Payroll Data Conversion Worksheet

If you will be using AccuBuild's payroll system to create your payroll checks rather than using an outside service, you will need to enter beginning totals for each employee for the current calendar year.  AccuBuild recommends entering the information as lump sum amounts by each quarter rather than entering each individual payroll check in detail. The lump sum method does not use union codes (or prevailing wage codes), workers compensation insurance codes, or job costing. Keep in mind that the sole intention of the entry is to bring current the employee's earnings so that automatic payroll checks for the next pay period can be correctly calculated. General journal entries can be created to post job cost totals and to correct any payroll entries in the general ledger that may be necessary.

Before entering the handwritten checks, be sure to disable the Direct Job Cost Rules for G/L Accounts option on the System Administration > Configuration > Accounting screen.  This option must be disabled due to the fact that the job cost detail will not be entered with the transactions.  Also, be sure to enable the Override of Auto Tax Calcs option on the Payroll > Employees > Federal screen for each employee so that the tax burden amounts can be entered to match your existing records.

To assist you in the gathering and entering the data, use the Payroll Handwritten Check - Data Conversion Worksheet (prhwck.rpt) included with the program. The report must first be set up as a report substitution under the System Administrator.  Replace the original report 'globprnt.rpt' with the custom report 'prhwck.rpt'.  The report can then be printed through the File > Print option.  You will need a copy of this report for each check to be entered.

The Payroll Handwritten Check - Data Conversion Worksheet is split into two basic sections: general information including payroll tax amounts and 'subject to' wage amounts; and timecard information. The general information includes the check number (use the same check number that was last used within the quarter for this employee) and the check date (the last check date within the quarter). The week beginning and week ending fields should represent the first week beginning and the last week ending dates of the quarter. For companies that have the multi-state payroll option, it is recommended that one handwritten check be generated for each state that the employee works in rather than trying to combine all of the entries into one check. (The automatic payroll checks will combine all states into one check per employee.)

The payroll tax information on the worksheet is split between the actual deductions taken on the employee's check and the tax amounts paid by the employer. The tax deductions are entered on the handwritten payroll check screen but the tax burden amounts and the 'subject to' wage amounts will only be displayed during the posting process (Process Button) provided that the Override Auto Tax Calcs option has been enabled in the employee's file. (The option is located on the Federal Tab of the Employee List screen.) Be sure to turn on this function for each employee BEFORE attempting to enter the handwritten check so that you may enter any changes to the tax amounts or 'subject to' wage amounts in order to force AccuBuild to match your existing payroll reports.                                                        

The timecard portion of the worksheet has three sections: Regular and Overtime Pays, Miscellaneous Pays and Miscellaneous Deductions. Each section offers the selection of timecard transactions codes that would be appropriate for the type of pay or deduction. Note that a department code can be entered for each pay amount but this field is only mandatory if you will be tracking holiday, sick or vacation pay. Department codes are primarily used to direct the payroll postings to specific expense accounts in the general ledger but general journal entries can be entered at a later date to reclassify costs as needed. Please note: The transactions may be entered with or without hours but it is highly recommend that total hours are included in the data entry in order to provide better reporting later on.  It is also highly recommended that all payroll deductions (other than federal and state taxes) be set up with local deduction codes for better tracking purposes.  If local deduction codes are used, then the time card transaction code will be 99 and the local deduction code can then be selected.

The AccuBuild Technical Support Staff, or any AccuBuild Authorized Consultant, will be happy to assist you with your initial set up of the Payroll system. We can help you to completely understand the system properties and system controls, such as the union/prevailing wage codes and local deduction codes. In addition, we can review the Payroll Handwritten Check - Data Conversion Worksheet with you to insure that the appropriate transcodes are used for your specific company.