Sage Payroll Course

Lesson 1 • Understanding Payroll Legislation Basics

Explains the regulatory framework governing payroll without referencing specific codes. Students understand compliance obligations that shape Sage Payroll configuration.

Lesson 2 • Overview of Payroll Fundamentals

Covers key payroll concepts including pay periods, gross pay, and deductions. Establishes the vocabulary needed for all subsequent Sage Payroll tasks.

Lesson 3 • Setting Up a New Company File

Guides students through creating a company record with correct settings. Accurate setup here prevents errors in all downstream payroll calculations.

Lesson 1 • Creating New Employee Profiles

Walks through every field in the new employee wizard. Correct data entry here ensures accurate tax and payment calculations from the first pay run.

Lesson 2 • Configuring Pay and Contract Details

Sets salary, hourly rate, and contract type for each employee. These settings drive all gross pay calculations in subsequent payroll processing.

Lesson 3 • Tax Code and Deduction Assignment

Assigns tax codes and standard deductions to employee records. Proper assignment ensures correct withholding from the first payroll run onward.

Lesson 4 • Managing Employee Bank Details

Records and secures employee payment account information within Sage Payroll. Accurate bank details prevent failed payments and protect sensitive data.

Lesson 1 • Creating Payment Files and BACS Runs

Generates electronic payment files for bank submission and reconciles totals. Students complete the payment step that transfers net pay to employees.

Lesson 2 • Closing and Archiving the Pay Period

Finalizes the pay period and prepares Sage Payroll for the next cycle. Proper closure prevents accidental edits and maintains a clean audit trail.

Lesson 3 • Running Payroll Calculations

Triggers Sage Payroll's calculation engine and interprets the results. Students verify gross pay, deductions, and net pay before any output is produced.

Lesson 4 • Entering Pay Period Data

Covers inputting hours worked, overtime, and variable pay elements. Accurate data entry at this stage is the foundation of a correct payroll output.

Lesson 1 • Student Loan and Other Statutory Deductions

Covers setup and calculation of student loan repayments and similar statutory deductions. Students apply correct plan types and thresholds within Sage Payroll.

Lesson 2 • Court Orders and Attachment of Earnings

Explains how to enter and calculate legally mandated wage deductions from court orders. Students process these deductions correctly without affecting other pay elements.

Lesson 3 • Managing Parental Leave Payments

Explains statutory maternity, paternity, and shared parental pay calculations. Students configure Sage Payroll to apply correct rates and recovery amounts.

Lesson 4 • Processing Statutory Sick Pay

Covers eligibility rules, qualifying days, and Sage Payroll entry for sick pay. Students calculate correct statutory sick pay amounts and record absences properly.

Lesson 1 • Employer Payment Summary Submissions

Covers when and how to file an employer payment summary to adjust reported liabilities. Students handle months with no payments or statutory recovery correctly.

Lesson 2 • Understanding Real-Time Reporting

Explains the concept of submitting payroll data to tax authorities each pay period. Students understand why timely, accurate submissions are legally required.

Lesson 3 • Year-End Reporting and Final Submissions

Guides students through closing the tax year and issuing employee year-end documents. Accurate year-end submissions prevent costly corrections and penalties.

Lesson 1 • Customizing and Filtering Reports

Teaches how to apply filters, date ranges, and groupings to tailor report output. Students produce targeted reports that answer specific management questions.

Lesson 2 • Standard Reports in Sage Payroll

Introduces the built-in report library and its most commonly used outputs. Students locate, run, and print standard reports for payroll verification and audit.

Lesson 3 • Reconciliation and Audit Reports

Covers reports used to verify payroll accuracy and support internal audits. Students identify discrepancies between payroll records and financial accounts.

Lesson 1 • Multi-Company Payroll Management

Manages payroll for multiple legal entities within a single Sage Payroll installation. Students switch between company files efficiently while maintaining data integrity.

Lesson 2 • Benefits in Kind and Expense Reporting

Manages taxable benefits provided outside the payroll and their reporting obligations. Students configure Sage Payroll to reflect benefit values and generate required returns.

Lesson 3 • Custom Pay Elements and Allowances

Creates bespoke pay elements such as shift premiums, allowances, and benefits in kind. Students configure taxable and non-taxable elements with correct calculation rules.

Lesson 4 • Directors' Payroll Processing

Covers the unique rules for processing payroll for company directors. Students apply the correct contribution calculation method and avoid common director payroll errors.

Lesson 1 • User Roles and Access Permissions

Configures role-based access to restrict sensitive payroll data to authorized users. Students apply the principle of least privilege to protect employee information.

Lesson 2 • Data Backup and Recovery Procedures

Establishes scheduled backup routines and tests restoration of payroll data. Students prevent data loss and recover quickly from system failures or corruption.

Lesson 3 • System Updates and Version Management

Manages Sage Payroll software updates to maintain compliance with legislative changes. Students apply updates safely without disrupting live payroll processing.

Lesson 4 • Payroll Data Retention and Compliance

Covers legal obligations for retaining payroll records and securely disposing of old data. Students implement retention policies that satisfy regulatory requirements.