Skip to main content

Parallel run and migration mode in Payroll Cloud

Ciphr Academy
Updated
cloudshape-step.svg

This article explains how to run a parallel payroll when moving to Ciphr Payroll Cloud from another provider. 

When you move your payroll to Ciphr Payroll Cloud from another provider, we recommend running at least one parallel pay run. It’s a trial run alongside your previous provider, so you can check everything is set up correctly and that the calculations match what you’re used to.

Contents

Migration mode

We can switch your account into Migration Mode for your parallel runs. A Migration Mode banner shows at the top of the screen until your account is switched back to Live Mode.

Migration Mode lets you:

  • Mark RTI submissions as complete, or submit them as a test instead of sending them to HMRC. See RTI in migration mode.
  • Change an employee’s pension. You can enrol them in the employee’s Pension tab. No pension letters are generated, even if they were previously set up.
  • Import an FPS to add year to date (YTD) figures. See Payroll Cloud - FPS Import. Employer pension contributions need to be added or imported separately.

Importing YTDs or FPS data changes an employee’s status from new starter to migrated.

 

Add year to date figures

Before you start your parallel run, enter each employee’s YTD figures. You can do this in bulk. See Ciphr Payroll Cloud templates: Employee Year to Date figures (YTDs).
 

Set up your pay and deduction elements

Make sure your company and employee pay elements are set up and ready to use:

Start your parallel run

Start when your YTDs are correct, your company setup is complete and your account is in Migration Mode. Enter the payments and deductions to be processed, then compare the results with your other software. Review any differences and correct them.

Check each employee’s pay against your previous system. These should all match:

  • Payments and deductions
  • Tax codes
  • NI table letters
  • Pension calculations

If anyone has benefits or deduction orders, review those too.
 

RTI in migration mode

If the pay runs match and you’re happy with the results, complete the pay run in Payroll Cloud.

If you’re submitting the FPS through your previous provider, go to Test Submit, then choose one of these:

  • Mark Complete: Once marked complete, you can’t submit the FPS to HMRC.
  • Test in Live: This submits the RTI only to test some of the validations, so it helps you spot errors. It isn’t added to the employer’s record.

 

Statutory sick pay and parental pay

You can import historic sickness absence and mark it as paid, so future sickness is calculated correctly. See Importing absence - Sickness Leave. SSP isn’t recoverable, so it isn’t included in employees’ YTD figures.

Note: If you’re migrating historic sickness that spans 6 April 2026, SSP eligibility and payment rules changed from that date. See Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Changes from April 2026 - summary.

Parental pay (SMP, SPP, SAP and so on) is recoverable, so it is included in YTDs. Recording the history can be harder for maternity and adoption pay, as they cover longer periods. The right approach depends on how much of the entitlement the employee has already used. See Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and Absence.

Note: Payroll Cloud can pay Statutory Maternity and Adoption Pay in weeks or pro-rated to the period. 

 

Payslips

Payslips created in Migration Mode look the same as live payslips, and employees can see them once they have access. 

We recommend adding a payslip note to your parallel run payslips, so employees know they’re migration payslips and should refer to their original ones. See Payslips and Notes.
 

Switch to live mode

When your parallel runs are finished, mark any RTIs that don’t need sending to HMRC as complete. Then contact your implementation consultant to switch your company back to Live Mode.
 

Related articles

 

Footer

Comments

0 comments

Article is closed for comments.