How Can Employees See Why Their Pay Changed Between Two Payslips?

In BrightPay, there’s a new feature that can let employees see why their pay changed between 2 payslips? It’s called the payslip comparator. Just open Payroll Documents in the employee portal, choose Compare Payslips and select any two payslips. BrightPay then explains in what changed between them, alongside a visual breakdown.

Why do employees ask why their pay has changed?

A large share of the queries payroll processors get aren’t about running payroll. They’re employees asking why their pay looks different this month, why they’re paying more tax or what’s changed since last time. Answering each one individually takes time away from actual payroll work.

Tax code changes, new deductions and one-off payments can all be common reasons for a different payslip, and each tends to prompt its own question.

Where does the BrightPay payslip comparator sit?

The payslip comparator sits inside the BrightPay employee portal, on both the mobile app and the browser login. Under Payroll Documents, employees see a Compare Payslips button. It answers the question “why has my pay changed?” before the employee even has to ask.

Which payslips can an employee compare?

An employee can select any two payslips to compare. They don’t need to be consecutive, so an employee can compare this month with the same month last year. The two payslips can even span two different tax years, if the employee has used BrightPay for two tax years.

What does the payslip comparison explain?

BrightPay generates an explanation of what’s changed. The explanation can cover several causes of a change in pay, including:

• Tax code changes, which alter how much tax is taken from each payment.

• National Insurance table letter changes, which alter the National Insurance applied.

• New deductions, such as a postgraduate loan.

• Changes to pension contributions.

• Changes to commission, bonuses or expenses.

Alongside the written explanation, the comparison includes a visual breakdown of what has increased, decreased or stayed the same.

How does the comparison help when more than one thing has changed?

Pay often changes for more than one reason at once. A new tax code and a bonus in the same month can both move take-home pay. The comparison explains what has changed and shows what has increased, decreased or stayed the same, so an employee can see each change separately instead of one net figure.

What does the payslip comparator mean for bureaus and employers?

The comparison is a self-service tool for the employee. The recurring query “why is my pay different?” can be answered by the employee using the payslip comparator in the employee portal before it reaches the bureau or the employer. Bureaus and employers can then keep their time for queries that need more attention.

How should you introduce the payslip comparator to employees?

Tell employees where to find it. The route is Payroll Documents in the BrightPay employee portal, then Compare Payslips. A short note with payslips, or a line in an onboarding pack, is enough to point employees to it on either the mobile app or the browser login.

Employees who use the comparator will arrive at your team with a clearer question. Where the comparison shows a change they didn’t expect, such as a new deduction or a different tax code, the conversation can start from what the comparison shows rather than from the beginning.

Does the payslip comparator replace a conversation with payroll?

No. The comparator explains what changed between two payslips. If an employee thinks a figure is wrong, they still need to raise it with their employer or bureau, who can check the payroll itself. The comparator gives that conversation a clearer starting point.

Who can use the payslip comparator?

The payslip comparator is available to employees in BrightPay’s employee portal. It works on both the mobile app and the browser login, so employees can use whichever they already use to view their payslips.

This content may have been developed with the assistance of AI tools. Content is reviewed by a member of the Bright team before publication. Guidance on legislation can be obtained from your industry body.