Training & development

We run regular training sessions to explain our rules and processes.

The current training sessions are:

  • Year-end webinars

  • Year-end drop-in sessions

  • Introduction to IPSA Online

  • Managing your business costs: claims and budgeting

  • Managing your properties: the IPSA property lifecycle

  • Monies owed webinar

  • Payment Card webinar

  • Returned claims webinar

  • Staffing budget webinar

Further details can be found below.

Year-end webinars

Our MP Services team will run through the timeline for year-end and how to complete the year-end process including completing claims, reconciling your payment card and filling out the year-end form.

Date and time: various dates and times in the run-up to the year-end deadlines. Please check the Eventbrite calendar for the list of bookable dates.

Register for the year-end webinar

Year-end drop-in sessions

We are offering a series of virtual drop-in sessions for you to access support in your year-end matters.

This session is open to all MPs and staff. You are welcome to come along prepared with questions for the trainer to go through.

We recognise that you may have more in-depth queries about year-end that a drop-in session can address, for example, help with analysing reports, checking for outstanding payment card lines or completing your year-end form.

Date and time: Every Tuesday at 2.30pm.

Register for the drop-in session.

You can also attend the drop-in session without registering.

Introduction to IPSA Online

Our IPSA Online training workshops are designed to give MPs and staff confidence in using our expenses, finance and payroll system. They take place every Thursday at 2pm using a virtual platform.

If you are an experienced proxy or work for a returned MP, please be aware these sessions are designed to help those unfamiliar with the system.

The two-hour workshops include the following:

  • an introduction to IPSA Online

  • expenses

  • payroll

  • task manager

  • MP dashboard

  • getting help

Date and time: Every second Thursday at 2pm.

Register for the IPSA Online webinar

Managing your business costs: claims and budgeting

An IPSA Account Manager will talk through some additional features of IPSA Online that are not covered in the ‘Introduction to IPSA Online’ session, and how these features can be used to effectively manage your claims and total spend. It will also include some additional tips to make it easier to manage your budgets.

This will include:

  • How to run and understand the new ‘Business Costs Breakdown’ report

  • How to run and understand the ‘Breakdown by Expense type’ report

  • How to run claim and payments reports

  • How to use the Analyzer tool

  • Techniques you can use to budget and manage your claims

This webinar will be around an hour long, with an opportunity to ask questions at the end.

Date and time: These webinars are held monthly at various times throughout the year. Please check the Eventbrite calendar for the list of bookable dates.

Register for the Business Costs webinar

Managing your properties: The IPSA Property Lifecycle

Join us for a workshop session with two Account Managers who will take you through managing MPs' offices and accommodation with IPSA. We'll cover things to consider while looking for a property, registering the property with IPSA, making changes throughout the tenancy, and leaving the property.

By the end of the workshop you will be able to make full use of the support IPSA provides before, during, and after your tenancy. You'll also be able to confidently submit Property Registration and Amendment Forms, and provide the correct evidence.

This is an interactive format, and we are able to cover your specific property topics on the day.

The session will last between 45 and 60 minutes and there will be many opportunities to ask questions.

Date and time: These webinars are held monthly at various times throughout the year. Please check the Eventbrite calendar for the list of bookable dates.

Register for the Managing your Properties webinar

Monies Owed webinar

There are many valid reasons why money may be owed and this session will look at how to recognise monies owed on IPSA Online, the methods of repaying money and importantly how to avoid owing money to IPSA. The session will help you understand how debt can arise and the options available to clear it.

Date and time: These webinars are held monthly at various times throughout the year. Please check the Eventbrite calendar for the list of bookable dates.

Register for the Monies Owed webinar

Payment Card webinar

An IPSA Account Manager will provide an overview of the IPSA payment card and how to complete the payment card reconciliation process using IPSA Online ahead of the monthly deadline (the 8th of every month).

This webinar will be around one hour long, with opportunities to ask questions throughout.

Date and time: These webinars are held monthly at various times throughout the year. Please check the Eventbrite calendar for the list of bookable dates.

Register for the Payment Card webinar

Returned Claims webinar

When you make a claim in IPSA Online sometimes they can be returned to you as there is an issue with the claim that needs to be corrected. There are many reasons why a claim will be returned to the originator such as no evidence attached, or an incorrect expense code.

This webinar will explain all of the reasons to you and show you how to make corrections and resubmit claims so that they can be approved. It is an interactive session so you will be able to ask questions in a group environment.

Date and time: These webinars are held monthly at various times throughout the year. Please check the Eventbrite calendar for the list of bookable dates.

Register for the Returned Claims webinar

Staffing Budget webinar

During this session, a member of the Payroll team will talk through the Staffing Budget Report. The session will cover:

  • how to run and view the Staffing Budget Report

  • how to understand the Staffing Budget Report

  • how to make amendments to the Staffing Budget Report

  • how to view expenses made against the Staffing Budget

  • year-end forms (included towards the end of the financial year)

This session will not cover the COVID staffing budget. For queries related to the COVID staffing budget, please see our Coronavirus FAQs or book a call with a member of the Payroll team.

Date and time: These webinars are held monthly at various times throughout the year. Please check the Eventbrite calendar for the list of bookable dates.

Register for the Staffing Budget webinar

If you have feedback or suggestions regarding training, please email communications@theipsa.org.uk.