Tutorials


21st Century Accounting Tutorials - Payroll

What is the best order of setup for pay factors.
Does it really matter?

No, it doesn't really matter (from the software's standpoint). But when you set up Payroll from scratch, because of some built-in easy-setup features, we recommend setting up the pay factors in the following order:

  1. Income
  2. The "Make subject to new taxes" option in the Income window allows you to make each income subject to new taxes. When you add taxes in Step 5, the income factors with this option turned on are automatically put into the "Earnings include" list for each tax.

    The "Auto assign" option in the Income window allows you to automatically assign an income to employees. When you add employees in Step 7, any income factor with this option turned on is automatically assigned to all employees, although you can delete it manually for employees for whom the factor is not appropriate. For income factors (for example, Regular Hours) that are common to most employees in the company, turn on the "Auto assign" option.

    Income factors you have already created are available for inclusion when you set up the "Earnings include" or "Hours include" lists for Deductions and Noncash Benefits that are calculated as a percent of earnings or an amount per hour.

  3. Deductions
  4. The "Deduct before new taxes" option in the Deductions window allows you to set up each deduction to be deducted before or after taxes are calculated. When you add taxes in Step 5, the deduction factors with this option turned on are automatically put into the "Earnings include" list for each tax. (Pretax deductions are put into a tax's earnings include list so the deduction will be deducted before the tax is calculated.)

    The "Auto assign" option in the Deduction window allows you to automatically assign an deduction to employees. When you add employees in Step 7, any deduction factor with this option turned on is automatically assigned to all employees.

  5. Noncash Benefits
  6. The "Make subject to new taxes" option in the Noncash Benefits window allows you to make each noncash benefit subject to new taxes. When you add taxes in Step 5, the noncash benefit factors with this option turned on are automatically put into the "Earnings include" list for each tax.

    The "Auto assign" option in the Noncash Benefits window allows you to automatically assign a noncash benefit to employees. When you add employees in Step 7, any noncash benefit factor with this option turned on is automatically assigned to all employees.

  7. Vacation and Sick Accruals
  8. The "Make subject to new taxes" option in the Accruals window allows you to make each accrual subject to new taxes. When you add taxes in Step 5, the accruals factors with this option turned on are automatically put into the "Earnings include" list for each tax.

    The "Auto assign" option in the Accruals window allows you to automatically assign an accrual to employees. When you add employees in Step 7, any accruals factor with this option turned on is automatically assigned to all employees.

  9. Taxes
  10. When you add the taxes that pertain to your company in the Taxes window, the incomes, deductions, benefits, and accruals will be included (or not), just as you set them up with respect to taxes.

    The "Auto assign" option in the Taxes window allows you to automatically assign a tax to employees. When you add employees in a later step, any tax factor with this option turned on is automatically assigned to all employees. Good candidates for "Auto assign" are US FIT, US SS, US Med, and any state income tax appropriate for the company.

  11. Workers' Comp. Codes
  12. If you track and report Workers' Comp. jobs, set up all the Workers' Compensation classification codes that identify the kinds of Workers' Comp.-covered jobs your employees do. The official WC IDs identify the applicable Workers' Compensation Codes. Names help identify each Workers' Compensation Codes. The name might identify the kind of work associated with the code. A rate is assigned to each Workers' Comp. Code. The calculation method determines how the Workers' Compensation Report calculates the unadjusted "Premium" associated with the covered earnings or hours.

  13. Employees

Now, if you followed the order in the first 5 steps above, your employees' pay factors are practically set up. Factors set to "Auto assign" appear in each new employee's window. Add names, SS numbers, their different salary amounts and hourly rates, and other information you want to maintain in employee records. Delete the factors that don't apply to certain employees.

You're ready to create paychecks.


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