IRIS SOFTWARE LIMITED

Every Payroll by IRIS

Every Payroll By IRIS is a cloud-based payroll and pensions software system designed specifically for schools and trusts. It handles all education-specific nuances with ease from multiple posts and retrospective pay increases to teacher and local government pension scheme reporting. Every Payroll also integrates with Every HR by IRIS.

Features

• Multiple posts
• Pay spines
• Term-time contracts
• Automated back pay calculations
• Pension tiers and automatic post-level calculations
• TPS (MDR Only) and LGPS reporting
• HMRC DPS link
• HR system integration

Benefits

• Eliminate workarounds with our comprehensive education payroll
• Accurate pension contributions and reporting
• Automated processes save time and improve accuracy
• HMRC-recognised and RTI compliant
• Payroll managers are in control with powerful functionality
• Customisable report packs
• Cloud-native and works through a web browser
• Multi-academy trusts, can run as many payrolls as required

• 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 Bidteam@iris.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

728113774071981

Contact

Bid Team
0344 225 1525
Bidteam@iris.co.uk

About your service

• Service categories:

  Applications

  Enterprise resource management

  • Payroll management
• 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: Every HR by IRIS
• Cloud deployment model: Private cloud
• Service constraints: None
• System requirements:
  • Latest version modern web browser
  • Internet Connection

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: The Every by IRIS customer support team operating hours are 8am - 5pm Monday - Friday. This does mean that there is no weekend assistance and queries/updates will be provided the following working day.
• 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: Yes
• Web chat support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support accessibility standard: None or don’t know
• How the web chat support is accessible: Our web chat is compatible with screen readers. ; ; Our web chat widget can be affected by different zoom levels allowing users to view their messages clearly.; Chat transcripts can be sent to the user via email at the end of the conversation to help further.
• Web chat accessibility testing: We have not explored web chat testing with assistive technology.
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: The customer support team (post implementation/setup) are split across the UK and India. ; ; Our 1st line level support team are made up primarily with our colleagues in India.; ; Our 2nd and 3rd line level support team are based in the UK for more advanced queries and troubleshooting. ; ; The Every Customer Support team aim for the following response times:; • A monthly average pick up time of less than 15 seconds per incoming live chat. ; • A monthly average close time of less than 15 minutes per live chat session. ; • A monthly average close time of less than 2 working days per each customer support ticket whether escalated from live chat or emailed directly to support@weareevery.com (excludes tickets that require development investigation and data task requests). ; • Voicemails will be responded to within 24 hours. ; P1s are handled specifically by the 3rd line staff or team leader and will keep the client informed at every stage of the investigation through to resolution.
• Support available to third parties: Yes
• AI chatbot: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: To help users begin using our service, we provide a structured and supportive onboarding process designed to make the experience as smooth and intuitive as possible. When a user first joins, they are guided through clear step-by-step instructions that highlight the key features and functionalities most relevant to their needs. We also supply a range of easy-to-access resources, including help guides, video tutorials, and FAQs, so users can learn at their own pace.; ; In addition, our support team is readily available to offer personalized assistance, whether that involves answering specific questions, providing demonstrations, or helping users tailor the service to fit their goals. Throughout the onboarding journey, we aim to create an environment where users feel confident, informed, and well-supported. Our focus is on ensuring that every user transitions seamlessly into the service and has the foundation they need to achieve success from the very start; Our training covers the full functionality of each module, offering a thorough overview of their capabilities. ; ; The consultants follow a structured plan throughout your implementation to ensure that each dependency is achieved.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: CSV Exports and standard reports are available at the end of the contract.
• End-of-contract process: IRIS would be bound by GDPR regulations in proving a usable export for trust data in line with the time scales set out under GDPR at the end of the contract.
• Documentation accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AAA

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: No
• Service interface: No
• User support accessibility: None or don’t know
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: When you connect the Every Payroll API to your HR, accounting, payment, or time and attendance software. In a few simple clicks, you can seamlessly sync Every Payroll features (including PAYE, pension, and more) to other applications.; ; Every Payroll can also connect via API with Every HR by IRIS. Our education specific HR platform.; ; An IRIS owned MIS API integration is in development which will allow a better level of integration between MIS systems and Every HR.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats: Open API (also known as Swagger)
• API sandbox or test environment: No
• Customisation available: No

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Every Payroll ensures user demands are met through Microsoft Azure’s elastic cloud infrastructure, which automatically scales resources in response to workload spikes. When multiple clients run payroll simultaneously, Azure dynamically provisions additional computing power, storage, and bandwidth to maintain consistent performance. Load balancing distributes traffic evenly across servers, preventing bottlenecks and ensuring smooth operation. High availability architecture with redundancy and failover mechanisms guarantees resilience, while continuous monitoring detects demand surges early and triggers scaling actions. This design isolates customer workloads, meaning heavy usage by one client never impacts another, ensuring reliable, fast, and uninterrupted payroll processing regardless of demand levels.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Customers can export reports and review the analytics of many modules within Every Payroll.
• Reporting types: Reports on request
• Resource tagging: No
• FOCUS resource tagging: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Staff screening not performed
• Government security clearance: None

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: In-house
• Protecting data at rest: Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Equipment disposal approach: A third-party destruction service
• Data sanitisation type:
  • Deleted data can’t be directly accessed / Cryptographic Erasure
  • Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation / Secure Erase

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Users can export their data via a CSV.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats:
  • PDF
  • Excel
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data import formats:
  • Excel
  • XML

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks:
  • Private network or public sector network
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
• Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: The Every Customer Support team aim for the following response times:; • A monthly average pick up time of less than 15 seconds per incoming live chat. ; • A monthly average close time of less than 15 minutes per live chat session. ; • A monthly average close time of less than 2 working days per each customer support ticket whether escalated from live chat or emailed directly to support@weareevery.com (excludes tickets that require development investigation and data task requests). ; • Voicemails will be responded to within 24 hours. ; P1s are handled specifically by the 3rd line staff or team leader and will keep the client informed at every stage of the investigation through to resolution.
• Approach to resilience: Every Payroll service is designed for resilience through Microsoft Azure’s highly available cloud infrastructure. The system employs redundancy and failover mechanisms so if one server fails, another seamlessly takes over. Regular encrypted backups are stored across multiple secure locations, ensuring recovery from data loss or corruption. Disaster recovery planning provides rapid restoration in case of major incidents. Continuous monitoring detects performance issues early, triggering automated corrective actions. Workload isolation ensures one client’s demand or failure does not affect others. Together, these measures guarantee reliable, secure, and uninterrupted payroll processing even during unexpected failures or demand spikes.
• Outage reporting: We have a tool called Gainssight for reporting outages and additional communications will be via emails.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Those with support level access can only view companies which have support access enabled. This is set by the customer.
• Access restriction testing frequency: Less than once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: User-defined
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: User-defined
• How long system logs are stored for: User-defined

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: Cyber Essentials
• Information security policies and processes: IRIS Group Data Protection Policy V3; IRIS Information Security and Acceptable Use Policies Summary V3; IRIS Data classification and handling policy; Personal data incidents reporting procedure; Engineering Personal Data Breach Policy
• Software Security Code of Practice: No

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Change management controls have been implemented to ensure satisfactory control of all changes. Major architectural changes are reviewed by an architecture review board (ARB) for security, service level, and complexity issues. All versions due for release to any client must have prior undergone Every Payroll’s Quality Assurance and Release Management process to ensure that changes to issued software are controlled, have been thoroughly tested, and are of high quality.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: IRIS Group IT and the Every Payroll Team ensure that internal systems are regularly patched with the operating system and software updates.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: Every identifies potential compromises through continuous monitoring of its Microsoft Azure environment, using automated alerts, intrusion detection, and audit logs to flag unusual activity. When a potential compromise is detected, incidents are escalated immediately to the security team for investigation. Responses follow a defined incident management process: containment, eradication, and recovery, ensuring minimal disruption. Every Payroll commits to rapid response, typically within minutes of detection, leveraging Azure’s real-time monitoring tools. Protective monitoring includes 24/7 surveillance, log analysis, vulnerability scanning, and strict access controls. These measures ensure threats are quickly identified, addressed, and resolved to maintain secure, resilient payroll operations.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: Personal data incidents are investigated by the Every Payroll Support & Development Information Asset Managers and in accordance with the IRIS group Incident Reporting and investigation procedure. The investigation will involve and be validated by the Group Data Protection Officer who will inform and advise the Every Payroll Information Asset Owner regarding communication to the affected Client or Clients directly without any undue delay and also will inform the Information Commissioner’s Office as appropriate.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: No

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Conforms to a recognised standard, but self-assessed

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: Bsi
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: Sunday 13 October 2024
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: Some regions where ISO is not the prevalent standard, for example North America, are not covered by our ISO Certifications and in those regions we have other assurance frameworks like SOC1 and SOC2.; ; Our Every HR is not actively ISO 27001 compliant but is working towards.
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO 9001 certification: Bsi
• ISO 9001 accreditation date: Tuesday 21 January 2025
• What the ISO 9001 doesn’t cover: Some regions where ISO is not the prevalent standard, for example ; ; North America, are not covered by our ISO Certifications and in those regions we have other assurance frameworks like SOC1 and SOC2.
• Quality management systems (QMS): Yes
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: Yes
• Who accredited the PCI DSS certification: Foregenix Ltd
• PCI DSS accreditation date: Friday 4 April 2025
• What the PCI DSS doesn’t cover: Only our PayPlus environment is covered by our PCI certification. No sensitive payment card information is processed or stored in any IRIS environment and all processing activities are outsourced.
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: 2896d6f0-b1c8-4f71-8256-596356f682e0
• Cyber essentials plus: No
• Cyber Essentials Alternative: You do not have a current and valid Cyber Essentials Plus certificate, or will not have in place within 12 months of the date of award but have an IASME certified equivalent.
• Other security certifications: No

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
    • New apprenticeships on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b
    • 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
    • Plans for an appropriate income replacement policy for staff who are required to spend time away from work to care for a sick dependent or close relative
    • 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
    • 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
    • Delivery of apprenticeships, supported internships and T Level industry placement opportunities (Level 2, 3 and 4+) in relation 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 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
    • 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
    • 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.
    • Plans to respond flexibly and adapt approaches to community engagement and initiatives

  • 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
    • Collaborative ways of working with the supply chain to deliver additional environmental benefits in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
    • Delivery of additional environmental benefits through 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
    • Creation of employment opportunities particularly for those who face barriers to employment, such as prison leavers, care leavers and/or who are located in deprived areas, and for people in industries with known skills shortages or in high growth sectors
    • Delivery of training schemes and programmes to address any identified skills gaps and under-representation in the workforce for the contract (e.g. prison leavers, care leavers, kinship carers, disabled people)
    • Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort
    • 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
    • Other measures to provide equality of opportunity for disabled people and those with health conditions into employment, including becoming a Disability Confident employer and inclusion of supported businesses in the contract supply chain
    • 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
    • Other measures to offer development opportunities for the target cohort(s) in the contract workforce
    • Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort
    • Understanding of issues relating to entering the contract workforce
    • Creation of outreach activities to create a pipeline of employees for the future contract delivery
    • Content of the outreach activity is designed to suit the target cohort
    • Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort

  • 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 Bidteam@iris.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.