Note: The reports containing the balancing information can only be printed from within the Balancing Information option, so that the user can verify for which period or batch the option was last generated.
From the Payroll screen, select the Options menu and then Balancing Information.
Note: If completing a check cycle for Payroll, the Balancing Information option can also be accessed by selecting the Check Cycle menu and Balancing Information from the Payroll screen; then when prompted, select the batch for which to generate the balancing information by double-clicking on the batch description.
At the Balancing Information option, click the Report Options tab and complete the information.
Enter the option for how to generate the balancing information (Batch, Check Date, or Processing Month) in the Generate By field, or click the down-arrow button to select the correct one. To generate the balancing information for a posted or unposted payroll calculation batch, select Batch. To generate the balancing information for posted payroll batches for a specified period based on the check dates, select Check Date. To generate the balancing information for posted payroll batches for a specified period based on processing months, select Processing Month.
If Batch is specified as the Generate By option, the Batch Description field will be enabled. In the Batch Description field, enter the description of the desired batch for which to generate the balancing information, or click the down-arrow button to select the correct one.
If Check Date is specified as the Generate By option, the Starting Date and Ending Date fields will be enabled. Enter the first check date to generate in the Starting Date field and the last check date to generate in the Ending Date field. Use the mm/dd/yyyy format or click the down-arrow button to select the desired dates.
If Processing Month is specified as the Generate By option, the Starting Processing Month and Ending Processing Month fields will be enabled. Enter the first processing month to generate in the Starting Processing Month field and the last processing month to generate in the Ending Processing Month field. Use the mm/yyyy format or click the down-arrow button to select the desired months.
Click the Save button.
Click the Pay Groups tab to select the pay groups to include when generating the balancing information.
Note: The pay groups defined (within the Pay Group File) to be included in the Balancing Information option are selected by default, but can be changed if needed; if changes are made here, the changes will also be reflected in the Pay Group File.
To select a pay group, click the box under the Selected column to the left of the pay group ID. A checkmark will appear in the box if the pay group is selected.
To select all of the pay groups, click the Select All button located above the Pay Groups List.
Click the Save button.
Click the Deductions tab to select the appropriate categories for the deductions to include when generating the balancing information.
Tip: To lock a column in place so that it does not move while scrolling the information in the grid, click the pushpin located to the right of the desired column heading. Once the pushpin has been selected for a column, the pushpin will appear vertical to indicate the column is locked, and the locked column will move to the left and appear in front of all unlocked columns. To unlock a column, click the pushpin again; the pushpin will appear horizontal to indicate a column is unlocked. If the screen is closed and re-opened, or the Save button is clicked (if applicable), the settings for the pushpins will go back to the defaults.
For each deduction to include when generating the balancing information, click the box under the appropriate category to the left of the Deduction ID in the Deductions List. A checkmark will appear in the box if the deduction is selected under a category. Select the Gross Earnings column if an Add type deduction or a Payment In Kind type deduction is taxable. Select the Flex Deduction column if a deduction is a flex 125 deduction (pre-tax to FIT, SIT (if applicable), Social Security, and Medicare). Select the TSA column if a deduction is a tax-sheltered annuity (pre-tax to FIT and SIT (if applicable)). Select the Retirement column if a deduction is a retirement deduction for your state's retirement system and is pre-tax for FIT and SIT (if applicable).
Note: The Gross Earnings column is only enabled for Add and Payment In Kind type deductions. The Flex Deduction, TSA, and Retirement columns are enabled for all deduction types except Add and Payment In Kind type deductions. Deductions defined as a Percent of Net type will not appear in the Deductions List.
Tip: Deductions defined with a Deduction type that are paid entirely by the employer (board) or have an employee share that is taxable (processed after taxes) will not be selected for any category (column). If needed, review the tax cross references for a deduction in the Deduction File to help in determining if the deduction should be selected for a category.
For Illinois and Missouri organizations only, the Has Employees Exempt from Social Security column displays to the right of the Retirement column. If a deduction has the State Retirement System Deduction field (column) selected, the Has Employees Exempt from Social Security column is enabled. If applicable, select the Has Employees Exempt from Social Security field (column) for a retirement deduction if the employees set up with that deduction are not subject to Social Security. A checkmark will appear in the box if the field is selected.
Note: The Has Employees Exempt from Social Security column only appears for Illinois and Missouri organizations; it does not display for organizations in other states.
Click the Save button.
Click the Pay Codes tab to select the appropriate categories for the pay codes to include when generating the balancing information.
For each pay code to include when generating the balancing information, click the box under the Gross Earnings column to the left of the Pay Code ID in the Pay Codes List. A checkmark will appear in the box if the pay code is selected. Select the Gross Earnings column if an Add type, Contract type, or Payment In Kind type pay code is taxable. For example, if an Add type or Contract type pay code is used to pay taxable wages, select the pay code; however, if an Add type pay code is used for non-taxable reimbursements, such as a pay code defined for mileage reimbursements, do not select the pay code. Select the Gross Earnings column if a Deduction type pay code is pre-tax or non-taxable and must be subtracted from the Gross Earnings formula (a Deduction type pay code is considered pre-tax or non-taxable if the taxes are selected in the cross references in the Pay Code File).
Tip: If needed, review the tax cross references for a pay code in the Pay Code File to help in determining if the pay code should be selected; if the taxes are selected in the Cross References List for a pay code, then select the pay code under the Gross Earnings column on this screen.
Note: Any new pay codes added in the Pay Code File automatically have the Gross Earnings column selected here.
If the Gross Earnings column is selected for a pay code, the Student Worker Pay Code column is enabled. If applicable, select the Student Worker Pay Code column (field) for a pay code if it is defined to pay student workers and is not taxable for Social Security and Medicare. A checkmark will appear in the box if the field is selected.
Click the Save button.
Click the View Data tab to generate the balancing information and view if there are any variances for the formulas.
The calculated formulas for Gross Earnings, FIT Gross, SIT Gross, Medicare Gross, Social Security Gross, and FIT/Medicare Gross Comparison appear on the screen. The various totals for the specified batch or period appear in the appropriate fields for each formula.
If a formula does not balance, an amount will display in the Variance field for that formula. To view the details for a Variance field, including the employees causing the variance, click the Show Details button to the right of the field. If desired, then within the Variance Detail List, click the Show Details button for an employee to view the checks (or check sequences) causing the variance for an employee, and double-click on a check (or check sequence) to open the Employee/Payee Inquiry option for the selected check to view the details.
Note: For the SIT Gross formula, a field appears under the SIT Gross label showing the state for which State Income Tax amounts are displayed. For states without a State Income Tax including South Dakota and Wyoming, None will display in the field and the Actual and Variance fields for the formula will be disabled (blank).
Tips:
If wages were paid (to an estate) pre-tax for FIT after an employee's death, there will be a variance for that employee for the FIT Gross formula; if applicable, click the Show Details button to verify the variance is the total amount of wages paid to the estate.
If there is a State Income Tax defined and used in the system for a different state than where your organization is located (or there are one or more employees not set up with the State Income Tax defined for the state where your organization is located), a message for Multiple States will display to the right of the Variance field for the SIT Gross formula. To view the amounts for a different State Income Tax than the one currently displayed, click the down-arrow button for the field under the SIT Gross label and select the desired state (or to view the amounts for those employees not set up with the State Income Tax defined for the state where your organization is located, select None). If applicable, click the Show Details button to view the details if there is a variance.
If there are employees that were not subject to Medicare (excluding student workers), there will be a variance for those employees for the Medicare Gross formula; if applicable, click the Show Details button to verify the variance is the total amount of wages paid to those employees.
If there are employees that were not subject to Social Security (excluding student workers, and for Illinois and Missouri organizations only, excluding employees set up with retirement deductions flagged as Has Employees Exempt from Social Security), there will be a variance for those employees for the Social Security Gross formula; if applicable, click the Show Details button to verify the variance is the total amount of wages paid to those employees.
Note: For Illinois and Missouri organizations only, the Exempt from Social Security field appears in the Social Security Gross formula to subtract the amount of the gross earnings for employees exempt from Social Security, as based on those set up with retirement deductions flagged as Has Employees Exempt from Social Security.
If there are employees that have reached the Social Security limit, a message for Limit Reached will display for the Social Security Gross formula, and the amount over the limit is accounted for by the system and not included in the variance, if applicable.
To view the details for what is included or calculated for a particular field (only applicable for enabled fields), click in the desired field and then press the Ctrl+F keys.
Print the desired reports from the Reports menu.