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Rick Stoor, MD at Templa, explains how the flexibility of management software has helped contractors through the turmoil of shifting staff levels during CV19.
Just as CV19 has brought out the best in the staff of cleaning contractors, business management software has helped contractors deal with challenges thrown at the industry by the pandemic. At Templa, we have not only helped contractors get the best out of existing functionality to handle CV19-related tasks, we have responded to completely new pandemic-related demands on contractors by delivering rapid software enhancements.
An example of existing functionality that has come into its own is the integrated design of our TemplaCMS workforce management software. The continuous transfer of operatives between sites in order to cover absence, staff deep cleans and respond to revised service levels, has a major effect on timesheets and pay. This challenge has been made easier for contractors using TemplaCMS enhanced functionality to re-roster staff from one location to another, taking with them their pay rates and holiday entitlements, as well as automatically updating time and attendance systems, timesheets and creating consolidated payslips to reflect the changes. It has been particularly helpful to contractors who have networked their HR, Payroll and Admin staff to work from home, meaning that both they and their field managers can continue to use TemplaCMS remotely and unhindered without having to worry about meetings, emails and phone calls to carry out the hundreds of adjustments.
Templa has also reacted promptly to support contractors through the furlough process, installing enhancements within TemplaCMS timesheets to automatically calculate furloughed staff pay based on the Govt’s Job Retention Scheme rules, rather than having to individually update each member of staff – again, a major chore across hundreds and thousands of staff. Whilst the payment of wages is receiving support, there is also a direct impact on revenues, so we have additionally provided automation to enable proportionate contract billing, where an agreed percentage payment has been negotiated with a contractor’s clients.
Templa is now on standby to respond to HMRC’s information requirements, when issued, for claiming refunds on furloughed pay. Templa will be liaising with contractors to assist with the extract of information they need to support the HMRC requirements of a claim, including employees, furlough periods, pay rates and hours worked, reconciled to 
each pay run, site and employee.
Of course, it is entirely appropriate that we should be able to support contractors in this way, allowing them to focus on dealing with the day-to-day challenge of CV19. What we are proud of, however, is how the underlying structure of our software allows us to make these changes in a way that is difficult to replicate with non-integrated systems.
