To assist users in transitioning to tax year 2026, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions below.
 

Q) Is it ok to import my data into 2026 BrightPay before my payroll is finished for the 2025 tax year?

A) We advise waiting until your payroll is fully completed for the current tax year before importing into the new tax year version. This will ensure the most accurate and up-to-date information is being imported from the previous tax year. 

Q) How do I import my data from 2025 BrightPay cloud into 2026 BrightPay cloud for the new tax year?

A) Please see our video tutorial on how to import your data into the new tax year from BrightPay for Windows here.

Your employer and employee details will now be imported into 2026 BrightPay.

Q) Do I need to set up my payment schedule for the new tax year?

A) When you import your employer from BrightPay cloud 2025 into 2026 your payment schedule will already be set up for the new tax year in line with your pay schedule from 2025. Please check the pay schedule is what you require.  You will be ready to start processing your payroll. 

Q) Are employees that were leavers in the previous tax year imported?

A) No employees that were processed as leavers in BrightPay in the previous tax year will not be imported. You can still access this information in the previous tax year.

Q) How do I import my data from 2025 BrightPay for Windows into 2026 BrightPay cloud for the new tax year?

A) Please see our step by step guide on how to import your data into the new tax year from BrightPay for Windows here. Your employer and employee details will now be imported into 2026 BrightPay.

Q) 2025 is currently set as the active year. How can I change it so that 2026 is the active year instead?

A) 

• Click the tax year (2025) at the top left corner of your BrightPay Browser Employers screen.
• Select "2026" from the dropdown menu.
• You’ll now be in the 2026 tax year and can start processing payroll.
• Once you are in this section, you can set a browser bookmark to this page. This way, you’ll be taken directly to the current year’s page by default when you log in.

Q) Why am I receiving an error message "The pay schedule has a first pay date before of the 2026 tax year. This is not allowed, you must go back and fix the schedule before you can continue" when I try to set up my schedule?

• This message is relating to the Pay date not being set in the new tax year (not the period end). The period end can be in the previous tax year ie week ending Tuesday 31st December 2025, but the pay date must be on 1st January 2026 or later for it to fall in the 2026 tax year.
• It is the payment date, not the period end which dictates which tax year the payment falls into.
• If you receive this message, check the 'By default, the pay date should be' field when setting up your schedule & ensure that this date falls into the 2026 tax year:

If you cannot see the 2026 tax year option in the dropdown menu, ensure that you are in the 'Browse Employers' screen to be able to access the new tax year. If it is still not showing, try to refresh your browser and then click on the tax year dropdown again to switch tax years.
 

Important: Once you move to a new year, make sure to bookmark it. This will simplify things each time you log in.

In BrightPay Cloud, you are only billed for employers that are active in the current tax year. If you have an employer that you do not wish to process payroll for in the new tax year, simply do not import that employer when starting the new tax year. If the employer is not imported, you will not be charged for them in that tax year. There is no need to delete the employer unless you want to permanently remove all their data from your account.

Important:
If you no longer wish to process payroll for an employer in the new tax year, do not delete the employer.
Simply do not import the employer into the new tax year during the rollover process. This will keep all historic payroll records safe in BrightPay Cloud for reference and audit purposes.

Only delete an employer if you are absolutely certain that all their payroll data, including all previous years, should be permanently removed from the system. Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.