1. Administering Payroll Flows
  2. Introduction to Payroll Flow Patterns

Introduction to Payroll Flow Patterns

A payroll flow pattern links together a sequence of automatic payroll processes and reporting tasks, and manual tasks, such as verification tasks. When you submit a payroll flow, the flow is based on a predefined or user-defined flow pattern.

When you create your own flow pattern, you have the option to copy a predefined flow and make these edits to meet your company's business requirements.

  • Determine the tasks included in the flow. The tasks can be automatic tasks, such as a payroll process, or manual tasks, such as a task to verify a report.

  • Determine the sequence of tasks you include in the flow.

  • Define parameter binding rules so that you can enter parameters that are common across multiple tasks, such as dates, only once on submission. When you submit the flow pattern, the parameter value is constant across all tasks within the generated flow.

When you submit a flow pattern, provide a unique name for the flow, such as 'Semimonthly Payroll_15-Sept-2019'. This instance of a flow pattern is referred to as a flow. Use the Checklist to monitor the status of all tasks within the flow.

Predefined Flow Patterns

Predefined flows are automatically available for you to use. Here are some examples of predefined payroll flow patterns that contain a single task:

  • Recalculate Payroll for Retroactive Payroll

  • Calculate Payroll

  • Run Gross-to-Net-Report

  • Run Payroll Activity Report

  • Generate Check Payments

  • Calculate Prepayments

Use this type of flow pattern to create a standalone flow for each process you submit, such as the Payroll Calculation or Prepayments process.

Here are some examples of predefined payroll flow patterns that contain multiple tasks:

  • Expedited Payroll Flow

  • Payroll Cycle

  • QuickPay and View SOE

  • Simplified Payroll Cycle

For example, use the Expedited Payroll Flow pattern to identify, calculate, and make expedited payments. The Expedited Payroll Flow pattern includes these tasks:

  1. Recalculate Payroll for Retroactive Changes

  2. Calculate Payroll

  3. Calculate Prepayments

  4. Archive Periodic Payroll Results

  5. Generate Check Payments

  6. Make EFT Payments

  7. Generate Payslips

Predefined Tasks

A flow pattern consists of one or more tasks. All predefined payroll processes and reports have a corresponding predefined flow task which you can include in a flow pattern. Predefined tasks are also delivered to support manual steps within your flow, such as the verification of a report.

You can rename a predefined task when you include it in a flow pattern. After you submit the flow, this new name appears on the Checklist. For example, when you're creating a flow pattern for the tasks within your weekly payroll cycle, you may choose to rename the Calculate Payroll tasks as 'Weekly Payroll'. You may also choose to rename the manual task, Verify a Calculate Task to 'Verify Gross-to-Net Report'.

Here are some examples of predefined payroll tasks:

  • Recalculate Payroll for Retroactive Payroll

  • Calculate Payroll

  • Run Gross-to-Net-Report

  • Run Payroll Activity Report

  • Generate Check Payments

  • Calculate Prepayments