The Payroll Process

When processing your payroll, our ultimate goal is to 'Touch it Once'. This can be broken down as follows:

• All information needed to set up a New Starter is on the Employee Setup Form so we can set up the employee correctly the first time. You would be amazed how often forms are sent through with missing Tax Code, Ird Numbers, Bank Accounts, Kiwisaver status, and even Hourly Rates. If the document is not complete we will return it to you to add the missing information, before we add them to the payroll. Please also send your new employee forms to us as soon as you hire them and at least two Business Days prior to your next scheduled payday. This allows us to get them loaded and checked in time for your pay run. PLEASE DO NOT send us new employee setup forms on the day you intend to pay them as we may not have the Time or Resources to load them. They can be paid in the next scheduled pay run or via an Instant Pay (additional cost).
• Timesheets are Accurate and Complete when you send them to us or are generated from the Ezytime of other Timesheet sources. We should not be getting messages such as, please add 8 hours for Tuesday, Tommy was Sick on Wednesday etc. All this information should be in the Timesheet file before it gets to us. As a rule, we don't key in transactions, unless in an emergency or an unusual situation as we have multiple options available to get your Timesheet data digitally.
• Review your Reports carefully. If the above two items are completed correctly, then this step should have no surprises as we are processing the data you provided to us. If there is an error in the report we will fix it and send the reports to you again to review.
• Approve the Payroll by replying to the Pay Advice Detail Report, you only need to reply to this report that the payroll is good to finalize.

So getting all the above right should mean we both 'Touch it Once'.

Pay Day Process

1. At the beginning of every week, we create a Schedule of the pay runs due this week based on the day of the week the pay run is Paid to employees. This ensures we always know what pays are due on what day. If you want to have your pay run given priority we can easily bring it forward so it is processed well in advance, but in the event of a heavy workload, priority is always given to the payrolls due today, so you may experience a delay in responding to e-mails that don't relate to pays due today.
2. If you have any Maintenance for existing staff then please get it through to us as early as possible so we can have the changes made prior to the Timesheet arriving. We have a Standard Form where you can add changes to existing staff. Any non-statutory deductions must be accompanied by the correct form signed by the Employee, and please send us any correspondence from the IRD, Courts or WINZ.
3. The Timesheet file is the fuel that powers payroll hence why we stress that it is complete and accurate. If the data is wrong in the file, then it causes a whole raft of problems at the time and possibly later fixing up Timesheet errors. The Timesheet file comes to us in many different formats, such as:
   1. Directly from our Ezytime Portal
   2. Directly from the Platinum Employee Self Service
   3. As a file from 3rd party Time & Attendance Systems
   4. As a file from HR Systems
   5. As a Spreadsheet that we provide as a Template
   6. And soon it may come via an API connection (under development)
4. Once we have imported the data from the Timesheet, we review the results looking for any obvious errors. If found we will get in touch with any queries, otherwise, we forward to you a number of reports for you to review.
5. The standard reports are listed here but see the Related Article below for extra detail.
   1. The Pay Advice Detail Report
   2. Pay Variance Report
   3. Leave Balance Report
   4. Direct Credit Report

• Different clients may also receive other reports depending on their needs.
• Once you are sure the payroll is correct - just reply with Approved against the Pay Advice Detail Report email, we will then finalize the payroll by either sending you a DC file to upload yourself via Internet Banking or we push the file through to any of the four main trading banks. We will send out payslips or push them up to our Ezytime Portal.
• We will also send out any other reports required by 3rd parties and complete the Pay Day Filing on your behalf.
• All reports are password protected regardless of format, pdf or xls. We have to do this in order to meet the requirements of the Privacy Act by ensuring only those entitled to see confidential payroll information can review it, so please do not ask us to send a report without a password.

Job complete and we will see you again next time.