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Payroll Procedures at a Glance
Things You Should Know
The following instructions have been prepared to provide a guide through the payroll processing function. They assume that all Employee file changes for taxes, deductions, pay rates and leave earning rates have been made.
Procedures
Print Processing Checklist – Select Tools, Processing Checklists, Payroll.
Timesheet Entry – enter Timesheet batches for all staff for the current pay period. Make sure that the pay period “from” and “to” dates appearing on the Timesheet Batch tab represents the beginning and ending date of the current pay period. Make sure that the posting period represents the last day of the month you wish to have the timesheet batch reflected.
Expense Reimbursements - This is an optional step used if your organization reimburses employee's expenses through the payroll function. Enter all staff reimbursements and review data for accuracy.
Payroll Adjustments – This is an optional step. It is used to (1) record any payroll checks that have been manually issued or voided, (2) process retroactive or termination payroll checks which require special tax or deduction considerations, or (3) to process one-time-only adjustments to taxes or deductions.
Backup Database – After entering timesheets, expense reimbursements and payroll adjustments please backup your database. Please see the Help section Operating Information\Recommended Database Backup Procedures for detailed instructions on backing up your database and using the backup utility.
Leave Balances – This step updates all appropriate leave balances by adding earned leave for the pay period based on the Per-Pay-Period amount as set up in the Employee File, and subtracting any leave used as identified in the selected timesheets.
All unposted timesheet batches will appear on the Leave Balance Processing grid. Select all batches you wish to process in the current payroll. Please make sure that all selected batches have the same period ending date.
Print the Leave Balance Report – This report may be printed in alpha, department or site code order. Check the box if you want the report to include all active employees with leave balances even if they did not have a timesheet in the current pay period. A checkbox is also available if you wish to include employees with timesheets but who will not be earning leave this pay period.
Note – We recommend that you monitor 1 or 2 employees as a control from one pay period to the next to assure that opening and ending balances are correct, leave earned and taken is processed properly, and the correct Timesheet batches are used.
Prepare Payroll –
Timesheet Batches tab: At this point all of the batches that have been processed through leave will be displayed. Select the batches to be processed with the current payroll. If you have entered Payroll Adjustments, be sure to check the box at the bottom.
Include Expense Reimbursement Batches tab: Check any/all expense reimbursement batches to be included on the payroll.
Include Deduction/Special Pay tab: All Deductions will be withheld unless you remove the checkmark from this box. If you remove the checkmark, a grid will appear allowing you to select which deductions you wish to include. Additionally, all Special Pays will be included unless you remove the checkmark from this box. If you remove the checkmark, a grid will appear allowing you to select which special pays you wish to include.
Prepare Payroll button: After confirming the correct information is selected on the three tabs, click on this button for the payroll calculations to take place. After this processing is completed you will then be able to print the Payroll and Deduction Registers.
Please review the Payroll Register to assure that the total gross wages equal the sum of all timesheet batches processed plus/minus any Payroll Adjustments affecting gross wages.
The Deduction Register itemizes the deduction amounts as summarized on the Payroll Register.
Worker’s Comp Analysis – The Worker’s Comp Analysis is used by those organizations wishing to accrue their Worker’s Comp Insurance costs on a pay period basis. An entry is calculated based upon each employee’s worker’s comp code as set up in the Employee File, and their wages for the current period. This entry is then coded to the Fringe Benefit Pool.
Print the analysis to assure that all employees have the correct Worker’s Comp code set up in their Employee File. This report will supply the information by individual employee as well as summary totals by Worker’s Comp Codes.
Prepare Journal - This step prepares and posts the General Journal entry to record this accrual. You will be asked to supply the Expense Code, Liability
Code, Element Code for the expense code and Post Period for this entry. Select the Save Journal button when finished.
Print Checks – Payroll checks are printed based upon the information developed in the Prepare Payroll step and verified on the Payroll and Deduction Registers.
Verify the GL Code (bank account) from which the checks will be issued. Enter the check date and the starting check number.
Specify alpha, dept., site or code order for the checks to be printed. If you
chose to include SSN, tax data, salary, agency name or phone, check the appropriate boxes. The check format will default to the format in Tools/Organization/Default GL Codes. If a default has not been selected, choose one of the options displayed. If desired, a payroll check stub message may be added which will print on the payroll check stub.
Print – This selection will begin the check printing process.
After confirming the correct check date was entered, the checks will appear on the screen and are ready to be printed.
As the print job is closed you will be asked if you have printed or exported the stubs and/or checks. Answer appropriately. The Print Payroll Checks form will
Reappear on the screen. If the checks have printed successfully, select the Save Check Run button. You will be asked if you wish to save the current payroll and update employee files. Answering yes to this question will complete the check printing portion of the payroll process.
Should you need to re-print checks due to a paper jam or other reason, you can exit the Print Payroll Checks form (after the checks have printed) without saving the check run. When it tells you that the run has not been saved, select No to saving the check run. This will allow you to go to the Print Checks selection again. You can either delete all check numbers and re-print all checks, or restart check printing from a specified check.
Please answer all questions on the form appropriately. This will enable you to complete the check run.
Re-Print – You can select this option to restart check printing from a specified check. Select the posting period, enter the number of the last good check and the check number to use when restarting. Choose the check format and click the Re-Print button.
Delete All Check Numbers – If you have this option available, a check run exists that has not been saved. You can select this option should you have to reprint the entire run. This will remove all check information for the current payroll from the tables.
After the check run is saved, a “Print copy with ck#” button will appear. You may click on this button to print a copy of the checks on paper. This copy will include the check number. These copies may be printed at any time prior to posting the payroll journal entry for the current payroll.
Check Register – This is a sequential list of all checks for the current payroll.
YTD Payroll Register – After entering the check date for which the report is to be prepared, the YTD Payroll Register will list all employees showing gross to net payroll amounts.
After closing out of the YTD Payroll Register form, the YTD Deduction Register will be displayed itemizing the deduction amounts as summarized on the YTD Payroll Register.
Unemployment Analysis – The Pay Period Unemployment Analysis is used to accrue unemployment costs for the current pay period.
Period Ending – verify that the current Pay Period is displayed.
Unemployment Rate (%) and Unemployment Limit – Enter the information in these fields for the current Unemployment Rate and the limit for taxable Unemployment wages. Once this information is entered for the first time, the system will retain the information for future pay periods. You will only have to make changes to these fields should your organization’s Unemployment Rate change, or your State’s taxable limit is changed.
Print the Unemployment Analysis for review.
Prepare Journal – This step prepares and posts the General Journal entry to record this accrual. You will be asked to supply the Expense Code, Liability Code, Element Code for the expense code and Post Period for this entry. Select the Save Journal button when finished.
Local Tax Analysis – Should your organization have any local taxing jurisdictions, this report will supply you with information by jurisdiction for the current pay period, monthly totals, quarterly totals, and calendar YTD totals. The monthly and quarterly totals can be useful for your organization, depending upon your reporting requirements. It is very important to verify the amounts on the analysis because this information is used on the W2’s.
Edit Local Wages/Withholding – This allows you to make changes to individual employee’s records. Please be aware that these changes only affect this Local Tax Analysis. The employee files quarter-to-date and year-to-date information are not affected.
Print – This will print the Local Tax Analysis for the period specified. The information included on this report is sorted and subtotaled by local tax jurisdiction.
State Tax Analysis – Should your organization withhold state income taxes for multiple states, this report will supply you with information by state for the current pay period, monthly totals, quarterly totals, and calendar YTD totals.
The monthly and quarterly totals can be useful for your organization, depending upon your reporting requirements.
Edit State Wages/Withholding – This allows you to make changes to individual employee’s records. Please be aware that these changes only affect this State Tax Analysis. The employee files quarter-to-date and year-to-date information are not affected.
Print – This will print the State Tax analysis for the period specified. The information included on this report is sorted and subtotaled by state.
Payroll Journal Entry – This entry is necessary to record all of the appropriate information on the General Ledger.
Edit – allows you to make changes to the coding on the Earnings/Taxes grid. All changes to deduction coding need to be done through the Set Up option in the Payroll section.
Journal– allows you to create and post the journal entry to record this information. A posting period is required to produce the GJ entry.
Backup Database – After entering timesheets, expense reimbursements and payroll adjustments please backup your database. Please see the Help section Operating Information\Recommended Database Backup Procedures for detailed instructions on backing up your database and using the backup utility.
Quarterly – These procedures are to be followed after the last payroll check run dated in the calendar quarter has been completed, and before the first payroll check run dated in the next quarter is prepared.
QTD Payroll Register – This will prepare a QTD Payroll Register for all employees in alphabetical order showing gross to net payroll amounts. You will be prompted to enter the four digit calendar year and quarter number for which this report is to be prepared. When closing out this report, a Quarter to Date Deduction Register will be displayed.
QTD Reporting Register – This will prepare a Quarterly reporting register for all employees in alphabetical order. This report will assist in the preparation of various quarterly payroll reports. You will be prompted to enter the four digit calendar year, quarter number, wages subject to unemployment, wages subject to Social Security, and employee classes to include in this report.
The following instructions have been prepared to provide a guide through the payroll processing function. They assume that all Employee file changes for taxes, deductions, pay rates and leave earning rates have been made.
Procedures
Print Processing Checklist – Select Tools, Processing Checklists, Payroll.
Timesheet Entry – enter Timesheet batches for all staff for the current pay period. Make sure that the pay period “from” and “to” dates appearing on the Timesheet Batch tab represents the beginning and ending date of the current pay period. Make sure that the posting period represents the last day of the month you wish to have the timesheet batch reflected.
Expense Reimbursements - This is an optional step used if your organization reimburses employee's expenses through the payroll function. Enter all staff reimbursements and review data for accuracy.
Payroll Adjustments – This is an optional step. It is used to (1) record any payroll checks that have been manually issued or voided, (2) process retroactive or termination payroll checks which require special tax or deduction considerations, or (3) to process one-time-only adjustments to taxes or deductions.
Backup Database – After entering timesheets, expense reimbursements and payroll adjustments please backup your database. Please see the Help section Operating Information\Recommended Database Backup Procedures for detailed instructions on backing up your database and using the backup utility.
Leave Balances – This step updates all appropriate leave balances by adding earned leave for the pay period based on the Per-Pay-Period amount as set up in the Employee File, and subtracting any leave used as identified in the selected timesheets.
All unposted timesheet batches will appear on the Leave Balance Processing grid. Select all batches you wish to process in the current payroll. Please make sure that all selected batches have the same period ending date.
Print the Leave Balance Report – This report may be printed in alpha, department or site code order. Check the box if you want the report to include all active employees with leave balances even if they did not have a timesheet in the current pay period. A checkbox is also available if you wish to include employees with timesheets but who will not be earning leave this pay period.
Note – We recommend that you monitor 1 or 2 employees as a control from one pay period to the next to assure that opening and ending balances are correct, leave earned and taken is processed properly, and the correct Timesheet batches are used.
Prepare Payroll –
Timesheet Batches tab: At this point all of the batches that have been processed through leave will be displayed. Select the batches to be processed with the current payroll. If you have entered Payroll Adjustments, be sure to check the box at the bottom.
Include Expense Reimbursement Batches tab: Check any/all expense reimbursement batches to be included on the payroll.
Include Deduction/Special Pay tab: All Deductions will be withheld unless you remove the checkmark from this box. If you remove the checkmark, a grid will appear allowing you to select which deductions you wish to include. Additionally, all Special Pays will be included unless you remove the checkmark from this box. If you remove the checkmark, a grid will appear allowing you to select which special pays you wish to include.
Prepare Payroll button: After confirming the correct information is selected on the three tabs, click on this button for the payroll calculations to take place. After this processing is completed you will then be able to print the Payroll and Deduction Registers.
Please review the Payroll Register to assure that the total gross wages equal the sum of all timesheet batches processed plus/minus any Payroll Adjustments affecting gross wages.
The Deduction Register itemizes the deduction amounts as summarized on the Payroll Register.
Worker’s Comp Analysis – The Worker’s Comp Analysis is used by those organizations wishing to accrue their Worker’s Comp Insurance costs on a pay period basis. An entry is calculated based upon each employee’s worker’s comp code as set up in the Employee File, and their wages for the current period. This entry is then coded to the Fringe Benefit Pool.
Print the analysis to assure that all employees have the correct Worker’s Comp code set up in their Employee File. This report will supply the information by individual employee as well as summary totals by Worker’s Comp Codes.
Prepare Journal - This step prepares and posts the General Journal entry to record this accrual. You will be asked to supply the Expense Code, Liability
Code, Element Code for the expense code and Post Period for this entry. Select the Save Journal button when finished.
Print Checks – Payroll checks are printed based upon the information developed in the Prepare Payroll step and verified on the Payroll and Deduction Registers.
Verify the GL Code (bank account) from which the checks will be issued. Enter the check date and the starting check number.
Specify alpha, dept., site or code order for the checks to be printed. If you
chose to include SSN, tax data, salary, agency name or phone, check the appropriate boxes. The check format will default to the format in Tools/Organization/Default GL Codes. If a default has not been selected, choose one of the options displayed. If desired, a payroll check stub message may be added which will print on the payroll check stub.
Print – This selection will begin the check printing process.
After confirming the correct check date was entered, the checks will appear on the screen and are ready to be printed.
As the print job is closed you will be asked if you have printed or exported the stubs and/or checks. Answer appropriately. The Print Payroll Checks form will
Reappear on the screen. If the checks have printed successfully, select the Save Check Run button. You will be asked if you wish to save the current payroll and update employee files. Answering yes to this question will complete the check printing portion of the payroll process.
Should you need to re-print checks due to a paper jam or other reason, you can exit the Print Payroll Checks form (after the checks have printed) without saving the check run. When it tells you that the run has not been saved, select No to saving the check run. This will allow you to go to the Print Checks selection again. You can either delete all check numbers and re-print all checks, or restart check printing from a specified check.
Please answer all questions on the form appropriately. This will enable you to complete the check run.
Re-Print – You can select this option to restart check printing from a specified check. Select the posting period, enter the number of the last good check and the check number to use when restarting. Choose the check format and click the Re-Print button.
Delete All Check Numbers – If you have this option available, a check run exists that has not been saved. You can select this option should you have to reprint the entire run. This will remove all check information for the current payroll from the tables.
After the check run is saved, a “Print copy with ck#” button will appear. You may click on this button to print a copy of the checks on paper. This copy will include the check number. These copies may be printed at any time prior to posting the payroll journal entry for the current payroll.
Check Register – This is a sequential list of all checks for the current payroll.
YTD Payroll Register – After entering the check date for which the report is to be prepared, the YTD Payroll Register will list all employees showing gross to net payroll amounts.
After closing out of the YTD Payroll Register form, the YTD Deduction Register will be displayed itemizing the deduction amounts as summarized on the YTD Payroll Register.
Unemployment Analysis – The Pay Period Unemployment Analysis is used to accrue unemployment costs for the current pay period.
Period Ending – verify that the current Pay Period is displayed.
Unemployment Rate (%) and Unemployment Limit – Enter the information in these fields for the current Unemployment Rate and the limit for taxable Unemployment wages. Once this information is entered for the first time, the system will retain the information for future pay periods. You will only have to make changes to these fields should your organization’s Unemployment Rate change, or your State’s taxable limit is changed.
Print the Unemployment Analysis for review.
Prepare Journal – This step prepares and posts the General Journal entry to record this accrual. You will be asked to supply the Expense Code, Liability Code, Element Code for the expense code and Post Period for this entry. Select the Save Journal button when finished.
Local Tax Analysis – Should your organization have any local taxing jurisdictions, this report will supply you with information by jurisdiction for the current pay period, monthly totals, quarterly totals, and calendar YTD totals. The monthly and quarterly totals can be useful for your organization, depending upon your reporting requirements. It is very important to verify the amounts on the analysis because this information is used on the W2’s.
Edit Local Wages/Withholding – This allows you to make changes to individual employee’s records. Please be aware that these changes only affect this Local Tax Analysis. The employee files quarter-to-date and year-to-date information are not affected.
Print – This will print the Local Tax Analysis for the period specified. The information included on this report is sorted and subtotaled by local tax jurisdiction.
State Tax Analysis – Should your organization withhold state income taxes for multiple states, this report will supply you with information by state for the current pay period, monthly totals, quarterly totals, and calendar YTD totals.
The monthly and quarterly totals can be useful for your organization, depending upon your reporting requirements.
Edit State Wages/Withholding – This allows you to make changes to individual employee’s records. Please be aware that these changes only affect this State Tax Analysis. The employee files quarter-to-date and year-to-date information are not affected.
Print – This will print the State Tax analysis for the period specified. The information included on this report is sorted and subtotaled by state.
Payroll Journal Entry – This entry is necessary to record all of the appropriate information on the General Ledger.
Edit – allows you to make changes to the coding on the Earnings/Taxes grid. All changes to deduction coding need to be done through the Set Up option in the Payroll section.
Journal– allows you to create and post the journal entry to record this information. A posting period is required to produce the GJ entry.
Backup Database – After entering timesheets, expense reimbursements and payroll adjustments please backup your database. Please see the Help section Operating Information\Recommended Database Backup Procedures for detailed instructions on backing up your database and using the backup utility.
Quarterly – These procedures are to be followed after the last payroll check run dated in the calendar quarter has been completed, and before the first payroll check run dated in the next quarter is prepared.
QTD Payroll Register – This will prepare a QTD Payroll Register for all employees in alphabetical order showing gross to net payroll amounts. You will be prompted to enter the four digit calendar year and quarter number for which this report is to be prepared. When closing out this report, a Quarter to Date Deduction Register will be displayed.
QTD Reporting Register – This will prepare a Quarterly reporting register for all employees in alphabetical order. This report will assist in the preparation of various quarterly payroll reports. You will be prompted to enter the four digit calendar year, quarter number, wages subject to unemployment, wages subject to Social Security, and employee classes to include in this report.
