Comparison Guide

Datacom Datapay vs Definitiv – how they compare for AU/NZ payroll

For: Payroll Managers, HR Leaders, Finance Directors|11 min read|Last updated: July 2026

This comparison is published by Affinity. Vendor information is based on publicly available sources. Contact each provider directly for their current capabilities.

Summary

Datacom Datapay and Definitiv are both AU/NZ-focused payroll platforms with different centres of gravity. Datacom Datapay is the enterprise payroll product of a long-established NZ technology company, with notable New Zealand Holidays Act remediation experience. Definitiv is a cloud-native Australian payroll and workforce-management platform, now part of The Access Group, focused on complex awards and integrated rostering. Alongside them, this page shows how Affinity, a dedicated AU/NZ payroll platform, compares for organisations whose complexity is concentrated in Australia and New Zealand.

How Datacom Datapay and Definitiv differ

Datacom is a NZ-headquartered technology company with 60-plus years of history, where payroll is one part of a broad IT services portfolio. Its Datapay product serves enterprise payroll (with Smartly for small business), it holds ISO 27001, uses NZPPA-certified consultants, and is notable for its five-step Holidays Act remediation approach. AU payroll is available via Datapay with STP Phase 2 and super. Its heritage and strength are strongly New Zealand-centric.

Definitiv is a cloud-native AU specialist, originally built in Perth and now owned by The Access Group. It markets Definitiv Evo across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, with a 100% configurable Award Engine and purpose-built rostering that flows live time-tracking into costed payroll.

The core distinction: Datacom Datapay brings deep NZ Holidays Act remediation and a broad IT ecosystem, while Definitiv brings a cloud-native AU award engine with integrated workforce management. Datacom leans NZ-first; Definitiv leans AU-first.

Feature comparison

A neutral comparison of Datacom Datapay and Definitiv across payroll and workforce capabilities, with Affinity shown as a separate AU/NZ specialist column. Vendor capabilities should be confirmed directly with each provider.

Native / strong Available / partial Not offered

Capability	Datacom Datapay	Definitiv	AU/NZ specialistAffinity
AU award & EBA interpretation	Available / partial: AU payroll via Datapay (STP2, super)	Native / strong: 100% configurable Award Engine – built for complex AU awards/EBAs	Native / strong: Configurable engine – modern awards, EBAs, shift penalties, allowance stacking
NZ compliance (Holidays Act, KiwiSaver, IRD)	Native / strong: Strong NZ; five-step Holidays Act remediation	Available / partial: NZ payroll supported (also Singapore); confirm Holidays Act depth	Native / strong: Purpose-built Holidays Act engine, KiwiSaver, Payday Filing, NZ team
STP Phase 2 & superannuation	Native / strong: Supported (AU via Datapay)	Native / strong: Supported	Native / strong: Full STP Phase 2 & super, Pay Day Super ready
Pre-payslip intelligence	Available / partial: Payroll Assistant AI + analytics (no pre-payslip anomaly layer)	Available / partial: Evo Copilot AI insights + costed payroll (confirm pre-payslip anomaly layer)	Native / strong: Payroll IQ – anomaly & variance checking before the payslip runs
Global / multi-country coverage	Not offered: NZ/AU focus	Not offered: AU/NZ/Singapore focus – not broad multi-country	Not offered: AU/NZ focus – not multi-country
Workforce management	Available / partial: Available	Native / strong: Purpose-built rostering, time tracking, costed payroll	Native / strong: Integrated WFM with real-time labour costing
Delivery / managed payroll	Native / strong: Datapay software + managed (NZPPA-certified)	Native / strong: SaaS; managed/outsourced payroll available (confirm)	Native / strong: SaaS, Supported & Fully Managed on one platform
Named local AU/NZ support	Native / strong: NZPPA-certified NZ consultants	Available / partial: AU-based; part of global Access Group (confirm named-local model)	Native / strong: Named AU/NZ contacts who know your configuration

Where Datacom Datapay fits

Datacom Datapay is built for organisations – particularly in New Zealand – that value deep local payroll expertise, notable Holidays Act remediation experience, and the backing of a 60-plus-year technology company with a broad IT services ecosystem. NZPPA-certified consultants and enterprise Datapay software (with Smartly for smaller employers) are genuine strengths for NZ-centric employers.

Where Definitiv fits

Definitiv is built for mid-to-large Australian organisations with complex, multi-award structures that want a cloud-native platform combining a 100% configurable Award Engine with integrated rostering and costed payroll. Backed by The Access Group and with data hosted in Australia, it suits businesses wanting AU-focused depth that also extends to NZ and Singapore.

Where Affinity fits

Where Datacom Datapay leads on NZ Holidays Act remediation, and Definitiv on a cloud-native AU award engine with WFM, Affinity optimises for depth across both AU and NZ on one platform. For organisations whose payroll complexity is concentrated in Australia and New Zealand – many modern awards, EBAs, Holidays Act calculations, STP Phase 2, Pay Day Super – a specialist engine with pre-payslip intelligence, delivery-model flexibility, local data residency, and named local support is a different proposition.

Frequently asked questions

Is Datacom Datapay or Definitiv better for Australian payroll?

Both handle Australian payroll. Datacom Datapay delivers AU payroll via Datapay with STP Phase 2 and super, though its heritage is strongly NZ-focused; Definitiv is a cloud-native AU specialist with a 100% configurable Award Engine and integrated rostering. For complex modern awards or EBAs, test either against your specific scenarios – or evaluate an AU/NZ specialist such as Affinity, whose award interpretation engine is purpose-built for that complexity.

Do Datacom Datapay and Definitiv handle New Zealand payroll?

Datacom Datapay has strong NZ capability, including a notable five-step Holidays Act remediation approach and NZPPA-certified consultants. Definitiv supports NZ (and Singapore) payroll, with Holidays Act depth to confirm directly. NZ payroll – Holidays Act, KiwiSaver, Payday Filing with IRD – requires deep local engine work. Affinity runs a purpose-built NZ engine with an NZ-based support team on the same platform as its Australian payroll.

What is the main difference between Datacom Datapay and Definitiv?

Datacom Datapay is the enterprise payroll product of a long-established NZ technology company, with deep Holidays Act remediation experience and a broad IT ecosystem. Definitiv is a cloud-native AU payroll and workforce-management platform, owned by The Access Group, focused on complex awards and integrated rostering. Datacom leans NZ-first; Definitiv leans AU-first.

How does Affinity compare to Datacom Datapay and Definitiv?

Affinity is an AU/NZ enterprise payroll specialist. It does not compete on Datacom's broader IT ecosystem or Definitiv's Access Group scale; it competes on depth of AU/NZ award and Holidays Act compliance, pre-payslip intelligence, delivery-model flexibility, local data residency, and named local support.

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