When processing payroll hourly, the employees are dealt with one at a time, entering the hours or gross amount of pay and then calculating deductions. Checks can optionally be printed as the payroll is processed or print a batch of checks after all paychecks have been entered. The Batch Print Checks configuration setting that controls this option is found at Setup / Preferences on the Payroll tab.
Any employee may be processed at the Process Hourly Payroll screen regardless of the Hourly/Salaried setting on the employee file.
Note: When processing salaried employees in the hourly area, the gross pay for the period defaults into the Total column.
Process Hourly Payroll Window
- Period Start Date – Enter the date that begins the pay period.
- Period End Date – Enter the date of the end of the pay period.
- Check Date – Enter the date of the paycheck.
- Starting Check # – Enter the starting check number for the payroll.
- Default Hours – Optionally enter the default hours. If hours are entered here, they default to the Pay tab as each employee is processed but may be changed as needed.
- Zero Out Deductions – This option zeroes all voluntary deductions. It is useful when processing bonus checks or fringe benefit checks when deductions such as insurance and retirement plans are not necessary.
- Zero Out Federal / State / Local Taxes – Selecting this option zeroes out the federal, state, and local taxes on the paycheck which is helpful for fringe benefit checks. FICA and Medicare are not zeroed.
- Use Time Cards – If time cards have been entered, check this option to use the time cards as the hourly paychecks are processed.
- Which Department – Available when the Use Time Cards option is selected, this drop-down menu allows the selection of a department to use when processing payroll using time cards.
- Sort By – When processing time cards by department, choose to sort the employees by Emp ID or Emp Name.
- Print check for employee regardless of Employee Payment Method – This option allows a printed check to be processed for all employees – even those typically paid by direct deposit. This is most often used when processing bonus checks.
Pay
- Employee – Double-click to select from the list of all active employees.
- Import – This is enabled if using the Use Time Cards option. If a different employee is selected, choose Import to bring in the time card hours for the newly selected employee.
- Pay Grid – This displays automatically if importing hours from time cards.
- Earning Category – If Job Activity is not being used, this column is filled with the Pay Category names established at Setup / Preferences on the Payroll tab. If using Job Activity, this column appears blank. Expand the drop-down to select the category.
- Job Activity – This option allows an employee’s pay to be manually split among several predefined activities. It is established at Setup / Preferences on the Payroll tab. The posting to the G/L is controlled by the settings defined on the Job Activities (there is no employee override to the Job Activity posting). The pay rate may optionally be controlled by the Job Activity.
- Hours – Enter the hours worked for each category. If using time cards, the hours are automatically imported.
- Rate – If not using Job Activity, this defaults from the employee file but may be overridden. When using Job Activity, if the rate is set on the activity, it cannot be overridden.
- Total – This column is automatically calculated if hours are entered (Hours * Rate) upon selecting Apply. The Total may be manually entered, then choose Apply to calculate the taxes on that amount. This is useful for bonus checks or checks where the amount differs from the information saved on the employee file.
Deductions
Deductions labels and dollar amounts reflect those entered at File / Open / Employee on the Deductions tab. The amounts may be edited if necessary. After making changes to the amounts, select Change Deds.
Taxes
Tax labels are preset. The figures that calculate are based on the Federal, State, Local, and EIC tables set at Setup / Payroll / Payroll Tax Tables. If numbers are edited here, select Change Taxes to ensure all amounts are recalculated.
Note: It is not advisable to edit the FICA and Medicare tax figures. If the FICA or Medicare figures require significant changes, please call SSI.
- Check # – This number increments by one after each check is processed. The starting number defaults into the Process Hourly Payroll screen but may be edited as necessary.
- Period Start Date – This is the date that begins the pay period. This date defaults from the Process Hourly Payroll screen. It may be changed here if necessary.
- Period End Date – This indicates the date through which this check is paying. This date defaults from the initial screen completed from the Process Hourly Payroll screen. It may be changed here if necessary. If using time cards, this date controls which time cards import into the Process Hourly Payroll screen.
- Check Date – The check date defaults from the initial screen. This date is important as it determines the payroll tax reporting period.
- Pay – This is the gross pay as calculated on the Pay tab.
- Taxes – Total taxes on the Taxes tab are displayed.
- Deduction – Total deductions on the Deductions tab are displayed.
- Net $ – This is net total of the check (Gross - Taxes - Deductions).
- Comments – Enter any comment to print on the employee check stubs for this payroll.
Hourly Payroll Posting Notes
- Paycheck – An image of the check is saved.
- Employee file – The Employee file is updated by the totals of the check for each employee.
- Attendance – If the Pay Categories are cross-referenced in the Attendance module, the Attendance module is updated for any of those cross-referenced categories.
- G/L – When processing paychecks, no posting is done to the general ledger automatically. When the checking account and all the other payroll related accounts should be affected, choose either Post Detail to G/L or Post Summarized to G/L from the Payroll menu.
Time Cards
With this optional feature, an hourly employee's time entries may be entered throughout the pay period. The time totals automatically display for hourly employees at the Process Hourly Payroll screen if the Use Time Cards option is selected.
The date is an important field. It controls when the time card is imported to the paycheck. If time for the week is entered on one time card, it is suggested to use the week ending date for the time card date. In and Out times may be typed in manually using a decimal as the hours and minutes separator. Time may be entered in hours and minutes or in hundredths of an hour which is determined by the selection by choosing Options on the Select a Time Card screen. The Hours column may also be entered manually without any entry in the In and Out columns. The category defaults from the Regular default pay category on the Time Card Options but may be changed.
If using the automatic calculation of overtime, all entries for one period should be entered on one time card based on the Max hours before Overtime set under Options. Selecting Apply applies an automatic calculation of the overtime.
A Time Card report is available to summarize the hours in a variety of ways. This report is found at Reports / Payroll / Time Card or by selecting Reports at the Select a Time Card screen. This report should be reviewed prior to using time cards at the Process Hourly Payroll screen. After reviewing this report, if changes are necessary, edit the time cards before processing payroll.
Entries are made for the time cards in the database.
Import Time Cards
This optional, additional purchase module is available to import files created by certain time clocks into Agvance time cards. For more information, contact SSI.
Hourly Payroll Process
Processing payroll hourly allows for reviewing and editing on an individual basis.
- Navigate to Accounting / Payroll / Process Hourly.
- On the Process Hourly Payroll window, enter the Period Start Date, Period End Date, Check Date, and Starting Check #. Default Hours, Use Time Cards, and Print Check for employee regardless of Employee Payment Method are optional. Select OK.
Note: Selecting the Zero Out Deductions option zeroes all voluntary deductions. It is useful when processing bonus checks or fringe benefit checks when deductions such as insurance and retirement plans are not necessary.
Note: Selecting the Zero Out Federal / State / Local Taxes zeroes out the federal, state, and local taxes on the paycheck which is helpful for fringe benefit checks. FICA and Medicare are not zeroed. - Select the desired employee.
- On the Pay tab of the Hourly Payroll window, enter the number of hours paid in the Hours column, or enter the gross pay in the Total column for each applicable category line item. Select Apply.
- Details of the Deductions or Taxes columns may be viewed or edited at the Deductions or Taxes tabs. If edited, select Change.
- Paychecks can be saved for ACH employees or if the Batch Print option is enabled at Accounting / Setup / Preferences on the Payroll tab. Paychecks can be printed for all other employees by selecting Print.
- Repeat the process for each employee.
Note: To batch print the checks, navigate to Accounting / Payroll / Batch Print Checks. Enter the range of checks to print and select OK.
