Find Out If Your Payroll Is Actually Correct
Most NZ payrolls we audit have errors. The Holidays Act is complex, software defaults aren't compliant, and mistakes accumulate quietly. A Payroll Consult audit tells you exactly where you stand — and how to fix it.
What a Payroll Audit Finds
Leave calculation errors (OWP vs AWE)
Incorrect public holiday entitlements
Final pay miscalculations
Alternative holiday errors
Software configuration problems
Accumulated back-pay obligations
The Problem
Most NZ Payrolls Have Never Been Independently Checked
Payroll is typically handed down inside businesses — one person inherits it from another, with limited documentation and even less formal training. The Holidays Act is complex enough that errors are common even when people are trying to do the right thing.
Software doesn't catch compliance errors. It processes what it's told to process — including the wrong thing. Mistakes accumulate quietly until an employment dispute or IRD query makes them visible.
"The most common errors we find: leave calculated on the wrong rate, final pays missing entitlements, and alternative holidays either not tracked or not paid correctly."
The financial exposure from payroll errors compounds over time. Every pay cycle with an error adds to the backlog. The sooner errors are identified, the lower the remediation cost.
What We Audit
A Thorough, Independent Payroll Audit
Our payroll audit covers every area where NZ businesses commonly have compliance failures.
Holidays Act Compliance
We verify your leave calculations against Holidays Act requirements — OWP vs AWE comparison, relevant daily pay, alternative holiday management, and annual leave entitlement rules.
Software Configuration
We check your payroll software settings — leave types, pay codes, accrual rules, tax settings, and calculation methods — against NZ compliance requirements.
Leave Balances & History
We audit leave balance calculations, anniversary dates, and historical leave payments to identify accumulated errors and estimate the financial exposure.
Final Pay Calculations
We check that final pays for leavers include all required entitlements — outstanding annual leave, public holidays, alternative holidays, and correct leave payment rates.
Variable Hours Staff
Variable-hours, part-time, and casual employees are where the most complex Holidays Act requirements sit. We test calculations against real scenarios from your workforce.
PAYE & Deductions
We verify that PAYE, KiwiSaver, and other deductions are being applied correctly to the right earnings types, including irregular payments and bonuses.
How It Works
From First Call to Final Report
01
Free Consultation
We discuss your payroll setup — software, workforce, complexity — and confirm the scope and fixed-fee price.
02
Data Request
We provide a clear list of what we need — typically read-only system access or exports from your payroll software.
03
Audit & Analysis
We work through your payroll systematically. Every issue is documented: what's wrong, why it matters, and the financial exposure.
04
Report & Debrief
You receive a written report with findings and prioritised actions. We walk you through it in a video call and answer your questions.
05
Ongoing Support
Support you with any required changes or rectifications and staff communication
Frequently Asked Questions
What payroll software do you audit?
All major NZ payroll platforms: iPayroll, PayHero, Crystal Payroll, Smartly, Employment Hero, Xero, and MYOB. Discontinued payroll systems: ACE Payroll, IMS, Accumatica, MYOB Business, and DataPay, If you're on something else, get in touch — we'll assess whether we can help.
How long does a payroll audit take?
Typically one to three weeks from receiving the data we need. For larger or more complex payrolls, this may be longer. We'll give you a timeframe at the free consultation.
What if you find significant errors?
We'll document the errors clearly — what's wrong, why it matters, and the financial exposure. We'll then help you decide how to respond: correcting going forward, back-paying affected employees, or a combination. We can help you manage the remediation process too.
Do you audit historical payroll as well as current?
Yes. We can audit historical payroll to identify errors that may have accumulated over time. This is particularly relevant if your payroll has been running the same way for years without an audit.
How is the audit priced?
Fixed fee, based on the size and complexity of your payroll. Quoted before any work begins — no surprises. Book a free 15-minute consultation and we'll give you a price.
Know Where Your Payroll Stands
Most payroll errors are fixable. The cost of finding them is almost always less than the cost of leaving them. Start with a free 15-minute consultation.
