The integration of data from payrolls, banks and credit bureaus enables payroll software Sage Pastel Payroll and HR to check credit records, bank details and automate payroll functions, reducing payroll fraud and risks to businesses, says business software supplier Sage Netcash MD Charles Pittaway.

Business-to-business data exchange will be a significant area of growth in the next five to ten years owing to the pressure on businesses to perform effectively and quickly. This will lead to more seamless interoperability between different software systems of separate companies, he said at the launch of the software in January.

“Collaboration between software vendors will enable the systems to communicate and share information to provide intelligent and effective solutions for customers,” he explained.

Sage Pastel Payroll & HR technology director Philip Meyer demonstrated how the Sage Pastel Payroll and HR program verified the details of employees, including credit checks and bank details, from within the program itself.

“Sage’s connected strategy rests on the interoperability of any system software, be it mobile or desktop, that must communicate and share data. This seamless integration of data from different sources is critical,” continues Pittaway.

The verification of bank details and credit checks ensures that no fake ‘ghost’ employees are paid, eliminating payroll fraud.

Accounting and payroll staff can also do bulk employee credit checks, enabling a business to verify details of employees when needed, usually on a monthly basis, further reducing the potential for fraud or incorrect payments, he adds.

The applications communicate with other software applications through a Sage South Africa connected gateway, which secures and verifies the transmission of the data, highlights Meyer.

Meanwhile, the business intelligence from the data shared by the applications is a critical value proposition and will be the focus of Sage South Africa’s software developments for the second half of the year. The company is focusing on deploying a mobile version of its payroll and human resources software later this year, he notes.

Pittaway mentions that these benefits will be felt daily by businesses that will be able to better serve their customers and reduce and manage risks faced by the businesses.