Steps to Complete the Negotiations System
FileFollow the steps below each year when completing the process of determining future salaries using the Negotiations module.
Step 1: Complete the Negotiations System File
Complete the information in the Negotiations System File.
Steps to Complete the Negotiations System
File
Step 2: Create Packages or Edit (Copy) Existing Packages
If Negotiations was used last year, edit the existing packages as desired or copy last year's packages to create new packages.
Step 3: Define Pay Scales for each Package
Enter the labels for each step and lane on the salary schedules for each package.
Steps
to Add Labels for Steps and Lanes in a Salary Schedule
Step 4: Enter Deduction Rates
To include different rates for deductions (than what is currently defined in Payroll) when calculating in Negotiations, enter the new rates for the deductions for each package in the Deduction Rates option. For example, if health insurance rates will change next year, enter the new rates to include in the calculations in Negotiations in the Deduction Rates option.
Steps
to Enter Deduction Rates
Step 5: Complete the Employee File
The negotiations information on the Wages screen of the Employee File must be completed for each employee that will be included in a package.
Note: If you used Negotiations last year, this step will already be completed, but make any necessary changes and verify the information for any new employees added throughout the year.
From the Negotiations screen, select the Payroll menu and then Employees.
At the Employees screen, click the First Record button to view the first employee.
Click the Wages tab to view the pay codes for the employee.
Then click the Negotiations tab located in the upper right-hand corner of the screen (below the Wages tab) to view the negotiations information for the employee.
Select each contract and unit pay code that will be included in a package for the employee by double-clicking on the pay code in the Employee Wages List located in the lower left corner of the screen, or by entering the ID of the desired pay code to edit in the Pay Code ID field and then entering the appropriate 4-digit year in the Fiscal Year End field.
Enter the FTE for the employee for this pay code in the FTE field. The FTE can be up to 6 digits long (including the decimal point) and will be rounded to 4 decimal places by the system if capable.
Enter the number of the current step for the employee for this pay code in the Step field. The step number cannot be greater than 999, and will be rounded to 2 decimal places by the system.
Enter the number of the current lane for the employee for this pay code in the Lane field. The lane number can be up to 3 digits long (no decimals).
Note: If you have the Human Resources module, leave the Lane field blank and complete the Negotiation Lanes option within Human Resources in order to have the system place the employees in the correct lanes as based on their degree and additional credit hours (for example, BA + 6 additional credit hours) or position title (for example, Head Football Coach), if desired. If position titles will be used, enter the ID of the position title that corresponds to the position for which the employee is assigned in the Position Title ID field (Position Title ID field is only enabled if the school district has the Human Resources module).
For all unit pay codes, enter the number of times the employee will get paid in the Total Payments field. The number can be up to 14 digits long (including the decimal point and comma(s) if applicable) and will be rounded to 4 decimal places by the system if capable.
For all unit pay codes, enter the total hours the employee is estimated to work in the fiscal year in the Total Hours field. The number can be up to 8 digits long (including the decimal point) and will be rounded to 2 decimal places by the system if capable.
For all contract pay codes, select the Primary Pay Code field if the contract is the main contract for the employee. A checkmark will appear in the box if the field is selected.
Note: The Primary Pay Code field is used by the system to sort contracts on particular reports (specifically with the Export Pay Codes for Mail Merge option) used in Negotiations in order to list the main contract first, if an employee has more than one contract.
Click the Next Record button to advance to the Wages screen for the next employee; if prompted to save the changes before continuing, click Yes.
Repeat the steps until all the employee records have been completed.
If applicable, complete the Annual Total field for the employee and/or employer share on the Deductions screen for all declining balance deductions that will be calculated in Negotiations. Only complete the Annual Total field for the declining balance deductions to be used in Negotiations that are paid by the employer, or are pre-tax and paid by the employee (which affects taxes paid by the employer).
At the Employees screen, click the First Record button to view the first employee.
Click the Deductions tab to view the deductions for the employee.
Select each desired deduction by double-clicking on the deduction in the Employee Deductions List located in the lower left corner of the screen, or by entering the ID of the desired deduction to edit in the Deduction ID field.
Enter the total amount to be withheld or expensed for this fiscal year for the deduction in the Annual Total field for the employee and/or employer share. The amount can be up to 14 digits long (including the decimal point and comma(s) if applicable) and will be rounded to 2 decimal places by the system if capable.
Click the Next Record button to advance to the Deductions screen for the next employee; if prompted to save the changes before continuing, click Yes.
Repeat the steps until all the employee records have been completed.
Step 6: Create Payroll Wages for New Year
Complete the Create Payroll Wages for New Year option to create the pay codes assigned to the packages for the next fiscal year for use with Negotiations.
Steps
to Create Payroll Wages for New Year
Note: In order for the system to automatically calculate the overtime rates during the update process, the applicable overtime pay codes must also be created for the new year.
After creating the pay codes for the new year, complete the Wages screen of the Employee File for the new pay codes for any employees who are contracted to work any additional days, receive an additional amount (percentage or fixed dollar amount), or have earned additional degree hours for which they will be paid an extra amount.
Note: Also, if needed, make changes to the fields completed in Step 5 (above) if the employee should be negotiated using different information than what is designated for the new pay codes. For example, if a unit employee will be working a different number of hours in the next fiscal year, or if an employee is intending to take summer classes which will cause a lane movement, make the necessary changes to the newly created pay codes in order to negotiate using the updated information.
From the Negotiations screen, select the Payroll menu and then Employees.
At the Employees screen, click the First Record button to view the first employee.
Click the Wages tab to view the pay codes for the employee.
Click the Negotiations tab located in the upper right-hand corner of the screen (below the Wages tab) to view the negotiations information for the employee.
Select each new contract and unit pay code that needs to be edited by double-clicking on the pay code in the Employee Wages List located in the lower left corner of the screen, or by entering the ID of the desired pay code to edit in the Pay Code ID field and then entering the appropriate 4-digit year in the Fiscal Year End field.
For contract pay codes only, enter the number of additional days the employee is contracted to work (beyond the regular number of days) in the Additional Days field, if applicable. The number of additional days cannot be greater than 999, but can be up to 8 digits long (including the decimal point) and will be rounded to 4 decimal places by the system if capable.
If the employee is to be paid an additional dollar amount on what is calculated in the package for this pay code for the employee's step and lane, enter the dollar amount in the Additional Dollars field. If an amount is entered in this field for a contract pay code, the amount will be added to the total wages for the pay code from the package (or subtracted, if a negative amount is entered); for example, if $1,500 is entered in this field and the total wages from the package for the employee's step and lane for the pay code is $20,000, the final amount for the pay code for the employee would be $21,500. If an amount is entered in this field for a unit pay code, the amount will be added to the unit rate for the pay code from the package before multiplying it with the number of hours (or subtracted, if a negative amount is entered); for example, if $0.25 is entered in this field and the unit rate from the package for the employee's step and lane for the pay code is $5.50, the final amount for the pay code for the employee would be $5.75 multiplied by the number of hours. The amount can be up to 14 digits long (including the decimal point and comma(s) if applicable) and will be rounded to 2 decimal places by the system if capable.
If the employee is to be paid an extra amount for each additional degree hour earned (on what is calculated in the package for this pay code for the employee's step and lane), enter the number of degree hours for which to pay the employee in the Additional Degree Hours field. The amount can be up to 10 digits long (including the decimal point and comma(s) if applicable) and will be rounded to 4 decimal places by the system if capable.
Note: The amount to pay for each additional degree hour will be entered when calculating the salary schedules.
If the employee is to be paid an additional percentage on what is calculated in the package for this pay code for the employee's step and lane, enter the percentage in the Additional Percent field. If a percentage is entered in this field for a contract pay code, the percentage will be added to the total wages for the pay code from the package (or subtracted, if a negative percentage is entered); for example, if 2.5% is entered in this field and the total wages from the package for the employee's step and lane for the pay code is $20,000, the final amount for the pay code for the employee would be $20,500. If a percentage is entered in this field for a unit pay code, the percentage will be added to the unit rate for the pay code from the package before multiplying it with the number of hours (or subtracted, if a negative percentage is entered); for example, if 2% is entered in this field and the unit rate from the package for the employee's step and lane for the pay code is $5.50, the final amount for the pay code for the employee would be $5.61 multiplied by the number of hours. The percentage can be up to 10 digits long (including the decimal point and comma(s) if applicable) and will be rounded to 4 decimal places by the system if capable.
Click the Next Record button to advance to the next employee’s wage screen; if prompted to save the changes before continuing, click Yes.
Repeat the steps until all the necessary employees have been completed.
Step 7: Build Salary Schedules
Build the salary schedules to determine the total costs of salaries and benefits for each package.
Note: If needed, close the appropriate cells (steps and lanes) on the salary schedule prior to building any tables.
Steps
to Close Steps and Lanes in a Salary Schedule
Steps
to Build a Salary Schedule - Percents Table
Steps
to Build a Salary Schedule - Amounts Table
Steps
to Build an FTE - Hours Table
Steps
to Build a Salary Totals Table
Steps
to Build a Benefit Totals Table
If Negotiations was used last year and a package was copied from the previous year, be sure the Negotiation Year End for the newly copied package reflects the correct year and then recalculate the following tables for that package: Salary Schedule - Amounts (only if the base was changed for the package), FTE - Hours, Salary Totals, and Benefit Totals.
For Nebraska school districts only, if needed, edit the steps and lanes for employees in the Employee Negotiation Rates option when calculating the salary schedules from neighboring districts for comparison purposes.
Steps
to Edit Employee Negotiation Rates
Step 8: Calculate Budget
Complete the Calculate Budget option to create a budget batch consisting of entries for the total amount of salary and benefits for each applicable expense account.
Tip: If there are old calculate budget batches (from two or more years ago) that appear when you access this option, delete those old payroll batches at this time. To delete an old calculate budget batch: 1) select Calculate Budget from the Options menu on the Negotiations screen; 2) the Calculate Budget Batch Search screen will appear listing all the existing batches; 3) double-click on the desired old batch; 4) at the Calculate Budget screen, select the Options menu and then Delete Batch; 5) when prompted, click Yes to delete the batch.
Step 9: Print Reports and Compare Packages
Print the desired reports to compare the different packages and scenario calculations. Also, complete the Compare Packages option to compare two packages and view the overall percentage change in cost between two packages, if desired.
AFTER SETTLEMENT:
Step 10: Update Payroll with Selected Packages
Once a settlement has been reached, complete the Update Payroll with Packages option to post the new wages and deduction rates to Payroll.
Note: In order for the system to automatically calculate the overtime rates during the update process, the unit pay codes tied to the selected packages must have the Overtime Pay Code ID field completed in the Pay Code File.
Steps
to Update Payroll with Packages
Step 11: Print Contracts
Print contracts for employees by completing one of the following:
1) Complete the Export Pay Codes for Mail Merge option to create a file of pay code information that can be merged with a Microsoft® Word document used for printing contracts.
Steps
to Export Pay Codes for Mail Merge
2) Complete the Agreement Form Setup - Contract Employee and Agreement Form Setup - Unit Employee options, and then generate the Standard Agreement Form - Contract Employee and Standard Agreement Form - Unit Employee reports.
Steps
to Complete the Agreement Form Setup - Contract Employee
Steps
to Complete the Agreement Form Setup - Unit Employee
Step 12: Edit and Post Negotiations Budget Batch
If needed, edit the budget batch containing the salary and benefit expenses from Negotiations, and then when applicable, post the batch if desired.