TAPS - The Association For Payroll Specialists - C.P.S. Qualification

Do you want to distinguish yourself from your colleagues through payroll certification?

3 little letters can make a huge difference.

Being a C.P.S. shows your commitment to being an expert in the payroll field, setting you apart from your colleagues and making you a more valuable asset to your company.

To become a C.P.S. you must sit an examination that proves you have a thorough and up-to-date knowledge of all general payroll procedures. Successful completion of the exam gives the participant Certified Payroll Specialist status.

INVESTMENT
Full/Personal Members	$350
Non & Other Members	$495

WHO IS IT FOR? The C.P.S. is relevant for experienced pay staff who wish to acquire documentary proof of their proficiency without needing to undertake a lengthy course of study.	WHO IS ELIGIBLE? Any person with at least two year's practical experience in payroll may apply.
EMPLOYER BENEFITS Employers should regard the certificate as a prerequisite when planning to recruit experienced payroll practitioners in the future.	EMPLOYEE BENEFITS The certificate is seen as a documentary evidence of having attained a national standard in payroll proficiency. It may be used to secure employment and improve career prospects in the payroll field.

WHAT IS COVERED IN THE EXAM?

The examination tests all facets of payroll knowledge and is divided into 5 categories:

• General Knowledge
• National Employment Standards
• Superannuation
• Calculations
• Terminations

The areas tested reflect the knowledge and skills that could be reasonably expected of any Payroll Specialist processing pays for Australian based employees. For this reason higher level topics such as Payroll Tax and FBT are only covered at an introductory level.

TAKING THE EXAM

The C.P.S. is a web-based exam which contains 150 multiple choice questions which are randomly generated. Students have up to 3 hours to complete the exam. To successfully pass the exam you must achieve a score of at least 70%.

When can I sit the exam?

There are no set dates for the C.P.S. exam. You can pick a date which suits your schedule.

Can I do the exam in my office?

Yes. For your convenience the exam can be completed in your office. However, this is an exam and does require supervision. TAPS will work with you directly to arrange suitable supervision.

Do I need to bring anything to the exam?

You will need a calculator and some blank paper for calculating answers. Everything else you need is shown on screen.

Is this an open book exam?

No. You are not allowed to take any notes or resource materials into the exam.

Must I complete the exam all at one time?

Yes. Once the exam has started, it must be completed in that same session.

Can I navigate back to a previous question to change my response before submitting my final assessment answers?

No. Once you have locked in an answer you cannot go backwards, so choose carefully.

What happens if I run out of time?

The C.P.S. is a timed exam. You will receive a score based on the questions you answered. You will not receive any points for unanswered questions.

When do I get my results?

You will be notified of your results immediately including a break down by category.

What happens if I fail the exam?

Students who fail the exam will be given time to do some additional study. They will then be given a second opportunity to sit the exam at no cost.

RETAINING YOUR C.P.S. STATUS

To retain the Certified Payroll Specialist designation, it is a requirement that a certain number of points of continuing professional education be attained.

Every year you must complete 15 hours of training that focuses on Australian payroll legislation. Courses relating to use of software products do not count towards ongoing education.

Documentary evidence must be provided:

• If you attend a TAPS training course, the hours will be automatically recorded.
• For non-TAPS courses, you will need to provide us with information so that we can confirm the course is relevant (name of provider, proof of attendance, length of course, course content etc).

STUDY GUIDE

The CPS exam tests your knowledge in Australian payroll. The key to success is to be prepared; we strongly recommend you do some study. The information below provides an overview to each section of the C.P.S. exam and the topics you will encounter.

General Knowledge

• PAYG withholding tax and payment dates
• TFN and Withholding Declarations
• Payslips and Record Keeping
• Back pays and overpayments
• Withholding from allowances
• Income Statements (including reportable fringe benefits)
• Government Paid Parental Leave
• Payroll Tax & Fringe Benefits Tax (introductory level)
• Single Touch Payroll

National Employment Standards

• A strong understanding of the 10 National Employment Standards
• Leave accruals and reconciliation (including calculations)
• Reading and interpreting clauses provided from an Award
• Types of employment (full-time, part-time, casual, contractors)
• The interaction between legislation, awards, enterprise agreements, contracts and company policy
• Long Service Leave rules in your State

Superannuation

• SG rate and payment dates
• Ordinary Time Earnings
• Who is (and isn’t) entitled to receive contributions
• Salary sacrifice
• Reportable Employer Superannuation Contributions
• Choice of fund & SuperStream
• SG calculations

Calculations

• How to read the weekly PAYG and HELP tables
• Hourly rates, overtime and penalty rates
• Allowances and deductions
• Offsets
• Taxation of a bonus
• Leave accruals
• Superannuation

Terminations

• Classification and taxation of termination components
• LIFO and FIFO
• Excluded and Non-Excluded ETPs
• Threshold calculations
• Marginal rates
• Calculations

Strategies for success

The best way to improve your chances is to study before the exam.

However, even a well-prepared student can make silly mistakes on a multiple choice exam or can fall prey to options that look very similar to the correct answer.

Here are a few tips to help reduce these perils:

• Read the question carefully and slowly before you look at the answers.
• Come up with the answer in your head before looking at the possible answers.
• If you see the answer that you anticipated, select it and then double check to be sure that none of the other responses is better.

If you are stumped by a question, here are some strategies to help you narrow the field and select the correct answer:

• Re-read the question to ensure you know exactly what you are being asked to consider - it is possible you misread the question the first time.
• Eliminate answers you know aren't right.
• If you are stuck between two choices, which of the options is most likely to be correct?
• If the answer you have selected is only partly true or is true only under certain narrow conditions, then it's probably not the right answer.
• Don't over think your answer, usually your first choice is the right one.
• If you still can’t decide, take an educated guess and select an answer.

Good luck!!

BOOK TODAY