Lesson 1Attendance and overtime capture: rules, rounding, approvals, and integration with HRIS/time systemsThis section details how to capture attendance and overtime accurately, including time rules, rounding policies, approval workflows, and integration with HRIS and time systems, ensuring compliant, consistent inputs to payroll calculations.
Defining workday and workweek rulesTime entry methods and validationRounding rules and compliance risksOvertime capture and approval flowsSyncing time data to payroll systemsMonitoring exceptions and missing punchesLesson 2Reporting, tax filings, and statutory remittances: payroll provider vs employer dutiesYou will learn how to design payroll reporting and tax filing workflows, define which tasks belong to the employer or provider, and ensure timely remittance of taxes and statutory payments while maintaining clear documentation and audit trails.
Core payroll and management reportsQuarterly and annual tax filing cyclesEmployer vs provider compliance dutiesReconciling wages, taxes, and filingsStatutory remittance timing and methodsMaintaining audit-ready documentationLesson 3Recordkeeping and archival: pay stubs, tax forms, payroll journals, retention periodsYou will learn how to design payroll recordkeeping, including pay stubs, registers, journals, and tax forms, define retention periods by document type and jurisdiction, and set up secure storage and retrieval processes for audits and inquiries.
Key payroll records and their purposesDesigning pay stubs and earning statementsPayroll journals and register structuresRetention rules by record typeSecure storage and access controlsResponding to audits and record requestsLesson 4Pay calculation, validation, and approval workflow: owner roles, sign-offs, and timing for semi-monthly payrollHere we design the end-to-end pay calculation, validation, and approval workflow, defining roles, controls, and timelines for semi-monthly payroll so that gross-to-net results are reviewed, signed off, and released accurately and on schedule.
Building the semi-monthly payroll calendarRunning gross-to-net calculation cyclesException and variance review reportsManager and finance approval stepsCutoffs for changes and rerunsFinal release and post-payroll reviewLesson 5Handling exceptions: off-cycle payments, corrections, retroactive pay adjustmentsThis section explains how to manage off-cycle runs, corrections, and retroactive adjustments, including when to use supplemental payrolls, how to recalculate taxes and benefits, and how to document approvals to reduce risk and confusion.
When to run off-cycle payrollsCorrecting prior payroll errorsRetroactive pay and rate changesRecalculating taxes and deductionsDocumenting approvals and rationaleCommunicating adjustments to employeesLesson 6Funding and payment execution: ACH, payroll provider responsibilities, bank reconciliationsThis section covers how to fund payroll, schedule ACH and other payment methods, coordinate with payroll providers and banks, and perform reconciliations so that cash movements, fees, and liabilities are accurate, timely, and fully traceable.
Determining payroll funding timelinesGross-to-net and cash requirement reportsACH, wires, and check payment workflowsProvider and bank roles and SLAsReconciling payroll bank accountsHandling returned or rejected paymentsLesson 7Integration points and tools: HRIS, timekeeping, payroll provider portals, spreadsheets, APIsHere we explore how payroll connects with HRIS, timekeeping, benefits, and banking tools, and how to use provider portals, spreadsheets, and APIs to standardize data flows, reduce manual work, and improve accuracy and visibility.
Mapping payroll-related data flowsHRIS and timekeeping system interfacesUsing payroll provider portals effectivelySpreadsheet controls and templatesAPI-based integrations and automationMonitoring integration errors and fixesLesson 8Earnings calculation: salaried vs hourly, overtime math, bonuses, commission handlingThis section explains how to calculate regular and overtime pay for salaried and hourly staff, handle bonuses and commissions, and apply correct rates, proration, and caps so earnings are accurate, auditable, and policy-compliant each cycle.
Classifying salaried vs hourly employeesSetting base rates and pay calendarsOvertime eligibility and rate calculationsProrating pay for partial periodsBonus and commission calculation methodsDocumenting earnings rules and approvalsLesson 9Deductions and withholdings: taxes, benefits, garnishments, pre-tax vs post-tax treatmentsHere we detail how to configure tax, benefit, and garnishment deductions, distinguish pre-tax from post-tax items, and apply limits, priorities, and jurisdiction rules so net pay is correct and legally compliant for every employee and pay period.
Mapping statutory vs voluntary deductionsPre-tax vs post-tax deduction treatmentFederal, state, and local tax setupBenefit premium and contribution rulesGarnishment order priority and limitsTesting net pay and deduction accuracyLesson 10Payroll data inputs: time & attendance, hire/term/change notices, leave and benefits feedsThis section focuses on defining and validating payroll input data, including time and attendance, hires, terminations, job changes, and benefit updates, and establishing controls so that only complete, approved data enters each payroll run.
Standardizing time and attendance inputsProcessing hires, terms, and job changesCapturing leave and benefit data feedsCutoff times for payroll input changesValidating completeness and accuracyOwnership of input review and sign-off
