Looking for support with payroll year end? Explore our year end support hub to access your free checklist, webinars, FAQs and more. Check it out.

BrightPay 2024/25 is now available. Click here to get started with BrightPay's cloud software or click here to download BrightPay for Windows/Mac.

Please note : We are experiencing a higher number of calls and emails at this time of year, so you may experience a longer than usual wait time in reaching one of our support agents. 

NOTE: You are viewing documentation for a previous tax year version of BrightPay. Click here to view the documentation for the current 2024/25 tax year version.

Adding a New Employer


To add a new employer to the BrightPay software, select Create New Employer... at the bottom of the 'Open Employer' screen.

 

1) How would you like to use Bright Pay?

Three options are available:

a) Start at the Beginning of the Tax Year - select this option if you are starting at the beginning of the tax year.

b) Start Partway in the Tax Year - select this option if you are starting payroll partway through a tax year, with no previous payroll records in the same tax year.

c) Continue Partway in the Tax Year - select this option if you already have payroll records for the tax year up to this point, and wish to continue where you have left off. Selecting this option will allow you to enter year to date figures for each employee.


Click Next

 

2) Enter your Employer Name - this is the name you have registered with HMRC and will appear on your payslips for your employees.

 

3) Enter your Employer Address

 


Click Next

 

4) Enter your HMRC Office Name

 

5) Enter your Employer PAYE Reference - this is your office number followed by your reference, e.g. 123/AB1234 (this is a required field).

 

6) Enter your Accounts Office Reference - required for RTI submissions. You will find this 13 character number on the yellow PAYE Payslip booklet supplied by HM Revenue & Customs, in the format of 123PA12345678 (three numbers, two letters, eight numbers). References that are not 13 characters long require zeros (0) entering after the two letters to make up the 13 characters e.g. 123PA00045678. Please do not include any spaces when entering it on the screen. 

 

7) Small Employers' Relief

  • If total NI Contributions (Employee & Employer) in the qualifying tax year are less than £45,000 – tick the box provided.
  • If total NI Contributions (Employee & Employer) in the qualifying tax year are more than £45,000 – leave the box unticked.

 

Click Next

 

8) Departments - employees can be organised into departments, which can be used in payroll processing and analysis. Enter the names of each department you require in the fields provided. Additional departments can be added by clicking “Add Another”. More departments can be added in the future if needed.

 

Click Next

 

9) Your Typical Employee - this section allows the user to create settings that will be used as the default when adding a new employee record. They can of course be changed on an individual basis if required. These settings are:

a) Typical Pay Frequency

b) Typical Pay Basis

c) Typical Pay Method

d) Typical Annual Leave Year Starts

e) Typical Annual Leave Entitlement Method

f) Typical Annual Leave Days in Year

g) Typical Annual Leave Carry Over

h) Typical Working Days

 

Click Next

10) Automatic Enrolment Staging Date - select an option from the listing. Alternatively, click Next to do this later.

11) On the next screen, enter and confirm a Password of your choice, if required. Click Save & Finish.

12) You will now be asked where you would like to save your employer data file. Select a location of your choice and click Save.

 

Your employer details have now been saved and your payroll will open. To add additional employer information (e.g. employer bank accounts, RTI sender information, etc) select the Employer heading. Alternatively, to begin adding employees select the Employee heading.

Further information on adding additional employer information and setting up employees can be found within the Support section on the website.

 

 

Need help? Support is available at 0345 9390019 or brightpayuksupport@brightsg.com.

Important Information for MAC UsersInstalling BrightPayImporting From The Previous Tax YearMoving to BrightPay from another payroll softwareEmployer DetailsEmployee DetailsProcessing PayrollPayroll CalendarPayslip TranslationsMaking Corrections to PayrollPre-paying an EmployeeScheduling Future PaymentsSwitching an Employee's Pay FrequencyRTICommon HMRC Error MessagesHMRC PaymentsAnalysisStartersLeaversStudent Loan DeductionsStatutory PaymentsPensionsAttachment of EarningsPayroll GivingDirectorsEmployee CalendarHolidaysTaxScottish Rate of Income Tax (SRIT)National InsuranceEmployment AllowanceNational Minimum Wage and National Living WageRates & Thresholds at a GlanceYear EndBacking Up/ Restoring Your PayrollBrightPay Licence Terms and ConditionsConstruction Industry Scheme (CIS)Ordering for The New Tax YearAutomatic EnrolmentBrightPay CloudExpenses & Benefits