Basic Payroll Processing Step by Step Outline

Revised:  2/2020

 

Basic Payroll Processing

 

The following step by step basic payroll process will lead you through the various options needed to process a payroll.  Each step will tell you which items to select as you move through the process of creating a payroll.  Please make any notes you need as you work through your payroll.

 

Items to Review before Opening a Payroll

 

1.  Deductions & Bene fits Master Additions and Changes

A.  Select Human Resources

B.  Select Human Resources Control Center

C.  Select Deductions & Benefits Master

D.  Update Deductions & Benefits Master settings

E.  Select Save

 

2.  Entering new employees

A.  Select Human Resources or Payroll Processing

B.  Select Add, Change Employee Information

1.  Select General Information and then Add.

2.  Enter in the name, address, city, state and zip code

3.  Save the new employee

4.  Select Close

C.  Select Tax Information, Payroll Control, Default Accounts & Rates, Other, Contracts, Position, Deductions & Benefits, and Direct Deposit

1.  Enter in the information that is needed for the new employee

2.  Select Save

 

3.  Change any information on existing employees that needs to be changed

A.  Select Human Resources or Payroll Process

B.  Select Add, Change Employee Information

C.  Select any of the options that need to be changed for the employees

D.  Make the desired changes and select Save

 

4.  Update Employee Portal

A.  Select Administrative Utilities

B.  Select Security- Application Access

C.  Hover the mouse over Options and then select Mass Create Employee Portal Users

D.  Select the password type to use for the new employee portal users

E.  Select Create Employee Portal Users

F.  Select the OK button on the message that the Users have been created

 

5.  Print the login information to give to the new employees

A.  Close the screen used to create the new employee in the employee portal

B.  Next to the printer icon select the date the new employees were created

C.  Select the printer button

D.  Enter in your URL which is the web address for your SDS WFO system

E.  Select OK

F.  Print the letter(s) for the new employee(s)

 

How to Activate/Open a Payroll

 

1.  Select Payroll Processing

A.  Activate/Open a payroll

1.  Calendar setup

a.  Select a Payroll Date from the calendar

b.  Select a First Work day

c.  Select a Last Work day

d.  Select the Record New Payroll button for xx/xx/xxx

e.  Select the OK button.  The payroll date has been created.

 

2.  Payout Category(s)

a.  Select the Contract Payout Category(s) that are needed for this payroll

i.   Note:  To review the payout category(s) review them in the contracts area in the field “Payout Category”

 

3.  Select Contracts with a start date before or equal to:

a.   Select the last start date (this date comes from the contract table)   

4.  Select the Activate button

          a.   Select the OK button. 

          b.   The payroll is now open

 

Contract Entry Verification

 

1.  Select Payroll Processing

A.  Select Payday reports – Select the following reports to review

1.  Gross pay by employee or by account

2.  Preview the report by selecting the following from the list of questions

a.  Only timecards created from contracts

b.  All time cards

c.  Hide or display employee number

d.  Taxable and Non-taxable

e.  Select to see either detail or summary information

 

3.  Preview the Report

 

4.  Use the total to verify the contract gross amount

a.  Compare this gross to the prior payroll; if no additional contracts have been added the amount will be the same or you may have to adjust for additional contracts that were added or deactivated

b.  Make any adjustments in the contracts that are needed

 

5.  Reactivate the payroll after making contract adjustments

a.  Payroll Processing

b.  Activate/Open a Payroll

c.  Select Advanced Options

d.  Deactivate

e.  Activate – this will reopen the payroll and bring in the contract changes

f.   Verify the gross pay reports

 

Entering Attendance – Manually

 

1.  Select Human Resources

2.  Select Employee Attendance

A.  Entering an attendance record without a substitute record

1.  Select the absent employee’s name

2.  Select the date from the calendar or enter the date

3.  Enter the days or hours

4.  Select the reason for the absence and add notes if needed

5.  Select the “green plus button” to add the record

 

B.  Entering an attendance record with a substitute record

1.  Select the absent employee’s name

2.  Select the date from the calendar or enter the date

3.  Enter in the days or hours

4.  Select the reason for the absence and add notes if needed

5.  Select the name of the substitute

6.  Verify the payroll date

7.  Enter in the rate of pay if it did not auto fill

8.  The Gross code, Ret Code, FICA, and Ben Dist, fields should fill in from the employee master on the substitute employee select.   Change if needed.

9.  Select the account number if it did not auto fill

10. Select the “green plus button” to add the record

 

Enter Time Sheets

 

1.  Select Payroll Processing

A.  Select Gross Pay Entry and Adjustments

1.  Add pay

a)  Select the employee by using the Q-list or the ID number or Name

b)  Select the account number by using the “Quick Pick “option or searching on the account number

c)  Leave description as the account title or change

d)  Enter Rate of Pay

e)  Enter Hours or Units

f)   Select either your enter key or the “pay now” button

2.  Stay in Payroll Processing

3.  Payday Reports

4.  Gross pay by Employee or Time Card Entry Verification Report – Preview the report by selecting the following from the list of questions

a)  Only time card manual entries

b)  All time cards

c)  Display or hide the employee number

d)  Taxable and Non – Taxable Payroll Entries or other option

e)  Select detail or summary

f)   View the report

g)  Verify the information

5.  Correct information if needed

a)  Select Gross Pay Entry and Adjustments

b)  While in the edit option, make changes and save

c)  Verify the information with the same report

d)  Verify the total amount.  This total will be for Contracts and manual entries

 

Compute Payroll

 

1.  Select Payroll Processing

A.  Select Compute Payroll

1.  Select the timing codes for the payroll

2.  Compute payroll button

3.  Select the Ok button when the payroll is finished

4.  Close the report

 

Verify the payroll calculation amounts for deductions and benefits

 

1.  Select Payroll Processing

A.  Select Pay Day Reports

1.  Payroll Summary

a.  Verify the G3 FICA wages x 7.65%

i.  Compare this total with (T2) FICA Tax & (FR) FICA Matching

b.  Verify the G7 Medicare wages x 1.45%

i.  Compare this total with (MC) Medicare Deduction & (MR) Medicare Benefit

c.  Verify G4 Retirement wages x %

d.  Verify G5 Retirement wages x %

e.  Select code to see employees for the code selected

2.  Payroll Created Accounts

a.  The report should be blank unless an account was added by another user

b.  If the report is not blank, review the account created to determine why and adjust the account

3.  Gross Pay by Employee

4.  Gross Pay by Account

5.  Time Card Entry Verification Report

6.  Payroll Distribution

7.  Payroll Liabilities

8.  Payroll Transaction

9.  Payroll Distribution by Employee

10. Deduction and Benefit Registers

11. Tax Registers

 

Customized Payroll Reports

 

1.  Select Payroll Processing

A.  Select Customizable Reports  

1.  Select Preset Reports & Special Calculation Options

a.  Payroll Register (Earnings, Tax, Deduction, and Benefit)

2.  Create or view other reports needed for payroll verification

 

Process Direct Deposit Vouchers and Direct Deposit File

 

1.  Select Payroll Processing

A.  Select Direct Deposit

1.  Select the date for the vouchers

2.  Verify the Voucher Number

3.  Choose the voucher sequence

4.  Select the Format

5.  Print/Display Vouchers

6.  Select Export Report to Message Center

7.  Make sure the check mark is selected to “Create Direct Deposit Vouchers by Employee”

8.  Select Send Now 

9.  Close report

10. Select Create File Options

11. Select the date for the File

12. Select Create File

13. Right click on the yellow folder that was just created.  Save target as or save link as.

14. Save the file to your workstation

15. Send the file to the bank

16. Select Historical Direct Deposit File to see previous files.

 

Process Payroll Checks

 

1.  Select Payroll Processing

A.  Select Payroll Checks

1.  Select the date for the checks

2.  Verify the check number

3.  Choose the check sequence

4.  Select the Format

5.  Select Signature Option

6.  Print/Display Checks

7.  Print the checks

8.  Select Export Report Message Center

9.  Close the check report

 

Payroll Reports to Print or Save after Processing Payroll Checks and Vouchers

 

1.  Select Payroll Processing

A.  Select Payday reports

1.  Direct Deposit Report

2.  Employee Check Register

a.  Verify Net Pay (NT) from Payroll Summary Report with total Checks and Direct Deposits.

 

Closing the Payroll

 

1.  Select Payroll Processing

A.  Select Close/Make Active Payroll Permanent

1.  Check Close Current Payroll

a.  Select Checks are done?

b.  Select Direct Deposit Vouchers are done?

c.  Select My Direct Deposit File has been made and checked?

d.  Make Direct Deposit vouchers available at close of payroll

2.  Apply/Close Selections(s)

 

B.  Send Payroll Vouchers via email

1.  Select Direct Deposit eMail (Message Center)

a.  Verify the direct deposit date

b.  Move the employees over to the right box to send vouchers

c.  Change the Message if needed-DO NOT CHANGE THE SUBJECT

d.  Add an attachment if needed

e.  Select Send E-Mail

 

Transfer Payroll

 

1.  Select General Ledger Processing and Entry Options

A.  Select Transfer Payroll Data and Recurring Entries

1.  Select Liability Payments for Closed Payrolls

a.  Verify the payroll to be transferred to accounts payable

b.  Select Transfer

2.  Select Payroll Journal Entry(s)

a.  Verify the payroll to be transferred to the general ledger

b.  Select Transfer

3.  Make the journal entries permanent

a.  Select Home or General Ledger Processing and Entry Options

b.  Select Make New Transactions Permanent

c.  Select the payroll to be posted

d.  Post Selected Ledger

 

Pay Liabilities

 

1.  Select Accounts Payable

A.  Select Disbursement / Accounts Payable Entry

1.  Select A/P Reports

a.  Select the Open Accounts Payable report

b.  In the A/P or Disbursement Categories select the “P” for Payroll liabilities

c.  Verify the date on the calendar

d.  Run and verify the open payroll liabilities

2.  Select Check/Voucher Processing

3.  Select Checks

a.  Payment Type Selection:  Select Payroll

b.  Select Current, Next Month or Both

c.  Invoice Selection By:  Select Vendor/Inv#

d.  Select the vendor(s) required for the check run

e.  Select the refresh button

f.   Select the date for the checks from the calendar

g.  Change the starting check number if needed

h.  Check sequence

i.   Check format:  Bottom stub, top stub, or custom

j.   Signature options:  Enter the password if needed

k.  Print / Display Checks

l.   Export to the message center

m. Send now

n.  Print the checks

o.  Close the print screen

4.  Select Direct Deposit

a.  Payment Type Selection:  Select Payroll

b.  Select Current, Next Month or Both

c.  Invoice Selection By:  Select Vendor/Inv#

d.  Select the vendor(s) required for the voucher run

e.  Select the refresh button

f.   Select the date for the vouchers from the calendar

g.  Change the starting voucher number if needed

h.  Check sequence

i.   Check format:  Bottom stub, top stub, or custom

j.   Signature options:  Change to No signature

k.  Print / Display Vouchers

l.   Export to the message center

m. Send now

n.  Print the vouchers

o.  Close the print screen

5.  Make the payroll liability checks permanent

a.  Select Make Checks Permanent (Post to Ledger)

b.  Select Payroll

c.  Select the Reconciliation Area

d.  Select the checks to post

e.  Select Post Selected Ledger

6.  Creating the direct deposit file for vendors

a.  Select Vendor Direct Deposit

b.  Select the checks to be submitted electronically to the bank

c.  Select Create file

d.  Send the created file to the bank

7.  Sending the Vendors, a Direct Deposit eMail

a.  Select Import Disbursement / Accounts Payable

b.  Select the vendors and move them to the right

c.  Add an Attachment if needed

d.  Select Send E-mail

 

 

State and Federal Reporting

 

1.  Select Payroll Processing

2.  Select State/Federal Reporting and 3rd Party Data Export

3.  Select Your State

4.  Select a Report:  Determine what state reporting is needed.  Refer to your state specific reporting section.