Peterborough Software

Peterborough Software

Formerly	Peterborough Data Processing
Industry	Payroll and Human Resources Software and Services
Predecessor	Peterborough Data Processing
Founded	1963 (1963) in Peterborough, England
Founder	Ian K. Evans-Gordon
Defunct	January 2004
Fate	Acquired
Successor	Rebus, Northgate Information Solutions
Headquarters	Peterborough , England
Brands	Unipay, Uni2000, OpenDoor, PS2000, Unipension, Unipersonnel, PSenterprise

Peterborough Software was a payroll and human resources software and services company started in Peterborough, England in 1963. It is notable for being a pioneer of computerised Payroll Services and Software in the United Kingdom, as cited by UK magazine Personnel Today. ^[1] The company was acquired by Northgate Information Solutions in 2004. ^{[2] [3]}

History

Early years

The company was formed in Peterborough, England in 1963, by Ian K. Evans-Gordon, a programmer at Perkins Engines, Peterborough, using spare capacity on his firm’s mainframe computer. ^[4]

• 1972 – The company launched Unilist, software to analyse the data held on its payroll programme. The company at this time had 18 staff. ^[5]
• 1975 – Unipersonnel launched; systems updated to enable online data entry instead of batch processing. ^[6]

1980s

• 1987 – PC-Based products (running on MS-DOS), branded PS2000 and using Revelation Software (a Pick based product) released. ^[7]

1990s

• 1996 – An April 1996 article in The Independent reported "The group is the market leader with 73 of the top 100 companies and 20 per cent of the UK working population paid through its systems. Sales have grown from pounds 7m to pounds 30m since 1986". ^[8]
• 1997 – The company became part of the newly formed Rebus Group, formed from (inter alia) Peterborough Software and Septre Computer Services. ^[9]
• 1999 – Rebus Software was named as the leading UK systems supplier for HR and Payroll in a survey conducted as part of the annual Computers in Personnel event. ^[10]
• 1999 – Rebus was taken private by Warburg Pincus and General Atlantic at a cost of £172 million. ^[11]

2000s

• 2004 – The company was bought by Northgate in early 2004 for £153 million. ^[12]

See also

• MultiValue The original NoSQL database predating Oracle, SQL Server

References

1. "Events that shaped human resources". 2 November 2004.
2. "Northgate acquires Rebus HR". 28 January 2004.
3. "OFT publishes clearance decision in acquisition of Rebus by Northgate".
4. "Events that shaped human resources". 2 November 2004.
5. "We have the technology". 16 May 2000.
6. "We have the technology". 16 May 2000.
7. "Revelation Software User Story - Peterborough Software". Archived from the original on 4 December 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
8. "Firm with no bark but plenty of byte" . Independent.co.uk . 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022.
9. "Rebus Group goes utterly Wibberley". 12 November 1997.
10. "Rebus Software proven leaders in the market place for the second year running".
11. "Northgate and Rebus in merger". 13 September 2005.
12. "Keep in step with IT developments". 13 April 2012.