Formula Result Rules for Elements

An element's status processing rule identifies the formula that the payroll run uses to process the element for workers with a specified assignment status. For each status processing rule, formula result rules determine what happens to each result that the formula returns.

Status Processing Rules

An element can have one status processing rule for all assignment statuses, or a different rule for each status. For example, you could have two rules for a Wages element: Standard Wages and Paid Training Leave.

Formula Result Rules

Formulas return formula results, such as the amount to be paid, or a message. Results can update the current element entry or another element entry with a lower processing priority.

This table explains the available result rules.

Results Rule	What's Its Use
Direct Result	The element's run result, or a direct result updating one of the element's input values.
Indirect Result	An entry to a nonrecurring element that has a lower processing priority. The target element must be at the same employment level as the source element.
Message	A message issued by the formula under certain conditions. For example, a formula can check a loan repayment balance and, if the balance is zero, issue the message Loan is repaid. There are three severity levels for a message rule: Error - Causes the run to roll back all processing for the employment record. Warning - Doesn't affect payroll processing but warns you of a possible problem. Information - Doesn't affect payroll processing.
Order Indirect	Updates the subpriority of the element you select in the Target Element Name field.
Stop	Uses the Date Earned of the payroll run to stop the processing of a recurring entry. A stop rule can be based upon reaching a specified accumulator, such as a balance owed of zero. The date upon which the total owed is reached appears on the Element Entries page as Settlement Date. The entries aren't actually end dated but stopped from future processing. This rule supports retroactive processes which impact the total owed balance. You should define the target element with Allow Multiple Entries selected. This option enables you to allocate a new entry once the value of an existing entry has reached zero. For example, once an employee has repaid a loan you can add a new loan entry for the employee. If you add a new stop entry for the same element type, use balance contexts to differentiate between the owed balances. Note: Let's assume you don't select Allow Multiple Entries and you add a second loan after the first loan has been stopped by a payroll run. In this case, end date the first loan before creating the second loan.
Target Indirect	An entry to a nonrecurring element that has a lower processing priority. Here, the target element is defined at a different employment level than the element being processed. For example, you could use a Target Indirect rule to update the input value of an assignment-level element from the processing of a payroll relationship element.