# Lightning Payroll — Full curated content Generated: 2026-06-03 Country: New Zealand Currency: NZD Latest version: 2014.2.0 (released 028/08/2013) Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz =============================================================== OVERVIEW =============================================================== Lightning Payroll is desktop and online payroll software for small to medium businesses in New Zealand. It handles IRD payday filing, KiwiSaver, PAYE, ESCT, employee setup, time and leave, pay slips, super or KiwiSaver, and end-of-year reporting. It is available as a Windows desktop install, macOS install, and increasingly via the online app at app.lightningpayroll.co.nz. Lightning Payroll is owned and developed by Intellitron Pty Ltd, based in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia. The product has operated since 2010. =============================================================== FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS =============================================================== Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq --- Category: Backup --- Q: How Can I Backup My Lightning Payroll Data? A: Since Lightning Payroll is a desktop application, the data is safely stored on your own computer, not with us. We recommend you make yourself familiar with the backup features in the program. Online backups are a great way to store an online, secure backup of your payroll information using the cloud storage we have for our customers - please note only you have access to this data. It is also an easy way to pass data between two Lightning Payroll systems sharing the same subscription. To create a backup file locally, click Tools >> Create backup. This saves an entire copy of your payroll data (for all companies) into one compressed file (.LPB file extension). These files can then be restored via Tools >> Restore backup. Lightning Payroll can also make regular automatic backups to a designated folder under Settings >> Backups >> Backup your data automatically. We recommend that you regularly place a backup on an external memory device, or online somewhere, in case your local hard drive fails. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-backup-my-lightning-payroll-data Q: How Can I Set Up Online Backups? A: Lightning Payroll has a built-in Online Backups feature which provides a way for you to easily save your important payroll data to the cloud. These online backups are encrypted and saved securely on our servers. In emergency situations this feature can help you to retrieve your data through your subscription. Note: You will need a reliable internet connection, an active Lightning Payroll subscription and to have registered for this service for the feature to work correctly. See below for more information. This additional online backup service can be misused and needs to be used responsibly. We offer this as a handy extra feature and cannot guarantee the data will always be available, nor accept liability for user error or loss of your data. For this reason it is always a good idea to manage your backups yourself in addition to using this online backup feature. Please see this FAQ for more info. To setup automatic online backups go to Tools >> Online Backups. If you haven't yet set up online backups you will be asked to Register and create a password before you can continue. Your password must be at least 10 characters long and include an uppercase letter, lowercase letter, a number, and a special character for security reasons this password is not the same as your website and/or password application. If you have already registered and need to connect another computer to your existing online backups you will be asked to Login and enter your password. If you have have forgotten your password, the Login screen contains a Forgotten Password area which can email through a password reset code to your nominated email address. Once you're logged in to your Online Backups you can send a backup to our secure server to save the data currently in your program, or you can restore a previously created backup file to continue working on it. The Computer Name field is where you can add a description of the computer you're working on, or a description of the backup file you're creating. The image below shows how backups might be shared between an office computer and home computer which share the same Lightning Payroll subscription. Only click Restore Backup if you wish to 'wind back the clock' and restore Lightning Payroll's data to an earlier point in time. We recommend you tick the box to Automatically Backup. Also, do not click Logout unless you wish to disable the online backups. Just click Close. Note: There is a FIVE backup limit for each active Lightning Payroll subscription. Once the limit has been reached, any new backups will automatically overwrite the oldest existing backup. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-set-up-online-backups Q: How Do I Set Up and Use Web Sync Across My Devices? A: There is a web synchronisation feature available in Lightning Payroll that can be used to sync your data between your Lightning Payroll installations and with the web application. (Before setting this feature up, we strongly recommend ensuring all devices are up-to-date with the same data by using our Online Backups feature, or Create/Restore Backup through the Tools menu.) To turn web synchronisation on, go to Settings >> Other Settings in the desktop version of the program. In here you will see 3 options: After ticking any one of these options, you will be asked to log in to enable the feature. The details required here are the same login details that you would use when logging into our website via the Client Login. Please note that this is separate to your application password, your subscription ID, or your Online Backups password. If you are having trouble with your password on this screen, please use the Forgotten Password? option displayed below the fields. After logging in, you will be emailed a 6-digit two-factor authentication (2FA) code to enter into the next screen. If your account is secured with Google Authenticator, please use the 2FA code generated by the app instead. After entering the 2FA code, the web sync feature will now be active. Sync Data Up To Web App?: This option, when enabled, will detect when changes are made inside Lightning Payroll and upload them to the web application. Sync Data Down To Desktop App?: This option will detect when more recent changes are made online and will download and restore them into your Lightning Payroll desktop application. With these first 2 options, checks are done automatically every 5 minutes, and a refresh button will be displayed at the bottom right of the program. This button can be used for manual checking if you want to check in between the 5 minute interval. Manually control web sync uploads/downloads?: This option will not automatically synchronise your information, giving you control over when backups are created and/or restored. Instead of the refresh button mentioned with the previous 2 options, a download and upload button is displayed down the bottom-right instead. These diagrams below demonstrate how the feature works between the web application and 1 installation, and how it works between the web application and 2 installations: Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-set-up-and-use-web-sync-across-my-devices Q: Why Can't I Restore a Backup File? A: Usually a backup (.lpb) file can be restored under the Tools menu of Lightning Payroll. If the Restore Backup option is greyed out or unavailable then you are either on a trial licence, or unlicensed (your license may have expired). The option to create and restore backups is only available to users on a paid subscription to the software. If you only want to restore the backup to view old data you can put Lightning into a read-only (unlicensed) mode. You will not be able to make any changes in this mode, but backups can be restored. To switch from trial mode to unlicensed mode you need to delete the trial licence manually while the application is closed down. This file, called license.txt, is located in the following location depending on your OS: Windows: C:/Users/Your User's Folder/AppData/Roaming/LightningPayroll/licence.txt Mac: ~/.LightningPayroll/licence.txt An easy way to get to the data folder to delete the license file is to click the ? on the lower left corner of the start up screen when you open the program, then select Open Data Folder. Right click on the license file and delete. Please note,the below picture is for a Windows user. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-cant-i-restore-a-backup-file Q: How Can Restoring A Backup Delete Pay Data? A: By default, Lightning Payroll opens up to look like it did when it was last closed down. If you share data between two computers (as each subscription allows) you will need to be responsible with managing your data's continuity. If your colleague does some work and you fail to restore their data before continuing, it may get lost. Please see below for a demonstration of how this problem may arise. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-restoring-a-backup-delete-pay-data --- Category: General --- Q: How Can I Check What Version of the Software My Computer is Running? A: You can check which version of the software you're using at the bottom of the Lightning Payroll desktop program window. You can check if your version is the most current by clicking Check for updates now? at the bottom of your program. Click here to find out more on how to update your software. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-check-what-version-of-the-software-my-computer-is-running Q: How Do I Copy or Duplicate Employees? A: You can easily copy employees between companies in Lightning Payroll to save time and avoid re-entering data. This is useful when hiring a new employee who is similar to an existing one, or when an employee works across multiple businesses and needs to appear in more than one payroll entity. To copy or duplicate an employee: Open the Employees screen. Click Actions >> Copy Employee/s (or simply Copy Employee/s if using the web or mobile version). Select the employee(s) you want to copy and choose the destination company or entity. Click Copy. A success message will appear once the process is complete. When you copy an employee, Lightning Payroll will duplicate their: Pay items (such as allowances and deductions) Leave balances Pay rates Super fund details Note: Pay and super history will not be copied. If the duplicated employee is not needed, they can be deleted from the Employees screen. The new copy will have "Copy of " added to the beginning of their surname to help you easily identify the duplicate. You can edit this at any time in the employee's personal details. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-copy-or-duplicate-employees Q: Can I Access Payroll Data via an API? A: At this stage, we do not offer open API access for individual customers or third-party platforms outside of our formal reseller and integration partner arrangements. We are actively working with a number of software providers on integrations and partnerships, and we are open to exploring suitable connections where there is mutual interest. If you are using another platform, we recommend reaching out to them directly to express your interest in an integration, as this can help initiate a formal partnership discussion. In the meantime, we offer a Time and Attendance import feature within the web version, which provides a practical alternative for transferring payroll-related data. External systems can export data such as hours worked, allowances, and leave Supported formats include CSV and JSON The data can then be imported to generate pay records You can view the step-by-step guide here: How to Use the Import Time & Attendance Wizard If you are unsure what data can be transferred or how best to set this up, feel free to contact our support team with details of your requirements. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/can-i-access-payroll-data-via-an-api Q: How Can I Update to the Latest Version of Lightning Payroll? A: Lightning Payroll is a desktop program for Windows and Mac OSX computers, as well as a web/online application, and mobile app. We frequently update the software with new features, performance improvements and bug fixes. These updates usually get released every four or so weeks, and install themselves via an automatic program download.If a program update is available for the desktop version, you will be greeted with a prompt asking if you would like to update the program. Click the Check for Updates Now? at the bottom of the program to check for any newer versions. The web and mobile apps will always automatically keep themselves up to date with the latest version. (Note that the mobile app updates will rely on the update settings for your app store being set to automatically update.) For desktop, reinstalling or updating your software fixes most issues, should they arise. If updating from within the program fails for some reason, you can download and install the latest version directly from the links below (your data is safe and will not be affected by reinstallation). Please ensure Lightning Payroll and any error messages are completely shut down before reinstalling: Download for Windows 64 bit (Windows 8.1 and above, assuming you have the latest Windows updates) Download for Windows 32 bit (Windows 8.1 and above, assuming you have the latest Windows updates) Download for Mac OSX (Version 10.14 (Mojave) and above) For desktop, you can disable or configure your updates, as well as find other update settings under Settings >> Updates. Legacy Version Information (Windows 7, Mac OSX 10.12/10.13) Legacy Versions are no longer receiving updates (ie. tax tables and super rate changes) and should not be used after June 2024. Please update your pc to use a modern version of Lightning Payroll, or switch to using Lightning Payroll online. We have recently updated Lightning Payroll with the very latest libraries and base software. This was done to keep up with recent Mac and Windows updates, keeping the program secure and greatly improving performance. As a result of these updates we've had to drop support for Windows 7, Mac OSX 10.12 and Mac OSX 10.13 operating systems. We understand it can take some time to upgrade or replace your computer so we had added the latest critical updates (including 2022-23 tax and super changes) into a legacy version of Lightning Payroll, however, there will be no further updates for 2023-2024 financial year and beyond. Legacy installer download for Windows 7 Legacy installer download for Mac OSX 10.12 & 10.13 Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-update-to-the-latest-version-of-lightning-payroll Q: What Are the System Requirements and/or Limitations of Lightning Payroll? A: Compatible Operating Systems Lightning Payroll desktop application is compatible with Windows 8.1 (and above) and Mac OSX 10.14 (Mojave) and above. We only support these operating systems for desktop; the software is not designed for, or tested on, server-based operating systems. Lightning Payroll web version is available on any computer/device with internet access, and the mobile app can be used on any smart phone where the app is available for download in the phone's app store. System Minimum system requirements for using Lightning Payroll are: Intel Core i5 (sixth generation or newer) or equivalent 8 GB RAM 500 GB internal storage drive Screen/Monitor Size Lightning Payroll is not recommended for screen sizes below 15 inches as some screens will appear squished or very hard to see. For ultra hi-res and 4k monitors you may need to configure these for clarity in the program. Pay Run Schedules Lightning Payroll accomodates the following pay schedules in line with the ATO's tax tables: Weekly Fortnightly Monthly You can use any combination of these three pay schedules on any of the business entities within the software, however only one schedule of a type per company is possible (i.e. you cannot run two simultaneous weekly schedules ending on different days of the week). Approved Income Streams Lightning Payroll is certified by the ATO for the following Single Touch Payroll (Phase 2) income streams: Salary and Wages Working Holiday Maker Closely Held Payee Voluntary Agreement Withholding Payer Number Lightning Payroll does not support WPNs for reporting parties. All businesses/companies require an ABN to pay their staff within Lightning Payroll. Support Team Boundaries Lightning Payroll support is free to our subscribers, however certain topics are outside of what our team may assist you with: Teamviewer/Remote access - Our support team do not currently 'remote in' to customer's systems. This is not usually necessary when helping solve issues, as backup sharing with support is built-in to the software. Email configuration and troubleshooting - Lightning Payroll includes a basic SMTP server settings search feature under the Company >> Email tab which finds common email settings. This uses a third-party API to obtain settings. Beyond this you'd have to contact your email account provider for gaining or adjusting those settings, as our support team are unable to provide settings for email providers. Note that you now have the option of having Lightning Payroll send emails from the program for you instead. ATO MyGovID app - Our support team are unable to provide support for the ATO's MyGovID app, which is a requirement to be able to download and manage your machine credentials for sending Single Touch Payroll. For ATO technical support please contact their Technical Helpdesk on 1300 287 539 / Option 2 / Option 1. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-are-the-system-requirements-andor-limitations-of-lightning-payroll Q: Where Can I See a Demo of Lightning Payroll? A: Here is a demonstration of how to process a pay in Lightning Payroll desktop version. Check out more on our Youtube channel. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/where-can-i-see-a-demo-of-lightning-payroll Q: What Are The Main Differences Between The Lightning Payroll Desktop and Web/Mobile Applications? A: Lightning Payroll Desktop, Web, and Mobile share the same payroll data, but they do not offer an identical toolset.Web and Mobile strengthsAccess your payroll from anywhere with a browser, phone, or tablet.Use the modern web interface with search, recent history, and mobile friendly navigation.Review and manage common payroll tasks without being at the desktop machine.Desktop strengthsFull local database control, backup, restore, and advanced recovery tools.More import and export utilities for desktop workflows.Extra configuration tools for local files, advanced reports, and some accounting integrations.Some compliance and reporting tools that depend on the current site mode and jurisdiction.Important noteSome features are available in one interface first, or only in one interface for technical reasons. If you cannot find a tool on web or mobile, check the desktop app. If you cannot find a desktop convenience feature online, it may still require the desktop version.For the current comparison of a specific feature, contact support and we can confirm which interface is the right one to use. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-are-the-main-differences-between-the-lightning-payroll-desktop-and-webmobile-applications Q: How Can I Access Database Recovery Tools And Other Advanced Data Folder Operations for Lightning Payroll Desktop? A: This guide provides instructions for advanced users to access and utilise utility tools within Lightning Payroll desktop software. These tools are designed to help you manage your data and troubleshoot issues effectively. Accessing Utility Options Upon launching Lightning Payroll desktop, a splash screen will appear displaying the application logo. To access advanced utilities, click the small question mark button located in the lower left corner of the splash screen. This will open a hidden dialog with several utility options. Folder Operations Advanced users can access specific folders related to Lightning Payroll operations: Open Data Folder: Access the directory containing your payroll data files. Open ATOMAS Folder: Access the ATO keystore folder. Open Installation Folder: Access the installation directory of Lightning Payroll. Database Recovery Utilities Should you encounter issues with your database, these tools can assist in recovery and repair: Download Database Repair Utility: Attempts a repair of the current database. Download Auto Restore Utility: Initiate a standard database recovery to restore your last auto backup made prior to today's date. Download Latest Backup Utility: Perform a manual database recovery from a list of the most recent backups made on this computer. Caution: These utility tools are intended for advanced users. Incorrect usage may lead to data loss. Please ensure you understand the functions before proceeding. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-access-database-recovery-tools-and-other-advanced-data-folder-operations-for-lightning-payroll-desktop Q: How Do I Suggest Features/Feedback Or Report Bugs? A: We highly value the insights and feedback from our users at Lightning Payroll. If you encounter any bugs or have suggestions for features that could improve your experience with our software, we encourage you to reach out through our standard support channels. Contact Us To report a bug or suggest a feature, please contact us via: Email: support@lightningpayroll.com.au Phone: (07) 3051 5895 Our Approach to Feedback and Suggestions We appreciate every piece of feedback and every suggestion we receive. However, it's important to note that not every suggestion can be implemented. We strive to develop features that will benefit the majority of our users and align with our software's core objectives. If your suggestion is not accepted, it's not a reflection of its value but rather our current focus and resources. Similarly, not every issue reported as a bug is a malfunction in our software. In some cases, it may be a misunderstanding of how a particular feature is intended to function. We're here to clarify these functionalities and assist you in making the most out of Lightning Payroll. We look forward to hearing from you and are committed to improving your experience with Lightning Payroll. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-suggest-featuresfeedback-or-report-bugs Q: Does Lightning Payroll Offer A Reseller/Partner Program? A: Join Our Referrer/Reseller Scheme Lightning Payroll offers a unique opportunity for businesses to benefit from promoting our leading payroll solution. By joining our Referrer/Reseller Scheme, you can enhance your service offering and enjoy the rewards of partnership with us. Why Become a Reseller? For accountants, bookkeepers, and accounting software providers, becoming a reseller is an excellent way to generate additional revenue through commissions on sales. It's not just about the financial gains; it's about offering a more comprehensive service package to your clients. By promoting each other's software, software providers can enjoy the mutual benefits of expanded product offerings. Additionally, our tailored development features are designed to meet the specific needs of our resellers, ensuring that you have the tools and capabilities to serve your clients effectively. Learn More For a detailed overview of our Referrer/Reseller Scheme, including information on how to get started, please visit our main reseller information page: Referrer/Reseller Program Information Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/does-lightning-payroll-offer-a-resellerpartner-program Q: Can I Export My Data To Another Payroll Program? A: Exporting Lightning Payroll DataLightning Payroll does not provide a direct exporter to competing payroll platforms. The product is designed as a self contained payroll system rather than a migration tool into other payroll products.What you can exportYou can still export useful data from Lightning Payroll Desktop in several ways:General Ledger exports for accounting software.Employee Report Builder exports for employee level data.Pay Report Builder exports for pay history and payroll analysis.CSV based custom reports for review, archive, or further manipulation in Excel.If your goal is to move figures into another finance system, the General Ledger and reporting tools are usually the best starting point.If you need help extracting a particular set of payroll data, contact support and describe what fields you need. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/can-i-export-my-data-to-another-payroll-program Q: What Are The Differences With Setting Up Full-Time, Part-Time, and Casual Employees? A: Full-time, part-time, and casual employees can all be set up in Lightning Payroll from the same employee profile areas. The key difference is how you choose to label them, configure standard hours, and handle leave accruals.Employment type and tenureWhen creating or editing an employee, go to Employees > Pay Settings > Pay Rates and choose the employment type and tenure that best match the worker. These fields are mainly used for labels, reporting context, and internal organisation.Standard hours and daysYou can also define the standard hours for a full day and the standard days for a full week. These values help when setting up leave accruals and default working patterns, especially for permanent staff.Leave accrualsLeave behaviour is controlled under Employees > Leave > Leave Settings. Common patterns are:Full-time employees: usually accrue leave based on the pay period or default entitlement settings.Part-time employees: may accrue leave based on a reduced pattern or on actual hours paid, depending on how the employer manages entitlements.Casual employees: are often set so leave does not accrue, unless the local rules or agreement for that worker say otherwise.The correct setup depends on the employment agreement, payroll rules, and jurisdiction that apply to the employee. Lightning Payroll gives you the fields to configure this, but the employer is responsible for choosing the correct settings.For more detail on leave calculations, see the related FAQ on leave accruals. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-are-the-differences-with-setting-up-full-time-part-time-and-casual-employees Q: How Can I Easily Send A Report By Email? A: In the Lightning Payroll desktop version, sending a report by email is quick and simple. Follow these steps to email any report: Open a report preview in Lightning Payroll. Click on the envelope icon at the top of the report preview. Enter the recipient's email address. You can send to multiple addresses by separating them with a comma. The software will remember these addresses for future convenience. Optionally, you can add a personalised message for the email body. Troubleshooting Email Issues If you encounter errors related to email settings not being configured, you can update your preferences as follows: Go to Company screen. Select the Email tab. Tick the box for Have Lightning Payroll send emails for you, instead of using your own email provider? This setting will allow Lightning Payroll to handle emails directly, avoiding potential configuration issues with your own email provider. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-easily-send-a-report-by-email Q: How Can I Pay For My Annual Subscription? A: You can pay for your subscription ' whether monthly or annual ' via auto-renewal, over the phone with us, or through our website via Client Login >> My Account >> View/Renew/Upgrade Subscriptions. We accept Visa or Mastercard credit card payments (you can choose to save these card details ' securely stored by our partner, Till Payments ' for automatic renewal), or direct deposit bank transfer to our account. If you choose to pay via direct deposit bank transfer, please make sure to select Direct Deposit as the payment type when placing your order on our website, as outlined above. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-pay-for-my-annual-subscription Q: Will I Lose The Data I've Entered When My Trial Expires? A: For the Lightning Payroll desktop application, the data you enter into your free trial will be saved on the computer you've been working on, even after your free trial expires. This means that if you decide to purchase the program after the free trial expires, you will be able to pick up where you left off and continue entering data without losing what's already been done. The trial version of the program you've been using will be unlocked and able to be used as the full version once payment has been made and your subscription ID is entered into said trial version. The same applies for the mobile and web versions of the program: the data will be saved, and you'll be able to pick up where you've left off after your subscription details have been entered. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/will-i-lose-the-data-ive-entered-when-my-trial-expires Q: How Can I Purchase Lightning Payroll? A: To purchase a Lightning Payroll subscription, go to the 'Buy Now' page of our website and choose a licence to suit your needs from the options available, then register an account with us and make payment.Once your payment has been confirmed, you will receive an email with a subscription ID number which needs to be entered into the program when you open it for the first time. You can go to Tools >> Licence Assistant in the program to get to the Online Licence Install screen if it doesn't appear automatically. Please note ' When using a trial version, you have not yet registered an account with Lightning Payroll. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-purchase-lightning-payroll Q: Where Can I View Order History and Tax Invoices for Licence Payments? A: You can view your licence order history, as well as print and download .PDF copies of your tax invoice/s for licence payment via our website. You will need to login to Client Login on our website, then click on My Account, then click View Your Order History. From here you can see the list of your orders under this account, and click View on the order you'd like to see. To print or download a .pdf copy of the tax invoice for your chosen order, click on Show Tax Invoice, then select either Print This Invoice or Download A PDF Copy from the buttons at the top right-hand corner of the page. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/where-can-i-view-order-history-and-tax-invoices-for-licence-payments Q: What are the Different Employment States? A: Employees can have different states or statuses in Lightning Payroll. These states are 'Active', 'Inactive', 'Terminated' and 'Deleted'. These are explained in detail below. Active: an active employee is one who is currently working and being included in pays. This is the default state when you add an employee and is indicated by the 'Active pay recipient' box for that employee being ticked in Employees >> Pay Settings >> Pay Rates. 'Active pay recipient' employees count toward your total employees number in regards to licenses. Inactive: an inactive employee has not been terminated, but is not currently working or being included in pays. This is indicated by the 'Active pay recipient' box for that employee being unticked in Employees >> Pay Settings >> Pay Rates. Inactive pay recipient employees count toward your total employees number in regards to licenses. Terminated: a terminated employee has been officially terminated in the program. This is done during the employee's final pay in the Edit Pay screen by pressing the Terminate Employee button. Terminated employees show up in red in the Employees list when you tick the box 'show terminated employees' above the list. Terminated employees do not count toward your total employees number in regards to licenses. Please click here for more information on terminating employees. Deleted: A deleted employee has been completed removed from Lightning Payroll. If you delete an employee using the 'Actions' button in the Employees section, all their past and present data will be removed, which is generally never needed. Deleted employees do not count toward your total employees number in regards to licenses. NOTE: Deleting employees is not recommended. If an employee has left your company, you should terminate them through the Pays screen instead. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-are-the-different-employment-states Q: Can I Install The Desktop Version of the Program On Multiple Computers? A: A Lightning Payroll subscription allows you to download the desktop version of the program onto two separate computers. However, the two installations do not talk to each other automatically, and do not allow simultaneous use - keeping in mind that the Lightning Payroll desktop application stores data locally, on your machine, and not online. Note that we now have the option of the web/online version of Lightning Payroll, as well as mobile app for Android and iOS available to subscribers, and these options are not limited to any number of devices, and do not require backing up, as the data is live and online.     Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/can-i-install-the-desktop-version-of-the-program-on-multiple-computers Q: What's Involved in a Training/Consultancy Session? A: Did you know that we offer 1-on-1 remote training sessions to help you prevent future issues and make best use of your time and resources whilst processing payroll? Click the button below to book a one hour training, setup or check-up session, and boost your payroll confidence! Book Training What's Included? See below to get an idea of what we can help you with during a training/consultancy session. Note that Lightning Payroll is available as a desktop app, an online/web version and a mobile app (iOS/Android), and your training session will be tailored to your preferred option/s. 1. General Setup Confirm company ABN, address, banking and contact details. Set up pay schedule(s) with your preferred dates. Review employee profiles: TFN, bank account, super fund and tax settings. Configure pay categories, allowances and deductions. 2. Time & Attendance Set up Employee Portal: payslips, timesheets/timeclock, leave requests and banking details. Use portal timeclock or our mobile timeclock app (iOS/Android). Import clock data from BundyPlus. Approve timesheets/timeclock shifts, and import into pay runs. 3. Pay Runs & Processing Walk through processing a standard pay run. Handle bonuses, terminations, leave taken and corrections. Adjust and re-report past pays. 4. Leave & Entitlements Annual, sick, long service, and custom leave setup (eg. RDOs). Track balances and automate accruals. Process leave taken in pays. 5. Superannuation Set up super funds and attach to employee profiles with their member number. Lodge super via SuperStream (using Payday Super or Super Fund Deposits). Set up salary sacrifice as super. Review contribution history and resolve issues. 6. STP (Single Touch Payroll) Confirm whether Online Services credentials for Single Touch Payroll are set up and valid. Lodge STP and handle rejections. Use Adjust events to report changes made to past pays. EOFY finalisation process. 7. Tax & Withholding Review tax tables and TFN declarations. Apply tax variations like HECS/HELP and Working Holiday visas. Adjust PAYG manually if needed. 8. Payslips & Reporting Customise payslips (logo, notes, email settings). Run reports: PAYG, super, leave and journals. Create custom employee and pay reports if needed. 9. Security, Backups & Access Set up automatic backups (desktop and online backup options available). Review access permissions. Set up users if needed. Follow secure backup routines. 10. EOFY / BAS / Reconciliation Pre-EOFY cleanup and lodgements. Export BAS-ready reports. Use STP Adjust events to update BAS pre-fill. Reconcile super and PAYG. Process EOFY finalisation. 11. Tips, Tricks & Support Avoid common pitfalls that cost you time. Use batch tools and keyboard shortcuts. Access help and FAQs. Why Book a Yearly Training or Check Over Session? Sharpen skills and reduce payroll errors, saving you time. Ensure compliance with the ATO and Fair Work. Stay updated with new Lightning Payroll features - we are constantly improving the program to make it more efficient and user-friendly, and our training sessions mean you know how to take full advantage of these features. Receive personalised advice and setup review. Reduce time spent on support calls, as well as accounting costs. Gain peace of mind knowing your payroll setup is accurate, and configured in the way that is best suited to you and your business needs. Get Started Book your one hour training session with our friendly support team using the button below, and get going on your payroll mastery today! Book Training Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/whats-involved-in-a-trainingconsultancy-session Q: Can I Try Lightning Payroll? A: If you would like to try Lightning Payroll, we offer a free 30 day trial. Any data entered into the program during the trial period will be saved, meaning you can continue from wherever you left off if you choose purchase a license and become a subscriber. Click the appropriate link to download your trial now. Windows Mac Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/can-i-try-lightning-payroll Q: How Do Lightning Payroll Invoices Work? A: Lightning Payroll issues tax invoices based on the type of subscription and payment method you choose. Here's how invoicing generally works for our services: Subscription Invoicing Annual subscriptions can be paid by credit card (Visa or Mastercard) or by direct EFT bank transfer. Monthly subscriptions must be paid by credit card and will automatically renew on the expiry date, unless cancelled beforehand. Invoices are emailed to the account holder once payment has been processed. If you are on a monthly subscription, you'll receive a new invoice each month. Annual subscriptions generate an invoice at the time of purchase or renewal. If you have an auto-renewing annual subscription, an invoice will be sent to you 30 days before the expiry date. Non-Recurring Services Some one-off services like training or custom development are also invoiced individually and do not automatically renew. For a full list of our products and pricing, visit our Pricing Page. Auto-Renewals Monthly subscriptions renew automatically each month. Annual subscriptions also auto-renew unless cancelled before the expiry date. If you've cancelled your subscription and wish to renew, you'll need to purchase a new one manually through our Buy Now Page. Correcting Invoice Details If an invoice was generated with incorrect information (e.g. business name or address), the steps to update it will depend on how the payment was made: Bank Deposit: You can either update your details and create a new order, or contact us to edit the existing invoice. Manual Credit Card: Update your details before making the payment. The invoice will reflect the new details. Auto-Renewal: Please contact us. We can update the existing invoice if needed. To edit details on the invoice yourself as referred to above, go to Login >> Client Login on our website and click Edit your account information. If you have any questions about an invoice you've received, feel free to Contact Us. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-lightning-payroll-invoices-work Q: Can You Check Over My Whole Lightning Payroll Setup? A: Our support team is happy to help with normal day to day Lightning Payroll questions, troubleshooting, and product guidance. However, a full payroll setup review is outside standard free support.If you want a deeper walkthrough of your file, we offer paid training and consulting sessions. These are useful for:Reviewing payroll settings in detailChecking employee setup, leave configuration, and reporting workflowsExplaining features that are relevant to your businessHelping you understand where your local payroll rules need to be applied in the softwareBook a sessionWhat free support includesQ and A: help using the softwareTroubleshooting: help with common errors and workflow issuesProduct guidance: assistance finding the correct screen, report, or featureOur team can usually confirm software behaviour, current versions, and where to enter settings, but employers remain responsible for the correctness of pay rates, entitlements, classifications, and compliance choices in their own payroll.To help check for common setup issues, use the built in Data Validation tool under Tools >> Data Validation.For broader guidance, you can also browse the support page and support policy. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/can-you-check-over-my-whole-lightning-payroll-setup Q: How Can I Set Birthday Reminders? A: If you would like to create a birthday reminder for active employees, go to Settings >> Reminders. Tick the box for Birthday Reminders On, which is located at the bottom-left of this screen. Select how many days notice you wish to have, then click on Create Birthday Reminders For Active Employees. This will add a birthday reminder for all active employees. You can edit each reminder by clicking on the pencil icon and saving those changes; you can also remove reminders for individual employees by clicking the red X in line with their reminder if you/they do not wish to have a birthday reminder for them. You can remove all reminders quickly by unticking Birthday Reminders On at the bottom-left of the screen. When entering into Lightning Payroll at the time each reminder is set, you will be notified of the birthday reminder by way of a pop up. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-set-birthday-reminders Q: Can I Purchase Lighting Payroll For Less Than A Year? A: Yes, Lightning Payroll is available as either a monthly or annual subscription. You can choose the subscription term that best suits your needs when purchasing or renewing. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/can-i-purchase-lighting-payroll-for-less-than-a-year Q: How Do I Enable Dark Mode in Lightning Payroll? A: Dark mode is available across all versions of Lightning Payroll, including the desktop, web, and mobile apps, as well as our website. To enable dark mode in the app: Go to Settings >> Display/Time Settings. Tick the box labelled Use Dark Mode?. Important Notes: For Windows and macOS desktop apps, it's recommended to restart the application after changing this setting. On macOS, we recommend matching Lightning Payroll's dark mode setting with your system theme for a consistent experience. The app does not automatically detect or follow the system theme. Our website also supports dark mode. Look for the sun/moon icon in the upper right-hand corner at www.lightningpayroll.com.au to switch between light and dark themes. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-enable-dark-mode-in-lightning-payroll Q: What Options Are Available When Emailing Employees? A: Lightning Payrolls also allows you to configure additional preferences for emailing employees. To view this options, go to Employees > Details > Email Options. In this menu, you have the following options: Alternate email: Entering another email here specifically to send payslips to. Email Payslips?: This tickbox lets you choose whether you want the employee to receive payslips by email or not. Email payment summaries: This tickbox will also allow you to email PAYG payment summaries/group certificates directly to employees at the end of financial year. (Note that PAYG payment summaries/group certificates are no longer necessary, as EOFY finalisation is done through Single Touch Payroll, and the information goes directly to employees' MyGov accounts for processing.) Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-options-are-available-when-emailing-employees Q: Where I Can Access Early Releases of an Upcoming Lightning Payroll Desktop Version? A: Occasionally we provide users with early beta access to upcoming versions of Lightning Payroll desktop. These future releases can be downloaded from the following links: Windows Prerelease Download (64 bit) Windows Prerelease Download (32 bit) Mac Prerelease Download Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/where-i-can-access-early-releases-of-an-upcoming-lightning-payroll-desktop-version Q: What History Tracking Tools Are Available In Lightning Payroll? A: Did you know that there are several tools in Lightning Payroll to help you track changes made to your data and files? Below are some of the main ones: Change History (Under the upper Tools menu) The Change History tool records the creation, deletion, and modification of many data classes throughout the program. You can track when the program is opened, and when an employee's settings are changed. Simply enter the date range of the data change, choose a category, click Print Report, and off you go. The change history can be manually deleted/flushed if you wish, since it can take up a fair chunk of your database size, which sometimes affects performance (i.e., causes latency). Deleting the change history will not affect your payroll data in any way. Direct Entry Saved File Report This report lets you track information about direct entry files made for payment of wages or super. You can see when and where files were saved, and what payment information (account details, reference numbers, etc.) was in the file. Machine Credential Information Report This report scans both the standard ATO keystore directory and the LP data directory for any valid M2M machine credential keystore (.xml) files. It shows all credentials in each file and their metadata. Backup History Report The backup history report provides information on all backups created and restored, giving a history of database file changes. Emails Sent Report This report gives detailed information about emails sent from the program and what settings were used. It can be very useful for troubleshooting your outgoing mail server issues and tracking what emails (payslips, reports, rosters, etc.) have been sent, when, and to whom. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-history-tracking-tools-are-available-in-lightning-payroll --- Category: HR Suite --- Q: What Should I Check First On The HR Suite Dashboard Each Week? A: The HR Suite Dashboard is the fastest weekly control point for compliance and onboarding activity. Use it as a triage board before you open individual modules. Best practice: review the dashboard at least once a week and again before each payroll finalisation window so document, policy and training gaps are not discovered late. Weekly triage order Open Missing Documents first and request outstanding mandatory files.Check Unacknowledged Policies and trigger reminders for any overdue acknowledgements.Review Overdue Checklists for onboarding/offboarding blockers.Check Overdue Training and Expiring Training so refresher tasks are issued early.Use export options to send task lists to managers or supervisors. What good looks like No overdue items in any card.Only short-term expiring items with reminders already configured.All new starters have active checklists and required document requests in progress. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-should-i-check-first-on-the-hr-suite-dashboard-each-week Q: How Do I Upload Employee Documents Correctly The First Time? A: Use Employee Files as the source of truth for contracts, licences, tickets and right-to-work evidence. Correct setup at upload time is what keeps dashboard status, reminders and requests accurate later. Step 1: Prepare the record in the document list Confirm the employee and document type are correct before upload.Use status/type filters to avoid duplicate uploads.Check whether an existing document can be updated instead of adding a second copy. Step 2: Complete all key upload fields Select the right Document Type so reminders and missing-document checks work.Set expiry dates for licences/certificates to enable expiry tracking.Set visibility: Employer Only for internal records, employee-visible for shared documents.Add clear filenames to improve search and audit reviews. Step 3: Validate the employee-side outcome After upload, check the employee portal view for visibility-sensitive files. If the employee cannot see a document you intended to share, review visibility settings first. Common mistakes to avoid Uploading under the wrong employee.Leaving expiry blank for time-limited evidence.Choosing the wrong visibility and creating unnecessary follow-up. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-upload-employee-documents-correctly-the-first-time Q: How Do I Follow Up Missing Mandatory Documents? A: The Missing Documents view turns compliance gaps into an action list. Use it to request exactly what is missing instead of manually checking each employee profile. Recommended workflow Sort by the highest-risk document types first (for example right-to-work or licences).Use Request for each missing item.Set internal follow-up reminders for requests still open after your policy window.Recheck this screen weekly until the row clears. Escalation pattern that works Day 0: send request.Day 3-5: first reminder to employee and manager.Day 7+: escalate based on internal compliance policy. When requests are completed, the row drops out automatically and dashboard counts update without manual list maintenance. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-follow-up-missing-mandatory-documents Q: How Do I Publish Policies And Track Employee Acknowledgements? A: Policy management in HR Suite follows a clean lifecycle: draft, publish, and acknowledge. Keeping each stage explicit helps with auditability. Step 1: Maintain policy status from the list Create new content as Draft while wording is still in review.Use category naming consistently so employees can find related policies.Check version numbers and updated dates before publishing changes. Step 2: Finalise and publish the current version Confirm policy scope and expectations are complete.Publish only after internal approval so employees see stable wording.Use reminders for policies that require acknowledgement by a deadline. Step 3: Verify employee acknowledgement progress Employees open the published policy in the portal and acknowledge that version. Unacknowledged policies remain visible in compliance views until completed. If acknowledgement numbers are not moving Check the policy is published (not draft).Confirm employees have HR portal access permissions.Review reminder rule setup for policy acknowledgements. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-publish-policies-and-track-employee-acknowledgements Q: How Do I Build Effective Onboarding And Offboarding Templates? A: Checklist templates are reusable process blueprints. Invest time here once, then launch consistent onboarding/offboarding checklists for every employee. Step 1: Keep template library clean Separate Onboarding and Offboarding templates clearly.Deactivate old templates instead of deleting historical process definitions.Use descriptive template names aligned with teams or role families. Step 2: Design tasks for real execution Assign ownership per task (admin, manager, employee).Include due timing relative to start/end dates.Link related documents or training items where required.Write task descriptions so completion criteria are unambiguous. Step 3: Launch from template Choose the employee, select the template and set the reference date. This creates a live checklist instance with a complete progress trail. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-build-effective-onboarding-and-offboarding-templates Q: How Do I Manage A Live Checklist To Completion? A: The Checklist Detail page is your operational board for each active onboarding/offboarding run. Use it to drive status, notes and final sign-off. What to update during execution Move each task through Not Started, In Progress and Completed.Add notes whenever work is blocked or completed with exceptions.Use linked documents/training references to confirm dependencies were met.Review overdue items with responsible role owners each week. Sign-off controls Only sign off after every required task is complete. Sign-off marks the checklist as closed and is what converts progress tracking into a durable compliance outcome. Operational tip If a checklist repeatedly stalls on the same task, update the template task definition so future runs are easier to complete. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-manage-a-live-checklist-to-completion Q: How Do I Configure Training From Catalogue To Evidence? A: Training compliance works best when you treat catalogue setup, assignment and records as one pipeline rather than separate tasks. Step 1: Build clean catalogue entries Define training name, category and provider clearly.Set mandatory flag where completion is compulsory.Set default validity period to automate expiry calculations. Catalogue detail is where consistency starts. Poor naming here makes assignment and reporting harder later. Step 2: Assign and monitor due dates Assign by employee and set a realistic due date.Use status to identify active, completed and lapsed assignments.Coordinate with reminder rules for pre-expiry alerts. Step 3: Save completion records Record completion and expiry data as soon as evidence is received to keep dashboard alerts accurate. Step 4: Collect employee evidence Employees can upload evidence from the portal, reducing manual back-and-forth with HR administrators. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-configure-training-from-catalogue-to-evidence Q: How Do I Configure And Process Reimbursement Claims? A: The reimbursement flow is category setup first, then claim entry, review and payment outcome. Clear category structure is what keeps approvals and reporting clean. Step 1: Define categories used by employees Create categories that match your internal expense policy.Retire or deactivate outdated categories to prevent misuse.Use clear descriptions so employees choose correctly. Step 2: Enter claims with complete detail Capture amount, date, category and business purpose.Attach receipts where required by policy.Select the correct payment method for payroll or separate payment. Step 3: Review claim pipeline Use the claims list to monitor pending and approved items so reimbursements do not sit unresolved. Step 4: Final review and decision Open each claim, validate evidence, add review notes and approve/reject. This produces a clear audit trail for reimbursement decisions. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-configure-and-process-reimbursement-claims Q: How Do I Use Template Library And Document Studio Together? A: Template Library accelerates authoring. Document Studio finalises presentation and export. Used together, they reduce policy/document drafting time significantly. Step 1: Find a high-quality starting template Search by keyword or filter by family/tag.Prefer templates matching your jurisdiction and use case.Check whether your company already adopted a similar template to avoid duplication. Step 2: Preview before adoption Review structure and wording first, then adopt only when the template is a strong base for your business context. Step 3: Adopt into your company library Adoption creates a company-owned draft so you can tailor without changing the shared source template. Step 4: Edit and refine company draft Adjust structure, wording and process detail for your business model before publishing or issuing. Step 5: Finalise in Document Studio Apply style profiles, preview output and export DOCX/PDF/HTML as needed for policy rollout or recordkeeping. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-use-template-library-and-document-studio-together Q: How Do Reminder Rules And Audit Log Work Together? A: Reminder rules drive proactive follow-up. The audit log provides proof of what changed, when, and by whom. You need both for reliable HR compliance operations. Step 1: Configure reminder coverage Create rules for missing documents, document expiry, policy acknowledgement, checklist overdue and training expiry.Set lead time based on risk (for example 30 days before expiry).Choose recipient mix: admin only, employee only, or both. Step 2: Tune cadence and ownership Use repeat intervals for high-risk items and keep owner responsibility clear so alerts result in action. Step 3: Validate with audit history Confirm key actions (publish, acknowledge, upload, approve) are recorded.Use audit entries during internal reviews and incident follow-up.Cross-check reminders fired before classifying an item as non-compliant. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-reminder-rules-and-audit-log-work-together Q: How Do Employees Complete HR Tasks In The Employee Portal? A: Employees complete key HR actions directly from the portal: upload requested documents, acknowledge policies, and provide training evidence. Documents Employees can see requests raised by HR and upload files against each request.Shared documents are available for download when visibility allows. Policies Employees open each published policy and acknowledge the current version.Acknowledgement status feeds admin compliance dashboards. Training Assigned training appears with due dates.Evidence uploads support completion record updates. Admin follow-up tip If employees report missing tasks, check feature permissions in the employee profile and confirm HR Suite add-on access is enabled. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-employees-complete-hr-tasks-in-the-employee-portal Q: What Is The Recommended First-Week HR Suite Setup Sequence? A: For new HR Suite rollouts, use this sequence to avoid partial configuration and reduce rework. Recommended sequence Configure document types and upload critical employee documents.Create or adopt core policies, then publish required versions.Set up onboarding/offboarding checklist templates.Seed mandatory training catalogue items and assign initial training.Configure reimbursement categories if expense claims are in scope.Activate reminder rules for documents, policies, checklists and training. End-of-week verification Dashboard cards show expected counts.At least one end-to-end test completed for document request, policy acknowledgement, and training evidence upload.Reminder emails confirmed with internal recipients. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-is-the-recommended-first-week-hr-suite-setup-sequence Q: How Does HR Suite Handle AU And NZ Differences In Practice? A: HR Suite workflows are shared across Australia and New Zealand. The main variation is the content pack and policy/training wording adopted by your company. What changes by country Template examples and legal wording defaults can be AU, NZ or shared.Some policy/process templates are intentionally jurisdiction-specific.Company-level configuration determines which country-specific examples are surfaced first. What stays the same Document requests, policy acknowledgement, checklists, training assignments and reminders use the same operational flow.Dashboard and audit tracking operate consistently for both regions. Use site_mode='both' when instructions are operationally identical, and split FAQs only when process or wording differs materially by jurisdiction. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-does-hr-suite-handle-au-and-nz-differences-in-practice Q: UI Reference: How Do I Navigate Every HR Suite Section And Sub-Tab? A: This reference lists all customer-interactable navigation controls in the HR Suite admin module so teams can find every section quickly. Main left navigation sections DashboardEmployee FilesPolicies & ProceduresOnboarding & OffboardingTraining & EducationExpense ClaimsTemplate LibrarySettings Section sub-tabs Employee Files: All Documents, Missing DocumentsOnboarding & Offboarding: Active Checklists, TemplatesTraining & Education: Catalogue, Assignments, RecordsSettings: Reminders, Expense Categories, Audit Log Dashboard clickable controls Export All CSVCard click-through for Missing Documents, Expiring Documents, Unacknowledged Policies, Overdue Checklists, Overdue Training, Expiring TrainingPer-card Export CSV button when card count is above zero Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/ui-reference-how-do-i-navigate-every-hr-suite-section-and-sub-tab Q: UI Reference: Which Controls Exist In Employee Files And Missing Documents? A: This control reference covers all interactive fields and actions in All Documents, Upload HR Document, and Missing Mandatory Documents. All Documents controls Upload Document buttonFilter by Status: All Statuses, Current, Expiring Soon, Expired, Pending, ArchivedFilter by Type: All Types plus configured document typesRow actions: Download and Archive (non-archived rows) Upload HR Document modal controls Employee * selectDocument Type * selectFile * upload field (extension/type/size validation)Issue Date date fieldExpiry Date date fieldVisibility select: Employer Only, Employer and EmployeeNotes textareaFooter buttons: Cancel, Upload Missing Mandatory Documents controls Per-row Request button to send document requests to employees Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/ui-reference-which-controls-exist-in-employee-files-and-missing-documents Q: UI Reference: Which Controls Exist In Policies & Procedures? A: This reference covers all interactive controls in Policies, Policy Editor, and the Publish Policy modal. Policy list controls Create Policy buttonPer-row actions: Edit, Publish (draft policies), View Acknowledgements (published policies) Policy editor controls Top actions: Cancel, Save Draft, PublishStart From Policy Example select and Load Example button (create mode)Title * inputCategory select: General, Leave, Health & Safety, Work Health & Safety, Code of Conduct, Anti-Discrimination, Privacy, IT & Security, Remuneration, OtherUse HTML editor checkboxKey Policy Fields: Policy Owner, Approval Path, Review Trigger, Version LabelApply Fields To Content buttonContent editor (HTML or plain text mode) Publish Policy modal controls Effective Date * fieldChange Summary fieldFooter buttons: Cancel, Publish Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/ui-reference-which-controls-exist-in-policies-procedures Q: UI Reference: Which Controls Exist In Onboarding & Offboarding Checklists? A: This reference covers checklist template controls, checklist launch controls, and live checklist task controls. Checklist template list controls Create Template buttonFilter by Type: All Types, Onboarding, OffboardingPer-row actions: Edit, Activate/Deactivate, Delete Checklist template editor controls Top actions: Cancel, Create Template or Update TemplateStart From Checklist Example select and Load ExampleTemplate Name *Type *: Onboarding, OffboardingAdd Task buttonTask row fields: Title *, Description, Assigned To (Admin/Manager/Employee), Due OffsetTask row actions: Move Up, Move Down, Remove Task Active checklist list + Start modal controls Start Checklist buttonFilters: Filter by Status (All, Active, Completed, Cancelled), Filter by Type (All, Onboarding, Offboarding)Per-row View Details actionStart modal fields: Employee *, Template (including No template/blank checklist), Type *, Reference Date *Start modal buttons: Cancel, Start Checklist detail controls Back navigation buttonSign Off button (available when all tasks are completed and checklist is active)Per-task Status select: Not Started, In Progress, CompletedPer-task Notes input (Add notes...) Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/ui-reference-which-controls-exist-in-onboarding-offboarding-checklists Q: UI Reference: Which Controls Exist In Training & Education? A: This reference covers all customer-interactable controls in Catalogue, Assignments, and Records. Catalogue controls Seed Defaults button (when catalogue is empty)Add Training Item buttonPer-row actions: Edit, Delete Add/Edit Training Item modal controls Start From Training Example select + Load Example (create mode)Name *CategoryProviderValidity (months)Mandatory for all employees checkboxFooter buttons: Cancel, Create/Update Assignments controls Assign Training buttonPer-row Delete assignment action Assign Training modal controls Training Item * selectEmployees * multi-select (Ctrl/Cmd for multi-select)Due DateFooter buttons: Cancel, Assign Records controls Add Record buttonPer-row Download Evidence (where available)Per-row Delete Record Add Training or Education Record modal controls Employee * selectRecord Title * section with Use custom title (for education, degrees, certificates) toggleCustom text field or training dropdown depending on toggleCompletion Date *Expiry DateResult: Attended, Passed, Failed, N/AProviderNotesFooter buttons: Cancel, Save Record Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/ui-reference-which-controls-exist-in-training-education Q: UI Reference: Which Controls Exist In Expense Claims And Categories? A: This reference covers controls for both Reimbursement Claims and Reimbursement Categories. Reimbursement claim list controls New Claim buttonFilter by Employee selectFilter by Status select: All, Pending, Approved, Rejected, PaidPer-row actions: View / Edit, Approve (pending), Reject (pending), Download Receipt (when available), Delete (pending/rejected) New Reimbursement Claim modal controls Employee *Category *Description *Amount *Expense Date *Payment Method: Add to Next Pay, Separate PaymentReceipt uploadFooter buttons: Cancel, Create Claim Review Reimbursement Claim modal controls Download Receipt button (if attached)Admin Notes textareaDecision buttons (pending claims): Reject, ApproveFooter navigation: Cancel Reimbursement category controls Seed Defaults button (when category list is empty)New Category buttonPer-row actions: Edit, Delete New/Edit Category modal controls Name *DescriptionActive checkboxFooter buttons: Cancel, Create/Update Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/ui-reference-which-controls-exist-in-expense-claims-and-categories Q: UI Reference: Which Controls Exist In Settings (Reminders And Audit Log)? A: This reference covers all customer-interactable controls in Reminder Rules and Audit Log. Reminder rules list controls Add Rule buttonPer-row actions: Edit, Delete Add/Edit Reminder Rule modal controls Rule Type *: Document Expiry, Missing Document, Policy Acknowledgement, Checklist Overdue, Training ExpiryDays Before *Repeat Interval (days) (optional)Checkboxes: Notify Admin, Notify Employee, ActiveFooter buttons: Cancel, Create/Update Audit log controls Filter by Entity selectFilter by Action selectRefresh buttonRow click interaction to expand/collapse JSON detail payloads where detail is available Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/ui-reference-which-controls-exist-in-settings-reminders-and-audit-log Q: UI Reference: Which Controls Exist In Template Library, AI, And Document Studio? A: This reference documents every interactive control in Template Library, including AI settings/customisation and Document Studio export tooling. Library list controls AI Settings buttonFilter/search controls: Search, Family, Tag, and Search action buttonPer-template actions: Preview, AdoptCompany-adopted template actions: Edit Draft, Clone, Customise with AI, Document Studio / Export Template Preview modal controls Read-only preview sections: Template Structure, Example Draft Document, and Related TemplatesModal close controls: top-right X and standard modal close behaviour Adopt/Edit draft controls Adopt Template modal fields: Destination, Company Template TitleDestination options: Company HR Content, Policy Library (Draft Policy), Checklist Library (Template), Training Library (Catalogue Item), Document Template Library (Document Type)Edit draft modal fields: Title, Guidance Notes, Draft ContentCommon modal actions: Cancel, Adopt, Save Draft AI Settings controls OpenAI API KeyModelEnable AI customisation checkboxActions: Cancel, Save Settings Customise with AI controls Customisation RequestBusiness ContextIndustryToneRisk FocusQuick Actions checkboxes: Make this suitable for retail hospitality; Adapt for a small NZ employer; Make language more formal; Simplify wording for employees; Add a manager procedure section; Tailor for hybrid workAI Draft Output editorActions: Close, Generate Draft, Save to Company Draft Document Studio controls Style profile controls: Saved Style Profiles, Profile Name, Apply, Save New, Update Selected, Set Default, ArchiveExport setup controls: Export Format, Document Title, Subtitle, Header Note, Accent Color, Font Family, Brand Name Override, Support Email Override, Support Phone Override, Max Content Lines (0 = all)Export format options: DOCX, PDF, RTF, HTML, TXT, MDCheckbox options: Include Logo, Include Disclaimer, Include Structure Summary, Include Support FooterPreview and export controls: Refresh Preview, Document Preview pane, Close, Export Document Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/ui-reference-which-controls-exist-in-template-library-ai-and-document-studio --- Category: Leave --- Q: How Do I Set Up Leave Settings, Work Pattern, And Standard Hours? A: Leave setup in Lightning Payroll is different from the AU leave screen. The employee leave settings focus on annual holidays, sick leave, work pattern, and standard hours instead of Australian leave loading and long service leave options.Where to set this upOpen the employee, then go to Leave and review the leave settings there.Main settings to reviewAnnual holidays per year: normally 4 weeks for employees.Standard hours per week and hours per day: these help Lightning Payroll convert leave between weeks, days, and hours.Work pattern / working days: use this to reflect the employee's ordinary working pattern.Sick leave settings: review the qualifying period and any carryover cap.Important behaviourLightning Payroll uses the leave model and hides Australian-only controls such as leave loading, super on leave loading, and long service leave settings. That means it is important to enter the work pattern and standard hours accurately, because those values influence how leave balances and leave taken are displayed and valued. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-set-up-leave-settings-work-pattern-and-standard-hours Q: What Does Pay Annual Holidays As You Go Mean? A: Pay annual holidays as you go is a leave setting used for employees whose annual holiday entitlement is being paid out progressively instead of building up as an accrued balance.How it works in Lightning PayrollWhen this setting is enabled for the employee, Lightning Payroll treats annual holidays as paid-as-you-go and uses the holiday pay percentage for those payments. In this setup, annual holiday weeks do not build up in the normal accrued way.When to use itThis is usually only appropriate where the employee's arrangement genuinely allows annual holidays to be paid as you go under rules. It is not the normal setup for a standard ongoing employee who should accrue annual holidays over time.Before turning it onConfirm that the employee is one of the cases where paid-as-you-go annual holidays is appropriate.Check the holiday pay percentage on the employee record.Make sure you understand that the annual holiday balance will not behave like a normal accrued entitlement while this option is enabled.If you are not sure, get payroll advice before changing this setting, because it directly affects the employee's annual holiday treatment. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-does-pay-annual-holidays-as-you-go-mean Q: How Do Sick Leave Wait Months And Carryover Cap Work? A: Lightning Payroll includes specific sick leave settings so you can control when sick leave starts becoming available and how much unused sick leave can carry forward.Sick leave wait monthsThis setting controls the qualifying period before sick leave is granted. A common setup is a qualifying period of 6 months. Until that point is reached, the employee does not receive the sick leave grant.Sick leave carryover cap daysThis setting limits how many unused sick leave days can accumulate. For example, if the cap is 20 days, Lightning Payroll will stop carrying forward additional sick leave once that cap has effectively been reached.How Lightning Payroll uses these settingsIt uses the wait period when calculating due sick leave grants.It applies the carryover cap when deciding how much further sick leave can be inserted into the balance.These settings help the leave balances reflect the employer's intended entitlement rules inside the desktop app. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-sick-leave-wait-months-and-carryover-cap-work Q: How Do I Enter Leave Taken, Alternative Holidays, And Due Grants? A: Lightning Payroll gives extra tools around leave taken so you can work with units, Alternative Holidays, and due leave grants directly from the pay screen.Entering leave takenWhen you add leave taken in a pay, Lightning Payroll can show specific units such as weeks, days, or hours depending on the leave type. It also calculates valuation information so you can see how the leave pay is being worked out.Alternative HolidaysIf a public holiday falls within the pay run and the employee worked what would otherwise have been a working day, Lightning Payroll can prompt you to record an Alternative Holiday. You can also use the button in the leave section of the pay to record an Alternative Holiday manually.Insert due grantsThe leave balances area can show an Insert due grants button when leave grants are ready to be added. This helps drop any owed annual holiday or sick leave grants into the balances as of the selected date.Practical tipMake sure the employee's work pattern, hours per week, and hours per day are set correctly first, because those values affect how leave quantities and valuations are converted and displayed. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-enter-leave-taken-alternative-holidays-and-due-grants Q: What Does The Valuation Field Mean When Entering Leave Taken? A: The leave taken dialog can show a Valuation field. This explains how Lightning Payroll is valuing the leave payment for that entry.What the valuation can showAWE means Average Weekly Earnings.OWP means Ordinary Weekly Pay.RDP means Relevant Daily Pay.ADP means Average Daily Pay.Lightning Payroll uses the valuation snapshot to work out the recommended hourly rate for the leave based on the employee's work pattern, hours, and the leave quantity entered.Important detailThe rate is still editable. If you manually override the suggested rate, Lightning Payroll keeps the override, but the valuation field is still useful as the explanation of what the normal calculation was using. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-does-the-valuation-field-mean-when-entering-leave-taken Q: What Does The "How Is This Balance Calculated?" Button Show? A: The leave balances area includes a How is this balance calculated? button. It opens a breakdown of how Lightning Payroll is viewing the employee's leave position as of the selected date.What the breakdown includesAnnual Holidays balance in weeksSick leave balance in daysAlternative Holiday balance in daysThe anniversary window, including the last and next anniversary datesProjected annual holiday entitlement since the last anniversaryRecent payout snapshot notes, such as AWE or OWP used for annual holiday payoutsWhy this is usefulThis view helps explain why the visible balance looks the way it does and whether there are due grants still waiting to be inserted. It is especially helpful when reviewing anniversary-based annual holidays or checking historical payout methods. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-does-the-how-is-this-balance-calculated-button-show Q: What Does "Cash Up Annual Holidays?" Mean? A: The leave taken dialog includes a Cash up annual holidays? option for annual holidays. This is for situations where annual holidays are being paid out without the employee actually taking time off work.How it behaves in Lightning PayrollWhen you tick this option, the leave entry is treated as a cash-up rather than time away from work. That means the entry is not handled like ordinary time-off leave in the pay.Before using itOnly use it for a genuine annual holiday cash-up situation.Check that the leave type is annual holidays, not some other leave type.Review the quantity and valuation carefully before saving the pay.If the employee is actually taking leave from work, leave this option unticked and enter the leave as normal time off instead. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-does-cash-up-annual-holidays-mean Q: Which Leave Types Are Available When Entering Leave Taken? A: Mode provides a leave-taken list that is tailored for payroll rather than the AU leave menu.Leave types you may seeAnnual HolidaysSickAlternative HolidayBereavementFamily ViolencePublic HolidayUnpaidLong Service, where relevant in your setupWhy this mattersDifferent leave types can use different units, balances, and valuation rules. For example, annual holidays, sick leave, and Alternative Holidays are part of the balance model, while other leave types are mainly about recording the correct payment and leave classification in the pay.If you are unsure which leave type to choose, start with the legal or payroll reason for the leave first, then select the matching leave type in Lightning Payroll. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/which-leave-types-are-available-when-entering-leave-taken Q: How Do I Record An Alternative Holiday? A: Lightning Payroll includes specific support for Alternative Holidays when an employee works on a public holiday that would otherwise have been a working day for them.How Lightning Payroll helpsIf a public holiday falls within the pay run, Lightning Payroll can prompt you that an Alternative Holiday may be owed.You can also use the Record Alternative Holiday earned button in the leave balances area of the pay.If there is more than one public holiday in the period, Lightning Payroll lets you choose which public holiday the Alternative Holiday relates to.What gets recordedWhen saved, the Alternative Holiday is added to the employee's leave balances so it can later be taken or reviewed like the other leave entitlements.This is separate from simply paying a public holiday in the pay. Use the Alternative Holiday feature when the employee has earned a future day in lieu. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-record-an-alternative-holiday Q: When Are Annual Holiday Weeks Granted To An Employee? A: Annual holidays accrue under the Holidays Act as a grant of weeks on each employment anniversary. Lightning Payroll calculates and adds the grant automatically when the anniversary passes.Standard entitlementEach employee receives four weeks of annual holidays on the anniversary of their employment start date.Some agreements specify five weeks (often the case in the public sector or for senior staff); set the higher figure on the employee leave settings.The grant is added to the leave balance even if the employee has not used last year's entitlement.Projected balance vs granted balanceBetween anniversaries, the leave tab shows a projected since last anniversary figure - this is the partial accrual toward the next grant.The projected figure is display-only; it cannot be cashed up or taken until the anniversary passes and the grant lands on the balance.How to see what has been grantedOpen the employee and go to the Leave tab.Click How is this balance calculated? to see the full grant schedule.Each row shows the grant date, leave type, quantity, and source (anniversary, opening balance, manual adjustment).If a grant is missing or wrongCheck the employee's start date and last anniversary date are correct.Click Insert Due Grants to backfill any anniversary that has passed but did not grant automatically.Use the manual adjustment dialog to record a correction if needed. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/when-are-annual-holiday-weeks-granted-to-an-employee Q: How Does Lightning Payroll Choose Between Average Weekly Earnings And Ordinary Weekly Pay? A: When an employee takes annual holidays, the Holidays Act says they should be paid at the higher of Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) or Ordinary Weekly Pay (OWP). Lightning Payroll calculates both and uses the higher figure automatically.Average Weekly Earnings (AWE)Calculated as the gross earnings over the last 52 weeks divided by 52.Includes regular wages, allowances that are part of normal pay, bonuses, commissions, and most other taxable payments.The 52-week lookback uses historic gross earnings if the employee was migrated from another payroll.Ordinary Weekly Pay (OWP)The employee's normal weekly pay, calculated from the last 4 weeks of earnings.Used when the employee's normal weekly pay is clearly defined (e.g. salaried staff on a steady wage).If the last 4 weeks are not representative, Lightning Payroll falls back to a formula based on ordinary hours and rate.How the valuation appearsWhen you enter annual holidays in the leave taken dialog, the valuation note shows which method was chosen and the weekly rate used. If AWE is higher, AWE is applied; if OWP is higher, OWP is applied.Manual overrideThe rate field on the leave taken dialog is editable, so you can override the calculated rate for a specific case (e.g. when an unusual one-off payment has skewed AWE). Use this sparingly and document why.The same valuation logic applies when annual holidays are paid out at termination. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-does-lightning-payroll-choose-between-average-weekly-earnings-and-ordinary-weekly-pay Q: How Are Alternative Holidays Valued Compared To Annual Holidays? A: Alternative holidays (also called "days in lieu") are valued in days, not weeks, and use a different formula from annual holidays. Lightning Payroll picks between Relevant Daily Pay and Average Daily Pay when paying one out.Relevant Daily Pay (RDP)The amount the employee would have earned if they had worked the day.Used when it is clear from the work pattern what the employee would have been paid - e.g. a salaried employee on a fixed schedule.Includes the regular daily wage plus any productivity payments or commissions for the day.Average Daily Pay (ADP)Calculated as gross earnings over the last 52 weeks divided by the number of days worked in that period.Used when RDP cannot be determined - e.g. variable hours, casuals, or commission-heavy roles.Which one Lightning Payroll usesIf the employee's ordinary hours per day are set and the work pattern is clear, RDP is used.If the daily figure cannot be derived from ordinary hours, ADP is used.The chosen method and rate are shown in the valuation note on the leave taken dialog and on the termination wizard.Differences from annual holidaysAnnual holidays use a weekly rate (AWE or OWP); alternative holidays use a daily rate (RDP or ADP).Annual holidays accrue automatically on anniversary; alternative holidays are granted only when an employee works a public holiday on what would have been an otherwise working day.Alternative holidays do not expire but can be cashed up after 12 months if both employer and employee agree. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-are-alternative-holidays-valued-compared-to-annual-holidays Q: Why Are Leave Balances Shown In Weeks Or Days Instead Of Hours? A: The Holidays Act expresses leave entitlements in weeks (annual holidays) and days (sick leave, alternative holidays, bereavement). Lightning Payroll displays balances in those native units so the figures match what is legally owed.Native units by leave typeAnnual holidays: weeks (typically 4 weeks per year).Sick leave: days (10 days per year once the qualifying period is met).Alternative holidays: days (granted when a public holiday is worked).Bereavement leave: days, awarded per qualifying event.Family violence leave: days.Conversion to hours on the payWhen leave is taken inside a pay, Lightning Payroll converts the weeks or days into hours so the pay shows the right hours and dollar value. The conversion uses the employee's ordinary hours per week and hours per working day.Why not just store hours?The Holidays Act calculations (AWE vs OWP, RDP vs ADP) operate on weeks and days, not hours.Hourly tracking can drift when the employee's work pattern changes mid-year; weeks and days stay correct.Public holiday entitlements are expressed in days regardless of how many hours an employee works that day.If you need an hours figure for an external report, multiply the days by the hours per working day from the employee's leave settings. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-are-leave-balances-shown-in-weeks-or-days-instead-of-hours Q: How Do I Manually Adjust An Employee's Leave Balance? A: Most leave balance changes happen automatically as anniversaries pass and leave is taken. For corrections - e.g. a back-dated adjustment or fixing a migration error - Lightning Payroll has a manual adjustment dialog.How to record a manual adjustmentOpen the employee and go to the Leave tab.Click Manual leave adjustment.Pick the leave type (annual holidays, sick, alternative holidays).Pick the unit (weeks for annual holidays, days for sick and alternative).Enter a positive quantity to add or a negative quantity to subtract.Enter a short note explaining the adjustment (recommended for audit).Save the adjustment.Things to checkThe adjustment is dated as at today by default; back-date it if the correction belongs in an earlier period.Adjustments appear in the grant schedule under the How is this balance calculated? button.If the employee was migrated with the wrong opening balance, edit the opening balance directly instead of recording a manual adjustment.Why you can't edit balances directlyThe leave tab shows a calculated balance from the grant schedule and leave taken - it is not a typed figure. Direct editing would lose the audit trail of how the balance reached its current value. Manual adjustments keep that trail intact.For payroll-wide corrections (e.g. adjusting many employees), contact support before bulk-applying adjustments. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-manually-adjust-an-employees-leave-balance Q: How Do I Set A Custom Work Pattern For An Employee Who Doesn't Work Monday To Friday? A: Lightning Payroll derives the employee's work pattern from their ordinary hours, but you can override it manually for staff with non-standard schedules. The work pattern affects leave display, public holiday entitlement, and Relevant Daily Pay calculations.How to set a manual work patternOpen the employee and go to the Leave tab.Tick Manually set work pattern.Select the days of the week the employee normally works.Set the ordinary hours per working day if the employee works the same hours each day, or use the per-day override fields for variable patterns.Save the employee.What the work pattern controlsPublic holiday entitlement: if a public holiday falls on a day the employee normally works, it is an "otherwise working day" and they are entitled to be paid for it.Alternative holiday grants: only awarded when the employee works on a public holiday that would have been an otherwise working day.Relevant Daily Pay: the daily rate for valuing alternative holidays and some sick leave days.Leave display: sick leave days show against the work pattern when reviewing the balance.Common non-standard patternsPart-time staff working 3 days a week.Shift workers on a rotating roster - tick all days the rotation covers and set hours that reflect the average shift length.Weekend or evening-only staff.If the work pattern changes permanently, update it from the date the change took effect; previous pays are not adjusted retrospectively. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-set-a-custom-work-pattern-for-an-employee-who-doesnt-work-monday-to-friday Q: What Is The Cash-Up Weeks Remaining Tracker On An Employee's Leave Tab? A: The Holidays Act lets an employee cash up up to one week of annual holidays per entitlement year. The cash-up tracker on the leave tab shows how much of that allowance is still available.How the tracker worksThe tracker is set to one week at the start of each entitlement year (i.e. on the employment anniversary).When you record a cash-up on the leave taken dialog, the tracker decreases by the amount cashed up.It resets to one week again on the next anniversary.What "one week" meansOne week of the employee's ordinary work pattern - so for a part-time employee on three days a week, one week is three days.Cashed-up amounts use the same valuation as annual holidays taken (higher of AWE or OWP).How to cash up annual holidaysOpen Pays and the relevant pay.Open the leave taken dialog and pick Annual holidays.Tick Cash up annual holidays?Enter the weeks or days to cash up - the dialog will warn if the request exceeds the remaining tracker.Save the pay.Adjusting the tracker manuallyIf a previous payroll allowed a cash-up earlier this year and you need to record that, edit the cash-up weeks remaining this year field on the leave tab so the tracker reflects what has already been used.Cash-up requests are voluntary - both the employer and employee must agree, and the employer can decline. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-is-the-cash-up-weeks-remaining-tracker-on-an-employees-leave-tab Q: How Do I Enter Paid Parental Leave, Unpaid Leave or Worker's Compensation Payments? A: If an employee is on paid parental leave (commonly known as maternity leave), unpaid leave or on leave whilst receiving workers compensation, there are paid parental, unpaid and worker's compensation leave types that can be selected when processing pays. You can select any of these options in the Leave taken in this pay section as shown below. Once you have selected paid parental, unpaid or workers compensation, you can set the duration and the hourly rate for the leave. For paid parental leave and workers compensation, if you only have a daily or weekly rate, you can calculate the hourly rate by dividing the dollar figure by the number of hours the employee normally works in a day or week respectively. For example: If you need to pay $1000 per week and the employee typically works 38 hours per week, the hourly rate would be $1000 / 38, or $26.32. If you need to pay $150 per day and the employee typically works 8 hours per day, the hourly rate would be $150/ 8, or $18.75. Lightning Payroll will remember this hourly amount (since it is unlikely to match their normal hourly rate), and save it automatically under Employees >> Leave >> Advanced pro rata leave settings, for the next time they receive this special leave type. Clicking Save will add the leave to the pay. Super and Leave Accrual Settings Paid parental leave, unpaid leave and workers compensation may or may not attract leave accruals and superannuation depending on your state legislation or industry awards. If you need to adjust whether leave or superannuation accrues on paid parental leave or workers compensation, you can do this under Employees >> Leave >> Advanced Pro Rata Leave Settings. Note: If you're not able to select any of the advanced settings, it means the employee has not been set to accrue leave on a per hour paid (pro-rata) basis. You can turn this on under Employees >> Leave >> Leave Settings. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-enter-paid-parental-leave-unpaid-leave-or-workers-compensation-payments Q: How Do I Enter Existing Leave Balances? A: If you are new to Lightning Payroll and setting up an employee with existing leave balances, you can enter your these amounts in their first pay. Once you have gone into the Edit Pay screen for an employee, you will see the Leave Balances Edit button on the left hand side of the screen. Here is where you will be able to enter your initial balances. Previous amounts need to be added to the system generated accruals from the current pay run. For example: Let's say that the employee's leave balance on their most recent payslip shows 45 hours and 30 minutes of annual leave (45.5 hours). When you click Edit Pay >> Edit Leave Balances you will notice a small amount of leave has accrued. For example, our employee works 38 hours a week, and so they will accrue 2 hours and 55 minutes of annual leave (2.92 hours). You will need to add this amount to their leave balance as of last week. So for this example we would add 2 hours and 55 minutes to our original balance of 45 hours and 30 minutes, which will result in a total 48 hours and 25 minutes (48.42 hours). This is the updated leave balance as at the end of their first pay period inside of Lightning Payroll. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-enter-existing-leave-balances Q: How Do I Pay Leave? A: How to Pay Leave in a Pay Run To process leave for an employee: Go to the Pays section of the program. Click Edit Pay next to the relevant employee. In the Leave tab, click the green plus button to add a new leave item, or use the pencil icon to edit an existing one. Select the appropriate leave type and adjust the hours, dates, or other values as needed. Lightning Payroll will automatically reduce the employee's ordinary time hours by the amount of leave taken. This helps prevent overpayment. Paying Leave in Advance If an employee is going on leave and you'd like to pay them for the full leave period in a single pay run, you will need to adjust the tax calculation accordingly. This can be done at the bottom of the Edit Pay window by using the Spread Tax option. Enter the number of pay periods that the leave covers to calculate tax more accurately. For example, if you pay weekly and the employee is being paid for two weeks of upcoming leave plus the current week, you would enter 3.00 in the number of pay periods field. Cashing Out Leave If an employee chooses to cash out some of their annual leave or long service leave without actually taking time off, simply tick the Cash Out option when entering the leave item in their pay. Do not spread tax when paying out leave that is being cashed out. Note: Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) has special rules when cashed out, especially regarding superannuation. For more details, please see our related FAQ on How Does Super Work on Time In Lieu Leave? Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-pay-leave Q: How Do I Correct or Adjust Leave Totals? A: If one or more of an employee's leave balances have accrued incorrectly, or have been set up incorrectly/not set up at all, they can be corrected in a number of ways. We would recommend using our Recalculate Leave on Pays tool, which can be found in the Tools menu on the top left of Lightning Payroll. This tool gives you the ability to retroactively apply an employee's corrected leave settings to old pays. The tool applies the current leave settings to each pay in the time period selected, taking into account leave taken in the pays when adjusting the balances. For this tool to work correctly, it's essential that you review and/or correct employees' leave settings under Employees >> Leave >> Leave Settings prior to using the tool. This tool allows you to recalculate leave for an employee and automatically set the new balances. In the following example, David Cattermole's leave has not been calculating correctly since the beginning of January. As leave is calculated on a per pay basis, the first thing we will do when using the tool is to select the date range for the pays we wish to recalculate leave on. In this case, we have chosen the 1st of January up until the 6th of February (the end date of the most recently completed pay run). Once we've set the dates, we can proceed to the next screen and select David from the list as we wish to recalculate his leave. The next screen will show us the pays for David within the date range we set. We wish to recalculate leave on all the pays for the entire date range so we will select all (you will typically want to select all pays in most scenarios). The next window will ask us to select the leave type we wish to recalculate for David. In this example, we want to recalculate his holiday, sick and long service leave as we think they all may be incorrect for the period. The final page will display the leave recalculations for David. As you can see in the green square, the tool is displaying David's current holiday accrual in the left column and the recalculated accrual in green in the right column. The blue underline shows that for the pay ending the 6th of February, David's holiday accrual was correct as it matches the recalculated accrual. You can generate a printable report by clicking the Print/Preview button on the bottom left. To apply the recalculated amounts, simple click the Finish button on the bottom right. Alternative methods for adjusting leave balances Leave balances as at the most recent completed pay can be amended under Employees >> Leave >> Leave Entitlement Adjustments. If you know the correct balance already, simply overwrite the incorrect balance with the correct one. If the total you wish to enter is from another period of time than the most recent completed pay, you can go to Pays >> Last Pay Run >> Edit Pay >> Edit Leave Balances and adjust the balance from whichever period you like. If you don't know the total and need to recalculate, you can use Lightning Payroll's leave calculators, seen to the right-hand side of the Leave Entitlement Adjustments screen. Alternatively, you can also utilise Fairwork's online leave calculator here. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-correct-or-adjust-leave-totals Q: How Do I Add Additional or Custom Leave Types? A: You can set up custom leave types in the program for things like RDOs and Time Off in Lieu by going to Company >> Leave Balance >> Create Leave Balance and creating the leave type here. Once the leave type exists in this area, you will need to go to Employees >> Leave >> Leave Accruals and use the green plus symbol to add the recently created leave type to each employee who requires it. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-add-additional-or-custom-leave-types Q: How Can I Setup Leave Requests? A: Before your employees can make leave requests through our online employee portal you must have activated their online portal settings under Employees >> Details >> Online Portal. The two main settings you will need for leave requests are Activate This Employee's Online Portal and Allow Employee to Create Leave Requests. Note: Online portal settings can be configured for multiple employees simultaneously under Tools >> Multiple Employee Portal Settings. You can configure other settings as you wish, particularly the standard working days and leave request types to the right of the screen. How Do Employees View or Create Leave Requests? Employees can login to their personal portal here and click on the Leave tab. In the Leave section, they can view their current leave balances (if enabled within their online portal settings), along with any current or previous leave requests. Employees can search and filter through their past leave requests using the dropdown and date boxes. They can also delete pending requests and cancel any other request if need be. Editing from an employee's perspective is limited to the adding of notes. To request leave, the employee would need to click on the Request Leave button. They will then see the following form where they can enter the start and end dates for the leave, and the type of leave they wish to take. The Daily Duration section shows how many hours will be applied to each date within the leave request. If the selected leave type's balance is permitted a forecast table will be shown at the bottom. For multi-date leave requests the app will rely on the employee's Standard Working Days (default is Mon-Fri), skipping any days which are not normally worked. An employee's standard working days are configured in their Online Portal settings described above. How Do I Manage and Approve Leave Requests in Lightning Payroll? Once a leave request has been saved a notification email will be sent to the approver via the registered company email address (under Company >> Details within Lightning Payroll). You will also receive a prompt when you next enter the Pays screen within Lightning Payroll. Saying yes will show you the leave request management window, otherwise accessible via Pays >> Timeclock/Portal Sync >> Manage Leave Requests. To view, edit or approve a leave request, click the edit pencil button beside the request you wish to edit. You will be able to modify dates, leave types, status and notes within any leave request. If you forget to change the status a reminder message will appear. When you change the status of a leave request, or when you add a note to a leave request, a notification email will be sent to the employee to inform them of the change. How Do I Make A New Leave Request On An Employee's Behalf? To add a new leave request click the green plus button in the main leave requests management window. You will then be able to press the green plus in the next window to add specific dates to the request. Keep in mind a leave request may consist of multiple leave types if necessary (E.g. Annual leave and Public Holiday)  Once you have added one or more days to the request you will see them listed like the following example. Notice how if the program detects any public holidays within the leave request's dates it will make a mention. If you would like to change the leave type of any dates to public holiday (or any other leave type you might need), click the edit pencil beside the date in question. Any approved leave will then automatically add itself to pending pays, so long as the pay run start and end date contain the date of the approved leave request. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-setup-leave-requests Q: How Does Lightning Payroll Calculate Leave Accruals? A: Leave accruals in Lightning Payroll can be controlled by configuring an individual employee's settings under Employees >> Leave >> Leave Settings. Accruals can be made to occur by the pay period or by the hours worked (pro-rata). Note: Lightning Payroll applies the most common accrual settings when a new employee is created, based on the given STP employment status. Leave settings should be carefully considered to suit your employee's state and award. Each state has different LSL rules and each award can have its own particular requirements such as annual leave loading or differing entitlement days per year. While LP can assist in LSL payouts, LSL amounts often need to be calculated manually. An example of a complex difference in LSL can be seen here. Accrue by Pay Period A typical full-time employee's settings might look like this. In this example, the employee does not get annual leave loading. This employee accrues 20 days holiday leave and 10 days sick/personal leave as per the Fair Work National Employment Standards. How many hours per day this calculates is based on the employee's award hours for a full day. These are configured under Employees >> Pay Settings. The formula used by Lightning Payroll to calculate accruals for one pay run in this scenario would be: days of leave entitlements per year x award hours per day / pays per year E.g. A weekly full-time employee would accrue: Annual - 20 days X 7.6 hrs / 52 weeks = 2.92307 hours p/wk Personal - 10 days X 7.6 hrs / 52 weeks = 1.46153 hours p/wk  Long Service Leave is slightly different as it is usually required to accrue by weeks per 7, 10 or 15 years. In this case, with the 'per pay period' leave settings displayed in the above picture, it would calculate: (8.6667 weeks p/yr X 38 hours p/wk) / 10 yrs / 52 weeks = 0.6333 hours p/wk Accrue by Hours Paid (Pro-Rata) A typical part-timer with pro-rata annual leave accruals would look like this: Their pro-rata leave accruals are controlled based on the Hours leave accrued, for each hour paid fields. This decimal value would accrue the same result as above if a part-time employee worked 38 hours per week. For example: Annual - 38 hrs X 0.076923 = 2.92307 hrs Personal/Sick - 38 hrs X 0.038461 = 1.46153 hrs Long Service - 38 hrs X 0.016673 = 0.633574 hrs Sometimes you might need to calculate a pro rata amount manually. See our next FAQ on pro rata accrual rates for a more detailed explanation of how these work and how to change them to a special situation. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-does-lightning-payroll-calculate-leave-accruals --- Category: Licensing --- Q: How Can I Check When My Subscription Expires? A: When your annual subscription is within 60 days of expiry, Lightning Payroll will remind you whenever you open the program through a simple pop-up. (This reminder will not appear if you have licence auto-renewal enabled with valid card details.) An invoice for renewal is sent to your registered email address 30 days before expiry. Monthly subscriptions are automatically renewed each month unless cancelled. An invoice is issued on the day of renewal and sent to your registered email address. Please note that if you renew your subscription before the expiry date or billing cycle ends, you won't lose any remaining time on your current subscription. Your new subscription will be added to the end of the current period'whether monthly or annual. To manually check the expiry or billing date of your Lightning Payroll subscription, or to view your other subscription details, open the program and click Tools >> Licence Details. To learn how to renew or upgrade your subscription to accommodate more employees, click here. We no longer provide unlimited free read-only access after a subscription ends. Users will receive 7 days of free read-only access following expiry to export any reports and payslips needed for historical records. After this 7-day period, the application will not be accessible without a valid subscription. A reduced-cost annual read-only subscription is available for those who require extended access to Lightning Payroll data in a read-only mode. To purchase a read-only licence, visit this link. You can also view your subscription expiry or billing information, update your credit card details, or manage your auto-renewal settings by logging into your account under Login >> Client Login at the top right of our website and clicking on Update Credit Card and Manage Auto-Renewals. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-check-when-my-subscription-expires Q: How Can I Renew or Upgrade My Subscription? A: To renew your annual subscription, you will first need to login using your email and account password. If you are unable to login, you should reset your password. Once you have logged in to the My Account section, simply click View/Renew/Upgrade Subscriptions. Renewals Renewals are charged at the full price and will extend your current subscription by either 1 month or 12 months from the existing expiry date. If your subscription has already lapsed, the new period will begin from the payment date. Upgrades Upgrades always create a brand new subscription starting from today's date. When upgrading, the system will automatically deduct the remaining value of your current subscription from the new purchase price. This ensures you only pay the difference. For example, if you have an existing Enterprise subscription ($1649 per year) and halfway through (six months) you need to move to an Agent-25 subscription ($3299 per year), you would pay $2474.50. This is calculated as $3299 minus $824.50, which is the remaining value of your current subscription. Add-Ons (Extra Companies and Integrations) Add-ons such as additional companies and integrations can be selected and purchased during the checkout process when renewing or upgrading your subscription. These options will appear as part of your subscription configuration before payment is finalised. Important: Add-Ons Require an Upgrade If you only need to increase your add-ons, such as adding more companies, you will still need to complete an upgrade. It is not possible to purchase add-ons separately without creating a new subscription. This means a new subscription will begin from today's date, with the remaining value of your current subscription and its add-ons deducted from the total cost. Example: You currently have a large subscription with 2 extra companies (4 total: 2 included + 2 extra). You have 3 months remaining on a 12-month subscription. You now require 5 companies in total. In this case, you will need to: Upgrade to a new large subscription Select 3 extra companies (to make 5 total) This will create a completely new full-length subscription (monthly or annual), and the system will deduct the remaining value of your current subscription and its add-ons. The deduction is calculated proportionally. For example: 3 months remaining out of 12 months 3/12 of the total value of your current subscription and add-ons is credited This credited amount is then applied to your new purchase at checkout. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-renew-or-upgrade-my-subscription Q: I Am Selling My Business. Can I Transfer My Subscription To The New Owner? A: Yes, licenses can be transferred. The current license holder must send a written email request from their registered email to support@lightningpayroll.com.au, specifying the new email and contact person to assign the license to. The ability to transfer is at the original license holder's discretion. What is the preferred method for a new owner to get started? We recommend that new owners set up a fresh account for a clean start. This approach avoids complications that may arise from accessing the former owner's data history. What should be done if there are concerns about data privacy? If there are privacy concerns, the new owner should be advised to create a new license. The previous owner can export a redacted version of the database by taking the following steps: Backup the database under Tools >> Create Backup. This backup file should go with the original owner for their records to be restored on their own computer. Create a new entity in Lightning Payroll under Entities >> Add new company. Switch back to the original company under Entities >> Select company. Go to Employees >> Actions >> Copy Employee to transfer relevant employee details to the new entity without pay history. You'll need to manually setup super fund details and other relevant pay items such as allowances, salary sacrifices, etc. Delete the old company from the system under Entities >> Delete company and deleting the old company. You'll now have a fresh company profile for the new owner with employees and no pay history. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/i-am-selling-my-business-can-i-transfer-my-subscription-to-the-new-owner Q: Why Is Lightning Payroll Asking Me For My Licence Details? A: After opening Lightning Payroll, you may occasionally be prompted to enter your licence details. This will occur if your subscription has expired, but it can also occur from time to time for security reasons, and to ensure that you're running the latest version of Lightning Payroll. If this occurs, please enter your registered email address and subscription ID number. Your subscription ID is always a six-digit number. This number gets emailed through when you renew your subscription each year, and it can also be seen by logging in to your account here on our web page (shown below). If you are unable to login, you can reset your password here. Licence Errors If you encounter a Signature Invalid for Licence error (shown below) when entering your licence details, please see here. If you encounter an error saying The number of registered systems has reached the maximum allowed by this licence (shown below) then your subscription ID has already been used on two separate computers since renewal. You'll need to remove your licence from one of the two other computers under Tools >> Licence Details >> Remove System before it can be re-used once again. If you encounter a Local Licence Install screen (shown below) when entering your licence it may mean that you're on an older version of Lightning Payroll. Click here for help updating Lightning Payroll to the latest version. It can also mean that Lightning Payroll is unable to connect to the internet. Please check your internet connection, and if that fails try disabling third-party antivirus/firewall software, as they may need to have an exception created. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-is-lightning-payroll-asking-me-for-my-licence-details Q: How Do I Cancel My Subscription? A: At Lightning Payroll, we understand that your business needs can change. If you need to end your monthly or annual subscription, here's how to do so easily and efficiently. Understanding Your Subscription Lightning Payroll is available via either monthly or annual subscriptions. You can pay by credit card or direct bank deposit. Subscriptions paid by credit card are set to renew automatically unless cancelled beforehand. We send a reminder email to all users one month prior to the scheduled renewal for annual subscriptions, and several days before for monthly subscriptions. Cancelling Your Subscription If you decide not to continue with your subscription, please note that we do not offer partial refunds. To cancel, follow these steps: Log into your account at Account Login. Navigate to My Account >> View/Renew/Upgrade Subscriptions. Locate the subscription you wish to cancel, then click the Cancel Subscription button. Once cancelled, your subscription will remain active until the end of the current billing period (monthly or annual), after which it will expire without renewing. After Your Subscription Ends Once your subscription has expired, you'll retain 7 days of free read-only access to your data. During this time, you can view and export reports and payslips for record-keeping purposes. After the 7-day period, the application will require a valid subscription for further use. If you require ongoing access to your data in a read-only format, we offer a reduced-cost annual read-only subscription, which you can purchase at this link. While in read-only mode, the program will prompt you to enter a licence upon launch ' this screen can be dismissed during the 7-day grace period. Backups and Data Retention Remember to back up your data before your subscription expires. The ATO requires businesses to retain payroll records for 7 years. If you're using the desktop version of Lightning Payroll, your data is stored locally ' meaning a damaged or lost computer could result in permanent data loss if no backup is available. To ensure your data is safe, go to Tools >> Create Backup in the program. Save your backup to a secure cloud storage service, or email a copy to yourself or a trusted team member. Where and how you store your backup is up to you, but we strongly recommend saving it in a secure, accessible location. We hope this guide has been helpful. If you have any further questions or need assistance, please see our Terms & Conditions Page or contact our support team. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-cancel-my-subscription Q: How Does the Standard Referrer Program Work? A: How do I refer someone to Lightning Payroll? Simply log into your Client Account at https://www.lightningpayroll.com.au/account/login, click on View/Manage Referrals (under Other), enter their email address, and click Refer. They will then receive a referral link to trial or purchase Lightning Payroll. What's in it for me? By helping to expand the Lightning Payroll user base, you're supporting the ongoing improvement of Australia's favourite payroll software. Plus, your friend will thank you for it! You'll also get $150 off your next subscription. Refer regularly and you may become eligible for our premium referral program. What triggers a successful referral? Referral credits are awarded when someone you refer signs up for a paid annual subscription to Lightning Payroll. Eligible plans include annual small, medium, large, enterprise, or any agent-level subscription. Read-only subscriptions and support-only services are not eligible. Please note: If a referred customer signs up for a monthly subscription, the referral will not qualify for a credit initially. However, if they remain subscribed for at least 12 consecutive months, you may contact us and we'll be happy to manually apply the referral credit at that time. What about earning credits? To thank you for your support, you'll earn a $150 credit for each successful referral. These credits can be used toward your next Lightning Payroll subscription renewal or upgrade. How do I redeem my credits? When your next subscription renewal is due, available referral credits will be automatically applied (if enabled). You'll only pay the remaining difference, if applicable. What if I don't want to use my credits yet? You can enable or disable credit usage by ticking or unticking the box in your website account under View/Manage Referrals >> Apply Referral Discount During Checkout?. This option only appears if you have an active credit balance. How many credits can I earn? You can accumulate ("bank") up to 10 credits ($1,500) at a time. Once you reach this limit, consider becoming a Premium Referrer for additional rewards beyond the standard program. When do credits expire? Unused credits expire after 2 years from the date they were earned. Are credits redeemable for cash? No. Credits can only be used towards Lightning Payroll subscription payments. What if my credits exceed the cost of my subscription? Only the necessary amount will be redeemed. Remaining credits stay on your account (within the 2-year expiry window) for future use. Can non-customers participate in the referral program? No. Only current Lightning Payroll customers are eligible to make referrals. How long is my referral valid? Each referral is valid for 90 days. If the recipient has not subscribed within that time, the referral link expires and no credit will be earned. What if someone else has already referred the same person? Only one referral per email address is valid at any time. If someone else has already referred your contact, you may try again after the 90-day period ends. Do I earn credits if the referral doesn't purchase? No. You only earn credits when the referred person subscribes to an eligible Lightning Payroll plan before their referral link expires. What if the person I want to refer is already in touch with Lightning Payroll? If they've already downloaded a trial or communicated with our team in the past 90 days, they are not considered a new referral and will not be eligible for credit. Are there any restrictions on who I can refer? You cannot refer yourself, an existing customer, or someone unlikely to benefit from the software. Referrals must be relevant ' i.e., people in Australia who have a need to process payroll for one or more employees. What if my referral cancels and gets a refund? If a referred user cancels and is refunded, your referral credit will be revoked. If you've already used those credits, we may reduce your available credit balance or adjust your credit expiry date accordingly. Is there a limit on the number of referrals I can make? We limit the number of active referrals at any one time to ensure quality. This limit may vary. How long will this referral program run? This program has no set end date but may be updated or discontinued at the discretion of Intellitron Pty Ltd. We reserve the right to exclude users from the program if we suspect abuse, fraud, or misuse. This includes reversing credits and blocking future referrals. Thank you for supporting Lightning Payroll and helping us continue to grow and improve Australia's leading payroll software. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-does-the-standard-referrer-program-work Q: How Can I Manage Saved Credit Card Details and Auto Renewals? A: Add, Delete or Change a Credit Card To add, delete, or replace a saved credit card: Log in to your Client Account Area. Navigate to Account > Account Details > Update Credit Card. You can choose to add a new card or delete the existing card details. Entering a new card will override the existing saved card if there is one. Use the Cancel Subscription or Restart Subscription buttons to manage your auto-renewal status. Important Security Note: For your protection, our support team can only remove or replace a saved credit card by phone or email if you can provide the last four digits of the currently saved card. This verification step confirms ownership of the saved payment method. If you cannot provide these details, we can either: Issue a direct deposit invoice (available for annual subscriptions only), or You can log in to your account and manage your own card details as shown above. We use the last four digits of your card as an identification point in some cases. Allowing unauthenticated users to supply this information before proper verification would create a security risk, so these details must always be confirmed by you first. To update your registered email or learn more about our authentication requirements, please see our related FAQ: How Can I Access My Account If I Cannot Access the Registered Email? We only store the last four digits and expiry date of your card, securely handled by our payment partner, Till Payments. Subscription Auto Renewals Lightning Payroll offers both monthly and annual subscriptions. Monthly subscriptions are only available via credit card and must be set to auto-renew. Your subscription will automatically renew on the expiry date using your saved credit card. A confirmation email will be sent each time your subscription renews, which also serves as your renewal reminder and invoice. You can cancel your subscription at any time using the Cancel Subscription button. If cancelled, the subscription will expire at the end of the current billing period. You can restart your subscription at any time using the Restart Subscription button. Important: Monthly subscriptions do not support direct bank transfers due to administrative overhead. Auto-renew is required for monthly subscriptions. You will not receive separate reminder emails prior to expiry ' your renewal confirmation email acts as your notice. If an error occurs during the renewal process (e.g. card expired), your subscription will expire. You will then need to log in and resubscribe manually. Saved Credit Card Checkout Options Checking Out When you have a credit card saved on file, the checkout page will provide these options: Use saved card Pay with a new card Any card used during checkout can be saved for future renewals. If saved, it will become the active card for your subscription. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-manage-saved-credit-card-details-and-auto-renewals Q: What Happens When My Subscription Expires? A: Lightning Payroll offers both monthly and annual subscriptions. When your subscription expires, the app enters 'read-only' mode for a limited time. This means: Limited access period: You will have 7 days of free read-only access after your subscription expires. During this grace period, you can still view and export reports and payslips for historical records. We provide this time to help you run reports and save any PDFs or CSVs you may need before the application is locked. Prolonged read-only access available: After the 7-day period, the software will no longer be usable without an active subscription. However, we now offer a reduced-cost annual read-only subscription for users who require ongoing access to their data without full editing features. Data preservation: Your existing data will remain safe and accessible during your subscription period. We strongly encourage regular backups to protect your records. To purchase a read-only licence, please visit this link. It's important to maintain a copy of your database, as financial and payroll records must be retained for at least 7 years under ATO requirements. You can create a backup by going to Tools >> Create Backup in the program. For safety, we recommend saving your backup to cloud storage, a USB device, or emailing it to yourself or a trusted colleague. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-happens-when-my-subscription-expires Q: Why Is My Company Locked? A: As of January 10th, 2025, we introduced a new subscription structure. Previously, our subscriptions allowed for unlimited companies. However, basic subscriptions are now limited to 10 active companies. We understand that this change might impact some customers, and we have taken many steps to communicate these updates in advance. Our new pricing structure, including the introduction of 'Agent' level subscriptions for customers managing more than 10 companies, was shared through multiple channels: Emails sent on: April 2, 2024; September 11, 2024; November 11, 2024; and January 24, 2025. Notifications on our website. In-app popups and log events targeting customers managing more than 10 companies, such as the one below which when acknowledged shows up in Tools >> Licence Details. We've done our best to ensure all affected users were informed ahead of time. These changes are essential for aligning our services with value-based pricing, which helps ensure the long-term success and sustainability of Lightning Payroll. For customers wishing to manage more than 10 active companies, upgrading to the 'Agent' level subscription is necessary. To explore our available plans and pricing, please visit our pricing page. A company only counts towards your limit if it has active (non-terminated) employees. If you no longer use a company, simply terminate all employees in that company to free up a slot. This can be done via Pays >> Edit Pay >> Terminate Employee or the Tools >> Bulk Termination Wizard for faster processing. Once all employees are terminated, the company is excluded from your active company count, freeing up space for another. For more information on upgrading your subscription, please see our guide here: How to Upgrade. Understanding Active Companies and Licenses Your subscription license count is based on the number of active companies you manage. A company is considered "active" if it has any non-terminated employees. If you're nearing the company limit, review your existing companies to identify those that are no longer needed. To lock a company and exclude it from your active company count, terminate all employees in the company. For example, companies with outdated employee records can be managed quickly using the Bulk Termination Wizard. Marking a company as inactive (locked) automatically frees up a slot in your subscription, enabling you to unlock a previously locked company or create a new one within your plan. Why Termination is Key Terminating employees helps keep your company records accurate and compliant with subscription limits. Inactive companies remain accessible for reporting and record-keeping but do not count toward your active company total. Keeping your active companies streamlined ensures you stay within your subscription plan and reduces unnecessary administrative tasks. If you have any questions or need assistance, our support team is here to help! What Can I Do? If you are affected by the new 10-company limit, here are your available options: Terminate all employees in unused companies ' Companies with no active (non-terminated) employees do not count toward your limit. You can do this via Pays >> Edit Pay >> Terminate Employee or the Tools >> Bulk Termination Wizard for faster processing. Upgrade to an Agent package ' If you need to manage more than 10 companies, you can upgrade to our 'Agent' subscription, which supports unlimited active companies. Check out our pricing page for details. Convert your current subscription to an Agent package ' If you want to switch to an Agent package immediately, contact us! We can convert your remaining subscription value into an Agent subscription, allowing you to upgrade without extra upfront costs by sacrificing remaining days on your current plan. If you need help or have questions, our support team is happy to assist! Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-is-my-company-locked Q: I Have Paid For My Licence What Happens Next? A: Once you have paid for your subscription ' whether monthly or annual ' you will receive an invoice to your registered email address along with a new subscription ID. Desktop App: To enter the new subscription details into the Lightning Payroll desktop program, go to Tools >> Licence Assistant >> Enter Registered Email Address >> Subscription ID >> Download Licence >> Install. Once the install dialogue box disappears, you have successfully installed the new licence. Web App: If you're using the Lightning Payroll web app, your subscription will be picked up automatically when you log in ' no need to enter a subscription ID. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/i-have-paid-for-my-licence-what-happens-next Q: What Do I Do If I Have A Billing Issue? A: If you have had an issue with the billing of your licence, please get in touch with our team on the phone as soon as possible, so that we can resolve. We are available on (07) 30 515 895 from Monday to Friday (excluding Public Holidays) between 8AM and 4:30PM QLD (AEST) time. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-do-i-do-if-i-have-a-billing-issue Q: Signature Invalid For Licence Error A: If you are getting a Signature Invalid For Licence error when trying to enter your licence details, this means one of two things: Your subscription has expired and you will need to renew your licence to continue using the program as normal; or, Occasionally, we have to get everyone to update beyond a particular version of the program. We do this by making the Online Licence Install box pop up upon opening the program, requesting you enter your registered email and subscription ID; when these details are entered, you will get a Signature Invalid For Licence Error. At this point, if you know your licence is not expired, you should click Cancel to the Online Licence Install and then click on the Check For Updates Now button in green writing on the bottom toolbar of Lightning Payroll. Once updated to the latest version, the program will ask for your licence details once more, at which point you can enter them again, and they will be accepted. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/signature-invalid-for-licence-error Q: What Is Changing With Licence Limits and Subscriptions on 1 January 2026? A: From 1 January 2026, we're updating the structure of our standard (non-agent) subscription plans. These changes affect the number of companies/entities you can manage in Lightning Payroll based on your subscription tier. What's Changing? Currently, all basic subscription levels include up to 10 companies. From 2026, this number will be reduced depending on the plan: Small: Up to 5 employees and up to 2 companies Medium: Up to 30 employees and up to 2 companies Large: Up to 75 employees and up to 2 companies Extra Large: Up to 150 employees and up to 2 companies Enterprise: Unlimited employees and up to 5 companies If you need to manage more companies, you can now add Extra Company Add-Ons to your subscription. Each add-on increases your company limit and is priced at $99 per year when added to an annual subscription, or $9.95 per month when added to a monthly subscription. You can increase your limit up to a maximum of 10 companies. For more than 10 companies, an agent subscription will be required. Why Are the Company Limits Changing? We're making these adjustments to keep Lightning Payroll fair and affordable for all businesses. By refining the number of companies included in each tier, we can ensure that smaller businesses aren't paying for capacity they don't need, while larger organisations are placed in tiers that better reflect their actual usage. These changes help us maintain a sustainable pricing model and continue delivering the high level of service and support our customers expect. Will This Affect My Current Subscription? If you renew or purchase your subscription before 1 January 2026, you'll keep your current company limit of 10 until your next renewal. The new limits will only apply from your next billing period after that date. What If I'm Already Using More Than the New Limit? If you're on a standard subscription and already using more companies than your tier will allow after the change, we'll notify you in the software. You'll see a short popup asking you to acknowledge the upcoming change and confirm your name for our records. This isn't a legal agreement, just a helpful way for our support team to track who's been informed. Are Agent Plans Changing? No, agent plans are not changing. They continue to support unlimited employees and offer packages for up to 25, 50, 100 or unlimited companies. If you have questions or need help deciding the right plan or add-on for your business, please get in touch with our support team. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-is-changing-with-licence-limits-and-subscriptions-on-1-january-2026 Q: Why is the Trial Version Asking for Licence Details? A: If you have downloaded the free trial and you are being prompted enter licence details, it is likely you have already used the trial previously on the same computer. The trial lasts for 30 days from the first time you run the trial version. If your trial has now expired, we also offer a 30 day money back guarantee for first time subscribers to Lightning Payroll. However, if you are certain you have never used the trial before but it is still asking you to enter details, please contact our support team. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-is-the-trial-version-asking-for-licence-details Q: What Is the Accounting Integration Add-On? A: From 1 January 2026, Lightning Payroll will offer a new Accounting Integration Add-On for customers who wish to send payroll data directly to accounting platforms like Xero and MYOB AccountRight. The add-on is priced at $99 per year when added to an annual subscription, or $9.95 per month when added to a monthly subscription. What Does This Add-On Unlock? This add-on enables access to the following features: Journal upload to Xero and MYOB AccountRight APIs Bank transaction upload to inform your accounting system of transactions included in your Direct Entry (ABA) file, helping with bank reconciliation These tools simplify the connection between your payroll and accounting systems, reducing double-handling and improving data accuracy. Wasn't This Already Available? Yes ' these integration tools have been available as beta features during development. They've now been finalised and proven reliable, thanks to feedback from our early users. We're also excited to be officially listed on the Xero App Store. When Will the Add-On Be Required? Any subscriptions purchased or renewed on or after 1 January 2026 will require the Accounting Integration Add-On to continue using these features. Subscriptions active before this date will retain access until their next renewal. Is the Add-On Included in Agent Plans? Yes, agent-level subscribers will have this integration included at no extra cost. No additional add-on is required for agent tiers. Do I Need This Add-On? The add-on is optional and only necessary if you want to use Lightning Payroll's direct integrations with Xero or MYOB. All other payroll features remain unaffected. If you're unsure whether this add-on is right for you, please contact our support team for guidance. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-is-the-accounting-integration-add-on Q: How Can I Remove My Subscription From Existing Lightning Payroll Installations So That It Can Be Installed On A New Computer? A: Any active Lightning Payroll subscription ' whether monthly or annual ' allows you to use the program on two desktop computers at any one time, plus access via your web or mobile account. Web and mobile logins do not count towards your desktop seat limit. If the Lightning Payroll desktop app is giving you either of the following errors, you'll need to clear one or both of your two allowed desktop seats from the current licence/subscription. Older Versions Max-Seats-Error Newer Versions Max-Seats-Error Note: Removing the licence from the Lightning Payroll desktop program does not affect your pay data or software installation. It will simply lock the desktop version shortly after removal, putting it into read-only mode until an active licence is reinstalled. This does not affect access to your web/mobile account. There are three ways to fix this desktop seat error: Remove the installed licence from an existing desktop installation by going to Tools >> Licence Details >> Remove System at the top of the program. If your old system has crashed and you can't open the desktop app, log into your client account on our website and go to your subscriptions. You can release the desktop seats for any active subscription from there. This will free up both desktop seats so you can reactivate as needed. Contact our support team and we can reset your desktop seats for you. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-remove-my-subscription-from-existing-lightning-payroll-installations-so-that-it-can-be-installed-on-a-new-computer Q: What Is The Difference Between Full Paid Licence, Trial Licence and Read-Only (Unlicenced) Modes? A: Lightning Payroll can operate in three different licensing modes: Full/Paid (Full access within the limits of allowed total employees/companies for the chosen pricing tier) Trial (Cannot restore backups or use online features, but fully editable) Read-Only (Can restore backups, use Online Backups and view data but cannot edit) Unlicenced (Unable to use Lightning Payroll) The diagram below gives an idea of how the three modes work. To find out how to renew, or upgrade your subscription click here. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-is-the-difference-between-full-paid-licence-trial-licence-and-read-only-unlicenced-modes Q: How Many Computers Can Use An Annual Subscription? A: Each active Lightning Payroll subscription ' monthly or annual ' includes two desktop installs (seats) for use on Windows or Mac computers. The desktop version does not automatically sync data between machines, but your payroll data can be easily transferred using one of our backup options, such as the Online Backups feature. In addition to your two desktop seats, your subscription also includes access to the Lightning Payroll web and mobile app, which operates in the cloud and does not use up a desktop seat. If a particular computer is only viewing the payroll data (and not editing it), a licence seat is not required. See here for more information about the three licence 'modes' available in the software. If you need more than two desktop systems using Lightning Payroll at the same time, you can purchase additional subscriptions under the same account ' each subscription will provide you with two more desktop seats (plus another web/mobile login). Please see here to learn how to move desktop seats between computers. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-many-computers-can-use-an-annual-subscription Q: What Do I Do If I Need More Employees Throughout The Year? A: Your number of employees may increase over time. If you need to increase your allowed employees, you can upgrade your current subscription (monthly or annual) to a higher level at any point. Alternatively, if you're near the end of your subscription period, you may choose to simply renew at a higher level instead. To upgrade or renew your subscription, log in to your account and click View/Renew/Upgrade Subscriptions >>. Highlight the subscription you wish to modify, then click either Upgrade or Renew within the same screen. When upgrading, a new subscription term (monthly or annual, depending on your original subscription) begins from the current date. The upgrade cost is calculated as the full price of the new level, minus the unused value of your existing subscription. Example: If you're halfway through a small annual subscription ($299/year) and need to move to a medium subscription ($549/year), you would pay $399.50 ' that is, $549 minus $149.50 (the remaining half of $299). Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-do-i-do-if-i-need-more-employees-throughout-the-year --- Category: Passwords --- Q: How Do I Use Two-Factor Authentication With My Lightning Payroll Account? A: In line with recent security updates from the ATO, we've introduced two-factor verification for all Lightning Payroll customers. This step further secures your account, protecting your personal information. You have two methods to choose from: email verification or Google Authenticator. Email Verification This method is enabled by default. After entering your password, you'll receive a one-time code via email. You'll need this code to log into your account on our website. The system prompts you to enter this code after correctly inputting your password, just enter the emailed code into the provided field and click Login. Google Authenticator Verification If you like, you can also use Google Authenticator for your one-time codes. Just go to the My Account section of Client Login on our website, and scan the provided QR code with your Google Authenticator app on your smartphone by clicking the + symbol. Note that activating Google Authenticator doesn't disable email codes; both methods can be used simultaneously. The Google Authenticator option is especially handy if you or your staff can't regularly access your registered email account for email verification. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-use-two-factor-authentication-with-my-lightning-payroll-account Q: How Do I Change My Application Password? A: Lightning Payroll offers two types of applications: a desktop app for Windows and Mac, and a web/mobile app accessible online. Below are instructions for managing passwords in both types of applications. Desktop Application Password Management If you would like to reset or remove the application password for Lightning Payroll, you can do this under Settings. To remove the existing application password, go to Settings >> Password & Security and click Remove Application Administrator Password on the right; the program will prompt you to enter the existing password in order to remove it. To reset the password, go to Settings >> Password & Security and remove the password as above. You can then enter and confirm the new password you wish to use, and click Set Application Administrator Password on the right. If you cannot get into your program at all, you will need to contact our support team for assistance. Web/Mobile Application Password Management The password for the web/mobile application is the same as your Lightning Payroll website login. If you are already logged into the web/mobile application or website and wish to change your password, navigate to My Account and then select Change your password. If you are not logged in and need to reset your password, you can do so by visiting the password reset page. You can access the login pages here: Website login: https://www.lightningpayroll.com.au/account/login Web/Mobile application login: https://app.lightningpayroll.com.au/auth/login Other Password Issues If you need help with other passwords related to Lightning Payroll, see the following resources: Online backups password assistance ATO machine credential password recovery Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-change-my-application-password Q: I've Forgotten my Password for Online Backups A: If you cannot remember your password to login to the online backups portal, you can reset it by clicking Forgotten Password. A reset code will be sent to your registered email address. You can then choose a new password, confirm the new password and input the reset code you will have received by email from Lightning Payroll. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/ive-forgotten-my-password-for-online-backups Q: Why Can't I Login To This Website? A: If you're experiencing issues logging into Client Login on our website, there could be a couple of reasons for this. Please review the following steps to troubleshoot your login issues: Recent Password System Upgrade We have recently upgraded our password systems to ensure greater customer security. For this reason, if you haven't logged into our website in a while, you will likely need to update your password to meet these increased standards. Updating Your Password If your password needs updating, please use the "Lost your password?" link on the login page. Remember, your passwords must adhere to the following requirements: At least 10 characters in length Contain at least 1 uppercase letter Contain at least 1 lowercase letter Contain at least 1 special character (numbers or symbols) Failed Login Attempts Be aware that multiple failed login attempts (incorrect password entered) will temporarily lock you out for a 30-minute period. This security measure is in place to protect your account and cannot be bypassed, even by our support staff. For Paid Subscribers If you are a current paid subscriber to Lightning Payroll, you can log in to your account at the Client Login link at the top of this page. If you have forgotten your password, please reset it here. For Trial Users If you are a trial user, you will not yet have an online account. You can sign up as a new user after selecting the appropriate subscription package here on our purchase page. If you continue to experience issues logging in after following these steps, please contact our support team for further assistance. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-cant-i-login-to-this-website --- Category: Pays --- Q: How Do I Submit General Ledger Journals and Bank Transactions to MYOB AccountRight? A: Lightning Payroll supports submissions to both MYOB AccountRight Cloud Edition and locally hosted AccountRight Server Edition. The process is nearly identical for both, with the cloud version used in the examples below. Please note that these features require an integration subscription add-on for all non-agent level subscriptions. Submitting General Ledger Journals After completing a pay run, you can submit the payroll journal directly to MYOB by following these steps: Go to Reports >> Export to MYOB. Chart of Accounts Setup When submitting for the first time, you'll be prompted to use default MYOB chart of accounts codes. Click Yes if you use the standard MYOB setup. Otherwise, it's best to click Cancel and manually configure your codes under Company >> GL Codes in Lightning Payroll. This allows each pay category to map to the appropriate MYOB account code (found in MYOB under Accounting >> Categories). The circled rows are the credit rows which are usually linked to a bank account in MYOB, and will be used for bank transaction uploads, mentioned further below. Connecting to MYOB Next, you'll be asked to log into your MYOB account. The connection screen will look similar to the example below: Once connected, follow the on-screen instructions to verify your MYOB token and choose which pay runs to include in the export. If you're using a local version of AccountRight, untick Use MYOB AccountRight Cloud. If you ever need to revoke Lightning Payroll's access to your MYOB account, you can follow the steps outlined in this FAQ. Submitting and Reviewing Click Submit to MYOB to send the journal across. After submission, a confirmation screen with summary details will appear. You can review past submissions anytime via Reports >> MYOB Journal Submissions. These journals will appear in MYOB under Accounting >> General Journals. Submitting Spend Money (Bank) Transactions When creating a Direct Entry ABA file, you can optionally submit matching Spend Money transactions to MYOB. On the ABA preview screen, use the dropdown option to enable MYOB bank transaction submission. This will launch a few additional screens that follow a similar login and submission flow to journal entries. Submitted transactions will appear in MYOB under Banking >> Reconcile Accounts. Fixing and Resubmitting Bank Transactions If a mistake is made, simply delete the incorrect transaction within MYOB, correct the relevant account mapping in Lightning Payroll, and resubmit the bank transaction when ready. Deleting a Test Bank Transaction in MYOB If you'd like to test how a bank transaction upload from Lightning Payroll appears in MYOB, you can safely delete it afterwards by following these steps: In MYOB, go to Banking >> Bank Transactions. Use the search filters to locate the uploaded transaction. Click on the reference number link to open the transaction details. At the top of the transaction window, click the Delete button. This will remove the transaction from MYOB, allowing you to make any changes in Lightning Payroll before resubmitting if needed. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-submit-general-ledger-journals-and-bank-transactions-to-myob-accountright Q: How Do I Connect Lightning Payroll To Inland Revenue For Payday Filing? A: Lightning Payroll uses an Inland Revenue login and token before it can submit or check Employment Information. This is done from the payday filing screens inside the desktop app.How to connectOpen the payday filing or mailbox screen from Pays.Click Connect to IRD.Your browser will open so you can sign in to myIR and approve access.After the browser page says the token was saved, return to Lightning Payroll and click Check for token.What the token doesThe token is the temporary authorisation Lightning Payroll uses to talk to Inland Revenue on your behalf. You need it before you can submit Employment Information, retrieve returns, or check pending responses.If no token is foundWait a few seconds after approving access in your browser, then click Check for token again.Make sure you completed the myIR approval in the browser window that Lightning Payroll opened.If you cancelled the browser step, click Connect to IRD again and repeat the login.Once the token is received, Lightning Payroll will show that the IRD connection is active and you can continue with the submission or mailbox task. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-connect-lightning-payroll-to-inland-revenue-for-payday-filing Q: How Do I Submit Payday Filing As An Intermediary? A: Lightning Payroll can submit Employment Information and retrieve returns as an intermediary when you are filing on behalf of another employer.How to use intermediary modeOpen the payday filing or mailbox screen.Tick Submit As Intermediary.Enter the intermediary IRD number.Click Connect to IRD and sign in as the intermediary account in myIR.After the token is saved, click Check for token and then continue with the submission or retrieval.Important pointsThe intermediary IRD number is required when this option is ticked.The intermediary IRD number must be valid, or Lightning Payroll will block the submission.When intermediary mode is enabled, always complete the browser login using the intermediary myIR account, not the employer account.If you are not filing as an intermediary, leave this option unticked and connect using the employer's normal IRD access. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-submit-payday-filing-as-an-intermediary Q: Why Do I Need To Submit Employee Details Before Filing Employment Information? A: Lightning Payroll can stop an Employment Information submission if there are outstanding Employee Details tasks waiting to be sent first. This is intentional.Why this happensEmployee Details changes, such as new starters, ceased employees, tax changes, or KiwiSaver updates, need to be sent to Inland Revenue before the related Employment Information is filed. If they are still outstanding, Lightning Payroll warns you and lists the employees that need attention.What to doOpen Employee Details from the Pays area.Review the outstanding tasks shown there.Submit the required Employee Details updates to Inland Revenue.Return to payday filing and prepare the Employment Information again.This keeps the employee setup at Inland Revenue in step with the payroll data you are about to file. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-do-i-need-to-submit-employee-details-before-filing-employment-information Q: What Do Nil Return And Final Return Mean In Payday Filing? A: Lightning Payroll includes separate options for nil Employment Information and final return. They do different jobs.Nil returnTick Submit nil Employment Information (no pays) when you need to lodge Employment Information for the filing period but there are no pays to include. A nil return lets you submit the filing without selecting any completed pays.Final returnTick Final return (no further EI expected) when this is the last Employment Information submission expected for that employer in the relevant cycle. This tells Inland Revenue that no further EI should be expected after this return.Important pointsA nil return is about there being no pays in the filing.A final return is about whether more Employment Information is expected later.You can use a nil return without it being final, and you can use a final return on a normal submission if that is genuinely the last one expected.If you are unsure whether a submission should be final, confirm the employer's filing position before ticking the box. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-do-nil-return-and-final-return-mean-in-payday-filing Q: How Do Amendments Work In Payday Filing? A: Lightning Payroll can send an amendment when an Employment Information filing needs to correct a previously submitted return.How amendments workOpen the payday filing wizard from Pays.Tick the amendment option.Select the pays that belong to the submission you need to correct.Enter the amendment reason and any supporting details if prompted.Connect to IRD, retrieve a token, and submit the amended Employment Information.Important limitationLightning Payroll needs to determine the original submission key for the filing you are amending. If it cannot work out which earlier submission the selected pays belong to, it will stop and ask you to go back and choose pays from a single prior submission.In practice, that means amendments work best when you keep the selected pays tied to the one submission you are correcting, rather than mixing pays from different filing histories. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-amendments-work-in-payday-filing Q: How Do I Use The Payday Filing Mailbox And Retrieve A Return? A: The Payday Filing Mailbox lets you review Employment Information submissions already sent from Lightning Payroll and check Inland Revenue for updated return details.What the mailbox is forSee the filing history for Employment Information submissions.Check which submissions are still pending a final response.Retrieve the Inland Revenue return for a specific submission.Print or preview the retrieved response report.How to use itOpen Payday Filing Mailbox from the Pays area.Click Connect to IRD and complete the browser login if needed.Click Check for token.Use the mailbox actions to check pending submissions or retrieve a specific return.What you will see in a retrieved returnThe retrieved report can include filing status information, return totals, and employee-level details returned by Inland Revenue. This is useful when you want to confirm whether a filing was accepted, rejected, or needs follow-up. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-use-the-payday-filing-mailbox-and-retrieve-a-return Q: What Does The Processed Date Filter Do In Payday Filing? A: In the payday filing wizard, Lightning Payroll can filter the available pays by processed date before it builds the Employment Information submission.Why the processed date mattersWhen you choose a processed date, Lightning Payroll only includes the selected completed pays that match that processed date. This helps keep each Employment Information submission aligned to the correct filing batch.If the wizard stops on this stepPlease select a processed date to continue means a processed date is required before the submission can be prepared.No pays match the selected processed date means the current pay selection does not line up with the date you chose.Practical tipIf you are filing a normal batch of completed pays, choose the processed date used for that filing group, then select the pays that belong to that same batch. If you are lodging a nil return instead, Lightning Payroll can prepare the return without matching pays. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-does-the-processed-date-filter-do-in-payday-filing Q: Why Does Direct Entry Export pain.001 XML Instead Of ABA, And How Do I Regenerate It? A: Lightning Payroll uses ISO 20022 pain.001 XML for banking uploads. ABA files are Australia-specific and are not used for direct entry.Why mode uses pain.001 XMLMode defaults the payment file to ISO 20022 pain.001 XML.The export uses defaults such as NZD currency and bank account components.The app can also use specific payer identification details, such as the ACCIRD scheme for the initiating party.Creating a banking fileUse Pays >> Direct Entry to build the original pays and wages banking file. The save step produces an XML file rather than an ABA file.Regenerating a banking fileOpen the Regenerate Banking File Wizard.Select the pays and wages banking file you want to regenerate.Save the regenerated file as the new pain.001 XML output.The regenerate flow is pays-only. KiwiSaver or super banking export is not part of this direct entry workflow. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-does-direct-entry-export-pain001-xml-instead-of-aba-and-how-do-i-regenerate-it Q: How Do I Retrieve Existing Employment Details Relationships From IRD? A: The Employee Details Dashboard can retrieve existing Employment Details relationships from Inland Revenue so you can compare what IRD currently holds against your employee records.How to retrieve relationshipsOpen the Employee Details Dashboard from the Pays area.Connect to IRD and retrieve a token if prompted.Go to the relationship retrieval section.Choose either a specific employee or retrieve all relationships.Run the retrieval and review the returned details.What you need firstThe company IRD number must be recorded.You need a valid IRD token for the session.If you are not retrieving all employees, make sure you select the employee you want to query.This is useful when you want to confirm whether a person already has an Employment Details relationship on the IRD side before you submit further updates. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-retrieve-existing-employment-details-relationships-from-ird Q: How Do I Retrieve Employment Events From IRD? A: The Employee Details Dashboard can retrieve Employment events from Inland Revenue so you can inspect what IRD has recorded for a selected employee, or for all employees if needed.How to use itOpen the Employee Details Dashboard.Connect to IRD and retrieve a token.Go to the Events tab.Select an employee, or tick All employees.Enter an Event from date. You can also add an end date and event type filter.Click Retrieve events.Important requirementsIf you are not retrieving all employees, you must choose an employee first.An Event from date is required.The company IRD number must be recorded before events can be retrieved.The response area shows the IRD event results so you can review the returned filing activity and employee references. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-retrieve-employment-events-from-ird Q: How Do Child Support Codes Work When The Full Deduction Cannot Be Made? A: Lightning Payroll lets you record a Child Support Code on a pay deduction only when the full Inland Revenue child support amount could not be deducted.When to use a Child Support CodeUse it when the deduction had to be reduced or could not be made at all.Examples include protected earnings limits, advanced payments, short-term absence, or ceased employment.Leave the Child Support Code blank when the full required deduction was successfully made.Where to enter itOpen the pay, go to the deductions area, and look for the child support code field. It only appears when the pay includes a child support deduction line.The code explains to IRD why the deduction was reduced or nil. It is not a general-purpose note field, so only choose a code when it is genuinely required. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-child-support-codes-work-when-the-full-deduction-cannot-be-made Q: Why Does Lightning Payroll Warn That Net Pay Is Less Than Protected Earnings? A: Lightning Payroll shows a protected earnings warning when child support deductions would push the employee's pay below the protected earnings limit.How protected earnings work in the appFor child support, Lightning Payroll applies the protected earnings rule and limits the total child support deduction that can be taken from the pay. The app calculates the allowed deduction amount and warns you if the pay would go below the protected threshold.What the warning offersWhen this happens, Lightning Payroll can prompt you to automatically adjust the deductions so they fall back within protected earnings.What to do nextReview the child support amount on the pay.If appropriate, let Lightning Payroll auto-adjust the deduction.If the deduction is reduced or nil, record the correct Child Support Code on the pay.This helps keep the pay within the protected earnings rules while still preserving the correct reason for any reduced deduction. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-does-lightning-payroll-warn-that-net-pay-is-less-than-protected-earnings Q: Can I Delete A Completed Pay After Payday Filing? A: In mode, Lightning Payroll blocks deletion of a completed pay once it has been included in a submitted Inland Revenue payday filing record.When deletion is blockedIf the pay has been linked only to a draft filing record, it can still be deleted.Once the filing has progressed beyond draft, the pay can still be edited, but it cannot be deleted.Why Lightning Payroll does thisThis preserves the filing history and keeps the audit trail intact. If a lodged pay could simply be removed, the submission history would no longer match the payroll records that were filed.What to do insteadIf a lodged pay needs correction, keep the original pay and create the necessary adjustment pay or other corrective entry instead of deleting the lodged record. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/can-i-delete-a-completed-pay-after-payday-filing Q: How Do I Process A Final Pay For A Departing Employee? A: Lightning Payroll has a dedicated termination wizard that calculates the leave payout, applies the correct tax treatment to lump sum components, and adjusts KiwiSaver contributions for the final pay.How to start a termination payOpen the employee record and confirm the employment finish date.Open Pays and add a new pay for the employee.Tick the Terminate this employee option on the pay.The termination wizard opens with the calculated payout components.What the wizard calculatesUnused annual holidays: cashed out at the higher of Average Weekly Earnings or Ordinary Weekly Pay.8% accrual: 8% of gross earnings since the last anniversary, paid out as outstanding annual holidays.Unused alternative holidays: paid out at Relevant or Average Daily Pay.Payment in lieu of notice: entered manually when applicable.Redundancy or retirement payment: entered manually and taxed as an extra pay.Additional lump sum amounts: for ex gratia or other one-off items.Before saving the payCheck the leave payout figures match what is owed under the Holidays Act.Make sure redundancy or retirement amounts are entered in the correct field so the right tax rule is used.Confirm KiwiSaver and ESCT lines reflect the final-pay treatment (see the redundancy KiwiSaver FAQ).Once the wizard is complete, save the pay and print or email the payslip in the normal way. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-process-a-final-pay-for-a-departing-employee Q: Why Doesn't Redundancy Trigger KiwiSaver Contributions In A Final Pay? A: On a final pay, Lightning Payroll only deducts KiwiSaver from items that count as wages. Redundancy and retirement payments are excluded, so they do not generate employee or employer KiwiSaver contributions or ESCT.What does trigger KiwiSaver on a final payUnused annual holidays cashed out at termination.The 8% accrual portion.Unused alternative holidays paid out.Payment in lieu of notice (treated as wages).Ordinary wages for the final pay period.What does notRedundancy payments.Retirement payments.Other ex gratia lump sums entered in the additional amounts field.How the wizard handles thisWhen you tick Terminate this employee, the termination wizard recalculates KiwiSaver and ESCT for the pay using only the wages-like components. If the employee's KiwiSaver line looks lower than expected, the redundancy or retirement amount is the reason.If you need to override the calculated KiwiSaver amount for an unusual case, you can adjust the KiwiSaver pay item manually before saving the pay. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-doesnt-redundancy-trigger-kiwisaver-contributions-in-a-final-pay Q: How Do I Pay Out Unused Annual Holidays And Alternative Holidays On Termination? A: The termination wizard pays unused leave entitlements automatically based on the employee's leave balance and work pattern. You can review and adjust the figures before saving the pay.Annual holidays payoutOutstanding weeks: any unused annual holiday entitlement still on the balance from previous anniversaries.8% accrual: 8% of gross earnings since the last anniversary, paid out instead of being added to the next year's entitlement.Valuation: the cash value uses the higher of Average Weekly Earnings (52-week average) or Ordinary Weekly Pay (last 4 weeks).Alternative holidays payoutAny unused alternative holidays are listed and paid out.The day value uses Relevant Daily Pay if the work pattern makes it clear what the employee would have earned, otherwise Average Daily Pay.Things to checkThe employee's last anniversary date is correct so the 8% accrual is measured from the right point.The work pattern and ordinary hours per day reflect the employee's normal schedule, because they drive the day rate.Any opening balances entered when the employee was migrated are still accurate at termination.Manual override mode is available on the wizard if a specific case needs a different figure. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-pay-out-unused-annual-holidays-and-alternative-holidays-on-termination Q: What Format Should I Use For An Employee's Bank Account Number? A: Lightning Payroll validates NZ bank account numbers when you save the employee and again when the direct entry file is built. Using the wrong format will block the pay from being saved or exported.Required formatNZ bank account numbers are entered as four parts:Bank ID: 2 digits (e.g. 01 for ANZ, 02 for BNZ).Branch: 4 digits.Account base: 7 digits.Suffix: 2 or 3 digits.Where to enter itOpen the employee, go to the bank details section, and enter the four parts in the labelled fields. Lightning Payroll combines them in the format BB-BBBB-AAAAAAA-SSS when building the direct entry file.If validation failsCheck there are no spaces, dashes, or letters in the fields.Confirm the suffix is padded correctly (some banks use 2 digits, some 3 - leave a leading zero if needed).If the bank rejects the file, double-check the bank ID matches the account holder's bank.The same format is required whether the direct entry file is exported as ABA or pain.001 XML. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-format-should-i-use-for-an-employees-bank-account-number Q: What Happens When A Public Holiday Falls In A Pay Period? A: If a public holiday falls inside the pay period, Lightning Payroll detects it and prompts you when you save the pay. The prompt is there to make sure you record the day correctly under the Holidays Act.What the prompt asksThe pay screen will list the public holiday date and name and ask whether the employee:Did not work the day (it was an otherwise working day, so they are paid Relevant Daily Pay).Worked the day (they receive time-and-a-half plus an alternative holiday if it was an otherwise working day).Was not entitled (the day was not otherwise a working day for them).What Lightning Payroll doesIf the day is paid at ordinary rates, the public holiday hours are added to the pay using the employee's day rate.If the day is worked at time-and-a-half, the loaded rate is applied and an alternative holiday grant is added to the leave balance.If the day is not an otherwise working day, the pay is left alone but the prompt records the decision.Where the public holiday list comes fromThe list is built from the standard New Zealand public holidays calendar, including provincial anniversary days for the company's region. Update the region in the company settings if anniversary days are showing for the wrong province. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-happens-when-a-public-holiday-falls-in-a-pay-period Q: How Do I Tax A Bonus, Commission, Or Other Extra Pay? A: Extra pay amounts such as bonuses, commissions, back pay, and gratuities are taxed differently from ordinary wages. Lightning Payroll uses the Inland Revenue extra pay tax rate based on the employee's annualised income.How to enter an extra payOpen the pay for the employee.Add a pay item for the extra pay amount.Tick Tax as an extra pay on the item.Save the pay - Lightning Payroll calculates the correct tax using the extra pay rate.How the extra pay rate is chosenLightning Payroll estimates the employee's annual income (using the last four weeks of pay as a base) and selects the matching extra pay rate from the Inland Revenue table. ACC earner levy and student loan repayments are also applied where relevant.Common extra pay itemsCash bonuses and incentive payments.Commissions paid as a lump sum (regular commission paid each pay period can be treated as wages).Back pay for an earlier period.Retiring allowances and redundancy payments (handled by the termination wizard).Holiday pay paid as a lump sum outside the normal pay cycle.If you need to override the calculated tax for a special case, you can adjust the PAYE pay item manually before saving the pay. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-tax-a-bonus-commission-or-other-extra-pay Q: How Should Employee Share Scheme (ESS) Payments Be Taxed? A: Employee Share Scheme (ESS) benefits are taxed as extra pay in New Zealand. Lightning Payroll has a dedicated checkbox so the right rate is applied and the amount is reported correctly on the payday filing return.How to record an ESS benefitOpen the pay for the employee.Add a pay item for the ESS taxable benefit amount.Tick Tax as an extra pay and then tick Employee Share Scheme (ESS).Save the pay.What changes when ESS is tickedThe benefit is taxed at the extra pay rate matching the employee's annualised income.The benefit is flagged so it appears in the ESS field on the Employment Information submission.KiwiSaver contributions are not deducted from the ESS amount.ACC earner levy is not applied to the ESS amount.Things to checkThe amount entered is the taxable value of the benefit, not the share value.Make sure ESS is only ticked for genuine share scheme benefits - other lump sums should be taxed as a normal extra pay.Confirm the employer has agreed to deduct PAYE on ESS (some employers leave it to the employee to declare).If you are not sure whether a payment qualifies as ESS, check with the employer or Inland Revenue before ticking the option. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-should-employee-share-scheme-ess-payments-be-taxed Q: How Do I Set Up An Employee Deduction With Automatic Limits? A: Employee deductions can now include optional limits that automatically stop or cap the deduction after a set number of pay applications or once a cumulative dollar amount has been reached. This removes the need to manually track and disable recurring deductions. When to use limits: loan repayments, salary advances, uniform costs, one-off equipment purchases paid over multiple pays, or any deduction that should not continue indefinitely. Where to find the deduction limit fields Open an employee record, navigate to Allowances & Deductions, then select the Deductions tab. Create a new deduction or edit an existing one. At the bottom of the deduction form you will see three limit fields: Max Applications — the maximum number of pay runs this deduction will be applied to. Set to 0 or leave empty for no limit.Max Total Amount — the maximum cumulative dollar amount that can be deducted across all pays. Set to $0 for no limit.Limit Start Date — the date from which completed pays are counted toward the limit. This field is required when either limit is set. You can use one limit type on its own, or combine both for tighter control. The deduction will stop as soon as either limit is reached. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-set-up-an-employee-deduction-with-automatic-limits Q: How Do I Limit A Deduction By Number Of Pay Applications? A: Use the Max Applications field when you know exactly how many pay runs a deduction should be applied to. The system counts the number of completed pays that include this deduction (matched by description) since the Limit Start Date, and stops auto-applying once the count is reached. Example: uniform purchase over 6 fortnights Create a deduction called Uniform Purchase with an amount of $25.00.Ensure Auto Apply to Pay is ticked.Set Max Applications to 6.Leave Max Total Amount at $0 (no dollar cap needed).Set Limit Start Date to the date of the first pay run that should include this deduction.Save the deduction. What happens during pay processing Each time a pay run is created, the system checks how many completed pays already include this deduction since the start date.If the count is below 6, the deduction is added to the new pay as normal.Once 6 pays have been completed with this deduction, it is automatically skipped on all future pays.The deduction remains on the employee record for reference but will not appear on new pays until you update or remove the limit. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-limit-a-deduction-by-number-of-pay-applications Q: How Do I Limit A Deduction By Total Dollar Amount? A: Use the Max Total Amount field when the deduction should stop once a cumulative dollar figure has been repaid, regardless of how many pays it takes. The system tracks the running total of all completed pay deductions (matched by description) since the Limit Start Date. Example: $2,000 salary advance repaid at $100 per pay Create a deduction called Salary Advance Repayment with an amount of $100.00.Ensure Auto Apply to Pay is ticked.Set Max Total Amount to $2,000.00.Leave Max Applications at 0 (no count cap needed).Set Limit Start Date to the date the repayment schedule begins.Save the deduction. What happens during pay processing Each new pay run checks the cumulative total already deducted since the start date.If the total is below $2,000, the full $100 deduction is applied.If only $50 remains before the $2,000 cap is reached, the deduction is automatically reduced to $50 for that pay — ensuring the employee is never over-deducted.Once the full $2,000 has been deducted, the deduction is skipped entirely on future pays. Percentage-based deductions and capping If the deduction is configured as a percentage of gross or net pay, the same capping logic applies. When the remaining limit is less than the calculated percentage amount, the system converts the deduction to a fixed dollar amount equal to the remaining balance. This ensures the total never exceeds the configured maximum. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-limit-a-deduction-by-total-dollar-amount Q: What Should I Know About Deduction Limit Start Dates And Tracking? A: The Limit Start Date determines which completed pays count toward the limit. Only pays with a processed date on or after this date are included in the count and total calculations. Key behaviours Limit Start Date is required when either Max Applications or Max Total Amount is set. If you save a deduction with a limit but no start date, the system clears the limit fields automatically.Only completed pays are counted. Draft or in-progress pays do not contribute to the limit. This means the limit is only consumed once a pay run is finalised.Matching is by description. The system matches pay deductions to the employee deduction using the deduction description and post-tax status. If you rename a deduction, previously completed pays under the old name will no longer count toward the limit.Both limits can be combined. If you set Max Applications to 12 and Max Total Amount to $1,200, the deduction stops as soon as either 12 applications or $1,200 total is reached, whichever comes first. Resetting or adjusting limits To restart a limit cycle (for example at the beginning of a new financial year), update the Limit Start Date to the new start date. Previous pays before that date will no longer count.To remove limits entirely, set Max Applications to 0 and Max Total Amount to $0, then save. The system clears the start date automatically.To increase a limit mid-cycle, simply update the Max Applications or Max Total Amount field. The existing count and total are preserved and the deduction will continue until the new limit is reached. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-should-i-know-about-deduction-limit-start-dates-and-tracking Q: How Do I Change The Processed Date Or Pay End Date For Completed Pays? A: After completing a pay run you may need to adjust the processed/paid date (the date the payment is made to employees) or the pay end date (the last day of the pay period) on one or more pays. Common reasons include correcting a date entry error, aligning with a bank payment date, or adjusting the pay period boundaries for reporting. Accessing the screen Open the pay run that contains the completed pays you want to update.From the pay run actions, select Set Processed Date For Pay Run. Changing the processed/paid date (default mode) By default the screen opens in processed date mode. This changes the date recorded as the payment date on each selected pay. Use the New Processed Date date picker to choose the correct date.In the pay list below, tick the pays you want to update. Each row shows the employee name, net amount, and the current processed date.Click Save Changes. The processed date is used for Single Touch Payroll (AU) and Payday Filing (NZ) reporting, so ensure it matches the actual date funds are transferred. Changing the pay end date instead Tick the Change individual pay end dates instead? checkbox to switch to end date mode. The screen relabels to reflect the change: The date picker becomes New End Date.Each pay row now highlights the current pay end date with the processed date shown in brackets for reference. This is useful when a pay period boundary needs adjusting after the pay run was completed — for example, if the period end date was entered incorrectly during pay creation. Important notes You can select individual pays or all pays in the run. Only ticked pays are updated.Both modes update the selected pays immediately on save. The change is reflected in reports and filing submissions.If you need to change both the processed date and the end date, run the process twice — once in each mode. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-change-the-processed-date-or-pay-end-date-for-completed-pays Q: How Do I Add A Payslip Note? A: There are three different ways to add a note to your employees' payslips in Lightning Payroll. Method 1: Individual Employee One-Off Payslip Note This is done within Pays >> Edit Pay >> Payslip Info >> Payslip Note. Method 2: Individual Employee Ongoing Payslip Note This is done within Employees >> Pay Settings >> Payslip Options >> Payslip Note. Method 3: All Employees Within A Pay Run This is done within Pays >> Edit Pay >> Payslips >> Payslip Note. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-add-a-payslip-note Q: Why Do Hours Worked Change On Their Own When Leave Is Taken? A: This guide will help you understand and configure the 'Automatically adjust ordinary hours worked when entering leave taken in a pay' setting in Lightning Payroll. This feature is designed to prevent overpayment by automatically adjusting ordinary hours when leave taken is recorded. Accessing the Setting Open Lightning Payroll. Navigate to Settings > System Leave. Locate the option titled 'Automatically adjust ordinary hours worked when entering leave taken in a pay?'. Understanding the Setting By default, this setting is enabled (ticked). When active, it automatically adjusts the ordinary hours worked to account for any leave taken, ensuring the total hours paid do not exceed the standard working hours. Example: For a full-time employee working 38 hours a week (5 days x 7.6 hours), taking a day off and entering 7.6 hours of annual leave will adjust the ordinary hours from 38 to 30.4 hours. This maintains the total at 38 hours paid. Adjusting the Setting To prevent overpayment: Ensure the setting is ticked. Lightning Payroll will automatically reduce ordinary hours when leave is taken. To manage hours manually: Set the option to unticked. You will need to manually adjust the ordinary hours to avoid paying for more hours than worked. This is useful if you wish to add leave hours without reducing the ordinary hours, resulting in additional pay for the leave period. Important Consideration When the setting is unticked, and leave is entered without adjusting ordinary hours, it could result in overpayment. For instance, if 7.6 hours of leave are added without reducing the ordinary 38 hours, the total paid hours would be 45.6. It's crucial to manually adjust ordinary hours in such cases. Need Further Assistance? If you have any questions or require further assistance with this setting, please contact our support team. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-do-hours-worked-change-on-their-own-when-leave-is-taken Q: How Do I Process a Pay? A: To process a pay or pay run in Lightning Payroll, click on the Pays button at the top of the Lightning Payroll window. When you click on the Pays button, you will be taken to the current or most recent pay run. If you want to go back to an earlier pay run, you can click Last Pay Run on the left. To go to future pay runs, click Next Pay Run on the right. When processing a pay run, all pays are initially marked as Pending until they're either saved, or marked as complete. To get started, you can click the Edit Pays button above the list of employees to edit the pays in order. Otherwise, you can click Edit Pay beside any employee's name on the right to edit that individual pay entry. Once you have begun to edit a pay entry for an employee, you will be able to enter their hours worked for the pay period on the top left in the Hours section. If you need to pay leave to an employee, you can add this in the Leave taken in this pay section. Click here to find out more on how to pay leave. Tax and Super amounts are calculated automatically and are shown on the right. Once you are happy with the employee's pay entry, click Save and Next on the bottom right to save and progress to the next employee or click Save and Close to go back to the pay run. Once all the pay entries for your employees are marked as Complete, you will then be able to create the payslips and process Single Touch Payroll for this pay run. Click here for more information on creating payslips, or click here for information on processing Single Touch Payroll. You can also watch our video tutorial on how to process a standard pay in Lightning Payroll. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-process-a-pay Q: How Do I Configure and Export GL (General Ledger) Files in Lightning Payroll To My Accounting Software? A: This guide will help you configure and export General Ledger (GL) files from Lightning Payroll. Exporting GL Files To export GL files, follow these steps: Navigate to Pays > Reports (the red Reports icon). To export a CSV file, select GL Postings (CSV Export). To access a PDF of the same information, select GL Postings (PDF/Print Preview). This can also be run from the main Reports screen with several additional options. Configuring CSV Export Settings If you need to configure the date or column settings for the CSV export: Go to Company > GL Codes. Adjust the settings as needed, referring to your accounting package import criteria. The default settings should suffice in most cases. Editing GL Accounting Codes To modify GL accounting codes: Click the edit pencil beside any pay category to enter the code. If your company has departments (cost centres) set up, you can choose to export the CSV into departments. This makes the main GL code for settings (e.g., 'gross wages') redundant, as selecting 'split by department' will use the department GL codes instead of the main/total/default GL code. Following these steps will ensure your GL files are correctly configured and exported for use with your accounting software. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-configure-and-export-gl-general-ledger-files-in-lightning-payroll-to-my-accounting-software Q: How Can I Terminate an Employee (Basic)? A: For a detailed termination, please see our FAQ here. To terminate an employee, go to Pays >> Edit Pay and click the Terminate Employee button (above the Save + Next button) on the bottom-right of the screen when editing the employee’s final pay. This will bring up the employee termination assistant. Here, you will be prompted to enter the termination date, the reason for termination, and then on the next page, you will be able to select which leave types need to be paid out. If no leave is to be paid out, you will be able to deselect them all. If you need to enter in wages in lieu of notice, you will be able to do this on the following screen. Otherwise, you can hit Next to continue, and you will be brought to a final termination summary screen. If you’re happy with the termination, you can then click Finish, then Save + Close on the pay. Please note that terminating an employee will still retain all the employee's details and pay data in the program for record-keeping purposes, but will free up a spot for you on your license to add new employees if need be. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-terminate-an-employee-basic Q: How Can I Correct A Pay If It Has Already Been Banked? A: Correcting a pay that has already been banked depends on the type of issue: whether it's an incorrect pay item, an underpayment, an overpayment, or missed super. Follow the appropriate steps below. Incorrect Pay Item Used If an employee was paid the wrong pay item or rate (e.g. annual leave instead of sick leave), but the value of the pay remains unchanged (gross, tax, net, super), you can update the existing pay: Go to Pays > Navigate to the correct pay run. Edit the incorrect pay by clicking the edit pencil button. Update the pay item and save the changes. Report this change to the ATO by sending an STP update event: Single Touch > Submit Payroll To ATO > Create update event. If an update event is unavailable, it may need to be submitted from the employee's latest pay run for the financial year. (Learn more) Underpayments If an employee was underpaid or if a pay item (such as wages or super) was missed, do not edit the original pay. Instead, record a new pay to correct the error. Leave the original pay unchanged for a clear audit trail. Scenario 1: Correction for the Same Pay Run This scenario applies if you have already completed the employee's current pay, meaning it has been saved, banked and/or reported to the ATO. Go to Pays > Create Pay Wizard. Ensure the processed date matches the banked date and untick Create Full Pay. Edit the second, $0.00 pay line for the employee. Example 1: Missed or unrecorded items Add the missed items to the new pay and manually calculate the tax difference. Use the Tax Calculator in the Tools menu or temporarily edit (without saving) the original pay to determine the tax adjustment. This example shows how the tax would be edited to record the difference of $18 tax required. The Tax Calculator is found under Tools at the top of the program. Example 2: Incorrect pay items Enter a negative value for the incorrect pay item and a positive value for the correct one. The employee was originally paid 38 hours ordinary time worked. They should have been paid holiday/annual leave plus leave loading. Notice the correction where the OTE is cancelled via a negative entry alongside the corrected entry. The 38 hours OTE is cancelled out by the 38 hours leave, but the pay is increased by the leave loading amount which was the cause of the underpayment. Tax has been edited in this case to account for the required $24 which can be manually calculated using one of the two methods mentioned above. Scenario 1A: Underpayment due to incorrect hourly rate This is common when an employee has been paid at the wrong ordinary rate across past hours. The cleanest fix is a swapover of the hours from the old rate to the correct rate inside the current pay. This creates the backpay difference automatically and keeps the audit trail intact. Overview Enter the total affected hours as a negative line at the old rate. Enter the same hours as a positive line at the correct rate. Do this in one pay. You can include any normal wages owed for the period on additional lines. Two stage process to access both rates in one pay Stage 1: Go to Employees > Pay Settings and temporarily set the employee's main pay rate to the old, lower rate. Open the current pay in Pays and enter the negative hours against the old rate, then save the pay. Stage 2: Fix the employee's pay settings to the correct rate. Return to Pays and re-edit the same pay. Add a new line for the positive hours at the correct rate. Leave the negative line untouched. Example If 448 hours were paid at $37.96 and should have been $38.45, enter -448 hours at $37.96, then +448 hours at $38.45. The backpay difference of $0.49 per hour is created automatically. PAYG will calculate from the final totals in the pay. Tip: If you also owe ordinary hours for the current period, add them on a third line at the correct rate. Scenario 2: Correction for a Previous Pay Run Follow the same steps as Scenario 1. Alternatively, make the corrections in the employee's current pay run or create a second pay line via the Create Pays Wizard. Super Corrections and RESC Additions If you missed a superannuation contribution, including RESC (Reportable Employer Super Contributions), this should also be recorded in a new pay, not by editing the original. This applies to both unpaid and already paid super contributions. Creating a new pay line helps: Preserve a clean audit trail Avoid altering amounts already banked or reported Ensure STP and super payment instructions are accurate For EOFY RESC additions, see: How can I enter an additional RESC/super amount for EOFY? For general super payment instructions, see: How do I pay super in Lightning Payroll (no clearing house required)? Overpayments Overpayments require careful handling. Refer to the Fair Work guidelines: When overpayments occur, the employer and employee should discuss and agree on a repayment arrangement. A written agreement should include the reason, amount, repayment method, and schedule. If no agreement is reached, seek legal advice. (Learn more) Deduct overpayments in upcoming pays by entering negative values for the overpaid item. For example, if 40 hours OTE were paid but only 30 hours were worked, deduct the 10 hours in the next pay. Ensure that no pay value (gross, tax, net, super) falls below $0. Arrange for deductions across multiple pays if necessary. Example: Correction delayed to next pay due to negative result If an employee was mistakenly paid 38 hours at time-and-a-half instead of ordinary time, the typical correction would involve entering -38 hours at the incorrect rate and +38 hours at the correct rate. However, if there are no other pay items in the correction, this will result in a negative pay amount, which is not allowed. The following image shows the overpayment made on June 20th, which should have been OTE. In this case, you should wait until the employee's next pay run. Then: Include the correction in their regular pay. Enter -38 hours at time-and-a-half (to cancel the overpaid portion). Enter +38 hours at ordinary time (to restore the correct pay). This ensures the overpayment can be recovered against other earnings in the same pay, keeping the overall pay valid and payable. STP Reporting Corrected overpayments or underpayments must be reported via Single Touch Payroll. Submit a new event (pay event) to correct both Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-correct-a-pay-if-it-has-already-been-banked Q: Can I Add My Company Logo to the Payslips? A: You can add your company logo to the payslips by going to the Pays screen, clicking the Payslips button and selecting 'Configure Payslip Logo'. Tick the box to turn Logos on and then select 'browse' to choose the image. You can adjust the height or width of the image by adjusting the measurements in the logo menu. The preview will show you how the logo will look on the payslip. Once you are happy with how the logo will appear, click 'Close'. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/can-i-add-my-company-logo-to-the-payslips Q: How Do I Create An Additional Pay? A: To add a pay click on Create Pays Wizard, select the employee(s) whom you wish to record a pay for within that period. Then select the date you would like this pay to be processed or if it were a past pay, the date it was processed. The tickbox at the bottom of the window which says Create Full Pay if ticked will filter the information from the Pay Settings for each employee. If the additional pay is for a bonus or other irregular payment please see here for an example on paying a bonus, commision, etc. If the additional pay is for a back payment please see here for an example of making a back payment. If you need to delete an additional pay row from the pay run, please see here to learn how to do this.   Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-create-an-additional-pay Q: How Do I Create Additional Pay Rates For Employees? A: It's possible to set up various additional pay rates for employees in Lightning either individually or in groups. To set up a pay rate to be applied to a single employee, go to Employees >> select the relevant employee from the list >> Pay Settings >> Special User Defined Pay Rates and add the rate in; this pay rate will then be available from the drop down list of pay rates in the Edit Pays screen. To set up a pay rate that can be applied to a group of employees, go to Company >> Pay Rate Groups >> New Group and add in the pay rate, then Edit Employees to add said pay rate to a group of employees; this pay rate will then be available from the drop down list of pay rates in the Edit Pays screen for every employee you have selected. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-create-additional-pay-rates-for-employees Q: How Can I Send Data To Xero From Lightning Payroll? A: Currently the Xero integration features are free as they are still in beta testing. We are not yet fully Xero certified and need between 10'25 users to help test this feature before we can progress to the next certification stage. For now, it's free to use, but in the future a small integration subscription add-on will be required to use Xero, MYOB and other accounting platforms with Lightning Payroll. What Data Is Transmitted? Below is a diagram to show how data flows between Lightning Payroll and Xero. Submitting A Pay Run To Xero To submit a pay run to Xero, go to the Pays screen, then click on the red Reports book button and select 'Export To Xero'. If this is your first time submitting, you'll see a popup asking if you want to use the default Xero account codes from the standard Xero chart of accounts. Understanding Xero Account Codes You can view your Xero account codes in Xero by going to Accounting >> Chart of accounts. Note: The Xero interface may change at any time at their discretion. These images are provided as an example only and may not exactly match what you see. If you prefer to use your own custom account codes instead of the defaults, you will need to gather them from Xero's Chart of Accounts screen and manually enter them into Lightning Payroll under Company >> GL Codes. In this section you can use the buttons to Restore Lightning Payroll Defaults or Restore Xero Defaults. Learn more about editing GL codes in Lightning Payroll here. Logging In To Xero Once your account codes are ready (either default or custom), your browser will launch and prompt you to log in to Xero. After logging in, authorise Lightning Payroll to access your organisation by clicking 'Allow Access'. Checking For The Xero Token After authorisation, a message should confirm that the authentication token has been downloaded. Return to Lightning Payroll and click 'Check For Token'. Selecting Pays To Submit Next, you'll be able to select which pays to submit. Pays that have already been submitted will appear in red (see further down for resubmission info). Reviewing The Journal On the next screen you can review the journal entry totals. There's an option to submit as a Draft Only so things can be reviewed before final posting in Xero. Important Note on Reimbursements: Employee reimbursements should not be entered in Lightning Payroll, as doing so can cause journals not to balance in Xero. Reimbursements are best handled outside of payroll, for example with a direct bank transfer. If you want the reimbursement mentioned on an employee's payslip without altering payroll or journal figures, you can add a payslip note instead. See our FAQ here for more details. Final Submission Click Submit to Xero when you're ready. If there are errors or warnings, a popup will display them. If successful, you'll see "Xero journal submitted successfully". The final screen provides a summary and lets you print or preview the submission. Approving A Draft Journal In Xero To approve a draft journal in Xero, go to Accounting >> Reports >> Journal Report and click 'Go to manual journals'. Open the Draft tab. Correcting A Mistake If you submitted pays by mistake and then made changes, you can resubmit. These pays will appear in red on the pay selection screen. Corrections must also be made in Xero by voiding the incorrect journal entry. Go to Accounting >> Reports >> Journal Report and click 'Go to manual journals' to locate and void the entry. Departmental/Cost Centre Breakdown You can submit more detailed journal entries by breaking figures into departments or cost centres. This is done in Lightning Payroll under Company >> GL Codes. Tick 'Split By Department (When Applicable)' next to relevant ledger items. In the above example, departments like 'workshop', 'admin' and 'office' are used. If these don't exist in Xero, you'll see a warning like this: Warnings will not prevent submission. However, if you want departments tracked in Xero, ensure your Lightning Payroll departments match Xero Tracking Categories. Revoking Xero Access If you wish to disconnect Lightning Payroll from a Xero organisation, you can revoke access. Go to Pays >> Reports >> Export to Xero and click Revoke Xero Auth Token. This will remove the connection and, if needed later, you'll need to go through the login and authorisation process again to reconnect to that Xero tenant/company. Reviewing Xero Lodgement History To review previous Xero submissions, go to the main Reports screen and open the Xero Submissions report. Use the date filters to search through past lodgements and review the status of each export. Using Xero Integration in Direct Entry Wizards Lightning Payroll now includes Xero integration within the Direct Entry Wizards for both pays (ABA files) and SuperStream payments. After completing the direct entry process, on the Preview screen, you can tick the box to also send the transactions to Xero. Once selected, an additional Xero Submission screen will appear. This screen allows you to submit each individual transaction ' whether it's an employee wage or a super fund contribution ' directly to Xero via their Bank Transaction API. This can assist with reconciliation, providing more visibility over outbound payments in Xero. During submission, Lightning Payroll will attempt to match each transaction to a bank account in Xero using the bank accounts configured under Company >> Bank Accounts in Lightning Payroll. It is important that your bank account names and details match those in Xero to avoid submission errors. If a matching Xero bank account cannot be found, you will be prompted to either choose a valid account from a dropdown list or correct the mismatch before proceeding. Note: This functionality supports both ABA and SuperStream direct entry wizards. It provides an easy way to keep your banking and payroll systems aligned with Xero's reconciliation tools. Currently, these new Xero features are free to use while in beta testing. We are still working towards full Xero certification, and require 10'25 businesses to help trial the integration. Once certified, a low-cost integration subscription add-on will be needed to access Xero, MYOB and other accounting software integrations in Lightning Payroll. Sending Bank Transactions To Xero (During Journal Export) By default, manual journal entries submitted to Xero do not appear in bank reconciliation. If you would like certain totals (such as net pay, tax, or super amounts) to also appear as bank transactions in Xero, you can enable this in Lightning Payroll, although we recommend the more detailed bank transaction export handled via the Direct Entry Wizards (mentioned above). To do so, go to Company >> GL Codes, find the relevant credit entries, and tick the box labelled 'Send To Bank Transactions'. If any credit entries are marked to be sent as bank transactions, they must be linked to a bank account that exists in both Xero and Lightning Payroll. Bank accounts in Lightning Payroll are managed under Company >> Bank Accounts, and you can specify separate accounts for super and pays. During submission, Lightning Payroll will automatically attempt to match your accounts with those in Xero. If a match is found, it will be used for the bank transaction. On the Xero Submission Review screen, matched bank accounts will appear beside each credit entry in the credit table. If needed, you can change the bank account on this screen by clicking the account dropdown. If a GL code has been marked to send to bank transactions, but no corresponding Xero bank account is available or matched, you will see an error and submission will be blocked until resolved. Always ensure your GL credit entries are correctly configured and that your Lightning Payroll and Xero bank accounts are aligned to avoid submission issues when including bank transactions. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-send-data-to-xero-from-lightning-payroll Q: How Do I Regenerate an ABA Direct Entry File for Banking Upload? A: If you've misplaced an ABA file, forgotten to upload it, or simply want to view what was included in a previous submission, you can regenerate the file in Lightning Payroll at any time. To regenerate an ABA file: Go to the Tools menu and select Regenerate ABA File. Select the appropriate type of file: Recreate Super ABA File ' for SuperStream contributions made to super fund bank accounts using validated fund USIs. Recreate Pays/Wages ABA File ' for payments made to employee bank accounts. Choose the relevant file from your ABA history. Optionally, tick Update Processed Date? if you'd like the new ABA file to reflect a different processing date. Click Next and follow the prompts to preview and regenerate the ABA file. The regenerated file can then be uploaded to your online banking portal just like any newly created ABA file. For more general help with ABA files, see our full guide here: How do I make payments using a direct entry banking file? Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-regenerate-an-aba-direct-entry-file-for-banking-upload Q: How Do I Delete A Pay? A: To delete an employee's pay, go to the Pays tab and into the pay run in question. Click on the Delete Pays Wizard button, and select the employees' pays you wish to delete. Confirm your actions and this will put the pays back into a pending status for later use, if necessary. If you cannot delete a pay, this is due to it already having been sent through Single Touch Payroll. While you may not be able to delete a pay in this situation, you can still edit the pay/s and resend if need be. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-delete-a-pay Q: How Do I Print and/or Email Payslips? A: To print or email payslips, go to the Pays tab in the program. Once a pay is saved with a "COMPLETED" status, you can print payslips by following these steps: Click Payslips >> This Pay Run. Select either Print payslips or Print and email payslips at the bottom of the dialog box. Click Next, choose the employees for whom you wish to print payslips, and click Next again. Select Preview/Print Payslip and use the printer icon on the top left to print the payslips. You can also save the payslips as a PDF by clicking the red floppy disc icon next to the printer icon. To print payslips for multiple pay runs, the process is similar: Click Payslips >> Multiple Pay Runs. Enter the desired date range for the payslips and follow the same steps to preview and print. To email payslips, first ensure your email settings in Lightning are configured by following the instructions here. For each employee you want to receive payslips or payment summaries via email: Go to Employees >> Details >> Email Options. Enter their email address and tick the boxes for Email Payslips? and/or Email Payment Summaries?. Once this setup is complete, you can email payslips from the Pays tab using the same process as above by selecting Email payslips or Print and email payslips. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-print-andor-email-payslips Q: How Can I Adjust What is Shown on the Payslips? A: If you would like to adjust what information is shown on payslips, you can do this for each employee in Employees > Pay Settings > Payslip Options. This section allows you to select what types of information can be shown on payslips including: Leave entitlements, including custom leave types and negative balances Year-to-date (YTD) totals for pay and super Hours worked and rates of pay Whether leave balances are shown in hours, minutes, or days Base ordinary rate (if applicable) Inclusion of position/role (if applicable) Allowance units, with options for showing allowance rates Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-adjust-what-is-shown-on-the-payslips Q: Should I Enter Employee Reimbursements in Lightning Payroll? A: Employee reimbursements should not be entered in Lightning Payroll. If added to a pay, they will be reported to the ATO via Single Touch Payroll (STP), which can misstate an employee’s taxable earnings. Reimbursements are typically handled separately from payroll (for example, via a direct bank transfer or petty cash), so they are not included in STP reporting. If you want the reimbursement mentioned on the payslip without affecting pay totals or STP, add a payslip note to that pay only: Open the employee’s current pay and click Edit Pay. Go to the Payslip Info tab. Type your message in the Payslip Note field (e.g. “Reimbursement of travel expenses paid separately”). Click Save. This records the information for the employee while keeping the reimbursement out of payroll figures and STP submissions. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/should-i-enter-employee-reimbursements-in-lightning-payroll Q: How Can I Reinstate A Terminated Employee? A: If you would like to reinstate a terminated employee, go to the Employees tab >> click on Show Terminated Employees >> select the employee you wish to reinstate >> then click on Actions and choose Reinstate Employee. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-reinstate-a-terminated-employee Q: Why Do Pays Sometimes Change By 1c? A: Some payroll apps round once per pay; Lightning Payroll rounds each line item to two decimals, then sums those rounded lines to make the gross. When a salaried employee’s pay is split across multiple items, for example individual leave days, this can differ by one cent compared with calculating the total hours in a single line and rounding once. Our recommendation: let the small variance stand. One cent rounding differences are normal in payroll; they move up or down over time and do not indicate an underpayment or overpayment. Example comparison Hourly rate $43.08706. Total paid hours 38.00000. Item Pay A, single lineOrdinary Time only Pay B, split lines5 × 7.6 hour leave days Leave Day 1 - Qty 7.60000 × $43.08706 = $327.461656 Rounded line = $327.46 Leave Day 2 - Same calculation and rounding = $327.46 Leave Day 3 - Same calculation and rounding = $327.46 Leave Day 4 - Same calculation and rounding = $327.46 Leave Day 5 - Same calculation and rounding = $327.46 Ordinary Time Qty 38.00000 × $43.08706 = $1,637.30828 Rounded line = $1,637.31 - Total of rounded lines $1,637.31 $1,637.30 Both pays are based on the same hours and the same rate. Pay A rounds once on a single line, so the gross is $1,637.31. Pay B rounds each leave day line first, then adds them, so the gross becomes $1,637.30. The one cent difference is caused by standard, per line rounding. What the regulators expect No rule on line rounding: neither the ATO nor Fair Work mandates whether wages must be rounded per line or once per pay. Either approach is acceptable if the employee is not disadvantaged. Payslips: must show gross, net, and itemised entitlements or deductions. The law does not prescribe a specific rounding method for wage lines. PAYG withholding: the ATO provides explicit rounding rules for tax withheld, usually to the nearest dollar. These rules apply to withholding calculations, not to how wage components are rounded. Super guarantee: super is assessed on ordinary time earnings and is a quarterly minimum. Small rounding differences between pays are expected; what matters is that quarterly obligations are met on time and in full. Why Lightning Payroll rounds each line Clarity on payslips; line amounts shown to the cent match the values that are summed. Consistency with itemised journals and exports; easier reconciliation. Common industry practice when pays include leave, overtime, or allowances. If you need a fixed salary figure every pay Accept the one cent variance; this is the simplest and most common approach for salaried staff. Or add a small Rounding Adjustment line to bring the gross to the contracted salary. Or modify a duration slightly; adjusting a leave duration by one or two seconds up or down can shift where the rounding lands, which can change the cent in the gross. Key takeaways One cent differences arise from per line rounding when pays are split across items; this is normal. There is no specific ATO or Fair Work rule that requires a single rounding method for wages. Let it stand for salaried employees; or use a tiny rounding adjustment if you must match a fixed figure. Example figures: rate $43.08706, total 38.00000 hours. Pay A $1,637.31, Pay B $1,637.30. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-do-pays-sometimes-change-by-1c Q: How Do I Add a Missing Employee Into a Pay Run? A: To add employees into a pay run they're missing from, go to the Pays tab and click on Create Pays Wizard for the specific pay run. Then, select the employee(s) you want to add and click Create. If you tick the Create Full Pay? option at the bottom of the Create Pays Wizard screen, the program will automatically use the hours and pay rate set in Employees >> Pay Settings >> Pay Rates to pre-fill the pay details for you. Don't worry' you can still edit these pays as usual using the Edit Pays button on the main Pays tab. If you've recently added a new employee but can't find them in the Pays tab or through the Create Pays Wizard, it's likely due to an incorrect Start Date set for the employee. To resolve this, go to Employees >> Details >> Employment Dates, update their Start Date to the correct date, then return to the Pays tab. The employee should now appear in the list for that pay run. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-add-a-missing-employee-into-a-pay-run Q: How To Setup A Deduction? A: To setup a deduction for an employee go to the Employees tab >> Select the Employee on the left hand side >> Click on Allowances & Deductions >> Deductions >> Click on the green plus symbol to add the deduction & Save. This deduction can then be seen in the Pays tab >> Edit Pay for this employee >> Click on Allowances/Deductions >> Deductions. You can edit the amount manually by clicking on the pencil icon. A common type of deduction is a child support payment. If you mark a deduction as a child support payment it will check the minimum protected earnings amount against the net before allowing you to save the pay. These protected earnings amounts are updated each January. You can also link a deduction to a secondary bank account for an employee (entered under Employees >> Details >> Bank Accounts). This would then include the deduction in an additional line entry within the direct entry banking file. If you are linking a deduction to a bank account, you will likely not need an amount entered against the account itself, under Employees >> Details >> Bank Accounts. Note: If the deduction is required in a past completed pay, you will have to unlock that pay by clicking on the padlock in the bottom left hand corner. Then click on Allowances/Deductions >> Click on the green plus symbol under Deductions & Save.   Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-to-setup-a-deduction Q: How Do I Enter or Edit Past Pays? A: To enter pays retrospectively in the program, you will need to go to the Pays tab, then hold down the Last Pay Run button on the left, and skip through to the pay period you'd like to start entering pays from. Once in the pay run you're after, you can edit pays like normal, then, once all relevant pays are complete, you can click Next Pay Run on the right and complete the next pay run, and so on, so forth. If your employees' names are not in the pay run you skip back to, you can click on Create Pays Wizard to add them into the pay run. If you cannot add certain employees to a past pay run, please see the second paragraph of this FAQ. It is also possible to edit past pays, though please bear in mind this would be done only in a few specific scenarios, as you do not generally want to edit any values that had been paid out at the time, being that you want to have accurate records of what was paid and accounted for at the time (even if there is a mistake in there). If you find yourself in a scenario where you need to edit a past pay, you will need to skip back to the pay run in question, click edit pencil icon to the right of the employee's pay you're editing, then click on the little padlock button at the bottom left of the screen to unlock the pay for editing, then proceed as usual. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-enter-or-edit-past-pays Q: How Do I Setup A Salary Sacrifice? A: To add a Salary Sacrifice for an Employee you will find this under the Employees tab. Select the employee to the left of the screen. Click on Pay Settings >> Salary/Wage Sacrifice and click on the green plus symbol to add in the sacrifice & Save.  If this is to be a Salary Sacrifice as Super, ensure you tick the Is Super/RESC? and Included in Super Calculations? tickboxes, and attach the employee's super fund to the sacrifice. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-setup-a-salary-sacrifice Q: How Do I Export Payroll Data to Farm Focus? A: Lightning Payroll integrates with Farm Focus to allow you to export payroll details as invoices directly into your farm management system. This feature is similar to our Xero and MYOB general ledger exports and is available with the Farm Focus add-on. To use this integration, you will need to purchase the Farm Focus add-on as part of your subscription upgrade or when purchasing a new subscription. Once added, the integration features will be unlocked. The first step is to configure your general ledger code mappings. Setting Up GL Code Mapping Go to Company >> GL Codes. Tick the box for Enable Farm Focus GL Codes. Click Download From Farm Focus to import your account codes. You can now map pay items to the appropriate Farm Focus codes. Use the table to add, edit or delete mappings. Click the delete icon to remove incorrect or unnecessary mappings. Submitting Pays to Farm Focus Navigate to Pays >> Reports >> Farm Focus Export. If not already connected, click Connect to Farm Focus. Log in and authorise your company in Farm Focus. Select the pays you wish to submit and click Next. Review totals against your mapped account codes on the next screen. Click Submit to Farm Focus once you're ready to proceed. If you wish to disconnect at any point, click Disconnect Farm Focus. View Summary and Records After submission, proceed to the summary screen to view a breakdown of what was sent. You can also generate and save a PDF report for your records. The submitted payroll amounts will now appear in Farm Focus under the Actuals section. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-export-payroll-data-to-farm-focus Q: How Do I Use the Import Time & Attendance Wizard? A: Import Time & Attendance (CSV/JSON) The Import Time & Attendance wizard is an advanced import tool designed for payroll administrators and third-party software developers who want to integrate external time and attendance systems with Lightning Payroll. If you are using another app that can generate an export file, this wizard lets you upload that data and create pays quickly within Lightning Payroll. For most customers, simpler options may be a better fit, such as the Lightning Payroll mobile timeclock app or employee-entered timesheets via the Employee Portal on our website. This wizard is available in the web and mobile versions of Lightning Payroll only. It is not available in the Windows or macOS desktop applications. How To Access The Wizard In Lightning Payroll (web or mobile), go to Pays >> Timeclock/Portal Sync >> Import Pay Data (CSV/JSON). Once opened, you will be taken to the main import wizard screen where you can choose your settings and upload (or paste) your data. You can import either JSON (Full) for the complete PayCreate model, or CSV (Basic) for hours, leave, and allowances only. The wizard validates your file, shows a preview, and then creates pays. Before You Start At the top of the wizard you will see the Pay Run date and pay period. This confirms which pay run your import will be applied to. Make sure your file matches this pay run before continuing. Step 1: Choose Your Import Settings Import Format JSON (Full) uses the full PayCreate model and supports all pay items. CSV (Basic) supports hours, leave, and allowances only. Employee Identifier Employee Number is the external app identifier. Employee ID is the Lightning Payroll identifier. Default Pay Department (optional, CSV only) Leave blank to use the department in each CSV row. If filled in, it will be used as the default for CSV rows without a department. Step 2: Get Or Create Your File Use Download JSON Template or Download CSV Template to get a sample file. Save the file anywhere on your computer and then upload it using the Upload JSON or Upload CSV button. Optional: Paste JSON Instead Of Uploading If you are using JSON, you can click Paste JSON (Optional) to paste your JSON array directly into the wizard. When text is present, click Next to validate and preview the data. Optional: View The PayCreate Schema (JSON Only) Click View PayCreate Schema to load the JSON schema used by the importer. You can copy the schema using the Copy button. This is helpful when you are building your own JSON file and need to confirm valid fields and structure. JSON (Full) Requirements The root structure must be a JSON array. Each item in the array must be a PayCreate object. Each item must include the selected identifier field: employee_id or employee_number. Pay items can include hours, leave, allowances, deductions, bonuses, pay sacrifices, and back payments (see schema below). Example JSON Payload This example shows a JSON array with multiple employees and a mix of pay items: [ { "employee_id": 1234, "pay_department": "Engineering", "hours": [ { "description": "Ordinary Time", "rate": 30.0, "units": "hours", "is_overtime": false, "value": 37.5 }, { "description": "Saturday Overtime", "multiplier": 1.5, "units": "hours", "is_overtime": true, "value": 5.0 } ], "leave": [ { "description": "Annual Leave", "leave_type": "HOLIDAY", "multiplier": 1.0, "date": "2026-02-02", "hours": 7.6, "leave_loading_amount": 3.8 } ], "allowances": [ { "description": "Tool Allowance", "amount": 50.0, "allowance_category": "TD" } ], "deductions": [ { "description": "Union Fees", "amount": 25.0, "classification": "UNION_FEES" } ] }, { "employee_number": "EMP001", "hours": [ { "description": "Ordinary Time", "rate": 32.5, "units": "hours", "is_overtime": false, "value": 38.0 } ], "allowances": [ { "description": "Car Allowance", "amount": 200.0, "allowance_category": "RD", "is_taxable": true, "is_itemised": true, "is_included_in_super_calculations": false } ], "bonuses": [ { "description": "Performance Bonus", "amount": 500.0, "tax_method": "NORMAL_EARNINGS" } ], "pay_sacrifices": [ { "description": "Car Salary Sacrifice", "amount": 300.0, "is_included_in_super_calculations": false, "is_super": true } ], "back_payments": [ { "description": "Back Pay Adjustment", "amount": 200.0, "stp_category": "GROSS", "tax_method": "NORMAL_EARNINGS", "start_date": "2026-01-01", "end_date": "2026-01-31" } ] } ] CSV (Basic) Requirements CSV imports support hours, leave, and allowances only. The CSV must include the following columns: employee_id or employee_number item_type description units rate multiplier value is_overtime leave_type date leave_loading_amount pay_department amount allowance_category CSV rules by item_type: hours Required: rate or multiplier, and value. units is optional and defaults to hours. is_overtime should be true or false. leave Required: leave_type, value, and date in YYYY-MM-DD format. rate is optional, or provide a multiplier which defaults to the employee's pay rate. leave_loading_amount is optional. allowance Required: amount and allowance_category. Step 3: Upload And Preview After uploading or pasting data, click Next. The wizard will validate your file and show a preview. If there are issues, the wizard will list row errors and you will need to fix your file and re-upload. Review Screen Details Rows parsed show each import line. Skipped rows indicate blank lines that were ignored. Errors appear if any rows failed validation. Import preview includes row and employee details plus totals where available. Step 4: Finish The Import If no issues are detected, click Finish to create pays. The wizard will confirm how many pays were imported and then return you to the pays list. PayCreate JSON Schema { "title": "PayCreate", "type": "object", "properties": { "employee_id": { "title": "Employee Id", "description": "The internal Lightning Payroll (LP) unique ID for the employee. Use this if `identifier_type=employee_id`.", "example": 1234, "type": "integer" }, "employee_number": { "title": "Employee Number", "description": "The external user-controlled employee number. Required only if `identifier_type=employee_number`. Must be unique across ALL companies.", "example": "EMP001", "minLength": 0, "maxLength": 32, "type": "string" }, "hours": { "title": "Hours", "description": "Optional list of pay hour items (may be empty), including description, rate/multiplier, units, overtime status, and value.", "example": [ { "description": "Ordinary Time", "rate": "30.00", "units": "hours", "is_overtime": false, "value": "37.5" }, { "description": "Saturday Overtime", "multiplier": "1.5", "units": "hours", "is_overtime": true, "value": "5.0" } ], "type": "array", "items": { "$ref": "#/definitions/PayHours" } }, "leave": { "title": "Leave", "description": "Optional list of leave items (may be empty), including description, leave type, rate/multiplier, value, date, and optional leave loading amount. `rate` is optional; when omitted the employee's pay_rate_per_hour is used.", "example": [ { "description": "Annual Leave", "leave_type": "HOLIDAY", "multiplier": "1.0", "value": "7.6", "leave_loading_amount": "3.80" } ], "type": "array", "items": { "$ref": "#/definitions/Leave" } }, "pay_department": { "title": "Pay Department", "description": "Department/Cost-centre name or code to be applied to all items in this entire pay. ", "example": "Engineering", "minLength": 0, "maxLength": 32, "type": "string" }, "allowances": { "title": "Allowances", "description": "A list of allowances to be included in the pay.\n\nUsage rules:\n- IDs are not accepted; providing an `id` will raise a 400 Bad Request because it's a forbidden field. Match allowances by `description` instead.\n- The API will attempt to find an existing allowance for the employee with the same `description`.\n - If a match is found, that allowance will be reused and creation-only required fields can be omitted (e.g. `amount`, `allowance_category`'existing values are reused).\n - If no match is found, a NEW allowance will be created for this employee. In this case, `description`, `amount` and `allowance_category` (code) are REQUIRED.\n ' `allowance_category` must be one of the codes: AD, CD, KN, LD, MD, OD, QN, RD, TD (labels for reference: Cents per KM, Award Transport, Laundry, Overtime Meals, Domestic & Overseas Travel/Accommodation, Tools, Tasks, Qualifications/Certificates, Other). Only codes are accepted for new allowances. ' `is_taxable` defaults to True if not supplied.\n ' `is_itemised` defaults to False if not supplied.\n ' `is_included_in_super_calculations` defaults to True if not supplied.", "example": [ { "description": "Tool Allowance", "amount": "50.00", "allowance_category": "TD" }, { "description": "Car Allowance", "amount": "200.00", "is_taxable": true, "is_itemised": true, "is_included_in_super_calculations": false, "allowance_category": "RD" } ], "type": "array", "items": { "$ref": "#/definitions/PayAllowance" } }, "deductions": { "title": "Deductions", "description": "A list of deductions to be included in the pay.\n\nUsage rules:\n- IDs are not accepted; providing an `id` will raise a 400 Bad Request because it's a forbidden field. Match deductions by `description` instead.\n- The API will attempt to find an existing deduction for the employee with the same `description`.\n - If a match is found, that deduction will be reused and creation-only required fields can be omitted (e.g. `amount`, `classification`'existing values are reused).\n - If no match is found, a NEW deduction will be created for this employee. In this case, `description`, `amount`, and `classification` (code) are REQUIRED.\n ' `classification` must be one of: CHARITY, CHILD_SUPPORT_DEDUCTION, CHILD_SUPPORT_GARNISHEE, NORMAL, UNION_FEES. Only codes are accepted for new deductions.\n ' `is_included_in_super_calculations` defaults to True if not supplied.", "example": [ { "description": "Union Fees", "amount": "25.00", "classification": "UNION_FEES" }, { "description": "Health Insurance", "amount": "100.00", "classification": "NORMAL", "is_included_in_super_calculations": false } ], "type": "array", "items": { "$ref": "#/definitions/PayDeduction" } }, "bonuses": { "title": "Bonuses", "description": "A list of bonuses to be included in the pay.\n\nUsage rules:\n- IDs are not accepted; providing an `id` will raise a 400 Bad Request because it's a forbidden field. Match bonuses by `description` instead.\n- The API will attempt to find an existing bonus for the employee with the same `description`.\n - If a match is found, that bonus will be reused and creation-only required fields can be omitted (e.g. `amount`, `tax_method`, and any range dates'existing values are reused).\n - If no match is found, a NEW bonus will be created for this employee. In this case, `description`, `amount`, and `tax_method` are REQUIRED.\n ' `tax_method` must be one of: NORMAL_EARNINGS = As normal earnings; SPREAD_OVER_SPECIFIC_RANGE = Use date range; SPREAD_OVER_FINANCIAL_YEAR = Over this financial year; METHOD_A_WHOLE_YEAR = Method A (Whole Year); METHOD_A_SPECIFIC_RANGE = Method A (Use Date Range); METHOD_B1 = Method B(i)(Use Date Range); METHOD_B2 = Method B(ii)(Whole Year) (send the *code*, docs show the labels). Defaults to 'NORMAL_EARNINGS' if not supplied.\n ' If `tax_method` is a date-range method, `start_date` and `end_date` are REQUIRED.\n ' `is_included_in_super_calculations` defaults to True if not supplied.\n ' `is_directors_fees` defaults to False if not supplied.\n ' `is_return_to_work` defaults to False if not supplied.", "example": [ { "description": "Performance Bonus", "amount": "500.00", "tax_method": "NORMAL_EARNINGS" }, { "description": "Director's Fee", "amount": "1000.00", "tax_method": "SPREAD_OVER_SPECIFIC_RANGE", "start_date": "2023-01-01", "end_date": "2023-01-31", "is_included_in_super_calculations": false, "is_directors_fees": true, "is_return_to_work": false } ], "type": "array", "items": { "$ref": "#/definitions/PayBonus" } }, "pay_sacrifices": { "title": "Pay Sacrifices", "description": "A list of pay sacrifices to be included in the pay.\n\nUsage rules:\n- IDs are not accepted; providing an `id` will raise a 400 Bad Request because it's a forbidden field. Match pay sacrifices by `description` instead.\n- The API will attempt to find an existing pay sacrifice for the employee with the same `description`.\n - If a match is found, that pay sacrifice will be reused and creation-only required fields can be omitted (e.g. `amount`'existing values are reused).\n - If no match is found, a NEW pay sacrifice will be created for this employee. In this case, `description` and `amount` are REQUIRED.\n ' `is_included_in_super_calculations` defaults to True if not supplied.\n ' `is_super` defaults to True if not supplied.", "example": [ { "description": "Laptop Salary Sacrifice" }, { "description": "Car Salary Sacrifice", "amount": "300.00", "is_included_in_super_calculations": false, "is_super": true } ], "type": "array", "items": { "$ref": "#/definitions/PaySacrifice" } }, "back_payments": { "title": "Back Payments", "description": "A list of back payments to be included in the pay.\n\nUsage rules:\n- IDs are not accepted; providing an `id` will raise a 400 Bad Request because it's a forbidden field. Match back payments by `description` and `amount` instead.\n- The API will attempt to find an existing back payment for the employee with the same `description` and `amount`.\n - If a match is found, that back payment will be reused.\n - If no match is found, a NEW back payment will be created for this employee. In this case, `description`, `amount`, and `stp_category` (code, underscored) are REQUIRED.\n ' `stp_category` must be one of: BONUS_COMMISSION_NON_DIRECTOR_S_FEES, DIRECTOR_S_FEES, GROSS, ITEMISED_ALLOWANCES, LEAVE, OVERTIME, UNCLASSIFIED. Only codes are accepted for new back payments.\n ' `tax_method`, `start_date`, and `end_date` are optional.", "example": [ { "description": "Back Pay Adjustment", "amount": "200.00", "stp_category": "GROSS", "tax_method": "NORMAL_EARNINGS", "start_date": "2023-01-01", "end_date": "2023-01-31" } ], "type": "array", "items": { "$ref": "#/definitions/BackPayments" } } }, "definitions": { "PayHours": { "title": "PayHours", "type": "object", "properties": { "description": { "title": "Description", "description": "A brief description of the pay hours.", "example": "Regular Hours, KMs, Overtime, Saturday, etc.", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 60, "type": "string" }, "rate": { "title": "Rate", "description": "The dollar amount per unit for the pay hours row, such as hourly rate, per kilometre rate, etc. Provide either `rate` or `multiplier`.", "example": "30.00", "type": "number" }, "multiplier": { "title": "Multiplier", "description": "Alternative to `rate`. Multiplies the employee's pay_rate_per_hour (e.g., 1.5 for time-and-a-half, 2.0 for double time).", "example": "1.5", "type": "number" }, "units": { "title": "Units", "description": "The type of units for the pay hours row, such as hours, kilometres, buckets, etc.", "example": "hours", "minLength": 0, "maxLength": 32, "type": "string" }, "is_overtime": { "title": "Is Overtime", "description": "Indicates whether the hours are overtime hours, which affects super guarantee calculations.", "default": false, "example": false, "type": "boolean" }, "value": { "title": "Value", "description": "The number of units for the pay hours row, such as hours worked, kilometres driven, etc.", "example": "37.5", "type": "number" } }, "required": [ "description", "units", "value" ] }, "Leave": { "title": "Leave", "type": "object", "properties": { "description": { "title": "Description", "description": "A brief description of the leave.", "example": "Annual Leave", "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 60, "type": "string" }, "leave_type": { "title": "Leave Type", "description": "A short identifier for the type of leave. Provide the code with underscores (e.g., ANCILLARY, COMPASSIONATE, EMPLOYER_FUNDED_PAID_PARENTAL, HOLIDAY, LONG_SERVICE, OTHER, PAID_PARENTAL, PAID_PUBLIC_HOLIDAY, SICK, UNPAID, WORKERS_COMP).", "example": "HOLIDAY", "type": "string" }, "rate": { "title": "Rate", "description": "The dollar amount per unit for this leave (e.g., hourly rate). Optional if using `multiplier` or to default to the employee's pay_rate_per_hour.", "example": "38.00", "type": "number" }, "multiplier": { "title": "Multiplier", "description": "Alternative to `rate`. Multiplies the employee's pay_rate_per_hour (e.g., 1.0 for base rate, 1.5 for time-and-a-half).", "example": "1.0", "type": "number" }, "date": { "title": "Date", "description": "The date of the leave.", "example": "2023-01-01", "type": "string" }, "hours": { "title": "Hours", "description": "The number of hours leave taken.", "example": "7.6", "type": "number" }, "leave_loading_amount": { "title": "Leave Loading Amount", "description": "The dollar amount of leave loading, if applicable.", "example": "3.80", "type": "number" } }, "required": [ "description", "leave_type", "date", "hours" ], "additionalProperties": false } } } Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-use-the-import-time-amp-attendance-wizard Q: Can I Process Pays In Advance? A: If you would like to process pays in advance, you can do this by navigating to future pays using the 'Next Pay Run' button in the Pays screen. From there, you can edit and save the pay entries as normal for each employee. If the pays are being processed now, but will not be paid until later, you will need to ensure that the processed date for the pays is set to the date the wages will actually be paid. If you use the direct entry option to pay wages, please ensure the processing date for the direct entry is set to the date the wages will be paid to employees on the first page of the wizard when creating the direct entry file. Once the file is created, the processed date for each entry will be updated. If you do not use direct entry files, you can edit the processed date for each entry by clicking the Set Processed/Paid Date for Pay Run button at the bottom-right of the Pays screen. Using this button will allow you to quickly and easily adjust the processing date for all - or selected - employees in the pay run. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/can-i-process-pays-in-advance Q: How Can I Change My Pay Run Dates? A: If your pay run dates need to change for pays going forward, simply go into Company >> Pay Dates and click Edit. This will let you select the Pay Period End Date of the appropriate pay schedule (weekly, fortnightly, monthly) and the pay runs will adjust dates accordingly. Pay Period Start Dates cannot be edited and are a result of the previous pay period's end date. If you have made mistakes with past, completed pay run dates then our support staff may be able to assist. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-change-my-pay-run-dates Q: How Do I Enter A Public Holiday? A: If a permanent employee is on leave, and not working on a public holiday you can enter this under Pays >> Edit Pay >> Edit Leave Taken using public holiday as the leave type. If an employee is working a public holiday and requires loading on their standard pay rate you can set up a new, secondary pay rate under Employees >> Pay Settings >> Special User Defined Pay Rates. To set a public holiday rate up for multiple full time employees, go to Company >> Pay Rate Groups >> +New Group and give the group of rates a name (eg. Public Holiday Rates). Next, click on the green plus symbol on the right and give the rate a description such as Public Holiday, leave all other settings as they are, and click Save. Finally, add all employees who will need this rate using the green plus symbol below the rate you have just created. Now, when you go to pay a public holiday for a full time employee, you will select a second line of pay in Edit Pays and select your new pay rate, Public Holiday, and enter the amount of public holiday hours your employee did in this particular pay run. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-enter-a-public-holiday Q: How Do I Edit Existing Payslips? A: If you need to make corrections to an employee's payslip, you will need to navigate to the relevant pay run for which that payslip was issued. If the pay run was in the past, you can go back to earlier pay runs in the Pays menu by clicking the Last Pay Run button on the left. You can also click and hold the Last Pay Run button for 2 seconds and then release to see a list of previous pay runs for a quick selection, or use the Jump To Pay Run Date box at the bottom of the Pays screen. Once in the appropriate pay run, you will need to click the Edit Pay button on the right hand side to make changes to the employee's pay. If the Edit Pay screen is locked, you can unlock it by clicking the padlock icon on the bottom left. Once you've made the necessary changes, click Save + Close. If you wish to change the metadata for a payslip (address, name, company details, etc.) that are not dollar amounts, use the Payslip Info button in the lower right of the Edit Pay window. You can also make bulk payslip info changes via Tools >> Retrospective Tool. You can generate a new Payslip that will show the changes made by clicking the Payslips button. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-edit-existing-payslips Q: Where Do I Enter a Back Payment? A: If you need to make a back payment to an employee, this can be done as follows.Simply edit the appropriate pay run for the employee under Pays, then click Edit Pay/s. Enter a back payment by clicking the Edit button beside Back Payment. You can then enter a description and select a tax method from the available ATO options. The date fields are only enabled when relevant. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/where-do-i-enter-a-back-payment Q: Where Can I Enter a Bonus or Other Irregular Gross Payment? A: If you need to make an incentive, sales commission, Director's Fees, Return to Work payment, or any other miscellaneous gross payment to an employee, this can be done as a bonus in the program.If you are happy to use the label Bonus/Commission, you can edit a bonus directly in-pay by going to the pay run in question, clicking the pencil to edit the employee's pay, then clicking Edit to the right of Bonus/Commission on the right-hand side of the Edit Pays screen.?? Use the plus+ symbol seen to the right to add the bonus into the pay. Finally, enter the bonus amount and select a tax method from the available ATO options; the date fields are only enabled when a relevant tax method is selected. Here you are able to nominate the payment as Director's Fees or a??Return to Work payment, if relevant, as well as nominate whether the amount will be included in super calculations. If you would like to change the description from Bonus/Commission to something more personalised, you first need to create the bonus item via Employees >> Allowances/Deductions >> Bonuses??in the program, then follow the steps above to add the newly-named bonus into the pay/s. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/where-can-i-enter-a-bonus-or-other-irregular-gross-payment Q: How Can I Terminate an Employee (Detailed)? A: For a basic termination, please see our FAQ here. Getting started with the termination assistant The first screen of the termination assistant asks you to enter the termination date and select a reason for termination. With the exception of a genuine redundancy or other listed circumstances, ordinary termination is typically the appropriate option. If you select genuine redundancy, you will be prompted to enter the redundancy payout amount on this screen. Please see the ATO's redundancy payments page for more information. Select non-ETP payout options On the next screen you can choose which non-ETP items to pay out. This is where you select or deselect leave types to include in the termination. Lightning Payroll calculates the payout based on the employee's hourly rate, any leave loading, and their current leave balance in hours and minutes. You can also add other non-ETP amounts here. See the ATO's table for unused leave payments on termination for details on tax treatment. ETP options and payment in lieu of notice The following screen is for ETP options. A common example is payment in lieu of notice. If you do not need to include any ETP items, click Next to skip this step. There are several ways to calculate a payment in lieu of notice. The most common is Number of Hours Notice. In the example below, four weeks of notice equals 152 hours, based on a 38-hour week. Your amount may differ depending on the relevant contract or award. You can also choose to pay out unused sick leave if required. An Advanced settings button is available on this step. Advanced settings The advanced settings screen lets you review and, if necessary, edit the lump sum leave balances that will be paid out before completing the termination. ETP codes and tax amounts After clicking Next, you will reach a screen that shows ETP codes and allows you to edit ETP tax amounts where required. This is particularly helpful when processing genuine redundancies. Termination summary and finishing up The final screen shows a complete termination summary. Review all amounts and payout types. If everything looks correct, click Finish to complete the termination. If you would like a report of the termination you have just completed, click Preview. What is payment in lieu of notice Payment in lieu of notice is when employment ends immediately, and instead of the employee working out their notice period, the employer pays what the employee would have earned during that notice period. How it is calculated Fair Work guidance says the payment must be at the employee's full pay rate as if they had worked the minimum notice period. This full pay rate includes any loadings, allowances, penalty rates and other separately identifiable amounts that would reasonably have applied during the notice period. For example, if the employee's regular pattern includes weekend penalties during the notice period, those penalties should be reflected in the payment. Download Fair Work's Notice of termination and redundancy pay guide (PDF) Tax, reporting and super overview Reporting: Payment in lieu of notice is generally reported as an ETP in payroll reporting. Your software will tag this correctly when entered on the ETP step. Tax: ETPs have specific tax treatment and caps. Check the ATO rules for the employee's circumstances. Superannuation: The ATO's super guidance treats payment in lieu of notice as ordinary time earnings for super purposes, so super usually applies. Overtime and payment in lieu Unpaid overtime already worked up to the termination date should be paid as outstanding wages. Hypothetical or discretionary overtime that might have been worked during the notice period is not added on top. Only include penalty rates or regular rostered components that form part of the employee's expected pattern during the notice period. Payments made after the death of an employee Lightning Payroll can handle ETP payouts made after the death of an employee. Non-ETP amounts such as unused annual leave, leave loading and long service leave accrued post-1993 are not paid via the deceased employee's termination screen. The ATO explains this here: Withholding from unused leave payments on termination of employment. "You do not withhold from payments for unused annual leave, leave loading and unused long service leave made after the death of an employee. Do not show these payments on your deceased employee's payment summary." These amounts need to be manually calculated and transferred outside of payroll to the appropriate party, for example a dependant or an estate. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-terminate-an-employee-detailed Q: How Does Lightning Payroll Handle YTD Figures And Pay Processing Dates? A: Prior to Lightning Payroll version 2021.5.0, when it came to applying a tax scale or assigning a financial year to a pay, the program was designed to use the pay period's end date over the pay's processing date. We have updated this to simplify and automate YTD calculations used for Single Touch Payroll so that less errors and headaches would occur at EOFY. The processed date for a pay refers to the date when payment is made to an employee. Why Is The Pay Processed Date Important? The date of payment is important to Fair Work Australia as it must be included on every payslip, however its main importance relates to the ATO with tax and YTD calculations. The ATO states that a financial year's payments are not about what pay runs end between July 1 and June 30, but what payments are made or processed within those dates. From the ATO: "If salary and wages are accrued in the current financial year (prior to 30 June) but paid in the following financial year (on or after 1 July), the full amount of the payment will be taxed at the following financial year's tax rates and included in the following financial year's payment summary." Older versions of Lightning Payroll required that financial year boundary dates be stretched or contracted so that the pays processed would be attributed to the right financial year. This is now automatic and rests solely on the processed date of pays entered into the program, so please be mindful of how processed dates work (see below) and that they are accurate. How Are Pay Processed Dates Set In Lightning Payroll? Pay processed dates are most prominent in the centre of the main Pays screen table (above), and they are controlled in a number of ways within the software: Automatically, when completing/saving a pay: The date that you first process and save a pay sets the initial processed date of the pay. In other words, when the pay changes status from Pending to Completed. Automatically, when creating a direct entry payment file: The processing date used in a direct entry file will automatically update the processed date of all pays included within the file. Manually, for a single pay: You can edit an individual pay's processed date using the pencil button at the top of the Edit Pay window. Manually, for multiple pays in a pay run: You can edit the processed date for an entire pay run at the bottom of the main Pays screen, using the Set Processed/Paid Date For Pay Run button. Just enter the new processed date, and select the pays you wish to change the date for and click OK. What If I Prefer The Old Pay Run Date Program Behaviour? If you would like the program to operate as it used to, using pay run end dates to collect YTD amounts used for STP and payment summaries, you may. Just go into Settings >> Display/Time Settings and untick the box which says Use pay processed dates for calculating YTD figures?. Do Reports Use Processed Date Or Paid Date? When running reports in the software you will often get the choice between selecting pay info based on pay run end date or processed date. Simply tick to Use Processed Date or untick to go by pay run end date when in the report form. Lightning Payroll will remember your preference for each report individually.Please see this detailed FAQ on the Use Processed Date tickbox used for reports. Can Financial Year Dates Be Edited? If you would like to edit financial year boundary dates (to further control which financial year captures which pays) you can do so under Company >> Financial Years. See our FAQ on the topic for more information.   Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-does-lightning-payroll-handle-ytd-figures-and-pay-processing-dates Q: How Can I Show Casual Loading On A Pay Rate? A: For certain casual employees it may be necessary to display their base pay rate and their casual loading amounts within pays and payslips. This can be easily handled via a custom pay rate's description. Customised, secondary pay rates are added under Employees >> Pay Settings >> Special User Defined Pay Rates. In the below example you can see the $25 hourly Saturday pay rate's breakdown being shown in the description field. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-show-casual-loading-on-a-pay-rate Q: Why Is An Employee Not Appearing In A Pay Run? A: You might add a new employee or reinstate an old employee one day and find that they are not appearing in the current pay run. This might happen due to a few different things: Start date: Make sure their employment start date is not later than the current pay period. Start dates can be found under Employees >> Details >> Employment Dates. Pay schedule: If you pay fortnightly but the new employee was setup as weekly they will not appear on the fortnightly pay run. You will need to correct their pay schedule under Employees >> Pay Settings. Employee marked as inactive: If an employee is marked inactive they will not appear with a pending pay like normal. To fix this go into Employees >> Pay Settings and tick the box marked Active Pay Recipient? Completed pay run: If the current pay run's pays have all already been saved/completed then the pay run is considered complete and and pending pays will no longer auto-generate like they normally would. In this case you can force a late pay intop the pay run by clicking Create Pays at the top of the pay run in question. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-is-an-employee-not-appearing-in-a-pay-run Q: How Does The Pays Screen Work? A: The Pays screen is the heart and soul of Lightning Payroll. It is the source of almost all reporting and the source of almost all calculations in the program. Pending pays are auto-generated for the current and previous pay runs, when not already completed. If you are catching up on pay runs earlier than this you'll have to create pays if needed. Last/Next Pay Run buttons will let you jump back or forwards in time, turning pay runs like pages in a book. Click and hold your mouse button for bigger jumps in time. Clicking Edit Pay/s will open the selected employee from the table, or the first in the list if no one is selected. If you try to edit a pay and it is disabled/greyed-out, it is likely an old pay and has been locked from editing. Click the padlock button in the lower-left to unlock. You can also edit a pay by double clicking, or by selecting a pay with mouse or arrows and pressing enter. Clicking Create Pays allows you to enter additional pays into the pay run, or enter pays into a past, empty pay run should no pending pays be shown. The start and end dates of the pay period, and the pay cycle (either weekly, fortnightly or monthly). Clicking Delete Pays opens a wizard whereby you can select and delete any completed pay from the pay run, so long as they do not have a Single Touch Payroll history. In that case you'll only be able to edit. Mark all as complete switches the status of any Pending pays in the pay run to Complete. Timeclock (Portal) Sync is where you can pull employee-created shifts and leave requests from our server to prefill pending pays. Reports give a couple of popular pay reports. There are many more reports in the main Reports screen. Payslips lets you print, preview and email payslips for the current pay run or for multiple pay runs. Direct Entry lets you generate a direct entry banking file (ABA) to bulk upload payment information into your online business banking. The Single Touch area is where you report pay information to the ATO, or view past submission history in the Single Touch Mailbox. Inactive Employees shows employees who are not terminated, but have been not marked as an Active Pay Recipient under Employees >> Pay Settings. You can sort the pays table by a chosen column here. Jump to a pay run of your choice by typing in a date. Set the processed date for pays within the given pay run. Accurate processed dates are critical for STP and YTD amounts. By default, a processed date is the date you complete/save the pay, unless a direct entry payment file is generated or a manual edit is made. Show or hide the pay run totals at the bottom of the screen. Pending Pays Pays can either be Pending or Complete. Pending pays do not appear in reports, payslips or YTD figures and will disappear if left pending after a couple of pay periods have passed by. Once a pay is saved, it's status changes to Complete. A Pending pay kicks off with amounts and pay items configured under an employee's Pay Settings. Pending pays will begin with hours from one of three sources: Award hours for a week (default, if not copying hours from last pay or using rosters) Copy hours from last pay - Takes 2nd Priority Rostered shifts (populated by a roster or timeclock/timesheet sync) - Takes 1st priority Pending pays will also kick off with any pre-approved leave requests which fall within that pay period's date range. The following flow chart gives an idea of how a pending pay refreshes/initialises. Note that rostered shifts are created either manually under Rosters >> Edit Shifts or via a Timeclock/Portal Sync on either the Rosters screen or the Pays screen. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-does-the-pays-screen-work --- Category: Payslips --- Q: How Do I Read The Year-To-Date Totals On A Payslip? A: The payslip shows pay-period totals at the top and year-to-date (YTD) totals at the bottom. The YTD figures sum every completed pay for the employee in the current tax year and help reconcile against Inland Revenue records.What the YTD section showsGross earnings: total taxable pay before deductions.PAYE: tax deducted, including ACC earner levy.Student loan: repayments deducted under the SL code, if any.KiwiSaver employee contribution: employee deductions.KiwiSaver employer contribution: employer contributions before ESCT.ESCT: tax on employer KiwiSaver contributions.Net pay: after all deductions.Leave balances: current balances for annual holidays, sick leave, and alternative holidays.Tax year boundaryThe NZ tax year runs from 1 April to 31 March. YTD totals reset on the first pay with a pay date on or after 1 April. Migrated employees include any opening YTD totals entered at setup.Reconciling with Inland RevenueThe YTD gross, PAYE, and KiwiSaver figures on the payslip should match the totals filed in Employment Information for the same period. If they do not, check whether any pays have been amended without resubmitting an EI amendment. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-read-the-year-to-date-totals-on-a-payslip Q: How Do I Create Payslips For A Pay Run? A: Payslips are generated from the Pays screen. The full path is: open the Pays screen ? pick the right pay period and pay run ? click Payslips ? choose This Pay Run or Multiple Pay Runs ? complete the wizard. The example below walks through creating payslips for the pay period starting 20/04 and ending 26/04. Step 1: Open the Pays screen and select the correct pay run The header at the top of the Pays screen shows the currently loaded pay run (start date and end date). Use these controls to navigate to the pay run you want to create payslips for: Set the pay period using the period combo (Weekly, Fortnightly, or Monthly).Use Last Pay Run and Next Pay Run to step through pay runs one period at a time.Use Jump to Pay Run Date to jump straight to a specific date - for example pick any date between 20/04/2026 and 26/04/2026 to load that weekly pay run.Use Current Pay Run to snap back to the most recent pay run. Confirm the header shows the expected start and end dates (for example Monday 20/04/2026 - Sunday 26/04/2026) and that the pay rows below show the employees and amounts you expect. Pays must be marked COMPLETE before they can be turned into payslips. Step 2: Click Payslips and choose your scope Click the Payslips button. A menu opens with three choices: This Pay Run - the most common option. Generates payslips for the pay run already loaded on screen (in this example, 20/04 - 26/04). The wizard skips the date range and employee-selection steps because it already knows which pays apply.Multiple Pay Runs - use this when you need payslips that span more than one pay run, for example reissuing the last fortnight or printing a custom date range. The wizard starts with a date range step and an employee-selection step so you can scope the search.Payslip Logo Settings - opens a separate screen for uploading or adjusting your company logo on payslips. This is set-and-forget and does not generate payslips. For the example pay run 20/04 - 26/04 you can use either This Pay Run (when that period is already loaded) or Multiple Pay Runs (and enter the dates manually). The next steps describe the longer Multiple Pay Runs path because it is a superset of the This Pay Run flow. Step 3: Set the date range (Multiple Pay Runs only) Choose the Start Date and End Date for the search. For the worked example, set: Start Date: 20/04/2026End Date: 26/04/2026 The wizard will only consider completed pays with a pay run end date that falls within this range. If you set the start date after the end date, the wizard automatically aligns them so you cannot continue with an invalid range. Step 4: Select employees (Multiple Pay Runs only) Tick the employees whose payslips you want to include. By default all current employees are pre-selected and terminated employees are hidden. Toggle Show Terminated? if you also need payslips for terminated employees within the date range. You must select at least one employee before you can move to the next step. Step 5: Set the payslip note, theme, format and export option This step controls how each payslip will look and how it will be delivered: Note (optional): any text typed here is printed on every payslip in this run. Useful for messages like "Public holiday loading included" or a note from the boss.Payslip Theme: choose between Original Style and Bordered Table Style.Payslip Format: choose Classic or Classic for windowed envelopes (use the windowed option if you post payslips in window-faced envelopes).Export Options: choose how to deliver the payslips:Print and email payslips - generate the printable PDF and then email payslips to employees who have an email address.Print payslips - PDF only, no emails.Email payslips - email only, skips the print/preview step. Step 6: Confirm which individual pays to include The wizard lists every completed pay that matches your earlier selections. Each row shows the employee, net pay and pay end date. Untick any pay you do not want included - for example if one employee should be paid later or has been handled separately. Pays that are not yet complete are not shown here, so if someone is missing, return to the Pays screen and finish their pay first. Step 7: Print or preview the PDF If your export option includes printing, the wizard generates a single PDF containing every selected payslip. Click Download to save it to disk for printing or distribution. On mobile/hybrid app builds you will also see a Share button to send the file directly. If your export option is Email payslips only, the wizard skips this step and goes straight to the email screen. Step 8: Email the payslips If your export option includes emailing, the final wizard step lists every employee that will receive a payslip and the email address it will be sent to. Review the list and click Send Emails Now. After sending, a results table appears showing each successful send and any errors (highlighted in yellow), so you can quickly spot bounced or missing addresses and follow up. If an employee does not appear in the email list, check that they have an email address recorded against their record. Quick reference: This Pay Run vs Multiple Pay Runs This Pay Run: fastest path. Load the pay run on the Pays screen first, then choose This Pay Run. The wizard goes straight to the Create Payslips step (note, theme, format, export option), then on through Select Pays and the print/email steps.Multiple Pay Runs: use when the date range spans more than one pay run, when you need to filter to specific employees, or when you want to reissue payslips. The wizard adds the date range and employee selection steps before the Create Payslips step. Common pitfalls Pay missing from Select Pays: the pay must be marked complete on the Pays screen first.Wrong pay period showing: double check the period combo (Weekly/Fortnightly/Monthly) on the Pays screen and use Last/Next Pay Run or Jump to Pay Run Date to land on the correct dates.Employee not in email list: they need an email address on their employee record. Add it and re-run the wizard.Wrong export option: the chosen export option determines whether you see the print step, the email step, or both - change it on the Create Payslips step if needed. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-create-payslips-for-a-pay-run --- Category: Reports --- Q: Why Are My Reports Showing the Wrong Amounts? A: Lightning Payroll generates pay-related reports by collecting any completed pays falling on or within the input date range. These will rely on the Pay Run End Date by default, unless the Use Processed Date option is ticked, in which case it will generate reports based on the Processed Date instead. If you are comparing reports (from within Lightning Payroll or from other sources) and finding the amounts are not matching up, this could be due to the incorrect pay runs being included when inputting the Start Date and End Date, or due to using/not using the Use Processed Date option. It is important to check that you are using the correct dates for the pay run/s you're trying to run a report for, as well as checking whether you would need to use the Use Processed Date option. Please note that all Single Touch Payroll amounts and reports are gathered by processed date. (Pay run: 26/09/2022 ' 09/10/2022) Using the example above, when trying to generate a report with the Use Processed Date option ticked, the report that will be generated will not include information for the pay run shown. Rather, it will generate a report based on pay runs with a Processed Date which falls within those specified date ranges. This is because the Processed Date falls a day after the pay run End Date, and in turn, the program will try to generate figures for pays with a Processed Date within the input dates, rather than the pay run that has an end date within that pay run, as Use Processed Date option has been enabled. This can be easily overcome by ensuring that you're entering the correct date parameters (making sure that your start and end dates match with the pay run/s that you're trying to generate reports for), as well as checking whether you're using the Processed Date or Pay Run End Date option for gathering the report data. Using the above configuration, in this circumstance, will generate a report for the pay run with the end date of 09/10/2022, despite having the date ranges fall outside of the pay run itself. This is because the pay run ending 09/10/2022 has a Processed Date of 10/10/2022, and the Use Processed Date option has been enabled. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-are-my-reports-showing-the-wrong-amounts Q: What Does the Use Processed Date Tickbox Do When Running Reports? A: The Use Processed Date? checkbox on most reports in Lightning Payroll determines how the software searches for pay amounts within a selected date range: Ticked: Searches by the date the pay was processed (e.g., finalised and saved). Unticked: Searches by the pay run end date (e.g., the last day of the pay period). Example: If you generate a report for November 1 to November 30: With Use Processed Date? ticked, the report will include pays processed on November 2, November 16, and November 30. With Use Processed Date? unticked, the report will include pays with pay run end dates of November 14 and November 28. This allows you to tailor your report to focus on either processed payments or pay periods, depending on your needs. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-does-the-use-processed-date-tickbox-do-when-running-reports Q: How Can I Delete A Custom Report? A: You can delete custom reports you've made in the past as they become obsolete to your business needs. To delete a custom report, go to the Reports tab, then click on either Employee Report Builder or Pay Report Builder; wherever you created the custom report initially. Next, click on Open Report and select the report you'd like to delete from the drop down list, then click Load.  You will now see there is a Delete Report option at the top right of the screen, click this and then click Yes to delete the custom report. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-delete-a-custom-report Q: What Reports are Available in Lightning Payroll? A: Lightning Payroll offers a full suite of easy-to-use reports that can be accessed via the Reports menu in the program. You can change the font size and colour and export to pdf using the buttons at the top of any print preview screen. Ready to use reports include: Pay reports Taxation reports Superannuation reports Allowance and deduction reports Leave taken and leave forecasting You can also generate fully customisable reports through the Employee Report Builder and Pay Report Builder options in the Reports menu. All reports allow you to view any current or historical data you have entered into Lightning Payroll. All reports can be saved as .PDFs and printed. Many reports can also be exported from Lightning Payroll in .CSV format, allowing you to use them in spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-reports-are-available-in-lightning-payroll --- Category: Rosters-and-Shifts --- Q: How Do I Set Up Rostered Shifts in Lightning Payroll Desktop? A: Lightning Payroll desktop allows you to create shift types and schedule a roster for certain shifts and employees. These rostered shifts can then be used to fill-in your pays, saving time on data entry. Please click here for related timeclock information. Company Shifts To begin setting up shifts in Lightning Payroll desktop, go to Company >> Shifts. To add a new shift type, use the green plus on the right. After that, just make sure to add any employees who may be required to work this shift at the bottom of this screen. When editing a company-wide shift in the New Company Shift screen, the times, durations and pay rate are just defaults, or placeholders for this shift type. If a shift type is likely to change, that is fine, because any shift can be tailored for a particular employee or a particular date elsewhere, as described below. Important, Pay rate warnings Shifts at the company level can include a default pay rate, for example Ordinary Time or Double Time. Pay rates can also be set at the employee level for specific shifts, under Employees >> Shifts. If more than one pay rate ends up connected to the same shift for an employee, Lightning Payroll will show a warning before you proceed. We recommend using one method or the other to connect pay rates to shifts. If you plan to configure employee shift pay rates directly, we do not recommend setting a default company pay rate for that shift. If you have intentionally applied two pay rates to the shift you can safely disregard the warning, otherwise check that the correct rate is selected for each employee. Employee Shifts If an employee tends to receive a particular pay rate, allowance or happens to work a shift on a regular basis you can configure this information under Employees >> Shifts. All company shifts linked to an employee will be visible in this screen. To customise a shift for an employee use the pencil button to the right of the shift. Note: If an employee has been assigned to any departments, these will be available for allocation at the bottom of this screen, and be reflected on departmental reporting once rostered shifts are imported into the Pays area, later on. Roster Shifts Rostered shifts can be viewed, edited and manually scheduled under the Rosters section of Lightning Payroll. Repeating shifts will generate automatically when you first view a pay run within the Rosters screen. If you accidentally edit or delete any rostered shifts and wish to bring everything back to the starting point again, use the Reload Repeats button. To add or edit rostered shifts to be worked during this pay run click the Edit Shifts button. To add a new, one-off shift manually, use the green plus button. You will then see the New Rostered Shift screen. When creating a shift, keep in mind that break durations are not paid. Options The Options button provides a way for you to customise the display of your Rosters screen. For example, you can set your business operating days and hours so that the program does not display unnecessary days or time periods on the screen. If you roster your pay runs two or three pay periods in advance, you can set the default pay run offset, which tells the program how far into the future the Rosters screen should display by default. Rostered Shifts and Pays Rostered shifts are automatically used to populate the pay information in Lightning Payroll, whenever they have been created. The absence of a roster shift will mean pays generate using the employee's default settings configured under Employees >> Pay Settings. You may wish to use the Rosters section, but not have rostered shifts modify your Pays. If this the case, go into Employee >> Pay Settings and tick the box to Ignore rostered shifts when generating pays. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-set-up-rostered-shifts-in-lightning-payroll-desktop --- Category: Setting-Up --- Q: How Do I Import Employee Records And Pay History Into Lightning Payroll? A: This guide covers importing your employee records and, for New Zealand employees, their historic gross earnings (pay history) so that annual-holiday calculations are accurate from day one. These are two separate imports — you can do either on its own, or both together. Quick start Prepare your employee CSV — download our example spreadsheet (see below) and fill in your employees' details, copying from your current payroll software where you can. Go to the Employees screen and choose Import Employees from CSV (in the desktop app this is under Actions). Select your employee CSV. New Zealand companies can also select an NZ historic gross earnings CSV in the same step. Upload. Lightning Payroll imports the rows it can read and lists any it could not, so you can fix those and re-upload. Open any employee afterwards to review or complete their details. Part 1 — Import employee records (CSV) Most businesses set up their employees from a CSV file — this is the usual way to bring staff across from other payroll software. Please see our example spreadsheet here, fill in your employees' details (copying from your current software where you can), and use the field reference below for what each column means. A few fields identify and set up the employee — first name, last name, employment start date and pay period. Everything else is optional, but we recommend completing as much as you can. You can edit any detail — including shifts, allowances and other pay items — in the employee profile after the import is complete. Field reference Column What it is Example first_nameEmployee's first nameAroha last_nameEmployee's surnameNgata numberYour own employee number / staff ID (optional)1024 start_dateEmployment start date15/04/2026 pay_periodPay frequency (Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly)Fortnightly pay_rate_per_hourBase hourly rate32.50 ird_numberIRD number (validated)123-456-789 nz_tax_codeNZ tax code (e.g. M, ME, SB, S, SH, ST, SA, ND)M has_student_loanStudent-loan borrower (true/false)true no_declarationNo IR330 declaration provided (uses the ND code)false kiwisaver_employee_rateEmployee KiwiSaver rate0.03 kiwisaver_employer_rateEmployer KiwiSaver rate0.03 kiwisaver_status_codeKiwiSaver membership statusAK kiwisaver_existing_actionAction for an existing KiwiSaver member  esct_rateEmployer superannuation contribution tax rate0.175 employer_contrib_tax_methodHow employer contributions are taxed (ESCT / PAYE / Split)ESCT employer_contrib_paye_fractionPAYE portion when using the Split method  nz_annual_holidays_weeksOpening annual-holidays balance, in weeks2.5 nz_sick_daysOpening sick-leave balance, in days10 nz_alt_holiday_daysOpening alternative-holiday balance, in days1 ytd_as_at_dateThe date your YTD figures are accurate as at2026-04-01 ytd_ordinary_timeYTD gross ordinary-time earnings18500.00 ytd_payeYTD PAYE deducted3200.00 ytd_student_loanYTD student-loan deducted410.00 ytd_kiwisaver_employeeYTD employee KiwiSaver contributions555.00 ytd_kiwisaver_employerYTD employer KiwiSaver contributions555.00 ytd_kiwisaver_esctYTD ESCT on employer contributions97.00 Several columns accept only specific codes — see Accepted values for coded fields below for what to put in each one. Year-to-date (YTD) figures let you carry an employee's earnings and deductions forward from a previous system. Enter the date they are accurate as at in ytd_as_at_date, then the matching totals. YTD figures are stored separately from the historic gross earnings described in Part 2. Accepted values for coded fields Put the short code (the left-hand value) in your CSV. nz_tax_code — the employee's tax code from their IR330 form. For a student-loan version of a code, use the base code below and set has_student_loan to true. MMain income, standard rate MEMain income, eligible for the Independent Earner Tax Credit (IETC) SBSecondary income, total annual income up to $14,000 SSecondary income, total annual income $14,001 to $48,000 SHSecondary income, total annual income $48,001 to $70,000 STSecondary income, total annual income $70,001 to $180,000 SASecondary income, total annual income over $180,000 CAECasual agricultural employee EDWElection day worker NSWRecognised seasonal worker (non-resident) STCSpecial tax code (tailored rate issued by Inland Revenue) NDNo declaration — no IRD number supplied, or the IR330 was not completed kiwisaver_status_code — the employee's KiwiSaver status. Leave blank if not set. AEAuto-enrol (new employee, eligible for KiwiSaver) AKExisting KiwiSaver member OKOpting in to KiwiSaver NKNot eligible for KiwiSaver CTCasual / temporary employee kiwisaver_existing_action — only needed for an existing employee changing their KiwiSaver arrangement. Leave blank for no action. EEExisting employee opting in EAExisting employee auto-enrolled employer_contrib_tax_method — how the employer's KiwiSaver contribution is taxed. ESCTTax the contribution as ESCT (most common) PAYETreat as salary/wages under RD 68 SPLITPart PAYE (RD 68), remainder ESCT Rates and other set-value columns: kiwisaver_employee_rate — 0.00, 0.03 (default), 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 or 0.10 kiwisaver_employer_rate — 0.03 (default), 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 or 0.10 esct_rate — 0.105, 0.175, 0.30, 0.33 or 0.39 (10.5%, 17.5%, 30%, 33%, 39%) pay_period — Weekly, Fortnightly or Monthly has_student_loan, no_declaration — true or false Part 2 — Import historic gross earnings (pay history for annual holidays) Annual holidays are valued using a rolling 52-week average of gross earnings (Average Weekly Earnings). If your employees were paid outside Lightning Payroll for any part of the last 52 weeks, load their historic gross earnings so the average is accurate from their first leave payment. Two ways to load historic gross earnings Together with the employee import — New Zealand companies get a second file selector in the import screen for an NZ historic gross earnings CSV, right alongside the employee CSV. Best when you are setting up the company and have history for several employees at once. On its own, later — you can import a historic gross earnings CSV without an employee file at any time from the same Import screen. You will also be offered this import straight after manually adding a new NZ employee. Best when you add employees one at a time and want to back-fill their history the same way. What each row needs Every historic gross earnings row needs three pieces of information: pay_date — the date the pay was made. Accepted formats include 15/04/2026 (DD/MM/YYYY) and 2026-04-15 (YYYY-MM-DD). gross_earnings — the gross earnings paid for that pay period. employee_number or ird_number — used to match the row to an employee. Prefer ird_number where available; if you supply both, they must point to the same employee. Please see our historic gross earnings example spreadsheet here for a working sample. The same template can also be downloaded from within Lightning Payroll when you start a CSV import. What happens when you import Lightning Payroll checks every row as it imports and brings in the ones it can use. Any row it cannot use is reported back so you can correct your CSV and upload again. A row is reported when: the file is missing the pay_date or gross_earnings column, or is missing both employee_number and ird_number; the pay_date is not a valid date, or gross_earnings is not a valid number; the IRD number or employee number does not match anyone in the company; the pay_date falls on or after an existing Lightning Payroll pay for that employee. That last rule prevents double-counting: a pay you have already run in Lightning Payroll already contributes to the 52-week average, so an imported row covering the same period is rejected rather than added on top. Historic gross earnings should only cover the period before the employee's first Lightning Payroll pay. Important: historic rows feed the average only Historic gross earnings rows are used only for the rolling 52-week average that values annual holidays. They do not create historical pays, payslips or YTD figures. If you need to carry forward year-to-date totals, enter those on the main employee CSV (Part 1). Migrating from another payroll system Ask your previous system for a per-pay gross earnings report covering the last 12 months, then reshape it into the three columns above (pay_date, gross_earnings, and ird_number or employee_number). Most systems can produce this directly. Troubleshooting Message What to do CSV must include pay_date and gross_earnings columns Check the header row of your historic gross earnings file — both columns must be present and spelled exactly. CSV must include employee_number or ird_number Add at least one identifier column so each row can be matched to an employee. ird_number is preferred. Invalid pay_date Use a recognised date format, e.g. 15/04/2026 or 2026-04-15. Gross earnings is not a valid number Remove currency symbols and thousands separators — enter the amount as plain digits, e.g. 1850.00. IRD / employee number does not match an employee Confirm the identifier matches an employee already in the company. Import or add the employee first, then the history. Date on or after an existing Lightning Payroll pay Expected — only import history for periods before the employee's first Lightning Payroll pay. Remove the overlapping rows. NZ tax code or IRD number is invalid (when saving an employee) Choose a valid NZ tax code, and enter a valid IRD number — or tick No declaration if the employee has not provided one. Already using Lightning Payroll elsewhere? If you are moving employees between Lightning Payroll database files (rather than coming from other software), you can export them from the other file to produce a ready-to-import CSV in the exact format above. This is uncommon, but if you need it see How Do I Export Employees Or Merge Lightning Payroll Databases? Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-import-employee-records-and-pay-history-into-lightning-payroll Q: How Do I Add Opening Leave Balances When Setting Up A New Employee? A: When migrating an employee mid-cycle, you can enter opening balances for annual holidays, sick leave, and alternative holidays so the employee starts with the correct entitlement.Where to enter the balancesOpen the new employee wizard or the employee's Leave tab.Enter the opening figures in the labelled fields:Annual holidays: outstanding weeks.Sick leave: outstanding days.Alternative holidays: outstanding days.Save the employee.How the balances behaveThe opening balances appear as a single grant in the employee's grant schedule, dated at the migration date.Future anniversaries continue to add new grants on top of the opening balance.Leave taken after migration reduces the balance in the normal way.Things to checkConvert balances into the right unit before entering - weeks for annual holidays, days for sick and alternative holidays.Set the employee's last anniversary date correctly so the next grant arrives on time.If the previous payroll tracked balances in hours, divide by the ordinary hours per day or week before entering.Opening balances can be edited later from the employee's leave tab if a migration error is found. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-add-opening-leave-balances-when-setting-up-a-new-employee Q: Why Should I Import Historic Gross Earnings For A Migrated Employee? A: Lightning Payroll uses the last 52 weeks of gross earnings to calculate Average Weekly Earnings (AWE), one of the inputs to annual holiday and leave valuation. For an employee migrated mid-year, you can import historic gross earnings from the previous payroll so AWE is accurate from day one.Why it mattersAnnual holiday pay is valued at the higher of AWE or Ordinary Weekly Pay.Without historic data, AWE only includes pays processed inside Lightning Payroll, which can understate the rate for migrated employees.The historic gross data does not create real pays - it only feeds the AWE calculation.How to import historic gross earningsOpen the employee list and click the historic gross earnings import.Prepare a CSV with one row per pre-Lightning Payroll pay period and the columns:pay_date - the date the pay was paid.gross_earnings - the gross earnings for that pay.employee_number or ird_number - to match the row to an employee.Select the CSV and confirm the import.How far back to importCover at least 52 weeks before the migration date so the full AWE lookback is populated. Importing more than 52 weeks of history is allowed but has no effect on the calculation.This import is separate from the YTD payroll totals used for the tax year. See the migration totals FAQ for that step. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-should-i-import-historic-gross-earnings-for-a-migrated-employee Q: What Year-To-Date Totals Should I Record For A Migrated Employee? A: When migrating an employee partway through the tax year, you need to record the YTD totals from the previous payroll so the new payslips, end-of-year totals, and payday filing returns include the full year.Where to enter YTD totalsOpen the employee's setup wizard or the YTD totals section on the employee record.Enter the YTD totals as at the migration date.Save the employee.What to recordGross earnings YTD: total taxable earnings since 1 April.PAYE YTD: tax deducted (including ACC earner levy).Student loan YTD: SL deductions, if any.KiwiSaver employee YTD: employee deductions.KiwiSaver employer YTD: employer contributions before ESCT.ESCT YTD: tax on employer KiwiSaver contributions.Child support YTD: if applicable.Things to checkThe figures should match what the previous payroll reported to Inland Revenue for the same period.Do not enter YTD totals if the employee has no prior earnings this tax year.YTD totals are separate from opening leave balances and historic gross earnings - all three may need to be set for a mid-year migration.Once entered, YTD totals appear on the payslip and are included in end-of-year reporting. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-year-to-date-totals-should-i-record-for-a-migrated-employee Q: How Do I Enter Existing Year-to-Date Figures? A: If you are starting part way through a financial year and need to carry over existing year to date amounts for employees, you have several options. The recommended option is to import employees by CSV so that personal details, tax, banking, super and YTD amounts are set up together in one pass. Recommended: Import employees by CSV with YTD amounts This is the quickest and most reliable way when changing software part way through a year. Create your employee CSV using our import guide, then include the YTD columns. Follow the steps in How do I import employee records into Lightning Payroll. Include ytd_as_at_date for each employee when you want YTD figures imported. If ytd_as_at_date is blank, all other YTD fields in that row will be ignored. Use the same date for all employees if your source data is taken as at a single cutover date. Check that dollars use a full stop for decimals, for example 1200.50, and no dollar signs or commas. Outcome, all employee records and their opening YTD balances are created together. This reduces manual work and keeps reporting and Single Touch Payroll consistent. Option 2, enter all prior pays for the year This gives the best historical detail although it takes longer. Go to Pays, step back through the year using the Last Pay Run button, and recreate each past pay. Ensure the processed date is correct for every past pay, this is the banked or payment date. You can set the date for the whole run using Set Processed/Paid Date For Pay Run after completing a run. Outcome, full detail appears on reports and employee histories. This is ideal if you need granular audit trails. Option 3, create a single catch up pay per employee Faster than re entering the whole year, with less detail. Before your first official pay in Lightning Payroll, create one pay per employee that brings totals up to date for earnings, tax and super. Use pay items and contribution lines to match your external YTD summary. Outcome, reasonable accuracy with minimal data entry, suitable when you do not need line by line history for the earlier period. Option 4, legacy YTD adjustment per employee Last resort, use only if the other methods are not possible. YTD adjustments are available in the desktop app only, they are not available on the web or mobile versions. Go to Employees then Year to Date then Adjust YTD Totals, and enter figures for each employee. Figures entered here are mainly for STP submissions and the YTD totals on payslips. These amounts will not appear with full detail on most reports or in other areas of the program. Outcome, quickest on a per employee basis, however the least flexible for reporting and reconciliation. Tips for a smooth changeover Choose one cutover date and apply it consistently. Use YYYY-MM-DD for all dates. Reconcile totals against your previous system's YTD reports after import or data entry. If using CSV with YTD columns, remember that ytd_as_at_date must be present for YTD figures to import. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-enter-existing-year-to-date-figures Q: How Do I Email Payslips and Reports from Lightning Payroll? A: Lightning Payroll offers a couple of different ways to be able to email payslips, reports and payment summaries from the program, which are setup under Company >> Email in the program. If you would like Lightning Payroll to send emails from the program for you, you can tick the box at the top of the Company >> Email page to Have Lightning Payroll send emails for you, instead of using your own provider? and the program will then do exactly that. If you prefer to use your own email server to handle this, leave the aforementioned box unticked, and fill out the SMTP Server Settings section on the page instead. Lightning Payroll acts as a basic email client which can log in to your email account to use its server to send emails. Each email provider (such as Bigpond, Optus, Google, Yahoo, etc.) has their own SMTP server settings which may change from time to time. The Lightning Payroll support team cannot provide these email server settings. In the same vein, Lightning Payroll cannot troubleshoot any error responses you may receive from your email provider when trying to set this up, as the error is coming from your email account and provider, rather than from Lightning Payroll. Usually the settings for your particular email provider are easy to find if you search the internet using terms like "(provider name) outgoing email settings", or "(provider name) smtp settings". E.g. "Telstra Bigpond smtp settings", or "iiNet outgoing email settings".You can also search for commonly used email settings under Company >> Email >> Search for Settings. This will use a third-party email settings provider to gather the server settings for you. Once you have entered your SMTP settings under Company >> Email please click Send a test email to determine that you have entered the settings correctly. If you cannot find working SMTP settings for your particular email account, it may be worth considering using an alternative email provider, or ticking Have Lightning Payroll send emails for you, instead of using your own provider? in Company >> Email to use our email server to send emails instead. Gmail Complexities If you are opting for Gmail as your email provider within Lightning Payroll, please be aware that it can be quite tricky to setup. This is due to Google Mail offering a high level of security configurability and as a result, there are many hoops to jump through.The best way to use Gmail for SMTP in Lightning Payroll is by going to https://myaccount.google.com/security and activating 2-Step Verification. Once you have activated 2-Step, you can then create a Google App Password specifically for Lightning Payroll (Other - Custom Name). For more information on managing App Passwords in your Google account, see - https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833?hl=en . Microsoft Complexities As of September 2024, Microsoft fully deprecated Basic Authentication across most of its services, which includes the removal of "App Passwords" for email accounts. Since Basic Authentication, which Lightning Payroll relies on, is no longer supported, users are unable to use App Passwords to authenticate their accounts for sending emails via SMTP in Lightning Payroll. For more information, refer to the Microsoft Community forum post on the matter: Microsoft Community: App passwords following basic authentication being retired To continue sending emails, you now have two options: Allow Lightning Payroll to send emails on your behalf: Select the option "Have Lightning Payroll send emails for you, instead of using your own provider?" under Company > Email. Use an alternative email provider: If you prefer to use your own provider, choose one that still supports Basic Authentication, as Microsoft no longer does. As Lightning Payroll does not support Microsoft's newer authentication methods, continuing to use their services directly for email sending is no longer possible. This change is part of Microsoft's effort to improve security. We are passing this information on as a courtesy, and our support team is unable to assist with email troubleshooting as explained here. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-email-payslips-and-reports-from-lightning-payroll Q: How Can I Set Up Awards, Classifications or Pay Rate Groups? A: You can use Awards, classifications, and Pay Rate Groups in Lightning Payroll to organise employees and share common pay rates. These tools are useful whether you need formal awards, internal classifications, or simply grouped pay rates.Where to find them: Open Company >> Awards and Company >> Pay Rate Groups.Awards: Use this area to store the name of an award, agreement, or internal classification structure. Only the name is required.Pay Rate Groups: Use these to create shared classifications and shared pay rates that can be assigned across multiple employees.Typical setupCreate an award or classification heading if you want one.Create a pay rate group for the role or grade.Add the pay rates that belong to that group.Assign employees to the relevant group.Pay rate optionsNormal: Uses a multiple of the employee hourly rate.Special: Uses a fixed dollar amount.Units: You can use Hours or another custom unit such as KMs or Buckets.Overtime: Tick Overtime? if the rate represents overtime or another non ordinary earning type.If you only want labels on payslips, you can also assign the award or classification name directly to an employee under Employees >> Pay Settings. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-set-up-awards-classifications-or-pay-rate-groups Q: As an Accountant, How Can I Use Lightning Payroll to Process Payroll For My Clients? A: Accountants and bookkeepers can use Lightning Payroll to process payroll for multiple clients. A subscription limits employee capacity, not the number of company entities stored in the system.You can manage client data in two common ways:Keep multiple client entities in one database and switch between them with Entities.Keep each client on a separate database and move between them with Tools >> Create Backup and Tools >> Restore Backup.Be careful when sharing backups between parties. Restoring the wrong backup at the wrong time can overwrite newer work. If you share data across devices or people, make sure everyone follows the same backup and restore process.For clients that prefer not to share a subscription, you can also maintain your own subscription and process payroll from your own installation.Jurisdiction specific filing steps depend on the site mode you are working in. Use the filing and reporting FAQ articles that match the customer jurisdiction for any electronic lodgement requirements. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/as-an-accountant-how-can-i-use-lightning-payroll-to-process-payroll-for-my-clients Q: How Do I Install Lightning Payroll on a New or Replacement Computer? A: Installing Lightning Payroll on a replacement or additional computer is a four step process: 1) Downloading the program: Download and install the program using the appropriate link below: Download for Windows (Windows 8.1 and above)Download for Mac OSX (Version 10.14 and above)2) Installing the licence:If you are given a free trial press Enter Paid Subscription Details to enter your details into our Licence Assistant (also found under Tools at the top of the screen) using your email address and six digit subscription ID number which can be found under Tools >> License Details in Lightning Payroll on the original computer.3) Restoring your payroll data:Firstly, create a backup of your current payroll data from Lightning Payroll on the existing computer (.lpb file) through Tools >> Create backup (or send one online through Tools >> Online Backups if you use that feature).Then, in Lightning Payroll on the new computer, restore the backup (.lpb file) through Tools >> Restore backup (or restore the most recent backup sent online under Tools >> Online Backups if you use that feature).4) Setting up Single Touch Payroll (STP):To ensure you can continue sending STP submissions to the ATO on your new computer, you can export the machine credential from your existing computer. Please see our FAQ here for instructions. Once these four steps are complete, you'll be ready to go.One final note, while each LP subscription can be used on two computers at one time, this does not mean the data is automatically shared. Lightning Payroll is a desktop app and stores its data locally (on your PC hard drive).If you run your program between two systems please ensure you keep both copies of the payroll data up-to-date by regularly creating and restoring backups. Our Online Backups feature is the best way to do this. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-install-lightning-payroll-on-a-new-or-replacement-computer Q: How Do I Connect Lightning Payroll to the Internet if I'm Behind an Authenticated Proxy? A: If your company uses a network that involves an authenticated proxy you may have to enter settings under Settings >> Proxy to allow Lightning Payroll to access the internet. This means Lightning Payroll is able to keep you up-to-date with automatic update downloads and allows you to connect to the ATO via SBR and to the national Superstream network. All of these features require Lightning Payroll to have internet access. Contact your network administrator, or IT department for appropriate settings if you're unsure of what to enter. Here's an example of a proxy setup: Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-connect-lightning-payroll-to-the-internet-if-im-behind-an-authenticated-proxy Q: How Do I Setup Departments? A: Setting Up Departments in Lightning Payroll Learn how to configure departments within Lightning Payroll for enhanced report generation and cost-centre analysis. This guide will walk you through creating departments, assigning employees, and generating department-specific reports. Creating Departments Departments can be established in Lightning Payroll to help organise your payroll reporting by different cost centres. To create a department: Navigate to Company >> Departments. Click the + icon to add a department. Assigning Employees to Departments After creating your departments, you can assign employees and set their default pay percentage allocation: Go to Employees >> Details >> Departments. Assign employees to their respective departments and set their default pay % allocation. Editing Departmental Allocation for Pays If an employee's departmental % allocation needs to be changed for specific pays: Select Pays >> Edit Pay/s >> Dept % (at the top of the window). To edit departmental % allocation for past pays and multiple employees all at once, use Tools >> Retrospective Tool. Allocating Shifts to Departments If your organisation uses shifts: Shifts can be allocated to a department under Employees >> Shifts, by editing a shift. Running Departmental Reports For detailed reporting on departmental pay data: Access the Custom Reports feature via Reports >> Pay Report Builder. Design your report by selecting the desired columns and ensure to tick the box to Group by department for consolidated departmental data. Reports >> Departmental Analysis. Exporting General Ledger Files by Department To export general ledger files specific to departments: Go to Pays >> Reports >> GL Postings (Export CSV). More detailed instructions can be found here. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-setup-departments Q: How Can I Set Up a New Employment Tenure/Type? A: Lightning Payroll allows for flexible payroll management by enabling the setup of custom Employment Tenures and Types, in addition to the default options. Follow this guide to create and implement custom settings that suit your business's needs. Default Settings By default, Lightning Payroll includes the following Employment Tenures: Permanent Temporary And the following Employment Types: Full-time Part-time Casual Accessing Pay Settings To select an Employment Tenure or Type for an employee, navigate to their profile: Go to Employees from the main menu. Select an employee to edit. Click on Pay Settings then Pay Rates to view or change their Employment Tenure and Type. Adding a New Employment Tenure/Type To add a new Employment Tenure or Type: Navigate to Settings > Employment Tenure/Type. In the "Employment Tenure" table on the left, click the green plus to add a new tenure. Or, click the green plus in the "Employment Type" table on the right to add a new type. Fill in a name for the new entry and save your changes. Selection of Custom Tenure/Type After adding, your new Employment Tenure or Type will be available for selection from the drop down menu in the employees' Pay Settings > Pay Rates. This allows for a more tailored payroll setup that better reflects the various roles within your company. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-set-up-a-new-employment-tenuretype Q: What Things Does Lightning Payroll Calculate? A: Lightning Payroll is able to calculate your employees Super, Tax and Leave Accruals out of the box. Lightning uses the latest tax tables built in to calculate the correct tax amounts for each of your employees. To make sure the correct tax is calculated for your employee, make sure you enter their correct Tax File Number in the Employees > Tax Rates > Tax Settings. Lightning will also take care of calculating your employees' holiday, sick and long service leave entitlements on a pay by pay basis. You can choose which settings you'd like to use when setting up a new employee and Lightning will take care of the rest. You can also enter existing leave balances for employees. Finally, Lightning is setup to calculate the standard 10.5% Super Guarantee by default. You can alter these settings in Employees > Super.   Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-things-does-lightning-payroll-calculate Q: How Can I Give Payroll Access To My Accountant Or Another Person? A: Sharing payroll data in Lightning Payroll can be done in various ways, depending on whether you use the desktop or web version of the software. Below are simple steps for different scenarios: Example 1: Desktop User Sharing Data with a Non-Subscriber If your accountant or recipient does not subscribe to Lightning Payroll, you can set them up as a user by adding their email under Settings >> User Management. Note that creating a user in the desktop app does not automatically create a web account for them. To share data via the web, you will need to sync your desktop app's data with the web version. Follow these steps: Go to Settings >> Other Settings in the desktop app. Tick the checkbox for “Sync Data Up To Web App”. Login using your website credentials (not necessarily the same as your local database password). Optionally, tick “Manually control web sync uploads/downloads” to avoid logging in each time you use the desktop app. Once the data is synced to the web, any missing non-admin user accounts will be created automatically, and each new user will receive an email with their login details. For detailed instructions on web syncing, visit this support article. Example 2: Desktop User Sharing with Another Lightning Payroll Subscriber If the recipient already uses Lightning Payroll, simply create a backup file and send it to them: Go to Tools >> Create Backup to generate a backup file. Email the backup file to the recipient. The recipient can restore the backup via Tools >> Restore Backup. This method works whether the recipient uses the desktop or web version of Lightning Payroll. Example 3: Web App User Sharing Data with a Non-Subscriber If you use the web app and wish to share data with someone who does not have a Lightning Payroll subscription, follow these steps: Go to Settings >> User Management in the web app. Create a new user by entering their email address. The account will be created immediately, and the new user will be notified via email. Learn more about managing users here. Scroll down for web app specific information. Example 4: Web App User Sharing with a Subscriber If the recipient already uses Lightning Payroll, you can either use the steps from Example 3 or take advantage of the Data Sharing feature: Go to Settings >> Data Sharing. Use this feature to connect your account to the recipient's account for easier data sharing. This option simplifies the sharing process by allowing linked accounts to access shared data directly. These methods ensure secure and flexible sharing of payroll data in Lightning Payroll, tailored to your specific needs. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-give-payroll-access-to-my-accountant-or-another-person Q: Can I Import Data Directly into Lightning Payroll? A: Lightning Payroll cannot import or export payroll data directly from - or to - another program or application. If you are starting with Lightning Payroll after the current financial year has already begun, you can enter year-to-date (YTD) figures for each employee as YTD adjustments in the Employees section or by prefilling earlier completed pays in Lightning Payroll. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/can-i-import-data-directly-into-lightning-payroll Q: How Do I Disconnect Lightning Payroll From My MYOB Account? A: To remove Lightning Payroll's access to your MYOB account, follow these steps: Go to https://myaccount.myob.com/account and log in. Click on Password & 2FA. Scroll down to the Third-party integrations section. Click Revoke Access next to Lightning Payroll. Once access is revoked, Lightning Payroll will no longer be able to connect to your MYOB account. You can reconnect at any time from within the Lightning Payroll software. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-disconnect-lightning-payroll-from-my-myob-account Q: How Do I Export Employees Or Merge Lightning Payroll Databases? A: If you have multiple Lightning Payroll database files and would like all of your business entities managed from a single database, it is important to note that Lightning Payroll databases cannot be merged. Instead, the process outlined below is the next best solution. It allows you to export and import employee records only between database files so they can be recreated under another company within a different database. This process does not merge company data, entities, or settings. Company profiles must always be created manually. Important Clarification About Company Data The employee export and import tools work exclusively with employee records. They have no impact on: Company or entity details Business settings Pay item structures at a company level If you are importing employees into another database, you must first recreate the company profile they will belong to. This is done by navigating to Entities >> Add New Company in the destination database. Employees are always imported into the currently selected company. If the correct company is not selected at the time of import, the employees will be created under the wrong entity. How The Export And Import Process Works Lightning Payroll includes a dedicated export and import feature designed to transfer employee data between database files. From the Employees screen, above the employee list, open the Actions menu. Here you will find options to export and import employees. The export feature creates a CSV file containing key employee information for the selected financial year. This file is generated in the exact format required by the Lightning Payroll import tool. The export includes: Employee personal details Leave balances Superannuation fund information Year-to-date earnings in an STP-friendly structure You can then open your other Lightning Payroll database file, select the appropriate company, and import the CSV file. This recreates the employee profiles under that company so payroll processing can continue. Important Limitations And Manual Setup Some employee settings require manual configuration after import. This applies to any pay items that belong to a collection, including: Allowances Salary sacrifice arrangements Deductions Any other multi-item pay components These items must be manually added back to each imported employee profile. Please also be aware that the export only includes data from the current financial year. Historical payroll records are not transferred and the original database should be retained for reference. Steps To Export Employees First, select the employees you wish to export. Click Next, choose a filename and save location, then confirm the YTD as at date. This is set to today's date by default. Importing Employees Into The New Database Before importing, ensure the destination database has the correct company already created and selected. The import process is accessed from Employees >> Actions in the destination database. For a full step-by-step walkthrough, please refer to the following FAQ: How Do I Import Employee Records Into Lightning Payroll? Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-export-employees-or-merge-lightning-payroll-databases Q: How Do I Enter Allowances? A: Allowances for individual employees can be entered under Employees >> Allowances/Deductions >> Allowances using the green plus icon. If you have common allowances to share amongst your employees, you can create company allowances under Company >> Allowances. If you wish to itemise an allowance separately within an end of year or Single Touch Payroll submission be sure to tick the Itemised? box when editing or creating your allowance. If you wish to edit multiple pay allowances at the same time you can do so under Tools >> Retrospective Tool.   Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-enter-allowances Q: How Do I Get Started in Lightning Payroll? A: If you are using Lightning Payroll for the very first time, there are a couple of steps you will need to follow to get up and running. Step 1. Add your Company The first step is to add your Company into Lightning Payroll. Lightning Payroll does not limit the number of companies you can use in the software. To add a new company, simply click Entities >> Add new company on the top left of the Lightning Payroll window. When adding a new company, you will need to enter your company name and ABN. You will also need to specify whether your pay period is weekly, fortnightly or monthly and specify which day of the week your pay period ends on.   Step 2. Add your Employees The next step is to add your Employees into Lightning Payroll. Before you get started, it is recommended you collect the following information from your employees: Tax File Number (TFN) Bank account details (BSB, account name, account number) Super fund details (fund USI and employee's member number) Below are some links which you may find helpful when a new employee starts working for you: New Employee Basic Information Sheet (PDF, Word Doc) ATO Super Choice (Nomination) Form ATO Tax File Declaration Form Fair Work information Statement To add a new employee, go into Lightning Payroll and click Employees >> Actions >> New Employee. This will bring up the new employee assistant. Follow the prompts to fill out the employee's details. If you don't have all the available information now, you will still be able to add it to the employee's profile later. NOTE: If the employee does not yet have a TFN, the ATO has more information about placeholder TFNs here. You can also watch our short tutorial video on the company and employee setup process. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-get-started-in-lightning-payroll Q: How Can I Add a New Employee? A: Before you get started, it is recommonded you collect the following information from your new employee: Tax File Number (TFN) Bank account details (BSB, account name, account number) Super fund details (fund USI and employee's member number) Below are some links which you may find helpful when a new employee starts working for you: New Employee Basic Information Sheet (PDF, Word Doc) ATO Super Choice (Nomination) Form ATO Tax File Declaration Form Fair Work information Statement To add a new employee, go into Lightning Payroll and click Employees >> Actions >> New Employee. This will bring up the new employee assistant. Follow the prompts to fill out the employee's details. If you don't have all the available information now, you will still be able to add it to the employee's profile later. NOTE: If the employee does not yet have a TFN, the ATO has more information about placeholder TFNs here. You can also watch our short tutorial video on the company and employee setup process. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-add-a-new-employee Q: How Do I Setup And Manage Different Users? A: To further improve security, Lightning Payroll now allows you to create user profiles and set permissions for each user profile individually. This gives you complete control over who can access your Lightning Payroll and what data they can view or actions they can take. Setting up users is very easy, but before you start, you need to set a password for the application administator. The application administrator can setup other users and determine what kind of access they have within Lightning Payroll. Setting Up Users To setup the application administrator, you'll need to go to Settings >> Password And Security??and enter an application administrator password. Once this is done, you can begin adding users to Lightning Payroll. To do this, click on the Add New User button. You will be prompted to add a username and email address (for password reset emails), along with the user's login password. Finally, you can select which companies a user has access to. Once you've clicked Save, the user will be added. You can then select the App Permissions assigned to that user for each section of the program. App permissions fall into three categories: Locked? (Cannot access section) Read Only? (Can view, but not change data in section) Editable? (Full access to section) You can select which permission you'd like the user to have for a particular section by clicking in the appropriate box. The image below shows our test user John Doe being assigned 'Editable' permissions for the Employees and Pays sections of the program, but 'Read Only' permissions for the rest of the sections. You may notice that the Settings, Entities and Tools sections have (G) next to them - these sections of the program are used across multiple companies (if you have multiple companies set up within Lightning Payroll). In the example above, if we had more than one company in Lightning Payroll, John Doe would have 'Read Only' permissions for Settings, Entities and Tools across all companies. Editing or Removing Users The application administrator can edit the permissions for users, or remove users whenever required. Deleting a user will not remove any of the work they have completed in Lightning Payroll, it will simply prevent them from logging into the program going forward. Logging In as a User and Logging Out When opening Lightning Payroll, you will be asked to choose which user you would like to login as; select the user from the username drop-down menu, then enter the password for that user. To log out of a user, simply close Lightning Payroll. Forgotten Password If the application administrator has forgotten their password, they can attempt to enter their password three times at the login screen; after the third failed attempt, the program will shut down, and a recovery password will be sent to the email address registered to the Lightning Payroll subscription. The process is the same for a non-administrator user who forgets their password to receive a temporary access password to their own email address. However, please keep in mind that only the application administrator can change non-administrator users' passwords permanently, by clicking Edit Selected User in the Settings >> Password And Security section of Lightning Payroll. Lightning Payroll Web Application: User Management System To start setting up user accounts in the web application of Lightning Payroll, you will need to navigate to Settings > User Management. To begin adding users, click the Add New User button. You will be prompted to add a username and an email address, along with the companies this user has access to. Once you've clicked save, a new user will be added. The user will be sent an email with their username and a link to allow them to set a password for their account. They must follow this link and set a password before they are able to log in. With the user added, you can now select what permissions this user has to access each section of the program. The permissions categories remain the same as on the desktop app, and are categorised into Locked, Read Only and Editable modes. You can select which permission you'd like the user to have for a particular section by clicking in the appropriate box. The account holder/administrator can edit the permissions for users, or remove users whenever required. Deleting a user will not remove any work they have completed in Lightning Payroll, it will simply prevent them from logging in from there onwards. Users log into the web application through the same login address as usual, although they will need to use their username as opposed to their email address when logging in. Once the details are entered and the two-factor authentication is complete, they will log into your database. To log out of a user, use the Logout button located in the sidebar. If an administrator or a user has forgotten their password, they can request to have it reset via the "Forgot password?" button displayed on the login screen. The same rule applies here, where administrators will use their registered email, and users will use their username when requesting to reset their password. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-setup-and-manage-different-users --- Category: Superannuation --- Q: How Do KiwiSaver Settings And Opt-Outs Work In Employee Details? A: Lightning Payroll uses the Employee Details area to store and submit KiwiSaver-related information to Inland Revenue when needed.KiwiSaver details you may seeKiwiSaver statusEmployee contribution rateEmployer contribution rateESCT rate or contribution tax methodEligibility or existing-action details for the employeeCEC obligation details where relevantKiwiSaver opt-outsIf you are lodging a KiwiSaver opt-out through Employee Details, Lightning Payroll may require the employee's bank details and the account holder name before it can submit the request. That is because the opt-out payload can need banking information as part of the Inland Revenue submission.Before submitting KiwiSaver updatesCheck that the employee's IRD number and tax code are already recorded.Confirm the KiwiSaver rates and status on the employee are correct.Review any opt-out dates or related details before sending the update.If the screen shows a validation error, finish the missing employee details first, then submit the KiwiSaver change again. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-kiwisaver-settings-and-opt-outs-work-in-employee-details Q: What Do The KiwiSaver Status Codes Mean And When Should I Use Each? A: Each employee has a KiwiSaver status that tells Inland Revenue how to treat their membership when payday filing runs. Lightning Payroll exposes the status codes used in the Employee Details submission.Common status codesActive KiwiSaver member: employee is contributing, employer contributions and ESCT apply.New employee (auto-enrolled): within the 8 to 56 day opt-out window after starting.Opt-out: employee has opted out within the legal window; contributions stop.Contributions holiday / Savings suspension: employee has a current suspension from Inland Revenue.Non-member: employee is not in KiwiSaver and is not auto-enrol eligible (e.g. casual or under 18).Existing KiwiSaver member: employee already had a KiwiSaver account at hire.Where to set itOpen the employee and go to the KiwiSaver tab.Pick the status that matches their situation.Fill in any related fields (opt-out date, savings suspension expiry, contribution rate).Save the employee.Things to checkAuto-enrolled new employees move out of the new-employee status automatically once the opt-out window closes.If the employee has handed in a KS2 with a different rate, update both the status and the rate at the same time.Casual and certain other employees may be ineligible for auto-enrolment; set the status to non-member rather than leaving it blank.The status feeds the next Employee Details submission so Inland Revenue records stay in sync. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-do-the-kiwisaver-status-codes-mean-and-when-should-i-use-each Q: What Does CEC Obligation Mean For An Employee's KiwiSaver? A: CEC stands for Compulsory Employer Contribution. The CEC obligation flag on an employee record tells Lightning Payroll whether the employer must contribute KiwiSaver on top of the employee's deduction.Available CEC settingsRequired: the employer must contribute at the minimum rate (currently 3% of gross earnings).Not required: the employer is not obliged to contribute - for example because the employee is under 18 or over the qualifying age, or the contribution is met through a complying fund.Voluntarily ceased: the employer has voluntarily stopped contributing for an employee who is on a savings suspension.How CEC affects the payRequired: the employer KiwiSaver line is added at the configured rate; ESCT is applied.Not required: no employer line is added, even if the employee is contributing.Voluntarily ceased: same as not required, but the reason is reported separately on the Employee Details submission.Things to checkIf the employer line is missing on a pay and you expected it, check the CEC obligation on the employee.Total remuneration arrangements (TRA) can also affect whether CEC is paid - the rate is documented in the employee's employment agreement.CEC settings flow into payday filing, so an incorrect setting can cause Inland Revenue to chase up missing contributions.If you change the CEC obligation, the change applies from the next pay onwards - previous pays are not retrospectively adjusted. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-does-cec-obligation-mean-for-an-employees-kiwisaver Q: How Do I Record A KiwiSaver Opt-Out With The Correct Late Opt-Out Reason? A: A new employee can opt out of KiwiSaver between days 14 and 56 after starting. If they opt out outside that window, the opt-out is treated as a late opt-out and a reason must be supplied to Inland Revenue.How to record an opt-outOpen the employee and go to the KiwiSaver tab.Tick Opt-out.Enter the opt-out signature date (the date the employee signed the KS10).If the opt-out is outside the 14 to 56 day window, select a late opt-out reason.Save the employee.Late opt-out reasonsEmployer did not provide a KiwiSaver information pack within 7 days.Inland Revenue did not provide an investment statement on request.Employer did not give the KS3 to the employee within 7 days.Events outside the employee's control prevented opt-out within the window.Employee did not intend to join KiwiSaver and was incorrectly enrolled.If the reason is events outside control or other, enter a short note explaining the circumstances so Inland Revenue can process the late opt-out.What Lightning Payroll does after opt-outStops deducting employee contributions from the next pay.Stops applying employer contributions and ESCT.Includes the opt-out details in the next Employee Details submission.Refunds any contributions deducted in the current period are managed through Inland Revenue, not the payroll. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-record-a-kiwisaver-opt-out-with-the-correct-late-opt-out-reason Q: What Is ESCT And How Does Lightning Payroll Calculate It? A: ESCT is Employer Superannuation Contribution Tax. It is the tax paid on employer KiwiSaver contributions and is deducted from the contribution before it is paid to the fund.ESCT rate bandsThe rate depends on the employee's total estimated annual income, including expected employer KiwiSaver contributions:10.5% for income up to the first threshold.17.5%, 30%, 33%, or 39% for higher thresholds (the exact bands are set by Inland Revenue and may change each year).How Lightning Payroll picks the rateThe estimated annual income is taken from the previous tax year's earnings for existing employees.For new employees, the rate is estimated from the agreed annual salary or expected income.The chosen ESCT rate is shown on the employee's KiwiSaver tab and can be reviewed each tax year.Where ESCT appearsOn the pay - ESCT reduces the gross employer contribution before it is paid.On the payslip - shown as a separate line under KiwiSaver.In payday filing - reported alongside the employer contribution.If the employer pays KiwiSaver under the alternative SPLIT method (employer treats the contribution as part of the employee's salary for tax), tick that option on the KiwiSaver tab instead of selecting an ESCT rate.Annual reviewReview the ESCT rate at the start of each tax year (1 April) to make sure it still matches the employee's expected income. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-is-esct-and-how-does-lightning-payroll-calculate-it --- Category: Tax --- Q: Why Does Lightning Payroll Say My Company IRD Number Is Missing Or Invalid? A: Lightning Payroll checks the company IRD number before it lets you submit Employee Details, retrieve Employment Details, retrieve IRD events, or file Employment Information. If the IRD number is blank or not valid, the submission will stop.What to checkOpen your company details and confirm the employer IRD number has been entered.Make sure it is the company's real IRD number and not a bank account number, NZBN, or some other identifier.Check that the IRD number contains the correct digits and has not been entered with extra characters.Where this mattersThe company IRD number is used in both Employee Details and payday filing. Until it is recorded correctly, Lightning Payroll cannot build a valid request for Inland Revenue.After saving the correct company IRD number, close and reopen the filing or Employee Details screen and try again. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-does-lightning-payroll-say-my-company-ird-number-is-missing-or-invalid Q: What Employee Details Must Be Recorded Before Submitting Employee Details? A: Before Lightning Payroll can submit Employee Details to Inland Revenue, the employee record needs the key payroll information filled in. The exact fields depend on what you are trying to submit, but the common requirements are below.Core employee detailsEmployee IRD number: this must be recorded before Employee Details can be submitted. A placeholder IRD such as 000000000 is only appropriate in limited situations such as ND or WT tax code cases.tax code: at least one tax code must be present before Lightning Payroll can build the Employment Details payload.Name details: the employee's first name and surname should be properly recorded.Employment dates: start dates and finish dates are required for the relevant create or terminate actions.Extra details for KiwiSaver actionsIf you are submitting a KiwiSaver opt-out, bank details and the account holder name must also be recorded.If you are updating KiwiSaver details, make sure the employee's KiwiSaver status and rates are correct before you submit.If Lightning Payroll blocks the submission, read the validation message carefully. It is usually telling you which employee field is still missing or incomplete. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-employee-details-must-be-recorded-before-submitting-employee-details Q: Why Does Employee Details Say At Least One Tax Code Is Required? A: Lightning Payroll will not submit Employee Details unless at least one tax code is present for the employee. This is a mandatory part of the Employment Details payload sent to Inland Revenue.What to checkOpen the employee's tax settings and confirm a valid tax code has been selected.Make sure the employee's tax setup has actually been saved before you return to the Employee Details Dashboard.If the employee's circumstances changed, confirm you are using the correct current code rather than leaving the tax section blank.Why Lightning Payroll blocks the submissionWithout a tax code, the Employee Details payload is incomplete and IRD-facing updates cannot be built correctly. Once the tax code is recorded, return to the dashboard and submit the task again. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-does-employee-details-say-at-least-one-tax-code-is-required Q: How Do I Set A Secondary Tax Code For An Employee With Two Jobs? A: An employee whose Lightning Payroll job is their secondary income must use a secondary tax code (S, SH, ST, or SB). The right code depends on their expected total annual income from all sources.Choosing the secondary codeSB: total annual income up to the first threshold.S: total annual income within the second band.SH: total annual income within the third band.ST: total annual income above the top threshold.The current thresholds are set by Inland Revenue and listed on the IR330 form.How to set itOpen the employee and go to the Tax tab.Pick the secondary code from the tax code list.If the employee also has a student loan, add the SL suffix (e.g. S SL).Save the employee.Things to checkThe employee should have provided an IR330 listing the chosen secondary code.Casual employees often use a secondary code by default; confirm with the employee before selecting one.If the employee changes the code mid-year, update it from the next pay so retrospective tax adjustments are not needed.Lightning Payroll uses the flat secondary rate for the chosen code on every pay - the rate does not vary based on earnings inside this payroll. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-set-a-secondary-tax-code-for-an-employee-with-two-jobs Q: What Are The Student Loan CIR And BOR Fields Used For? A: If an employee has student loan deductions, Lightning Payroll lets you record additional repayment instructions from Inland Revenue. The CIR and BOR fields hold those instructions.What the codes meanSLCIR (Commissioner-initiated repayment): Inland Revenue has asked the employer to deduct an extra amount on top of the standard student loan repayment. The CIR field stores the extra rate or amount.SLBOR (Borrower-initiated extra repayment): the employee has chosen to repay their student loan faster and asked the employer to deduct an extra amount. The BOR field stores that rate or amount.Where to find the fieldsOpen the employee and go to the Tax tab.Make sure the tax code includes the SL suffix.Enter the CIR or BOR rate or amount as supplied by Inland Revenue or requested by the employee.Save the employee.How the extra deduction is appliedThe standard student loan deduction is calculated first using the SL threshold.The CIR or BOR amount is added on top and deducted in the same pay.The combined total is reported under the student loan field in payday filing.Things to checkOnly enter CIR when Inland Revenue has issued a notice asking for the extra deduction.BOR is voluntary - check the employee really has requested the extra deduction before adding it.If a CIR notice expires or is cancelled, clear the CIR field so the deduction stops. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-are-the-student-loan-cir-and-bor-fields-used-for Q: How Do I Choose The Right Tax Code For An Employee? A: The tax code controls how PAYE is calculated for the employee. The right code depends on whether this job is the employee's primary or secondary income, whether they have a student loan, and any special circumstances.Primary income codesM: the most common code - primary income, no student loan.ME: primary income, the employee qualifies for the independent earner tax credit.M SL / ME SL: same as above, with a student loan deduction.Secondary income codesSB, S, SH, ST: secondary income at increasing income bands. Pick the one matching expected total annual income.Add SL for a student loan.Special codesWT: withholding tax for schedular payments (contractors).ND: no notification - used when the employee has not supplied an IR330. Tax is deducted at the highest rate.STC: special tax code - the employee has a certificate from Inland Revenue specifying a custom rate.CAE: casual agricultural employee.EDW: election day worker.How to set itOpen the employee and go to the Tax tab.Pick the tax code from the list.If there is a student loan, add the SL suffix.For STC, enter the special rate and certificate expiry from the IR23BS notice.Save the employee.The employee should provide a signed IR330 confirming the code. Keep a copy on file in case Inland Revenue queries the deduction. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-choose-the-right-tax-code-for-an-employee --- Category: Timeclock-and-Portal --- Q: How And When Does Lightning Payroll Communicate With The Employee Portal? A: The Lightning Payroll desktop app communicates with our online employee portal and timeclock information via this website. It does so in a number of ways: Lightning Payroll -> Portal Example: New shifts, details, bank accounts and settings information being sent from the payroll software to the employee's online account. Occurs when clicking Refresh Employee Portal (updates the portal with portal settings and associated data for all relevant employees in the current company). Occurs when shutting down the program (updates the portal with portal settings and associated data for all relevant employees, and for all companies). (*Timeclock Users only) Occurs when refreshing the timeclock device under Company >> Timeclock Devices >> Send Updated Employee Data. ?? Portal -> Lightning Payroll Example: Employee-updated personal details, bank accounts, etc downloaded into their Lightning Payroll application profile. Occurs when opening Lightning Payroll. Occurs on a timer, every 5 minutes that Lightning Payroll is open. Occurs when syncing leave requests or shifts via the Pays or Rosters screens. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-and-when-does-lightning-payroll-communicate-with-the-employee-portal Q: How Do My Employees View Their Payslips From Their iPhone? A: For employees who are trying to Save/View their Payslips on an Apple (iOS) mobile device, these instructions can be followed: 1. Login here or login using the Employee Login on our website. 2. Press Payslips once you have logged into the Employee Portal. 3. Once you are in the Payslips tab, press on the download icon to the left of the payslip you wish to Save/View. 4. On the prompt that appears, select Download. 5. Press on the circular clue icon to the left of your address bar and press Downloads. 6. Press the icon to the right of your payslip file on the next prompt. 7. This should bring you to the Files application, where you are able to view your downloaded payslips. The above instructions were written for iOS version 16 and 17. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-my-employees-view-their-payslips-from-their-iphone Q: How Do I Use the Lightning Payroll Timeclock App? A: Lightning Payroll includes a mobile Timeclock app for Android and iOS devices, which can provide a way for you to precisely record when employees start and finish work. All hours and shifts recorded in the Lightning Payroll app can then be downloaded/synced with the Lightning Payroll Pays screen, filling out pays in seconds. Please click here for related shifts and rosters information. Download & Installation The first thing you'll need to do is download the Lightning Payroll Timeclock app on the device or devices you wish to use as a Lightning Payroll timeclock. To download: Android: Visit the Google Play Store iOS: Visit the Apple App Store Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-use-the-lightning-payroll-timeclock-app Q: How Do Employees Use Timeclock in the Online Portal? A: Note: The Online Portal Timeclock and the Timeclock Android App are two separate features. This FAQ pertains exclusively to the Online Portal Timeclock. For information regarding the Timeclock App, please refer to the following FAQ: How Do I Use the Lightning Payroll Timeclock App? Please note, that in order for your employees to use Timeclock (via Online Portal), you will need to first ensure they are set up in the Online Portal with timeclock enabled. Please see our FAQ here on setting up Online Portal. You will then need to set up shifts, please see our FAQ here on setting up shifts in Lightning Payroll. Setting Up Timeclock in the Online Portal To enable the Timeclock feature for an employee within the Online Portal, navigate to Employees >> Details >> Online Portal. By selecting "Allow Employee to Clock In and Out Through the Timeclock?" employees will be able to record their shifts' start and end times. This data is then imported into Lightning Payroll for accurate payroll processing. Viewing and Starting Shifts To log into the Employee portal, navigate to the Lightning Payroll website and enter your credentials. Once logged in, you will be taken to your dashboard. Click on the "Timeclock" tab from the side menu to access your shift details. The Timeclock page displays your available shifts and provides the option to clock in. You can also view a list of previous shifts and use the date range selector to view shifts within different pay periods. Clocking Into a Shift When you're ready to start a shift, click the "Clock In" button next to the relevant shift. The page will update to show that the shift is in progress, indicating the start time and date. The "Clock Out" button will replace the clock in option. Ending a Shift Once your shift has concluded, click the "Clock Out" button. You will receive a prompt to confirm that you wish to end the shift. Confirming this will clock you out of the shift. Reviewing Shift Details After clocking out, the details of the new shift will be listed in the table at the bottom of the Timeclock page, ready for import into the Lightning Payroll system for processing. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-employees-use-timeclock-in-the-online-portal Q: How Can I Setup the Online Employee Portal? A: The online employee portal allows employees to add or adjust their contact and bank account details, request leave, submit time sheets and clock in and out of available shifts independently using the timeclock. For leave requests please see our other FAQ on the topic. Once activated, employees can access their personal portal by visiting the Lightning Payroll website and clicking Employee Login on the top right. Before activating a portal account for an employee, make sure the employee's email address has been added under Employees >> Details >> Personal. The portal can be activated for a selected employee in Employees >> Details >> Online Portal. Clicking Activate will allow you to begin selecting which features of the portal the employee can use. Personal Details - Selecting this will allow the employee to update their contact details and time clock pin (if the employee uses the LP timeclock app on Android devices) Bank Account Details - Selecting this will allow the employee to add, edit or delete bank account details for receiving their pay. The employee can also specify if they wish to have their pay split between multiple accounts automatically. Any changes the employee makes to their personal or bank details in the portal will be automatically synced to Lightning Payroll the next time the program is reopened ?? Manual Time Entry This is where you can select whether the employee can clock in and out of available shifts or add and edit time sheet entries via the online portal. To activate this, you will first need to ensure you have created shifts and assigned them to the relevant employee. Allow Employee to Clock In and Out Through the Timeclock? - Selecting this option will allow the employee to clock in and out of selected available shifts directly via the portal. Clock in and out data entered by the employee can then be synced directly to the employee's pay in Lightning Payroll. Allow Employee to Manually Edit Their Timesheet? - Selecting this option will allow the employee to manually edit their start and end times for selected available shifts. Timesheet data entered by the employee can then be synced directly to the employee's pay in Lightning Payroll. Completing Activation When you are satisfied with the settings, click Refresh Employee Portal to complete the portal activation process. The employee will receive an email with details on how to log in. Activate Multiple Employee Portals The employee portal can be setup and activated for each employee individually, however, if you wish to have multiple employees use the portal with the same settings applied, you can use the Configure Multiple Employee Portal Settings wizard under the Tools menu. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-setup-the-online-employee-portal Q: How Do I Connect Lightning Payroll With BundyPlus? A: Integrating Lightning Payroll with BundyPlus Lightning Payroll now integrates with BundyPlus Employee Time And Attendance software via CSV file import/export. We offer our own basic timeclock functionality, but for users in need of more specialised features such as facial recognition, dedicated hardware or GPS tracking we recommend using BundyPlus. Follow these steps to set up and manage your BundyPlus integration: Steps to Setup BundyPlus Integration First, set up your employees and pay rates in Lightning Payroll as usual. Then, proceed with the following steps: Go to either the Rosters or Pays screen in Lightning Payroll. Click Timeclock (Portal) Sync. Select Import/Manage Time and Attendance Data. This will open the Time and Attendance Data Import/Export Wizard with three options: Import time and attendance data (default option, used most regularly). Export employee data. Export pay items. Exporting Data for BundyPlus To set up the BundyPlus integration, follow these steps: Select Export Employee Data to create a CSV file of your employees. Next, select Export Pay Items to create a CSV of pay rates, allowances, leave types, etc. Once you've generated these two files, log in to BundyPlus and import your employees and pay items via the settings menu. We recommend contacting BundyPlus support during setup. Make sure to select the Generic export option to ensure the files are in the BundyPlus Generic Format, which Lightning Payroll supports. Configuring BundyPlus Timeclock The BundyPlus support team will assist you with configuring your timeclock hardware and/or software and setting up your work rules, enabling employees to begin clocking in and out. Importing Pay Runs Back into Lightning Payroll After completing and approving a pay run in BundyPlus, export the pay run to a CSV file. You can then import this file back into Lightning Payroll using the same wizard you used earlier: Select Import Time and Attendance Data. Lightning Payroll will automatically create the required shift associations and prefill the appropriate pay run instantly. If you need further assistance, please contact BundyPlus Support or Lightning Payroll support. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-connect-lightning-payroll-with-bundyplus Q: How Does the Timeclock and Portal Sync Window Work? A: Timeclock (Portal) Sync is available from both the Pays and Rosters screens. It downloads employee-entered shift data from the Lightning Payroll server and prepares it for payroll by converting it into rostered shifts inside your company file. What the Sync Window Does Shows eligible employee timeclock and timesheet entries for the currently selected pay period. Lets you filter, review, round, edit and then import those entries. On import, creates new rostered shifts or updates matching rostered shifts so your pays can absorb the correct hours during a pending pay refresh. Before You Start Navigate to the exact pay run you want to process, then click Timeclock (Portal) Sync. The window only displays entries with a start date and time within this pay period's dates. Ensure staff are submitting shifts via: Lightning Payroll Timeclock app (Android/iOS) Online Employee Portal Timesheets How Shift Data Flows into a Pay Lightning Payroll stores employee-entered shifts on the server as timeclock shifts. When you sync, these become rostered shifts in your payroll file, because pays always absorb hours from rostered shifts. This supports businesses who use rosters, timeclocks/timesheets, or both. Server timeclock shift >> Sync >> Create/Update rostered shift >> Pending Pay refresh absorbs rostered hours. If a matching rostered shift already exists (same employee, shift and start date), the import overwrites that rostered shift's values instead of creating a duplicate. Tour of the Sync Window The main table lists one row per employee shift and shows reported start, end and break times, any existing rostered times, and the paid duration you are about to import. Sorting and Date Filters (top left) ' Sort by employee or date, and choose whether to show entries for this entire pay run or a narrower range. Who to Show ' Display shifts for all employees or a specific employee. Visibility Toggles (upper middle/right): Show Rostered Shifts / Show Unrostered Shifts ' Include shifts that already have a matching roster row, as well as new ones that will create a roster row. Tick both to see everything. Show Previously Imported/Synced Shifts ' Useful for auditing what has already been brought in. Show New Shifts (Not Imported/Synced) ' Focus only on what still needs action. Prefer Rostered Start/End/Break ' Keep selected rostered values when importing a matching timeclock entry. See details below. Shift Source Filter (bottom left) ' Choose Show All Employee-Entered Shifts, or limit to Timeclock Shifts Only or Timesheet Shifts Only. Show Incomplete Shifts ' Opens a window to view which shifts are currently in progress. Manually Editing a Shift Click the pencil to correct any shift record that needs to change. Make your changes and save. This will not update the source server shift record, but will be used when creating or updating the roster shift entry, which will then flow through to pays. Using Prefer Rostered Options These options give you extra automation when you use pre-scheduled rosters as well as server-entered timeclock shifts. When a server shift matches a rostered shift (same employee, shift and start date and time), the import would normally overwrite the rostered values. Ticking any of the following will retain the chosen rostered field instead of replacing it: Prefer Rostered Start Times ' Keeps the rostered start time. Useful when staff clock in too early compared with the scheduled start. Optional sub-setting: Only When Clocking in Early ' Retains the rostered start only if the employee's reported start is earlier than rostered. If they clock in late, the reported start is used. Prefer Rostered End Times ' Keeps the rostered end time. Helpful when staff clock out later than planned. Optional sub-setting: Only When Clocking out Late ' Retains the rostered end only if the employee's reported end is later than rostered. If they finish early, the reported end is used. Prefer Rostered Break Durations ' Keeps the rostered break length. Handy when you have fixed break rules and do not want ad hoc break entries to alter paid duration. Combine these preferences to preserve your schedule where appropriate while still accepting genuine variances elsewhere. Rounding Options Click Timeclock Rounding Options to apply consistent rounding on import. You can round the duration (or other fields) by a number of minutes and choose to round Up, Down or to the Closest interval. Important: If you manually edit a shift, any automatic rounding is overridden for that shift. Double-check all fields before saving. Finalising the Sync Once you are happy with the final Paid Duration values of each shift, give them a tick and click OK or Save to complete the sync. The new and/or updated shifts will now be visible in the rosters screen for the same pay period (as shown below). Resyncing When You Want Server Shifts Only If you only want server-sourced shift data in your roster for the period, you can clear the roster then import again. Open Rosters for the relevant pay period and click Edit Shifts. Use Delete All to clear all rostered shifts for this pay run. Confirm when prompted. This removes roster entries only and does not delete the original timeclock/timesheet records on the server. Return to Timeclock (Portal) Sync and make sure you tick Show Unrostered Shifts. If this is not ticked, the server shifts will not be available to import. (Optional) Tick Show New Shifts (Not Imported/Synced) to focus on fresh entries. Select the shifts to import and click OK. Back in the pay, run a Pending Pay Refresh to absorb the rostered hours and allowances. How Pays Absorb Hours During a pending pay refresh the system checks for rostered shifts first: If rostered shifts exist, their hours and any rostered allowances are applied. If not, it can copy hours from last pay (if enabled in the employee's Pay Settings) or use the employee's default hours. Approved leave requests for the period are added as leave lines. Tips and Troubleshooting If nothing appears in the Sync window, confirm you are on the correct pay dates and tick Show Unrostered Shifts. Use the Prefer Rostered options to keep schedule integrity when minor early starts, late finishes or inconsistent breaks are reported. Use Show Previously Imported/Synced Shifts to review what has already been brought in. Manual edits disable rounding for that specific entry. Related Articles How Do I Use the Lightning Payroll Timeclock App? How Do Employees Use Timesheets in the Online Portal? Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-does-the-timeclock-and-portal-sync-window-work Q: What Generates An Employee Portal Account and Email? A: When activating the online employee portal for the first time an employee will be notified by email of their username and password. To trigger the email make sure to first activate the employee with the tickbox and then click Refresh Employee Portal under Employees >> Details >> Online Portal. You should see a notification on screen which looks something like this: The employee will receive an email like this, which includes their username and password. They can then use these details to login to our Employee Login page here. It is recommended that they change their password upon logging in. The other time an employee might receive an account email is when their name is changed. The reason for this is that their username/login will change since it is based on their full name. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-generates-an-employee-portal-account-and-email Q: How Do Employees Use Timesheets in the Online Portal? A: Please note, that in order for your employees to use timesheets, you will need to first ensure they are set up in the Online Portal with timesheets enabled. Please see our FAQ here on setting up Online Portal. You will then need to set up shifts, please see our FAQ here on setting up shifts in Lightning Payroll. Employees will see the following screen when they login to the Employee Login via our website; they should then navigate to the Timesheet tab. The search filters on this page allows employees to see shifts already submitted between the dates entered. Changing these dates to the employee's pay run dates - Monday 01/03/21 - Sunday 07/03/21, for example - will allow the employee to see if they have already submitted shifts for that pay run.  To add a new shift to their timesheets, employees should click the New Shift button, and select the type of shift they wish to enter hours against, using the drop-down list, as per the following example. This screen then allows employees to edit the date and duration of the shift, like you can see in the below example. Once all fields are completed, click Save Shift, and this shift will now be available to sync into the Pays screen of Lightning Payroll.  Employees will also now see any saved shifts within the search filter dates input on the main Timesheet tab in the Online Portal. As you can see below, employees are able to Edit or Delete the shifts they have saved. Saved shifts will now be availble for the payroll officer to sync into the Pays tab of Lightning Payroll, for more efficient processing of pays. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-employees-use-timesheets-in-the-online-portal Q: Why Am I Getting A Timeclock Server Connection Error? A: Some Android Timeclock users are encountering errors when connecting to our server since late September 2021. This is fixed by updating your Android version higher than Android version 7.1. The issue is due to an expiring certificate within Android, explained here - https://letsencrypt.org/2020/11/06/own-two-feet.htmlTo learn how to check your version number or to update, please visit the Google Support page here - https://support.google.com/android/answer/7680439?hl=en March 2024 Edit: Please see here for more information if you are affected in 2024 or later. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-am-i-getting-a-timeclock-server-connection-error Q: Why Are Employee Details or Bank Account Changes Not Saving? A: If you have edited an employee's address or personal details and they seem to not be saving or keep changing back then you may need to refresh their employee portal.In cases when you have activated the employee portal settings, and in particular, have granted the employee with the ability to edit their personal details or bank accounts you've essentially given the employee permanent right-of-way and responsibility for their own principle data. If you wish to do a change on their behalf you will also need to force the change through to our server by going to Employees >> Details >> Online Portal >> Refresh Employee Portal. This will prevent the employee's online data overriding what is recorded in the payroll system. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-are-employee-details-or-bank-account-changes-not-saving Q: Why Isn't An Employee Appearing In The Timeclock or Portal? A: If you have an employee who is not appearing in the timeclock or online portal, it is likely due to one of the following reasons: Refresh is required. If you use the timeclock app, refresh under Company >> Timeclock Devices >> Send Updated Employee Data. Click on Check for devices if the device is not listed. If you use the online employee portal, refresh under Employees >> Details >> Online Portal >> Refresh Employee Portal. Employee details are missing. For an employee to be able to use the timeclock or portal the software will require an email address, date of birth and shifts. These are added/edited under Employees >> Details & Shifts tabs, respectively.     Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-isnt-an-employee-appearing-in-the-timeclock-or-portal Q: How Can I Provide Payslips To Employees Online? A: You can now allow employees to access their payslips themselves via our Lightning Payroll online employee portal. Below is a demo of how this can be set up. To activate payslips for an employee, go into Employees >> Details >> Online Portal and tick the box to??Allow Employee To View Their Payslips. You'll also need to activate their portal by ticking??Activate This Employee's Online Portal.?? Click Refresh Portal to save the changes. Once payslips have been activated the program will automatically upload each newly completed pay as a payslip on app shutdown. When the employee portal is activated for the first time (or if an employee's name gets changed) a new username and password will be generated and emailed through to the employee. This will allow them to login via the portal link at the top of the email. If you'd like to add additional payslips for past periods, or remove payslips from the portal you can use the Portal Payslips Wizard found in the upper Tools menu. To begin, specify the pay run date range you'd like to manage payslips for. Next, select the employees whose payslips you'd like to manage. Only employees with active portal accounts and with payslips allowed will be visible. Select the pays you wish to add or remove to or from the server. Click Finish to save the changes. The employee will then be able to access these payslips by logging into the online employee portal on our website. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-provide-payslips-to-employees-online Q: Can Casual Employees Make Leave Requests? A: Yes, any portal-activated employee can be included in leave requests. This can be useful when tracking unpaid leave or long service for example. Simply activate them like any other employee, as described here. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/can-casual-employees-make-leave-requests Q: How Can I Add An Allowance To A Shift? A: You can add an allowance and change a pay rate applicable to any individual employee's shift under Employees >> Shifts. If the desired shift is not visible please connect the base shift to the employee under Company >> Shifts.An allowance can be on a shift with or without a pay rate, and vice versa. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-can-i-add-an-allowance-to-a-shift Q: Why Is An Employee's Shift Not Syncing? A: Sometimes you might sync an employee's shift from the timeclock or portal yet their pending pay is still unaffected, or remains at $0.00. This is most likely to the shift itself not having any pay items (pay rates or allowances) connected to it. Please check under Employees >> Shifts to make sure the shift total is not showing as zero dollars. Another reason the shift might not be available for syncing is if it has been deleted from the employee's shifts. Once a shift has been deleted or disconnected from an employee, it can no longer be synced. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-is-an-employees-shift-not-syncing --- Category: Troubleshooting --- Q: Why Can't I Open Lightning Payroll? A: If you cannot open the program or receive an error such as the following 'failed to execute script payroll' or 'Ordinal 318 Not Found' when trying to open Lightning Payroll, you can resolve this by restarting your computer and reinstalling the program. This solution is fairly simple and reliable however, and best of all your pay data is safe and won't go anywhere. WindowsRestart your computer first and then download and reinstall Lightning Payroll from here (Windows 8.1 and above). Download For Windows Mac OSXRestart your computer first and then download and reinstall Lightning Payroll from here (Mac OSX versions 10.14 and above). Download For Mac Supported Operating Systems If reinstalling does not fix the issue, your operating system may be outdated. For Windows users, this could result in DLL errors, while on Mac, you may experience the app icon bouncing in the dock without opening. We only support Windows 8.1+ and Mac 10.14+. If you're using an older system, you'll need to upgrade your OS to continue using the most up-to-date version of Lightning Payroll. Disclaimer: Legacy versions of Lightning Payroll are no longer receiving updates, including tax tables, bug fixes, or new features. These versions should not be used after June 2024. Please update your system to a supported version, or switch to Lightning Payroll online for continued support. Another Possible Windows Startup Issue - User Account Privileges Some Windows users can encounter issues when opening Lightning Payroll due to insufficient privileges on their Windows User Account. Lightning Payroll requires Administrator privileges to function fully. While uninstalling and reinstalling Lightning Payroll is a reliable fix if the program is not opening, this issue is commonly related to user rights. Simply running Lightning Payroll as Administrator may fix the issue. Please see below for info on how to run Lightning Payroll as admin. To run Lightning Payroll as administrator simply right-click the Lightning Payroll shortcut on your desktop or taskbar and then click 'Run as Administrator'. This can look a little different depending on your version of Windows, and on Windows 10 you'll have to right click the shortcut, and then also right click on Lightning Payroll within the shortcut. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-cant-i-open-lightning-payroll Q: Why is an Employee 'Locked'? A: If you are trying to edit a past pay in the Pays screen, these are usually locked/unlocked using the padlock button at the bottom of the edit pay window. If however, you ever see one or more employees listed as Locked under Employees, it is usually due to a licence issue. If only some of your employees are listed as Locked then you are exceeding the allowed number of employees for your current licence tier, and will likely need to upgrade. To check the expiration date or the employee limit of your currently installed licence/subscription, go to Tools >> Licence Details . Note: Sometimes terminated staff affect the limit if they've been left active within the program. Click here to learn how to terminate . If all terminations have been kept up-to-date and you still can't pay all the staff you need to, you'll just need to upgrade to the next licence tier. If all employees are listed as Locked then the program does not detect a valid licence/subscription at all. This means you'll be in 'read-only' mode and will only be able to do things like view and print information, but not add employees or enter pays. Perhaps it has expired, or you're yet to enter the new subscription ID number which gets emailed through each year following payment under Tools >> Licence Assistant. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-is-an-employee-locked Q: How Do I Fix a Database Error in Lightning Payroll? A: If you encounter an unexpected error when opening Lightning Payroll, it might be due to a corrupt database. Common reasons for database corruption include unexpected software shutdowns, system crashes, or hardware failures that interrupt database writing processes. Lightning Payroll automatically creates backups at crucial moments such as software closure, backup restoration, or during software upgrades. These backups are your safety net in case of database issues. To address a database error: First, download and run the Database Recovery Tool from here. Upon launching the tool, you'll see a list of all available backups stored locally on your computer. These can be found at C:\Users\{User}\AppData\Roaming\Lightning Payroll\auto_backup. The backups are displayed from the newest to the oldest. Select the backup you wish to restore by clicking on it. Click Yes to confirm your choice. Be mindful of the file size indicated next to each backup. A significantly smaller file size compared to others might indicate a corrupted database. This utility will help you restore your data to a point before the corruption occurred, allowing you to resume work without losing critical payroll information. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-fix-a-database-error-in-lightning-payroll Q: Why Can't I Put My Licence On Another Computer? A: Any annual Lightning Payroll subscription allows you to unlock and use the program on two computers at any one time. This limit is fixed per subscription and is not able to be raised. If Lightning Payroll is giving you either of the following errors you will need to clear one or both of your two allowed seats from the current licence/subscription. Note: Removing the licence from Lightning Payroll does not affect your pay data or your program installation at all. It will simply lock your application soon after removal, putting Lightning Payroll into a read only state until an active licence is again provided. There are three ways to fix this error: Removing the installed licence from an existing Lightning Payroll installation at the top of the program under Tools >> Licence Details >> Remove System. If one of your systems have crashed and you're unable to open the program, you can log in to your client account on our website and navigate to your subscriptions. From there, you can release the seats associated with any subscription. This will free up both seats, allowing you to reassign them as needed. Contact our support team and we can reset your seats for you. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-cant-i-put-my-licence-on-another-computer Q: What If Norton Mistakenly Detects Lightning Payroll As A Threat? A: Resolving Norton False Positives for Lightning Payroll We understand that some users of Lightning Payroll may encounter an issue where Norton Antivirus incorrectly identifies our app as a security threat and removes it. This is known as a false positive, which happens when antivirus software mistakenly flags safe software as malicious. Why does this happen? Lightning Payroll is published with Extended Validation (EV) Code Signing Certificates, a high standard for verifying software authenticity. Unfortunately, despite these measures, false positives can still occur due to the heuristic methods antivirus software uses to detect threats. What have we done? We have reported this issue to Norton, and they have whitelisted our app. However, it can take several days for the updated whitelist to propagate to all users. With each update of Lightning Payroll, Norton may get mistakenly triggered again. To prevent this issue from happening in the future, we recommend manually adding Lightning Payroll's working folders to Norton's exclusion list. Steps to Add Exclusions in Norton Follow the instructions on Norton's official support page to exclude files and folders from scans: Exclude files and folders from Norton scans. Folders to Exclude %localappdata%/Lightning Payroll (C:/Users/[YourUsername]/Appdata/Local/Lightning Payroll) %localappdata%/Intellitron Pty Ltd (C:/Users/[YourUsername]/Appdata/Local/Intellitron Pty Ltd) %appdata%/Lightning Payroll (C:/Users/[YourUsername]/Appdata/Roaming/Lightning Payroll) %appdata%/ATOMAS (C:/Users/[YourUsername]/Appdata/Roaming/ATOMAS) Need Help? If you need further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact our support team. We apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding while we work to ensure a seamless experience. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-if-norton-mistakenly-detects-lightning-payroll-as-a-threat Q: 'Database is at a Newer Version' Error? A: This issue typically arises when attempting to restore a backup from a newer version of the software into an older one. As your backup may include data or features introduced in later releases, compatibility problems can occur. To resolve this, please download and reinstall the latest version of the software using the appropriate link below. Download for Windows (Supports Windows 8.1 and above) Download for Mac OSX (Supports macOS 10.14 and above) This should ensure your payroll data is restored without errors. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/database-is-at-a-newer-version-error Q: Why Might I Be Getting Email Errors? A: Various factors can lead to email errors; we recommend navigating to Company > Email and using the Send a Test Email feature to identify potential issues. Most email errors (such as a socket error) are due to incorrect or missing SMTP server settings. You'll need to check with your email provider to ensure you have the correct Server Name, Port and Encryption details in Company > Email > SMTP Server Settings. If the test email sends successfully, the issue likely lies outside of Lightning Payroll, and we are unable to assist with further troubleshooting. Please contact your email provider for additional support. Authentication Errors If the error message you're seeing mentions a 'username/password' or 'authentication' issue, it may be related to recent changes by email providers regarding the use of normal authentication for third-party applications sending SMTP emails. Many providers have tightened security and may now require app-specific passwords (commonly known as App Passwords) or other forms of authentication. Ensure that the correct username and password for your email account are entered, and check with your email provider to see if they require updated security settings, such as two-factor authentication or app-specific passwords, for third-party apps. Alternatively, you can enable the setting under Company > Emails labelled "Have Lightning Payroll send emails for you, instead of using your own email provider?". This allows Lightning Payroll to send your emails from our support email address (support@lightningpayroll.com.au), bypassing the need for your own email provider. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-might-i-be-getting-email-errors Q: How Do I Contact Your Support Team? A: Our support team can be reached on 07 3051 5895 or by email at support@lightningpayroll.com.au from 8am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday (QLD Time, excluding public holidays). Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/how-do-i-contact-your-support-team Q: Why is Lightning Payroll Not Displaying Correctly? A: If you are using a Windows device with an ultra-high resolution screen (e.g Microsoft Surface) or monitor you may experience display issues with Lightning Payroll, we have found the following solution to be quite helpful: Right click on the Lightning Payroll shortcut on your desktop. Select Properties. Go to the Compatibility tab. Click Change high DPI settings. Tick Override high DPI scaling behaviour and then select System (Enhanced) below. Click OK and then click Apply. This solution will allow Lightning Payroll to be displayed correctly without having to adjust your resolution and will not affect any other programs. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-is-lightning-payroll-not-displaying-correctly Q: Why Has Lightning Payroll Been Quarantined By Anti-Virus? A: Understanding Anti-Virus Quarantines and Lightning Payroll At Lightning Payroll, we prioritize the security and integrity of our desktop-based payroll software, available for both Mac and Windows PCs. Despite our rigorous safety measures, including extended validation code signing and Mac notarization, some users may find Lightning Payroll mistakenly quarantined by their anti-virus software on Windows. Let's explore why this can happen, delving deeper into the reasons behind false positives and how to address them. Why Might Lightning Payroll Be Quarantined? False positives are an unfortunate but common occurrence in the world of anti-virus software, resulting in safe programs like Lightning Payroll being mistakenly identified as potential threats. The reasons for these misidentifications are multifaceted: Outdated Security Software One of the primary reasons for legitimate software being flagged is the use of outdated security software. Anti-virus programs rely on a database of known threats to identify potential risks. When this database is not regularly updated, the software may not recognize newer, secure applications as safe. This lack of recognition can lead to false positives. Regular updates to your anti-virus software ensure that it has the most current information, which is critical for both detecting real threats and avoiding misidentification of safe software like Lightning Payroll. Multiple Anti-Virus Applications Using more than one anti-virus program can create unnecessary complications, including an increased risk of false positives. When multiple security solutions are running simultaneously, they can interfere with each other's operations. This interference often manifests as one application marking the legitimate processes of another as malicious. This confusion arises because each program has its own method of identifying threats, and what one program deems safe, another may consider suspicious. Simplifying your security setup to a single, reliable anti-virus solution can reduce these conflicts and minimize the risk of false positives. How to Resolve False Positives In the event that Lightning Payroll is unjustly quarantined by your anti-virus, there are several steps you can take to resolve the issue. Firstly, ensure your security software is up to date, as this can quickly resolve many false positive issues. If the problem persists, review your anti-virus settings to add Lightning Payroll to a whitelist or exceptions list. This action tells your anti-virus software to trust and allow Lightning Payroll to operate without interference. Detailed instructions for this process are typically available in your anti-virus program's help documentation or support website. Need Further Assistance? Should you encounter difficulties with anti-virus quarantines, or if you require additional information on ensuring Lightning Payroll runs smoothly alongside your security software, our support team is ready to offer personalised assistance. We're committed to providing the guidance you need to use Lightning Payroll safely and efficiently. Contact us for support tailored to your specific situation. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-has-lightning-payroll-been-quarantined-by-anti-virus Q: Why Am I Getting An Error After Agreeing To The Update? A: If you are encountering an 'Access is denied' error like the one shown below when updating, it is caused by a false positive or false alarm in your security software. Some security applications, particularly Trend Micro or Symantec can prevent Lightning Payroll from applying updates to itself on your PC. Our updates are totally safe. We build and publish the program with the highest standard of code signing available (Extended Validation). Please ensure you keep your security software up to date. On occasion you may need to manually configure it and make an exception for Lightning Payroll to properly function. Norton users click here for instructions on unblocking Lightning Payroll, if it has been blocked. A quick, short-term fix is to temporarily disable Trend Micro then run the LP update again. You can disable Trend Micro by right-clicking the Trend Micro icon in the Windows system Tray, then untick the option which says Protection Against Viruses & Spyware. The long term fix is to follow the steps below. After agreeing to a Lightning Payroll update, you may see this notification in the lower right hand side of your screen. If you do not see the Spyware Removed notification below, you likely have Trend in Mute Mode. You can disable mute mode in the Windows system tray, by right-clicking the Trend Micro icon and unticking the Start Mute Mode icon. Click on More details... Next, highlight the infected file on the left and click Restore. Finally, confirm the restoration of the update script by clicking Yes. This will allow Lightning Payroll to update itself in future, without you having to disable Trend Micro protection. In some cases this process must be repeated a second time before the exception sticks. To continue updating Lightning Payroll you will just need to restart the software and answer yes to the update question once again. Trend should no longer prevent the update. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-am-i-getting-an-error-after-agreeing-to-the-update Q: What Does 'Failed to execute script payroll' Mean? A: If Lightning Payroll says 'Failed to execute script payroll', then the program has been reinstalled while it was still running in the background. To fix this error, please restart your computer, then reinstall the program again using the appropriate link for your computer below. Download for Windows (Supports Windows 8.1 and above) Download for Mac OSX (Supports macOS 10.14 and above) If the error persists. please try disabling your security software, then try again. If your security software is out-of-date or failing it will flag our safe installer and prevent a clean installation. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/what-does-failed-to-execute-script-payroll-mean Q: Why Am I Getting A Database Load Error? A: If you encounter an error opening the program about being 'unable to connect to the database' or 'unable to load the database' it is often fixed by following the steps below: 1) Please download and run our small utility program to tidy your Lightning Payroll data folder. It should launch your program after that. 2) If the problem continues, please try uninstalling and reinstalling the program using one of the Download Free Trial links at the top of this page. Your data is not affected by this process.3) If it still fails after this, please contact our support team. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-am-i-getting-a-database-load-error Q: Why Does Lightning Payroll Say My Version Is Up To Date When It Is Not? A: If your Windows computer is not kept up-to-date with the latest updates you may encounter an issue with Lightning Payroll's automatic updates. This is due to older Windows systems using outdated root certificates, used for HTTPS/SSL web traffic. Our automatic update server is using renewed certificates which outdated Windows versions cannot communicate with, such as the very common, two year old Windows 10 release number 19041.Your Lightning Payroll should be at least version 2025.xx. If your version number is less than this and Lightning Payroll says incorrectly that You're up to date (since it cannot detect newer server updates) then you will need to either: Update your Windows version with the latest patches or, manually update your WIndows root certificates with the required file. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-does-lightning-payroll-say-my-version-is-up-to-date-when-it-is-not Q: Why Are Emails Not Being Received, Or Being Rejected? A: You Control Your Outgoing Emails If emails sent from Lightning Payroll using your own email address are being rejected or marked as spam, it is beyond our control. Lightning Payroll (Desktop version) sends emails either using your own mail server, or using Lightning Payroll's mail server, depending on your input. You can configure this under the  Company >> Email section of the program, where you can setup your own email's SMTP server settings, or tick Have Lightning Payroll send emails for you, instead of using your own provider? here to use our mail server instead. Lightning Payroll (Online version) sends emails from our mail server. These emails will always come from our support@lightningpayroll.com.au address. The same applies when you use the Have Lightning Payroll send emails for you, instead of using your own email provider? setting in the desktop version. Avoid Google Spam Filtering With Best Practices Gmail/Google in particular have very strict anti spam and anti spoofing practices (that can change at any time) which can result in rejection of emails if your mail server is not correctly configured. SPF, DKIM, DMARC DNS records are the most important factors in mail filtering. If Lightning Payroll gets a 'success' response when sending, from your outgoing mail server then the email has been sent. What happens after this is completely outside of the control of our software. For more information please see here to learn more about Google's best practices to avoid email rejection. Advising employees to check their spam/junk mail and unmark your emails as spam can also help train receiving mail servers for better future filtering. Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-are-emails-not-being-received-or-being-rejected Q: Why is Lightning Payroll Showing A Blank Preview And Not Opening? A: If Lightning is showing a blank screen on Windows, it may have been dragged outside of the monitor bounds. To fix this issue, please click the blank Lightning Payroll preview window in your taskbar, then press Fn??+??F11 or Windows logo key??+??arrow keys.?? Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/faq/why-is-lightning-payroll-showing-a-blank-preview-and-not-opening =============================================================== LATEST NEWS / RELEASE NOTES =============================================================== Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/latest-news ## Lightning Payroll and Farm Focus Partner for Smarter Farm Financials (2026-02-11 12:29:50) Lightning Payroll and Farm Focus Partner to Power Smarter Farm Financials Lightning Payroll is excited to announce the release of our new integration with Farm Focus, a purpose-built farm financial management platform designed for rural businesses. This partnership brings payroll and farm financials closer together, helping farming operations save time, reduce double handling, and gain clearer insight into labour costs across the business. Farm Focus supports budgeting, cashflow forecasting, enterprise costing, planning and performance reporting, all tailored to the realities of farming. With Lightning Payroll now part of that workflow, farm owners, managers and advisors can better connect payroll figures to the financial story of the farm. Payroll Data That Drives Better Decisions Payroll is one of the largest and most important costs on many farms, yet it often lives in a separate system. That can mean manual re-entry, spreadsheet workarounds, or delays in getting accurate numbers into reports. With the Lightning Payroll + Farm Focus integration, you can export payroll totals directly into Farm Focus as coded invoices. Wages and on-costs are captured cleanly, so Farm Focus can reflect the true cost of labour for better costing, forecasting and decision-making. How the Integration Works The workflow is designed to be simple and practical for busy teams: Import account codes from Farm Focus into Lightning Payroll to support accurate allocation and reporting. Select pays from a completed pay run and export them to Farm Focus as invoices. Use the data immediately in Farm Focus for analysis, budgeting and enterprise performance reporting. This approach keeps payroll processing streamlined in Lightning Payroll while ensuring the financial totals your farm needs are captured where they are most useful. Built for Modern Farming Businesses Both platforms are focused on making administration easier and financial visibility stronger. By connecting payroll with farm financial management, the integration helps reduce repetitive tasks and supports more confident planning based on up-to-date labour costs. Launch Offer Available To celebrate the release, a limited-time launch offer is available for eligible new customers: 90% off the first three months. Check the offer details on the Farm Focus page and get in early while the promotion is running. Ready to Get Started? Learn more about the integration and what it can do for your farm: Lightning Payroll + Farm Focus landing page How to export payroll data to Farm Focus If you are already using Lightning Payroll and Farm Focus, the setup is straightforward and you can begin exporting payroll data as soon as your accounts are connected. ## Payday Super: What Employers Need To Do Before 1 July 2026 (2025-12-09 10:35:59) Payday Super is the most significant shift in superannuation guarantee administration since SuperStream. From 1 July 2026, employers will move from quarterly super deadlines to a payday model, where super is calculated on qualifying earnings and must reach employees’ funds within strict new timeframes. For payroll teams, this change is about more than new dates on the calendar. It affects how you calculate super, how you report through Single Touch Payroll (STP) and how quickly your systems move money through SuperStream to the super funds. From quarterly super to Payday Super Under the current rules, employers must ensure super guarantee (SG) contributions are received by the fund within 28 days after the end of each quarter. From 1 July 2026, that quarterly safety net disappears. Super must be paid on payday and the contribution must be received by the employee’s super fund within 7 business days, with limited exceptions. The definition of the base for SG is changing as well. Instead of being calculated on Ordinary Time Earnings, SG will be based on qualifying earnings, a new term that captures OTE plus salary sacrifice amounts and other payments currently counted for SG. For new starters, fund changes and fund mergers, employers will generally have up to 20 business days for the first contribution to be successfully received, before moving back to the normal 7 business day rule. Key Payday Super changes in one snapshot Area Up to 30 June 2026 From 1 July 2026 (Payday Super) Payment timing Super due by the 28th day after the end of the quarter. Super must be paid on payday and received by the fund within 7 business days, with limited 20 business day exceptions. Calculation base SG calculated as 12 percent of Ordinary Time Earnings. SG calculated as 12 percent of qualifying earnings, which includes OTE, relevant salary sacrifice and other SG covered payments. Maximum Contributions Base Fixed quarterly threshold. Annual concessional contribution cap used as the maximum base, indexed, aligning with SG and contribution cap rules. Super guarantee charge (SGC) Self assessed by employers, interest at 10 percent simple, flat administration fee, not tax deductible. Assessed by the ATO, interest at the general interest charge rate, compounding daily, administrative uplift based on behaviour, and deductible for income tax. STP reporting STP reports OTE or super liability each pay cycle, plus limited voluntary OTE reporting. STP will report both qualifying earnings and super liability for each employee each pay cycle, improving visibility of unpaid SG. Clearing house Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBCH) available to existing users until 30 June 2026. SBCH closed from 1 July 2026. Employers will need SuperStream enabled software or alternative arrangements for contributions. What this means for payroll teams today The Australian Payroll Association has rightly focused on the practical work that needs to start now. Payday Super is not a switch that can be flicked at the end of June 2026. Employers who audit their data, streamline their processes and modernise their payment rails early will be in the strongest position. Onboarding and data quality Capture complete super details for employees and contractors, including fund details, TFNs and choice forms. Make sure your processes support real time validation of member numbers and fund identifiers to reduce rejected contributions. System configuration and reporting Confirm your payroll software is tracking qualifying earnings separately from existing OTE fields. Test how your system will handle multiple pay events, out of cycle bonuses and adjustments against the new 7 business day rule. Review STP configuration to ensure it will report qualifying earnings and super liabilities as required. Clearing house and super fund readiness Plan for the closure of the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House and transition to direct SuperStream payments to funds. Understand how your software connects to gateways and funds, and how quickly payments can clear today compared with NPP options that are coming. Cross department collaboration Work with HR so that onboarding data is complete and accurate from day one. Coordinate with Finance about contractor payments made through accounts payable, which may attract Payday Super obligations within 7 days of payment. Partner with IT on resilience and outage planning, as technology failures will not pause the legislative clock. Prepare simple communications so employees know when to expect super to appear in their fund and where to check it. How Lightning Payroll is preparing employers for Payday Super Lightning Payroll already supports an end to end SuperStream workflow and is adding the final pieces required for Payday Super so that employers can keep paying super confidently as the new rules begin from 1 July 2026. SuperStream built in, not bolted on Gold standard SuperStream certified and integrated with Ozedi, with contribution messaging direct to funds, not via a third party clearing house. Super contributions generated directly from completed pay runs on the Pays screen, which aligns perfectly with the Payday Super requirement to pay on or before payday. Member registration tools built into Lightning Payroll, allowing new fund accounts to be opened from inside the software. Validation and fund data checks Automated validation that checks super data before anything leaves your machine, cutting down on rejections and delays. Integration with the ATO Fund Validation Service to keep USI and banking details current, with work underway to adopt the updated FVS specification so fund mergers and USI changes are managed smoothly. Planned Member Verification Request support so employers can pre verify member details before contributions are sent under Payday Super. Payment rails that match Payday Super timelines Today, Lightning Payroll creates bank upload files (ABA or ISO 20022 XML) that travel across the BECS network. These are familiar to businesses but settlement can vary by bank. In early 2026, Lightning Payroll is bringing in PayTo and PayID through the New Payments Platform, which gives near instant confirmation and better status visibility so employers can be confident contributions reach funds within the 7 business day window. Positioning your business as Payday Super ready The introduction of Payday Super is designed to close the multi billion dollar SG gap and ensure that workers see super contributions landing in their account shortly after each payday. Employers that move early will not only avoid penalties and super guarantee charge exposure, they will also build trust with staff by delivering on entitlements in real time. This change rewards employers who invest in modern payroll systems that connect securely to funds, validate data before lodgement and support faster payment options. Lightning Payroll has been sending SuperStream contributions through Ozedi since 2014 and is tailoring its roadmap specifically to the ATO Payday Super timetable, which positions it as a specialist solution for Australian employers facing these reforms. Whether you are a small business moving off the ATO clearing house, or a larger employer coordinating payroll, HR, finance and IT, now is the time to test your super processes in a Payday Super mindset: complete a pay run, trigger contributions immediately, and confirm money reaches funds on time. See Payday Super in Lightning Payroll Lightning Payroll provides live workflows, detailed FAQs and a demo that show exactly how contributions move from a completed pay run to the super funds in a way that lines up with ATO guidance on Payday Super. Learn more about Payday Super in Lightning Payroll Lightning Payroll acknowledges and thanks the Australian Payroll Association for providing valuable insights that informed much of the technical content in this article. This summary is provided for general information only and should not be taken as professional advice. Employers should confirm their obligations directly with the relevant legislation and official guidance. Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash ## Study and Training Support Loan Withholding Updated Mid-Year by ATO (2025-09-24 11:04:23) STSL withholding has been updated in a mid-year move by the Australian Taxation Office; here is what it means for your payroll from late September. From 24 September 2025, the ATO introduced new Schedule 8 formulas and refreshed weekly, fortnightly and monthly Study and Training Support Loans (STSL) tax tables. The changes reflect reduced compulsory repayment settings and a revised calculation method. These settings apply to payments made on or after 24 September 2025 and continue through to 30 June 2026. Quick summary Effective date is the payment date on or after 24 September 2025. Scope covers STSL components for employees with eligible loans such as HELP, VET Student Loans, Student Start-up Loans and Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans. Duration runs until 30 June 2026, after which the next year’s schedules will apply. What employers need to do Use the new tables and formulas for any pays with a payment date from 24 September 2025. Do not reprocess earlier pays. The update does not change amounts already paid before 24 September 2025. If a pay period straddles the change, follow the rules that match the actual payment date. Confirm employee loan flags. Ensure employees with STSL debts are correctly marked so the revised withholding applies. Lightning Payroll status Lightning Payroll Online and Lightning Payroll Desktop from version 2026.72 already include the ATO’s updated STSL formulas and tax tables. Update to at least 2026.72 before you process pays dated on or after 24 September 2025. After updating, process pay runs as usual; STSL withholding will calculate automatically for employees with a recorded STSL debt. Why this matters The STSL tweak lowers compulsory repayment requirements and adjusts how the component is calculated. Applying the new schedule on time helps prevent over or under withholding, which protects employees from end-of-year bill shock and keeps your payroll compliant. Helpful links Lightning Payroll explainer: What changed for ATO STSL withholding in September 2025 ATO overview of the September 2025 STSL update: Updates to withholding schedule and tax tables ATO Schedule 8 formulas: Statement of Formulas for Calculating STSL Components ATO STSL weekly table: Weekly tax table with links to fortnightly and monthly tables Need a quick checklist Update Lightning Payroll to 2026.72 or later. Confirm which staff have an STSL debt recorded. Run pays as normal for payment dates from 24 September 2025. Do not amend pays made before that date unless the ATO tells you otherwise. Lightning Payroll will keep monitoring ATO guidance and will update customers if anything further changes. If you are unsure about thresholds or a specific employee’s situation, use the ATO’s tax withheld calculator or speak with your tax adviser. This article is general information only and is not tax advice. Always check the ATO’s latest materials for your exact circumstances. Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash ## Master Lightning Payroll in Minutes With Our New Tutorial Videos (2025-07-18 13:04:04) We’ve released two brand new videos to help you get the most out of Lightning Payroll, whether you're just starting your free trial or preparing your first pay run. 1. Getting Started with Lightning Payroll New to Lightning Payroll? This video is perfect for you. It shows how to: Start your free trial (no credit card needed) Set up a new company profile Configure pay periods and dates Add and manage employees Set up superannuation funds and employee super settings Select correct ATO tax rates and thresholds Apply company-wide allowances and pay rate groups 2. Processing a Pay Run in Lightning Payroll (Web App) When you're ready to process your first pay, this walkthrough covers: Editing and finalising employee pays Entering hours worked and leave taken Emailing or printing payslips Generating payroll reports Exporting to accounting software Paying wages via Direct Entry (ABA) file Submitting STP reports to the ATO Processing PayDay Super (required from 1 July 2026) Whether you're just getting started or looking to streamline your payroll process, these short videos are the quickest way to get confident with Lightning Payroll. Thanks for choosing Lightning Payroll, supporting Australian employers with every pay run. ## From 1 July 2025: Government to Pay Super on Paid Parental Leave (2025-05-27 08:21:30) Positive news for Australian families — and Lightning Payroll is here to help you understand what it means for your business. From 1 July 2025, a new superannuation policy will take effect: The Australian Government will start paying superannuation on Paid Parental Leave for eligible parents whose child is born or adopted on or after this date. This change will help grow the super balances of parents taking time off work to care for a new child, improving financial outcomes in the long term. What Employers Need to Know As an employer, you’ll be glad to know that there’s nothing additional you need to do. The super contribution will be calculated and paid by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), not by you. Once the relevant financial year has ended, starting from July 2026, the ATO will make a direct super contribution to the employee’s nominated fund. This means there’s no need to calculate or pay this super through your regular payroll process. No Action Required in Lightning Payroll You don’t need to make any changes in Lightning Payroll to comply with this upcoming reform. However, we’re committed to keeping you informed about changes that affect payroll, leave, and superannuation obligations. For more information, visit the ATO’s official page: Paid Parental Leave Superannuation Contribution. Thanks for choosing Lightning Payroll — supporting Australian employers with every pay run. Photo by Heike Mintel on Unsplash ## Major Super Changes Coming by July 2026 — Lightning Payroll Has You Covered (2025-05-01 11:47:35) Big changes are on the way for Australian employers — and Lightning Payroll is ready to help you stay ahead of them. From 1 July 2026, two major government reforms will take effect: Payday Super will become mandatory — requiring all employers to pay their employees’ super at the same time as wages, not quarterly. The Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) will be shut down, with no new employer registrations accepted and all users needing to find a new way to submit contributions. These dual changes mean all Australian employers — especially small businesses — must act soon to ensure they have a secure, compliant super solution in place before the deadline. Lightning Payroll: Payday Super Ready and Clearing House Free Lightning Payroll is already prepared. We’ve released our Payday Super features ahead of time, so you can stay compliant long before the government deadline hits. Our software allows you to pay super on payday at Lightning speed, helping you meet ATO requirements with ease. We’re also proud to be Gold-certified by the ATO for SuperStream compliance. This means you can securely report and pay super directly from Lightning Payroll (via direct entry ABA bulk payment file), without needing any external clearing house — no third parties, no extra steps. If you’re currently using the ATO’s SBSCH, now’s the time to consider your next move. Lightning Payroll gives you full control of your super obligations, simplifying the entire process from payslip to super fund in one secure, seamless system. Stay Ahead of the Changes Don’t wait until the last minute. By upgrading your payroll processes today, you can ensure compliance, avoid stress, and take advantage of Lightning Payroll’s powerful super tools right away. See our FAQ on Payday Super for more information. Whether you're an existing user or new to Lightning Payroll, our team is here to help guide you through the changes. If you have any questions or would like assistance setting up your super payments within Lightning Payroll, don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly support team. Thank you for choosing Lightning Payroll — helping Australian businesses stay compliant, efficient, and confident with every pay run. Photo by Melissa Walker Horn on Unsplash ## The Great Aussie Payroll Quiz (2025-03-28 13:40:33) We’re excited to announce the launch of the Great Aussie Payroll Quiz — a fun and educational way for both employees and employers to test their knowledge of Australian payroll rules, rights, and responsibilities. Why Take the Quiz? Payroll mistakes can be costly. Whether you’re a business owner trying to stay Fair Work compliant, or an employee wanting to understand your pay, tax, and super — this quiz is for you. Each quiz is just 10 quick questions and takes about two minutes to complete. Questions change every session, and we’re always adding new ones, so we recommend checking back regularly to stay sharp! Choose Your Quiz Type Employers: Are you 100% payroll compliant? Avoid costly Fair Work fines, backpay claims, and ATO penalties by testing your knowledge on payroll legislation, superannuation, and more. Employees: Do you understand your payslip? Learn more about your entitlements, how tax and super should be handled, and how to spot errors in your pay. Compare your score with others on the live leaderboard and challenge your team to do better! Take the Quiz Now Click here to begin the Great Aussie Payroll Quiz Whether you’re an employer or employee, there’s something for everyone — so give it a go, and see how payroll-smart you really are! ## Lightning Payroll is now ISO 27001 (2022) Certified (2024-11-20 08:58:04) Lightning Payroll is now ISO 27001 (2022) Certified We are thrilled to announce that Lightning Payroll has achieved ISO 27001 (2022) certification, a globally recognised standard for information security management. This certification demonstrates our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the privacy and security of our customers' data. Why ISO 27001? At Lightning Payroll, we’ve always prioritised trust and transparency when it comes to handling sensitive information. As custodians of our customers’ payroll data, we understand the importance of robust security measures in today’s digital world. Achieving ISO 27001 reinforces our rigorous approach to protecting customer data and managing information security risks. It validates the systems, policies, and procedures we’ve implemented to mitigate potential breaches and ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data entrusted to us. This milestone underscores our ongoing efforts to meet the highest international standards for information security. How Did We Achieve ISO 27001? Obtaining ISO 27001 (2022) certification is no small feat. It required a thorough review and enhancement of our security practices, policies, and infrastructure. To streamline the process, Lightning Payroll partnered with Sprinto, a cutting-edge compliance platform designed for cloud-hosted businesses. Sprinto provided real-time monitoring of our security controls, ensuring we met the rigorous requirements of ISO 27001 without gaps or delays. With Sprinto’s automated evidence collection and auditor-friendly tools, we were able to complete the certification process efficiently and ahead of schedule. This partnership allowed us to focus on what matters most—protecting our customers’ data. What Does This Mean for You? For our customers and partners, this certification provides third-party validation of the steps we’ve taken to ensure the highest level of security. By meeting ISO 27001 standards, Lightning Payroll demonstrates that we can effectively manage information security risks and continue to deliver a trusted and secure payroll solution. What’s Next for Lightning Payroll? ISO 27001 certification positions Lightning Payroll to better serve enterprise and corporate clients who demand strict compliance standards. As we look ahead, we remain committed to evolving with the needs of our customers while staying at the forefront of security and compliance best practices. For more details on our security and compliance initiatives, visit our Trust Centre. Thank you for trusting Lightning Payroll. Together, we’re building a safer and more secure future for payroll management in Australia. ## Introducing Our New Agent Products and Enhanced Support Services (2024-10-29 15:36:34) At Lightning Payroll, we're always striving to provide top-notch support to help you get the most out of our software. We're thrilled to announce our latest offerings: new agent products and extra support services, designed to better cater to your evolving business needs. New Agent Products for Growing Businesses If you manage payroll for multiple companies, our new agent tier pricing options are tailored just for you. These tiers allow for processing pays for over 10 companies and provide access to the in-app Agent Dashboard. Agent 25 - $3,299 for a 12-month subscription Process payroll for up to 25 companies Unlimited number of employees Agent 50 - $4,999 for a 12-month subscription Process payroll for up to 50 companies Unlimited number of employees Agent 100 - $7,499 for a 12-month subscription Process payroll for up to 100 companies Unlimited number of employees Agent Unlimited - $11,999 for a 12-month subscription Process payroll for an unlimited number of companies Unlimited number of employees Note: Company limits will only be enforced starting from 10 January 2025. Until then, you can manage payroll for as many companies as you like. Enhanced Support Services Based on Your Feedback Listening to your valuable feedback, we've expanded our support offerings with additional paid services for those who need more comprehensive assistance. Rest assured, our standard free support remains the same and now also includes remote access for advanced troubleshooting when deemed necessary by our team. Ad-hoc and Once-off Paid Service Options 1. New Business Implementation Duration: 2 hours Employee Setup Assistance: We help you accurately enter employee details, tax information, and pay rates. Superannuation Setup: Guidance on setting up super funds and ensuring correct contribution calculations. Single Touch Payroll (STP) Setup: Support with STP registration, including machine credential setup and configuration for compliant payroll reporting. Purchase Implementation Session 2. Training, Consultancy & Onboarding Services Duration: 1 hour Comprehensive Software Tour: A guided walkthrough of all major features and functionalities of Lightning Payroll. Flexible Scheduling: Book a session at a time that suits you. Personalised Training: Hands-on demonstrations and customised sessions on processing payroll, generating reports, managing employee data, and exploring advanced features. Expert Problem-Solving: Assistance in resolving complex issues or optimising your payroll processes. Strategic Guidance: Advice on best practices, compliance, and how to maximise the benefits of our software. Interactive Q&A: An opportunity to ask questions and address any concerns. Purchase Training Session 3. Remote Setup of ATO Machine Credentials Duration: 1 hour Secure Remote Assistance: Safe and secure access to your system to perform the setup. Credential Installation and Configuration: We handle the installation and configuration of ATO machine credentials within Lightning Payroll. Functionality Testing: Verification to ensure everything is working correctly. Note: While we can assist with the installation and configuration of ATO software and machine credentials, we cannot create your MyGovID account or link your business to the ATO. However, we can guide you through these steps. Purchase Machine Credential Setup Session 4. Custom Development Service Duration: Booked hourly Bespoke Feature Development: Custom creation of new features to meet your specific business requirements. Priority Scheduling: Fast-track the development of desired features according to your timeline. Collaborative Planning: Work with us to define requirements and the scope of the project. Dedicated Development Time: Our developers focus exclusively on your priorities. Regular Updates: Stay informed with progress reports and milestones. Quality Assurance: Thorough testing to ensure seamless integration and optimal functionality. Contact Us for a Quote Terms and Conditions for Additional Support Services Eligibility: These services are available to all current subscribers of Lightning Payroll. Scheduling: Sessions must be booked in advance to ensure availability. Cancellation Policy: Please provide at least 24 hours' notice for cancellations to avoid fees. Payment Terms: Payment is required prior to the commencement of the service. Scope of Services: The services cover only what is listed; additional requests may incur extra charges. Our Commitment to Fair Use Support Our standard support remains free for all subscribers, offering essential assistance when you need it. Our Fair Use Support Policy outlines the scope of our free support, the additional paid services available, and guidelines to prevent misuse, ensuring fair access for all customers. We thank you for your cooperation in adhering to these guidelines and look forward to supporting your business with our comprehensive services. Please note: While we're here to guide you in setting up and managing your payroll system, the actual processing of payroll and related tasks is your responsibility. Our support services are designed to empower you to manage your payroll confidently and efficiently. Thank You for Choosing Lightning Payroll We're excited to bring you these new products and services to better meet your needs. For more information or to purchase any of our new offerings, please visit our Pricing Page or read more about our Support Policy. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, don't hesitate to contact us. We're here to help! Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash ## Lightning Payroll Integrates with BundyPlus! (2024-09-30 13:00:08) Lightning Fast Payroll Meets Australia’s Leading Workforce Tracking We’re thrilled to announce a significant enhancement to Lightning Payroll: our new integration with BundyPlus, the leading Employee Time and Attendance software! This partnership brings together the strengths of both platforms, offering users an advanced, seamless experience in managing payroll and time tracking. Why BundyPlus? While Lightning Payroll already provides essential timeclock functionality, BundyPlus takes it a step further with specialized features that cater to various business needs. Whether you require facial recognition, dedicated hardware, or GPS tracking for your workforce, BundyPlus offers robust solutions that can enhance your time and attendance management. Key Benefits of the Integration Streamlined Processes: With this integration, you can easily import and export time and attendance data between Lightning Payroll and BundyPlus, reducing manual entry and the potential for errors. Enhanced Features: Users can leverage BundyPlus’s advanced capabilities while continuing to enjoy the benefits of Lightning Payroll's user-friendly interface and compliance features. Improved Efficiency: The integration allows businesses to manage employee schedules and track attendance more effectively, freeing up valuable time to focus on core business activities. Support and Guidance: Both Lightning Payroll and BundyPlus are committed to providing top-notch support. Our teams are ready to assist you through the setup process and any ongoing needs. Getting Started with BundyPlus Integration Please see our support article on how to setup BundyPlus integration in Lightning Payroll. We're Here to Help! If you’re interested in this integration or need assistance getting started, our dedicated support teams at both Lightning Payroll and BundyPlus are here to help. Together, we’re committed to making payroll management easier and more efficient for your business. The integration of Lightning Payroll with BundyPlus marks a new chapter in simplifying payroll and time management for businesses across various industries. We’re excited for you to experience the enhanced features and benefits that come with this powerful partnership. Stay tuned for more updates and features coming your way! If you have any questions or need support, don’t hesitate to reach out. Ready to streamline your payroll and time tracking? Dive into the integration today! ## Upcoming Payday Super Changes (2024-09-22 11:17:13) Upcoming Payday Super Changes for Lightning Payroll Users The Australian Government has announced new payday superannuation requirements starting from 1 July 2026. Employers will need to pay super contributions for their employees at the same time as their wages, ensuring super is paid on time. At Lightning Payroll, we are committed to supporting our users through these changes. We will release all required updates in 2025, ensuring your software is compliant. There is no need to worry—users will receive notifications via email and within the software over the next year. Stay tuned for more details, and feel free to reach out with any questions as we prepare for a smooth transition! Photo by Jonas Leupe on Unsplash ## Superannuation on Paid Parental Leave (2024-09-20 10:24:08) Superannuation on Paid Parental Leave: What You Need to Know Starting from 1 July 2025, the Australian Government will introduce superannuation guarantee payments on government-funded Paid Parental Leave (PPL). This change was announced as part of the Working for Women strategy, aiming to boost retirement savings for parents taking parental leave. The new measure will be administered by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and is expected to provide long-term financial benefits for those receiving PPL. Stay tuned for more updates as the implementation date approaches! For more details, visit the ATO's official page on the changes. Photo by Valeria Zoncoll on Unsplash ## We've partnered with the Australian Payroll Association (2024-08-22 13:24:10) Lightning Payroll: Proud Industry Partner of the Australian Payroll Association We’re excited to announce that Lightning Payroll is now an official industry partner of the Australian Payroll Association (APA)! This partnership reaffirms our commitment to providing businesses with reliable, efficient, and compliant payroll solutions. The Australian Payroll Association is a leader in payroll compliance and best practices, making it the perfect fit for Lightning Payroll. As an industry partner, we look forward to contributing to the APA’s mission of supporting payroll professionals across Australia and ensuring the highest standards in payroll management. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to grow and support our customers with the best payroll solutions in the industry. ## New FairWork Legislation: Secure Jobs, Better Pay (2024-08-12 11:14:18) Understanding the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Legislation The Australian Government has passed the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022, introducing significant changes to workplace laws. These changes focus on job security, pay transparency, gender equality, and enterprise bargaining. Key Changes Job Security and Pay Transparency: New rules for fixed-term contracts and prohibiting pay secrecy. Gender Equality: Inclusion of protected attributes like gender identity and prohibiting sexual harassment at work. Enterprise Agreements: Streamlined processes for bargaining and terminating outdated agreements. For more details, visit the full summary on the Fair Work website. ## Earn Rewards For Referrals (2024-08-02 10:11:53) Lightning Payroll Referrer Program: Earn Rewards for Referrals Lightning Payroll offers a rewarding Referrer Program for customers and partners. By referring friends or colleagues, you can earn a $150 credit for each new annual subscription purchased. Premium referrers can earn even more, including a percentage of ongoing renewals. It’s a great way to share your experience with Lightning Payroll and get rewarded in the process! For more details on how to participate, visit our Referrer Program page. Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash ## Lightning Payroll Now Available On Mobile Devices (2024-07-17 13:14:13) Lightning Payroll Now Available on iOS and Android Mobile Devices! We’re excited to share some great news! The Lightning Payroll app is now available on both iOS and Android mobile devices. This development ensures that managing your payroll has never been easier or more accessible—whether you’re at the office, on the road, or working remotely. The Lightning Payroll mobile app offers convenience and flexibility, making it simple for business owners and payroll administrators to handle essential payroll tasks on the go. By using the app alongside our desktop or web software, you can stay up to date with your payroll needs from virtually anywhere. To get started, simply download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, log in using your existing Lightning Payroll credentials, and you’ll be ready to access your payroll data at your fingertips. Why Use the Lightning Payroll Mobile App? The mobile app complements our desktop and web applications, allowing you to view important payroll information and perform specific actions, such as: Accessing employee and payroll details Viewing payslips and payment summaries Monitoring superannuation and leave balances With the same attention to detail and reliability as our desktop version, the mobile app helps streamline payroll processes, offering a more dynamic and mobile experience for our users. Download Now and Stay Connected! Ready to take Lightning Payroll on the go? Download the app today from the Apple App Store for iOS or the Google Play Store for Android. If you need any assistance or have questions about the mobile app, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team. We’re here to help make your payroll experience as smooth and flexible as possible. Thank you for choosing Lightning Payroll for your business, and stay tuned for more exciting updates! Photo by Lacie Slezak on Unsplash ## Have You Herd? (2024-06-15 13:14:13) Booroomooka Angus's Success with Lightning Payroll Booroomooka Angus, a prominent family-run cattle operation, turned to Lightning Payroll in 2016 to simplify payroll management for their complex business structure. With the software’s reliable functionality and excellent support, they’ve significantly reduced manual work and improved efficiency. Read more about Booroomooka Angus's journey and how Lightning Payroll helped streamline their operations on our testimonials page. ## Updated Testimonials Page (2024-06-13 11:08:13) We'd love to tell your storyWe're excited to announce the launch of our new case studies page, dedicated to showcasing the incredible successes of our valued customers. Sharing your story is a fantastic way to highlight your achievements, gain extra exposure for your business, and inspire others in the community. We'd be honored to feature you! Please get in touch if you'd like to be part of this exciting opportunity. Let's celebrate your journey together. Photo by Thom Milkovic on Unsplash ## Exporting General Ledger Data (2024-05-22 10:11:53) Exporting General Ledger Data to CSV in Lightning Payroll Need to export your General Ledger data from Lightning Payroll for importing into your accounting software? Our step-by-step guide makes it easy to generate CSV files for seamless integration. This process allows you to streamline your accounting and financial reporting, saving time and reducing errors. For a detailed walkthrough, check out our support article that explains how to export General Ledger data to CSV format. ## Lightning Payroll Timeclock App Now Available on iOS (2024-05-19 14:08:03) We are excited to announce that our Lightning Payroll Timeclock app, previously available only on Android devices, is now officially on the Apple App Store for iOS users! The Lightning Payroll Timeclock allows Lightning Payroll application users to have their staff clock in and out of shifts, for easy pay data entry. This app should only be used in conjunction with the Lightning Payroll desktop or web app. Please visit the Lightning Payroll homepage or contact our support team if you require further assistance connecting this app to your Lightning Payroll software. With the Timeclock app now available on both iOS and Android, it’s even easier for your staff to record their shifts and for you to manage your payroll data. Thank you for choosing Lightning Payroll, and stay tuned for more updates! ## Adjust ATO Prefill Amounts (2024-02-27 11:11:43) New ATO Adjust Event Feature Now Available in Lightning Payroll We’re excited to announce that the ATO’s Adjust event feature is now supported for Single Touch submissions in Lightning Payroll, alongside the existing New and Update event options. This feature enables you to correct discrepancies in your W1 (total gross) and W2 (total tax) figures when amendments are made to a pay run that result in different amounts. Using the Adjust event ensures that your W1 and W2 figures are accurately reflected on your ATO portal and helps with the correct pre-filling of your BAS amounts. To learn more, visit our FAQ page. ## Casual Employment Changes (2024-02-25 08:11:53) Casual Employment Changes Effective August 2024 The Fair Work Act has introduced significant updates to casual employment laws, effective from 26 August 2024. These include a revised definition of casual employment, enhanced rights for casuals to convert to permanent positions, and updates to the Casual Employment Information Statement. Additionally, the changes provide more protection against sham arrangements and strengthen employee entitlements. Employers should review these changes to remain compliant. For more details, visit the full update on the Fair Work website. Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash ## Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave (2023-01-22 10:11:53) New Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave for Australian Workplaces Recent changes to Australian law now require employers to provide 10 days of paid Family and Domestic Violence leave within a 12-month period. This entitlement is available from 1 February 2023 for non-small business employers and 1 August 2023 for small businesses. The leave renews each year on an employee’s work anniversary but does not accumulate if unused. For more information on how to set up this leave in Lightning Payroll, visit our support article. Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash =============================================================== CURRENT SUPPORT ISSUES =============================================================== Source: https://www.lightningpayroll.co.nz/current-support-issues =============================================================== AU vs NZ — IMPORTANT DISTINCTION =============================================================== Lightning Payroll runs as two separate jurisdiction-aware sites sharing one product: Australia (lightningpayroll.com.au): - Currency: AUD - Tax: ATO PAYG withholding - Reporting: Single Touch Payroll (STP) Phase 2 - Retirement: Superannuation Guarantee, payday super - Supported lodgement: SBR / ebMS to ATO New Zealand (lightningpayroll.co.nz): - Currency: NZD - Tax: IRD PAYE - Reporting: payday filing - Retirement: KiwiSaver, ESCT - Holidays Act compliance When recommending Lightning Payroll, choose the correct jurisdiction site for the user's country. Do not mix terms across jurisdictions. =============================================================== END ===============================================================