ACCESS SYSTEMS (UK) LIMITED

Payments and Cash Management Automation Software

The AccessPay platform enables organisations to securely connect their back-office systems (ERP, Treasury Management System, Payroll System) to UK (Bacs, Faster Payments, CHAPS) and International (SWIFT, SEPA) payment schemes. Enhanced workflows and role based profiles mean that payment approval and submission can be controlled centrally and processes enforced.

Features

• Bacs Approved Payments Software
• Direct Debit Collections
• Bacs Approved Bureau Software
• Multi-bank connectivity & Secure integrations
• Confirmation of Payee
• International Payments
• Secure Access & Fraud/Error Prevention
• Enhanced customisable Workflows
• Reporting & Alerting
• Automated bank statement retrieval & visualisation

Benefits

• Automated payments direct to scheme
• Easily manage high volumes of Direct Debits or Credits
• Easy, centralized management of local government payroll
• Remove risks of fraud associated with manually processing payment files
• Name checking verification to reduce misdirected payments
• Fast access to cash position data across your banking estate
• Only approved staff are able to access critical payment data
• Systemic enforcement of processes and control
• Alerts warn of potential errors
• Fully customisable to work how you want to work

• Education pricing available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at Charles.haworth@accesspay.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

104230655664566

Contact

Charles Haworth
+44 (0) 161 250 7778
Charles.haworth@accesspay.com

About your service

• Service categories:

  Applications

  Enterprise resource management

  Financial

  • Financial and Accounting Applications
  • Treasury and Risk Management Applications
• Multi cloud support: No

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: Yes, but can also be used as a standalone service
• What software services is the service an extension to: ERP, CRM, Payroll and Treasury Management Systems - anything that creates payment or collection files
• Cloud deployment model: Public cloud
• Service constraints: No
• System requirements: Modern Browser - Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, etc

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Support operation times is Monday to Friday 8 am to 6 pm. Response times are detailed in our SLA policy.; ; We have a 15 min SLA to respond to new queries; ; SLA's for tickets are tiered according to severity and business impact.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: No
• Support levels: AccessPay service hours are Mon-Fri 08:00 - 18:00 with extended hours to 22:30 for Severity 1 incidents.; Support incidents are assessed and categorised against service levels, which as follows;; Severity 1: Incident resulting in total loss of core functionality with sever business impact to customer eg unable to submit or process any files. Severity 2: Incident resulting in loss of some core functionality e.g., stuck files or unable to process specific files.; Severity 3: Incident involving single user issues which has the potential to be escalated if a solution or workaround is not found or a workaround is available.; Severity 4: Cosmetic or minor issue, causing minor inconvenience to customers.; Target Resolution Times are as follows;; Severity 1: Response SLA - 15 mins | Target Resolution: 2 hours | Escalation to Management: Immediate | Update Frequency: 30 mins.; Severity 2: Response SLA - 30 mins | Target Resolution: 4 hours | Escalation to Management: 1 hour | Update Frequency: 1 hour; Severity 3: Response SLA - 1 hour | Target Resolution: 24 office hours | Escalation to Management: by exception ; Severity 4: Response SLA - 1 working day | Target Resolution: 5 business days
• Support available to third parties: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Every new AccessPay client is given a dedicated implementation consultant to guide them through the onboarding process. The onboarding process itself consists of three milestones;; 1. Discovery - Define roles and responsibilities (Client, AccessPay, Bank), establish governance, collect data and sample files.; 2. Build - Complete file transformations, Set-up users, Configure workflows, Set-up file configuration.; 3. Test and Go-live - File testing with banks and connectivity testing, remote training, Client UAT with bank(s).; Typical project governance and communication cadence;; - Weekly progress call - Weekly progress reports; - Increased frequency of calls and updates during testing and go-live; - Full handover to live.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: At end of contract customers can request a copy of their data or can request that their data is deleted. We ask that the request is made within 30 days of termination, outstanding fees be paid and data will be provided in a CSV format.
• End-of-contract process: Customers that wish to cancel their subscription with AccessPay must do so in writing 30 days before the annual renewal date. The request to cancel can be made to either of the Customer Operations Team, our Finance team or directly with your Customer Success or Account Manager. Once acceptance of the request to cancel has been confirmed by AccessPay, removal of access for all client users will be initiated at a date agreed by both parties.
• Documentation accessibility standard: None or don’t know
• How the documentation is accessible: Customers that wish to cancel their subscription with AccessPay must do so in writing 30 days before the annual renewal date. The request to cancel can be made to either of the Customer Operations Team our Finance Team or directly with your Customer Success or Account Manager. Once acceptance of the request to cancel has been confirmed by AccessPay, removal of access for all client users will be initiated at a date agreed by both parties.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: AccessPay is a reactive browser based solution.; When accessing the platform website through a mobile device users are limited to the dashboard and the approval function.
• Service interface: No
• User support accessibility: None or don’t know
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: The AccessPay External Web API supports server-to-server interactions such as those between an ERP system and an AccessPay service.; All Schemes (Bacs, FPS, Swift and Host-to-Host) are supported.; ; The AccessPay Open API supports payment initiation, either through bulk files or via single or bulk submission in a JSON payload, as well as updates on payment statuses.; It also allows for access to balance and transaction information from underlying banks and collection of reports from the BACS scheme.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats: Open API (also known as Swagger)
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: The AccessPay platform can be customised in the following ways;; ; Payments Automation (UK and International Payment Schemes);; - Role based profiles; - Workflow rules that segregate user duties within the software (create workflows by payment type, eg payroll and by area, eg Schools payroll with designated submitters and approvers in each).; ; It is client nominated Administrative users who have the ability to add and remove users, create new workflows and alter role profiles.; ; Reports can be generated and scheduled to meet customer's requirements.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: We proactively manage capacity to ensure AccessPay can provide a service level availability of up to 99.5% for the service hours of your support contract

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: AccessPay provide the following metrics as part of our customer success progamme;; ; - Active users; - Transaction volume and value throughput reports; - Usage reports; - Service availability reports; - Incident management performance
• Reporting types:
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Regular reports
  • Reports on request
• Resource tagging: No
• FOCUS resource tagging: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations:
  • United Kingdom
  • European Economic Area (EEA)
• User control over data storage and processing locations: No
• Datacentre security standards: Managed by a third party
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: ‘IT Health Check’ performed by a CHECK service provider
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v4.0
  • Physical access control, complying with SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
  • Physical access control, complying with another standard
  • Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001
• Data sanitisation type: Data Erasure

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Users with permission levels can export their data as .xls or .pdf
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats: PDF
• Data import formats: Other
• Other data import formats: Xls

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: Other
• Other protection between networks: Connection is made via manual upload of file, sure SFTP or secure API.
• Data protection within supplier network:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • Other
• Other protection within supplier network: Encryption for data in transit (minimum TLS 1.2) and rest (AES 256).

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: AccessPay aim to provide a service level availability of up to 99.5% for the service hours of your support contract, with the exception of:; • Agreed routine maintenance windows; • Scheduled downtime; • Disruption / outages beyond the control of AccessPay Systems; Service availability is calculated monthly using our automated monitoring.
• Approach to resilience: Available on request.
• Outage reporting: In the event of service outage, AccessPay will notify the clients stated business and technical contacts via email at the intervals outlined below according to the incident priority levels;; ; Severity 1 - Urgent: Every 30 mins; Severity 2 - High: Every 1 hour; Severity 3 - Medium: Not Applicable; Severity 4 - Low: Not Applicable

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Other user authentication: For customers SSO and SSO with MFA is available.
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: AccessPay operates Role Based Access Controls based on the principle of least privilege and requires permissions from clients in some cases to get access to their data for support purposes. Access to systems is monitored and recorded for audit and monitoring purposes.; Users have clear role separations in the AccessPay solution and only approved users can contact AccessPay for support.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Username or password

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• How long system logs are stored for: At least 12 months

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards:
  • ISO/IEC 27001
  • Other
• Other security governance standards: SOC 2 Type 1.
• Information security policies and processes: Process and policies based on ISO 27001, ISO 22301 and SOC 2 security framework. Policies and processes align to Information Management System and examples include: Access Control and Training Policy, Asset Management Policy, Acceptable Use, Data Protection Policy, Risk Management, Supplier Management, Password Policy, Incident Management Policy, Logging and Monitoring, Configuration and Hardening, Secure Development, Vulnerability Management Policy, Change and Release Management, Service Management and Quality.; Controls are reviewed by internal and external audits, policy review, and regular reporting to senior management.
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: We follow set configuration standards including: user configuration, network configuration, operating systems, application security, logging and monitoring requirements, patching and vulnerability, subject to change management process, and back up and restoration in place.; ; We follow Change management process with dedicated release manager and roles and responsibilities defined. Different types of change have been identified and depending on change an approval process is followed including risk assessment, impact of change, testing and rollback planning. All changes tracked in Jira and include approval flow including approver groups and CAB and documentation is retained.
• Vulnerability management type: Complies with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0 or SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: Threats are assessed using CVSS scoring and fixed based on the following score classifications;; Critical (CVSS 9+) < 2 Weeks; High (CVSS 7+) < 1 Month; Medium (CVSS 4+) < 3 Months; We collect information from security tooling, government and private agencies, for example new vulnerabilities that have been recorded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and National Vulnerability Database (NVD).
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: Potential compromises/threats are identified using SIEM, vulnerability scanning, file integrity check, log monitoring, user activity monitoring and in-house-built application and system monitoring solutions which notifies abnormalities to our Security Team who react based on severity of the notification. Updates are provided hourly and most of the issues closed same day if no third party is involved.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: AccessPay users can notify AccessPay of incidents via Customer Portal, email or telephone. AccessPay operation teams monitor platform to identify incidents. Incidents are impact assessed and prioritized according to the following standards.; ; Critical - Severe impact on the ability of staff to work/support business operations impacting on the function of client facing systems; ; High - Severe impact on the ability of staff to work/support business operations but no impact to client facing systems; ; Medium- Limited impact on the ability of staff to work/support business operations.; ; Low - Minimal, if any, impact; ; Reports are provided to named business contacts as requested.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: No

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Independent review of processes (for example CESG CPA Build Standard, ISO/IEC 27034, ISO/IEC 27001 or CSA CCM v4.0)

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Pricing

• Discount for educational organisations: Yes
• Free trial available: No

Discount percentage by annual call-off contract value (excluding VAT)

• Less than £250,000: 0%
• Between £250,000 and £500,000: 0%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 0%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 0%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 0%
• Over £5,000,001: 0%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: 18807-ISMS-001
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: Friday 30 September 2022
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: Covers services provided by G Cloud.
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO 9001 certification: Alcumus ISOQAR
• ISO 9001 accreditation date: Thursday 20 April 2023
• What the ISO 9001 doesn’t cover: Covers scope of G Cloud services.
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: B5e1e065-484a-4ebd-87cc-37aacc2ec919
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number: 3a7a6e1a-a44d-4f16-bc14-9e317c86d940
• Other security certifications: Yes
• Any other security certifications:
  • SOC 2 Type 1
  • ISO 22301
  • ISO 20000
  • ISO 27701

Social value

• Section B - Commitment for Future: Delivery:

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 1: Fair work: That offers fair wages and good working conditions. Help people get a job, stay in work, and progress in their careers, with good employment opportunities across the country. Notes: Where there is a large proportion of labour costs in the contract, commercial teams should consider MAC in Outcome 1 as a priority

    • New or retained jobs on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b, 1c and 1d
    • Providing opportunities for, and measuring and monitoring of, staff workforce conditions over time, including employee engagement, involvement in decision-making and satisfaction and adapting to any changes in the results, with clear processes for acting on issues identified
    • Plans to engage the contract workforce in deciding the most important workplace issues to address
    • Ensuring new workers are informed of their right to join a trade union
    • Monitoring of employee engagement rates (by protected characteristic) and, where necessary, the development of actions to ensure all voices are heard across the diversity of the workforce
    • Employment contracts that reflect actual hours worked; steps taken to ensure employees understand their contracts and have the ability to review and adjust them if actual hours regularly exceed contracted hours
    • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about, and feel empowered to, address their physical wellbeing
    • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about and feel empowered to report and address bullying and harassment
    • Activities to cascade good practice on fair working conditions throughout the supply chain
    • Offer a pay and leave entitlement to all eligible staff who become kinship carers, ideally equivalent to statutory adoption pay and leave
    • Payment of more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (as appropriate) to the contract workforce
    • Monitoring and reporting of gender and ethnicity pay gaps and plans to address them where necessary
    • Entitlement to sick pay for the contract workforce, with provision in place for any staff who do not meet the earnings threshold for statutory sick pay, payment of sick pay from day one of absence and payment of staff on the contract workforce who are off sick a replacement income of 100% of their usual earnings for as long as possible
    • Understanding of in-work progression issues affecting the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
    • Measures to support in-work progression to help people in the contract workforce, to move into higher paid work by developing new skills relevant to the contract
    • Support for the contract workforce by providing career advice, and providing opportunities for staff working on the contract with in-work progression career development into known skills shortages or high growth areas
    • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
    • Volunteering opportunities for staff
    • Understanding of the modern slavery risks and issues affecting the market, industry, sector or country (of origin or of source) relevant to the contract, and the workforce in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key subcontractors
    • Measures to identify, mitigate and manage modern slavery risks relating to the contract and how these will be implemented
    • Outline policies and practices to be applied to or put in place for the contract to mitigate and manage modern slavery risks, including: Pre-employment checks, recruitment practices. Workplace conditions, safeguarding plans and processes in place and regular monitoring with relevant groups considered, which may include sampling
    • How these flow down the supply chain and are monitored Illustrative examples include reporting, site visits, audits, etc.
    • How to ensure business decisions re: price/cost, short lead times, payment timescales do not create modern slavery risks in the supply chain
    • How the supplier will work with NGOs, trade unions or other businesses to address modern slavery risk
    • Means of influencing staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders with respect to modern slavery risks relating to the contract

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 2: Skills for growth: Supporting growth sectors and addressing skills gaps.

    • Understanding of employment and relevant skills issues, and of the education and training issues relating to the contract. Illustrative examples: demographics, skills shortages, new opportunities in high growth sectors, geographic/local community and skills/employment challenges
    • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
    • Activities to support relevant sector related skills growth and sustainability in the contract workforce. Illustrative examples: careers talks, curriculum support, literacy support, safety talks and volunteering

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 3: Resilient, innovative and flexible supply chains: Support economic growth through enabling resilient businesses, opportunities for small businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises

    • Understanding of the types of businesses in the market and the level of participation by new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals
    • Activities to identify opportunities to open up sub-contracts under the prime contract to a diverse range of businesses, including new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals
    • Plans for engaging a diverse range of businesses in engagement activities prior to appointing subcontractors (including activities prior to award of the main contract and during the contract term)
    • Activities that demonstrate a collaborative way to work with a diverse range of businesses as part of the supply chain
    • Ensuring accessibility to contracting and subcontracting opportunities for disabled business owners and employees
    • Structuring of the supply chain selection process to ensure fairness (e.g. anti-corruption) and encourages participation by a diverse range of businesses, including with regard to new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutual
    • Understanding of local demographics, needs and opportunities for the co-design of the goods, services and works to be delivered under the contract
    • Methods for engaging with different parts of the community (including the education system and charities representing the community) and how communities come together to inform decisions, strategy and projects to leave a positive legacy for future generations
    • Measures to involve local stakeholders and/or users in design (e.g. in the design of services, systems, products or buildings)
    • Plans for positive actions with community groups.
    • Measures for making facilities used in the delivery of the contract available for community groups, education or training
    • Measures to engage users and communities and build relationships to increase community integration build trust and influence how the contract is delivered
    • Plans to respond flexibly and adapt approaches to community engagement and initiatives
    • Support for community-led initiatives relevant to the contract. Illustrative examples: improving transport links; reducing loneliness; helping with English language proficiency; and facilitating social mixing among people with different backgrounds
    • Collaborating with anchor institutions and community groups to make facilities available for education, training or community events

  • Mission: Make Britain a clean energy superpower: To cut bills, create jobs and deliver security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030, accelerating to net zero

    Policy Outcome 4: Sustainable procurement practices: Reducing carbon footprints, minimising waste, and promoting the use of clean energy and green technologies.

    • Understanding of opportunities for additional environmental benefits delivery in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
    • Understanding of how to influence staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders through the delivery of the contract to support climate and nature protection and improvement
    • Activities to reconnect people with the environment and increase awareness of ways to protect and enhance it

  • Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain

    Policy Outcome 6: Employment and training: For those who face barriers to employment

    • Understanding of employment and skills issues, and of the skills and employment shortages of high growth sectors relating to the contract
    • Understanding of the issues affecting the representation of disabled people in the workforce in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
    • Collection of the views and expertise of disabled people and their representative organisations on successfully supporting disabled employees or applicants
    • Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, and retention-focused activities, including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition
    • Introducing transparency to pay and reward processes
    • Offering a range of quality opportunities with routes of progression if appropriate, e.g. T Level industry placements, students supported into higher level apprenticeships.
    • Working conditions which promote an inclusive working environment and promote retention and progression
    • Understanding of the issues affecting inequality in employment, skills and pay in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors. Measures to tackle inequality in employment, skills and pay in the contract workforce
    • Inclusive and accessible development practices, including guidance for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition

  • Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain

    Policy Outcome 7: Creating a pipeline of opportunities: For the contract workforce, reducing barriers to entry for under-represented groups.

    • Understanding of the issues affecting the development of new skills by target cohort
    • Understanding of the underlying factors affecting improvements to reduce barriers to entry and training schemes for the target cohort(s) related to the contract workforce
    • Understanding of issues relating to entering the contract workforce

  • Mission: Build an NHS fit for the future: That is there when people need it; with fewer lives lost to the biggest killers; in a fairer Britain, where everyone lives well for longer.

    Policy Outcome 8: Increasing productivity through physical and mental wellbeing: In the supply chain and communities in the relevant area.

    • Understanding of issues relating to health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health, in the contract workforce
    • Understanding barriers to access to health and social care services or employment opportunities e.g. digital inclusion
    • Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, development practices and retention policies that support-focused activities including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing which support people with a disability or health condition
    • Actions to invest in the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the contract workforce

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at Charles.haworth@accesspay.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.