Questions to ask before someone files submissions in your name

Handing someone else the keys to your payroll submissions is like giving them your PIN — the consequences of carelessness land on you. Before you sign up with a payroll processor, you need to know which questions separate a reliable operator from someone who'll cut corners and leave you exposed to SARS penalties.

"How do you track what you've submitted and when?"

This matters because submissions happen on specific dates, and SARS knows when they land. A vague answer — "We keep it all organised" or "It's in our system somewhere" — is a red flag. A good answer names a tool: "We log every submission with its SARS receipt number, keep a calendar of deadlines for your specific pay dates, and send you a copy of each submission before we file it." Better still, they can walk you through their own submission tracker, even if it's a simple spreadsheet. What you're listening for is whether they track individual employee records alongside the bulk submissions; if they can't tell you the exact date an EMP201 or EMP501 landed or provide proof, they're not doing real reconciliation — they're just filing and hoping.

"What happens if SARS flags an error after you've submitted?"

SARS doesn't always catch mistakes on day one. A good processor has a procedure: they monitor for SARS feedback, they flag it to you immediately, and they tell you what correction they'll lodge and when. If they say "That's your problem now" or "We just file what you give us," they've just told you they don't verify their own work. Ask them: have they fixed an incorrect submission before? What's their process for amending a return? Do they check employee tax numbers against the names you provide to catch data-entry traps before they file? A processor who takes ownership at this stage is one who'll catch problems before SARS does — and that's worth its weight in rand.

Also ask what they do if *you* discover the error weeks later. Do they know how to lodge a corrected EMP201 or file a revised EMP501, or will they tell you to contact SARS yourself? The latter isn't a processor; it's a filing service that disappears the moment something goes sideways.

"How do you know your work is right before I sign it off?"

Many small businesses are under the impression that once they hand over payroll data, a processor's job is done. Wrong. A legitimate payroll processor should tell you they reconcile — they cross-check employee net pay, tax deductions, UIF contributions, and SDL payments line by line against your company records and the submissions they've prepared. If they can't explain their reconciliation method in plain terms, they probably aren't doing it. Listen for specifics: "I export the payroll run, compare it to the SARS template, check that total tax and UIF match the individual deductions, and flag any gaps." Vague answers like "We make sure the numbers look right" suggest they're eyeballing rather than verifying.

Also ask them: if there's a gap between what you paid and what they submitted, how will they tell you? Will they send you a reconciliation report every quarter, or only when you ask? A proactive processor volunteers to send you proof; a reactive one waits for you to chase.

The permission question

Before you hand over live employee data, ask: "Can you show me an example of a submission you've prepared for another client — with their names removed — so I can see what you actually file?" If they refuse, they either don't prepare their own submissions (someone else does and quality varies) or they're hiding poor work. A confident processor will show you.

Your payroll data isn't just operational — it's a record SARS will scrutinise if they audit you. The processor you hire needs to be someone who double-checks their own work, communicates clearly when errors surface, and can prove they reconcile. On Strove, verified payroll processors are rated by real clients on exactly these habits. Ask these questions, listen to the answers, and trust your gut if something doesn't stack up.