It is now possible to record the geolocations of activities logged through Platinum Online's "Technician Activity" and "Employee Activity" options.

These geolocations can be viewed using the "Labour Activity Report", "Employee Activity Report" and "Workshop Report Generator".

The pre-invoice account status check has been improved to include real time information as well as checking the status set on the account. By default this will alert users to invoices outside of trading terms.

• This real time status check can be configured to use a report generator report if you require a custom status check. Please be aware that there will be a significant time delay each time a report based check takes place.

You can now view and print an overview of logged employee activities using the "Employee Activity Report".

Changes to Platinum's "Payroll" module that allow you to start processing the year 2019/20, including:

• Printed report P11 has been updated for the new tax year.
• Updated UK PAYE tax rates and bandwidths for 6th April.
• Updated Scottish PAYE tax rates and bandwidths for 6th April.
• New: Added Welsh PAYE tax rates and bandwidths for 6th April.
• Updated Class 1 National Insurance Contributions rates.
• Updated SSP rates.
• Updated SMP/SAP/SPP/ShPP rates.
• Updated Collection of Student Loans "Plan 1" and "Plan 2" thresholds.
• New:Added Collection of Student Loans "Postgraduate Loans" thresholds and rates.

• Operating PAYE in real time, aka Real Time Information - or RTI:

  • Full Payment Submission (FPS), which happens automatically when you close off a period, has been updated for the year 2019/20.
  • Employer Payment Summary (EPS) has been updated for the year 2019/20 (to clarify this, the year is included in the option name).
  • If you have not yet submitted your final EPS for 2018/19 then you can still do this by selecting the "2018/19 Final submission for the year" box, or going to "End of Year Payroll Routines" -> "Employer Payment Summary".
• For employers who have chosen to opt in to the new system of deducting tax for certain expenses and benefits in kind through the payroll, you must now record details of company car and fuel benefits in the payroll to be included in your Full Payment Submissions (FPS). Platinum's "Payroll" module now supports this. See How do I Record Benefits in Kind? for more information.

• See Payroll End of Year for more information, including details of changes you must make yourself that are not handled automatically, including:

  • Altering employee tax codes.
  • Increasing Automatic Enrolment pension contributions.

• As always, look out for any other Payroll release announcements in Platinum Updates news.

The Booking & Hire module now has its own "Report Generator".

This will allow you to extract, report on and analyse information pertaining to all aspects of bookings past and present, enhancing your productivity and profitability.

• For more information see Booking and Hire and our Getting Started articles on the Knowledge Base.

Changes to Platinum's "Payroll" module that allow you to process your end-of-year 2018/19, including:

• Printed report P60 has been updated for this year's stationary.

• "Monthly Procedures/Reports" -> "Internet Filing of Returns" is ready to support the final EPS for the 2018/19 year.

• See also the 2019/20 Year-Start update. This will allow you to move on to start processing the new payroll year, including updates to the system of operating PAYE in real time, aka Real Time Information - or RTI.

• See our knowledge base article Payroll End of Year for more details.

We have added stock list export support to Platinum for use with the 'Bepco' website.

Export from Platinum

• Using the Shift+F3 (Order export report) in the "Add/Edit/Process Purchase Orders" at the order or order item listing will output items on the current order for uploading to the Bepco website.

• For more information see the Bepco section on the Knowledge Base.

Hire Items can now have a status assigned to them from "Hire Item Properties".

Additionally it is possible to mark a status as retired. Hire Items with a retired status will not appear in "Hire Item Availability" and will not be available on new "Customer Bookings".

• See our Knowledge Base article for further details.

You can now print labels to match the quantity of products you are assembling in "Build Specific Products". You can enable printing by entering the label code to use in the label section.

The "Stock Enquiries" option has been given the Windows "look-and-feel".

You can now search for stock items by their location.

• As this part of Platinum has been given the Windows look-and-feel the Home (on-line help) and End (functions) keys now work the way Windows uses them (i.e. Home goes to the beginning of whatever you are accepting and End goes to the end) so you should use the alternative help keys listed below:
• The F11 key should be used for the on-line help.
• The F12 key or the "Functions" menu should be used to access the function keys available.
• Buttons have been given a shortcut key (F?) for use in Macros and anyone not wanting to use the mouse.
• Windows may be repositioned and changed in size - these changes will be remembered from one Platinum session to another.
• The columns in lists can be moved or resized by dragging the heading for the column you wish to configure - these changes will be remembered from one Platinum session to another.
• Any tabs can be moved by dragging the heading for the tab to the new position - this new position will be remembered from one Platinum session to another.