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  1. Home
  2. Software
  3. Sage Pastel Payroll
  4. Reviews

342 verified reviews

Sage Pastel Payroll reviews

Every published review of Sage Pastel Payroll, unedited beyond length and clarity. Vendor responses are shown alongside the review they answer.

Write a review

342 reviews match · page 9 of 35

DF

Deon FletcherVerified

Payroll and Benefits Officer

Professional consultingSouth AfricaSandton2 to 10 employees
4.0
28 Apr 2026

Three tax year ends without a single correction

The tax year end is what convinced me. Nothing broke. Runs locally, so month end is not a connectivity risk. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. There are irritations, and none of them are the kind that make you look elsewhere. I would recommend it to a business of our size without hesitation.

What works

Complete SARS statutory coverage, maintained for decades. The ACB file imports into our bank without a support call. Employee self service cut payslip queries almost to zero.

What does not

The interface takes a while for a new administrator.

Used for more than 5 years
TS

Tebogo SmithVerified

Industrial Relations Manager

AgricultureSouth AfricaPietermaritzburg500 plus employees
4.0
27 Apr 2026

Our IRP5 files validated in e@syFile first time

I have run payroll on four different systems and this is the one I would choose again. Runs locally, so month end is not a connectivity risk. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. There are irritations, and none of them are the kind that make you look elsewhere. Worth the migration effort, which is not something I say often.

What works

Runs locally, so month end is not a connectivity risk. Employee self service cut payslip queries almost to zero. The ACB file imports into our bank without a support call.

What does not

The interface takes a while for a new administrator.

Used for more than 5 years
YB

Yashika BaloyiVerified

HR Business Partner

Legal servicesSouth AfricaRustenburg11 to 50 employees
5.0
24 Apr 2026

Three tax year ends without a single correction

We run about ninety staff on this and it has not missed a submission. Complete SARS statutory coverage, maintained for decades. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. Nothing has come up in the last year that I would call a real problem. Two years in and nobody has suggested we look at alternatives.

What works

Complete SARS statutory coverage, maintained for decades. The ACB file imports into our bank without a support call. BCEA leave accruals are right without configuration.

What does not

Reporting outside the statutory pack is thin.

Used for 6 to 12 months
NE

Neo ErasmusVerified

HR Director

RecruitmentSouth AfricaVereeniging2 to 10 employees
4.0
24 Apr 2026

ETI calculated correctly, with the working shown

We switched after our previous provider got an ETI calculation wrong. The largest pool of trained operators in the country. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. There are irritations, and none of them are the kind that make you look elsewhere. It is not perfect, and it is the right choice for us.

What works

Strong multi company handling for practices. Employee self service cut payslip queries almost to zero. BCEA leave accruals are right without configuration.

What does not

There is no real HR functionality, so we run a second system.

Used for 2 to 5 years
FT

Faizel TaylorVerified

General Manager

InsuranceSouth AfricaPietermaritzburg51 to 200 employees
5.0
22 Apr 2026

EMP501 reconciliation took forty minutes

I have run payroll on four different systems and this is the one I would choose again. Runs locally, so month end is not a connectivity risk. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. Nothing has come up in the last year that I would call a real problem. Worth the migration effort, which is not something I say often.

What works

Strong multi company handling for practices. The ACB file imports into our bank without a support call. Employee self service cut payslip queries almost to zero.

What does not

There is no real HR functionality, so we run a second system.

Used for more than 5 years
AS

Achmat Sithole

General Manager

RetailSouth AfricaCenturion201 to 500 employees
5.0
22 Apr 2026

EMP501 reconciliation took forty minutes

We run about ninety staff on this and it has not missed a submission. Runs locally, so month end is not a connectivity risk. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. Nothing has come up in the last year that I would call a real problem. I would recommend it to a business of our size without hesitation.

What works

Runs locally, so month end is not a connectivity risk. ETI is calculated on the sliding scale and shows its working. EMP201 and EMP501 submissions have been correct every period.

What does not

Reporting outside the statutory pack is thin.

Used for 2 to 5 years
AZ

Ashley ZwaneVerified

Payroll Manager

HospitalitySouth AfricaWitbank2 to 10 employees
4.0
19 Apr 2026

EMP501 reconciliation took forty minutes

We run about ninety staff on this and it has not missed a submission. Runs locally, so month end is not a connectivity risk. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. There are irritations, and none of them are the kind that make you look elsewhere. Worth the migration effort, which is not something I say often.

What works

Runs locally, so month end is not a connectivity risk. ETI is calculated on the sliding scale and shows its working. EMP201 and EMP501 submissions have been correct every period.

What does not

Reporting outside the statutory pack is thin.

Used for 2 to 5 years
ZH

Zodwa HlungwaniVerified

Wages Clerk

RecruitmentSouth AfricaMidrand201 to 500 employees
3.0
19 Apr 2026

Compliant, but the interface fights you

It works. It is not enjoyable, but payroll rarely is. Complete SARS statutory coverage, maintained for decades. Beyond that it is more ordinary than the marketing suggests. It sits squarely in the middle for us, useful but not something I would champion. It is a reasonable choice, provided you know what it does not do.

What works

The largest pool of trained operators in the country. Statutory outputs are correct.

What does not

The reporting cannot break cost down by department. Support queues get long towards month end.

Used for 1 to 2 years
AR

Ayanda Reddy

Payroll and Benefits Officer

Mining servicesSouth AfricaDurban11 to 50 employees
5.0
17 Apr 2026

Payroll stopped being the worst week of the month

We switched after our previous provider got an ETI calculation wrong. Runs locally, so month end is not a connectivity risk. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. Nothing has come up in the last year that I would call a real problem. Worth the migration effort, which is not something I say often.

What works

Runs locally, so month end is not a connectivity risk. Support answers in South African hours and understands the question. IRP5 files validated in e@syFile without a single rejection.

What does not

Reporting outside the statutory pack is thin.

Used for 6 to 12 months
AA

Ayanda AbrahamsVerified

HR Business Partner

Legal servicesSouth AfricaNelspruit2 to 10 employees
5.0
13 Apr 2026

Support actually understands South African payroll

We run about ninety staff on this and it has not missed a submission. Runs locally, so month end is not a connectivity risk. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. Nothing has come up in the last year that I would call a real problem. I would recommend it to a business of our size without hesitation.

What works

The largest pool of trained operators in the country. EMP201 and EMP501 submissions have been correct every period. Employee self service cut payslip queries almost to zero.

What does not

Reporting outside the statutory pack is thin.

Used for less than 6 months
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3.9

Overall

from 342 reviews

72% positive19% neutral9% critical

Rating distribution

5
113 of 342
4
133 of 342
3
65 of 342
2
26 of 342
1
5 of 342

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