What is the best payroll software to comply with Australian payroll regulations?
- Brett Reed
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 4 minutes ago
Selecting the ideal payroll software that meets your specific objectives can feel overwhelming. Exploring and trialling a variety of payroll solutions not only provides valuable hands-on experience but also empowers you to make a well-informed decision that aligns with your business needs and meets government legislative requirements. Taking the time to evaluate different options ensures you choose a tool that streamlines your payroll processes and enhances overall efficiency.
Where do I start on my compliance journey?
It's crucial to adhere to the guidelines established by the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) payroll governance obligations, the primary payroll regulators in Australia. This is a mandatory obligation, not a choice, as neglecting your duties as an employer can result in significant failure to lodge (FTL) penalties from the ATO and compliance and enforcement actions by the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Begin by examining the features of each payroll software product, ensuring that compliance obligations remain your top priority. After compiling a shortlist of potential products, you can move forward with increased confidence.
How do I compare payroll products in Australia?
As you embark on selecting the right payroll solution to meet your requirements, you may have considered consulting a comparison table. Typically, you would expect a resource that offers a straightforward yet informative overview to help in narrowing down options. However, you may have noticed a frustrating scarcity of substantial information to assist in this critical decision-making process.
When looking for representation of the payroll industry, some of the following sources offer some relevant information.
APA provides a Payroll Software and Services Directory that includes a table comparing the major features of each listed product. The only downside is that the products listed have paid to be included. APA also provide a Partner Directory. |
The Association for Payroll Specialists (TAPS), established in 1990, is Australia's original Association representing the payroll industry. TAPS provides a good starting point for a list of software providers in their Payroll Marketplace. |
The ATO Product Register provides a randomised list of commercially available software products that have met the Digital Service Provider (DSP) Operational Security Framework (OSF) requirements. |
Over many years, members have consistently requested a table listing Payroll Solutions showing the major features, but this has never been provided, although DSPANZ do have a Member Directory. |
Which payroll software is considered the best in Australia for meeting the compliance requirements?
There isn't one! The ideal payroll software is the one that fulfils your requirements, adheres to Government Payroll Compliance regulations, and fits within your budget. While a wide array of products exists for comparison, this list provides a selective overview and is not all-encompassing. We have focused exclusively on the significant and popular vendors to give you a clearer understanding of the leading options available. We have also excluded some products from particular providers, as many of their existing solutions are being gradually phased out.
List of Popular Australian Payroll Software |
Perpetually free payroll software for Micro businesses. |
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Payroll software suitable for small businesses. |
Accounting software that includes payroll functionality. |
Payroll software for medium to large Businesses ( > 50 Employees). |
For Global Payroll Teams |
Ignore the marketing hype and read the reviews.
Don't believe any of the marketing hype. If you add up the number of ABNs that all the payroll vendors state they support, this result exceeds the total number of ABNs in Australia.
"Best Payroll Software in Australia," "Top Selling Payroll Software," "Best Payroll Software," and "Number One Payroll Software" are all terms that are often used for Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), rendering them meaningless.
Certain vendors often present a cumulative count of reviews for their entire product range rather than isolating the feedback specifically for their Payroll solutions. This approach can sometimes give a misleading impression of the popularity and user satisfaction related to individual offerings.
Often, reviews are several years old and do not reflect the products' current offerings or the level of support provided. Take time to read the positive and negative reviews to give a better insight into the product and the organisation's culture.
Ensure that your payroll compliance needs are met and avoid false promises.
Since 1987, e-PayDay has been passionately dedicated to delivering innovative tools designed to empower employers to meet their payroll compliance responsibilities. This commitment to excellence and foresight has positioned e-PayDay as a pioneer in the industry, anticipating the needs of businesses long before compliance became a widespread focus. We are often asked, "Why doesn't the payroll software I'm using meet my compliance needs, even though it has been approved by Fair Work and the Australian Taxation Office?".
Request a detailed, live overview of the product instead of just a simple video demonstration.
Kick off with an engaging live demonstration that highlights the product's key features, functions, and capabilities. This interactive session will provide a comprehensive overview, allowing participants to see firsthand how each feature functions, fostering a deeper understanding of its potential applications and benefits.
Some questions to consider and some that are often not asked:
Does the solution provide for efficiencies?
Does the software assist in meeting your payroll compliance obligations?
Is every Award and Classification available and updated in real-time directly from Fair Work?
Are you automatically notified of any changes to the Fair Work Awards?
Is there one Master File for each employee, or do you need to create a new record whenever the payee's taxation requirements change?
What is the security of both the data and access?
Are they ISO 27001:2022 independently audited and certified?
Are there benefits to your natural business processes and workflow?
Are there hidden costs or limitations that may result in paying more for your subscription?
Does the subscription cost automatically increase each year (linked to CPI)?
Can you easily scale with increases or decreases in your workforce?
If the product allows you to scale, are there any limitations on how many times you can make changes each year to your subscription?
How many employees can be processed before the system has performance issues?
What is the Service Level Agreement (SLA) for support?
Is there a same-day response to support queries, and can you talk to a real human being (with no bots involved)?
You require sufficient time to assess the software with a free trial for an unlimited number of employees.
When you sign up with e-PayDay Go®, it’s completely free! You can add all the necessary information to get started, such as your Awards/Agreements and Superannuation Funds. Then you’ll be ready to add your employees. The first three employees can be added for free, and then you can select a plan that suits your needs and go on to a free trial of our cloud payroll for 30 days with no limit on the number of employees you can add. This allows you to set everything up and add the first three employees without losing any days of your trial. Plus, we offer free assistance throughout the setup process.
We provide:
A powerful Single Touch Payroll calculation engine.
Comprehensive Time and Attendance solutions.
Human Resource Management (HRM) features.
Versatile Payroll Cost Centres.
Powerful reporting capabilities.
Comprehensive Import and export functionality.
Export to Xero and other accounting software solutions.
And many more must have payroll features.
Effective payroll software should go beyond empty marketing slogans; it must represent the core of a truly effective solution.
The true strength of e-PayDay Go® Award-centric payroll lies in its ability to be customised according to regulatory guidelines. This flexibility ensures that the solution meets specific needs and helps guarantee its long-term viability in an ever-changing regulatory environment, making it a payroll management system prepared for the future.
If anything is missing, our agile development approach guarantees that it will be added promptly. We prioritise our customers and ensure they don't wait for years to see essential payroll requirements or requests implemented.
Select a payroll solution that has a demonstrated history of success.
e-PayDay has been a leader in payroll software development since 1986, consistently showcasing a visionary approach. Our commitment to compliance has always been unwavering, with the foresight of real-time reporting as the first digital service provider to lodge a Single Touch Payroll report, which was successfully processed by the ATO in 2017, and our collaboration with the Fair Work Commission, which assisted with providing all 122 Awards and automatic notification of changes.
We recommend reviewing our disclaimer concerning the content of this post to remain informed and make suitable decisions for your circumstances.
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