The Check Calculator allows you to create manual and issues checks for employees, as well as define the taxability, frequency of taxation and voluntary deductions being withheld from that paycheck calculator. Checks created in this module can be printed or processed via direct deposit for the employee (Issue) or saved as a posting only entry (Manual).
Objectives
In this lesson, you will learn to: Create an issue check Create a manual check
Mark an issue check for direct deposit
Run what if scenarios with taxes and deductions
Check Calculator
The Check Calculator module resembles Paycheck Entry in the Payroll Processing module. Among the other more subtle differences, the check calculator is most easily differentiated from Paycheck Entry by the Calculate option at the top of the screen. When you access the Check Calculator, the fields are blank, and the first employee record in the employee list is loaded. All calculator fields display on one screen in two main categories, Earnings and Taxes/Deductions.
Employee Paycheck
Figure 1 - Paycheck Calculator, Earnings Entry
Gross to Net: This is the default. You enter the earnings and the system calculates the
check from Gross to Net.
Net to Gross: If you want to gross up a net entry, (for example, you want a net check of
$500.00 for a bonus) check this option. The screen changes and requests that you input the net required, and the earnings code that you want the gross posted to. The system then calculates net to gross.
When a non-monetary pay code is selected on a Net to Gross check, a pop-up screen displays. Select a pay code to assign taxes to from the combo box.
Note: This field only displays when a non-monetary pay code is selected on a Net to Gross check.
Check Number: Required to save a manual check. Enter the number of the check you
may have written from you checkbook for reconciliation purposes. If you are creating an Issue for a live check or direct deposit, the check number is assigned during payroll processing and is not entered in this field. This field is not required unless you save a manual check.
Direct Deposit: This field displays if the employee has a direct deposit account
Earnings Table
Note: When you select an employee who is salaried, set up with Auto Pay, or has recurring earnings, the appropriate wage type, hours, and rate display and only require additional information.
Wage: Select the appropriate wage for this check from the drop-down menu. This list
contains all earnings set up for your company.
Hours: If the earnings type you select is based on hours, enter the applicable hours. Earnings: If the earnings type you select is not based on an hourly rate, but is a dollar
earnings type (for example, commissions), enter the compensation amount for this payroll in this field.
Division: If your company uses divisions, the drop-down menu has all the divisions in
your company profile. The default is the employee’s home division, but you can select from the drop-down menu another division and post the hours/dollars for that line entry to that division.
Department: The drop-down menu lists all departments in your company profile. The
default is the employee’s home department, but you can select from the drop-down menu another department and post the hours/dollars for that line entry to that department.
Job: If your company uses jobs, this drop-down menus all the jobs in your company
profile. The default is the employee’s home job, but you can select from the drop-down menu another job and post the hours/dollars for that line entry to that job.
The screen defaults with three wage line entries. If you need more for an employee, select Click for more lines. The screen refreshes with three more lines. You can continue to add as many lines as required.
Deductions, Taxes, and Editable Statuses
Deductions: All deductions established for your company display. The active
deductions for the current employee record are selected. The amount column is populated with the dollar amount or percentage that is established on the employee record.
You can stop a voluntary deduction for the paycheck calculator by clearing the checkbox of the deduction. You can also select any inactive deduction and enter an amount for a paycheck calculator.
Taxes: The calculation defaults are listed under the heading for Taxes. This information
shows the calculation frequency (the cycle that the employee is set up for: weekly, biweekly, etc.) You can override these calculations by clicking Override. This displays the tax section and allows you to edit the following fields:
Any changes made here do not affect the employee’s record, but are only used for this check. All fields default to the values in the employee record.
Calculation Frequency: The drop-down menu contains all pay frequencies. If this
check should be calculated using a different pay frequency than the default (which is from the employee record), select the appropriate frequency.
Federal Filing Status: Married or Single
Federal Exemptions: This field defaults with the employee’s federal exemptions. If this
check should be calculated using a different number of exemptions, enter the correct number (use values from 0 - 99).
Add’l Fed Taxes: Select from one of five options and enter an appropriate value. Additional Amount: This is a dollar amount the employee pays in addition to the
federally calculated FIT. Do not exceed Net Pay.
Additional Percent: This is a percentage of the employee’s pay that is added to the
federally calculated FIT. Do not exceed 99.00%.
Fixed Amount: This is the dollar amount of tax paid toward FIT. Do not exceed Net
Pay.
Fixed Percent: This is a percentage of the employee’s income that is paid toward FIT.
Do not exceed 99.00%.
State Filing Status: The drop-down menu contains the valid filing status for the
withholding state that is chosen for this calculation. If this check should be calculated using a filing status different than the default (which is from the employee record), select the appropriate status.
State Exemptions: This field defaults with the employee’s state exemptions. If this
check should be calculated using a different number of exemptions, enter the correct number (use values from 0 - 99).
Note: If you changed the withholding state from the default withholding state in the tax table on this screen, this number of exemptions field is blank as there is no default record to pull from.
Addl. State Taxes
Additional Amount: This is a dollar amount the employee pays in addition to the state
calculated SIT. Do not exceed Net Pay.
Additional Percent: Is a percentage of the employees pay that is added to the state
calculated withholding. Do not exceed 99.00%.
Fixed Amount: This is the dollar amount of tax paid toward SIT. Do not exceed Net
Pay.
Fixed Percent: This is a percentage of the employee’s income that is paid toward state
withholding. Do not exceed 99.00%.
Work State: This is the employee work state from the Employee Taxes screen. You can
Calculating and Saving the Check
After you enter all check data, calculate the check. Before any information is entered, only Calculate and Cancel options display at the top of the screen. When you calculate the check, a 10 second count down bar displays. If the calculation is not returned within 10 seconds, the counter begins again until the results are returned by the application. The screen refreshes with the check totals and additional function options at the top of the screen. You can now do one of the following.
Figure 2 - Paycheck Calculator - Functional Options available after Calculate
Calculate: Change any of the values and re-calculate the check. Save Manual: No check created, the entry is only posted.
Save Issue: A check is created and posted with the next payroll run. Cancel: Nothing is saved,
To create a manual or issue check
1. Select Paycheck Calculator from the Menu Options drop-down menu. 2. Select the appropriate employee from the Employee drop-down menu. 3. Enter a check number. This is only required to save a Manual check. Use the
number from the checkbook used to write the manual check. Do not enter a check
number for Issue checks.
4. Enter the Wage type and Hours or Earnings.
5. Make all Deductions, Taxes, and Editable Status selections. 6. Click Calculate to process check totals.
The paycheck calculator counter counts down through the process in 10-second intervals, and usually takes no more than 20 seconds.
Verify that the gross, taxes, deductions, and net check are correct and what you were expecting. If you want to change any of the figures, you can make the necessary changes and click calculate again until the check is correct.
7. To save and post without printing a check, click Save Manual.
8. To save, post, and print a check in the next pay run, click Save Issue. The screen refreshes with the option to create another check or delete the check.
Note: If a new employee is added, you are not able to enter a Paycheck Calculator
Paycheck Calculator
Three fields on the paycheck calculator screen are validated hours, rates, and earnings. If a value that exceeds limits is manually entered in one of these fields, the validation routine executes, the field highlights in gold, and the error message displays. The validation only occurs if the user clicks in the field and then leaves the field. Figure 3 shows the paycheck calculator screen with the input warnings violated.
Figure 3 - Changed hours from 40.00 to 400.00 on a calculated check, validation reactivated, and the message displays.
Clicking anywhere in the error message closes the message and additional entries can be made that exceed the limits without seeing the message again (fields still highlight in gold). After a paycheck is calculated, the validation process is reset and you receive the error message again if you enter a value that exceeds any limits.
Figure 4 - Changed hours from 40.00 to 400.00 on a calculated check, validation reactivated, and the message re-displays.
Chapter 8 - Reports
One of the most time saving and valuable features of Instant Payroll is online report access. All reports are stored for the previous payrolls for which they were run. Your selected reports are available for viewing minutes after your payroll is processed.
Note: Payrolls not processed on the Instant Payroll system are not available online. As
you process payrolls on the Instant Payroll system, a list of available reports displays.
Objectives
In this lesson, you will learn to: Access and view payroll reports Optimize payroll report printing
Reports Payroll List
The Reports module is where you access reports after the payroll is submitted and processed. Although your payroll package includes hard copies of these reports, you have access to the data in advance of receiving your payroll package from the local branch.
When you access the Reports module from the Menu Option drop-down menu, the Reports Payroll List displays. The Reports Payroll List screen displays all of the payrolls that contain reports available for viewing. Only payrolls processed through Instant Payroll have online reports available for viewing and printing.
You also have the ability to create your own reports. These reports can then be saved and used at any time.
Important Reports Information
Reports are written in HTML format. You can save these reports in a text format. These reports can change when saved in a format other than HTML.
Before printing reports, check your printer settings on your browser to ensure that you have selected the appropriate orientation for the report (Landscape or Portrait). Select Print Preview from the File menu option on your browser. If the report does not view properly, check your margins in Printer Properties.
You receive hard copies of all reports listed in the table unless selected as Online Copy
Only. Reports for this payroll process are viewable minutes after your payroll processes.
The reports archive contains reports from all payrolls processed using Instant Payroll up to one year.
If the report you want to view has a charge associated with it, you are not charged an additional amount to view it.
If a report that you want to view is not listed in the table, the report was not selected in the Payroll Processing area. Selecting reports is detailed in the Payroll Processing chapter.
Social security numbers and bank account numbers are masked on reports where the data is not necessary.
The data is always be masked on some reports. For example, reports that are distributed to many individuals, such as employee pay stubs, mask Social Security numbers.
The data is never be masked on some reports. For example, reports sent to state agencies do not mask Social Security numbers.
To unmask the data on a permanent basis, contact your local office.
Reports Payroll List
Check Date: The payroll run check date.
Submit Date: The date the payroll was successfully submitted.
Session ID: Your Session IDs are in incremental order by processing. If you have two
processes in the same day, the Session ID of the last session is greater than the previous session. The Session ID is helpful if you contact your CSR with a question.
Figure 1 - Reports Payroll List and Pay Period Reports
Note: The Reports Payroll List lists payroll history for the previous 12 months (of Instant Payroll use).
Report List
When you select a check date on the Reports Payroll List, the reports for your most recent payroll display. If you want to select a previous payroll report, use the drop-down arrow and select the appropriate payroll. You can print the Check History screen for all employees in a single step. This is the same information as the Paycheck History screen located in the Employee List section.
To view reports for a payroll process
Use the steps in this procedure to view reports for any previous payroll processed on Instant Payroll.
1. Select the Reports module from the Menu Options drop-down menu. 2. Click the Check Date of the payroll.
3. Click the Report Code of the report to view. A pop-up screen displays the report in HTML format.
4. Use File | Close or the X in the upper right corner to close. Focus returns to the Report List.
5. Select the Reports module from the Menu Options drop-down to return to the Report Payroll List screen (or select another module).
Note: The only way to navigate out of the Reports List screen is to select a module from the Menu Options drop-down menu.
To print reports - optimize the print
Use these options to print reports. This procedure assumes you accessed the reports first (refer to view reports for a payroll process).
The goal is to select the best margins, orientation, and paper size for the particular report. These are different depending on the selected report.
Tip: Always view the report in Print Preview before printing. You can significantly improve printing by selecting the appropriate margin size, paper orientation and size (letter, legal etc.). Some larger/wide reports print best on legal paper in landscape orientation.
Figure 68 - Page Setup Toolbar
The following is an overview of using Print Preview to change print settings for optimal printing. From the report view, select File | Print Preview. The Print Preview toolbar displays. Select the appropriate options.
Option Function
Print Document (Alt+P) Prints the document. Portrait (Alt+O) Puts the document in portrait mode. Landscape Puts the document in landscape mode. Page Setup (Alt+U Use to select a Paper Size, change Margins, select a print Orientation, etc.
Turn headers and footers on or off (Alt+E) Allows the
headers and footers to display or not display.
View Full Width view (Alt+W) Expands the document to
the full width of the screen.
View Full Page (Alt+1) Allows a full document page to
display in the screen.
Show multiple pages (Alt+N) Allows one or more pages to
display in the screen at one time.
Change Print Size (Alt+S) Sets the size of the document to
print in percentage. Select Shrink to Fit if a document is larger than the printed page.
Figure 2 - Page Setup Screen
Data Export Tool
Overview: The Data Export Tool is designed to provide maximum flexibility and ease of
use for users of this site. The feature provides users the ability to export data in two different formats. The first format is a Microsoft Excel© worksheet showing the data the user selected from a list of available data elements we provided.
The second format is also Microsoft Excel© format however; user input is limited to a date range and whether or not to show wage distribution. This file format is far more robust and provides maximum usability and data manipulation though extensive use of pivot tables (discussed in detail later in this chapter).
Navigating to the Data Expo Tool: The Data Export Tool is located on the Home
screen (Figure 1), under the Reports Menu. You can navigate to Reports by clicking the link on the home screen or by selecting Reports from the drop-down menu located below the client’s name in the top right corner of the browser screen.
Figure 3
After clicking Reports, you are redirected the Reports Payroll List. Click Data Export Tool to export your data. After selecting Data Export Tool, you are redirected to the
Excel® Spreadsheet Generator screen (Figure 4).
Figure 4
Two export types can be accessed on this screen: Demographic or Paycheck History.. Demographics is the default export type. This export provides maximum flexibility by
Export types that allow filtering by date range include: Wages by Check Date and Demographics
Deductions by Check Date and Demographics Taxes by Check Date and Demographics Paycheck History
The Wage by Check Date and the Deduction by Check Date exports allow you to filter exports by selecting a specific wage or deduction type. Paycheck History exports allow you to report on select specific wage and deduction types.
Note: Selecting a wage or deduction type does not limit the reported data to only the
selected wage/deduction ID for a check history export. By filtering this way, the checks in the results include the selected wage/deduction IDs and all other wages/deductions included in the checks.
In the next step of the process, a list of field elements displays for employee demographic data and, if you select a sub-category, a field element list displays for that sub-category. Use one of the following options to export the data:
Choose filter options or
Generate Export >>>
Export using Choose filter Options
After selecting data elements for extract, click Choose filter options. If Choose filter options is selected before items are selected for extract, a warning message displays.
Figure 6