Description: In this guide, the user will learn about the Payroll Module.

Roles Required: Super User, Payroll Team

Permissions Required:  N/A

Contents:

Overview 

The payroll module allows users with the payroll role to review, batch, process, approve and reconcile entries for payroll purposes. The system will generate a payroll file with all necessary data that can be used to create the documentation needed to send to funding sources for payment. 

Employee punches can be processed in payroll batches and exported on a transmit file that can be imported into the company’s payroll system. The payroll module includes the following functions:

• Batches: Create payroll batches
• Punch Entries: View, search, and batch punch entries
• Payroll Entries: View and search for payroll entries
• Previously Paid Entries: View, search, and batch previously paid entries
• Employees: Search employees and view details
• Reconcile: Reconcile payroll batches

Create New Batch 

The Batches function is the landing page for the payroll module. The table will list all batches in the system. Use the filters to search for a particular batch. Batches can be created from either the Batches page or the Punch Entries page.  

To create a new batch from the Batches page: 

1. Log in to DCI with an appropriate profile  
2. Click Payroll on the main menu 
3. Click Batches on the submenu 
4. Click Actions
5. Select New Payroll Batch from the drop-down menu
6. Complete the Create Batch wizard
   1. Name (required): Give the batch a name that can be easily recognized 
   2. Description (optional): This could include the dates of the payroll period
   3. Up to Date (required): Specify the range of entries to include in the batch. The up-to-date will be the latest date of service. The system will include any available entries before that date.  
   4. Cost Center Code (optional): Leave blank to include all cost centers, use a wildcard to include cost centers that start with the same characters (i.e., to include all AZ cost centers, type AZ*), or type a specific cost center.  
   5. Account Type (optional): The service account type
   6. Profile Type (optional): Select the program or profile type
   7. Service Code (optional): Leave blank to include all service codes for the specified funding source and units (see below), and use a wildcard to include service codes that start with the same characters (i.e., to include all 151 service codes, type 151*), or type a specific service code.  
   8. Employee Type (optional): Type of employee (i.e., hourly non-exempt, contractor, etc.)
   9. Entry Type (optional): Type of entry (i.e., punch, reimbursement, vendor, etc.)
   10. Unit Type: Type of unit (i.e., hourly, dollar, etc.) 
   11. Employee Name: Process a batch for a specific employee
7. Click Next to review the Batch Summary page
8. If the batch is correct, click Save and Yes to confirm.

The batch is now submitted, and the system shows the batch details page. The batch is in pending status and must be validated. Process as normal.

Create New Batch by Punch Entries

The Punch Entries submenu tab within the payroll module lists all entries that are ready to be processed. Entries that have been approved and do not violate an authorization max (remaining balance, daily max, weekly max, or monthly max) will appear in this table. Entries include:  

• Hourly Punch Entries  
• Residential Program Attendance Entries  

• Residential Program Absent Entries  
• Day Program Attendance Entries  
• Group Service Attendance Entries  
• Parenting Program Attendance Entries  
• Parenting Program Absent Entries  

• Client Transportation Entries  
• Transportation Entries  
• Vendor Payment Entries  

New payroll batches can be created directly from the Punch Entries page:  

1. Log in to DCI with an appropriate profile
2. Click Payroll on the main menu
3. Click Punch Entries on the submenu 
4. Select the header check box to select all listed entries, or select the check box next to each entry to include in the batch  
5. Click New Batch
6. Enter a name for the batch (required) and a description (optional)
7. Click Next
8. Review the entries and click Save

The batch is now submitted, and the system shows the batch details page. The batch is in pending status and must be validated. Process as normal.

Create New Batch by External File

To create a new batch from an external file on the Batches page:

1. Log in to DCI with an appropriate profile
2. Click Payroll on the main menu
3. Click Batches on the submenu
4. Click Actions
5. Select New Payroll Batch from the drop-down menu
6. Add batch name (required) and description (optional)
7. Click Add From File (see example file headers below)
8. Click Upload tab delimited TXT file and locate the .txt file to upload
9. Click Open
10. Click Next
11. Review batch summary
12. Click Save and Yes to confirm

The batch is now submitted, and the system shows the batch details page. The batch is in pending status and must be validated. Process as normal.

Example file headers: 

Add Entries to Existing Batch

To add entries to an existing batch from the Punch Entries page:

1. Log in to DCI with an appropriate profile
2. Click Payroll on the main menu
3. Click Punch Entries on the submenu
4. Click the check box next to the entries to add
5. Click Add to Existing Batch
6. Select the batch to add the entries to
7. Click Save and Yes to confirm

The batch is now submitted, and the system shows the batch details page. The batch is in pending status and must be validated. Process as normal.

Remove Entries from Existing Batch

Entries can be removed from an existing batch before the batch is processed:

1. Log in to DCI with an appropriate profile
2. Click Payroll on the main menu
3. Create a batch and follow the steps to arrive at the Process Batch page
4. Before processing, scroll down to the bottom of the page to review the entries.
5. Click the checkbox next to the entries to remove
6. Click Remove and Yes to confirm

The entry is now removed but is available for processing for future batches. Continue processing the batch as normal.

Split Batch

Batches can be split from an existing batch before the batch is processed:

1. Log in to DCI with an appropriate profile
2. Click Payroll on the main menu
3. Create a batch and follow the steps to arrive at the Process Batch page
4. Before processing, scroll down to the bottom of the page to review the entries.
5. Click the checkbox next to the entries to split
6. Click Split and Yes to confirm

The batch is now split creating two batches in pending status. Continue processing the split batches as normal.

Merge Two Batches

To merge existing batches from the batches page:

1. Log in to DCI with an appropriate profile
2. Click Payroll on the main menu
3. Locate one of the batches to merge in the Batches table by using the Search functionality or by scrolling
   1. The batches to be merged must be in a pending status. If already processed, they can no longer be merged.
4. Click anywhere in the pending batch row to open the batch details page
5. Click Merge
6. Enter a name for the batch
7. Enter a batch description (optional)
8. Select the batch from the list to merge
9. Click Save and Yes to confirm

The batches are now merged. Continue processing the batch as normal.

Batch Details 

The Batch Details page will show: 

• Actions Menu 
  • New Note 
  • New Attachment 
  • Edit Batch: Change the name and description of the batch 
  • Edit Custom Field Values: Add additional batch fields specific to the organization 
• Green button: The label will change depending on the batch status 
• Batch Details window 
  • Batch id: Unique system id number 
  • Date: Date the batch was created 
  • Status: Current status of the batch 
    • Pending 
    • InProcess or Process Started 
    • Validate
    • Processed 
    • ApproveInProcess 
    • Approved 
    • Transmitted 
    • Reconciled 
  • No. of Credit Entries: Total number of positive entries 
  • No. of Debit Entries: Total number of negative entries 
  • Credit Total: Total amount of positive entries 
  • Debit Total: Total amount of debit entries 
  • Rounded Amount: Total amount rounded (this plus the debit total should equal the credit total)   
  • No. of Employees/Vendors: Total number of employees/vendors who have entries in the batch 
  • Units: Unit type 
• Tabs: Entries, Notes, Attachments, Events, Custom Fields, History

Payroll Override

To override the information in a payroll entry before the entry is processed:

1. Log in to DCI with an appropriate profile
2. Click Payroll on the main menu
3. Click Payroll Entries on the submenu
4. Search for the payroll entry to override
5. Click anywhere in the row to open the entry details
6. Click Actions
7. Select Edit Entry from the drop-down menu
8. Update with the override information
9. Click Save and Yes to confirm

The payroll override is complete and can be processed as normal.

Batch Processing - Manual

1. The batch starts in Pending status 
   1. If negative paycheck validation is Active the first step will be Validate. Proceed to step 4. If negative paycheck validation is Inactive the first process will be Process. Proceed to step 5.
2. When the batch in Pending or Validated status the user can review, remove entries, add entries, merge the batch, or split the batch. 

3. During the payroll batch steps Validate, Process and Approve the button will be greyed out while processing. Proceed with other tasks within DCI while the payroll batch step runs.

   1. If messages templates Processed or Approved are Active, the user will receive a message and optionally a notification, when the step is completed OR

   2. Refresh the browser to update the batch processing status

4. Click Validate button then Yes to start validation process. This process includes the following status:
   1. Validate InProcess
   2. Validate Process Started
   3. Validate
5. Click Process button then Yes to process batch. This process includes the following status: 
   1. InProcess
   2. Process Started
   3. Processed
6. Click Approve button then Yes to proceed with processing. This process includes the following status: 
   1. Approved InProcess
   2. Approved Process Started
   3. Approved

7. When the payroll batch processing is complete the status changes to Transmitted

8. Batch processing is now complete, proceed to the Reconcile step if needed

Batch Processing - Automation

*Batch automation is an instance-level setting. Please submit a support ticket to enable the feature.

1. If negative paycheck validation is Active, the first step will be Validate. Proceed to step 4. If negative paycheck validation is Inactive the first process will be Process. Proceed to step 5.
2. Click Validate then Yes to confirm batch when prompted
   1. The alert window will populate asking "Would you like the system to automatically process and approve this batch when validation is complete?"
      1. Click Yes to start the payroll batch automation
      2. Click No to decline the payroll batch automation process and proceed manually
3. Click Process then Yes to process batch when prompted
   1. The alert window will populate asking "Would you like the system to automatically approve this batch when processing is complete?"
      1. Click Yes to start the payroll batch automation
      2. Click No to decline the payroll batch automation process and proceed manually
4. The payroll batch automation will automatically run through the steps Validate, Process and Approve if automation was selected. Proceed with other tasks within DCI while payroll batch automation runs.
   1. If messages templates Processed or Approved are Active, the user will receive a message and optionally a notification, when the step is completed OR
   2. Refresh the browser to update the batch processing status
5. When the payroll batch automation is complete, the status changes to Transmitted
6. Batch processing is now complete, proceed to the Reconcile step if needed
7. Optionally, view the payroll batch automation decision details on the batch details page by clicking the events tab
   1. Subject column - Batch Automation Confirmed or Batch Automation Declined
   2. Added By column - The name of the user who made the decision

Download Raw Payroll Dump File 

If on the final step of processing a batch and have the batch details page open:

1. When a batch has been approved, the green Reconcile button displays, and the batch details status is Transmitted.
2. Scroll down the page to click the Attachments tab
3. Locate the file that begins with RawPayrollDump
   1. Following the name is an underscore followed by numbers to create a unique identifier for each Raw Payroll Dump file
4. Click the Download drop-down and select CSV as the file type
5. Click the blue Download Arrow Icon to start the download
6. Click the downloaded file to open the RawPayrollDump in Excel

If the batch is Transmitted and the raw payroll file was not downloaded during the batch creation process:

1. Select Payroll from the main menu
2. Select Batches from the submenu
3. Use filters to locate the batch and click Search
4. Click anywhere in the batch row to open the batch details page
5. When a batch has been approved, the green Reconcile button displays, and the batch details status is Transmitted
6. Scroll down the page to click the Attachments tab
7. Locate the file that begins with RawPayrollDump
   1. Following the name is an underscore followed by numbers to create a unique identifier for each Raw Payroll Dump file
8. Click the Download drop-down and select CSV as the file type
9. Click the blue Download Arrow Icon to start the download
10. Click the downloaded file to open the RawPayrollDump in Excel

Edit/Override Batch Entry 

Processing the batch will create payroll entries for each punch entry. Payroll overrides can be made after the batch is processed. To complete an override:

1. Use the filters to find the payroll entry in question from the batch details page
2. Click anywhere on the entry to open the Payroll Entry Detail page
3. Click Actions
4. Select Edit Entry from the drop-down menu
5. On the form wizard, add an override for the payroll modifier, the payrate, or pay units.
6. Click Save
7. Click Approve then Yes to override the entry

The overrides will appear on the entry details page, as well as be applied to the transmit file after the batch is approved.

Payroll Entries  

The Payroll Entries submenu tab lists all existing payroll entries. This table is a great way to look up details of individual payroll entries, including status. Payroll entries in approved status can be edited by the following steps:

1. Click Payroll on the main menu
2. Click Payroll Entries on the submenu
3. Filter and search to find the entry to edit
4. Click anywhere on the entry to open the Payroll Entry Detail page
5. Click Actions
6. Select Edit Entry from the drop-down menu
7. Edit as needed
8. Click Save and Yes to confirm

The edits will appear on the entry details page and will be applied to the transmit file after the batch is approved.

Reconcile

Payroll batches can be reconciled in DCI after the employee has been paid. This helps track which entries have been paid. Additionally, it is necessary to reconcile dollar-based entries in a payroll batch to give a billable amount to the entry.

After a payroll batch has been processed and approved, the system will generate the Raw Payroll Dump file. This file contains data that will be required to reconcile the batch. But first, it’s necessary to create the text file that will be used for reconciliation.

The system will start the reconciliation process. The batch status will update to ReconciliationInProcess. When complete, view results under the Attachments tab on that batch page. If all entries were successfully reconciled, the batch status will update to Reconciled.

• If any entry failed reconciliation, the results file will display the reconciliation status and reason for failure.

• If entries were successfully reconciled, the results file will list Success as the reconciliation status and the entry status will update to paid.
• The reconciliation process can be automated if desired. When enabled, it will automatically move punches to paid status after the specified number of days after a batch is approved. This process simply changes the status; it does not input any data and will not update the billable amount on dollar-based punches.

Create Reconcile Text File

Open Excel and create a file with the following column headers:

1. PayrollEntryID
   1. Listed as Entry Id on RawPayrollDump file
   2. Create one row for each payroll entry in the batch
   3. Must include every payroll entry in the batch
   4. Required field
2. PayrollSystemReferenceID
   1. ID generated from the organization’s payroll system/engine, external to DCI
   2. Required field
3. PayrollRefCheckId
   1. Check number on which the entry was paid, generated from the organization’s payroll system/engine.
   2. Optional field
4. UnitAmount
   1. Unit amount as entered on the punch entry. This must match the punch exactly.
   2. Listed as Pay Units on RawPayrollDump file
   3. Required field
5. NetPay
   1. Net amount paid to the employee, generated from the organization’s payroll system/engine.
   2. Required field
6. PayDate
   1. Date the employee was paid, generated from the organization’s payroll system/engine.
   2. Required field
7. PayrollBurden
   1. Actual payroll burden for the entry
   2. Required for dollar-based entries, optional for all other units
   3. Listed as Burden Multiplier on RawPayrollDump file

Save as a Text (TXT) file to import. 

*Please note: The headers must be spelled exactly as listed above and in the same sequence as listed above or there will be an error when trying to import the text file.

Reconcile a Single Batch

If on the final step of processing a batch and have the batch details page open:

1. On an approved batch, click the green Reconcile
2. Complete the Reconcile from Payroll form wizard
   1. Enter a Ref Reconcile Id (required)– Choose any reference number
   2. File Name (required)– Name that will appear in the attachments tab describing the reconcile file
   3. Click Add Attachment to attach the reconcile text file discussed in the previous steps
   4. Click Save

Reconcile Multiple Batches

Reconciling from the Reconcile submenu allows users to reconcile rollups across multiple batches:

1. Create the Reconcile Text File using the steps above
2. Select Payroll from the main menu
3. Select Reconcile from the submenu
4. From the attachments table, select one or more files to reconcile
5. Click Actions
6. Select Upload File from the drop-down menu
   1. The reconciliation file will include the entries from selected batches
   2. Enter a Ref Reconcile Id (required)– Choose any reference number
   3. File Name (required)- Name that will appear in the attachments tab describing the reconcile file
   4. Click Add Attachment to attach the reconcile text file discussed in the previous steps
   5. Click Save and Yes to confirm

Review Reconciled Batches

1. Select Payroll from the main menu
2. Select Reconcile from the submenu
3. Search for the file by typing reconcile text file name into the search filters and clicking Search
4. Click anywhere on the row in the attachments table to the open results file
5. In the Attachment Details widget, next to the name field, click the blue download arrow icon to start the download.
6. Open the downloaded TXT file
7. Review results file
   1. The first row is headers
   2. Subsequent rows are results for each line on payroll reconcile file
   3. Each row will state Failure or Success at the end of the row (see ReconcileStatus header)
      1. Failures will include a failure reason (see Reconcile Reason header)

Exception Batches

DCI runs payroll validations after the green Validate button is clicked on a pending payroll batch. DCI has the functionality to enable Negative Paycheck Validation, which will check to see if any employee will receive a negative paycheck. The validation checks to see if any employee has a net negative number of hours or miles. Either condition is referred to as an exception.

Exceptions can only occur if previously paid entries for the impacted employee have been canceled or edited, resulting in compensating (negative) entries being pulled into the payroll batch that outweigh the positive entries for the same employee. If an exception occurs, all entries for the impacted employee(s) are removed from the batch and placed into a new batch. The new batch shares the name of the original batch and includes the suffix EXCEPTIONS.

An exception batch can be processed like all other batches in DCI. A payroll user can:

• Add entries to the exceptions batch
• Remove entries from the exceptions batch
  • If desired, negative entries can be removed from the batch so they will be available to pull for the next payroll cycle
• Process the exceptions batch as is

After an exceptions batch is processed, the new negative entries will move to a status of approved, and the original entries will remain in a status of processed. The batch status will show transmitted, and the processing of the exceptions batch is complete.

Previously Paid Entries

The Previously Paid Entries submenu tab lists all entries that have been compensated (edited or canceled) after being processed in a payroll batch. This may occur if an error was noticed after the payroll process was completed. Previously paid entries also appear on the Punch Entries page, but the Previously Paid Entries area provides a quick way to find specific entries, as well as an easy way to batch compensating and corrected entries together. New payroll batches can be created directly from the Previously Paid Entries area:  

1. Use the filters to search for the desired punches and click Search
2. Select the header checkbox to select all listed entries or select the checkbox next to each entry to include in the batch 
3. Click New Batch
4. Enter batch name (required) and description (optional)
5. Click Next
6. Review batch summary
7. Click Save and Yes to confirm
8. Process the batch as normal

Employees

The Employees submenu tab allows users with the payroll role to quickly search for information regarding employee account information.  

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