Frequently asked questions about Atlan Management Services: services, programmes, and how to get involved.
Straight answers to the questions we hear most often.
A full payroll service typically covers employee setup and maintenance, monthly payroll processing and payslips, PAYE, UIF, and SDL calculations, EMP201 submissions to SARS, UIF declarations, EMP501 reconciliations with IRP5 certificates, and record-keeping for audit. Scope varies by provider and agreement, so the inclusions should be confirmed in writing before appointment — a clear scope protects both sides.
Financial and employee information is handled on a need-to-know basis under confidentiality undertakings, processed in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), and stored in controlled systems rather than shared inboxes. Clients are welcome to ask how their specific data is stored, who can access it, and how long it is retained — a provider should be able to answer those questions directly.
Yes. A mid-year takeover starts with a handover review: confirming registrations, reconciling year-to-date payroll and submissions, identifying any arrears or gaps, and regularising them before the normal monthly cycle resumes. The earlier in the reconciliation period the handover happens, the simpler it is — but a takeover is workable at any point in the year provided the prior records can be obtained.
As a general rule, SARS requires tax records to be kept for at least five years from the date of submission of the relevant return, and other legislation sets its own periods — for example, certain employee and payroll records under labour law, and company records under the Companies Act, carry their own retention requirements, some longer than five years. Keep records organised and retrievable rather than merely stored; retention periods differ by record type, so confirm the requirements that apply to your situation.