1 Cloud-based technology from AVERT Solutions Compliance Invoicing & Tax Software software specifically designed for the security industry To date over 120 security businesses have now been removed from the SIA Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS). Many security businesses who contacted us could have prevented their ACS removal by using our cloud technology and compliance tools. It seemed from our research many of these businesses either did not take compliance very seriously or they simply did not have the tools to prevent non-compliance. AVERT Solutions (AVERT) is a software company that specialises in building cloud-based compliance invoicing and tax payroll software. CONTENT PAGE What is cloud technology? 2 How compliant is your business? 3 AVERT Tracker Compliance Worker tool 4 Technology Overview 5 Our goal is to provide intelligent cloud software to support any business that falls under the ACS. If the Government approves the new SIA policy that every security firm must be registered under ACS, how would your business survive without the ACS license? AVERT is all about averting issues before they happen so are you: Technology Overview cont d The Power of the AVERT cloud Who should be using AVERT Invoicing? AVERT Fees 6 7 8 9 100% sure your business is SIA, IR35 & Home Office compliant? White Label Software 10 100% sure every security guard has the right to work in the UK? Industry Sectors 11 100% sure every security guard is genuinely self-employed? 100% sure every security guard is HMRC compliant and pays taxes? 100% sure every security guard takes all the risks and their compliance data upon inspection is readily available?
2 What is cloud technology? More and more security businesses are moving to the cloud. Why? Cloud-based technology is software that has been built to operate in the cloud (world wide web). What this means in practice is that the software does not need to be downloaded to a specific machine, but can simply be accessed via the Internet through your PC, Mac, Tablet, Smartphone, etc. Cloud-based technology is the next evolution of systems management software. Using the cloud means that all parties involved will have instant access to their relevant information 24/7 from any web enabled device. This translates into greater productively by driving down costs and increasing efficiency. Sharing information is essential to any business and any delays could be the difference between your business being in profit or making a loss. AVERT technology is the difference that makes the difference. Why should you use cloud tools? If your business manages security guard (workers) then you will be saving time and money by using our cloud software. Our cloud-based technology will allow you and your team to verify every worker prior and after engagement plus, you will get the additional tools to manage contracts, timesheets, invoices, invoice factoring and invoice payments all in real-time from any web enabled device without having to download third party software. If you need to track where your workers are working, we can help with this as well. Once logged in, all parties will have the ability to exchange information instantly which eliminates the requirement of duplicate data entry and cross-system communication. The end result is increased efficiency, lower costs and higher profits. Saving money by using cloud tools AVERT Invoicing offers: The ability to trial our software for free. Overhead reduction guarantee. Reduce business risks such as employment tribunals. Preventing ACS removal Preventing new home Office civil penalties of 20,000 Global business expansion without having to move office or acquire extra space in your current office. Eliminates incorrect timesheet payment and credit notes.
3 How compliant is your business? Any security business that trades in the UK must be compliant or they could face civil penalties and even custodial sentence. Imagine if the Home Office, HMRC, SIA or similar regulatory body audited your business and found your business being non-compliant. What would that do to your business financially and your business s reputation? The AVERT Invoicing software has been built with compliance in mind. Below you can read about our free IR35 compliance test to help you become fully compliant and on page 4, you can read about the AVERT Tracker on helping your workers comply to being self-employed and having the Right to Work in the UK. IR35Test Within our software we have designed a free IR35 compliance tool that will help you verify if your business is likely to fail a Fit & Proper audit. Once the IR35 test is completed the software will provide you with an overview of your IR35 test results. Note: Many factors influence the IR35 compliance of your business, most of which revolve around how you interact with your workers. Some key factors to keep in mind are: Are your business contracts compliant with your clients and workers? Are your workers seen to be taking all the risks? Do your workers hold adequate and valid business insurance? Do you have the correct service contract in place between your business and your workers? Are you implementing the correct taxation practices to insure you re not defined as The Employer? If SIA audited today, could you instantly produce a report to show every workers had the right to work, are genuinely self-employed and are fully compliant? About the IR35 Test data If you only decide to use our software just for the IR35 test, we will hold this data for you for free and securely. You will be able to login at any time and update your test if you make any changes. If you are ever audited by HMRC you can use our free IR35 test report to help demonstrate that you are compliant in the areas where you obtained green approval lights.
4 AVERT Tracker Compliance Worker tool When you hire or sub-contract out a worker, did you know that your business could be liable if any worker is found not to be genuinely self-employed or to have the right to work in the UK? AVERT Tracker The AVERT Tracker tool is an interactive online questionnaire which allows your workers to complete and upload key information and documentation demonstrating their eligibility to work in the UK. This information verifies each worker is genuinely self-employed and has the Right to Work in a specific environment and helps to keep your business protected. In addition, the AVERT Tracker Alarms will notify you of any expiring information or documentation so that you may maintain your on-going compliance. How the AVERT Tracker works The AVERT Tracker is based around a number of compliance levels. Each level contains relevant questions which gather the necessary data and key documentation to prove compliance. You will be able to view the workers updates in real-time from your portal and only your staff can approve the data. Your AVERT Tracker alarm manager will update on 90, 30, 7 days and expired. Any worker failing this compliance tool or fails to update their documents, you can instantly prevent that worker gaining access to your contracts and you can show this as a report how compliant you are. Initial Assessment to work Right to Work Employment Status Employment Employment Status Contracting HMRC compliance SIA License Insurances Accreditations This compliance tool will automatically manage the essential data to be complaint. Just imagine if you had a large number of workers on your books and you tried to manually track which worker documents were still valid? The AVERT Tracker will update in seconds.
5 Technology Overview With any type of technology, it is essential the tools you can access are right for your business. Our toolbox contains: 1. Cloud Workers 2. Cloud Client Interaction 3. Cloud Timesheet and Invoicing 4. Cloud Communication 5. Cloud Fee Management 6. Cloud Tax Management Cloud Workers Online worker registration with real-time updates. Ongoing Right to Work compliance via the AVERT Tracker. Assign workers multiple contracts to one or more clients, each with unique rates, mark-ups and fees. Bespoke automated email notification management. Each worker can independently manage their tax affairs and know their exact current tax liability. Each worker will have access to an independent accountant to perform their year-end return. Mobile App to track where your workers are located. Cloud Client Interaction Set up all your clients (from SME s to large corporations) within the online platform. Assign multiple workers to each client, each with unique contract details. Instant timesheets verification and invoice management solution. Real-time dialog for timesheet discrepancies with full audit history. Transparent client invoice management solution. Cloud Timesheet and Invoicing Create timesheets on the fly, quickly and easily. Ability to complete timesheet data internally or candidates can complete via any web enabled device. Have your clients verify this data instantly online BEFORE creating the invoice to avoid any disputes. Process timesheets at a click of a button and convert processed timesheets to invoices in seconds. Submitted invoices automatically appear on your clients portal with associated timesheet breakdowns. Each invoice will contain a detailed breakdown of the workers net pay amount, taking into account all fees, VAT and tax considerations. BACS files can be downloaded directly from the invoice timesheet breakdowns. Client invoices can be reconciled online and reflect on the client s portal for full transparency.
6 Technology Overview cont d Cloud Communication Interact with your workers and clients via bespoke automated email templates and directly via real-time timesheet notes functionality. AVERT Tracker alarms are designed to instantly inform you should your workers no longer have the Right to Work in either their industry or the UK. Cloud Fee Management If you decide to charge your workers or clients processing fees, the cloud fee management solution simplifies this process. Multiple fee structures are available via the software. These include fees to workers, clients and mark-ups on rates. Each fee can be set at either a percentage of total, fixed fee or percentage with minimum charge. All fees can be controlled at either a global, per client or per contract level. Once set, these fees will automatically become part of the timesheet and invoice process. Fee can be updated/amended at any time. Cloud Tax Management All VAT considerations are taken into account. These include VAT charges from workers and VAT charges to your clients. For security workers, the software does not deduct any tax unless the work falls under the Construction Industry Scheme and then tax is deducted at source. Your workers portal is automatically updated with all your payments and assigned charges. They will also have the ability to add other UK income and assign business expenses to reflect their tax liability. Summary The AVERT technology will allow your business to totally manage all aspects of contract working. Every cloud tool that we have designed is shared across a number of integrated platforms to ensure your clients and workers are always kept up to date in real-time.
7 The Power of the AVERT cloud What does it mean to switch from manual processes to cloud processes? Our software will help businesses such as employment agencies, contractors and outsourcing companies (Service Providers) to reduce the time it takes to process contracts, timesheets, invoices, charges, payments and track data. AVERT Solution aims to streamline, speed up these processes and revolutionise the way you operate forever. To illustrate how the cloud software works in comparison to the manual process, let's take an example of "John Smith" who approaches you to secure security contract work. The life cycle of your software experience is illustrated as an example below: Process 6 Tax Summary Process 1 Registration Within John s portal, Johns Tax Manager tool will update and track what tax he is likely to pay when the tax is due. This will help John to budget his finances. If John has other income such as Salary, Dividends, Interest, Investment etc., he can update his portal to stay HMRC compliant. 1. John creates an online account with you 2. John logs in and completes his personal details 3. John can add his trading details 4. John completes his Right to Work (AVERT Tracker) 5. John adds his SIA approval data/upload licence. 6. John can create his own CV to confirm work and education history. Process 5 Payments ABC Security Ltd Process 2 Job Assignment The software automatically deducts any charges that you assign to John. The software will tell you exactly what to pay him. You can then pay John by using the BACs payment tool. The software automatically updates John s portal of your payment by email notification. 1. From your track John s right to work. 2. Update AVERT Tracker on John s right to work which includes SIA licence. 3. Assign any charges/management fees to John acct. 4. Assign John to a contract. 5. Assign John his timesheet. 6. John is notified of his contract and timesheet. Process 4 Invoicing Process 3 Timesheet Runs Once the timesheet has been approved by the client or self-verified by you, you can instantly convert John s timesheet into an invoice. If any other worker is assigned to the client you can create one invoice for all workers. Once the invoice has been assigned John and your client are updated in real-time and PDFs are created. John logins, views his contract, GoogleMap of the job location, starts his job and completes his timesheet. You can track in real-time if John has started/completed his timesheet. Your clients can login and approve John s timesheet or you can selfverify behalf of your client.
8 Who should be using AVERT Invoicing? As stated on the SIA website, the SIA are planning to make it mandatory for businesses to register under Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) from 6 April 2015 which means, if a business is removed from this scheme then their business will lose their rights to provide services to the security industry. The SIA has published on their website that 120 security businesses have been removed from the ACS because of the following non-compliance: No assessment undertaken Non-conformance with the ACS Standard Non-compliance with the Private Security Industry Act 2001 Fit & proper requirements not met Other breach of ACS terms and conditions If you take compliance seriously and you do not want to risk losing your SIA licence then let AVERT help and guide you on the right path by using our smarter technology to manage and track essential data. If the SIA, HMRC or Home Office decides to audit/investigate your business this could be damaging to your business. AVERT technology will make any audit or investigation a breeze for you to show compliance. Our software will give your business the peace of mind and technology to trade safely. Below are some key areas and features that your business should be doing: Have Right to Work (Immigration) checks been carried out pre-contract assignment? Have you verified if the workers fall under a Home Office Student Visa category? Have you verified if each worker is genuinely self-employed pre-contract assignment? Can you prove evidence that self-employed workers are not in the disguise of self-employment? Can you provide copies of workers original passports, visas, HMRC letters, Insurance, licences etc.? Can you provide evidence that you track every worker compliance documents so they never expire? Can you provide evidence that workers latest compliance documents are filed? Have in place a policy to deal with non-compliance workers which you log what actions you taken? Have you a system in place to that avoids SIA badges being assigned to the wrong workers? Can you provide instantly a report to confirm who worked where and under which SIA badge number? Can you provide easy access to workers compliance documents in either paper or electronic format? Are your workers Contract for Services contracts (CfS) cover the 10 mandatory CfS requirements? Are your Service Agreements contracts compliant to each workers Contract for Services contracts? Are your workers Contract for Services contracts compliant to the Service Agreements contracts? Do your workers invoice you for their Right of Substitute sub-contract workers and payments you always make payments to the worker and never to the sub-contract worker? When providing tools (includes uniforms and equipment) to your workers, is this covered in your workers and clients contracts who is responsible/liable for what?
9 AVERT Fees When it comes to fees our goal is to find a simple solution that best suits your business practices, so we have come up a simple pricing model that is flexible and affordable. Your agency may only supply employed or selfemployed or you may supply both. Below are the options: Contracting Fee Options 1. Offsetting our fee to your workers This option is highly recommended as our fee of 0.3% is a B2B transaction from your business to each worker for services pro vided; or 2. Fee payments paid by your business The 0.3% fee is covered by your business and no fee is charged to your workers. If you prefer the cost to be offset to your workers (highly recommended to help demonstrate compliance), the invoice to each worker can be assigned from AVERT Solutions or via your name. You decide which option is best for you. Fee Calculation The fee is calculated on the total monthly timesheets value (ex VAT and any associated fees) you process through the software. The fee calculator tool will allow us to set your preference and once set the fee is automatically managed for you and if the fee is offset to your workers, the software will automatically offset a self-generated invoice to each worker which they can claim as tax relief as a business expense We have designed the software so you can pay us this fee from your revenue or offset this cost to your workers. If you are already charging your workers for contractual services you can include these charges into the software. The software automatically deducts these charges plus our 0.3% from all invoices or, if you prefer, you can set a monthly charge regardless how many invoices are processed. Bespoke Fees & Corporate Solution If you prefer a different fee option because you work with high earners or you have high volume of workers, contact us today for our corporate package. HR Employment Tracker If you require HR software to manage employed workers, this is an optional product you can have upon request. The cost is just 1.00 per employee pcm. This product is being developed to compliment out HR solution for contract working.
10 White Label Software What is a white label? A white label is a version of the AVERT Invoicing & Tax software in the look and feel of your own brand. This white label can display your business colours as well as your business logo. The white label can be hosted under our or your current url or a new ulr that you decide to use that can be linked to your main website. Why would you opt for the white label option? Some businesses only want their clients using their look and feel so we understand the importance of your users logging in under your brand identity. Some businesses prefer an external brand as they do not want to be seen as the company controlling money and taxes. White Label Invoicing & Tax Software HR Employment Tracker Coming soon will be our new HR employment tracker solution that will allow your business to register employed staff, upload documents, create CV, assign contract of employment and relevant HR documents from the template menu, track status of when staff are off, days taken versus days left, log disciplinary and track employment status. If you need this solution urgently contact us and we add you to the list to invite once launched.
11 Industry Sectors If your business provides services to other industry sectors, did you know that our software also caters for the following: Aviation Catering Commercial Construction Consulting Contract Cleaning Education Electronics Energy Engineering Food Production Healthcare Hospitality IT Services Legal Services Leisure & Sport Manufacturing Marine Media Medicine Property Retail Transportation Utilities
Compliance cloud software that keeps your business compliant for the Security Industry Calls from within the UK Calls from outside the UK E-mail Website Website Website Website Website Website 0800 15 22 506 0044 800 15 22 506 info@avertsolutions.co.uk www.avertsolutions.co.uk www.avertinvoicing.co.uk www.avertcisinvoicing.co.uk www.cloudkeeping.co.uk www.global4immigration.com www.brainiacmedia.co.uk AVERT Invoicing is the trading name of AVERT Solutions Limited