Microsoft Solomon Payroll
Course 8417: Two days; Instructor-Led

We explain how to process timesheets at a pay group level, using both manual and automated check printing to pay employees, and how to print checks by department to facilitate efficient distribution. You will learn how to deposit net pay directly into as many as five distribution bank accounts per employee, in addition to a main account. You learn how to process payroll refunds in the event that payroll deductions are too high and how to use payroll for expense reimbursements. We show you how to specify payroll items - such as bonuses or employee advances - as net checks. We discuss how to create bonus checks which can be specified as gross checks and disbursed to individuals or groups. We also discuss how to set up tax deductions which are automatically calculated to arrive at a net amount.

You learn how to charge the wages for employees who work multiple tasks during a pay period to the correct accounts automatically. We show you how to easily allocate earnings to any number of expense accounts or sub-accounts based on earnings type or by employee. You should understand how to handle deductions requiring payment to a third party. We explain the process behind how liability vouchering allows for deductions such as child support or student loan repayment to be automatically sent to Accounts Payable for processing and check creation.

Audience
Payroll training is recommended for anyone who plans to implement, use, maintain, consult, or support Solomon. The class is targeted toward data entry clerks, administrators, office managers, CEO's, and consultants who need to understand the technical aspects of Payroll and gain foundational knowledge of the application functionality.

At Course Completion
After completing this course, students should be able to:

• Perform all payroll related data entry functions including: timesheet entry, check processing, manual checks, net checks and voiding checks.

• Perform maintenance on payroll timesheets, and other records such as employees and tax deduction information.

• Use the payroll calculation process to automatically compute payroll earnings, deduction and benefit amounts and make appropriate adjustments to payment amounts prior to check processing.

• Print standard Solomon reports to verify data and perform financial analysis for audit trail purposes.

• Understand the calculation of tax deduction amounts using tables.

• Create and maintain special deduction types (401K plans, garnishments, etc.).

• .Understand the process for updating Accounts Payable with payroll liability information (i.e.: employee withholdings, employer FICA, FUTA, etc.).

• Understand the calculation of workers' compensation premiums and related posting to the general ledger.

• Identify the impact of the Payroll module on other Solomon modules.

• Create and transmit the direct deposit file.

• Troubleshoot and correct operator input errors including incorrect timesheet entries (too many or too few hours).

• Calculate and adjust W-2 wage and tax amounts.

Prerequisites
Before attending this course, students must have:

• General knowledge of Microsoft® Windows®.

• Knowledge of basic navigation functions in Solomon.

• Completion of General Ledger training course required. Attendance at Accounts Payable and/or Accounts Receivable recommended.

Microsoft Certified Professional Exams
No Microsoft Certified Professional exams are associated with this course currently.

Course Materials
The student materials include a comprehensive workbook.

Introduction
This overview chapter introduces you to the Payroll module of the Microsoft Business Solutions-Solomon product and training course, and the windows and processes that are used to complete the accounting cycle in Payroll.

Also, it is important to note that this chapter is optional and can be skipped at the instructor's discretion if the instructor feels that each student's background provides sufficient experience in these topic areas.

Main Topics

• Course Description

• Module Overview

• General Ledger Process Flow

• Other Features

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand the goals of this course.

• See how the Payroll module fits into the suite of available modules for the Solomon system.

• Follow the flow of transactions through Payroll.

Course Outline
Chapter 1: Active Overview

This chapter examines the core processes that are used in the Payroll module. We introduce each step in the accounting cycle, briefly discuss its purpose and primary features, and focus on its function in the accounting cycle. Please note that this chapter is not intended to provide you with a detailed primer on each of these topics.

This chapter is optional and can be skipped at the instructor's discretion if the instructor feels that each student's background provides sufficient experience in these topic areas.

Main Topics

• Transaction Flowchart

• Payroll Cycle Overview

• Employee Overview

• Processing Overview

• Payroll Maintenance Overview

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Identify the basic processes required to enter timesheets and process payroll checks.

• Understand the functions involved in maintaining the payroll module.

Chapter 2: Pay Groups

This chapter examines the concept of Pay Groups, which are used to group employees together by pay frequency, and to simplify payroll processing and reporting. We describe the requirements, defaults and use of Pay Groups.

Main Topics

• Procedures for maintaining Pay Groups

• Pay Group Maintenance

Lab: Pay Groups

• Create a new pay group

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand how Pay Groups are used

• Create Pay Groups

• Delete Pay Groups

Chapter 3: Tax Tables

In this chapter you learn how to load tax tables automatically. You look at the tables that are loaded and discuss how the tables calculate and how to make changes manually. We discuss how tax tables are stored for multiple years to maintain history.

Main Topics

• Procedures for loading tax tables

• Load Payroll Tax Tables

• Update existing tax tables

• Payroll Table Maintenance

• Payroll Table History

Lab: Load Payroll Tax Tables

• Load payroll tax tables for states

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Load Payroll Tax Tables

• Maintain payroll tax tables

Chapter 4: Deduction Maintenance

This chapter shows you how to set up payroll deductions for tracking all types of payroll taxes and withholding. You learn how to set up deductions with various calculation methods including fixed amounts, percentages and deductions that link to tax tables. You define deductions to calculate each pay period or at specified intervals. We show you how to create deductions for specific geographic areas or for particular types of earnings.

Main Topics

• Procedures for maintaining deductions

• Deduction Maintenance window

• Deduction History

• Deduction Types report

Lab: Create a New Deduction

• Create a deduction for a state unemployment tax.

Lab: Activate Liability Vouchering

• Assign vendors to deductions for processing liability vouchers

Lab: Create a New Deduction

• Create a deduction that withholds a fixed amount for insurance

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Set up and maintain payroll deductions

• Understand how deductions interact with Earnings Types

• Delete deductions

Chapter 5: Earnings Types

In this chapter, we examine the Earnings Type, which is used to track the wages employees earn. We discuss how to create an Earnings Type and associate it with the proper deductions. We look at the specific types of earnings available for special purposes such as tips, earned income credit, non-wage earnings and net earnings. In addition, we discuss how to create Earnings Types for automatic calculation of overtime pay.

Main Topics

• Procedures for maintaining Earnings Types

• Earnings Type Maintenance

• Earnings Type Report

Lab: Non Wage Earnings Type

• Create an earnings type to pay expense reimbursements

Lab: Net Check Earnings Type

• Create an earnings type for use with the Net Check feature. Attach appropriate deductions.

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand how Earnings Types are used

• Create New Earnings Types

• Delete Earnings Types

Chapter 6: Work Locations

This chapter examines the Work Location and its role in determining which deductions are calculated based on geographic regions. We discuss how the Work Location interacts with the Earnings Type and the employee timesheet to determine withholding deductions.

Main Topics

• Procedures for maintaining Work Locations

• Work Location Maintenance

• Work Location Report

Lab: Set up Work Locations

• Define a new work location and attach the appropriate deductions

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand the function of Work Locations

• Create Work Locations

• Associate Deductions with Work Locations

Chapter 7: Workers' Compensation

This chapter examines Payroll (PR) Setup and provides an introduction to the processing of Workers' Compensation premiums. The actual processing is performed in a later chapter. This chapter also focuses on the steps required to define Workers Compensation Codes and activate the processing function.

Main Topics

• Procedures for setting up and processing Workers' Compensation Premiums

• PR Setup window

• Workers' Compensation Maintenance

• Workers' Compensation Reports

Lab: Setup Workers' Compensation Codes

• Create codes for use in tracking workers compensation premiums and creating transactions in the General Ledger

Lab: Activate Workers' Compensation Processing

• Complete the fields in the PR Setup window that relate to workers compensation processing.

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Complete the necessary fields in the PR Setup window for the Workers Compensation feature

• Define Workers' Compensation codes

• Assign Workers' Compensation codes to employees

Chapter 8: Employee Maintenance

We explore the Employee Maintenance window in detail. You learn how to add an employee and complete the fields required for processing payroll. We discuss the Employee Type and default Work Location and Earnings Type and how these settings affect the calculation of deductions for employees.

Main Topics

• Procedures for Maintaining Employees

• Employee Maintenance Window

• Employees Report

• Employee History

• Earnings and Deductions report

• Deduction Register Report

Lab: Set Up Employees

• Define employees that will be used for processing in subsequent labs.

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Set up employees

• Understand how deductions are assigned to employees

• Understand Employee Types and Pay Types

• Delete employees

Chapter 9: Timesheet Entry

In this lesson you learn to enter timesheets for all Employee Types. We discuss how the timesheets affect employee pay depending on the Employee Type. You learn how to enter timesheets to adjust the earnings amount or redistribute the earnings for purposes such as vacation or a different work location for salary employees. You learn to adjust earnings and hours using positive and negative timesheets.

Main Topics

• Procedures for entering timesheets

• Timesheet Entry Windows

• Timesheet Entry Windows and Employee Pay Types

• Time Entry Reports

• Correcting Timesheet Entries

Lab: Timesheet Entry for Hourly Employees

• Enter timesheets for Regular and Overtime pay

Lab: Timesheets for Salary/Exception Employees

• Enter timesheets to redistribute and adjust earnings for salary employees

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand the process for entering employee timesheet information

• Print time sheet reports

• Correct time sheets

Chapter 10: Payroll Calculation

In this chapter you learn to use the payroll calculation process to compute timesheets and calculate withholding. You review the results of calculations on the Check Preview report and learn how to adjust earnings and deduction amounts and recalculate payroll for all or individual employees.

Main Topics

• Procedures for calculating and processing payroll checks

• Calculating Payroll Checks

• Review/Edit Check window

• Check Preview - Earnings & Deductions

Lab: Payroll Calculation

• Labs for this lesson are completed in the next chapter.

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand the process for completing payroll

• Calculate payroll time sheets and deductions

• Edit payroll check information

Chapter 11: Check Printing and Processing

This chapter explores the check printing process and the various options available for processing checks after printing. You learn how to handle situations such as check forms that are loaded incorrectly or not at all. You utilize the Check Preview report to verify amounts and understand the options available for making corrections. You learn to print Payroll Direct Deposit slips as well as checks.

Main Topics

• Printing checks

• PR Check Update

• Printing Direct Deposit Advice Slips

• Check Register Report

• Check History Report

Lab: Payroll Calculation

• Calculate payroll for several pay groups and view results on the Check Preview report.

• Adjust earnings and deduction amounts

• Print checks

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Complete the payroll process

• Print and process checks

• Use the Check Register report

Chapter 12: Manual Checks

This chapter discusses the concept of creating manual checks. Understand the purpose and use of the Manual Check window for entering the information from already prepared payroll checks.

Main Topics

• Procedures for entering manual payroll checks

• Manual Check Entry

Lab: Enter Manual Check

• Manually calculate payroll earnings and deductions and enter the information into the manual check window

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand when to use the Manual Check feature

• Enter Manual Checks for employees

Chapter 13: Net Checks

This chapter explores the Net Check Entry window which is used for entering checks for specific amounts. You learn to enter bonus checks for specified net amounts and create fixed percentage deductions for use in this window.

Main Topics

• Procedures for entering Net Checks

• Net Check Entry window

Lab: Net Check Entry

• Create bonus checks for a fixed net amount

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand how to use the Net Check feature

• Enter Net Checks for employees

Chapter 14: Liability Vouchering

This chapter discusses the Payroll Liability Vouchering feature which provides the ability to create Accounts Payable Vouchers and Adjustments for selected employer and employee deductions. We review how to assign vendors to deductions for the creation of Accounts Payable Vouchers. As well, we discuss the options in the PR Setup window to determine if Vouchers should be created automatically each pay period or periodically by the user.

Main Topics

• Procedures for creating payroll liability vouchers

• Set up Liability Vouchering

• Create Liability Vouchers/Adjustments window

• PR Liability Vouchering reports

Lab: PR Liability Vouchers

• Automatically generate liability vouchers for the Accounts Payable module to pay employer tax liabilities.

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand the process for enabling payroll liability vouchering

• Identify deductions to voucher

• Process liability vouchers

Chapter 15: Processing Workers' Compensation Premiums

This chapter discusses the processing of Workers' Compensation Premiums. In a previous lesson we completed the maintenance and setup for this process. In this chapter we explore the processing function and the General Ledger transactions created.

Main Topics

• Procedures for processing Workers' Compensation Premiums

• Generate Workers' Compensation Premiums

• Workers' Compensation Report

Lab: Workers' Compensation Premiums

• Process General Ledger transactions for workers' compensation premiums

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Process Workers' Compensation Premiums

• Print the Workers Compensation Report

Chapter 16: Void Checks

In this lesson you learn how to void a check after it has been issued. You also gain an understanding of what happens to timesheets when a check is voided, and the steps to issue a new check.

Main Topics

• Procedures for Voiding Checks

• Void Check Entry

Lab: Void a Check

• Void an issued check and view the resulting documents

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand when a payroll check may be voided

• Void payroll checks

Chapter 17: Check Reconciliation

This chapter explores the check reconciliation function within Payroll. Comparisons are made to the Cash Manager module so students using Cash Manager understand the differences. You learn how to use the Check Reconciliation report to evaluate outstanding items, which makes it easier to reconcile your bank statement.

Main Topics

• Procedures to Reconcile Checks

• Check Reconciliation Window

• Check Reconciliation Report

Lab: Check Reconciliation

• Use the Reconciliation process in Payroll to mark checks as Cleared.

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand when to perform check reconciliation

• Reconcile checks

Chapter 18: Month, Quarter, and Year End Procedures

This chapter teaches you to create a closing checklist to ensure all transactions and activities have been completed for the accounting period, produce appropriate audit trail reports, correct an out of balance condition, and close only Payroll or all modules for the period. You learn how to produce quarterly reports for government tax filing. We also discuss the Payroll detail retention and deletion options.

Main Topics

• Month, Quarter, and Year End Procedures

• Procedures for Processing the 941 Quarterly Report

• Procedures for Unemployment Tax Worksheet

• Closing Window

• Closing Checklist

Lab: Process Quarterly Reports

• Process and print the 941 Quarterly Tax Worksheet.

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand Month End procedures and closing

• Understand Quarter End procedures and reporting

• Understand Year End procedures and closing

Chapter 19: W-2 Processing

This chapter explores the W-2 calculation process and the options available for editing W-2 information. You learn to print W-2 Forms to plain paper or on preprinted forms and how to prepare electronic magnetic media files for W-2 filing.

Main Topics

• Procedures for processing W-2's

• W-2 Calculation

• Employee W-2 History window

• W-2 Forms

• W-2 Magnetic Media Generation

Lab: Calculate W-2 Information

• Calculate W-2 Tax statements for the calendar year

• Edit calculated W-2 amounts

• Print W-2 forms

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand the process of calculating and printing W-2 Forms

• Edit calculated W-2 amounts

• Create W-2 Magnetic Media

Chapter 20: Maintaining Direct Deposit

This chapter discusses the setup options required for the Direct Deposit function. You learn how to add employees to Direct Deposit and distribute net pay to one or more accounts. You create a header or trailer as defined by the bank for the ACH file. We show you how to process PreNotes to prepare for direct deposit processing.

Main Topics

• Direct Deposit (DD) Setup

• Procedures for Entering Direct Deposit Information

• ACH Header/Trailer

• PreNote Process

Lab: Add Direct Depositors to the System

• Set up employees and accounts for direct deposit

• Process the ACH PreNote file

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Set up the Direct Deposit function

• Define direct depositor information for employees

Chapter 21: Processing Direct Deposit

This chapter discusses the payroll cycle as it relates to Direct Deposit. You learn how to print Direct Deposit Advice Slips and create the ACH file to transmit to the bank.

Main Topics

• Procedures for Processing Direct Deposit

Lab: Processing Direct Deposit

• Complete the payroll cycle using the direct deposit function

• Print Direct Deposit Advice Slips

• Create and send the ACH File

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Process payroll for direct deposit

• Process and send the ACH file

Chapter 22: Maintaining Benefits

This chapter explores the maintenance windows used by the benefit tracking function included within the Payroll module. You learn to create Benefit Classes for categorizing and using earned benefit time. We show you how to define benefit plans that award increasing numbers of hours to employees based on length of employment. You learn about the different methods available for making benefit time available to employees. You define a benefit plan to automatically accrue a liability.

Main Topics

• Procedures for Maintaining Benefits

• Benefit Class Maintenance

• Benefit Maintenance window

• Employee Maintenance - Benefits Tab

• Benefit Usage Earnings Type

Lab: Setup Benefit Plan

• Create a benefit plan for tracking sick time for employees

Lab: Attach Benefits to Employees

• Associate the new benefit plan with employees

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Set up Benefit Classes

• Set up benefit plans and associate them with employees

• Understand how Benefit Classes work with Earnings Types

Chapter 23: Calculating Benefits

This chapter explores the payroll calculation process as it relates to accumulating benefit hours. You will understand how benefit time is awarded and enter timesheets for benefit usage. As well, this chapter discusses the journal entry amounts created when a benefit accrues a liability.

Main Topics

• Benefit Usage

• Benefit Reports

• Calculation of Benefit Accrual and Liability

Lab: Process Payroll with Benefits

• Process a payroll to accrue benefit hours for employees

Lab: Benefit Usage

• Enter timesheets and calculate payroll for employees who use benefit time

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• How employees earn benefit hours

• How to process payroll with benefit calculations

• How to enter timesheets for Benefit Usage

Appendix A: Payroll Setup

Appendix A helps you understand the defaults and user options defined in the Payroll Setup window. Even though these options are typically not changed after the product is implemented, you will gain understanding of default values and processes through the settings in this window.

Main Topics

• Payroll Implementation Worksheet

• Payroll Setup Checklist

• Payroll Setup Window

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• Understand the decisions that need to be made prior to setting up the Payroll module.

• Define options in the PR Setup window that affect processing.