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Timesheet Import Setup
Background
Many companies operate rostering systems, or use time attendance systems to plan, and then record the hours that people work. Most of these systems are able to output a CSV or XML file containing the hours and tasks performed. This page will explain how Timesheet Import Setup can be configured for any vendor.
Parolla is able to import the timesheets, and use those details as a basis for preparing the pay run.
Required Timesheet Information
A Way To Uniquely Identify an Employee
All timesheets need a way to uniquely identify an employee. The best option is a unique payroll ID (employee ID) that is only ever issued to the one employee and which can be set on both the payroll and timesheet systems.
Combinations of first and last names are ambiguous and cannot be relied upon, but can be used. The payroll system will high light the entries as potentially an issue requiring an operators review.
We would not advise using PPS numbers, as it increases the risk of leaking personal information when you have multiple downloaded timesheets between systems. Some employees may not have PPS numbers.
Date Of Hours Worked
Not necessarily required if all the hours are related to a specific time period. However, providing the date worked will assist with calculation of Public Holidays and other items where the specific date impacts the employee average earnings period.
Duration or Hours Worked
The timesheet must contain the number of hours, either decimal (1.75) or hours/mins (1:45) for each period of work. Parolla can determine which format you’re using based on the seperator.
Earnings Types Applied
The timesheet line must contain a reference for the type of earnings at those hours. For instance, if someone has done 3 hours of overtime, then that rate needs to be applied.
There is a mapping process at setup where you match the timesheet earnings types with the Parolla payroll earnings types.
Timesheet Arrangement
There are typically two ways that CSV files are arranged:
- Hours and Earnings are both contained in the sam rows.
- Earnings types are in column headings, hours in rows underneath.
Some Time And Attendance systems let you choose the output types.
Type 1. Hours and Earnings In Same Row
Date | Payroll ID | First name | Last name | Rate | Hours |
01-04-2023 | 1 | Declan | Dean | wage | 1.75 |
01-04-2023 | 2 | Finn | Flaggart | wage | 2.5 |
01-03-2023 | 3 | Nollaig | North | wage | 8 |
01-04-2023 | 2 | Finn | Flaggart | overtime | 1.5 |
02-04-2023 | 2 | Finn | Flaggart | wage | 8 |
01-05-2023 | 2 | Finn | Flaggart | overtime | 3 |
01-06-2023 | 2 | Finn | Flaggart | wage | 7 |
This is our preferred input arrangement. It gives us the most data because we know the exact date that each of the earnings type was applied. The date of the employee working is important when calculating public holiday entitlements and PRSI contributions.
However, the format can be hard to read because there are multiple lines for each employee.
Type 2. Earnings Type in Heading, Duration in Row
PPSNumber | Payroll ID | First name | Last name | Wage | Overtime |
342923O | 3 | Nollaig | North | 00:08:00 | |
123455G | 1 | Declan | Dean | 00:01:45 | |
7098889CA | 2 | Finn | Flaggart | 00:17:30 | 00:04:30 |
This method offer an easier to read output, based on each individual. However, it doesn’t tell us when the employee worked the actual hours.
Setting Up For Timesheet Import
Before you start uploading timesheets into your pay run we must tell Parolla how the uploaded file is formatted. This can be done under Settings > CSV time import settings.
Step 1: Upload An Example Timesheet CSV File
You can copy and paste a range of spreadsheet cells, or use the attachment button to upload a file. Click on Preview Data, and you will be shown the first 10 rows of the example file.
Step 2: Define Headings, Data Rows, and Data Format
Define which row will be used to match headings, and where the first row of data will be found.
Also confirm the format of hours and dates. Then confirm what to do with times that fall outside of the payroll cycle. For instance of the timesheet uploaded contains times for a date before or after the pay run, should those times be ignored or included in the pay run?
Step 3: Nominate Which Columns Contain Relevant Information
The CSV files may contain a range of column’s that we do not need, and by default the import process with set those to be ignored.
You will need to define which columns contain the following information:
- Some means of identifying the employee
- A column containing the type of earnings, and possibly the type of leave.
- A column containing the number of hours at that earnings rate.
You can chose to either have the earnings type in heading, with hours in the rows, or earnings types in one column and hours in another. These two types of input cannot be mixed up, and must be consistent for all columns.
Step 4: Map Nominated Columns To Payslip Earnings and Leave Types
The last step of the setup process is to tell Parolla which of the payslip earnings types should be associated with each of the timesheet columns.
For paid leave items, such as public holidays or annual leave, you may also map the earnings type and the leave type.
Where the column was selected as “Contracted role with hours in rows” then the earnings and leave types will be disabled, as the software will apply the hours to the employee at their contracted earnings type. (Defined in their employment contract role)
Click on save mappings, and now you’re ready to import a timesheet file into a pay run.