Course outline
Twelve weeks, twelve questions
Each week answers one practical question and sets up the next. Confidently run a compliant South African payroll — from employee onboarding through to SARS and Department of Employment and Labour submissions.
Week 1 · Do I need UIF?
Registering as an employer · 35 minYou have a CIPC registration number. That does not yet make you an employer in the eyes of SARS or the Department of Employment and Labour. Week 1 settles who must register, for what, and when.
Outcome Know exactly which employer registrations your business needs and where you stand today.
4 lessons8-point checklist3-question quizOpen Week 1 →Week 2 · What information do I need from employees?
Onboarding data that stands up to an audit · 30 minEvery payroll error traces back to missing or wrong employee data. This week you build one onboarding pack you will use for every hire from now on.
Outcome A complete, audit-ready employee file for every person on your payroll.
4 lessons9-point checklist3-question quizOpen Week 2 →Week 3 · What deductions am I responsible for (UIF, PAYE & SDL)?
The three statutory deductions · 40 minNow that you know who is on payroll and what they earn, you can calculate what must be withheld and what the company owes on top.
Outcome Calculate PAYE, UIF and SDL by hand so you can sanity-check anything Sage produces.
4 lessons8-point checklist3-question quizOpen Week 3 →Week 4 · How do I set up my company in Sage Payroll?
Company setup in Sage Business Cloud Payroll · 45 minWith registrations and calculation rules understood, you can configure Sage once, correctly, so every later run inherits the right settings.
Outcome A fully configured company profile, pay calendar and chart of pay items.
4 lessons10-point checklist3-question quizOpen Week 4 →Week 5 · How do I add employees?
Loading employees into Sage · 40 minThe company shell exists. Now the onboarding pack from Week 2 gets captured into Sage — once, properly.
Outcome Every employee loaded with correct tax, banking, leave and pay definition.
4 lessons10-point checklist3-question quizOpen Week 5 →Week 6 · How do I manage leave?
Leave under the BCEA, tracked in Sage · 35 minLeave is where compliance and payroll meet most often. Configure it once and the balances look after themselves.
Outcome Leave types, accruals and approvals running correctly with accurate balances.
4 lessons9-point checklist3-question quizOpen Week 6 →Week 7 · How do I generate payslips?
Running the payroll · 40 minSetup, employees and leave are in place. This is the monthly cycle you will repeat — with the checks that keep it clean.
Outcome A repeatable monthly payroll run ending in compliant, distributed payslips.
4 lessons11-point checklist3-question quizOpen Week 7 →Week 8 · How do I read payroll reports?
Reports that tell you the truth · 35 minPayslips are out. Reports are how you prove the run was right and how you brief your accountant.
Outcome Read and reconcile the core Sage reports with confidence.
4 lessons9-point checklist3-question quizOpen Week 8 →Week 9 · How do I submit EMP201?
Monthly declaration and payment to SARS · 40 minYour reports balance. Now the money and the declaration go to SARS — by the 7th, every month.
Outcome File and pay EMP201 accurately and on time, with proof filed.
4 lessons10-point checklist3-question quizOpen Week 9 →Week 10 · How do I prepare IRP5 certificates?
Interim and annual reconciliation · 45 minTwelve EMP201s must agree to the year's payroll and to the certificates you issue. That is the EMP501 reconciliation.
Outcome Produce clean IRP5/IT3(a) certificates and a balanced EMP501.
4 lessons10-point checklist3-question quizOpen Week 10 →Week 11 · What happens when an employee leaves?
Terminations done correctly · 40 minExits carry the highest legal and payroll risk of any event. A defined process protects the business and the person leaving.
Outcome Process any termination with correct final pay, documents and UIF paperwork.
4 lessons11-point checklist3-question quizOpen Week 11 →Week 12 · How do I audit my payroll for compliance?
Your annual compliance audit · 45 minEverything you have built now becomes a rhythm you can check yourself, before anyone else checks it for you.
Outcome A self-audit you can repeat annually, plus a calendar that keeps you compliant all year.
4 lessons12-point checklist3-question quizOpen Week 12 →