UK Payroll Software and Print And Output Management Software Solutions

Maximise the potential of your UK Payroll and HR departments by working in partnership with and accessing our 30 years of practical experience of producing top class  UK payroll software systems and implementing top class print and output management solutions.

We are here to help you run a smooth and efficient UK payroll and HR service for your company.

You can quickly and confidently reduce your processing costs by partnering with us to implement our UK Payroll software solutions and fulfil your needs with a minimum of pain and upheaval.

Read what some users of  UK payroll software have to say about our product and our service.

Support

The Support Service page gives details our help-line support process. To see quick answers to some Frequently Asked Questions, see our UK Payroll Software FAQ. Alternatively, you can get in touch using our Contact Form.

UK Payroll Software

UK Payroll Software makes the entire payroll process fast and efficient, providing a totally flexible solution for UK Payroll Departments whatever your size.

Our payroll software solution is fully legislatively compliant, with full implementation of the latest RTI and pension auto enrolment requirements.  Further, our payroll software makes it easy and convenient to handle both of these high overhead requirements.

With options for complete integration with your existing systems,  UK Payroll software is a proven application that combines all the advantages of a packaged software solution whilst retaining enough flexibility to cater for your unique UK payroll requirements.

With many years’ experience of providing Payroll Software and Service Solutions to a wide range of industries, csmascent has the proven experience and ability to deliver consistently high levels of customer service. We focus our UK Payroll activities on the development of long-term partnerships where our valued contribution of both payroll software provision and detailed payroll support knowledge is continually recognised by our clients.

has a demonstrable track record for significantly improving UK payroll accuracy. This level of accurate and efficient payment is important to maintain employee morale and motivation and as a payroll specialist, means you spend less time preparing payrolls and more time analysing them. With the advent of Real Time Information (RTI) this is even more important as you transmit your information to the HMRC each payroll period.

UK Payroll Software is a comprehensive payroll administration software system designed with flexibility and scale as standard.  Ease of use is designed into the payroll software making it easy for you to fulfil even the most complex of payroll requirements quickly, accurately and easily.

’s in-depth experience of computerised payroll software on systems ranging from PCs to mainframes, gained over more than 30 years, has contributed to a standard payroll software offering which is simple, flexible, practical and cost effective.

The philosophy of the system has been to adopt strict Microsoft standards with an underlying concept of database independence.

It is ’s policy to provide integration into our payroll software from any complementary product. To this end, generic import and export utilities have been developed to provide the required interfaces and can be used as a full ‘data turnaround’ from export and import of data e.g. pay details from, and to, the system as standard. Relationships have been established with proven suppliers in the following arenas:

  • Human Resources
  • Financial Systems
  • BACS Transmission Systems
  • Data Collection
  • Time and Attendance

See some features and benefits here, but for a demonstration or simply a discussion about any aspect of the application, please contact us!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • An employee has had Student Loan deductions during the year but after the Year End the figures are not showing in the Year End \ Amend Employee Information \Student Loan Deductions, why is this?

    To ensure Student loans calculate correctly during the year and appear in the correct place at year end they should be setup:

    • Create a new code by selecting Maintenance \ Pay Elements\ Charges, enter the code and description in the boxes provided and select apply, close this screen.
    • Select Maintenance \ Company Details \ Parameters
    • Select the drop down option next to Student Loan and select the new code, select apply and close the screen.
    • Select Employees \ Employee Maintenance \ Pay Elements \ Charges, select the box under code and a drop down arrow will appear, choose the code for Student Loans and select apply.
    • The system will automatically calculate the amount due for the student loan during the calculation routine. To view the amount deducted, in period input select breakdown the amount will be displayed under deductions.
  • How can I transmit to the HMRC via a proxy server?

    I have a proxy server installed and when I try to transmit to the HMRC, I get a proxy authentication failure.  How do I resolve this

    You need to create a file in the same directory as onlinereturns.exe program (this will usually be in the install directory for csmascent payroll).  The file should be named ProxyConfig.xml and should contain the following lines:

    <root>
        <Proxy>
            <Name>http://{IP address of your proxy server}:{port number}</Name>
            <UseDefaultCredentials>True</UseDefaultCredentials>
        </Proxy>
    </root>
    An example would be:
    <root>
        <Proxy>
            <Name>http://192.168.1.159:80</Name>
            <UseDefaultCredentials>True</UseDefaultCredentials>
        </Proxy>
    </root>

    Please note that the filename and file contents are all case-sensitive!

    This should allow access.

  • How do I create a new user in CSMAscent for SQL Server?

    The process of creating new users within the CSMAscent application requires three steps :-

    Firstly, create a user within SQL Server Logins section via Enterprise Manager or SQL Management Studio (depends on SQL server version). The new login name will be either a reference to your Windows Domain Login if you are using integrated security (AKA trusted security), or a SQL Login if using SQL Server authentication method. The method used depends on what was specified when you previously ran DATAPATH.EXE to link your application to your particular database. If you can’t remember which method was selected you can tell by looking within the application at the “Manager” menu, “User Maintenance” option – at the bottom of the dialogue box it will tell you that either “SQL Server is using NT integrated security” (which implies Windows logins are used) or “SQL Server is not using NT integrated security” (which implies SQL logins). When creating a login that is a SQL-mode login make sure you leave the password blank for the new user; Integrated security logins do not require passwords to be entered. When defining the new login select the “Database Access” or “User Mapping” tab and make sure the login is granted access to the CSMAscent database with the “AscentPayrollUsers” role and “DBOwner” role ticked.

    Secondly, start the CSMAscent application authenticating yourself with an existing username and password, then open the “Manager” menu, “User Maintenance” option. This will list existing users defined within the CSMAscent users table. Add a new row to the end of the list for your new login, again specifying a blank password. The username is case sensitive, so is best to type it in the exact form that you want it to be entered – bear in mind that when starting the CSMAscent application it defaults to your current Windows network login name.

    Thirdly, quit the CSMAscent application and restart it. Log in to CSMAscent using the new username and blank password, then use the “Utilities” menu “Change Password” option to set a more secure password.

  • How do I make the director’s NI work properly when changing NI code to a “C”?

    Follow these instructions…

    • Change NI Code for the employee.
    • Untick the Directors Box
    • Press Apply
    • Tick Directors Box
    • Press Apply
    • A window will show asking for details of Directors NI for this code.
    • Enter period number to start and values for this code YTD which I assume would be zero.
  • How do I override the value taken on a court order or student loan

    Go to Utilities, Period Utilities, Period amendments.  Click the Pay Elements button at the bottom of the screen.  When requested enter the pay element code you wish to override.  Next, when requested enter the amount you want to take for that pay element for the period and click OK.  Recalculate the employee’s pay.

  • How do I print YTD figures for an employee?

    Select Employee maintenance>YTD. Either highlight the lines you wish to print and right click on the table or just right click on the table. A dialogue box will be displayed asking if you wish to print the detail. Answer yes to print all detail, no to print the selection or cancel to cancel the print.

  • How do I put a message onto an employee’s payslip?

    There are 2 options for payslip messages:

    • Entering a message for an individual employee Select Processing \ Period Input \ Select the employee concerned At the bottom of the screen there is a box entitled Payslip Message, enter text in here and it will print on the individual’s payslip.
    • Entering a general message Select Reports\ Period Processing Reports Choose the payslip option you would normally print Select Yes to run the report Select OK to sort options A Payslip Options box will appear, tick the box next to ?Print a General Message’ and a box will appear below, enter your text in here. This message will appear on all employees’ payslips.
  • I have an employee who has had a change of NI Category letter during the year. How should this be reflected on the Year End Reports?

    The Year End listing will display a separate line for each NI letter the employee has been given during the current tax year and the amounts they have paid under this code. The P35 will display the total NI the employee has paid throughout the current tax year on all codes.

  • I have completed Period Input for this period but when I print my payslips they are blank?

    Ensure you have set up departments under Maintenance \ Employee Analysis \ Departments. Ensure each employee has been allocated a department, to do this select Employees \ Employee Maintenance \Static Information, select the drop down arrow next to Dept No: and choose a department. Your payslips should now print.

  • I have fifteen payslip print icons in the reports screen. How do I tell which one I need to run?

    This is probably due to the way the reports are being displayed on the screen. Right click on the reports window and you will see a pop up giving you choices of Icon, List, or Detail. Select Detail to see the full information available on the report.

  • I need to print a Prior Period Payslip for an employee from period 1. The employee was a new starter in period 1 but his P45 details weren’t entered until period 2, when I print the Prior Period Payslip for period 1 his P45 figures are included in the YTD earnings for Taxable Pay and Tax Paid, how do I resolve this?

    Make a note of the employees Previous Taxable Gross and Tax Paid figures under Employees\ Employee Maintenance\ Ytd \Prev.Emp, Taxable Gross and Tax Paid then zero these figures, select Apply and close the screen. The payslip figures displayed will now be correct. Once the payslip has been printed go back into the YTD screen and re-input the Previous Employment Taxable Gross and Tax Paid figures.

    Important Note: You must remember to re-input the figures once the payslip has been printed.

  • I want to transfer an employee to a new company but the companies have different tax districts, how do I do this?

    The employee should be made a leaver in the current company and a P45 sent to the Tax Office. The employee should be made a new starter in the new company and his details entered in the same way a P45 would be processed. Do not use the Employee Company Transfer option within the payroll as this could cause inaccuracies at year end.

  • Trying to do Online Returns and a security error occurs

    This problem occurs because of restrictions in the way the newer .NET framework interacts with programs attempting to reach the internet – as the onlinereturns.exe program does (quite reasonably!)

    Make sure you have the Microsoft .NET Framework V2 installed on your PC and the server if you are set up in a client server environment.

    To enable Online Returns to pass the security test type in the following command at each PC that needs to run the Online Returns software. Start a command prompt and type in the following command :-

    C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\caspol.exe -machine -chggroup LocalIntranet_Zone FullTrust

  • What registry settings does Ascent require in order to export report information to Excel?

    Disclaimer: Modifying the registry can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. We cannot guarantee that problems resulting from modifications to the registry can be solved. Use the information provided at your own risk.

    Check your registry to see if the entry HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Bewley Carlaw\Coral120\Setting\ExcelIsInstalled is set to -1.

    If the above setting is not present, or not set to the value -1 then one of the following is required depending on the version of Excel installed :

    For Excel 97: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Excel\InstallRoot

    For Excel 2000: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Excel\InstallRoot

    For Excel XP(2002): HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Excel\InstallRoot

    For Excel 2003: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Excel\InstallRoot

    Note that these settings should be checked on the computer that is running the Ascent application.