Migrate your payroll data

Summary

How to use the Migrate Payroll Data option to transfer from another payroll system to Sage Payroll.

Description

When moving from another payroll system, you can use the Migrate Payroll Data option. This allows you to enter your existing payroll information and employees into Payroll.

Resolution

We’ve put together this video and guide which explains the information you need and how to enter it.

▼When to migrate your data

You must migrate your data at the start of a tax month or quarter. Whichever you choose depends on how often you pay Revenue. You will enter your total payroll values up to that date. This ensures you don't re-submit information already submitted to Revenue.

For example:

you’ve processed into the current tax month. Process the remaining weekly pay runs of the period in the old payroll system. Complete your online submission to Revenue Online Service (ROS). You then migrate the data into Payroll at the beginning of the next tax month.

▼Information you need from your current payroll system

Before migrating your data you need the following information from your previous payroll:

Year to date values	For each of your company employee's, gather the following year to date information: Gross pay Taxable received Tax (PAYE) paid Universal Social Charge (USC) paid Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) paid Taxable illness benefit paid Income from reportable shares Benefits in Kind (BIK) received Local Property Tax (LPT) paid Employee and employer pension contributions made
Start dates	Current employees' start date.
Leaver dates	Leave dates of the current tax year leavers.

▼To enter your data into Payroll

On the Summary tab, select Enter manually.

Confirm your reporting details as follows:

Reporting Frequency	Choose whether you pay Revenue monthly. If you’re unsure, please contact the ROS helpdesk (opens in new tab).
Payment Method	Choose whether you pay Revenue by cheque or bank transfer.
Last completed reporting period	Choose the last tax month or quarter that you completed and paid to Revenue. The first pay run you process in Payroll is at the start of the next reporting period.

Specify when you pay your employees. Select the check box for each pay frequency you intend to use.
For each pay frequency you’re using, choose the day of the week or month you want to pay your employees on.
Payroll can avoid a pay date that falls on a bank holiday or weekend. Select the Avoid Public Holidays and Weekends check box. Select Next.
To create a record for an employee you’ve paid this tax year select Add Employee.
Select Personal Details. Enter the employee’s personal details, including their contact details.
Complete the Current Tax Details and Opening Balances tabs.
Select Save.
Repeat the above steps for any other employees and select Next.
Select Submit to confirm the migration details. A Next Steps window appears.
You can review the information you’ve entered so far by selecting Review or edit your migrated data link. Once you are happy with your figures, select Done.

This takes you back to the Migrate Payroll Data Wizard, where you can make the necessary changes. Once you begin processing pay in Payroll, you can't return to the wizard to make changes. Before completing your first pay run, review, edit or configure your data. Do this from the Payroll Summary tab.

Register to retrieve and submit data to ROS

Before Sage Payroll can communicate with ROS you must go through a registration process.

Select Summary from the menu bar.
Under PAYE Modernisation, select Register Now.

You’re now ready to Process a pay run.

Solution Properties

Solution ID: 222001000101743
Last Modified Date: Wed Jan 07 10:44:26 UTC 2026
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