Five questions to ask before you switch payroll software

Switching payroll is not like switching most software

Payroll touches everyone's pay, everyone's tax and, ultimately, everyone's trust in the business. A botched migration is not just inconvenient — it's personal.

So before you switch, ask these five questions.

1. What's actually wrong with what we have now?

Be specific. 'It's clunky' isn't a reason. 'We can't run pay reviews in bulk and reporting takes three days' is. A clear list of pain points is what stops you buying something shiny that solves nothing.

2. Do we need UK-specific compliance?

If you run payroll in the UK, PAYE, RTI submissions, pension auto-enrolment and statutory leave are non-negotiable. Not every platform handles them equally well — and some 'global' platforms bolt UK compliance on as an afterthought.

3. How does the migration actually work?

Ask for the migration plan before you sign. Who enters the historic data? How are year-to-date figures carried over? What happens if something doesn't balance in the first run? A vendor that can't answer this clearly is a red flag.

4. What integrations do we genuinely need?

Time and attendance, HRIS, accounting, pension provider — map the integrations that matter and confirm they're live, not 'on the roadmap'.

5. What does it cost at our real headcount?

Pricing is often 'per employee per month'. Model it at your actual and projected headcount, including any implementation fees. The cheapest headline price is rarely the cheapest total cost.

The takeaway

A good payroll switch starts with a clear picture of what you need. Build that picture anonymously first, then talk to the vendors that actually fit.