Thesaurus Payroll 2025 is now available to download - please click on this link 2025 Payroll Download 

Click here for 2024 FAQs

Free support.
(Yes, you read that correctly.)

01 8352074
thesauruspayrollsupport@brightsg.com

Online form

Get in touch

Our team of polite and helpful experts (located in Duleek, County Meath) is available via phone or email, ready to respond to any issues, questions, comments or feedback you may have.

For product support, call us on 01 8352074, email us at thesauruspayrollsupport@brightsg.com, or complete our online form.

For billing queries, please contact billing@brightsg.com.

Opening hours

Mon 09:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 17:00
Tue 09:30 - 13:00, 14:00 - 17:00
Wed 09:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 17:00
Thu 09:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 17:00
Fri 09:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 17:00

Is support really free?

Yes! You will never catch us charging for expensive support packages or trying to profit from your need for help. We have been developing software for over 20 years and have always believed in free support. It's best for our customers and motivates us to create easy to use, problem-free software.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to move Thesaurus Payroll Manager from one PC to another?

Yes, there are two options available to transfer Thesaurus Payroll Manager from one PC to another:

  • Transfer using backup file
  • Transfer using the installation folder

Please note, if using the Bureau Version/moving multiple years, the most convenient option is to transfer using the installation folder.

For dedicated help, please see the links below:

Transfer using the installation folder

Transfer using a backup file

 

What should be done when an employee leaves?

An employee’s leave date should be reported to Revenue in the final payroll submission made for the employee.

To process a leaver in Thesaurus Payroll Manager, enter their leave date at the time of entering the final payment to them and before you update the pay period.

 

  • Click Process icon No. 3 and select the employee using the drop down listing
  • Enter all final pay items due to the employee
  • Once all pay items have been entered, tick the field provided to indicate the employee is leaving
  • At the prompt, click ‘Yes’ if it is correct that the employee is to be part of the current pay run you are processing
  • Enter the employee’s leave date, as required
  • Click ‘Update File' to save the information you have entered
  • On updating your pay period using Process icon No. 5, the associated payroll submission will now include details of the employee leaving and their leave date
  • Simply prepare and submit the Payroll Submission Request (PSR) to Revenue using Process icon No. 6

Further information on processing leavers in the current pay period can be found here

To process a mid-period leaver (e.g. employee leaving mid-month)

  • Select Payslips > Process Final Payslip for Employee Leaving
  • Choose Employee
  • If further payments are due to the employee select 'Next'
  • On monthly payroll, you will be asked to enter the number of insurable weeks since the last pay period - enter accordingly > 'OK'
  • Complete the final payments screen accordingly and enter the employee's date of leaving in the yellow box provided.
  • Click 'Next' to continue
  • The employee’s final payslip will now be displayed on screen. If all is correct, click ‘Finalise’
  • The employee’s final payslip will now be available for printing or emailing within Process icon No. 7
  • At the time of finalising the final payment, a Payroll Submission Request (PSR) will also be created which will include the details of the employee leaving and their leave date. Process icon No. 6 will indicate that this submission is outstanding

Further information on processing a mid-period payslip and leaver can be found here

Click here to watch 'Processing a Leaver' video tutorial

 

How do you print historical payslips for an employee?

Should an employee request historical payslips from a certain period, these can all be printed at the same time.

Go to Payslips > Print/Email Payslips > select one of the following payslip types:

  • 2 per page (high resolution)
  • 2 per page (low resolution)
  • Irish Language Payslip

Highlight the employee name and click Print Employee History

Enter the period number you wish to print from, payslips will print from the period indicated to the most recent period processed.

How do you make an additional payment to an employee that ceased employment?

To process a 'post cessation' payment:

  • Go to Payslips > Process a Post Cessation Payment
  • Select the employee using the drop down listing (please note: only employees who have been processed as a leaver in a previous pay period will be available for selection)
  • Enter the 'Date of payment' in the field provided
  • Enter the 'Payment amount' (the gross payment amount)
  • Click 'Lookup RPN' for this employee
  • The software will automatically connect to Revenue and retrieve the tax credits and cut off points to apply to the payment
  • Click 'Calculate', a breakdown of the deductions and the employee's Net Pay will be displayed on screen
  • Click 'Finalise/Process' to complete the process
  • A PSR containing details of the post cessation payment will now be created for submission to Revenue, when ready

 

Further details on 'Processing a Post Cessation Payment' can be found here

 

Can wages be processed in advance when the payroll administrator is going on annual leave?

Yes, you can process wages in advance when going on annual leave.   Always use the Revenue Payroll Notification (RPN) available at the time the payment is processed.

You must ensure you send the Payroll Submission Request (PSR) to Revenue in advance also.

 

A mistake has been made on the payroll how can this be corrected?

Corrections must always be dealt with on the basis of 'follow the money'.

This means that if an employee has been underpaid/overpaid in a previous pay period, the correction of the underpayment/overpayment should be made in the next payroll run you perform.

Where an employee, however, has physically received a payment amount which differs to the amount shown in the payroll, this will require a 'correction submission' to be made to Revenue in order to rectify the error.

To perform this type of correction:

  • Select 'Corrections' on the menu bar, then choose 'Payment was different'
  • Select the period number you wish to make the correction for
  • Choose the employee for whom you wish to make a correction for from the drop down menu
  • On the left hand side, the selected employee's original payment amount and the associated deductions will be displayed on screen
  • On the right hand side, enter the employee's correct gross pay or net pay accordingly. 
    • If entering a net figure, click 'Calculate Net to Gross'
    • If entering a gross figure, click 'Calculate Gross to Net'
  • The software will calculate and display the applicable deductions
  • To proceed, select 'Apply Correction'
  • A Correction PSR will now be prepared by the software. If you have no more corrections to make, simply close out of the Corrections utility and access Process Icon No. 6 to submit the correction PSR to Revenue.

Further information on correcting a payment can be found here

 

My new company is on the wrong period number, how can this be changed?

If your employer file is on an incorrect start period number this can be changed prior to processing payroll. 

To change the start period go to Utilities > Set start period for mid year setup > enter the correct period number > 'OK', the period number will now be amended.

 

The ROS Digital Certificate was renewed but I am getting 'error 1016' in the payroll now?

When a ROS Digital Certificate is renewed it must be added to the software again.

Further information on adding an employer cert can be found here , and adding an agent cert can be found here

 

How do you change an employee's surname?

  • Go to Employees > Add/Amend Employees > Select the relevant employee from the ‘Surname’ drop down menu 
  • Left click at the end of the employee’s surname so that it is no longer highlighted in blue
  • Without deleting the original surname, type in the new surname directly after the old surname
  • Using your mouse or arrow keys on your keyboard, place your cursor between the two surnames
  • Use your ‘backspace’ button on your keyboard to delete the old surname
  • When only the new surname remains in the surname field, click update to save your changes

Is it possible to print a list of employee names and PPS numbers only?

Yes there is  quick and convenient way to generate a report of employee names and PPS numbers only.  

This report can be found within Employees > Add/Amend Employee  > Print List.

Similarly, to print all information for an individual employee you can go to Employees > Add/Amend Employees > Select Employee > Print.

How do you pay holiday pay in advance?

Should you wish to pay a weekly-paid employee holiday pay in advance, this can be done within Payslips > Weekly Input or Payroll Preview/ Quick Edit

  • Go to Payslips > Weekly Input
  • Enter Holiday Pay amount 
  • Enter number of weeks holidays being paid in advance (this ensures tax credits, insurable weeks etc are allocated for holidays weeks) 

Alternatively, 

  • Go to Payslips > Payroll Preview/Quick Edit
  • Double click on the employee due the holiday pay 
  • Enter Holiday Pay amount
  • Enter number of weeks holidays being paid in advance (this ensures tax credits, insurable weeks etc are allocated for holiday weeks) 

Please note: if there are any deductions set up for the employee e.g. pension deductions, these will automatically increment for the holiday weeks.  Should you wish to turn off this automatic adjustment to deductions, this can done within ‘File > Amend Company Details’.

An employee is in receipt of Illness Benefit, how do I process this?

Illness Benefit is subject to PAYE only, it is not subject to USC or PRSI.

Since 1st January 2018, employers are no longer required to tax Illness Benefit through the payroll.

Since this date, Revenue will adjust the employee's tax credits and cut off points via the Revenue Payroll Notification (RPN). Revenue will receive real-time interfaces of taxable Illness Benefit from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP).

As a result of this change, there will be more frequent RPNs for employees. While employers are no longer responsible for taxing Illness Benefit through the payroll, it is extremely important to retrieve RPNs before processing payroll each pay period.

In addition, since 1st January 2018, Illness Benefit letters are no longer be delivered to the ROS Inbox.

Prior to 1st January 2018, employers were responsible for collecting PAYE due on Illness Benefit issued to employees.