Transforming your payroll: Employee Self Service gets a design and accessibility upgrade

Our first software release for 2025 is here! Starting the year off strong, we have some impressive features we are delivering to our customer community. A consistent theme for this release includes key focus areas such as enhancing the user experience and streamlining essential processes (EOFY, we’re looking at you). Specifically, features and enhancements to improve our Aurion Employee Self Service (ESS), Aurion Query Tool (AQT), timesheet entry, and updating configurations for STP2 tax treatment codes.

So let’s dive in!

Design and accessibility upgrade for Aurion ESS

One of the key highlights for our Version 11.94 release (log in required) is the enhancement of our Employee Self Service (ESS) platform. These enhancements are the start of our continuous improvements for the ESS platform, and are designed to deliver an enhanced user experience while improving accessibility, using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Here is what our customer community have to look forward to in our upgraded ESS platform from the 11.94 software release:

• Visual alignment: The ESS platform now features an updated design that aligns more closely with our current branding, offering a refreshed and modern look.
• Enhanced User Experience: Navigation and usability have been optimised, making it easier and more intuitive for all users to use ESS.
• Better Accessibility: The platform has been upgraded using WCAG 2.2 guidelines, ensuring it is accessible to a wider range of users.

Importance of WCAG accessibility in payroll software

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is an internationally recognised standard created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These guidelines help make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. By using WCAG 2.2 guidelines, we are making our ESS platform easier and more accessible for customers and their workforce. By making these enhancements to Aurion ESS, we are not only improving the accessibility of our payroll software, but we are also streamlining the process of accessing payroll information. Making it easier than ever for customers to retrieve and edit their critical payroll data, and action any leave or timesheet requests.

Our customer community can access our dedicated New Design for Employee Self Service page for further information and guidance to support with this upgrade.

Enhancement to payroll reporting with the Aurion Query Tool

The Aurion Query Tool (AQT) has received a functionality upgrade. We have increased the formula field count from 50 to 250, allowing for greater flexibility and functionality. These fields can now be used as input parameters, constant values, output filenames and calculated fields. This enhancement will support our customer community to perform more complex queries and detailed reports. Allowing payroll administrators to create more detailed and customised reports, improving data analysis and data-driven decision making.

More options to improve the accuracy of timesheets

We have improved the user interface (UI) for timesheet entry in our web portal. Our team have simplified the timesheet entry process, making it easier for employees to submit more accurate timesheets. The time fields have been split into separate hours and minutes fields, with a popup displaying the allowed values. This improvement aims to enhance the accuracy of submitted timesheets by providing a new toggle option to separate these fields. An enhancement designed to reduce errors in timesheet submissions, and reduce the amount of time managers or your payroll team have to spend chasing up incorrect timesheets.

Supporting compliance for Lump Sum E payments from 1 July 2025

Starting from 1 July 2025, there is new legislation which removes the $1,200 threshold for Lump Sum E payments. In this release, we will support this compliance change by removing the configurable threshold field on the parameter form of relevant tasks. This calculation will be performed automatically from this release onward for applicable payments. Forming a more efficient calculation process, while saving time and reducing the potential for manual errors. For payroll bureaus, this also means we’ve eliminated the hassle of logging in to a number of different databases to make these changes prior to the EOFY if the 11.94 upgrade is taken up before 1 July 2025.

Updated configuration for STP2 tax treatment codes

We have made changes to streamline reporting tax treatment code combinations for seniors and pensioners to the ATO via STP2. These codes have been applied with the updated categorisations for the various Medicare levy exemptions, while also putting safeguards in place to ensure the accuracy of the data submitted. Ensuring that with this release, tax treatment codes are correctly reported, reducing the risk of errors and non-compliance. Making it easier to comply with ATO requirements, reducing the administrative burden on your payroll team.

The 11.94 software release brings a range of enhancements designed to improve the efficiency and usability of the Aurion suite. From our upgraded Employee Self Service (ESS) to the enhanced Aurion Query Tool (AQT) and improved timesheet entry, these updates are aimed at providing a better user experience and ensuring compliance with the latest regulations. All to make life work better for payroll teams across Australia and New Zealand.

Let’s chat!

If you are looking for a people and payroll provider that continuously optimises your solutions and software, speak with our expert team. Our Aurion payroll specialists are available to discuss how we can tailor your optimised solution to let your workforce thrive! You can reach our experienced team by:

• calling 1300 287 466
• sending an email to [email protected]
• filling out this contact form and we’ll reach out to you

We’re excited to partner with you to make life work better!