About Oscar

Q. What is Oscar?

Oscar is BrightPay's AI-powered employee onboarding assistant. When a new starter needs to be added to payroll, Oscar contacts them directly via WhatsApp to collect all the information needed for payroll setup. Oscar sends the data to BrightPay, where you review and approve it — once approved, it is added to the employee record.

Q. How does Oscar collect information from employees?

Oscar sends the employee a WhatsApp message introducing itself and explaining what it needs. It then guides them through a structured conversation covering personal details, National Insurance number, bank account details, and tax information. Oscar can also read pictures of a P45, utility bill, or bank statement and extract the data to be loaded into BrightPay. The conversation is designed to be simple and takes less than 10 minutes for most employees.

Q. Is Oscar available in BrightPay Connect or desktop as well as BrightPay Cloud?

Oscar is only available with BrightPay Cloud. Onboarding invitations can be sent directly from within BrightPay or through the Client Portal. Speak to your EAP contact if you have questions about your specific setup.

Q. Does Oscar only work via WhatsApp?

Yes. During the EAP, WhatsApp was chosen as the primary channel because of its near-universal adoption and high open rates in the UK. Employees also receive a confirmation email when the request is sent. Additional channels may be considered in future releases.

Q. What information does Oscar collect?

Oscar collects standard payroll onboarding information:

• Full name, address, and date of birth
• National Insurance number
• Bank account details
• Tax code information (or starter declaration)
• Prior employment details
• Any other details required by BrightPay to set up the employee record

Setting Up and Using Oscar

Q. What is the process for onboarding an employee in BrightPay?

The process works as follows:

• Navigate to Employees > Employee Onboarding
• Click the blue 'Onboard New Employee' button (top right of the Employee Onboarding screen)
• Enter: first name, surname, job title, start date, mobile number, and email address
• Review the details and make any changes needed
• Click 'Create Onboarding Request'
• The deadline is set to two weeks from the request date (this can be edited)
• Oscar sends a WhatsApp message and email to the new employee
• The onboarding appears on the Client Portal (and BrightPay) Employee Onboarding screen with status 'In Progress'

Q. What information needs to be entered to start the onboarding process?

The following must be entered to start the onboarding process: first name, surname, job title, start date, mobile number, and email address.

Q. How do I enable Oscar for a client?

Oscar is enabled per employer client through BrightPay's Client Portal settings. Go to Employer → Client Portal → Settings, scroll to the Permissions section, and tick 'Enable employee onboarding for'. Choose whether all users or super users can access the feature, then click Save. Full instructions are in the Quick Start Guide.

Q. Can my clients send onboarding invitations themselves, or does it have to come from our practice?

Both options are available. You can enable the onboarding feature for your clients in the Client Portal, allowing client staff to send invitations directly. Alternatively, your practice can manage all onboarding centrally from BrightPay. Choose the approach that suits each client.

Q. How long does it take to set Oscar up for a client?

Enabling Oscar for a client takes seconds — simply tick the box within the BrightPay Client Portal settings. Once enabled, sending a first onboarding invitation takes under two minutes.

Q. How is the employee notified?

The employee receives two notifications: an email advising them that they will receive a WhatsApp message, and then the WhatsApp message itself to begin the onboarding process.

Q. Can I onboard employees who have non-UK phone numbers (e.g. an Irish mobile)?

Yes. You can use Irish and other international phone numbers. When entering the number, omit the leading 00 and use the country code instead, followed by the full mobile number with no spaces or leading zero. For example:

• Ireland (353): 35386XXXXXXX
• Germany (49): 491XXXXXXXXX

Managing Onboarding Requests

Q. Can I change the mobile number after the invitation is sent?

No. The mobile number is locked once the onboarding request is created, as WhatsApp messages are sent immediately. If an incorrect number was used, cancel the request via the spanner icon on the dashboard and create a new one with the correct number.

Q. What if I enter the incorrect phone number for the employee?

Cancel the onboarding request by selecting the spanner icon next to the employee's name, then choose 'Cancel'. Create a new onboarding request with the correct phone number.

Q. What if the employee doesn't respond?

The Employee Onboarding dashboard shows the response deadline (the default is two weeks). If the employee has not responded, you can resend the invitation via the spanner icon. You can also edit the deadline date if you need more time.

Q. Can I resend the invitation if an employee deletes the WhatsApp message in error?

Yes. Select the spanner icon opposite the employee's name on the onboarding employees window and choose 'Resend Invitation'. A new email and WhatsApp message will be sent to the employee.

Q. Can I cancel the invitation to an employee?

Yes. Select the spanner icon opposite the employee's name on the onboarding employees window and choose 'Cancel'.

Q. Can I edit onboarding details after the request is sent?

You can edit the deadline date, the employee's start date, and their email address at any point while the request is in progress. Select the spanner icon next to the employee's name and choose 'Edit Onboarding Details'.

Q. How do I know when an employee submits their details?

An email notification will be sent to advise you that an onboarding record is ready to be approved.

Data, Security & Compliance

Q. Is Oscar GDPR compliant?

Yes. All information collected by Oscar is processed securely and stored in line with GDPR requirements. Data is transmitted through BrightPay's secure infrastructure and is subject to the same data protection standards as the rest of the BrightPay platform.

Q. Where is the data stored?

Employee data collected by Oscar is stored within BrightPay's existing cloud infrastructure. No data is stored by Oscar in isolation outside of BrightPay. Bright Software Group (Bright SG Ltd, 3 Shortlands, Hammersmith, London, W6 8DA) is the registered data controller.

Q. Do employees need to consent to their data being collected?

Yes. Oscar's WhatsApp introduction message informs the employee that their responses will be processed securely and stored in line with GDPR requirements before they begin providing any information.

Q. What happens to the data if an onboarding request is cancelled?

If a request is cancelled before the employee completes it, no employee data is committed to BrightPay. Any partial data collected during the process is handled in accordance with BrightPay's data retention policies.

Pricing

Q. How much does Oscar cost?

Oscar is currently free to use as part of the EAP, with no commitment required. Early feedback has been very positive — EAP participants are receiving completed employee data ready for review in BrightPay in less than 24 hours, compared with a typical turnaround time of five to seven days.

Long-term pricing has not yet been finalised. As more customers use Oscar, BrightPay will gain a better understanding of the resources needed to operate and support the service at scale, which will inform a pricing model that reflects the value delivered. Pricing details will be shared well in advance of any changes.

Q. Is there a separate charge for Oscar?

Currently Oscar is offered free of charge. There will be an additional cost to use this feature in BrightPay in the future, though pricing details will be communicated well in advance.

The Early Adopter Programme (EAP)

Q. What is the purpose of the Early Adopter Programme?

The EAP gives a select group of BrightPay bureaus and practices early access to Oscar before general release. In return, BrightPay asks for active use and honest feedback. Your experience during this phase will directly inform the development and refinement of Oscar before it launches more widely.

Q. How long does the EAP run?

The EAP duration will be confirmed by your BrightPay contact. You will receive advance notice before any transition to general availability.

Q. How do I submit feedback?

Please use the feedback channels provided by your EAP contact at BrightPay. Structured feedback is most useful, but informal observations, client questions, and anything that surprises you about how Oscar works in practice are equally welcome. You can also email Oscar's Product Manager at oscar.worker@brightsg.com.

Q. What happens at the end of the EAP?

At the end of the EAP, Oscar will move to general availability for BrightPay Cloud customers. EAP participants will be given advance notice, and details will be communicated by your EAP contact.

Support & Contact

Q. Who do I contact if I have a problem?

For Oscar-specific queries and technical issues during the EAP, email the dedicated support team at oscarsupport@brightsg.com and flag that you are an EAP participant so your query is handled with priority. Your EAP contact details are also included in your welcome email.

Q. Where can I find more help or give feedback?

This FAQ will be updated throughout the EAP as new questions arise. You can also:

• Visit the Help Centre at payrollsupport.uk.brightsg.com
• Email oscar.worker@brightsg.com with suggestions or feedback for Oscar's Product Manager
• Email oscarsupport@brightsg.com for technical support issues