Understanding Task Reporting Requirements
With Time and Labor, you can track time at the level of task detail your organization requires and allocate costs accordingly. We use the term task to refer to a set of attributes of reported time, such as department, product, or project, that more precisely identify how or where time was spent.
You can specify the types of task information you want to capture for each time reporter. For example, you may want sales staff to account for their time by customer and product; project managers to account for their time by project and activity; and administrative staff to report their time without task detail. Task templates, task profiles, and taskgroups are the tools that make this possible.
Taskgroups serve another important function: they are the means by which you assign default time reporting templates to time reporters. So, even if you're not interested in capturing task data for time reporters, you need to create taskgroups and assign a taskgroup to each time reporter.
Task reporting is a subset of time reporting. Specify the types of information you want to collect from time reporters by creating time reporting templates described in the Reporting Time section of this book. You specify the task-related data you want to collect by designating the use of either a task profile or a task template on the time reporting template.
You will use a group of task oriented tools to define your organization's task reporting requirements:
|
Field or Control |
Definition |
|---|---|
| Task Entities |
In Time and Labor, a task represents work assigned to a time reporter, and is represented by a combination of task entities. Task entities, also called task elements, are the specific types of task data you can capture when time is reported: customer, task, product, project, activity, company, combo code, department, business unit, job code, position number, location code, and up to five user-defined categories. Additional task entities are available if you're using Project Costing with Time and Labor. |
| Task Template |
Task templates control the task fields that appear on the time reporting pages. They also control what task data your time collection devices (TCDs) collect from time reporters. You select the task entities you want the members of a taskgroup to report their time to—company, department, or project, for example—through the task template. You also identify whether each type of information is required or optional. |
| Task Profile |
Task profiles enable you to select task values for the task entities defined on your task template. You select the values for each task entity that's defined on a task template. For example: Project: PS Payroll Activity: Sales Department: Marketing Business Unit: USA You also specify how reported time is to be allocated across tasks: by percentage, quantity, or equally. You can create multiple task profiles from the same task template. When time is entered or generated for a time reporter who uses task profile reporting, the system refers to the task profile to determine which task values to assign or allocate − limiting the data the time reporter needs to enter. Note: Task profiles provide one way to supply values for task entities. Time reporters can also positively report task values if they use task template reporting, rather than task profile reporting. |
| Taskgroup |
A taskgroup identifies the valid, default time reporting templates, task template, and task profile(s) for time reporters with the same task reporting requirements. Each time reporter must be associated with one taskgroup, but the taskgroup assignment can be overridden when reporting time. |
To summarize:
Each time reporter is assigned to a taskgroup.
Each taskgroup is linked to a task template that identifies the types of task information the taskgroup members can report.
Each taskgroup also specifies one or more task profiles that taskgroup members can use.
Taskgroup members can report time through the use of task profiles or can report time to the individual task entities that are defined on a task template.
Image: Relationship between time reporters, task profiles, task templates, and taskgroups
This diagram represents the relationships between time reporters, taskgroups, task templates, and task profiles.
Time and Labor supports two types of task reporting:
Task profile reporting.
When a time reporter uses task profile reporting (in essence an automatic allocation), he simply reports the quantity of time worked—the system automatically determines the task entities to which time is reported and how much time is allocated to each task, based on the person's task profile. Task profile reporting is appropriate for time reporters who perform the same sets of tasks, where cost allocation is static. For example, assume a time reporter is assigned to a taskgroup that is associated with the following task profiles: Filing, Drafting, Sorting, and Etching. Each task profile represents a different set of task entities and allocations. The time reporter can use any of these task profiles to enter time, or can "borrow" a taskgroup to which he is not assigned and use the task profiles associated with that taskgroup as well. So, if our time reporter uses the Etching profile to enter 8 hours, and the profile specifies that 25% of the reported time goes to polishing and 75% of the reported time goes to buffing, the system will automatically allocate 2 hours to polishing and 6 hours to buffing.
Task template reporting.
Use task template reporting to report time to the task entities you selected when defining the task template. Task template reporting is appropriate for time reporters who spend varied amounts of time on functions that require different cost allocations. For example, create a template called Sales, and select Customer, Product, and Task as the task entities, then use the Sales template to report the following information: 8 hours for Customer A, Product B, and Task C.
If you do not capture task data for some or all time reporters, you can use the nontask templates delivered with Time and Labor.
Default Reporting
You can designate which task profile applies to a time reporter on more than one page. The system uses the following hierarchy to determine which task profile to use.
The task profile entered on a time reporting page, if any, always take precedence.
The task profile directly assigned to the time reporter on the Create Time Reporter Data page or Maintain Time Reporter Data page has second priority.
The default task profile assigned to the time reporter's taskgroup on the Taskgroup page is used only when the system finds no other.
Note: Time and Labor enables you to override a time reporter's taskgroup when entering time. Taskgroup overrides, also referred to as taskgroup borrowing, enable time reporters to report time using the task profiles or task elements associated with the borrowed taskgroup.
For each type of task data you want to track in Time and Labor, you must set up an underlying task prompt table that defines the set of valid values that users can enter when reporting time or that the system retrieves when generating time. Some of these underlying tables are defined in Time and Labor; other tables are created in Human Resources Management, Project Costing, and PeopleSoft Performance Management.
This section discusses where the values for each task-related prompt table are defined.
Understanding Where Prompt Tables are Defined
This table shows which PeopleSoft application you use to define task data used by Time and Labor. Notice that a few of the task elements (activity, projects, and business unit) can be defined in more than one application.
|
Application |
Fields |
|---|---|
|
HR Task Elements |
Company Business Unit HR Location Department ID Jobcode Position Number |
|
Time and Labor Elements |
Customer Task TL Product TL Project TL Activity |
|
General Ledger Elements |
Combo Code Note: You can view the active and inactive ChartFields by expanding the ChartFields section of the Standard ChartField Configuration. |
|
Performance Management Elements |
Business Unit PF Activity FS |
|
Project Costing Elements |
PC Business Unit Project ID Activity Resource Type Resource Category Resource Subcategory |
The following table lists where each set of task-related values is stored and tells you how to navigate to the pages where values are defined. For some task entities, this information depends on whether you're using PeopleSoft Financials (Project Costing and/or Enterprise Performance Management) and if you're using commitment accounting functionality. Values defined in PeopleSoft Financials can be viewed in Time and Labor, but can only be added or deleted in the application in which they are created.
|
Task Element |
Table |
Navigation |
|---|---|---|
|
Company |
COMPANY_TBL |
|
|
HR Business Unit |
BUS_UNIT_TBL_HR |
|
|
Location |
TL_LOCATION_VW |
Task values are based on setID for HR business unit. |
|
Department ID |
TL_DEPT_TBL_VW |
Not applicable when using commitment accounting. Task values are based on setID for HR business unit. |
|
Jobcode |
TL_JOBCODE_VW |
Task values are based on setID for HR business unit. |
|
Position Number |
POSITION_DATA |
|
|
Product |
TL_PRODUCT_TBL |
Not applicable if combo code is enabled and product is an active ChartField |
|
Customer |
TL_CUSTOMER |
|
|
Combo Code |
TL_ACCTCD_BU_VW |
|
|
Business Unit PC |
TL_BUS_CA_PC_VW |
Used only if Project Costing is installed and commitment accounting is used. Choices are restricted to business units that are compatible with the project ID from the Account Code table. The links are only available if the PC ChartFields are active. This applies to PC BU, Project (PC), Activity (PC), Resource Type, Resource Category, and Resource Subcategory. |
|
BUS_UNIT_PC_VW |
Same as above without commitment accounting. |
|
|
Business Unit PF |
BUS_UNIT_TBL_PF |
Used only when Performance Management is installed and Project Costing is not. |
|
Project |
PROJ_TEAM_DVW |
Used when Project Costing installed, combo code is not enabled or project is not an activated ChartField, and team membership is enforced for all projects as designated on the business unit PC. Users can select only active projects to which time reporter is assigned. |
|
TL_PROJ_PC_VW |
Same as above except used when team membership is not enforced. User can choose any projects within the business unit. |
|
|
TL_PROJECT |
Used when Project Costing is not installed and project is not an active ChartField. |
|
|
Activity |
TL_PROJ_ACTV_VW |
Used when Project Costing is installed. Choices are restricted to active activities. |
|
TI_FS_ACTV_VW |
Used when Performance Management is installed and Project Costing is not. Choices are restricted to active activities. |
|
|
TL_ACTIVITY |
Used when neither Project Costing nor Performance Management is installed. Choices are restricted to active activities. |
|
|
Resource Type |
TL_PROJ_RTYPE_V |
Used only when Project Costing is installed. |
|
Resource Category |
TL_PROJ_CATG_V2 |
Used only when Project Costing is installed. If the resource category is related to resource type as defined on the Business Unit PC field. |
|
TL_PROJ_CATG_VW |
Same as above, except table used when the resource category is not related to the resource type as defined on the Business Unit PC field. |
|
|
Resource Subcategory |
TL_PROJ_SUB_V2 |
Used only when Project Costing installed. Table used when the resource subcategory is related to the resource category as defined on the Business Unit PC field. |
|
TL_PROJ_SUB_V |
Same as above, except table used when the resource subcategory not related to the resource category as defined on the Business Unit PC field. |
|
|
Task |
TL_TASK |
|
|
User Fields 1 - 5 |
TL_USER_FIELD_1-5 |
|
Note: If you are not using Project Costing or Performance Management with Time and Labor, you may want to define your PeopleSoft security so that users see only the applicable menu items. See the PeopleTools 8.52: Security Administration PeopleBook for more information.
This section provides a brief overview of ChartFields and discusses the:
Configuration and integration.
Impact on task templates.
Impact on time reporting pages.
ChartField storage in reported time and task profile.
ChartField storage in payable time.
Time and Labor validation options.
ChartFields are fields used to report General Ledger charts of accounts with transactional data. These accounts determine the logging of transactions and the tracking of information for General Ledger purposes. ChartFields enable you to report up to 21 chart of accounts when entering transactional data. Both Commitment Accounting and Non-Commitment Accounting customers can utilize the ChartField functionality for their business processes.
Configuration and Integration
You can configure and activate all or a subset of the 21 ChartFields using the Standard ChartField Configuration page. The Standard ChartField Configuration page enables you to activate, change the order of display, relabel the fields, and change the field length displayed for individual ChartFields.
If you integrate your HCM database with PeopleSoft General Ledger (GL), then you also set up the Standard ChartField Configuration that is owned by PeopleSoft Financial Management Systems (FMS). This configuration is defined and sent to HCM via Integration Broker. Any changes must be made directly in the FMS database and then sent to HCM.
If the HCM database is not integrated with PeopleSoft General Ledger, but you still want to enter ChartField values, then the Standard ChartField Configuration is accessible and can be updated directly. This may be used to capture chart of account values to send to a third party GL application or to just capture these details for HCM purposes. No matter where the configuration is entered, once you press the Apply button and the application engine runs, the pages displaying ChartFields will reflect the configured display.
Impact on Task Template
After you press the Apply button on the Standard ChartField Configuration page, the impact to Time and Labor (TL) begins with the task template. The task template reflects the activated ChartField values when combo code is an enabled field. For example, if the Standard ChartField Configuration has activated GL account, department and project, and the application engine (using the Apply button) has been run, then the enabling of combo code field on the task template also enables the GL account, department and project as individual ChartField values.
When the system enables the combo code on the task template, the HR business unit is also enabled. The reason is in order to validate the combination of individual ChartField values, associated with a new or existing combo code, a GL business unit is required. HR business units are mapped to GL business units through the GL/HR Business Unit Mapping page (Setup HCM, Common Definitions, ChartField Configuration, GL/HR Business Unit Mapping). With this mapping, when a HR business unit is reported then the GL business unit can be derived and validation performed. If a HR business unit is not mapped to a GL business unit, the system displays an error message. This error message is triggered online, at the point of validation, or during validation in the Submit Time application process.
The TL Product, TL Project,and TL Activity fields can be enabled on the task template depending on the Standard ChartField Configuration and the integration with PS/Projects and PS/EPM. The chart below describes when the fields are available and when they are not.
|
PRODUCT |
TL_Product Available |
|---|---|
|
Combo Code is enabled and Product is an active ChartField. |
N |
|
Combo Code enabled and Product is an inactive ChartField. |
Y |
|
Combo Code is not enabled. |
Y |
|
PROJECT |
TL_Project Available |
|---|---|
|
Combo Code is enabled and Project is an active ChartField. Integrate with PS/Projects is either enabled or NOT enabled |
N |
|
Combo Code enabled and Project is an inactive ChartField. Integrate with PS/Projects is enabled. |
N |
|
Combo Code enabled and Project is an inactive ChartField. Integrate with PS/Projects is NOT enabled. |
Y |
|
Combo Code is not enabled and Integrate with PS/Projects is enabled. |
N |
|
ACTIVITY |
TL_ACTIVITY Available |
|---|---|
|
PS/Project installed |
N |
|
PS/EPM installed |
N |
|
PS/EPM and PS/Projects are not installed |
Y |
Impact on Time Reporting Pages
In Time and Labor, the system prepopulates the HR business unit on the transaction pages based on the User ID and the default HR business unit from the JOB record. This value can be overwritten to reflect the user preference when entering transactional details, but to ensure that a HR business unit is reflected for combo code validation, the system performs the prepopulation process.
Task reporting, on transaction rows, is driven by the taskgroup selected (either through default or borrowing). When reporting time you have the option of entering or selecting the Combo Code on the page or using the ChartFields link to search for ChartField combinations or add new ChartField combinations.
Chartfield Storage on Reported Time and Task Profile
Reported time (TL_RPTD_TBL) and the task profile (TL_TSKPRF_DETL) only store the combo code, they do not store the values for individual chartfields.
ChartField Storage on Payable Time
Payable Time table (TL_PAYABLE_TIME) stores both the combo code and individual ChartField values because ChartField integration with Global Payroll and Payroll for North America are handled differently.
Time and Labor Validation Options
On the Time and Labor Installation page there are three options for ChartField validation.
|
Field or Control |
Definition |
|---|---|
| Sync Message |
This option sends a message with ChartField data to FMS and receives a response of valid or not. |
| Table Validation |
This option uses the Valid Combo Table to allow or deny a combination of individual ChartField values. |
| None |
This options allows you to turn off validation for Time and Labor transactions. Note: If you set the validation option to None, then only individual ChartField values will be validated and not the combination. If a combo code is generated without an associated GL Account, and this combo code is used in the integration with Payroll for North America, the associated transaction will fail when sent to General Ledger. In this case users that are integrating with Payroll for North America should always enter a GL_Account value even if the validation option is set to None. |
GL Account is a required field when sending transactional data to General Ledger from any feeder system. Validations performed using Integration Broker or the Table Validation always require you to enter a GL Account value (at minimum).
PeopleSoft Financials enables task reporting in the following areas:
Project Costing
When you integrate Time and Labor with Project Costing, you have additional options for tracking time at the task level. You can track time by business unit, by the projects and activities defined in Project Costing, and by resource type, resource category, and resource subcategory. Valid values for these task entities come directly from Project Costing through Integration Broker and can be viewed through the ChartField Value page.
Image: Defining Task Functionality steps
This flowchart illustrates the sequence of steps necessary to define your task reporting requirements. We discuss each of these steps briefly in this section.
To define task reporting requirements for your organization:
Create time reporting templates.
Use the Time Reporting Template page to create templates for elapsed time and punch time reporting. On the template, select the Task Profile or Task Template check box to indicate the type of task reporting for which the template is designed. You must create time reporting templates before you can create taskgroups.
Create task templates.
Use the Task Template page to select the task entities that you want to appear on the time reporting pages or that you want your time collection devices (TCDs) to capture from time reporters.
You can create task templates before or after you create values for task entities.
Create values for task entities (optional).
If you want employees to report time by customer, product, activity, task, project, and/or up to five user-defined task categories, define the set of valid values that can be used for time reporting. For example, if you want to account for time by customer, set up a code for each customer.
If Project Costing is integrated with Time and Labor, the Project Costing application uses Integration Broker technology to publish the valid values for additional task entities.
Create task profiles.
Use the Task Profile page to select the values for the task entities you selected on the task template. Also indicate whether time is to be allocated across tasks equally, allocated by percentage, or allocated by quantity.
Create taskgroups.
Use the Taskgroup page to identify the default time reporting templates, task template, and task profile(s) that are valid for time reporters with the same task reporting requirements.
Before you can define taskgroups, you must create time reporting templates for elapsed and punch time reporting.
Assign taskgroup and task profiles.
Assign a taskgroup to each time reporter via the Create Time Reporter Data page or Maintain Time Reporter Data page. You can also assign a task profile to each time reporter. The task profile you select will take precedence over the default task profile assigned to the time reporter's taskgroup.
If you're using time collection devices, assign the appropriate taskgroups to each TCD via the TCD Setup page. The taskgroup determines what profiles and templates will be available to send to the TCD. You can also specify whether to send task profiles, task templates, and/or task values to the TCD.
Note: Before you begin to define task templates, task profiles, and taskgroups, spend some time analyzing your organization's task-reporting requirements. Determine which time reporters share the same or similar reporting requirements, perhaps based on the kind of work they perform, and what those specific requirements are. One taskgroup can include both elapsed and punch-time employees—employees and non-employees—as long as the same task entities apply to everyone in the taskgroup.