Forum

• # 84476
• Mon 06 Aug 2012 06:12 PM

I currently use Moneysoft Payroll manager software in my employed capacity.

I like it very much, having used the HMRC CD rom in the past and the paper book method (yes, I've been doing it a long time!)

My question is can I use it to do my payroll exam?  Are there cheaper / free software versions out there of other payroll software that I could use for my exam?

Are there any books that are recommended to self study from?  I've been doing payroll a long time but haven't really done maternity, paternity, sick pay etc.  So I could do with a bit more knowledge on this.  However, is it perfectly possible to just "gen up" on the HMRC website without having to purchase any books?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

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• # 84564
• Sun 12 Aug 2012 05:16 PM

Hi Jet,

You could download a trial version of Moneysoft to use for your exam, just be careful to check that it produces all the reports required for the exam. (No reason why it shouldn't though).  I use this at one of my client's and like it too.  

I actually purchased Sage Instant payroll study workbooks from Amazon for about £40 which consisted of 5/6 study books and a trial version of Sage payroll (think it was 90 days).  I also downloaded a lot of the help books from HMRC website - tax tables, ni tables, statutory pay etc.  If you have been doing payroll for a while you should have no trouble just learning from HMRC website.

Good luck!

Pauline 

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• # 84567
• Mon 13 Aug 2012 09:29 AM

Thanks for that.

I thought maybe I could download the helpbooks from HMRC but I do really prefer to sit down with paper rather than stare at a screen, I feel I learn better from a book.  I thought about printing the downloads but it would cost me more in ink and paper than buying a book!

Didn't really want to go down the Sage route if I'm going to use Moneysoft, but there doesn't seem to be any other recommendations.  ICB themselves have told me to do a course or look on the HMRC website.  A publisher should be reading this forum, as there is certainly a market for a payroll textbook.

I've ordered a mock exam, so hopefully that will give me some idea of what I'm going to need to do.

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• # 84570
• Mon 13 Aug 2012 01:44 PM

Hi Jet,

I normally work better from a book as well, but as you said, to print off all the HMRC helpsheets would cost you an arm and a leg!  I coped ok with looking at the helpsheets on the screen though.

The other payroll software I use is 12pay and has got good recommendations.  I think you can download a trial version of that as well if you aren't going down the Sage route.

The trouble with publishing a book on payroll is that it will change every year as rates and limits change I suppose, which would make it impractical.

Good idea to try the mock exam first, you may find that you don't need to study at all !  :-)

Pauline 

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