Answer
If you are using Lightning Payroll for the very first time, there are two main steps to get up and running: add your company, then add your employees.
Step 1. Add Your Company
The number of companies you can manage in the software depends on your subscription.
In the desktop app: Click Entities >> Add new company from the menu. The Create New Company Assistant will guide you through entering your company name, your tax identifier (ABN for Australian companies, or IRD number for New Zealand companies), and the payroll jurisdiction. You will also be asked to set your pay schedule (weekly, fortnightly, and/or monthly) and the end date of your current pay period.
In the online (web/mobile) app: Select the Entities section, then click Add Company. You will be taken to the company details form where you can enter your company name, tax identifier (ABN for AU, or IRD number for NZ), and jurisdiction. Once the company details are saved, navigate to Company >> Pay Dates to configure your weekly, fortnightly, and/or monthly pay end dates.
Step 2. Add Your Employees
Before you get started, it is recommended you collect the following information from each employee:
- AU: Tax File Number (TFN), bank account details (BSB, account name, account number), and super fund details (fund USI and member number)
- NZ: IRD number, NZ tax code (from an IR330 declaration), bank account details, and KiwiSaver details (contribution rate and status code)
In the desktop app: Click Employees >> Actions >> New Employee. The Add New Employee Assistant will prompt you to fill in the employee's details. If you don't have all information on hand, you can add it to the employee profile later.
In the online (web/mobile) app: Go to the Employees section and click Actions >> Add New Employee. You can either enter the details yourself or send the employee an onboarding email so they can fill in their own details through the employee portal.
Below are some links that may be helpful when a new employee starts:
- New Employee Basic Information Sheet (PDF, Word Doc)
- AU: ATO Super Choice (Nomination) Form
- AU: ATO Tax File Declaration Form
- AU: Fair Work Information Statement
- NZ: IR330 Tax Code Declaration
- NZ: IRD KiwiSaver information for new employees
Note: If an AU employee has not yet provided a TFN, Lightning Payroll accepts standard ATO placeholder codes. For NZ employees with no declaration, use the ND tax code.
For more detail on adding employees, see How Can I Add a New Employee?
You can also watch our short tutorial video on the company and employee setup process.
