Contents of the Compute Payroll Screen

Use the fields and options to configure the Compute Payroll Screen.

Identification

Use the fields in this block to create a new parameter ID or to retrieve a previously saved parameter ID. A parameter ID represents a set of screen selection parameters. After you have saved a parameter ID and its related parameters, you can retrieve them using Query.

You can use the retrieved parameters to produce reports and run processes more efficiently and with greater consistency. The saved parameters are also useful and necessary when you want to run the process as part of a batch job. Many users save a unique set of parameters for each different way they run a report or process. When you select a previously saved parameter ID or parameter description, the associated saved screen selection parameters automatically display as selection defaults. The page setup and print options, if there are any, are also included in the saved parameter ID. You can change any of the associated selection defaults as necessary.

Field Description
Parameter ID

Enter, or click to select, a parameter ID of up to 15 alphanumeric characters. Choose characters for your parameter ID that help identify the type of selections you made on the screen, such as PERIOD or QUARTERLY.

When you save your record, all the selections made on the screen are stored with the parameter ID. Later, you can retrieve the parameter using Query.

You can use the parameter to run the process more efficiently because you can select the parameter ID with its previously defined screen selections. After the default selections display on the screen, you can override the defaults.

Description

Enter, or click to select, a parameter description of up to 30 alphanumeric characters.

Selection Ranges

Field Description
Pay Cycle

Enter, or click to select, the pay cycle code you want to process. If you compute payroll and the payroll cycle is a union payroll (that is, there is a "local" associated with the pay cycle on the Manage Pay Periods screen), Costpoint attempts to calculate union deductions. Union deductions are assigned on the Manage Union Profile Setup screen. Costpoint looks for a Union Profile record based on the Union, Local, and GLC and where the timesheet date falls between the Manage Union Profile Setup start and end date. If it finds a record, it calculates a deduction amount for each combination of Union/Local/GLC based on the calculation method on the Manage Union Profile Setup screen.

For any pay cycle code, there can be only one open (pay) period. For any given pay cycle code, only one pay cycle end date can be present in the Payroll Journal. If an old pay cycle period is in the Payroll Journal, you must post that pay cycle period before computing payroll for the next pay period.

Warning: Computing payroll after modifying records on the Manage Payroll Records screen results in the edits being lost for those employees selected for computing payroll. Payroll is always computed for the entire payroll period and updated on the Manage Payroll Records screen.
Starting Timesheet Date Enter, or click to select, an earlier starting date for timesheet selection.

Use this field to include corrections from past pay periods. This is necessary for complete certified payroll reporting, which must report hours worked on a particular day.

Period Start Date This field displays the pay period start date.
Period End Date This field displays the pay period end date.
Check Date Enter, or click to select, the check date for the payroll run.
Deduction Schedule Use these fields to enter the name of the turn-off schedule to be used for creating regular paychecks, or the turn-on schedule to be used for bonus paychecks. Set up these schedules on the Manage Deduction Schedules screen.

Enter, or click to select, the schedule code to use for processing paychecks.

Employee Use these fields to select the employees for whom you want to compute payroll.
  • Employee Option: This drop-down list provides the following range selections:
    • All
    • One
    • Range
    • From Beginning
    • To End

    If you select All, the Start and End fields are disabled; if you select One, the End field is disabled; if you select From Beginning, the Start field is disabled; and if you select To End, the End field is disabled.

  • Start Employee: If your range selection is One, Range, or To End, enter, or click to select, the employees for which you want to start the range.
  • End Employee: If your range selection is Range or From Beginning, enter, or click to select, the employees with which you wish to end the range.
  • Non-Contiguous Range: Select this check box to choose a noncontiguous range of employees. Use the Employee Non-Contiguous Ranges subtask to select the ranges of employees.

Options

Timesheet Type

Use the options in this group box to select which timesheets to process. You can select regular timesheets (to include correcting) or bonus timesheets. You must process one type at a time, then print checks and post the Payroll Journal (but don't close the pay period) before you can process the other type. This control exists so that you cannot produce paychecks with questionable YTD FICA and other tax amounts.

Field Description
Regular 

Select this option to process all regular and correcting timesheets.

Bonus

Select this option to process bonus timesheets.

Error Report

Field Description
Print Warning Messages

Select this check box to print warning messages on the error report.

Compute

If you click the arrow to the right of and select Compute Payroll after printing the Journal Report as part of this session (this option becomes available after printing), you receive a message box asking if you really intend to compute. If you click OK, the compute process proceeds.

If you selected the Enable Deductions in Arrears Functionality check box on the Configure Payroll Settings screen and a record is found where taking all deductions results in a negative net pay, a message displays that "A negative net pay condition has occurred" and a report is printed in employee ID order showing the deductions for the employee, the assigned amount, the amount taken, and the arrears amount.

To adjust this record, go to the Manage Payroll Records screen and enter the adjustment.

Print/Compute

Click the arrow to the right of and select Print/Compute Payroll to receive a message box asking if you really intend to compute. If you click OK, the Journal Report prints, and the compute process follows immediately. After computing has begun, several messages showing records processed, processing step, and percent of completion appear.

Subtasks

Subtask Description
Employee Non-Contiguous Ranges Use the Employee Non-Contiguous Ranges subtask to select the ranges of employees.