Office closures — Q2 2026
Please note that the support team will be unavailable on the following public holidays:
- Friday, 3 April
- Monday, 6 April (Easter Monday)
- Monday, 27 April (Freedom Day observed)
For urgent queries, submit a ticket at [email protected] and the team will respond on the next business day.
Payroll amendments effective 1 March 2026
For a detailed summary of the 2026 National Budget key changes, refer to these resources:
2025/2026 Annual Employer Reconciliation — EMP501 submission dates
According to SARS, the 2025/2026 Annual Employer Reconciliation Declaration (EMP501) period opens 1 April 2026 and closes 31 May 2026.
Two ways the support team can help:
- Book an Expert — a consultant will guide you through the process. Book here →
- Self-service guide — step-by-step instructions for completing your Annual Submission independently. View submission guide →
Extended support hours in May 2026:
- Friday, 29 May — until 17:00
- Saturday, 30 May — 08:00 to 12:00
Income Tax Reference Numbers now compulsory
SARS has urged employers to prepare for the 2026 Employer Filing Season. From 2026, PAYE reconciliations will only be accepted if all employees required to register under section 67 of the Income Tax Act have valid Income Tax Reference Numbers.
Submissions with missing or invalid numbers will be rejected. Non-compliance may lead to administrative penalties.
View the SARS notice → · View FAQs →
Did you know? Two reports can identify employees without tax reference numbers: the Dynamic Employee Details report, and the Tax Year End Non-Financial report.
Bonus Tax Spread
Employees may choose to spread the tax on a guaranteed bonus over the tax year using the Automatic Bonus/Tax Spread component. This is ideally processed in March and results in a monthly portion of bonus tax being deducted rather than the full amount in the bonus month.
Click here for more information →Run setups for the new tax year
Verify existing run setups as the tax year end submission approaches. Payroll records must be accurately allocated to the correct tax year for compliant tax reporting.
Changes to existing run setups must be logged with [email protected].
NextGen screen conversions this month
The following screens have been converted to NextGen in the March 2026 release:
- Leave Averaging Setup
- Leave Scheme Parameters
- Leave Bucket Mapping
- Payroll Components
- General Ledger Parameters
- Other Dropdowns
See the Product Newsletter for full conversion details.
Webhooks
Webhooks enable the system to automatically send notifications whenever an update or change occurs on a screen. Notifications are delivered in JSON format with detailed information about what was modified.
Click here for more information →2026 Budget Speech and public submission window
South Africa's National Treasury invited public submissions for the 2026 Budget. The Minister of Finance delivered the National Budget Speech on 25 February 2026.
View the official publication: 2026 Budget Tips →Income Tax Reference Numbers — compulsory from February 2026
From February 2026, PAYE reconciliations will only be accepted if all employees required to register under section 67 of the Income Tax Act have valid Income Tax Reference Numbers. Submissions with missing or invalid numbers will be rejected.
View the SARS notice →National minimum wage increases effective 1 March 2026
Government Gazette 54075 (3 February 2026) under the National Minimum Wage Act increases the national minimum wage and related allowances effective 1 March 2026.
Steps to update the Minimum Wage in the system →New enhancement — TEST tax file generation
The Tax file has been enhanced to allow employers to generate a TEST tax file from the Tax Certificate Run screen without closing all payroll runs up to August or February. The TEST file includes payslip data available at the time of export, enabling earlier validation.
See the "What's New" section in the system for more information.
Annual Reconciliation Declaration (EMP501) — preparation checklist
- Finalise your February 2026 pay run and close all runs for your tax period.
- Verify company and employee information.
- Reconcile the EMP501 and EMP201 reports.
- Identify employee records with discrepancies and process corrections.
- Generate the Test CSV File from the system.
Important: CSV files cannot be uploaded until the latest version of the e@syFile software has been released.
Knowledge base resources include articles on e@syFile errors, exporting reports, and how to import CSV files. Navigate: your initials → How Can We Help? → PaySpace Wisdom → Knowledge Base → FAQs → Annual Submission.
Employee logbooks — travel allowance
Employees receiving a travel allowance can claim a deduction on their annual income tax return for business use of a private motor vehicle. Remind employees to:
- Record the motor vehicle's closing odometer reading on the last day of February.
- Calculate total kilometres for the full year.
- Calculate total business kilometres for the year.
Consolidated tax file for multiple frequencies
Companies with multiple frequencies can generate a consolidated tax file to import into e@syFile™ Employer — rather than extracting individual CSV files per frequency.
Time and Attendance
Time and Attendance (T&A) systems record employee working hours and absences, and integrate with the payroll system by exporting approved data for upload — ensuring accurate payroll processing with minimal manual intervention.
Click here for more information →Welcome back
Welcome back to all our valued customers. We wish you a Happy New Year filled with joy, success, and reliable support throughout the year ahead.
Medical Aid rates — 2026
The 2026 Medical Aid tables have been successfully updated. If any rates haven't updated yet, contact [email protected] for assistance.
Bulk actions for Organisation Hierarchy Units
Simplify Organisation Hierarchy management with Bulk Actions. Download a prepopulated template to efficiently:
- Add new Organisation Unit records
- Edit existing Organisation Unit records
- Move Organisation Units to a different parent within the same level
Navigate: Bulk Actions → Screen Type: Company → Action Type: Organisation Hierarchy Units
General Ledger Journal capability
The system can generate General Ledger Journal files that summarise payroll data in a structured format for direct upload into financial or accounting software — allowing payroll costs to flow into your organisation's general ledger without manual reconciliation.
Customisable GL scripts align with your specific accounting layout, chart of accounts, debit/credit formatting, cost centres, and currency rules.
Contact the Professional Services team for scoping or a quotation.
Employment Equity reporting deadline
Employment Equity Reporting for 2025 was due by Thursday, 15 January 2026.
Understanding a valid SARS Income Tax Reference Number
An employee's Income Tax Reference Number is the unique number issued by SARS. Ensure all employee records contain valid, registered TRNs ahead of the 2026 filing season.
Information on TRN validation →Income Tax Reference Numbers — compulsory from February 2026
From the 2026 filing season, any reconciliations submitted without valid Income Tax Reference Numbers will be rejected, and failure to comply may lead to administrative penalties. The concession that allowed missing TRNs with only a warning will no longer apply.
Boost your payroll reporting skills — Lunch & Learn
A one-hour Lunch & Learn session was held on 5 February 2026 focused on payroll reporting. Topics covered:
- Scheduling and managing recurring reports
- Quick access to favourite and most-used reports
- Time-saving tips for fast payroll validation
Watch for upcoming Lunch & Learn sessions via your email newsletter.
December 2025
For compliance updates, feature tips, and support reminders from December 2025, please refer to the archived newsletter email or contact the support team.
November 2025
For compliance updates, feature tips, and support reminders from November 2025, please refer to the archived newsletter email or contact the support team.
October 2025
For compliance updates, feature tips, and support reminders from October 2025, please refer to the archived newsletter email or contact the support team.
September 2025
For compliance updates, feature tips, and support reminders from September 2025, please refer to the archived newsletter email or contact the support team.
Need help between newsletters?
The support team responds Monday–Friday, 08:00–17:00 SAST.