PayGuard is designed to minimize the data required for payroll assurance while keeping the review process secure and controlled. Here is exactly what happens when you use it.
When a payroll register is uploaded, PayGuard processes it through a deterministic comparison engine. Here is what each step actually does.
Upload the current payroll register and prior payroll register. An optional change manifest can also be provided to explain expected changes.
PayGuard compares payroll data employee by employee and identifies unexpected changes or variances using deterministic rules first.
PayGuard explains relevant variances and produces the Payroll Assurance Report with audit results ready for review before payroll releases.
PayGuard is designed to perform payroll assurance without requiring sensitive identity or financial credentials.
PayGuard uses deterministic payroll comparison first. AI is used specifically to explain relevant variances and produce human-readable findings.
When a variance is identified, PayGuard sends a structured summary of the relevant information — such as employee identifiers, payroll values, and component-level changes — to Anthropic's commercial API to generate a human-readable explanation.
PayGuard does not send the original payroll register files to the AI service as a file. Only the specific variance context needed to generate an explanation is transmitted.
Payroll data is processed by a third-party AI provider as part of the explanation step. We do not represent otherwise.
We are transparent about what the current implementation stores. Retention policies are being formalized as PayGuard moves toward customer pilots and production use.
These are the controls currently in place. We do not claim certifications or controls beyond what is verified in the product.
All data transmission between client and server is encrypted. Payroll data is not logged in plain text in application logs.
Protected audit endpoints require authentication. Access controls are applied to prevent unauthenticated access to audit data.
All audit data is scoped to the authenticated company context. Company isolation is enforced at the application level using authenticated company identifiers.
Cross-origin requests are controlled. API rate limiting is enforced to prevent abuse.
Database access is restricted and not publicly exposed. Connections are authenticated and scoped.
PayGuard uses two third-party providers in delivering the service. We disclose both, their role, and the security certifications they hold.
| Provider | Purpose | Data involvement |
|---|---|---|
|
Render
SOC 2 Type 2
ISO 27001
GDPR-DPA
View Render security →
|
Application hosting and database infrastructure | Hosts the PayGuard application and persisted audit data. Render maintains SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001 certifications for its platform and infrastructure. |
| Anthropic View Anthropic Trust Center → | AI-powered payroll variance explanations | Receives the relevant variance context — employee identifiers, payroll values and component-level changes — needed to generate human-readable explanations. Original payroll files are not sent. |