Global Payroll · Gemba via financeb2b
Pay employees and contractors across 150+ countries without changing your payroll stack.
BACS, SEPA, and SWIFT from one account. Segregated client IBANs for bureau use. Xero and QuickBooks reconciliation via bank feed. No per-payment SWIFT fees eating your margin.
150+
payout destinations
3
payment rails (BACS, SEPA, SWIFT)
∞
client IBANs per account
0.70%
from FX spread
§ 01 — How it works
Payroll payout flow
Whether you're a payroll bureau running client funds or an in-house payroll team, the flow is the same. One Gemba account routes to whichever rail each payment needs.
Step 01
Upload pay file
Upload a Standard 18 BACS file, SEPA pain.001.003.03, or batch CSV directly to the Gemba dashboard. API available for automated payroll system integration.
Step 02
Fund your account
Transfer payroll funds to your Gemba GBP or EUR wallet before the payment window. For bureaus: client funds can be held in segregated vIBANs until payout day.
Step 03
Rail selection
UK employees → BACS Credit (D+2) or Faster Payments (instant). EU employees → SEPA Credit Transfer. International contractors → SWIFT MT103. All from one submission.
Step 04
Reconcile
Each payout generates a webhook with employee reference, amount, rail, status, and timestamp. Bank feed sync to Xero/QuickBooks. Returns and recalls handled with same-day response.
§ 02 — Feature detail
Payroll infrastructure features
Gemba holds Service User Numbers (SUNs) for BACS origination. You don't need your own SUN — you operate under Gemba's umbrella, subject to their BACS compliance framework.
| Feature | Rail / Method | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| UK Payroll Rails | ||
BACS Credit (Standard 18) Salary payments, standing orders |
BACS · D+2 | Upload Standard 18 files. Submission window closes 23:00 for D+2 settlement. Minimum £1. No upper limit (subject to funds). |
Faster Payments Same-day salary, contractor one-offs |
FPS · Instant | Up to £1,000,000 per payment. Available 24/7. Confirmation of payee check available. Used for off-cycle payments or top-ups. |
BACS Direct Debit Client collection for bureaus |
BACS DD · D+3 | Collect payroll funds from employer clients via Direct Debit. Requires Indemnity Agreement. Bureau-only use case. |
| International Payroll | ||
SEPA Credit Transfer Eurozone employees |
SEPA · D+1 | pain.001.003.03 file format or individual payments. All SEPA-zone countries. Employee sees a domestic transfer — no international fees from receiving bank (typically). |
SWIFT MT103 Rest-of-world contractors |
SWIFT · 1–4 days | 150+ destination countries. OUR / SHA / BEN charge options. gpi tracking included — recipient bank and timestamp logged. USD, GBP, EUR, and local currency delivery. |
FX conversion for payouts |
0.70–0.90% | Convert at point of payout. Lock rate at upload time or at settlement. Volume pricing available for bureaus with £500k+/month throughput. |
| Bureau Infrastructure | ||
Virtual IBANs per client |
Unlimited · GBP/EUR | Each client gets a dedicated sort code + account number (GBP) or IBAN (EUR). Funds are pooled in your master account but originate from client-specific references. Satisfies most audit requirements. |
Inbound DD collection |
BACS DD | Collect client payroll funding via Direct Debit 3 days before pay day. Reduces funding risk — you hold cleared funds before submitting BACS credit. |
Webhook per transaction |
API · Real-time | Each credit, debit, return, and recall triggers a webhook. Payload includes vIBAN identifier, client reference, amount, status, timestamp. Plug into your reconciliation system. |
§ 03 — Decision matrix
Is Gemba the right payroll banking layer?
Honest assessment of four common payroll contexts. We earn a referral fee, so take this as context, not gospel.
Context A · Pure UK BACS payroll (< 200 employees)
Gemba works but may be oversized
For a straightforward UK payroll with no international element, a BACS bureau through your existing payroll software (Sage, Brightpay) may be cheaper and simpler. Gemba adds value when you need multi-currency, client IBANs, or are scaling to multiple employer clients.
Assess alternatives
Context B · Payroll bureau with 10+ employer clients
Strong fit — client vIBAN + BACS SUN
Operating under Gemba's BACS SUN removes the cost and admin of getting your own. Segregated vIBANs per client satisfies audit queries about commingling. Inbound DD for client funding collection is a genuine workflow improvement over manual bank transfer coordination.
Recommended
Context C · UK business with EU or US contractors
Ideal — SEPA + SWIFT from one account
The alternative is maintaining separate EUR and USD accounts at different providers. Gemba consolidates this into one dashboard. SEPA D+1 to EU, SWIFT gpi for US/RoW. FX at 0.70–0.90% versus typical 2–3% at high-street banks.
Strongly recommended
Context D · Global employment platform (EOR/PEO)
Good infrastructure layer, not a full EOR solution
Gemba handles the banking and payments layer but not the legal employer-of-record structure, local tax compliance, or benefits administration. If you need a full EOR, you'll need additional partners for those layers. Gemba pairs well with Deel, Remote, or Multiplier as the payment execution layer.
Payment layer only
§ 04 — What to watch for
Three operational realities
01
BACS timing is non-negotiable
BACS Credit has a 3-day processing cycle (D+2). The submission window closes at 23:00 on day 1. Miss it by a minute and your employees get paid a working day late. Build your payroll processing calendar around BACS service days — BACS doesn't process on bank holidays, and there are no weekend processing days. Faster Payments is the safety valve for emergencies, but it's not a substitute for BACS at scale.
02
SWIFT returns can take days
When a SWIFT payment is rejected by the beneficiary bank — wrong account number, incorrect name, compliance hold — the return can take 1–7 working days to land back. During that window, the funds are in transit. Plan for a float buffer in your international payroll account to cover the gap between payout and potential return. gpi tracking gives you visibility but doesn't speed up the return.
03
Compliance onboarding takes time
Gemba applies enhanced due diligence for payroll bureaus because they handle third-party funds. Expect requests for business structure documentation, client contracts, BACS indemnity paperwork, and UBO declarations. For a straightforward setup this takes 5–10 working days. If you have overseas ownership or complex corporate structure, budget for longer. Front-load the paperwork before you have clients waiting.
Set up payroll banking with Gemba.
Our team has guided payroll bureaus through the onboarding process. We're available to help.