Retroactive Processing and Accumulators

With retroactive processing, you must be aware of several accumulator considerations.

Only segment accumulator deltas can be forwarded, because forwarding a balance accumulator delta can lead to double counting of contributing elements. The calculation period accumulator delta must be forwarded to an earning or a deduction, not an accumulator.

If the retroactive method is corrective, accumulators reflect new retroactive values in the retroactive period by default. If the retroactive method is forwarding, accumulator values in the retroactive period remain unchanged by default and reflect delta values when they're brought in as adjustments in the current period.

Use the Use Corrective check box on the Level page (for automatically generated accumulators, it's on the Earning Accumulators page) to override a general retroactive method of forwarding and make the accumulator behave in a corrective fashion. Define all absence balance accumulators as corrective. This makes it possible for the true balance of the accumulator to be reflected in each period.

Note:

Once the accumulator has results stored, the Use Corrective check box is not available for selection. To make the check box available again, you must cancel the payroll calendar that generated results for the accumulator.

Example

An accumulator is used as a limit in a retirement account; its value determines the value of other elements. Assume a current period of December, with retroactivity going back to October. Further assume an original balance of 9,000 at the beginning of October, with no contribution to the retirement account. If the contribution is recalculated as 1,000, that should be reflected in the accumulator balance going into November to prevent further contributions. When the 1,000 delta is brought in as an adjustment in December, it isn't added to the accumulator, because that would cause double counting.