{"id":21571,"date":"2025-04-22T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?post_type=sage_glossary&#038;p=21571"},"modified":"2025-04-15T17:10:26","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T16:10:26","slug":"what-is-a-payroll-number","status":"publish","type":"sage_glossary","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/glossary\/what-is-a-payroll-number\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a payroll number?"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/glossary\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Glossary definition<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat is a payroll number?\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-8 col-lg-4 entry-header__image\">\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"entry-header__thumbnail js-hero-section\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1181223319-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"entry-header__thumbnail-image\" alt=\"Working on managing employees\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1181223319-1440x810.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1181223319-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1181223319-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1181223319-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1181223319-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/>\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"What is a payroll number?\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/glossary\/what-is-a-payroll-number\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ever had an employee stare at their payslip and ask, &#8220;What is a payroll number?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;ve worked in HR or payroll for more than five minutes, the answer is probably yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s one of those small but mighty details that can cause a surprising amount of confusion, especially in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/size\/small-business\/\">small businesses<\/a> where payroll systems aren&#8217;t always automated or streamlined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The good news is, once you know what a payroll number is and how it works, it&#8217;s simple to explain and manage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this guide, you&#8217;ll learn exactly what a payroll number is, why it matters, where to find it, and how to make sure your payroll system uses it effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s what we cover:<\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-a-payroll-number\" data-level=\"2\">What is a payroll number?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-why-are-payroll-numbers-important\" data-level=\"2\">Why are payroll numbers important?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-your-payroll-number\" data-level=\"2\">What is your payroll number?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-where-is-the-payroll-number-on-a-payslip\" data-level=\"2\">Where is the payroll number on a payslip?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-a-payroll-reference-number\" data-level=\"2\">What is a payroll reference number?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-a-payroll-service-number\" data-level=\"2\">What is a payroll service number?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-do-small-businesses-really-need-payroll-numbers\" data-level=\"2\">Do small businesses really need payroll numbers?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-to-do-if-you-ve-got-duplicate-or-missing-payroll-numbers\" data-level=\"2\">What to do if you&#8217;ve got duplicate or missing payroll numbers<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-final-thoughts-keep-it-simple-consistent-and-clear\" data-level=\"2\">Final thoughts: Keep it simple, consistent, and clear<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"button button--primary gate-22f63cc4-4bd3-47ed-93cf-d71df67c49a8\"\n\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\tdata-button-location=\"content_area\"\n\t\thref=\"#gate-22f63cc4-4bd3-47ed-93cf-d71df67c49a8\"\n\t>Download your free copy of The ultimate guide to payroll compliance<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-a-payroll-number\">What is a payroll number?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A payroll number is a unique identifier assigned to each employee in your payroll system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Think of it like an employee&#8217;s fingerprint for payroll\u2014something that helps you quickly and accurately match individuals to their pay details, tax info, and employment history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s sometimes referred to as a payroll ID, payroll reference number, or employee number. Different systems call it different things, but the purpose stays the same: helping you keep payroll tidy and avoid mix-ups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Payroll numbers in the UK are usually made up of a combination of letters and numbers. You can assign them manually, or use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/payroll-software\/\">payroll software<\/a> to generate them automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-are-payroll-numbers-important\">Why are payroll numbers important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Payroll numbers might seem like a small detail but they play a big role in making your payroll run smoothly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s why they matter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Avoid errors:<\/strong> when you&#8217;re running payroll for multiple employees\u2014especially with similar names or start dates\u2014a payroll number helps you ensure the right data gets assigned to the right person.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Save time:<\/strong> a quick search by payroll number is often the fastest way to find an employee&#8217;s records in your payroll software.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keep records clean:<\/strong> payroll numbers help prevent duplication, especially when you&#8217;re migrating to a new system or dealing with contractors and casual staff.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Support auditing and compliance:<\/strong> having a clear audit trail with consistent identifiers can make things a lot easier when HMRC comes knocking, or when you&#8217;re preparing for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/payroll-year-end\/\">payroll year end<\/a> reporting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-your-payroll-number\">What is your payroll number?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If an employee asks, &#8220;What is my payroll number?&#8221;, you&#8217;ll need to point them to their payslip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most UK payslips include a payroll number somewhere near the top, often close to the employee&#8217;s name, National Insurance number, or tax code. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some businesses also list it on employment contracts, or within employee self-service portals (if you use them).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your team members access payslips digitally, they may need help navigating to the right section. This is a great opportunity to build understanding\u2014not just about payroll numbers, but about how your payroll process works in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And if an employee can&#8217;t see a payroll number on their payslip at all, it might be time to review your current <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/free-payslip-template-use-it-to-simplify-your-payroll-processes\/\">payslip template<\/a> or software settings to make sure you&#8217;re including one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-where-is-the-payroll-number-on-a-payslip\">Where is the payroll number on a payslip?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s a quick breakdown of where to look:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>In payroll software:<\/strong> employees will usually see their payroll number on the top section of their payslip, often alongside their personal details and pay date.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>On printed payslips<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong> it&#8217;s commonly listed as &#8220;Employee No.&#8221; or &#8220;Payroll ID&#8221;.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>In employee portals<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong> if your business uses online payslip portals, there&#8217;s often a summary page or profile area where the payroll number is displayed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re ever unsure, check your payroll settings or get in touch with your payroll software provider for guidance on displaying payroll numbers correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-a-payroll-reference-number\">What is a payroll reference number?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The term &#8220;payroll reference number&#8221; can mean different things depending on the context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes it&#8217;s used interchangeably with &#8220;payroll number&#8221;\u2014but it can also refer to the employer&#8217;s PAYE reference, which is issued by HMRC and linked to your company rather than your employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So if someone asks you about a payroll reference number, it&#8217;s worth clarifying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Are they asking about their personal payroll number (used to identify them within your system)?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are they referring to the company&#8217;s PAYE reference (used when submitting reports to HMRC)?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re submitting Real-Time Information (RTI) to HMRC, you&#8217;ll include both the employee&#8217;s payroll number and your PAYE reference to make sure everything lines up correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-a-payroll-service-number\">What is a payroll service number?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s another one that can trip people up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A payroll service number typically refers to a unique identifier used by external payroll providers. If you outsource your payroll to a third-party service, they may assign their own reference number to each employee for tracking purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Again, it&#8217;s all about keeping records clean. These numbers help outsourced providers avoid duplication and ensure accurate reporting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your payroll is handled in-house, you probably won&#8217;t come across this term much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But if you ever switch to or from an external payroll provider, make sure you clarify how their numbering system works and how it fits with your internal processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-do-small-businesses-really-need-payroll-numbers\">Do small businesses really need payroll numbers?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, especially if you&#8217;re planning to grow your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even if your team is tiny now, it&#8217;s worth setting up a basic payroll number system early. You&#8217;ll thank yourself later when you&#8217;re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/employee-onboarding-process\/\">onboarding new hires<\/a>, preparing year-end reports, or checking back on a former employee records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Quick tip: <\/strong>start with a simple format that works for your business. For example, you could use the employee&#8217;s initials and a number (such as JD001) or assign sequential numbers starting from 1001. Make sure it&#8217;s something your team can easily understand and stick to consistently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many small businesses use payroll software to automate this process and avoid human error, and you can even set rules within the system to auto-generate numbers based on your preferred format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-to-do-if-you-ve-got-duplicate-or-missing-payroll-numbers\">What to do if you&#8217;ve got duplicate or missing payroll numbers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mistakes happen. If you discover that two employees have the same payroll number\u2014or someone&#8217;s number is missing altogether\u2014it&#8217;s not the end of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s what to do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Audit your records:<\/strong> check recent payslips, employment contracts, and payroll submissions to spot any inconsistencies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Assign a new number:<\/strong> if there&#8217;s duplication, choose a new unique number for one of the affected employees. Update it across your payroll system and any related documents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Communicate clearly:<\/strong> let your employees know if their payroll number has changed and why. It avoids confusion later when they&#8217;re checking payslips or contacting HMRC.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use software tools:<\/strong> payroll software can flag duplicates or missing entries and help you tidy things up before it becomes a problem.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts-keep-it-simple-consistent-and-clear\">Final thoughts: Keep it simple, consistent, and clear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, what is a payroll number really about?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s a practical way to keep your payroll process organised, accurate, and stress-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you&#8217;re running a small team or scaling up fast, assigning payroll numbers helps everything run more smoothly behind the scenes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s one small step that can save you big headaches later on\u2014from managing records and reducing errors to answering employee queries without the faff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the right tools and a bit of structure, you can set up payroll numbers that grow with your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re still relying on spreadsheets or manual entries, now might be the perfect time to take the hassle out of payroll admin with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/payroll-software\/\">payroll solutions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">The ultimate guide to payroll compliance<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Facing the challenge of keeping up with payroll compliance? Read this guide for essential tips to make sure your business complies with the relevant payroll legislation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-22f63cc4-4bd3-47ed-93cf-d71df67c49a8\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Get your free guide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__downloads\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t11,055 readers have downloaded this guide\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1213\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2019\/01\/PMARCHITECTS_BB_03_078_2018_32240-1213x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Get the ultimate guide to payroll legislation\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2019\/01\/PMARCHITECTS_BB_03_078_2018_32240-1213x810.jpg 1213w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>[skyword_tracking \/]<\/p>\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this term<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/business-finances\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBusiness finances\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/hr-processes-medium-businesses\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHR processes for medium businesses\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/hr-process\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHR processes for small businesses\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/hr-payroll-benefits\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHR, payroll and benefits\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/payroll\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPayroll\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-10040 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-bookkeeping tag-business-finances tag-mtd-business tag-need-to-know tag-tax tag-vat business_type-small-business card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-497069597-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-497069597-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-497069597-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-497069597-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-10-15T16:40:53+01:00\">15 October, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">10 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/voluntary-vat-register-making-tax-digital\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tHow to get ready for Making Tax Digital for VAT\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tYou don&#8217;t usually need to sign up for Making Tax Digital for VAT. Find out how it applies, what software you need, and how to keep digital records and file VAT Returns.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-32306 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations category-technology-innovation tag-business-finances tag-business-performance tag-business-support tag-cloud tag-data-analytics tag-midsized-business tag-performance-management tag-productivity tag-reporting business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business industry-financial-services industry-professional-services\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/is-your-finance-system-holding-back-business-growth\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-5-header-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-5-header-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-5-header-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-5-header-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-29T12:32:05+01:00\">29 September, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">1 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tIs your finance system holding back business growth?\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-32304 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-people-leadership category-strategy-legal-operations tag-business-costs tag-business-finances tag-business-performance tag-business-support tag-data-analytics tag-digital-transformation tag-midsized-business tag-reporting tag-workplace-technology business_type-medium-sized-business industry-financial-services industry-professional-services\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/from-scorekeeper-to-strategist-how-the-cfo-role-is-evolving\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-4-header-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-4-header-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-4-header-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-4-header-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-29T12:19:55+01:00\">29 September, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">5 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tFrom scorekeeper to strategist: How the CFO role is evolving\u00a0\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-32298 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations category-technology-innovation tag-business-finances tag-business-performance tag-business-support tag-cloud tag-data-analytics tag-digital-transformation tag-finance tag-midsized-business tag-performance-management tag-reporting tag-workplace-technology business_type-medium-sized-business industry-financial-services industry-professional-services\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/group-consolidation-why-it-takes-so-long-and-how-to-fix-it\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-2-header-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-2-header-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-2-header-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-2-header-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-29T12:00:40+01:00\">29 September, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">6 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tGroup consolidation: Why it takes so long and how to fix it\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-32289 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations category-technology-innovation tag-business-finances tag-business-performance tag-create-business-plan tag-data-analytics tag-finance tag-financial-education tag-performance-management tag-productivity tag-reporting tag-workplace-technology business_type-medium-sized-business industry-financial-services industry-professional-services\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/how-to-build-a-cfo-dashboard-that-actually-drives-decisions\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-3-header-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-3-header-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-3-header-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/intacct-3-header-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-09-29T11:49:51+01:00\">29 September, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">7 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow to build a CFO dashboard that actually drives decisions\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn what a payroll number is, why it matters, and how it helps you streamline payroll, reduce errors, and stay organised as your business grows.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1813,"featured_media":11537,"template":"","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[135,240,41,234,37],"class_list":["post-21571","sage_glossary","type-sage_glossary","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-business-finances","tag-hr-processes-medium-businesses","tag-hr-process","tag-hr-payroll-benefits","tag-payroll"],"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/sage_glossary\/21571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/sage_glossary"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/sage_glossary"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1813"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/sage_glossary\/21571\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/11537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}