***NOTE: THIS IS A US SPECIFIC TOPIC.***
Before using the Payroll module, there are a number of steps that should be performed initially to set it up in effective working order. After you have performed these initial steps, you are ready to process Payroll.
Step 1 - Set Up Parameters for US company
Before using the Payroll module, there are a number of steps that should be performed initially to set it up in effective working order. Step 1 is outlined below.
After you have performed these initial steps, you are ready to process Payroll.
How to set up parameters for a US company
For information about changing parameters, see the documentation on Parameter Maintenance.
Please ensure you understand the implications of changing a parameter before doing so. Any parameter changes should be fully tested and approved in a non-live environment before being made in a live environment. If you are in doubt, contact Access Coins first.
If you need to set any of the parameters below differently for an individual company (such as a specific US company), you must do the following: (1) select the company; (2) select the parameters; (3) select Create company Specific from the Choose Action list; (4) set the parameter values while in the US company you selected in (1) above.
In company Parameters:
Set the parameter COMPLOC to USA.
Set the parameter CURDEC to CENTS (include space at beginning of word).
Set the parameter CURPLU to Y.
Set the parameter CURUNIT to DOLLAR (include space at beginning of word).
In Attribute Parameters:
Set the parameter SORTCODE to FORMAT=999999999|LABEL=Routing.
In SY Parameters:
Verify that the TERMCODE parameter is set to %US.
In Parameters:
Set the parameter NINOFRMT to 999-99-9999.
Set the parameter FIRSTDAY to the first day of the pay week. If left blank, the first day is Monday.
Set the parameter JOBLOCAT to N.
Set the parameter PRYEARS to 2010 (you may add all of the years that payroll is being processed for, separated by commas).
Set the parameter FUTUSER with a comma separated list of users who can only access future payroll periods.
Set the parameter TERMUSER with a comma separated list of users who can pay terminated employees.
Set the parameter SUTADIR with the directory to hold the Electronic Suta File (usually /$BASE).
To maintain essential parameters for EFT payments, go to Setup > Parameters for each pay cycle (Weekly, Monthly, 2-weekly, 4-weekly):
Set the parameter BACSEXEC to chmod 777 $BACSFILE.
Set the parameter BACSFILE to /$BASE/prwbacs.txt (The prwbacs.txt file name given here is an example only, where w = weekly. You can use a different file name, but make sure it is unique for each pay frequency.)
Set the parameter BACSMED to 16.
Parameters
AT/BANKACC - Bank Account
The attribute parameters for bank account numbers used in COINS.
Attribute parameters are of the form FORMAT=format| LABEL=text|HELP=help text, where format is a Progress display format and help text is the Coins ERP+plus help message for the field (shown at the bottom of the screen in Coins ERP+plus only).
FORMAT for account numbers supports 9 for digits and > for optional leading digits.
The Length of the account number can also be set up with this parameter. The number can be any length (no minimum/maximum length required).
AT/SORTCODE - Bank Sort Code
The attribute parameters for bank routing numbers used in COINS.
Attribute parameters are of the form FORMAT=format| LABEL=text|HELP=help text, where format is a Progress display format and help text is the Coins ERP+plus help message for the field (shown at the bottom of the screen in Coins ERP+plus only).
SORTCODE has an additional parameter OPTIONAL which can have a list of modules; the default is blank. Current valid modules are PL,SC,CB. When a module is valid and the routing number is maintained in that module, users will be allowed to leave the routing number blank.
CO/COMPLOC - Company Location
The location of the company. This allows country specific functionality to be viewed or hidden when appropriate.
CO/CURDEC - Currency Decimal (eg. PENCE)
The decimal division of the currency (for example PENCE). This is used when printing the currency amount in words on checks if it is not specified in Currencies.
The decimal amount is printed in figures, and the text in this parameter is printed after it without a space (for example: 78p). If you want a space between the figures and the name, include it in the parameter.
CO/CURPLU - Currency has a plural form or not (Y/N)
Whether the currency has a plural form or not.
For currencies where the currency name is not plural, this allows the check amount in words to be printed without adding a final 'S' to the currency specified in the parameter CURUNIT. This is only relevant if the currency name is not specified in Currencies.
CO/CURUNIT - Currency Unit (eg. POUND)
The currency unit (for example, POUND).
This is used when printing the currency amount in words on checks if it is not specified using Currencies.
PR/FIRSTDAY - First Day of Pay Week
The first day of the pay week (MON, TUES,...). This value will be used to present daily hours in Timesheet Entry and on the Certified WH-347 Report.
PR/FIRSTDAY - First Day of Pay Week
The first day of the pay week (MON, TUES,...). This value will be used to present daily hours in Timesheet Entry and on the Certified WH-347 Report.
PR/JOBLOCAT - Allow JC jobs as locations [ALL]
If set to Y, Job Status jobs can be used as locations.
PR/NINOFRMT - Format of NI Number equivalent (9=digit X=Alpha)
The format of SS Number equivalent (9=digit X=Alpha).
PR/PRYEARS - List of Allowable Years for Payroll Entry
The PR Year is entered when adding a new payroll period. In order to prevent the user from entering timesheets in a year that is not valid, the user must enter a comma separated list of years that are valid for entry of timesheets.
PR/SUTADIR - SUTA and W-2 Electronic Media directory
Contains the directory where the Electronic SUTA File will be held when running the SUTA reports from Payroll using SUTA Reports/Exports for Other States.
The value should end in a "/".
PR/TERMUSER - Users who can enter a timesheet for a suspended or terminated employee
Global "parameter" PR/Pre-Live must be set to N in order for this parameter to work. If the PR company is not in a Pre-Live state, then only these users will be able to add a timesheet for an idle or terminated employee. Enter a comma-separated list of users.
Frequency-Specific Parameters
P0/BACSEXEC - BACS O/S executable command
EFT O/S executable command.
P0/BACSFILE - BACS File (Full Path Name)
The full path name of the EFT File. (For Australia, to use multi From Company Bank account, filename should contain the [IBANBANK] tag )
The file name can contain tokens in square brackets that will be replaced when creating the file. This is necessary if you are creating more that one file in a run.
The tokens that can be used are:
[SECTOR] Sector based ledgers only. Replaced with the sector code.
[IBANBANK] UK use only. When creating separate files per bank being paid from, this will be replaced with the IBAN code for the bank.
[SPLIT] Intended for UAE and the production of WPS. This will be replaced with the sponsor employer ID.
[DATE=YYYYMMDD] Replaced with the creation date in the format specified.
[TIME=HHMMSS] or [TIME=HHMM] Replaced with the creation time in the format specified.
[BANK] Replaced with the bank code.
[KCO] Replaced with the number of the logged-in company.
[USER] Replaced with the user ID of the current user.
P0/BACSMED - Format for BACS Output File
The medium for EFT files.
The options are:
1 = 5¼" floppy disk
4 = Datacom
5 = BACSbox. The EFT file generated with media 5 will contain an optional ID field (account/employee number) if the CO parameter BACS-REF is set to Y. This ID is appended at the end of the line.
6 = ANZ Direct Credits format
7 = Bank of Ireland format
8 = Australian format
9 = Configurable format. This is configured using the CB parameter BANKORD.
10 = HSBC Hexagon format
11 = HSBC Hexagon format (alternative)
12 = Allied Irish Bank format
14 = National Bank of New Zealand Direct Link Domestic File Transfer
16 = USA format.
17 = Bank of America Paymode format (in accounts payable and Subcontract Ledger modules); not used in Payroll module.
19 = Canada.
code = The code of a file format configured using EFT File Definition. See EFT File Configuration.
Step 2 - Create GL and Bank Accounts for PR
Before using the Payroll module, there are a number of steps that should be performed initially to set it up in effective working order. Step 2 is outlined below.
After you have performed these initial steps, you are ready to process Payroll (see Processing Payroll).
How to create GL and bank accounts to be used with Payroll
Use GL Elements to add any accounts needed to process Payroll, such as Cash, Liability, and Accrual accounts.
In Account Maintenance, make sure that the General Ledger liability accounts are set up to allow manual posts.
Use Bank Accounts to add a bank for Payroll, or use an existing bank.
Step 3 - Create and Maintain Pay Items for US PR
Before using the Payroll module, there are a number of steps that should be performed initially to set it up in effective working order. Step 3 is outlined below.
After you have performed these initial steps, you are ready to process Payroll (see Processing Payroll).
How to create/maintain pay items to be used for US Payroll
Use Pay Items to create and maintain pay items used in various file maintenances. Pay items are used to hold Gross Pay, Net Pay, computed values used in Payroll, such as Withholding, as well as to create a user-determined Gross Pay Amount used for other computations. Pay items used must be included in any sequence associated with a Payroll run, which is set up in Item Sequences.
Pay items used in US Payroll can only have a type of Subtotal or Hours.
When used in US Payroll, Pay Item Effects are currently limited to Add and Subtract only. Since pay items are shared among all Payroll companies, you must give careful consideration to the setup and maintenance of pay items. Changes can produce unwanted effects. Additionally, if pay items are added, you need to review sequences to see if they need to be modified to include new pay items.
Step 4 - Create company Configuration Records
Before using the Payroll module, there are a number of steps that should be performed initially to set it up in effective working order. Step 4 is outlined below.
After you have performed these initial steps, you are ready to process Payroll (see Processing Payroll).
How to create company configuration records
In company Configuration:
Set Tax Type to 6.
Define which pay items will be used for Gross Pay, Net Pay, Tax Withholdings, EIC Payments, and Reimbursements.
Create Timecard Default Rules, Tax Distribution Methods, and other defaults to be used in Employee Maintenance and Payroll processing.
Create Analysis Sets for use in Payroll.
Step 5 - Create company Specific Maintenance Files
Before using the Payroll module, there are a number of steps that should be performed initially to set it up in effective working order. Step 5 is outlined below.
After you have performed these initial steps, you are ready to process Payroll (see Processing Payroll).
To create other company specific maintenance files
In Allocation Groups, add allocation groups, which are groups of calculations that will run if specfic criteria are met during timecard entry. These calculations create additional burdens to Payroll transactions. Allocation groups are associated with jobs and employees. When all criteria are met, the calculations associated with the group will run against a timecard.
In Caption Groups, add caption groups. These groups are used to construct a collection of user defined fields that can be accessed by Employee Maintenance.
In Caption Maintenance, add captions. This function is used to define user defined fields associated with caption groups and used in Employee Maintenance. Fields can be logical, decimal, integer, character, or date. The fields may be designed to contain default values and can be set to require updating.
In Locations, create a list of valid locations for the Payroll company. Locations can be used for security and are included in a base set of selectors for functions associated with Payroll.
In Departments, create a list of valid departments for the Payroll company. Departments can be used for security and are included in a base set of selectors for functions associated with Payroll.
In Analysis Sets, add analysis sets. Analysis sets are used as a tool to create configurable groupings. The title of each Analysis field is defined in company Configuration, and allowable entries into individual analysis sets (look up values) are defined here. If necessary, you can use a field within an analysis set to create complex Payroll security.
Step 6 - Create Tax Records
Before using the Payroll module, there are a number of steps that should be performed initially to set it up in effective working order. Step 6 is outlined below.
After you have performed these initial steps, you are ready to process Payroll (see Processing Payroll).
How to create Federal/State/Local tax records
In States, add any State to be used in Payroll for tax purposes. You must define a State here first before adding a related jurisdiction in Tax Authority Configuration.
In Localities, add any localities to be used in Payroll for Payroll processing. The State associated with the Locality must exist before adding the Locality here and in Tax Authority Configuration.
In Comp Codes, create a standard list of Workers Compensation Codes. These codes are associated with states in Tax Authority Configuration, given rates, limits, and other values. Not all codes must be used in all states.
In Tax Authority Configuration, define Tax Authorities used in Payroll processing. Levels of Tax Authorities are Federal (Federal Gross and Withholding, Social Security Gross and Withholding, Medicare Gross and Withholding, FUTA Gross and Withholding), State (State Gross and Withholding, SUTA Gross and Withholding, Disability Gross and Withholding, Workers Compensation Gross and Withholding), and Local (City, County, and School District Gross and Withholding).
Multiple tax records may be created for the same jurisdiction with different effective dates. This allows rates or limits to be established in advance for calculations such as Social Security Tax or SUTA Tax. The check Date in Period Maintenance is compared to the Effective Date in the Tax Authority Configuration record to determine which rates to use. The Tax Table Date displayed within individual tax records is compared against the check date to determine which year's withholding tables to use in the calculation of withholding tax.
Step 7 - Create Other Global Maintenance Files
Before using the Payroll module, there are a number of steps that should be performed initially to set it up in effective working order. Step 7 is outlined below.
After you have performed these initial steps, you are ready to process Payroll (see Processing Payroll).
How to create other global maintenance files
In Lookup Codes, these simple two-field files are shared by both Human Resources and Payroll. Many fields are reserved for use in HR, but some are used in conjunction with US Payroll processing. These fields are required to be completed in Employee Maintenance, but if an organization chooses not to use a particular field, a blank record can be created in the Lookup Code that will be the primary default.
EEO-1
Employee Utilization Classification
Employment Utilization Trade
Ethnic Origin**
In order to use ethnicity correctly for US Payroll and HR Reporting (EEO-1, CC-257), it is IMPERATIVE that the codes be set up as shown in Setting Up Ethnic Codes. Any diversion from this setup may cause reports to print incorrectly.
Work Classification
To create global maintenance files, follow the steps below.
In Earning Categories, add earning categories for use in Payroll. Earning categories summarize the types of pay into categories that can then be reported on. They also allow for different methods, such as Amount, or different multipliers for Overtime and Double Time. If any earning category is made dormant, it cannot be used in Payroll processing.
In Skill Levels, add skill levels. Skill levels are used with Union and Trade rates and calculations. Skill levels must first be created here before they may be referenced in other files and on a timecard.
In unions, add unions, union calculations, and union rates for any Collective Bargaining Agreements to which you are a signatory.
Effective dates are in use for both rates and calculations. The effective date is determined by the timecard date of a transaction.
Union calculations include Deductions, Fringes in Pay, and Fringes Not in Pay.
Wild cards are in use when determining applicable Skill Levels and Earning Categories for calculations and rates.
In jobs, add rates and calculations for any project governed by Prevailing Wage laws.
Effective dates are in use for both rates and calculations. The effective date is determined by the timecard date of a transaction.
Union calculations include Deductions, Fringes in Pay, and Fringes Not in Pay.
Wild cards are in use when determining applicable Skill Levels and Earning Categories for calculations and rates.
Maintain additional file maintenance necessary to process Payroll, comply with Workers Compensation, and generate Payroll allocations. Information such as the project's state and/or locality must be maintained here for use in timecard entry.
In Pay Calculations, handle additions and subtractions to Payroll, as well as create burdens. It contains information about a calculation as well as taxability details, pay items, maximums, and other values used in Payroll processing. Examples of calculations are Child Support Deduction, 401k Deduction, 401k Company Match, and Employer Health Insurance Costs.
In Employee Allocation Types, add allocation types to determine which allocation groups can be used for this employee.
Step 8 - Employees and Employee Security
Before using the Payroll module, there are a number of steps that should be performed initially to set it up in effective working order. Step 8 is outlined below.
After you have performed these initial steps, you are ready to process Payroll (see Processing Payroll).
How to set up employees and employee security
In Employee Maintenance, enter detailed employee information necessary to process Payroll. Employee Maintenance is organized using many tabs, with mandatory information available on Add. Use the edit function to access information, such as Earning Categories, State Data, Pay Calculations, Allocation Overrides, and Pay History.
Effective dates and dormancy capabilities have been added to Earning Categories and Pay Calculations at the Employee Level. This allows you to add known rate or pay calculation changes in advance of the Payroll cycle in addition to maintaining a browse history of the changes.
In Employee Security, employee security can be based upon department, location, or a field within an analysis set as determined by Payroll parameter SECURITY. Use this table to create a can-do list of valid security schemes for each user, or enter specific employee IDs to include or exclude from a user's view.
Parameters
PR/SECURITY - Security basis [ALL]
Payroll security allows control of access to employees from HR, and if you want to segregate employees within payroll.
It works in the same way as job security, so you can give access explicitly by clock number. The field to base security on is chosen from department, location, and the four analysis sets.
Step 9 - If Using HR
If you are using HR, you should set up the following parameters in CO Configuration:
Set parameter HRLINKCO with a comma separated list of companies that will link to the Human Resources module (generally = *).
Set parameter HRPR with an optional list of fields in Payroll that are updated when the HR records change (generally = *).
Set parameter PRMAKEHR so that Coins ERP+ creates an HR record when an employee is added in Payroll (generally = Y).
Parameters
CO/HRLINKCO - List of Companies to link PR & HR (CAN-DO)
A can-do list of companies in which the HR/PR link is enabled. For example: !15,* for all companies except company 15. If this is blank, the existing payroll configuration HR Link setting - which is global - will be used.
Leading zeros will be stripped out: "00*" would save as "*", so if you want companies 1 to 9 either enter longhand or use ".".
CO/HRPR - HR to Payroll Employee
The optional fields in Payroll that are updated when the Human Resources record changes.
Related Parameters
CO/EXPR - Expenses To Payroll Employee
The optional fields in Payroll that are updated when the Expenses record changes.
In Human Resources, there are three fields for forename, middle name and last name; in Payroll there are two fields for forenames and last name, and in Expenses there is a single field for last name (which is sometimes used to hold the full name). If you choose to update last name or forenames in Payroll from Expenses, COINS separates the names into the appropriate fields according to where the spaces are. So if the last name field in Expenses was changed to Peter Timothy John Smith, the fields in Payroll would be updated as follows: Forename - Peter Timothy John, last name - Smith.
CO/PREX - Payroll To Expenses Employee
The optional fields in Expenses that are updated when the Payroll record changes.
The optional fields in Human Resources that are updated when the Payroll record changes.
In Human Resources, there are three fields for forename, middle name and last name; in Payroll there are two fields for forenames and last name, and in Expenses there is a single field for last name (which is sometimes used to hold the full name). If you choose to update last name or forenames in Human Resources from Payroll, COINS separates the names into the appropriate fields according to where the spaces are. So if the fields in Payroll were updated as follows: Forename - Peter Timothy John, last name - Smith; the fields in Human Resources would be updated as follows: Forename - Peter, Middle Name - Timothy John, Last Name - Smith.
CO/PRMAKEHR - Adding employee creates HR record
Whether a new HR record (if employee SS Number and last name do not exist in HR) is created when an employee is added. The update of an existing employee may create a new HR record if an existing one cannot be found.