Question 1

How Do I Use Online Backups in the Web or Mobile App?

Accepted Answer

The online (web/mobile) app includes a built-in Online Backups feature that lets you save your payroll data to Lightning Payroll's secure cloud server and restore it when needed. An active subscription is required; the feature is not available on trial accounts. Note: Online backups are an additional convenience feature. Always maintain your own local backups as well. Once the backup limit is reached, new backups automatically overwrite the oldest. For general backup advice, see How Can I Backup My Lightning Payroll Data? Getting to Online Backups Navigate to Tools >> Online Backups in the web or mobile app. The app automatically checks whether you already have an account and shows the appropriate screen. First Use ÔÇö Registering If no online backups account exists for your subscription, a registration form appears. Create a password that meets all of the following requirements: At least 8 characters At least 1 uppercase letter At least 1 lowercase letter At least 1 number At least 1 special character Enter your password in the New Password field, confirm it in Confirm Password, then click Register. The app logs you in automatically after a successful registration. Subsequent Use ÔÇö Logging In If an account already exists, a login form appears. Enter your Password and click Login. If you have forgotten your password, click Forgot Password? ÔÇö a reset code will be emailed to your registered address. Enter the code together with a new password to regain access. See also I've Forgotten my Password for Online Backups. Sending and Restoring Backups Once logged in, the backup management screen appears. Enter a label in the Computer Name field to identify this device or this backup, then click Send Backup to upload the current data to the cloud. A table lists all existing backups with their creation date, computer ID, and file size. To roll back to an earlier backup, click the restore button next to that entry. Restoring replaces all current data with the selected backup, so only do this when you intend to revert to that point in time. Automatic Backup and Prompt Settings Two options appear below the backup list: Automatically backup every 7 days? ÔÇö when ticked, the app sends a backup to the cloud automatically on a 7-day cycle. Prompt when a more recent backup is available? ÔÇö when ticked, you will be notified if a more recent backup exists on the server than the data currently in the app. Changes to these settings are saved immediately. Logging Out Click Logout only if you want to disconnect this device from online backups entirely. Logging out disables automatic backups. To re-enable backups later, navigate back to Tools >> Online Backups and log in again. For the equivalent desktop app flow, see How Can I Set Up Online Backups?

Question 2

How Can I Set Up Online Backups?

Accepted Answer

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 8 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.

Question 3

How Do I Undo A Backup Restore Using Revert Last Restored?

Accepted Answer

The online (web/mobile) app automatically saves a snapshot of your data before every restore or sync. If you restore a backup and then realise you need to go back to how things looked before that restore, use the Revert Last Restored Backup tool. How to revert From the main menu, select Tools >> Revert Last Restored Backup. The screen shows the date and time of the snapshot that was taken before your last restore or sync. Confirm this is the state you want to return to. Read the warning: any changes made to the current database since the restore will be lost. Click Yes, let's revert to proceed. The app restores the snapshot and returns you to the entity selection screen. When this tool is not available If the screen shows There is no backup on file that can be reverted back to, no pre-restore snapshot exists. This typically means either no restore has been performed in the current session, or the snapshot has already been used. Important notes This tool is available in the online (web/mobile) app only. There is no equivalent tool in the desktop app. Only one pre-restore snapshot is kept. After reverting, the snapshot is consumed and the option will no longer be available until your next restore or sync. If you are concerned about accidentally overwriting data during restores, see How Can Restoring A Backup Delete Pay Data?

Question 4

Why Did My Automatic Online Backup Stop Working?

Accepted Answer

Automatic online backups can stop silently if the saved credentials become stale ÔÇö for example, after you reset your online backups password on another computer or device. When the app attempts the scheduled backup and the login fails, it skips the backup for that session. If credentials were previously configured, the app opens the Online Backups wizard so you can re-authenticate. In the Desktop App The desktop app attempts an automatic backup at startup (if the Backup your data automatically option is enabled under Settings >> Backups and a backup is due). If the login attempt fails and credentials are stored, the Online Backups wizard opens automatically with a prompt to log in again. Enter your current password to re-authenticate. The next scheduled backup will then proceed normally. If the wizard does not appear, you can open it manually via Tools >> Online Backups. Log in there to restore the connection. Automatic backups run on a 7-day cycle, so the next backup will occur within 7 days of a successful login. If you have forgotten your online backups password, click Forgotten Password? in the wizard to receive a reset code by email. See I've Forgotten my Password for Online Backups for the full reset steps. In the Online (Web/Mobile) App In the web or mobile app, automatic backups are controlled by the Automatically backup every 7 days? toggle in Tools >> Online Backups. If you are logged out or your session has expired, the automatic backup cannot run. Navigate to Tools >> Online Backups, log in with your password, and confirm the toggle is enabled. Backups will resume from that point. For a full guide to setting up and using online backups in the web or mobile app, see How Do I Use Online Backups in the Web or Mobile App? Other Reasons Automatic Backups May Stop The Backup your data automatically checkbox (desktop) or the Automatically backup every 7 days? toggle (web/mobile) has been turned off. The subscription does not have full access (trial accounts are not eligible for online backups). A network or internet connectivity issue prevented the login or upload from completing.

Question 5

How Do I Restore a Backup?

Accepted Answer

Lightning Payroll backup files use the .LPB extension. You can restore a local backup file or an online backup depending on where your backup is stored. In the Desktop App To restore a local backup file, click Tools >> Restore Backup. A wizard opens ÔÇö select your .LPB file and follow the prompts. The app automatically saves a copy of your current data before restoring, so you can undo the restore if needed. To restore from an online backup, click Tools >> Online Backups. Log in to the online backups server, then click Restore next to the backup you want. See How Can I Set Up Online Backups? for details on registering and using this feature. To undo a recent restore, click Tools >> Revert Last Restored Backup. This rolls the data back to the automatic copy the app saved immediately before your last restore. In the Online (Web/Mobile) App To restore a local backup file, go to Tools >> Restore Backup. The Restore Local Backup screen lets you upload an .LPB file from your computer. Click Upload & Restore to apply it. This overwrites your existing company data. Restore Backup is not available on trial accounts. To restore from an online backup, go to Tools >> Online Backups, log in, and click Restore next to the backup you want. To undo a recent restore, go to Tools >> Revert Last Restored Backup and click Yes, let's revert. This returns your data to the state it was in immediately before the last restore or sync. If the Restore Backup option is unavailable or greyed out, see Why Can't I Restore a Backup File?

Question 6

How Do I Save a Local Backup of My Payroll Data?

Accepted Answer

There are two ways to save a backup file locally to your computer. To create a single backup manually, click Tools >> Create Backup. This saves a compressed copy of your payroll data (all companies) into a file with an .LPB extension. To set up automatic backups, open Settings >> Backups and tick Backup your data automatically. You can choose a folder and Lightning Payroll will save a backup to that folder each time the program closes. Local backups are a good first line of defence, but we also recommend keeping a copy off-site. See How Can I Set Up Online Backups? for details on our free cloud backup service.

Question 7

How Do I Back Up and Restore My Data in the Online App?

Accepted Answer

The online (web/mobile) app includes its own backup tools under Tools >> Create Backup and Tools >> Restore Backup. Backups are saved as .LPB files and contain all companies and employees in your account. Creating a Backup Navigate to Tools >> Create Backup. Click Create Backup. The app generates a timestamped .LPB file and downloads it to your computer automatically. Restoring a Backup Navigate to Tools >> Restore Backup. Select a .LPB backup file from your computer. Click Upload & Restore. The restore process will overwrite all existing company data. Once complete, you are redirected to the entity selection screen. Note: Backup restore is not available on trial accounts. Reverting a Restore If you need to undo a restore, go to Tools >> Revert Last Restored Backup. This rolls your data back to the snapshot taken immediately before your last restore or sync. The option is only available if a pre-restore snapshot exists. Cloud-Based Online Backups In addition to local backup files, the app supports saving backups to our secure cloud server. Go to Tools >> Online Backups to register, send a backup, or restore from the cloud. See How Can I Set Up Online Backups? for details. If you use the desktop app, see How Can I Backup My Lightning Payroll Data? for the desktop backup workflow.

Question 8

Why Is The Program Freezing When I Restore A Backup?

Accepted Answer

If the program freezes when restoring a backup, the cause is usually an invalid auto-backup location. Please try the following steps:Go to Settings >> Backups.Either untick the Backup your data automatically checkbox, or update the backup directory to a valid location on your computer.Save the setting.Try restoring the backup file again.If the problem persists, please contact the support team.

Question 9

How Can Restoring A Backup Delete Pay Data?

Accepted Answer

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. How to Avoid Losing Data The safest way to share payroll data across two computers is to use the Online Backups feature, which keeps a copy of your data on Lightning Payroll's secure servers and lets both computers stay in sync. In the desktop app, go to Tools >> Online Backups and enable Automatically backup every 7 days?. On each computer, also enable the Prompt when a more recent backup is available? option ÔÇö this way the software will warn you before you work on older data. Follow this discipline when moving between computers: Before finishing work on Computer A, open Tools >> Online Backups and click Send Backup to push your latest data to the cloud. When you start work on Computer B, open Tools >> Online Backups and restore the most recent backup so you are always working from the latest copy. Repeat this process every time you switch computers. For full instructions on registering and configuring online backups, see How Can I Set Up Online Backups?. If you have already restored a backup and realised it was the wrong one, the online app includes a Revert Last Restored Backup option under Tools that can roll your data back to the state it was in immediately before the restore.

Question 10

How Do I Set Up and Use Web Sync Across My Devices?

Accepted Answer

Lightning Payroll includes a web synchronisation feature that keeps your data in step between your Lightning Payroll installations and the web application. (Before setting this up, we strongly recommend making sure every device holds the same, up-to-date data by using the Online Backups feature, or Create Backup / Restore Backup under the Tools menu.) To turn web synchronisation on, go to Settings >> Other Settings in the desktop program. You will see three options: After ticking any one of these options you are asked to log in to enable the feature. Use the same login details you use for the website's Client Login. Note: this is separate from your application password, your subscription ID and your Online Backups password. If you have trouble with your password on this screen, use the Forgotten Password? option below the fields. After logging in, you are emailed a 6-digit two-factor authentication (2FA) code to enter on the next screen. If your account is secured with Google Authenticator, use the 2FA code generated by that app instead. Once the code is accepted, web sync is active. Sync Data Up To Web App? When enabled, this detects changes you make inside Lightning Payroll and uploads them to the web application. Sync Data Down To Desktop App? This detects more recent changes made online and downloads and restores them into your Lightning Payroll desktop application. With these first two options, checks run automatically every 5 minutes, and a refresh button appears at the bottom-right of the program. Use that button to check manually in between the 5-minute intervals. Manually Control Web Sync Uploads/Downloads? This option does not synchronise automatically, leaving you in control of when backups are created and restored. Instead of the refresh button used by the previous two options, separate upload and download buttons appear at the bottom-right. The diagrams below show how the feature works between the web application and one installation, and between the web application and two installations:

Question 11

Why Can't I Restore a Backup File?

Accepted Answer

A backup (.LPB) file is normally restored under the Tools menu of Lightning Payroll. If the Restore Backup option is greyed out or unavailable, you are either on a trial licence or unlicensed (your licence may have expired). Creating and restoring backups is only available to users on a paid subscription. If you only need to restore a backup to view old data, you can open Lightning Payroll in a read-only (unlicensed) mode. You cannot make any changes in this mode, but you can restore backups. To switch from trial mode to unlicensed (read-only) mode, delete the trial licence file manually while the application is closed. This file is called license.txt and lives in the following location depending on your operating system: Windows: C:\Users\<your user folder>\AppData\Roaming\Lightning Payroll\license.txt Mac: ~/.LightningPayroll/license.txt An easy way to reach the data folder is to click the ? in the lower-left corner of the start-up screen when you open the program, then choose Open Data Folder. Right-click the license.txt file and delete it. Note: the picture below is for a Windows user.

Question 12

How Can I Backup My Lightning Payroll Data?

Accepted Answer

Because Lightning Payroll is a desktop application, your data is stored on your own computer, not with us. We recommend you become familiar with the program's backup features. Online Backups are a great way to keep a secure, off-site copy of your payroll information using the cloud storage we provide for customers. Only you can access this data. It is also an easy way to pass data between two Lightning Payroll systems that share the same subscription. To create a backup file on your computer, click Tools >> Create Backup. This saves a complete copy of your payroll data (for all companies) into a single compressed file with an .LPB extension. You can restore these files later via Tools >> Restore Backup. Lightning Payroll can also make regular automatic backups to a folder you choose. Turn this on under Settings >> Backups >> Backup your data automatically. We recommend you regularly keep a backup on an external storage device, or online, in case your local hard drive fails.

Question 13

How Can I Submit End of Year PSAR via EMPDUPE?

Accepted Answer

Submitting end of year using the EMPDUPE method. Using the ATOÔÇÖs Online Services for Business by submitting an EMPDUPE/ECI file. HereÔÇÖs a tutorial video demonstrating how to generate an EMPDUPE file using Lightning PayrollÔÇÖs End of Year assistant. Step-by-Step: Generating the ATO ECI File EMPDUPE/ECI file generation is available in the Lightning Payroll desktop app only. Open the app and follow these steps: Click End of Year in the main navigation. On the Overview page, select the relevant financial year from the drop-down, then choose Generate ATO ECI File under ATO Submission. Tick Enter different company information only if your company details changed during the financial year (for example, you changed ABN or address mid-year). Tick Submit as Supplier if you are lodging on behalf of another entity (for example, a tax agent or bookkeeper). You will be prompted for your supplier ABN, name, address, and file reference. Tick Email payment summaries to employees if you would like Lightning Payroll to email summaries directly to employees after the file is saved. Click Next to proceed through the wizard steps. On the Company Information page (shown only if you ticked the option in step┬á3), verify or update the companyÔÇÖs tax name, ABN, address, contact name, phone, and Location ID, then click Next. On the Supplier Information page (shown only if you ticked Submit as Supplier), enter the supplier ABN, name, address, phone, email, and file reference, then click Next. On the Select Employees page, choose the employees to include in the submission, then click Next. On the Payment Summaries page, review each employeeÔÇÖs figures. Use Refresh to recalculate values from pay records, or Advanced to make manual adjustments. Click Next when the figures are correct. On the Save ATO ECI File page, confirm or change the save location using the folder icon, then click Next. Lightning Payroll generates and saves the EMPDUPE file and shows an ATO ECI File Saved Successfully confirmation. If you ticked the email option, the Email Summaries page appears next ÔÇö review the list of recipients and send. The final Summary page confirms the assistant is complete. If you later edit any pay information, re-run the assistant to regenerate the file before lodging. Lodging the File with the ATO Once the EMPDUPE file is saved to your computer, log in to ATO Online Services for Business and upload it using the Lodge PAYG withholding annual report (ECI) option. For an overview of all available end-of-year lodgement methods, see How Do I Process EOFY and Lodge With the ATO?. To edit payment summary figures before generating the file, see How Can I Edit Payment Summaries?.

Question 14

How Do I Include an Employment Termination Payment (ETP) in End of Year?

Accepted Answer

When an employee has been terminated during the financial year, their ETP amounts are automatically carried through from the termination pay into the End of Year Assistant. A separate PAYG payment summary &#8211; employment termination payment is generated for that employee in addition to their regular payment summary. Reviewing ETP Amounts in the End of Year Assistant Open the End of Year Assistant from the Reports section of the desktop app. Work through the wizard until you reach the Payment Summaries step. Select the terminated employee from the list on the left. Their regular payment summary is shown on the right. Click the Advanced button to make the payment summary fields editable. A confirmation prompt will appear before edits are allowed. In the editable view, locate the Total ETP Tax field and click its button to open the Edit ETP Payment Summaries dialog. Working With the Edit ETP Payment Summaries Dialog The dialog displays a table of ETP entries for the selected employee. Each row contains: Payment Date &#8211; the date the ETP was paid. ETP Code &#8211; a code that identifies the nature of the payment (see below). Tax Withheld &#8211; the PAYG tax withheld on this ETP. Taxable Component &#8211; the taxable portion of the ETP amount. Tax Free Component &#8211; the tax-free portion of the ETP amount. Amendment? &#8211; tick this if the entry is amending a previously lodged ETP payment summary. To add an ETP entry, use the add-row control at the bottom of the table. To remove an entry, select the row and use the delete-row control. Click OK when finished to save the changes. ETP Codes Select the code that matches the reason for the ETP. The ATO defines the following codes: R &#8211; Genuine redundancy or early retirement scheme payment. O &#8211; Other ETP (e.g. gratuity, golden handshake, compensation for loss of employment). S &#8211; Payment in lieu of notice (where the employment contract specifies an amount). P &#8211; Invalidity payment (due to ill health). D &#8211; Death benefit paid to a dependant. B &#8211; Death benefit paid to a non-dependant (capped component). N &#8211; Death benefit paid to a non-dependant (non-capped component). T &#8211; Death benefit paid to a trustee of a deceased estate. If you are unsure which code applies, refer to the ATO website or consult your tax adviser. The ETP Payment Summary Document Once ETP amounts are present, Lightning Payroll produces a separate PAYG payment summary &#8211; employment termination payment for that employee when you print or email payment summaries from the Payment Summaries step. This document shows the taxable component, tax-free component, total tax withheld, and the ETP code, and must be provided to the employee. For general guidance on editing payment summaries, see How Can I Edit Payment Summaries?. For processing the termination pay itself, see How Can I Terminate an Employee (Detailed)?.

Question 15

Can I Manually Edit or Recalculate an Employee's Payment Summary Values?

Accepted Answer

During the End of Year Assistant, the Payment Summary Edit step lets you review each employee's calculated figures. Two buttons on this screen let you adjust those figures: Advanced and Refresh. Manually Editing Values Click Advanced to unlock the editable fields for the currently selected employee. A confirmation dialog ÔÇö Edit Calculated Values? ÔÇö will appear asking whether you want to edit the calculated End of Year values. Click Yes to proceed. The fields become editable and you can change gross income, tax withheld, lump sum amounts, reportable fringe benefits, and other values as required. You can also tick the Amendment? checkbox here if this payment summary is an amendment to one already lodged with the ATO. Once an employee's summary has been manually edited, their name in the employee list is shown with the suffix (Manually Edited) so you can see at a glance which records have been changed. Recalculating (Refreshing) Values If you want to discard any manual changes and let Lightning Payroll recalculate the values from the pay history, click Refresh. A confirmation dialog ÔÇö Recalculate End of Year Values? ÔÇö warns that this will overwrite any manual changes that have been made. Click Yes to confirm. The summary is recalculated and the (Manually Edited) marker is removed. Note that if you later edit or add pay information for an employee after running the End of Year Assistant, you will need to return to this step and use Refresh to pick up those changes for any summaries that have not been manually edited. For a general overview of editing payment summaries and lodging amendments, see How Can I Edit Payment Summaries?

Question 16

How Do I Correct and Relodge EOFY Figures With the ATO?

Accepted Answer

If you need to correct previously submitted year-to-date (YTD) totals and resend the data to the ATO, you can do so at any time. Step 1 ÔÇö Correct the Figures First, make sure the underlying payroll data is correct. In the desktop app: edit the pay directly under Pays, or use the YTD adjustment wizard at Employees >> Year to Date >> Adjust YTD Totals. In the online (web/mobile) app: edit the pay under Pays, or go to Employees >> YTD >> YTD Adjustments to add a YTD adjustment for the employee. Step 2 ÔÇö Resubmit to the ATO Once the figures are correct, resubmitting follows the same process as a normal STP lodgement. Go to the last pay run of the relevant financial year and select Single Touch >> Submit Payroll To ATO. Because the pay run has already been reported, Lightning Payroll will offer an update event (refresh YTD figures) rather than a new pay event. Tick Final pay for the financial year? if you are finalising employees for the year, then preview and submit as normal. For full details on the STP lodgement process, see How Do I Process End of Year Using Single Touch Payroll? For an overview of all EOFY lodgement options, see How Do I Process EOFY and Lodge With the ATO?

Question 17

How Do I Process EOFY and Lodge With the ATO?

Accepted Answer

At the end of each financial year, you must report your annual PAYG payroll activity to the ATO. There are two methods available in Lightning Payroll, depending on how you have been submitting throughout the year. Single Touch Payroll (STP) ÔÇö the required method for almost all employers. If you have submitted at least one STP event during the financial year, finalise employees via STP. See How Do I Process End of Year Using Single Touch Payroll? for the full steps. The ATO requires STP finalisation to be completed by 14 July for most employers. EMPDUPE (ATO ECI file) ÔÇö for employers who have not submitted STP during the year. Use the End of Year Assistant in Lightning Payroll to generate an EMPDUPE/ECI file, then upload it via the ATOÔÇÖs Online Services for Business. See How Can I Submit End of Year PSAR via EMPDUPE? for the full steps. For the complete EOFY checklist, see the Lightning Payroll EOFY checklist. Note: paper/post lodgement is no longer available for most employers. It applies only to employers with a current ATO exemption from STP. See End of Year via Paper Form Submission if this applies to you.

Question 18

Why Don't My Group Tax Totals Match With End of Year?

Accepted Answer

If your End of Year totals are not matching your Group Tax report, here are the most common reasons and how to fix them. Refreshing End of Year Data This is usually the cause when only one or a few employees are not matching. Corrections may have been made to pays after the End of Year section was already opened, so the figures need to be refreshed. In the desktop app: In the End of Year Assistant, on the Payment Summary Edit step, highlight the affected employee and click Refresh to update their payment summary figures. In the online (web/mobile) app: Re-run the End of Year Assistant for the affected employee. The assistant regenerates payment summary figures each time it runs, so it will automatically include any corrections made to their pays. ETP Payment If an Employment Termination Payment occurred during the year (redundancy, wages in lieu, etc.), it appears on a second page of the employee's payment summary. This amount is separate from the main gross figure, which can cause the totals to look different when compared to the Group Tax report. Financial Year Boundaries Are Incorrect If every employee is not matching, a pay run may be left out or an extra one included in either the report or the financial year being processed. Run the Group Tax report again and confirm the dates match the financial year you are processing. If you need to adjust financial year boundary dates, this can be done under Company >> Financial Years in the desktop app, or under Financial Years in the Company section of the online app. See How Do I Change Financial Year Dates? for more information. Itemised Allowances If an employee's allowance is marked as Itemised under Employees >> Allowances & Deductions >> Allowances, it will be separated from the gross figure on their payment summary in the End of Year section. The gross amount shown under Employees >> Year to Date is inclusive of any itemised allowances, similar to the gross YTD amount on a payslip. This is why the two figures may differ. See Why Doesn't An Allowance Appear Separately On An Employee's PAYG Figures? for steps to correct itemised allowances retrospectively.

Question 19

Where Can I View Past End of Year SBR Submissions to the ATO?

Accepted Answer

SBR (Standard Business Reporting) was the method used to lodge End of Year figures with the ATO before Single Touch Payroll replaced it. The SBR Submissions screen lets you review these historical lodgements and access ATO reference numbers and response messages. Desktop App Go to Company >> SBR Submissions and click View beside any submission to see an overview of what was lodged, including the ATO receipt identifier and any success or error responses returned at the time. Online (Web/Mobile) App Navigate to Company >> SBR Submissions. The table shows each submission with its processed date, service type, and receipt identifier. Click View beside any row to open the full submission detail, which lists the employee figures that were sent and the ATO responses. A Download PDF button is available on the detail screen to save a copy of the submission. If you need to lodge End of Year figures with the ATO today, SBR is no longer supported. See How Do I Process EOFY and Lodge With the ATO? for current lodgement options including Single Touch Payroll.

Question 20

End of Year via Paper Form Submission

Accepted Answer

Important: Since the introduction of Single Touch Payroll (STP), almost all employers are required to finalise employees through STP rather than submitting a paper report. Paper submission is only available for employers who have a current ATO exemption from STP. If you are not exempt from STP, see How Do I Process End of Year Using Single Touch Payroll? instead. Submitting on paper (by post) If you hold an ATO exemption from STP and wish to lodge your annual PAYG payment summary report on paper, you must use the ATO&rsquo;s official stationery. The ATO does not accept documents printed from Lightning Payroll for lodgement purposes. If you have not received a stationery pack from the ATO, contact the ATO directly to request one, or visit the ATO annual reporting page for current lodgement options. Note: Lightning Payroll can produce printed payment summaries suitable for giving to your employees. These are accessible via the Payment Summaries button in the End of Year section of the program. They are not valid for lodgement with the ATO. For a full overview of all EOFY lodgement options, see How Do I Process EOFY and Lodge With the ATO?

Question 21

How Do I Process End of Year and Print or Email Payment Summaries in the Online App?

Accepted Answer

The online app includes an End of Year Assistant ÔÇö a short wizard that lets you generate, download, and optionally email PAYG Payment Summaries (group certificates) for your employees. Since the introduction of Single Touch Payroll (STP), payment summaries are no longer required, as employee income is reported directly to the ATO and is visible in their myGov income statements. However, the assistant is available if you wish to provide a summary to your staff. For lodging your end-of-year finalisation with the ATO via STP, see How Do I Process End of Year Using Single Touch Payroll? Starting the Assistant Click End Of Year in the left-hand navigation menu. The End of Year Assistant page opens. Use the Select Financial Year drop-down to choose the financial year you want to process. If you would like to email payment summaries to employees as part of this process, tick the Email payment summaries to employees? checkbox before proceeding. Click Next. Select Employees The wizard moves to the Select Employees step, which lists all employees who have payment summary data in the chosen financial year. Select or deselect employees as needed, then click Next. If no employees appear, no pay data was found for the selected period. Payment Summaries The Payment Summaries step shows a summary of the calculated figures for each employee. Select an employee in the table on the left to review their individual figures in the Summary Display panel on the right. To download PDFs, use the two buttons at the bottom of the employee table: Payment Summaries ÔÇö downloads a combined PDF containing an individual payment summary for each selected employee. Summary Report ÔÇö downloads a single-page summary report across all selected employees. Email Pay Summaries (Optional) If you ticked the email option in the first step, an additional Email Pay Summaries step appears after the download step. This screen lists only employees who have the Email Payment Summaries option enabled in their employee record. Select the employees you want to send to, then click Send Emails Now. A confirmation message will appear once the emails are sent. To enable or disable email payment summaries for an individual employee, go to their employee record and adjust the Email Payment Summaries Enabled? setting under their email options. Finishing Once you have downloaded and/or emailed summaries, click Next on the final step to exit the wizard. The assistant does not lock or close off any data ÔÇö you can return to it at any time during the year to re-generate summaries. For a general overview of all EOFY lodgement options, see How Do I Process EOFY and Lodge With the ATO? For information on whether payment summaries are still required under STP, see Do I Still Need To Provide Payment Summaries With the Transition to Single Touch Payroll?

Question 22

How Do I Add or Edit Year-To-Date Adjustments for an Employee?

Accepted Answer

A YTD adjustment records prior-year or mid-year earnings, tax, and super figures for an employee without creating individual pays. This is useful when migrating from another payroll system part way through a financial year and the CSV import method is not available. For the recommended approach to carrying over opening balances, see How Do I Enter Existing Year-to-Date Figures. Adding a YTD Adjustment (Desktop App) Open the employee record and select Year to Date from the employee navigation. Click Adjust YTD Totals. Adjust Year To Date Amounts &mdash; Enter the cumulative gross, tax, net, ordinary time earnings, overtime earnings, and super figures. Set the Date to the last day the prior figures apply to, and confirm the STP Income Stream. The gross figure shown includes itemised allowances and excludes Reportable Employer Superannuation Contributions (RESC). Adjust Year To Date Bonus Amounts &mdash; If the employee has bonuses configured, this page appears. Enter any prior bonus amounts. Adjust Year To Date Leave Amounts &mdash; Enter any prior leave paid amounts for annual leave, sick leave, long service leave, or custom leave types. Adjust Year To Date Allowances &mdash; If the employee has allowances configured, enter prior allowance totals. These amounts are informational and do not reduce the gross or net entered on the first page. Adjust Year To Date Deductions &mdash; If the employee has deductions configured, enter prior deduction totals. These amounts do not reduce the gross or net entered on the first page. Adjust Year To Date Post Tax Superannuation &mdash; If post-tax super contributions exist, enter prior totals here. These amounts do not reduce the gross or net entered on the first page. Adjust Year To Date Salary Sacrifices &mdash; If salary sacrifice arrangements exist, enter prior totals here. These amounts do not reduce the gross or net entered on the first page. Confirm Year To Date Adjustments &mdash; Review the summary, then click Finish to save. Use Back to correct any figures before finishing. Viewing or Removing an Existing Adjustment (Desktop App) On the Year to Date screen, click View YTD Adjustments to open the adjustment list. The Other Adjustments? column indicates whether the record also includes allowance, deduction, bonus, post-tax super, salary sacrifice, or leave entries. Warning: Removing an adjustment will also remove all other adjustments that are associated with it. Viewing or Removing an Existing Adjustment (Online App) In the online (web/mobile) app, open the employee record and navigate to Year to Date >> YTD Adjustments. The table shows each adjustment with its date, STP income stream, gross, tax, net, HELP/TSL, SFSS, CDEP, ordinary time earnings, overtime earnings, exempt foreign income, super guarantee, RESC, and whether other adjustments are attached. To delete an adjustment, use the delete action on the row. Deleting one adjustment removes all associated adjustments for that record (allowances, deductions, bonuses, post-tax super, salary sacrifices, and leave). Adding new YTD adjustments is available in the desktop app only.

Question 23

How Can I Enter an Additional RESC/Super amount for EOFY?

Accepted Answer

If you need to make a one-off top-up of RESC (Reportable Employer Super Contribution) before the end of the financial year (EOFY), there are two ways to do it. For most employers, Method 1 is more popular ' creating an extra pay with RESC only ' because it lets you pay the extra super now and leave the compulsory Super Guarantee (SG) until the July 28 due date. Note: The July 28 SG due date only applies to the 2024'25 financial year. From July 1st 2026, the ATO's Payday Super measure will require Super Guarantee amounts to be paid on payday. Method 1 ' Pay RESC Only This method suits anyone who simply wants to pay the RESC amount before 30 June and leave June's SG until the new financial year. Navigate to the desired pay run in Pays. Select Create Pays Wizard. Tick the relevant employees, then untick Create Full Pay?. This creates an additional $0.00 pay for each employee. Edit each new pay and click Edit beside Super. Enter the RESC amount only (leave SG at $0.00). Pay the contribution via the Payday Super section: Go back to the pay run list and click Payday Super (top-right of the screen). Select the RESC pays you just created and click Create. Follow the prompts to lodge the SuperStream file and make payment. Need more detail? See our dedicated Payday Super FAQ. If you prefer the older workflow you can still use Super Fund Deposits, but Payday Super is faster for a single pay run. The deposit screen remains best for quarterly or other bulk payments. Method 2 ' Pay June SG + RESC Together If you wish to pay both SG and RESC for June before EOFY, use this method instead. Edit the employee's last pay of the year under Pays >> Edit Pay/s. Click Edit beside Super. Add the extra RESC amount to the RESC field, leaving the SG amount as calculated. The additional super is immediately available for payment in Super Fund Deposits (or via Payday Super, if you prefer) and will be reported in your next Single Touch Payroll (STP) lodgement.

Question 24

How Can I Tell If My Employees Are STP-Finalised or Tax Ready?

Accepted Answer

Lightning Payroll has a Single Touch report to give you quick information on which employees have been marked as finalised with the ATO for a financial year under Reports >> (General) STP Finalised Employees. This report has many other functions for gathering historical STP data. The most common use is demonstrated below. Note that the tax readiness of each employee's most recent STP submission is visible, along with some basic totals for quick reference.Note: For more detailed information on your STP submission history (including all amounts submitted) please see the Single Touch Mailbox within the Pays screen. Please see our FAQ on fixing an employee's tax readiness status to learn what to do next.

Question 25

Do I Still Need To Provide Payment Summaries (PAYG Summaries) With The Transition To Single Touch Payroll?

Accepted Answer

Payment Summaries, also known as group certificates, have been an important document for employees in Australia, summarising their income and tax withheld. But with the introduction of Single Touch Payroll (STP) by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), this is no longer the case. STP revolutionises payroll reporting. Employers now electronically report salary, wages, and tax withheld to the ATO with each pay cycle, removing the need for traditional Payment Summaries. Instead, employers provide employees with income statements through their final STP submission, which offer a detailed breakdown of their income information, including salary, wages, tax withheld, and superannuation contributions. These income statements serve as the essential document for employees when preparing and lodging their tax returns. To stay informed about STP and income statements, visit the ATO website or reach out to the ATO directly.

Question 26

Why Do My Report Amounts Not Match My STP Submission?

Accepted Answer

You may notice that some amounts in the STP reports (Detailed and Summary) do not match gross totals in the Group Tax or Pay Summary reports. This is likely due to one of the following reasons: Since STP 2.0 (released in January 2022), gross amounts are 'disaggregated' so to match the STP reports with regular reports (pay summary, group tax, etc) you should match the total (exc sacrifice) column in the STP report with the gross in a traditional report. Missing employees? Remember that sending a new event only includes employees from that pay run. You'll need to go back around for a second STP lap, and submit an update event to finalise with everyone at the same time. Please ensure you are running your comparison reports by processed date from 1/7/XXXX to 30/6/XXXX as STP/YTD amounts are gathered using these parameters by default. Ensure your pay runs are marked with the correct processed date (date of payment), as the FY should only include pays made within those dates. Use the Set Processed/Paid Date For Pay Run tool at the bottom of the Pays screen to quickly correct any mistakes in the processed date. For more info on how Lightning manages pay dates see our FAQ here.

Question 27

How Can I Run End of Year via SBR?

Accepted Answer

Lightning Payroll no longer includes the ability to submit End of Year figures via SBR as this technology has now been replaced by Single Touch Payroll. Please see here for more information on STP and other lodgement options.

Question 28

How Can I Edit Payment Summaries?

Accepted Answer

If you need to make adjustments to payment summaries, click the Advanced button on the Payment Summaries screen. You can then change the values as needed. If you wish to undo any manual adjustments made in this screen, simply click on the Refresh button. If you have already lodged this payment summary to the ATO, and then need to resubmit your edited version make sure to tick the Amendment? box before resubmitting.

Question 29

How Can I Print Payment Summaries/Group Certificates?

Accepted Answer

Normally you'd print or email payment summaries at the same time as you lodge with the ATO, but they can be accessed separately any time of the year, and as many times as you like. Lightning Payroll doesn't 'close anything off' in the End of Year section. Retrieving payment summaries (group certificates) is very similar to retrieving payslips. To do this, simply click End of Year, select your financial year (FY) and click next. You will then be prompted to select the employees you wish to view/print Payment summaries for, and follow the prompts. Once you are looking at the Payment Summaries screen, click the Payment Summaries button and Lightning Payroll will generate your employees PAYG summaries in a printable PDF format.

Question 30

How Do I Change Financial Year Dates?

Accepted Answer

By default, Lightning Payroll takes care of your financial year start and end dates. These default to 1/7 -30/6 each year. Whether a pay falls into one financial year or another should typically be determined by the pay's processed date. Please see our FAQ on processed dates and how they affect financial year to date figures. If a pay is processed on June 30th (or earlier) all of its figures will fall into the older financial year. If a pay is processed on July 1st (or later), all of its figures will appear in the newer financial year. If you need to split or shift financial year start and end boundary dates, this can be done under Company >> Financial Years. These dates act like fence posts which section off all pays within a period of time, rounding them up to be processed in the End of Year and Single Touch Payroll sections of Lightning Payroll.

Question 31

Why Doesn't An Allowance Appear Separately On An Employee's PAYG Figures?

Accepted Answer

If an allowance an employee has been receiving throughout the financial year is not showing up in their PAYG figures as itemised, this can be amended with the following steps: Firstly, the allowance should be marked as Itemised under Employees >> Allowances/Deductions >> Allowances. Then, to fix the allowances in earlier pays, go to Tools on the top left hand corner of the screen and select Retrospective Tool from the dropdown. In the new window, set the date range for which you want to adjust pays that include allowances. In this case, we have set it to cover the whole financial year. You can then select the employee or employees whose allowances you wish to adjust. As you can see here, we will be adjusting David's allowances retrospectively so that they are correctly itemised. On the next screen, make sure Allowances is selected from the dropdown. Below, you will be shown all the pays within the previously set date range for the selected employee/s that include allowances. Tick the boxes on the left to select the pays individual you'd like to adjust allowances for. If you want to edit allowances for all pays, click Select All/None. Once you have selected the pays with allowances that you wish to adjust, hit Confirm Pay Selection. On this screen, you will be able to select the allowances to edit and view their current settings. Firstly, select the allowance you wish to adjust from the Must be filtered by description dropdown. You will then see all instances of that allowance during the date range you originally set. You can then select the ones you wish to change and click Edit. An Add/Edit Allowance window will now open for you to make adjustments. Tick Itemised? and then click Save. Once this is completed, you will now see that the selected allowances show True in the Itemised? column. You can complete the previous step for any other allowances that need to be adjusted. Once you're finished adjusting the required allowance, click Close on the bottom right to finish.

Question 32

Where Can I Find The Latest End Of Year Checklist?

Accepted Answer

Click here to see the latest Lightning Payroll EOFY checklist mailer. This gets emailed out to all active users each June.

Question 33

How Can I Pay For My Annual Subscription?

Accepted Answer

You can pay for your subscription ÔÇö whether monthly or annual ÔÇö via auto-renewal, or through our website via Client Login >> My Account >> View your current subscriptions. We accept Visa or MasterCard credit card payments. You can save your card details for automatic renewal; full card details are stored securely by our payment partner Till Payments (only the last four digits and expiry date are visible in your account). To update or remove a saved card, go to My Account >> Update credit card & auto renewals. Alternatively, you can pay by direct deposit bank transfer. If you choose this option, select Direct Deposit as the payment type when placing your order on our website. For a full list of your past orders and tax invoices, see Where Can I View Order History and Tax Invoices for Licence Payments?

Question 34

Windows Download

Accepted Answer

Download the latest version of Lightning Payroll for Windows from the link below: Download Lightning Payroll for Windows If you are on a Mac, use the Mac download instead. After downloading, run the installer and follow the prompts. If this is a new or replacement computer, see How Do I Install Lightning Payroll on a New or Replacement Computer? for the full setup steps including restoring your data and licence.

Question 35

Different Registered Email

Accepted Answer

You can change your registered email address by logging into your client account on our website at lightningpayroll.com.au/account/login. If you do not know what your registered email address is, you can find it in either app: In the desktop app: go to Tools >> Licence Details. Your registered email appears next to Licenced Email. In the online (web/mobile) app: select Licence Details from the top navigation bar. Your registered address is shown in the Subscription section next to Subscription email. If you can no longer access the email address linked to your subscription, see How Can I Access My Account If I Cannot Access The Registered Email? for the identity verification process, or contact our support team directly.

Question 36

Where Can I Download the Latest Instruction Manual?

Accepted Answer

The printed instruction manual has been retired, as it quickly became outdated as the software evolved. The most current support information is available on the Support page of this website, where the team can update articles quickly and easily. Use the Search box to find articles by keyword, or use the Filter By Category dropdown to browse by topic area.

Question 37

What Are the System Requirements and/or Limitations of Lightning Payroll?

Accepted Answer

Compatible Operating Systems Lightning Payroll desktop application is compatible with Windows 10 (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 myID app - Our support team are unable to provide support for the ATO's myID 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.

Question 38

How Can I Access Database Recovery Tools And Other Advanced Data Folder Operations for Lightning Payroll Desktop?

Accepted Answer

This guide is for advanced users who need to reach the utility tools built into the Lightning Payroll desktop app. These tools help you manage your data and troubleshoot issues. Opening the Utility Options When Lightning Payroll desktop starts, a splash screen appears with the application logo. Click the small help (question mark) icon in the lower-left corner of the splash screen to open the hidden Utility Options dialog. Folder Operations From the Utility Options dialog you can open these folders: Open Data Folder: the directory containing your payroll data files. Open ATOMAS Folder: the ATO keystore folder. Open Installation Folder: the Lightning Payroll installation directory. Database Recovery Utilities If you run into database problems, these tools can help with recovery and repair: Download Database Repair Utility: attempts a repair of the current database. Download Auto Restore Utility: restores your last automatic backup made prior to today. Manual Recovery Tool: lets you recover from a list of the most recent backups made on this computer. Caution: these tools are intended for advanced users. Incorrect use may lead to data loss, so make sure you understand each function before proceeding.

Question 39

Will I Lose The Data I've Entered When My Trial Expires?

Accepted Answer

No. Any data you enter during your free trial is saved, so you can pick up where you left off after subscribing. Desktop app Your trial data is stored on the computer you have been working on. Once you have purchased a subscription, use the Licence Assistant (accessible from within the program) to download and install your new licence. The program will then run as the full paid version using your existing data &mdash; nothing is lost. See I Have Paid For My Licence &mdash; What Happens Next? for the step-by-step activation process. Online (web/mobile) app Your data is stored securely on our servers. When your subscription is active, it is picked up automatically the next time you log in &mdash; no manual licence entry is required. Your data remains intact throughout the transition from trial to paid subscription. For more information on starting a trial, see Can I Try Lightning Payroll?

Question 40

How Do I Share My Payroll Data With Another Lightning Payroll Account?

Accepted Answer

The Data Sharing screen in the online (web/mobile) app lets you grant another Lightning Payroll account the ability to download a backup copy of your payroll data. This is useful when sharing data with an accountant or bookkeeper who already has their own Lightning Payroll subscription. Granting Access to Another Account Go to Settings >> Data Sharing in the online app. In the Enter other user's email to share field, type the email address associated with the other Lightning Payroll account. Click Submit. The other account now appears in the Who can access your payroll data? table. They will be able to log in to their own Lightning Payroll account and download a backup file of your data from their Settings >> Data Sharing screen. Downloading a Shared Backup If another account has granted you access to their data, that account appears in the Whose payroll data can be accessed by you? table. Click the download icon next to their entry to save a backup file to your computer. To load the data, go to Tools >> Restore Local Backup in the online app and select the downloaded file. Note that restoring a backup will overwrite any existing company data in your account. Removing Access To revoke access you have granted, find the account in the Who can access your payroll data? table and click the delete icon. To stop accessing another account's data, find them in the Whose payroll data can be accessed by you? table and click the delete icon. For other ways to share payroll access ÔÇö including adding users within your own account or sharing data with someone who does not have a Lightning Payroll subscription ÔÇö see How Can I Give Payroll Access To My Accountant Or Another Person?

Question 41

What Pricing Options are Available?

Accepted Answer

A full breakdown of packages and pricing is available on the Pricing page. Plans are available as monthly or annual subscriptions, across a range of employee limits to suit businesses of different sizes. Agent plans are also available for accountants and bookkeepers managing payroll for multiple clients. To compare plans side by side or get a price for your employee count, visit the Pricing page and use the monthly/yearly toggle to see both billing options. For information on how to purchase, see How Can I Purchase Lightning Payroll?

Question 42

What's Involved in a Training/Consultancy Session?

Accepted Answer

Our support team is happy to help with day-to-day questions, troubleshooting, and product guidance at no extra cost. A full payroll setup review or in-depth walkthrough of your file is outside standard free support ÔÇö for that, we offer paid one-on-one remote training and consultancy sessions. What Free Support Includes Q&A: help using the software. Troubleshooting: help with common errors and workflow issues. Product guidance: help finding the correct screen, report, or feature. Our team can confirm how the software behaves, the current version, 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 check for common setup issues yourself, use the built-in Data Validation tool under Tools >> Data Validation in the desktop app. Book a Training or Consultancy Session We offer one-on-one remote training sessions to help you make the best use of your time while processing payroll and to prevent future issues. Sessions are tailored to your preferred platform ÔÇö desktop app, online/web app, or mobile app (iOS/Android). Book a Session What's Included? 1. General Setup Confirm company details: ABN, address, banking, and contact information. 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 the Employee Portal: payslips, timesheets/timeclock, leave requests, and banking details. Use the portal timeclock or our mobile timeclock app (iOS/Android). Import clock data from BundyPlus. Approve timesheets/timeclock shifts and import them 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 (e.g. RDOs). Track balances and automate accruals. Process leave taken in pays. 5. Superannuation Set up super funds and attach them 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 are 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 your skills and reduce payroll errors, saving you time. Stay on top of compliance with the ATO and Fair Work. Keep up with new Lightning Payroll features so you can take full advantage of them. Receive personalised advice and a setup review. Reduce time spent on support calls, as well as accounting costs. Gain peace of mind that your payroll setup is accurate and configured to suit your business. Book a Session

Question 43

How Do I Copy or Duplicate Employees?

Accepted Answer

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 Bank accounts Super fund details Note: Pay and super history will not be copied. The success message will remind you that bank accounts, leave balances, and super fund details have also been copied ÔÇö delete these from the copied employee's record if you did not intend for them to be brought over. 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.

Question 44

How Do I Use the Change History Report in the Online App?

Accepted Answer

The Change History tool records additions, deletions, and modifications made to your payroll data. You can filter and print a report, or permanently delete the stored history to reduce database size. In the desktop app: go to Tools >> Change History, set the date range and category, then click Print Report. See What History Tracking Tools Are Available In Lightning Payroll? for an overview of all desktop history tools. In the online (web/mobile) app: navigate to Tools >> Change History. Generating a Report Set the Start Date and End Date for the period you want to review. Choose a Category from the drop-down list. The available categories update automatically based on the change types you have selected. Choose a Sort By order: Date and Time, Description, or Type. Use the Include ADD Changes?, Include DELETE Changes?, and Include UPDATE Changes? checkboxes to filter the change types included in the report. Click Print Report. The report downloads as a PDF named with the selected date range. Deleting the Change History Change history can take up a significant portion of your database. Clearing it may improve performance but makes historical investigation harder. To delete it permanently: Click Delete Entire Change History?. A confirmation prompt appears. Click Yes to proceed. A success message confirms how many rows were deleted. Click Close. Deleting the change history does not affect your payroll data in any way.

Question 45

Mac Download

Accepted Answer

Lightning Payroll desktop is available as a macOS installer (.pkg). Click the link below to download the latest version:

Download Lightning Payroll for macOS

The current release requires macOS 11 Big Sur or later. To check compatibility or minimum hardware requirements, see What Are the System Requirements and/or Limitations of Lightning Payroll?

Installing the .pkg file

Open the downloaded .pkg file.
Follow the on-screen installer prompts to complete the installation.
Launch Lightning Payroll from your Applications folder once installation finishes.

Updating an existing installation

Lightning Payroll checks for updates automatically each time it opens. When an update is available you will be prompted to install it. If you need to reinstall manually, download the current installer using the link above ÔÇö your data is not affected by reinstallation. For more detail, see How Can I Update to the Latest Version of Lightning Payroll?

Older macOS versions

If you are running macOS 10.12 or 10.13 (Sierra or High Sierra), the main installer will not run on your system. A legacy installer is available for reference only ÔÇö legacy versions no longer receive tax or super updates and must not be used to run pays. Consider moving to a supported macOS version or switching to Lightning Payroll online, which works in any modern browser.

Question 46

How Do I Load Demo Data When Starting A Lightning Payroll Trial?

Accepted Answer

When you first sign in to a new Lightning Payroll online trial, a welcome dialog appears automatically. It walks you through three steps before you start using the app. Step 1 ÔÇö Licence Agreement Read the licence agreement displayed in the dialog, then tick I have read and agree to the licence agreement above and click Continue. Step 2 ÔÇö How Did You Hear About Us? Select how you found Lightning Payroll from the How did you hear about us? drop-down. If you choose Other, a text field appears for a short description. Click Continue when done, or Back to return to the licence step. Step 3 ÔÇö Load Demo Data The final step asks whether you would like to load demo data. Clicking Load Demo Data creates a sample company pre-filled with example employees, pays, and settings so you can explore the app straight away. The demo company is separate from any real payroll data. When you are ready to process actual payroll, you will need to create a new company ÔÇö do not continue using the demo company for live data. If you prefer to skip the demo and set up your own company immediately, click No Thanks. The dialog closes and you can create a new company from scratch. For general information about starting a free trial, see Can I Try Lightning Payroll?

Question 47

Why Am I Getting An Error When Using Credit Card To Pay For Licence?

Accepted Answer

Lightning Payroll accepts credit and debit card payments from Visa and MasterCard, processed securely by our payment partner Till Payments. If you are receiving an error when trying to pay for your licence with a card, the error message displayed on the checkout page should indicate the reason. The most common causes of a card error are: Insufficient funds on the card at the time of the transaction. Exceeding your daily transfer or spending limit set by your bank. Using a card type that is not accepted, such as American Express or Diners Club. An expired card &mdash; check that the expiry date on your card has not passed. Your bank blocking the transaction as a security measure &mdash; contact your bank to authorise the payment. If the error persists and none of the above apply, please contact Lightning Payroll support with the error message you are seeing so we can assist. For information on managing a saved card or setting up auto-renewals, see How Can I Manage Saved Credit Card Details and Auto Renewals?

Question 48

How Can I Import Data Into Lightning Payroll?

Accepted Answer

Lightning Payroll supports several types of data import. The options available depend on whether you are using the desktop app or the online (web/mobile) app. Importing Employee Records You can import employee records from a CSV file. The easiest way to create an import-ready file is to export employees from an existing Lightning Payroll database using Export For Import (CSV), then import them into the new company. In the desktop app: open the Employee List and use the Import employee data from CSV file button. In the online (web/mobile) app: go to Employees >> Actions >> Import Employees / Historic Gross CSV. For full instructions, including the required CSV columns and how to prepare your file, see: How Do I Import Employee Records Into Lightning Payroll? Importing Time and Attendance Data Lightning Payroll can import time and attendance data from an external CSV or JSON file to create pays. This is useful when you use a third-party rostering or time-tracking system. In the desktop app: use Import/Manage Time And Attendance Data from the Rosters screen or the Pays screen. In the online (web/mobile) app: go to Pays >> Import Pay Data (JSON/CSV). For full instructions on file formats, CSV columns, and the JSON schema, see: How Do I Use the Import Time & Attendance Wizard? Importing Timeclock and Employee Portal Shifts If you use the Lightning Payroll timeclock app or the Employee Portal, employees' clocked shifts and timesheet entries are synced automatically. Access these via Import/Manage Shifts on the Pays or Rosters screen (desktop), or the Timeclock/Portal Sync option in the online app. Entering Year-To-Date Figures From a Previous System Lightning Payroll does not import payroll history directly from other payroll software. If you are switching mid-year, enter year-to-date (YTD) figures for each employee manually as YTD adjustments in the Employees section.

Question 49

Can I Use Lightning For Record Keeping Only?

Accepted Answer

You are welcome to use Lightning Payroll for record keeping purposes only. Lightning Payroll does not interact with your bank account unless you choose to use features that do so. No payments will leave your bank account simply by recording and processing pays. To use Lightning Payroll for record keeping only, avoid using the following features: Single Touch Payroll ÔÇö reports pay, tax and super information to the ATO. SuperStream ÔÇö submits and pays superannuation contributions electronically to super funds. End of Year ÔÇö lodges annual payment summary data with the ATO. Direct Entry ÔÇö generates a banking file to pay employees through your bank. You can still process pays, print payslips, run reports and manage employee records without triggering any of these reporting or payment steps.

Question 50

Can I Purchase Lightning Payroll For Less Than A Year?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 51

Do You Have Any Bookkeepers Or Accountants You Can Recommend Who Are Familiar With Lightning Payroll?

Accepted Answer

Lightning Payroll includes extensive free support and optional paid training delivered directly by our team. These services are usually the best first step if you are feeling stuck, need guidance, or want to better understand the software. Some businesses may prefer additional specialist help from a bookkeeper or accountant who can provide broader accounting or advisory services alongside their Lightning Payroll knowledge. We maintain a register of customers who have asked to be listed for this purpose. Please note that we do not vet, endorse, or certify any listed service providers, and we reserve the right to add or remove listings at our discretion. To request the current register, or to have your own accounting or bookkeeping practice added to it, please contact our support team with your details.

Question 52

How Do I Contact Support?

Accepted Answer

The Lightning Payroll support team is available by phone and email during business hours. Phone: 1300 515 895 Email: support@lightningpayroll.com.au Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM ÔÇô 4:30 PM (QLD time), excluding Queensland public holidays. For the fastest response, have your registered email address and a description of the issue ready before calling or emailing. For information on what standard support covers and when paid training sessions apply, see Can You Check Over My Whole Lightning Payroll Setup?

Question 53

What Options Are Available When Emailing Employees?

Accepted Answer

Lightning Payroll lets you set extra preferences for emailing each employee's payslips and payment summaries. The options are available in both the desktop and online apps under Employees >> Details >> Email Options. Desktop App Open the employee record and select the Email Options tab. The following options are available: Alternate Email &mdash; enter a secondary address here to send this employee's payslips to. If an alternate email address is entered, it becomes the default address used for this employee. Email Payslips? &mdash; choose whether this employee receives their payslips by email. Email Payment Summaries? &mdash; email PAYG payment summaries directly to the employee at end of financial year. Send to both email addresses? &mdash; send documents to both the primary email address and the alternate email address. Online (Web/Mobile) App Select the employee, go to the Details section, and choose the Email Options tab. The following fields are available: Email Address &mdash; the employee's primary email address. Alt. Email Address &mdash; enter a secondary address here to send this employee's payslips to. If an alternate email address is entered, it becomes the default address used for this employee. Email Payslips Enabled? &mdash; choose whether this employee receives their payslips by email. Email Payment Summaries Enabled? &mdash; email PAYG payment summaries directly to the employee at end of financial year. Send To Both Addresses? &mdash; send documents to both the primary email address and the alternate email address. Note: PAYG payment summaries are generally no longer needed for most employees. End-of-financial-year finalisation is done through Single Touch Payroll, and the information goes directly to your employees' myGov accounts.

Question 54

Browse FAQs

Accepted Answer

Browse the full list of Lightning Payroll FAQs to find answers across all topics, including setting up employees, processing pays, leave, superannuation, Single Touch Payroll, and more.

Question 55

Where Can I Access Early Releases of an Upcoming Lightning Payroll Desktop Version?

Accepted Answer

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) Mac Prerelease Download

Question 56

What are the Different Employment States?

Accepted Answer

Employees can have different states in Lightning Payroll: Active, Inactive, Terminated and Deleted. Each is explained below. Active &mdash; an active employee is currently working and being included in pays. This is the default state when you add an employee, indicated by the Active pay recipient? box being ticked under Employees >> Pay Settings >> Pay Rates. Active employees count towards the total employee number for your licence. Inactive &mdash; 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 being unticked under Employees >> Pay Settings >> Pay Rates. Inactive employees still count towards the total employee number for your licence. Terminated &mdash; 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 clicking Terminate Employee. Terminated employees appear in red in the Employees list once you tick Show Terminated Employees? above the list. Terminated employees do not count towards the total employee number for your licence. See here for more on terminating employees. Deleted &mdash; a deleted employee has been completely removed from Lightning Payroll. If you delete an employee using the Actions button in the Employees section, all of their past and present data is removed, which is almost never needed. Deleted employees do not count towards the total employee number for your licence. Note: deleting employees is not recommended. If an employee has left your company, terminate them through the Pays screen instead.

Question 57

Can I Install The Desktop Version of the Program On Multiple Computers?

Accepted Answer

A Lightning Payroll subscription lets you install the desktop version on two separate computers. The two installations do not talk to each other automatically and cannot be used at the same time, because the desktop application stores its data locally on each machine rather than online. If you need to work across more devices, the web/online version of Lightning Payroll and the mobile app for Android and iOS are also available to subscribers. These are not limited to any number of devices and do not require backing up, because the data is live and online.

Question 58

How Can I Set Birthday Reminders?

Accepted Answer

To create birthday reminders for your active employees, go to Settings >> Reminders. Tick the Birthday Reminders On? box at the bottom-left of the screen, choose how many days' notice you want, then click Create Birthday Reminders For Active Employees. This adds a birthday reminder for every active employee. You can edit an individual reminder by clicking the pencil icon and saving your changes, or remove a single employee's reminder by clicking the red X on their row. To clear all birthday reminders at once, untick Birthday Reminders On? at the bottom-left of the screen. When you open Lightning Payroll on or around the date each reminder is set for, you are notified with a pop-up.

Question 59

How Can I Update to the Latest Version of Lightning Payroll?

Accepted Answer

Lightning Payroll is a desktop program for Windows and Mac OSX, plus a web/online application and a mobile app. We update the software regularly with new features, performance improvements and bug fixes, usually every four or so weeks. Updates install themselves via an automatic download. When a desktop update is available, you are prompted to update the moment you open the program. You can also check at any time by clicking Check for Updates Now? at the bottom of the program window. The web and mobile apps always keep themselves up to date automatically. (Mobile app updates depend on your app store being set to update apps automatically.) For the desktop version, reinstalling or updating the software resolves most issues should they arise. If updating from within the program fails, you can download and install the latest version directly from the links below. Your data is safe and is not affected by reinstallation. Please make sure Lightning Payroll and any error messages are completely closed before reinstalling. Download for Windows 64-bit (Windows 8.1 and above, with the latest Windows updates installed) Download for Windows 32-bit (Windows 8.1 and above, with the latest Windows updates installed) Download for Mac OSX (version 10.14 Mojave and above) To turn updates on or off, or to change other update preferences, go to Settings >> Updates. Legacy Versions (Windows 7, Mac OSX 10.12 / 10.13) Legacy versions no longer receive any updates, including tax tables and super rate changes, so they must not be used to run pays. Please move to a current version of Lightning Payroll on a supported operating system, or switch to Lightning Payroll online. Newer versions of Lightning Payroll were rebuilt on the latest base software and libraries to stay secure and perform well on current Windows and Mac releases. As part of that work we had to drop support for Windows 7, Mac OSX 10.12 and Mac OSX 10.13. If you still need to open older data on one of those systems, the final legacy installers remain available below for reference only: Legacy installer for Windows 7 Legacy installer for Mac OSX 10.12 & 10.13

Question 60

How Do I Enable Dark Mode in Lightning Payroll?

Accepted Answer

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 Dark Mode?. Important notes: On the Windows and macOS desktop apps, restart the application after changing this setting so the change takes full effect. On macOS, we recommend matching Lightning Payroll's dark mode setting to your system theme for a consistent look. 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 corner at www.lightningpayroll.com.au to switch between light and dark themes.

Question 61

What Are The Differences With Setting Up Full-Time, Part-Time, and Casual Employees?

Accepted Answer

Full-time, part-time, and casual employees are all set up in Lightning Payroll from the same employee profile areas. The difference is how you choose to label them, set their standard hours, and handle leave accruals. Employment type and tenure When 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 days You 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 accruals Leave 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 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 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.

Question 62

What Are The Main Differences Between The Lightning Payroll Desktop and Web/Mobile Applications?

Accepted Answer

Lightning Payroll Desktop, Web, and Mobile share the same payroll data, but they do not offer an identical toolset. Web and Mobile strengths Access 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 strengths Full 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 note Some 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.

Question 63

What History Tracking Tools Are Available In Lightning Payroll?

Accepted Answer

Lightning Payroll includes several tools that help you track changes made to your data and files. The main ones are below. Change History (under the Tools menu) The Change History tool records the creation, deletion, and modification of many data types throughout the program, including when the program is opened and when an employee's settings are changed. Enter the date range you want to review, choose a category, then click Print Report. You can manually delete (flush) the change history if you wish, since it can take up a fair chunk of your database size, which sometimes affects performance. Deleting the change history does not affect your payroll data in any way. Direct Entry Saved File Report This report tracks the direct entry files made to pay wages or super. You can see when and where each file was saved, and what payment information (account details, reference numbers, and so on) was in the file. Machine Credential Keystore Information Report This report scans both the standard ATO keystore directory and the Lightning Payroll data directory for any valid machine-to-machine (M2M) credential keystore (.xml) files. It shows every credential in each file along with its metadata. Backup History Report This report lists all backups created and restored, giving you a history of database file changes. Email Sent Report This report gives detailed information about emails sent from the program and the settings that were used. It is useful for troubleshooting outgoing mail server issues and for tracking which emails (payslips, reports, rosters, and so on) were sent, when, and to whom.

Question 64

How Can I Check What Version of the Software My Computer is Running?

Accepted Answer

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.

Mac Download

Answer

Installing the .pkg file

Updating an existing installation

Older macOS versions