Accounting CS Payroll Processing

Table of Contents Entering Payroll Information... 2 Manual Data Entry... 2 Remote Payroll Data Entry... 3 Employee Self -Service... 4 Time clock Payroll Entry... 4 Excel Data Entry... 5 Steps after Entering Payroll... 6 Tips for Processing Payroll in ACS... 10 V15527 Copyright 2015 Rootworks 1

Entering Payroll Information Accounting CS has different ways to enter payroll information. Rootworks can help you with the following methods: 1. Manual Data Entry 2. Remote Data Entry (uses the Thomson Reuters Net Client System) 3. Time clock integration 4. Excel Importing Manual Data Entry Although manual data entry of hours is not the most efficient way in which to input hours into Accounting CS for payroll, it is likely that most firms will have a few clients that provide hours in a manual format (Call-In, Fax, Email, etc.). This section will cover the manual data entry options. 1. Click on Actions > Enter Batch Payroll Checks. 2. Select the client s Payroll schedule from the dropdown List. 3. The data entry grid will open. This screen is designed for rapid data entry. It is recommended to customize the data entry screen to make it more user friendly, this is especially helpful for clients with a lot of payroll items. a. To customize the format of the order of the columns in the screen and more, go to Edit > Options while in the Enter Batch Payroll Checks screen. b. Select the Payroll schedule in the dropdown and customize the format of the window. The customize options in the Enter Batch Payroll Checks screen are client and payroll schedule specific. Customize each client as needed. V15527 Copyright 2015 Rootworks 2

4. Enter the hours for the employees. a. If the data entry screen was customized to show deductions, those may also be displayed on the screen. b. See example in screenshot above with displaying the child support item. 5. If changes need to be made to an employee that should be permanent: a. Click the Detail tab. b. Select the employee from the drop down list. c. Locate the employee name in the list, right click and choose Edit Employee. d. Changes can be made to the employee which will prompt a refresh in the data entry screen of Enter batch payroll checks. 6. After completing the entry of the hours, review the payroll by clicking the Preview Payroll button in the lower left hand corner which will initiate the pre-processing report directly within the Enter Batch Payroll Checks screen. 7. If payroll is going to be reviewed at a later point, click Suspend Batch. Remote Payroll Data Entry The Remote Payroll data entry process is very similar to the Manual data entry process, although less work on the processors end. Below is a summary of the steps of Remote Payroll data entry. 1. The accounting firm will need to be licensed for NetClient CS for remote payroll. This is likely already the case if the firm uses NetClient CS for portals which is recommended. 2. Prior to each payroll, the firm will need to transmit the Payroll Data Entry Sheet to the client via NetClient CS. V15527 Copyright 2015 Rootworks 3

a. Actions > Manage NetClient CS. b. Click the Upload button. 3. The client will receive an email indicating their payroll data sheet is available for hours to be entered. 4. Client will login to their portal and enter hours. 5. Client clicks Complete Payroll when data entry is finished. 6. The accounting firm will receive an email that the payroll data entry is complete. 7. To bring in the hours from the client: a. Actions > Enter Batch Payroll Checks. b. Select the payroll schedule in the dropdown. c. There will be a prompt to bring in the changes. i. Always accept the hours, changes can be made after the import is complete. 8. Click Suspend Batch if the payroll is going to be reviewed at a later time. IMPORTANT! The client cannot add payroll items to employees or fully setup a new employee with payroll items and rates. When you import the file, there is a report that shows changes and notes from the client. Print the report. Employee Self -Service Another feature that can be enabled on the client is called Employee Self- Service. This feature is an element of the NetClient CS portal delivery system. Some of the features include: View/ modify W-4 information. View/ download check stub information. View/download W-2 and/or 1099. Time clock Payroll Entry Time can be imported from a client s time clock software application. There is a list of vendors that are supported by Accounting CS. There are file example available in Accounting CS Help along with the supported vendors. V15527 Copyright 2015 Rootworks 4

TimeRack is a Time and Attendance (time clock) system that is integrated directly with Accounting CS Payroll. The payroll client will go through the approval process of time, etc. in the actual TimeRack System. After employee time is approved, the accounting firm will receive an email notification and then follow Steps 7 & 8 in the Remote Payroll data entry section. Excel Data Entry Using excel is another method of obtaining and imputing hours into Accounting CS for payroll processing. In order to have a successful Excel import, consider the following tips when creating the Excel template: Each payroll item needs to be in a column of its own, along with a column for OT, DT, and benefit hours. Your Excel file requires a column for Location (even if only one.) If an employee works in more than one location or department, the employee needs to be listed consecutively in rows for each location and department. The Excel file needs to be saved in the 97-2003 format (will work will all versions, just needs to be saved in that format.) New employees do not import, there is a separate import for new employees. To import the excel file into Accounting CS: 1. Actions > Enter Batch Payroll Checks. 2. The Spreadsheet Import Wizard will open once a payroll schedule has been selected. 3. Browse out to the location of the excel spreadsheet. 4. Import the excel spreadsheet. 5. Choose the Preview Payroll options, or choose Suspend Batch to review payroll at another time. V15527 Copyright 2015 Rootworks 5

Steps after Entering Payroll As mentioned earlier in the guide, Rootworks recommend clicking Suspend Batch, once the payroll has been entered if it is going to be reviewed at a later time. The suspend functionality allows for a review of the data entry to occur later, and also provides quick access to more easily make changes to the checks if needed. In addition, if reviewing the payroll can occur at the time of data entry, choose the Preview Payroll option. If the option Enter Batch is chosen instead and a change needs to be made to a check it is not an easy process to update quickly. 1. Actions > Enter Batch Payroll Checks. 2. Hours have been completed using one of the methods discussed prior in the guide. 3. Data entry is saved and can be reviewed later by clicking, Suspend Batch. a. To review later: i. Go to File > Print Reports. ii. Select the Report Profile that contains the Preprocessing Summary Report. 1. The Preprocessing Summary report can also be chosen from the list of reports in ACS if it is not contained in a report profile. iii. Preview the report. iv. Note changes (if any) that need to be made. v. Make any needed changes to employee setup at this time while the payroll schedule is suspended. vi. Actions > Enter Batch Payroll Checks. vii. Select the Payroll schedule that is being processed for the client. 4. If employee changes had been made during the period of having the check in Suspend Batch mode, and those changes need to apply to the suspended payroll, choose Yes to the message below to refresh checks. V15527 Copyright 2015 Rootworks 6

5. The payroll schedule will now be re-opened and changes can be made that are necessary. 6. Click Enter Batch when finished making changes, or if not changes need to be made. 7. Click File > Print Checks. 8. Select the client in the list, and click Print Selected. Rootworks does not use the Complete Payroll Output option in Accounting CS. If that option is selected you are unable to process tax payment electronically and the structure in which reports are sent to FileCabinet CS is not preferred by Rootworks. 9. If printing to paper, make sure to check the printer button. a. If the preference is to keep a copy of the check in FileCabinet, check the FileCabinet button. b. In our case of a client that is completely direct deposit, we do not keep a copy of the checks. We print to PDF. Click OK after making the selections. V15527 Copyright 2015 Rootworks 7

13. If InterceptEFT is being used for direct deposit, a new screen will appear which will route the processor to the Intercept site to submit the file. 14. An InterceptEFT confirmation page will appear, Print to your Payroll Reports folder in FileCabinet. 15. If Employee Self Service is implemented for the client, the checks would have been posted to the portals at the time the checks were printed earlier. 16. Go to File > Print Checks again. a. Next step is to process the tax payments electronically. 17. Click on the Payroll Liabilities tab. 18. Select the liability payments being made with this payroll. 19. Click Print Selected. a. Since the payments are being made via ACH, print to PDF (Discard to the recycle bin after printing). 20. Click Actions > Process Direct Deposit. 21. Each client may appear in this screen more than once for each tax type. a. Select the client and choose Create Files. b. If processing tax payments through InterceptEFT, the same screen that popped up during employee payroll check printing will reappear. i. Click Submit File and print the confirmation to FileCabinet. V15527 Copyright 2015 Rootworks 9

Tips for Processing Payroll in ACS Do not use Void. Always use the Reverse function. Voiding can be problematic in your tax filing process. Reverse makes a negative entry in the current period and allows you to make the changes or re-issue the check without making changes to a prior quarter. Do not use Negative Deductions. While it may seem like the right thing to do if need to refund part of someone s 401(k), etc. to put a negative of the deduction in, negative deductions will make your quarterly process miserable. You need to Reverse the checks in question, reissue them and put the amount in an adjustment item and pay that amount out on a separate check or use a separate pay item. Always process the liabilities in the system. Even if the liabilities are not paid in the program, at least perform the print check function to relieve them from the program. Otherwise, they will continue to accumulate. The Reprocess Payroll Function is only for AFTER you print the checks. This reason alone is why we recommend using the Suspend Batch feature initially. If you need to re-do an entire payroll run there is a Reprocess Payroll button on the Enter Batch Payroll Checks screen. This only allows you to reprocess checks after they are printed. If you click this while checks are still in the queue to print, and you actually do the reprocess function, you have messed up the prior payroll to the current one. Use the Enter Transactions screen to enter one-off checks and After-the-Fact Payroll. You should enter any final checks or just a quick one-off check through enter transactions. This is the same way you enter after-the-fact payroll except for after-the-fact payroll you just mark the handwritten checkbox. If entering After-the-Fact Payroll also enter the Payroll Taxes as Payments. This will allow the quarter and year end processing to be easier as it will drop the deposits onto the Federal and State forms. V15527 Copyright 2015 Rootworks 10