Still using Opera II? Here's why it's time to move on...
Opera II Is Approaching End Of Life
All software has a finite lifetime, and at nearly 18 years old, Opera II’s retirement is well overdue. Technology has moved on, in ways this software was never built for, so understandably Pegasus has called time on Opera II. If you want the latest features and, most importantly, to comply with regulations, you’ll need to upgrade to Opera 3.
Making Tax Digital
From April 2019, it will be compulsory for VAT returns to be submitted electronically, via HMRC’s Making Tax Digital VAT platform. This is not possible in Opera II, and there will be no updates to add this functionality. Opera 3, however, includes it as standard.
Payroll Updates
The latest version of Opera II Payroll is also the last. It allows for processing in the 2018/19 tax year, but it doesn’t allow for the performance of the year-end in April 2019.
For Payroll-only customers, Pegasus will not be updating AMCs after 31st March 2019. For Opera II customers will Payroll as part of their system, this date will also be when Pegasus stops renewing the Payroll element of their AMC.
New Features
Aside from the fact that Opera II is essentially obsolete, the upgrade to Opera 3 brings with it a host of new features. To begin with, Opera 3 is cloud-ready, meaning you can deploy it quickly and pay monthly. It also offers mobile apps with Pegasus Web Xchange, as well as better reporting, a Credit Management Centre and scheduled tasks. And that’s just a small taste of what you get. Put simply, Opera 3 is built from the ground up to be a modern, up-to-date business solution.
Security
It’s not only features and support you lose out on when software reaches end of life: you won’t get security patches either. That’s particularly important, because cyber crime is continually evolving, so what might be safe today could be a risk in future.
Deals On Opera 3
The earlier you upgrade to Opera 3, the cheaper it will be. Right now, Pegasus is offering an extra 15% off Opera 3 purchases before 20th April 2018 (terms and conditions apply). Also, the trade-in discount will drop in May, from 35% to 25% off the full RSP. So if you’re planning to upgrade anyway, now is the time to do so!
What Next?
If you’re looking to upgrade, contact TMB at info@tmb.co.uk, call 0333 900 9050 or speak to your account manager.
You can also get the information from this blog post in the following PDF:
