Payroll Checklists

The following checklists are provided as examples of how you might use Payroll to perform various daily, weekly, and other periodic tasks.

While we attempt to present the tasks in a logical order, you should adjust the checklist as necessary to meet your own needs. You may wish to consult with your accountant for advice on organizing your own checklists to ensure the efficiency and security of your business operations.

Daily Operations Checklist

Use the following guidelines for performing daily and periodic Payroll tasks:

Each Day	Each Day as Needed
	Enter new deduction/earning codes using Deductions/Earnings.
	Enter new tax tables using Tax Tables.
	Enter new employees using Employees.
	Change deduction and earning codes and other employee data for existing employees using Employees.
	Print labels for employees using Print employee labels.
	Print a list of your employees using Print by employee # or Print by employee name.
	Print payroll history information for selected employees using Payroll history. Refer to the Payroll History chapter for a full description of the different types of information that can be printed.
	Enter and post adjustments to employees’ pay using Adjustments. This selection can be used to log handwritten checks into Payroll, to correct previously printed payroll checks, and to make adjustments to quarter-to-date and year-to-date figures. You can also adjust distributions to G/L accounts using this selection.
	Print the following employee reports using Employee reports: - Union Deductions Report - QTD/YTD Time Worked Report
Print an attendance worksheet using the Attendance Worksheet.
Fill in this worksheet for each employee.
Generate standard payroll entries for employees who do not require manual distribution of their pay to specific G/L accounts using Standard Payroll.
Change these entries, as needed, per the Attendance Worksheet, using Time Worked.
Enter time transactions for employees receiving pay for work in more than one city or state, or who require manual distribution of their pay to specific G/L accounts using Time worked. Use the information for each employee contained on the Attendance Worksheet. If you are using Job Cost, distribute time worked on jobs to both G/L accounts and specific cost items of jobs. This information will be transferred to Job Details when Payroll transactions are posted. Refer to the Get Costs chapter in the Job Cost User documentation for more information.
Print the Time Worked Edit List and verify your entries.
Use Calculate payroll to calculate the employees’ earnings, deductions, and withholding taxes.
Print payroll checks using Checks.
Use Void checks to void an individual check or a group of checks. For more information read the Voiding and Purging Checks chapter.
If using the Payroll ACH direct deposit, following the printing of direct deposit mailers, send the ACH file to your bank. For setup of ACH direct deposit see the Implement Positive Pay and Direct Deposit appendix.

Quarterly Operations Checklist

Use the following guidelines for performing quarterly Payroll tasks:

Each Quarter	Each Quarter, as Needed
Print Quarterly Reports, using Quarterly payroll. These reports can be printed either in a standard format or using a customized format entered using Quarterly Report Formats. Alternatively, if you are required to make a quarterly report electronically, use Quarterly Reports on Magnetic Media to create the required disk file after specifying its layout using Magnetic media formats. You can view this file with Magnetic media report list.
	If you keep history, use Purge payroll transactions to purge old checks. You may elect to not keep more than 99 payroll cycles in history, but do not purge more recently than the oldest uncashed check (or you will not be able to void it). You may read about purging checks in Purging Payroll Transactions

Each Quarter

Each Quarter, as Needed

Print Quarterly Reports, using Quarterly payroll. These reports can be printed either in a standard format or using a customized format entered using Quarterly Report Formats.

Alternatively, if you are required to make a quarterly report electronically, use Quarterly Reports on Magnetic Media to create the required disk file after specifying its layout using Magnetic media formats. You can view this file with Magnetic media report list.

If you keep history, use Purge payroll transactions to purge old checks. You may elect to not keep more than 99 payroll cycles in history, but do not purge more recently than the oldest uncashed check (or you will not be able to void it). You may read about purging checks in Purging Payroll Transactions

Calendar Year Operations Checklist

Use the following guidelines for performing annual Payroll tasks:

Each Calendar Year	Each Calendar Year, as Needed
Study the Year-End Payroll chapter prior to performing year-end payroll actions.
Print year-end payroll reports, using Year-end payroll.
If applicable, use Print 1099 information menu selection, as described in Printing 1099 Information to obtain a list of employees for whom 1099s must be printed.
If applicable, print 1099 forms for non-employees using Print 1099 forms. Alternatively, if you are required to submit 1099 forms electronically, use Magnetic 1099 forms to create the required disk file. You can view this file with Magnetic media report list.
Enter W-2 form data, using Enter W-2 form information.
Use Print W-2 information to print the W-2 information entered for each employee in the previous step. Verify that this information is correct, and make any needed changes using Enter W-2 form information.
Print W-2 forms, using Print W-2 forms. Alternatively, if you are required to submit to the Federal government W-2 forms electronically, enter Jurisdiction information and then use Magnetic W-2 forms to create the required disk file.
If you are required to submit annual state withholding tax reports electronically, use Annual Reports (Magnetic Media) to create the required disk file. You can view this file with Magnetic media report list.
Make a backup of your Payroll files and keep the backup in a safe place for as long as required by the various tax authorities. Refer to the Backing Up Your Data chapter in the PBS Administration documentation for more information on backing up your data.
Close payroll for the calendar year, using Close a Year. You can also purge terminated employees using this option, if you choose to do so.
[Optional] Print and purge employee history for the year just closed, using Payroll history.

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