Newsletter Spring 2012

Welcome to our Spring newsletter.  We hope that everything went well for our farming clients over the past couple of months.  Our team are here to assist with all business software, payroll or employment related queries. 

Welcoming Simon Ward             

 We are pleased to introduce our newly appointed Software Consultant, Simon Ward. Simon is originally from the UK and moved with his family to New Zealand.  He has been working in accountancy practices in Christchurch and Wellington for the past 6 years and has a specialist interest in IT.  Simon’s wife Amanda is from Invercargill and they have relocated here to be close to family. Simon is looking forward to meeting and working with our clients.

When is a casual employee not a casual employee? 

To be a casual employee the following would apply:

The employee is employed – as and when required (can agree or not agree to work).

  • The employee has no expectation of work (not on a roster, or set day of work).
  • The employee has no pattern of continuous employment (lots of gaps) 

If a casual employee is working hours every week (week after week), even on different days and at different times, they are more than a casual.

This means you cannot do “Pay as you go” under the Holidays Act 2003, paying out the accrual at 8% of gross earning each pay period (section 28).  It could also mean the employee could be entitled to sick and bereavement leave.

Changing an employee’s terms and conditions of employment 

Generally speaking, in order to make changes to an individual employment agreement, both parties to the agreement (the employee and the employer) need to consent to any such changes. Therefore, if an employer wishes to change an aspect of an employee’s employment agreement, for example, their hours of work, they will need to get the employee’s agreement to do this.

This does not limit the employer’s right to manage the business as they best see fit. Therefore if the employer wished to change any part of the employee’s employment agreement, they must have a genuine reason and they must follow a fair and reasonable process. The legislation does not specifically prescribe a process that must be followed, but it may include (but are not limited to) these types of things:

  • Having meetings with the employee. It may also be advisable to give the employee an opportunity to prepare for this meeting as well as have a support person present;
  • Giving the employee an opportunity to put their concerns/thoughts forward which the employer should take into consideration;
  • Providing the employee with reasonable notice/warning of when this change is going to take place.

If the employer implements changes without consultation, without following a fair process or without genuine reasons to make a change, then this may be open to be challenged by the employee.

 

Increase in paid parental leave Entitlement Rate

The paid parental leave (PPL) weekly maximum entitlement rate has increased to $475.16 a week (before tax), from $458.82, as of 1 July 2012. This rate applies to employee and self-employed PPL recipients who are entitled to receive the maximum PPL rate.

 


 

Creating an Order based on a Past Invoice in ABM

New orders can be created by selecting a previously created invoice.  In a sales order, click options, then Get Previous Sale (or Ctrl O).  You are then presented with a list of previous invoices for that customer to choose from.  All of the items, quantities, prices and/or discounts will be imported into a new order.

 

ABM Data Checks

We can schedule these to occur overnight on your server.  Please let us know if you would like us to arrange this.

 

ABM User Meeting

We have scheduled a meeting for Thursday 25 October at 10.30am. Will be in touch with

details on the topics we will cover shortly.

 

 

 

E Commerce – Do you want to sell or promote your products online?

Both ABM and MYOB have add-on modules at reasonable costs that will allow you to showcase your products online, provide a site for customer purchases and are fully integrated with your accounting software.

Customers can have their own log in area which will show their pricing, plus view and print invoices and see their outstanding balance.  Sales are imported back into the accounting software, so saves manual data entry.

Please call us for more information.

 

                                           

Jill Stewart          Debbie Tynan    Ron Barnett        Eric Richards       Lyn Barclay          Simon Ward

03 211 2590         03 211 2594         03 211 2591         03 211 2593         03 211 2589         03 211 2592

Phone 03 211 2589   Fax 03 218 3408

Level 2, 137 Spey Street, Invercargill

If you have any issues you need to discuss please give us a call.

Testimonial

“I was concerned when changing from a payroll system that I knew so well to a new one. I needn’t have worried, the team at Strategic were able to recommend, install and train me on a new system that gave me improved reporting and helped with budgets. They made it easy and hassle free. I use Strategic Software for ongoing support as what could take me 5 hours takes them 5 minutes and I am confident with the result.”

Debbie Hodges, Office Manager
E. Hayes & Sons Limited

Read More Testimonials