Moving payroll from Excel to software: a checklist for Nigerian businesses
Most Nigerian businesses start payroll in Excel, and most reach a point where it no longer copes: more staff, more allowances, the new tax law, and nobody else who understands the spreadsheet. Moving to software is less work than people expect if you gather the right data first. Here is the checklist we use with new clients.
October 2026 · 5 min read
1. Gather your employee data
- Full name, staff ID, job title, department, branch and start date
- Bank name and account number for every employee
- Tax Identification Number (TIN) and the state where they are taxed
- Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) and RSA PIN
- NHF number, where applicable
2. Write down your salary structure
List every earning and deduction you use: basic, housing, transport and other allowances, plus loans, salary advances and any other deductions. Note which items count towards pension, because that changes the pension and PAYE figures.
3. Collect year-to-date figures
If you switch mid-year, you need each employee's gross pay and PAYE so far this year, so payslips and annual figures stay correct. Take them from your last spreadsheet payroll.
4. Import, then check one month side by side
Import your employees from a spreadsheet rather than typing them in. Then run one month in the software alongside your spreadsheet and compare net pay, PAYE and pension for every employee. Differences are usually an allowance set up the wrong way or an old tax rule left in the spreadsheet, so investigate each one before you go live.
5. Go live and switch on self-service
- Approve your first live payroll and pay through your bank as usual
- Give employees access to their payslips on their phones
- Keep the final spreadsheet as your record of the switch-over month
How we help
Implementation on every 234 Solutions plan covers the import, your pay set-up, admin training and go-live support for your first payroll, so your team is not doing the migration alone. Book a consultation and bring a copy of last month's payroll to see it run.