--- title: "Siemens case study: automating global shadow payroll | Certino" description: How Siemens, with more than 27,000 expatriates, moved from manual shadow payroll to automated, consistent calculations with Certino. image: https://www.certino.com/hubfs/certino-managed-hero.png --- [Skip to content](https://www.certino.com/siemens#main-content) [![Certino Ltd. Logo](https://www.certino.com/hubfs/march-2021/globals/certino.svg)](https://www.certino.com/../?hsLang=en) ![](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/234700/_nov_2019/globals/nav.svg) - [Home](https://www.certino.com?hsLang=en) - [Platform](https://www.certino.com/platform?hsLang=en) - [Managed service](https://www.certino.com/managed-service?hsLang=en) - [About us](https://www.certino.com/about-us?hsLang=en) - [Blog](https://www.certino.com/blog?hsLang=en) - [Book a call](https://www.certino.com/book-a-consultation?hsLang=en) Case study: Siemens # How Siemens automated shadow payroll across multiple countries and payroll providers Siemens moved shadow payroll from local, manual processes to one central, automated approach. Certino calculates the results from a single set of data, country by country. [Book a call](https://www.certino.com/book-a-consultation?hsLang=en) ![Siemens shadow payroll results ready for filing across countries](https://www.certino.com/hubfs/certino-siemens-case-study-hero.png) Siemens at a glance ## Shadow payroll at global scale 27,000+ ### Expatriates Across the Siemens group worldwide 330,000+ ### Paychecks Processed every month across the Siemens group 1-2 days ### To resolve queries Compared with 2-3 weeks with previous suppliers 20+ ### Countries live Shadow payroll calculated by Certino today The challenge ### Multiple countries, multiple processes Siemens employs over 300,000 people in 200 countries. Keeping shadow payroll correct and on time across that many countries, entities and changing employee numbers was a major challenge for the Global Mobility Tax team. In 2018, Siemens began moving its global mobility services from local country teams to one central team. As part of that change, it replaced its HR system, reduced its payroll providers to two global partners and looked for a new shadow payroll partner. It needed one that could automate the process centrally and connect cleanly to the new payroll and tax providers. ![Before Certino: each country ran its own shadow payroll process](https://www.certino.com/hubfs/certino-siemens-challenge.png) The Brief ## What the team set out to do 01 ### Automate the process end to end Replace manual steps with fast, repeatable workflows. 02 ### One source of assignee data A single place for international employee data, feeding payroll and year-end reporting. 03 ### Connect to payroll and tax providers Clean handoffs to global payroll vendors and tax providers. 04 ### Reduce compliance risk Results that are right the first time, and on time for every host country filing. How Certino helps ### One set of inputs, consistent results Siemens gathers data on its international assignees and uploads it to Certino. Certino consolidates the data, applies each country's rules and produces the shadow payroll results. Depending on the country, those results take one of two forms: a taxability view of each pay element that goes to the global payroll provider, or shadow payroll figures that Siemens uses directly. The results feed host country reporting and payment of tax, offsetting host payments in the home country, GL journal entries, recharges of employee payroll costs, and annual reports for tax returns. When a tax position changes, Certino updates the calculation and produces new results before the next host country filing deadline. ![One set of assignee data flowing through Certino to payroll-ready results](https://www.certino.com/hubfs/certino-siemens-how-certino-helps.png) “ > Certino is extremely flexible, especially with a complex topic like shadow payroll. Certino's reaction times are very fast, with just one or two days to resolve a question, not the two or three weeks we have experienced with other suppliers. ![Michael Ziegler, Head of HR Global Mobility Tax](https://www.certino.com/hubfs/michael-ziegler.jpeg) **Michael Ziegler** Head of HR Global Mobility Tax ![logo-siemens-2](https://www.certino.com/hubfs/logo-siemens-2.png) > With Certino, we now have a short and mid-term solution that allows our team to concentrate on more value-added work, rather than the manual screen work that was necessary to handle shadow payroll using pre-Certino processes. ![Benjamin Mueller, Senior Tax Specialist](https://www.certino.com/hubfs/benjamin-mueller-2.jpg) **Benjamin Mueller** Senior Tax Specialist ![logo-siemens-2](https://www.certino.com/hubfs/logo-siemens-2.png) ‹ › Results ## What changed ### Countries live quickly Starting with a pilot in Denmark, Siemens added countries as it needed them. Certino now supports 20+ countries. ### Consistent, high-quality results Calculations run the same way every time, so validation reviews take far less time and results hold up to scrutiny. ### Time back for the team The tax team spends its time on higher-value work, not the manual screen work shadow payroll used to need. ### A partner through change As systems, providers and data changed during the transformation, Certino adjusted with them. ## See how Certino would work for your assignees A short call to look at how you run shadow payroll today. [Book a call](https://www.certino.com/book-a-consultation?hsLang=en) ![certino-white](https://www.certino.com/hubfs/march-2021/globals/certino-white.svg) ###### Links - [Shadow payroll guide](https://www.certino.com/shadow-payroll) - [Siemens case study](https://www.certino.com/siemens) - [Platform](https://www.certino.com/platform) - [Managed shadow payroll](https://www.certino.com/managed-service) - [Research & insights](https://www.certino.com/blog) - [Book a demo](https://www.certino.com/book-a-consultation) ###### Contact - [+44 (0) 207 118 1405](tel:+44(0)2071181415) - [enquiries@certino.com](mailto:enquiries@certino.com) - [![linkedin](https://www.certino.com/hubfs/linkedin.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/certino/) © 2026 Certino Ltd. All rights reserved. Company no. 10810451. 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