Questions, answered.
Straight answers about how Operate works, what it does with tax and payroll, and who sees your records.
Getting started
Who is Operate for?
Small businesses in Jamaica: shops, cook shops, bakeries, farms, guesthouses, transport, trades, salons and creative work. Each industry gets its own starting layout. See the industries.
Can I use it today?
Operate works today in the demonstration build, with sample data. The production build is under way and early access is opening to small businesses in Jamaica. Get early access and we will contact you.
Do I need a TRN or to be registered first?
No. You can start informal: sell, keep simple stock, keep customers and use the trust book. Expenses, books and deadlines arrive when you have a TRN. GCT shows up only once you tell Operate you are GCT registered. How tiers work.
What phones and devices does it run on?
Android phones and tablets, and the browser on a computer. iPhone is planned, not ready yet.
Does it work without internet?
Yes. The register and the rest of Operate keep working with no connection. A banner shows you are offline, your work is saved on the device, and it syncs when the connection is back. Sending a WhatsApp message, opening the TAJ website or receiving online orders goes through once you are back online. How offline works.
Which industries are covered?
Retail and shops, food service, food processing, agriculture and produce, tourism and guesthouses, transport, construction and trades, services, beauty and creative. Each is a profile, so a salon sees appointments and a joiner sees quotes and jobs.
Selling and the register
Does Operate take card payments?
No. It records them. You take the card payment on your own card machine, then record the sale as card. You can also record cash, bank transfer (with the reference), check (with the check number) and on account. Mobile wallet is coming. A sale can be split across tenders.
Can my cashier see my profit?
No. A cashier never sees profit, cost prices, payroll or settings. Roles are Owner, Manager, Cashier, Accountant, Staff and Advisor, and each sees only what the job needs.
Can I delete a sale?
No, you void it. A void needs a reason and stays on the record, with who did it and when. That protects you as much as anyone. Refunds work the same way.
What does the Z-report do?
It closes the shift. You count the drawer first, then Operate shows what it should hold, what is short or over, and the voids and cash movements on the way. See the register.
What is on account?
A sale you let a customer pay for later. It goes on their trust book and never counts in the cash drawer. About customers and the trust book.
Money and tax
Does Operate file my taxes?
No. It prepares figures. You check them, submit to Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) yourself, then tap "Mark as filed" in Operate. About compliance.
When does GCT show up?
Only once you say you are GCT registered. The standard rate is 15% and the registration threshold is J$15,000,000 a year in taxable supplies. Near the threshold Operate shows a prompt, and nothing changes until you confirm. Whether you must register is a question for TAJ or your accountant. Rates live in a dated statutory pack and update when the law changes.
Is Operate an accountant or tax adviser?
No. It is business software. It does not give accounting, tax or legal advice. Talk to your accountant, or give them the Accountant role. About the books.
Does Operate hold or move my money?
No. It never holds or moves money, and it never lends. It keeps the record of what you took and what you spent.
Payroll
Does it work out PAYE, NIS and NHT?
It prepares them for you to check. For employees: NIS 3%, NHT 2%, Education Tax 2.25%, and PAYE 25% above the annual threshold. For you as employer: HEART 3%, NIS 3%, NHT 3% and Education Tax 3.5%. SO1 is due by the 14th of the following month and SO2 by 31 March. Rates live in a dated statutory pack and update when the law changes. About payroll.
Does Operate pay my staff?
No. It works out the pay run and makes payslips. You pay your staff and the statutory bodies yourself.
Your data and privacy
Who can see my sales?
You, and the people you give a role to. An Advisor only ever sees summaries, never individual sales.
Does 1877 Capital see my records?
Not unless you choose. There are two separate sharing switches: share a readiness summary, and share with a business advisor. Both are off by default and you can turn them off again. About readiness.
Can I take my records out?
Yes. You can export your records whenever you like. Inside Operate, documents are retired with a reason rather than deleted, so your history stays complete.
Who looks after my data?
1877 Capital Ltd is the data controller. For privacy questions or to use your data rights, write to its data protection lead at hello@1877capital.com. Read the privacy notice.
Cost
Is it really free?
Yes. The business pays nothing to use Operate, and nothing is behind a paywall. Tiers grow with your business: they change what you see, not what you pay.
How does it stay free?
1877 Capital earns on the capital side, and from aggregated, consented, information-only insight. It does not charge a business to keep its books and it does not sell individual records. Why it is free.
Who makes Operate, and how do I reach them?
Operate is made by 1877 Capital Ltd, a UK founded technology company. Questions about Operate: info@operateja.com. Privacy and data rights: hello@1877capital.com.
No question matches that. Email us and ask: info@operateja.com