Payroll Installation - Defaults

Use this tab to select the default settings for the Payroll module.

These settings can be changed as needed.

Fields/Buttons

Descriptions

Utilize pay cycle calendar?

 If you do select this checkbox, the check date and period end date will default from the calendar when the Payroll cycle is set. The software warns you if a date has already been set up or used.

Number of working hours per week

 Enter the standard number of hours a full-time employee works during a normal week.

The figure stored in this field will be used by the software when employees are added. The number of hours specified here will default in the Employees > Financials window but may be over-written if desired. The figure stored in the employee file is used in turn when the automatic time card feature is specified during the Set Payroll Cycle update.

Default rate table

 If you select the Unions option, the union rates will be used as the default pay rate throughout the Payroll module.

If you select the Wage codes option, you will be able to set up multiple pay rates (two-digit alphanumeric) for each union code. This is especially useful for contractors that use heavy equipment and have to pay union scale wages depending on the type of equipment getting operated. In this case, there can be ten to thirty different pay rates within the same union. The wage code can then be set up in the Equipment Maintenance page so that when that equipment is entered in the time card entry, the correct wage code will automatically default. For each wage code there are also up to nine pay levels which can be used for the contractual year of the pay agreement and this pay level can be set up in the job file for automatic default. An additional feature allows you to set up the wage/union code combination in the Job Maintenance page so that the correct union code will also default from the job file during Time Card Entry. All these default features are available when using the wage code system.

If you select the Pay groups option, the pay group file will be used to default the pay rate in Time Card Entry. The rate from the pay group file may be modified using a percentage stored in the Employees page. This is particularly useful for apprentices who may earn, say 80% of the full rate for that pay group level. Each pay group may also be set up with a default rate by employee, or by employee and job phase code.

Post to Job Cost using standard labor rates?

 Select this checkbox to enable standard cost functionality.

For more information about standard labor rates, refer to the Standard Costing in Payroll in-depth article.

Note: This checkbox will only be available when the Unions or Wage codes default rate table option is selected above.

Default equipment rate

 Entry in this field will affect how the equipment rate defaults when entering equipment lines during time card and pre-time card entry. If you select Full rate, the full charge rate for equipment will default. If you select Operating rate, operating rate for that equipment will default. This flag may be overridden when actual time card lines are entered.

Default rates are set up in Equipment Control > Maintenance > Equipment File Maintenance or per job in Equipment Control > Maintenance > Job/Equipment Rates File Maintenance. If this field is changed mid-Payroll cycle, the change will take effect during the next new cycle.

This field is irrelevant if the Equipment Control module is not installed.

Hide fringe tab in Union File Maintenance?

 Select this checkbox if you will be tracking union fringe benefits using add-on codes, or if you do not utilize union functionality.
Note: This checkbox will be unavailable if the Pay groups default rate table option was selected above.

Use Nacha service class code 200 and balanced file format?

 Select this checkbox to use the Nacha service class code 200 and balanced file format.

The service class code identifies the general classification of dollar entries to be exchanged. The three possible entries available in PPD transactions are 200 (mixed debit and credit transactions), 220 (credit only transactions), and 225 (debit only transactions). Primarily, 200 will be used. Check with your bank to verify what it requires for input.

Calculate actual pension benefits for the D-B/Prevailing wage employer benefit credit?

 If you select this checkbox and the employee's pay rate is higher than the base pay rate in the non-union pay group file, the prevailing wage adjustment is reduced by the 401(k) amount and the employer benefits (Health & Welfare) are increased. Furthermore, if the Adjust prevailing wage fringe checkbox is selected, this will reduce the fringe even more.

If you select this checkbox, an additional Is this computed as part of the D-B/Prevailing wage employer benefit checkbox will display in the Deduction / Add-on Maintenance > Add-ons tab for all non-cash add-ons. This prompt is not available for Health & Welfare or Prevailing Wage Adjustment codes.

To view an example that uses this checkbox, refer to the Example - Check Calculation for Davis-Bacon and Prevailing Wage Jobs topic.

Trimble Construction One HR Management

 For new hires that are onboarded from Trimble Construction One, specify the default employee status that appears on the Employee Main Properties screen.

Default pay rate

 Select the Employee pay rate option to always have the Employees pay rate override the union rate or pay group during Pre-Time Card Entry and Time Card Entry. This is used for union companies that pay certain senior employees or other employees pay rates that are different from union scale. However, they are still union employees and will be listed on the union reports and then union fringes still apply. For other union employees, you would enter a pay rate in Employees, then the union rates would default in Pre-Time Card Entry and Time Card Entry.The system would look in the employee file first and the rate would be zero, so it would then look to the wage code or union file for the rate. This sets the default only when entering time card lines or using the automatic pay cycle; the pay rate can be overwritten during entry. For users selecting the non-union pay group option, the software will look first to Employees and default this rate if non-zero. If zero, the software will then default the pay rate based on the non-union pay group.

Select the Union/pay group rate option to have the union rates take precedence over the rates in Employees. If the rates in the employee file are zero for all union employees, this installation option does not affect your processing. For users selecting the non-union pay group option, the software will look first to the pay group file and default this rate if non-zero. If zero, the software will then default the pay rate based on the employee master file.

If you select the Higher of the two rates option, the software will look to the union/wage code rate and the Employees pay rate, and default the higher of these for the time card line. For users selecting the non-union pay group option, the software will default the higher rate of the employee master file and the non-union pay group file.

Adjust prevailing wage fringe?

 This checkbox displays only if the Default employee pay rate prompt is set to Higher of the two rates.

If this checkbox is selected and the employee pay rate is higher than the pay group, then the prevailing wage adjustment will be adjusted downward by the difference between these two rates. This allows employers to pay employees their regular pay rate (without adding any additional prevailing wage adjustment) when the employees are already being paid more than the prevailing wage specified for the job. It also allows the employer to pay a slight prevailing wage adjustment when the employee is paid a bit more than the specified prevailing wage.

Note: The prevailing wage adjustment rate will never be less than zero.

Time Card Entry Fields button

 Click this button to display the Time Card Entry Fields Window window where you can designate which fields will be automatically skipped during time card entry.