Processing Payroll

Entering Timecards

The timecard window is the main window used to enter a worker's time. Hourly time, daily hours, piecework, commissions, tips, and other types of pay are all entered into this window. A worker can only have one timecard per pay period.

This screen can also be used to view processed timecards and the taxes withheld from the worker's wages. A pay period must be established before any timecards can be entered.

Enter Worker Hours into a Timecard

Go to Labor > Timecard Entry and the following window will appear:

  • Enter a Worker Id or click on the magnifying glass icon to the right of the field to select a worker from the list.
  • Select the Pay Period from the list of open pay periods by clicking on the down arrow. Note that multiple open pay periods can be established at one time.
  • The Pay Frequency field identifies this timecard as weekly, Bi-weekly, or otherwise. The Pay Frequency field is copied from the Pay Frequency field within the worker record. Unless the employee’s pay frequency changes on a regular basis, set the frequency field within the employee window under the worker record Pay tab.

An unlimited number of detail lines can be entered within a timecard. If an employee is involved in different workstations within the same day, all applicable work codes must be entered on multiple lines. Each day’s work should be entered on separate detail lines. The window will scroll to accommodate as many lines as necessary.

  1. Enter the Date the employee worked. A separate line should be used for each day in which an employee worked. The expense of the payroll detail line will be posted to the General Ledger month in which the detail occurred. For example, if most of the payroll occurred within the last month, but the paycheck was printed this month, the expense would be posted to the month in which the expense occurred, rather than on the date the employee was paid.
  2. Enter the Pay Type (holiday, regular, overtime, vacation, etc.). These pay types are determined within the Labor > Labor Options > Pay Types tab. The pay type on the first line will default to the pay type that is specified within payroll options (Labor > Labor Options > General tab > Default Pay Type field). 
    The pay type on all other lines will copy from the previous line. The pay type determines the pay rate unless a piecework or prevailing wage code is used. It also identifies the entry format on the wage that is being entered. For example, if the Pay Type is Overtime (hour-based) the system will prompt for the number of hours, but if the Pay Type is Commission (dollar-based) the system would ignore the hour column. Go to the worker record Pay tab pay type rates table to set rates for individual workers.
  3. The Work Code identifies the type of work the worker was involved in. The General Ledger account is based on the work code. Review the Work Codes section for more details on work codes. This field will default to the pay type work code set in the worker record Pay tab (worker record Pay tab > Pay Rates table > Default Work Code column). If piecework or prevailing wage work codes are used the rate is derived from the work code.
  4. Enter the Hours/Units amount for hours worked, or units processed. If the Pay Type is dollar-based this field will be ignored. If a piecework work code is used, this column identifies the number of piecework units being processed.
  5. The Rate will be copied from the worker record Pay tab > Pay Rates table. This rate can be changed on a per line basis without any problem. For example, if you wish to increase the hourly rate for a detail line, change the Rate value to the desired amount. Note that if the Pay Type is dollar-based the rate column will be irrelevant.
  6. The Pay will be calculated by multiplying the number of Hours times the Rate, if the pay type is hour-based or piecework. This field will be entered directly if the pay type is dollar-based.
  7. The Location will default from the worker setting.  Change it if the work rendered on this line is in a different location. Review the Taxes for Multiple Locations section for more details.
  8. The G/L Account identifies the account that the wage expense is posted to within the General Ledger. This account is defaulted from the work code.

Repeat the steps above for each detail line. Enter a new detail line if either the date, pay type, or work code are different from the line before.

The source of the timecard detail line can be determined by showing the 3 columns shown below:

Show the following fields:

  1. The Time Entry Device will indicate the time clock, user, or other source of the data entry.

  2. The Time Entry User will show the login user that recorded the time. Review the Creating Users and Assigning Rights section of the main documentation for user setup and details.

  3. The Time Entry Date shows the actual date and time of the data entry.

Review Timecard Color Codes for information on the green and blue timecard line color codes.
Review Column Appearance of the main documentation for instructions on showing or hiding columns within the timecard.

Overtime can be calculated weekly or daily by selecting Calculate Overtime from the timecard’s Process menu.  Overtime can be calculated from the Worker Payments > Process > Calculate Overtime option. Review the Calculating Overtime section for details and instructions for this powerful feature.  

NOTE: The user can manually alter the regular and overtime pay types after this utility has been completed.

View Options

By clicking on the View menu on the timecard screen you can choose from a number of view options listed below.

  • Click the View > Worker Account option to quickly view the employee information screen.

  • View > Taxes option allows the user to view the total taxes that will be withheld from the paycheck as well as company taxes. You must calculate taxes prior to viewing, or the list will be blank. Go to Process > Calculate Taxes on the timecard menu to calculate taxes. Note that taxes and deductions can be calculated in a batch basis within the Worker Payments window.

  • View > Advanced Options is used to view or change advanced options copied from the worker screen such as the Payroll Payable General Ledger account. To permanently change these codes for a worker, go to the worker record Advanced tab for that employee.

  • The View > Daily Hours option allows the user to view the pay type totals or the daily hour detail. If Daily Hours are not checked, the pay type summary totals will show both total hours and total gross for each pay type. If View > Daily Hours option is checked, daily hours are shown instead of the Pay Type Totals in the upper right-hand corner of the timecard.

    Review the Daily Hours section for details in entering and processing daily hours. The Daily Hours menu option is an option, which is checked when it is ON or unchecked when the status is OFF.

  • Select the View > Memo option to enter or edit a memo or note to add to the current timecard. This can be used to enter miscellaneous notes about this employee within the current pay period.

  • Click View > Details to hide the timecard detail section and to view more timecard detail lines. This convenient feature enables the user to see more timecard detail lines simultaneously. The Details selection is a switch option similar to the Daily Hours option.

These View options are optional during Timecard Entry.

Timecard detail lines can also be created using the following methods:

  • Populated by the task or work order: Review the Tasks section for more details.
  • Added to the timecard by the Time Track App: Review Time Track User Configuration for details on the user setup for the Time Track App.

Summary Totals

Located at the bottom of the timecard are varieties of summary totals:

  • The Workweeks amount is calculated at the time that taxes are calculated and reflect the total workweeks for the current period. The Workweeks field is the only total that can be changed by the user. Do not change this field unless you are familiar with workweeks. Review the Processing Workweeks section for more details.

  • Makeup Pay is automatically calculated to ensure that employees meet minimum wage requirements. Review the Minimum Wage and Makeup Pay section for further description of makeup pay or details to disable the feature.

  • Total Hours for the current timecard.

  • Benefit Adjust. is the gross benefit adjustment for the timecard.
  • Total Gross Pay for the current pay period. Gross pay may include benefit adjustments and take home tips, which are not paid to the employee via a paycheck.

  • Total Deductions is the total withholding taxes and deductions. (To view a detailed list, select View > Taxes from the timecard menu.)

  • Take Home Tips total identifies the cash paid tips that are added to the gross pay but subtracted from paycheck since they were paid by cash. Review the Processing Tips section.

  • Net Pay amount is the total amount of the paycheck.

Net Pay = [Gross Pay – Deductions – Take Home Tips]

Saving a Timecard

Save the timecard by selecting File > Save option from the timecard menu or by pressing the Ctrl + S on the keyboard. All processes can be accomplished in a batch manner within the Worker Payments window.

Giving Access to a Personal Timecard

EBMS gives the security option to block workers from accessing sensitive payroll information within the labor module and give individual workers to access only their personal timecard to add labor records. Review Worker Added Timecard Entries for setup access.

Copying Timecards

Copying timecards for salaried workers or other workers whose timecard detail is very similar each pay period can save data entry.  Review Copying Timecards for instructions.

Creating Another New Timecard

To create another new timecard, select File > New within the timecard menu or press Ctrl + N.

Exit the Timecard Window by selecting File > Close from the timecard menu.