For many public and private sector organisations, the pandemic provided the catalyst to begin the process of digital transformation that had long been on their agendas. As millions of employees were instructed to work from home, organisations had to urgently modify their operations to sustain the new remote working pattern.

According to leading UK provider of secure end-to-end document automation solutions, Datagraphic, payroll was one of operations that needed to adapt most quickly. Remote working limited not only payroll teams’ ability to centrally produce payroll documents, but also employees’ capability to securely access them.

To speed up the digital transformation process, Datagraphic has recently become a Crown Commercial Services (CCS) supplier, enabling public sector clients to source, research and buy its secure online payroll document production and distribution portal, Epay, without the time-consuming and expensive process of competitive tendering.

Epay uses data from public and private sector clients’ existing payroll software and automates the production and distribution of secure digital and print payroll documents such as payslips, P60s, P45s, P11Ds and reward statements, precluding the need for new software to be installed. Intuitive digital documents can be easily accessed from any internet-enabled device. Once the solution has been bought, it can be activated in weeks rather than months.

Public sector Epay clients include Network Rail, Leeds City Council, East Sussex County Council and Surrey County Council, while private sector clients include Specsavers, Sodexo and Yorkshire Water.

Throughout Covid, the importance of transparency and proven capability in the public sector procurement process have been highlighted in the media, with the government facing mounting criticism for making opaque awards to inexperienced suppliers.

By using CCS’ G-Cloud 12 Digital Marketplace catalogue to procure Epay, organisations can be sure that their new suppliers have demonstrated exceptionally high levels of reliability and security: Epay is ISO 27001 and C&CCC Standard 55 accredited. The procurement process is entirely transparent.

Said Datagraphic’s group managing director, Glyn King: “Throughout the pandemic, payroll document automation has been a crucial and extremely urgent component of organisations’ digital transformations, supporting their rapid adaptation to remote working.

“As hybrid working now looks set to become permanent, Datagraphic’s CCS approval and G-Cloud 12 listing means that more public sector clients can automate without the need for lengthy and expensive competitive tendering processes.

“Established 35 years ago, Datagraphic has developed industry-leading expertise and business insight, not to mention a reputation for renowned service. The new CCS approval means that public sector organisations can quickly and easily begin to enjoy the benefit of this expertise.

“We like to think that we are the only partner that public sector buyers need to deliver critical employee communications effortlessly. By working with Datagraphic, clients are helping to meet the government’s target of spending £1 in every £3 of public money with small-to-medium sized companies.”