Summary

Shift codes are premiums that can be attached to time card line items. Just like premiums, the level breaks on the shift codes depend on the number of months the employee has been employed based on the anniversary date (PR> Maintenance> Employee> General tab> Anniversary Date field). If the shift code should apply equally to all employees, you can create a single level break that will apply the same to all employees.

A shift code can be set up as an hourly amount, percent and flat amount.

• Hourly amount – flat amount added to each hour attached to the time card line item. For example, if the graveyard shift should make an extra $0.50 per hour, you can create an hourly amount shift code for $0.50.
• Flat Amount – flat amount added to the time card line item despite the number of hours on the line item. For example, if a shift should make an extra $25 dollars for working on a weekend, you can create a flat amount shift code for $25. The $25 will be applied to the time card line item despite the number of hours on the line item.
• Percent – percentage amount added to the total amount of the time card line item. For example, if the graveyard shift should make and extra 5% per hour, you can create a percentage amount shift code for 5%.

When the shift code is attached to a timecard line item, the shift code level break is selected based on the period end date on the check, not the timecard date on the line item. For example, assume there are two level breaks on the shift code, one for employees that have been employed from more than a year and one for employees that have been employed for less than a year. As long as the period end date on the paycheck occurs after the anniversary date of the employee, the higher level break on the shift code will apply to all of the timecard line items on the paycheck. 

If there is a rate code attached to a timecard line item, the shift code will be applied after the rate code. For example, if you attach an hourly amount shift code to a timecard line item, the hourly rate on the rate code will be applied to the timecard line item, and then the shift code will be applied to the modified amount.

If there is a premium attached to a timecard line item, the premium will be applied to the base amount on the timecard line item, not the base amount plus the shift amount. For example, if an employee qualifies for a longevity pay premium that is a percentage amount (1%), the 1% will be applied to the base timecard amount, not the timecard amount plus the shift code amount.

• Premiums are attached to employee records using the Employee Maintenance window (PR> Maintenance> Employee> Premiums tab).

Flowchart

The diagram below represents how information is selected and attached to a timecard line item created using the Computer Checks or Manual Checks process. All of the objects in the diagram are not required on every timecard line item. The only object that is required on every timecard line item is a pay code. Rate codes and shift codes are optional.

Step by Step

1     View the shift codes.

• Open the Shift Selection window (PR> Maintenance> Shift).
• The Shift Selection window displays all of the shift codes that have been created in the Payroll module.
• Highlight a shift code and press DELETE or click the Delete icon if you would like to delete a shift code.
  • You will not be able to delete shift codes that are attached to default timecards on employee records. An information window will open and display the employee records that the shift code is attached to if you try to delete a shift code attached to a default time card.
• Highlight a shift code and press ENTER or click the Modify icon to open the selected shift code.
• Press INSERT or click the Create icon to create a new shift code. This will open the Shift Maintenance window.

2     Create or maintain a shift code.

• The Shift Maintenance window is used to create and maintain shift codes.
• The Code field is used to enter a unique code that will identify the shift code.
• The Description field is used to enter a description of the shift code.
• The Amount Type field is used to select the type of shift code you would like to create. The selection in this window affects the functionality of the Amount/Percent column in the Levels section of the window.
  • Select Hourly Amount if you would like an amount added to each hour attached to the time card line item (for example, if the graveyard shift should make an extra $0.50 per hour).
  • Select Flat Amount if you would like a flat amount added to the time card line item despite the number of hours on the line item (for example, if a shift should make an extra $25 dollars for working on a weekend). The flat amount will be applied to the time card line item despite the number of hours on the line item.
  • Select Percent if you would like a percentage amount added to the total amount of the time card line item (for example, if the graveyard shift should make and extra 5% per hour).
• The Always eligible toggle is used in conjunction with the unions set up in the Human Resources module. Check this toggle if all employees, regardless of the union attached to their employee record, can use the premium. By default, this toggle will be checked.
  • The Always eligible toggle determines if the shift code is specific to a union. When the toggle is checked, the shift code can be used by any employee.
  • When this toggle is not checked, the shift code can only be used by employees that belong to a union with this shift code attached (HR> Maintenance> Union Unit> Shift tab). If the shift code should only be used by a specific union unit, do not check the Always eligible toggle and add the shift code to the union unit.
  • If you check this toggle, you can still add the shift to a union unit and set it up as a required record, but the shift code can also be attached to employees that do not belong to a union unit. For example, if you are creating a shift code that is used by the members of a specific union unit, but should also be available employees that do not belong to the union unit, check the Always eligible toggle and add the shift code to the union unit (HR> Maintenance> Union Unit> Shift tab).
• The Levels section is used to set up how the shift code will be applied. You must enter at least one level break on the shift code.
  • Select a level amount in the Levels section and press DELETE if you would like to delete the level.
  • Click the Create icon   drop-down menu and select New Level to add a new level to the shift code. This will add a line item to the Levels section.
• The Level column is used to set up rate structures based on how long an employee has been employed. Enter the number of months an employee should be employed before the shift code is applied in the Level column. For example, enter 36 if the shift code should apply to employees that have been employed for at least 3 years. The length of time an employee has been employed is calculated using the anniversary date on the employee record (PR> Maintenance> Employee> General tab> Anniversary Date field).
  • You can enter more than one level break on the shift code. For example, you can add multiple level breaks to create a premium that applies different rates based on the length of time an employee has been employed.
  • Enter 0 in the Level column if the shift code should apply to all employees.
• The Amount/Percent column is used to enter the rate at which the shift code will be applied to the employees. The field label and functionality of the Amount/Percent column depends on the selection in the Amount Type drop-down menu.
  • If Percent is selected in the Amount Type drop-down menu, the Amount/Percent field represents the percentage rate that will be applied. For example, enter 5.0 if you would like 5% added to all time card line items attached to this shift code.
  • If Hourly Amount is selected in the Amount Type drop-down menu, the Amount/Percent field represents the amount that will be applied to each hour on the time card line item. For example, enter 0.35 if $0.35 should be added to each hour that is worked on the time card line item. When a timecard is entered in the Timecard Maintenance window (PR> Computer Checks> Timecards, PR> Manual Checks> Timecards), the shift amount will display in the Shift Amount column.
  • If Flat Amount is selected in the Amount Type drop-down menu, the Amount/Percent field represents the flat amount that will be applied to each time card line item. For example, enter 25 if $25 should be added to a time card line item regardless of the number of hours worked.
• The Description column is used to enter a description of the level break.
• The Pay Codes section is used to select the pay codes that will trigger the shift code. The shift code can only be attached to time card line items that are also attached to a pay code entered in this section. For example, if a shift code should only apply to regular pay, only add the regular pay code to the Pay Codes section.
  • Highlight a pay code in the Pay Codes section and press DELETE if you would like to remove a pay code from the premium.
  • Click the Create icon drop-down menu and choose Select Pay Code to add a pay code to the premium. This will create a line item in the Pay Codes section and open the Pay Code Selection window to select the pay code. The pay code will populate in the line item once it has been selected.
• Press ENTER or click the Save icon when complete.