Your payroll software is fundamental to your business for compliant and accurate payrolling and invoicing. With ever-changing industry and internal requirements as your workforce evolves, your team must be clued up on how to use the solution as effectively as possible.
In this article, we’ll consider six ways to ensure you’re getting the most out of your payroll software and maximising your return on investment.
1. Complete ongoing training
The most effective way to ensure all your team is on the same page and knows the best way to complete their day-to-day tasks is by arranging a training session. Hosted by a knowledgeable representative from your vendor, software training will ensure you’re up to date with best practise and allows you to clarify any uncertainties.
Some view training as something you only do at the onboarding stage; however, it should be an ongoing consideration. This also includes regular team discussion regarding the software and any feedback on how it performs. If pitfalls are identified, steps can be taken to rectify them – whether that’s raising them to the vendor or considering a new solution.
Your approach to onboarding new software also impacts how much you maximise its value. We’ve written about ensuring a successful onboarding in detail, from engaging your team to boosting training usefulness.
For companies who onboard new team members regularly, consider creating your own internal training pack based on the vendor’s training (and your experiences). This is a great way to ensure every team member is trained in a way that’s relevant to your business.
2. Stay in the know of software updates
At Codapay, we roll out updates automatically without any disruption. We notify our clients of the changes and benefits by email with a link to the supporting knowledgebase article, but sometimes click-throughs are low. However, learning about and utilising new features can supercharge your efficiency and save billable time.
We’ve all been there – ignoring a subscription email because we’re simply too busy. But when it comes to payroll software, it’s sometimes essential to be aware of updates to ensure compliance. Take the time to skim through any emails you receive from your software provider to ensure you’re aware of any upcoming changes.
Our Account Management team ensures all our clients are aware of major changes to the system. If you have an Account Manager or dedicated representative, it’s worth asking them what’s new and upcoming – and sharing your feedback on suggested features.
Manual updates
If your software doesn’t auto-update with new features, make sure you don’t delay them. While the ‘Remind me tomorrow’ button saves you time today, it prevents you from accessing updates that could improve your efficiency and time in the long run.
3. Suggest new features
If you aren’t completely happy with your payroll software and there’s something that could be better, let your provider know. Feature suggestions help to make valuable improvements that actually make a difference. Without your input, your provider may not be aware.
Our product team at Codapay has a prioritised backlog of planned feature updates. We prioritise these by necessity (e.g. legislation changes) and by the assumed impact on customers. However, if a customer suggests a feature update or improvement, we’ll add this as a priority or discuss whether bespoke functionality would be more suitable.
We welcome all feedback and take pride in our ability to action it swiftly, all thanks to our brilliant development team!
4. Utilise support resources
Your software provider will offer varying levels of support that you can draw on to learn about product features and best practices. For example, our knowledgebase gives an overview of all elements of Codapay, giving helpful insight into using all its key features.
If you ever encounter an issue, make sure you raise it with your vendor’s support team and get their expert advice. Our service desk is open for all queries, however big or small, to ensure our clients stay supported.
5. Integrate it with other solutions
Your payroll software may be able to integrate with other solutions to bring everything together in one place and boost efficiency. Codapay can integrate with other solutions via API to maximise its functionality, for example, our NEST integration makes pension management easy.
If you notice any gaps in the product, it may be something that can be filled with an existing solution. Speak with your vendor to find out about your options.
6. Consider bespoke options
You may have a unique business structure that makes off-the-shelf solutions tricky to use with necessary workarounds. At Codapay, we have the development capacity to offer our clients custom functionality that’s designed to work with their business seamlessly.
If your software could benefit from a new module to support your business, it’s worth discussing with your vendor to see if bespoke functionality is possible. Chances are, they may agree it’s something all clients could benefit from and apply it as a feature update.
When things aren’t working out
Sometimes, your software may not be the best fit and there are signs it’s time to start looking for a new one. Luckily, switching to a new provider is easy and contrary to popular belief, can be done at any time of year.
At Codapay, we offer a free demo and a trial so you can learn all about its capabilities before you commit. Plus, our onboarding process is simple with support at every step of the way.
Contact us to arrange your free demo today!
