Payday Super readiness: Turn payroll change into a clear client service

Payday Super starts from 1 July 2026, changing how employers pay superannuation guarantee contributions.

Instead of paying super quarterly, employers will need to pay super much closer to each pay cycle.

For clients, this isn’t just a change in payment timing. It means payroll processes, employee details, super fund information and software workflows may all need to be reviewed before the new rules begin.

For accountants and bookkeepers, this creates a practical opportunity to help clients get ready — and make sure the work is clearly scoped, priced and agreed upfront.

Many employers are still used to thinking about super as a quarterly task. Under Payday Super, super becomes part of the regular payroll process.

That means clients may need help checking whether their current payroll setup is ready.

A Payday Super readiness service could include reviewing:

• payroll software settings
• employee super fund details
• employee onboarding processes
• current super payment workflows
• clearing house arrangements
• pay cycle timing
• contractor arrangements where super may apply
• any manual processes or workarounds currently being used

This doesn’t need to be positioned as complex advisory.

For many clients, it may simply be a practical review to identify what needs to be cleaned up, updated or changed before 1 July 2026.

One of the risks for bookkeepers and accountants is that Payday Super questions may start to appear inside existing payroll, BAS or compliance work.

Clients may ask things like:

“Can you just check if we’re ready?”
“Can you fix the employee super details?”
“Can you update the payroll setup?”
“Can you review our contractor payments?”

Each request may seem small. But across a client base, that time can add up quickly.

That’s why firms should consider creating a specific Payday Super readiness service now, rather than absorbing the work into existing fees.

The service could be offered as a fixed-fee review, a setup package or an ongoing payroll support engagement for clients who need more help.

Firms may choose to offer different levels of support, such as:

A light-touch review of payroll setup, employee super details and current super payment processes.

A more detailed review of payroll software settings, employee onboarding, pay cycle timing and internal workflows.

A recurring engagement for clients who need continued support with payroll processing, super checks, employee onboarding and compliance questions.

The aim isn’t to overcomplicate the offering. It’s to make the work clear, valuable and chargeable.

Ignition can help firms turn Payday Super preparation into a structured service offering.

With Payday Super services already built for you in Ignition, firms can quickly package the work, offer different pricing options and get client agreement before proceeding.

That helps ensure you’re paid for the work, your deliverables are clear, and clients understand exactly what is — and isn’t — included.

By packaging this work properly, firms can help clients prepare for the change, reduce last-minute pressure and ensure the additional work is properly scoped and priced.