparing well in advance of the April 2013 deadline.

HMRC has put together an internal communication about the use of the Payroll ID Indicator which highlights the impact of supplying a different Payroll ID for the same period of employment. The Payroll ID is used by HMRC to identify each unique period of employment or pension for an employee. Correct use of the Payroll ID is a key element of the RTI process and it is essential to ensure an exact match on each Full Payment Submission (FPS). Any change - even one character - represents a new employment to the HMRC system and will duplicate employee records, resulting in wrong tax codes being applied. It is vital to the smooth running of RTI and PAYE systems that correct information is captured and submitted.

HMRC is also developing an RTI flyer on Payroll IDs plus hints, tips and lessons learned from the pilot, which will be shared with the public in December.

If you'd like to be kept updated on developments, then please register to receive the latest posts.

You can also view individual posts from the HMRC RTI Update Series or a consolidated view of all HMRC RTI related articles. More recent update posts are provided below:

FM Conway selects Albany ePAY to enable remote working and to facilitate Direct Debit collections long-term

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Albany ePAY allows FM Conway to approve and submit supplier and staff payments remotely and securely

FM Conway, a leading infrastructure services company, has selected Albany ePAY from the pioneering developer of intelligent electronic payment and collection solutions, Bottomline Technologies, as part of an overall IT refresh across the organisation. The innovative, easy-to-use and cost-effective solution enables FM Conway to manage their monthly payments and collections, totalling in excess of £12 million per month. Albany ePAY allows FM Conway to approve and submit supplier and staff payments remotely and securely from multiple locations. To complete this overhaul, they will be adding the collection of Direct Debits - managing all their Bacs transactions from one solution.

FM Conway delivers vital services in transportation, the built environment and open spaces for communities and business. With over 50 years' experience in the civil engineering and highway maintenance industry, servicing over 17 London Boroughs, FM Conway offers services such as highway, bridge and lighting maintenance. They also offer a unique service, whereby all material excavated from the roads is recycled, eliminating the need to use landfill sites; something no other company provides.

Andy Thomas, Financial Controller at FM Conway, comments, "We have been an Bottomline Technologies customer for 5 years now, using their ALBACSip solution for bulk Bacs supplier payments and salaries. We required a solution that would continue to be effective in processing over 1,000 monthly suppliers payments and our 1,000 salary payments, and after seeking Albany's advice, it seemed logical to migrate over to Albany ePAY."

One of FM Conway's core values is 'innovation' and having market-leading solutions with efficient back-end processes in place is fundamental to the organisation's success. With industry developments such as the introduction of HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) in 2013, FM Conway wanted to ensure they were running an RTI compliant payments solution that could also cater to the upgrade of their Windows XP operating systems in 2014 when it reaches End of Life.

Thomas continues, "The solution will provide us with a secure system that will enable a convenient way in which to operate, whether site-based or remotely, and gives us the ability to move over to Direct Debit collections at a later date. The timing could not be better, as we look to upgrade our overall IT infrastructure across the company."

Thomas concludes, "Bottomline has always provided us with an extremely seamless and helpful service which made the decision to stay with them very simple. I look forward to a continued and beneficial relationship moving forward."

Electronic payments may help the 94 percent of companies who suffer from late settlement

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Payments Council has been urged to reconsider decision not to scrap cheques as the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) unearths worrying trends for late payments among UK businesses.

The survey, of more than 5,000 companies, finds that small and medium-sized businesses are owed over £36billion, with almost half of all invoices settled late - the average time being 43 days after agreed terms. Cheques bear the brunt of criticism and only 20% of companies cite it as their preferred payment method.

Late in 2011, an alliance of industry bodies called for rules to 'name and shame' large companies who consistently pay their suppliers late. That came after the Payments Council bowed to concerted pressure to reverse their scheme which aimed to phase out the use of cheques by 2018. The BCC has called for electronic payment methods to help automate payment processes and reduce the delay between invoicing and settlement.

Another suggestion is for promptly-paying businesses to be recognised by a service quality certification mark, similar to the Kitemark used by the British Standards Institution.

September 2012 HMRC RTI Update - Awareness campaign launches next month

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

HMRC RTI migrations are progressing very well and pilot users continue to provide encouraging feedback.

HMRC is kicking off a Real Time Information awareness campaign next month, writing to 1.4million employers to highlight what they need to do in preparation for RTI. With 6 months to go, companies need to actively focus on getting ready for the change. For your information, a list of accredited payroll providers is available on HMRC's website. It is important to ensure that both your payroll & Bacs software has been updated to cater for RTI well in advance of the deadline date.

Anticipated timescales remain on track with 250,000 organisations going live by March 2013 and the remaining organisations (up to 1.6million) legally required to submit RTI data as part of their normal payroll processing by April 2013. HMRC will advise when your business will need to make the move.

Gradually rolling out the pilot programme allows HMRC to iron out any challenges and teething problems. Therefore, the initial hand-holding required by HMRC will phase out over time, as issues are resolved and requirements are better communicated. However, help and support will still be offered via the HMRC website.

Where can I get more information?

The HMRC website contains some detailed and useful information regarding the implementation of RTI, which they continue to update on a regular basis:

Alternatively, the Albany Software website is regularly updated with any new information.

Albany HMRC RTI Updates is an ongoing series about the new HMRC RTI initiative that is being implemented in the UK. As and when new information emerges, an update email will be mailed to those registered to receive them and a new blog posted on the Albany website.

If you'd like to be kept updated on developments, then please register to receive the latest posts.

You can also view individual posts from the HMRC RTI Update Series or a consolidated view of all HMRC RTI related articles. More recent update posts are provided below:

VocaLink Fosters Faster Payments Down Under

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

VocaLink, the bank-owned operator of the Faster Payments Service, is to partner with First Data and Accenture to bring same-day payments to Australia. The bank-owned organisation launched Faster Payments in the UK in 2008 and transactions volumes have surged to £1bn worth a day.

The existing infrastructure has been developed into a global offering known as Immediate Payments, and hopes to distribute this service around the world, starting with Australia. The country's Reserve Bank recently published a Strategic Review of Innovation in the Payments System, which recommends establishment of a real-time payments service by 2016.

The technical, operational and governance specifics are yet to be ironed out, with the trio entering an "exclusive teaming agreement." This is just the first step, with input sought from key industry partners to develop the intricacies of such an offering.

VocaLink is confident of the proposals and hopes to quickly roll out a round-the-clock service once details are finalised.

Large companies to negotiate with HMRC over RTI migration

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

While most companies are due to implement HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) by April 2013, businesses employing more than 5,000 staff will be able to arrange a later transition date with HMRC

Six million employees are due to be processed on the system by April 2013, but the timetable for migration has been loosened to allow larger organisations extra time to handle the changeover. This should relieve the burden on HMRC, as well as the companies involved, and ease concerns over the tight timescale.

David Gauke, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, has dismissed suggestions that HMRC will struggle to implement the PAYE system overhaul, which incorporates Universal Credit and Real Time Information. "It's on track. It's going very well," Gauke explains. "We're very optimistic that it will deliver on the timetable that we said."

HMRC anticipates that the compulsory switch to RTI will be beneficial for companies, who can expect to see dramatic cost savings as well as a reduction in fraud and errors. Businesses are advised to contact their payments software provider to ensure their systems are RTI-compliant long before April 2013.

August 2012 HMRC RTI Update - Ensure all your software is RTI compliant

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Ensure all your software is RTI compliant

What's the latest on timelines?

Stages 1&2 (Pilot) - Pilot users continue to make good progress and provide positive feedback.
Stage 2 - With a waiting list of employers wishing to join the Stage 2 pilot, HMRC expect to achieve their target of about 1,600 employment schemes using RTI by the end of September 2012.
HMRC's Enterprise System for RTI - This will be installed in October 2012.
Stage 3 (Soft Go Live) - 250,000 employers are expected to go live from November 2012 to March 2013. Nominations for employers wishing to participate in the January to March 2013 stage, are still being considered
by HMRC.
Stage 4 (Final Migration) - Go live runs from April 2013 to end September 2013 for Stage 4. Plans remain the same, but HMRC are now also willing to consider larger employers (5,000 plus employees) migrating to RTI during April and May 2013.

RTI Compliant Suppliers…

If you pay your employees directly or indirectly using Bacs, and have been allocated your own Service User Number (SUN) by your bank, you will need to ensure that the hash cross-reference is included in the Bacs payment instructions.

This enables the HMRC to match the payment data from Bacs with the payroll data you report. It is important that your Payroll Software Supplier is able to pass the required information to your Bacstel-IP solution and that you are running the most current version of the Bacs software (e.g. Albany ePAY), which is RTI compliant.

While a numberof Payroll Software Developers and Suppliers have already produced RTI-compliant pilot versions of their products, we are aware that some are still fine-tuning their software (in the light of experiences with the pilot, and due to a more recent issue of the HMRC Technical Specification). Because of this, they have not yet been able to set dates as to when the fully compliant versions of their products will be rolled out to the market. So, please ensure that your Payroll Supplier will have a live, current solution to handle RTI and that you will have sufficient time to upgrade and test the solution before the HMRC submission deadlines.

Where can I get more information?

The HMRC website contains some detailed and useful information regarding the implementation of RTI, which they continue to update on a regular basis:

Alternatively, the Albany Software website is regularly updated with any new information.

If you'd like to be kept updated on developments, then please register to receive the latest posts.

You can also view individual posts from the HMRC RTI Update Series or a consolidated view of all HMRC RTI related articles. More recent update posts are provided below:

Jupiter Hotels saves £18,000 as it prepares for HMRC Real Time Information with Albany Software

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Hotel chain selects flexible, online solution to consolidate existing systems, increase efficiency and deliver improved client service

Jupiter Hotels, a hotel chain operating 26 Mercure branded hotels across the UK has implemented Albany ePAY from the pioneering developer of electronic payment and collection solutions, Bottomline Technologies. The decision comes as the hotel group makes its preparations for HMRC's Real Time Information (RTI) and looks to consolidate its disparate finance systems and processes into one integrated, flexible and compliant solution. By implementing the solution, Jupiter Hotels anticipates time-savings of at least two hours per month and £18,000 per annum.

A Bottomline customer for over 20 years, the business has leisure facilities within 16 of its hotels and as such, was in need of an efficient system to collect 7,500 Direct Debit payments from members across the clubs. It also required a system to streamline payroll and supplier payments across the company, facilitated from its Head Office in High Wycombe, but accessible to all Hotel Managers as appropriate. These requirements led Jupiter Hotels to select Albany ePAY; an innovative, easy-to-use and cost-effective solution to manage monthly payments and collections.

Sarah Pope, Head of Systems at Jupiter Hotels, comments, "Our payroll, together with all of our supplier payments , are processed at Head Office. With the potential that the group of hotels and leisure facilities would increase and with HMRC RTI coming in to force it is key to have a compliant, current and flexible solution
in place that will streamline our payment process and offer leisure club members a quick and easy payment option."

Pope continues, "We have been using the Albany ALBACS solution for over 20 years. By upgrading to Albany ePAY, our Managers have already seen significant time savings. The knowledge and training that Albany has delivered provided additional value, allowing us to make best use of the solution and maximise our efficiencies."

Albany ePAY has provided Jupiter Hotels with a highly flexible and secure solution. The accessibility, allowing users to access the solution from any branch location, is something that was very appealing to Jupiter Hotels. Its previous payments system sat on a single PC, allowing for no contingency in the event of disaster. In Albany ePAY, Jupiter Hotels benefits from disaster recovery functionality and enhanced security levels in line with its requirements.

Sarah Pope concludes, "I am extremely impressed with the speed in which Bottomline Technologies has worked to accommodate us and the level of knowledge they provide to help our business with the necessary solutions. The 20 years with Bottomline has left me in no doubt that they are a safe pair of hands with whom we can entrust our finance function. Having that confidence and peace of mind in a supplier is incredibly valuable and means everyone within our organisation can focus on running our hotels and continuing to deliver a high quality service to our clients."

The Bourne Club Saves 60 Hours a Week with Payments and Collections Solutions from Albany Software

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Bourne Club implements Albany ePAY and Albany eCOLLECT to maximise time savings and offer a better service to members

The Bourne Club, a Farnham-based private Racquets club, has implemented Albany ePAY and Albany eCOLLECT from the pioneering developer of electronic payment and collection solutions, Albany Software. Using the Albany solutions to process supplier payments and collect Direct Debit (DD) payments from its members, The Bourne Club anticipates administrative time savings of up to 60 hours per month. The solutions will offer members a better and more accessible way in which to pay for memberships, as well as streamline the Club's own payments process.

With over 1400 members, the Club previously collected its members' annual fee via cheque, cash, or credit card payment. The need for a new payments solution that facilitated monthly DD collections was driven by the
club's growth ambitions to become a more versatile and expanding leisure facility.

Due to Albany Software's reputation, offering and timeliness, purchasing new solutions was an easy choice for The Bourne Club. In Albany eCOLLECT the club will benefit from a simple, efficient and cost-effective solution to manage the high-volume of monthly member payments and migrate current members paying via cash, cheque or card to Direct Debit payments. The Albany ePAY solution will facilitate the direct Bacs collections of member payments, automatically handling the scheduling, monitoring and authorisation of the process, as well as facilitating payroll and supplier payments.

Kevin Lobley, Club Manager at The Bourne Club, comments, "We wanted to offer our members a more professional service, especially as the club expands. Implementing Albany ePAY and Albany eCOLLECT has given us the ability to do this. We have already seen a large uptake of Direct Debit payments from our members and anticipate significant administrative time savings in the region of up to 60 hours per month."

The Bourne Club will look at offering members the ability to pay via annual Direct Debit, making it quick and easy to pay a year up front and securing revenue for the club. The Bourne Club is also expecting an initial
20% uptake of Direct Debit payments, eventually migrating all members over to this payment method within due course.

Lobley concludes, "Implementing both solutions from Albany Software has allowed us to deliver a better service to our existing and new members and has provided us with a reliable and structured monthly income. Overall we have been extremely impressed with the speed of implementation and level of service received from Albany. The company has continually worked with us to improve our customer offering and support our evolving business growth plans, whilst still being extremely competitive on cost."

UK Government plans to replace Payments Council with new Payments Strategy Board

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Under consultation, the UK Payments Council is set to be replaced with a new board of industry and non-industry representatives, including those from consumer organisations, as the government attempts to reform the payments industry with the creation of a Payments Strategy Board (PSB).

The government hopes to improve consumer representation, suggesting that it feels the Payments Council has been too focused towards the needs of the banks.

A PSB is the preferred of three possible solutions, as a middle ground between restructuring the Payments Council and making sweeping changes to regulatory bodies in the payments industry. Government commitment to these changes was confirmed as it stressed there was no "do nothing option".

The Payments Council came under pressure from the Treasury Select Committee and government in 2009 when it announced that members had voted to phase out cheques. Subsequent criticism from charities, as well as other interest groups, prompted the government to intervene. No viable alternative to cheques was suggested although electronic payments software, such as that provided by Albany Software, could form part of a long term answer.

In response to HM Treasury's announcement Adrian Kamellard, Payments Council Chief Executive, welcomed the changes and reassured members of the Council that it would not spell the end of the Council. "Whatever the consultation outcome, the Payments Council is already uniquely placed to listen and respond to the needs of customers and businesses who rely on payments in their everyday lives."

The consultation, 'Setting the strategy for UK payments', is available on the Treasury website.

36% of businesses are unprepared for HMRC Real Time Information

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Research shows apprehension in the market as the RTI pilot continues and businesses are urged to be ready by April 2013

In a recent survey of payroll professionals, conducted by pioneering developer of electronic payment and collection solutions Albany Software, statistics indicate that over one third of UK businesses appear to be unprepared for HMRC's Real Time Information (RTI) initiative, which comes into force early next year.

A staggering 33% of Payroll & Bureaux Managers admitted to having heard of the HMRC RTI concept but were "unsure of how it worked" or what they had to do to accommodate the change and a further 3% of those questioned claimed to have "never heard of it". Of the remaining 64%, over a quarter of them (28%) said that they had "done nothing", when questioned for the upcoming mandated scheme.

The survey makes for uncomfortable reading with roll out of the HMRC RTI pilot programme already underway. With positive reports and successful submissions from the first set of pilot customers, additional groups of employers are now set to go live earlier than anticipated, placing pressure on the remaining organisations to ensure that they are up to speed with the requirements of RTI sooner rather than later.

Most companies are expected to be submitting payroll information in real time by April 2013 with larger employers expected to be RTI compliant by September 2013, in time for the introduction of Universal Credit by October 2013. Adrian Stafford-Jones, Managing Director at Albany Software, comments, "Businesses need to ensure that the small yet vital elements of planning for the RTI transition have been done. Making sure your Bacs software is RTI compliant, your payroll software is up to date and your employee information is correct will go a long way in ensuring a swift and efficient move to the new RTI processes. Businesses must prepare now to minimise disruption as much as possible."

The first 10 employers took part in the HMRC RTI pilot programme in April and initial submissions were made on-time with little issue. May and June saw a further 328 PAYE schemes begin submitting RTI information to HMRC. The controlled go-live of the RTI roll out aims at testing the infrastructure and support in order to
optimise performance and flush out any issues that may arise. The initial launch included companies participating from a range of sizes and types, including HMRC, Albany Software and Leeds City Council.

Stafford-Jones comments, "Albany Software was one of the pilot customers to go live, and is pleased to provide positive feedback on what was a quick, seamless and successful initial RTI submission. We are delighted to report that all went well and we anticipate the process to run smoothly now that we have sent our initial submissions."

Albany Software customer, Leeds City Council, also went live with HMRC RTI as part of the pilot in June. In October 2011, the council was advised that they were to be involved in the first part of the pilot programme and needed to upgrade their existing payroll and Bacs software, in order to accommodate the new changes. Leeds City Council produced their payroll RTI file in May 2012, followed shortly by submission testing. Once testing was complete, the council was able to process a live submission of the RTI file in June.

Jackie Standring, Head of Payroll Services, Leeds City Council comments "To enable a painless migration, organisations need to plan accordingly. Doing the necessary groundwork, such as system updates, in advance will certainly smooth the process. From a payroll perspective, the transfer to the latest, RTI compliant Bacs software was a seamless process, with comprehensive and informative training provided."

Whilst participation in the pilot programme ramps up over the next 9 months, businesses should get on board now to make sure that they are RTI ready. From July to September 2012, a 1,000+ more employers will join the pilot and, subject to its success, hundreds of thousands will begin to submit RTI data during the last quarter of 2012. By the time March 2013 rolls around, 250,000 employers are expected to have successfully submitted RTI data in a live environment.

Stafford-Jones concludes, "The key to making successful RTI submissions is to ensure your data is clean and correct, and most importantly that you're running RTI-compliant payroll and Bacs software. By doing this sooner rather than later, you will not only avoid the last minute rush, but will be secure in the knowledge that your organisation is well placed to process successful RTI submissions within the legislated timelines."

Research from Albany Software shows 22% of companies are still using outdated payment processes

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Nearly a quarter of those surveyed still use cheques as the main form of payment, costing time and money in late payments and poor efficiency

A recent survey of payroll professionals conducted by Albany Software, the pioneering developer of electronic payment and collection solutions, has revealed that 28% of businesses are still regularly using cheques to process between 1 and 20 payments a month, despite the method now being considered an outdated and expensive form of money transfer in the business world.

Adrian Stafford-Jones, Managing Director, Albany Software, comments, "We were very surprised to find that nearly a quarter of those surveyed are still using cheques. Not only are cheques a very outdated, unreliable and costly way of making payments, they are also extremely time-consuming, with administration and processing times longer than those of other payment options. Companies who are still accepting cheques can also find themselves falling into the late payment spiral as they struggle with cash flow whilst waiting for cheques to arrive and funds to clear. Businesses still issuing cheques as a form of payment, need to consider the impact that this has on other organisations - estimated at an average of £39,000 per small company - placing a significant threat to business success."

Stafford-Jones adds, "The concept of companies continuing to issue cheques or indeed any B2B transaction involving a cheque is somewhat archaic these days when you consider the inefficiency of this method of payment."

Reports from the Payments Council make it clear that the use of cheques has been in decline since the 1990s with an accumulated 70% drop in the last 20 years. There is good reason for this downward trend - electronic methods are more cost effective, secure, efficient and provide more financial control. In today's economic climate, every organisation needs to run a tight ship and ensure costs are kept to a minimum. With the physical cost of issuing cheques more than 10x that of sending an electronic transfer there is no excuse for businesses to continue with cheques as a form of payment when transacting with other businesses.

The alternative to cheques, services such as Bacs and Faster Payments, offer a far more reliable and economical solution. Replacing archaic paper processes with automated solutions cuts back-office administration time and significantly reduces costs. The gulf between companies with a healthy cash flow and those sweating over debt can often be as simple as addressing issues such as cheque payments versus electronic payments.

The survey from Albany Software also found that 18% of companies still process same-day payroll and supplier payments via expensive and inefficient CHAPS. Stafford-Jones comments, "With Faster Payments, organisations can submit single or batch payments in near real-time and at a very low cost in comparison to CHAPS, enabling the finance or payroll team to make last-minute payments should the need arise." For those companies already using Direct Bacs solutions, only 11% are actually processing payments using the evolving Faster Payment Service. Direct Bacs submitters need to realise that Faster Payments provide a very simple,
quick and cost-effective payments contingency plan - especially for payroll.

Stafford-Jones comments, "It is the responsibility of businesses to ensure that crucial payments such as payroll are able to go ahead. By investing in Direct Bacs software organisations can set-up secure and validated payments process, which simultaneously provides a contingency service in the event of a software failure. As a result, organisations receive the reassurance that payments can always be processed, enhancing cash flow and ensuring staff wages are paid on-time."

The evidence is clear, through utilising automated payment processes, companies can greatly streamline their back-office procedures, creating tangible time savings and reduce manual processes across the board.

Stafford-Jones concludes, "Too many organisations continue to use outdated payment processes that take too long, demand daily administration time and lack any kind of business continuity. Simply accepting painful, time-consuming traditional payment methods is short-sighted when companies can exploit the current generation of secure innovative electronic payment technologies to cut costs, minimise risk and achieve efficiency."