A smooth-running operation for payroll processing reduces a significant amount of stress at a staffing agency. The Lone Oak Payroll team of payroll processing experts compiled a list of top time-saving life hacks for payroll processing in TempWorks Software staffing software. Check out their tips on how to complete it each week on time and as efficiently as possible.

11 Tips from Payroll Processing Experts

1. Keyboard Shortcuts.

Know your keyboard shortcuts! This is a great tool that’s underutilized and saves time. Here are a few examples. Press Alt + I to quickly jump to time entry. When in time entry, press Alt + C to create a duplicate timecard for the selected employee. Use + to do a quick search for employees. Use * to do a quick search for customers.

2. Time Entry Sort Feature.

In time entry, make sure to leverage the sort feature to make timecard linking more efficient. If you right-click on the title bar, you can add/remove areas to sort. When timecards are sent in, they are sorted in many ways, such as by customer, department, branch, PO, job title, etc. When you sort your time entry screen to mirror the way the timecards are sent in, it makes timecard linking much easier and saves you time.

3. Time Entry Search Filters.

When you search for something in time entry, change the filter from “starts with” to “contains.” It makes finding data much easier.

4. Timecard Linker.

Use the timecard linker feature to help automate billing and create a more thorough auditing process. During the time entry process, the timecard linker allows timecard images to be linked to specific transactions, which can be included with the emailed invoice or printed with the invoice during the invoice run process.

5. Toggle Filter.

When entering time or linking timecards, make sure to leverage the toggle filter for “hide zero hours” and “show billable only”.  The “hide zero hours” toggle filter allows you to hide any timecards that do not have hours entered. This is helpful if there are assignments that haven’t been closed in the software. When you create timecards from open assignments, there would be an unused timecard in time entry. The “show billable only” toggle filter removes timecards that had hours entered, but no bill rate. This is helpful when you have internal staff; there would be no timecard to link because there is no invoice to generate. In other words, there would be no invoice to fund/timecard to link to that payroll.

6. Favorite Reports.

The full report list can be intimidating. Make sure to utilize the Reports > My Favorites section with pertinent reports.

7. Incomplete Transactions

Take advantage of the “Incomplete Transactions” screen. This allows you to see what is left for you to finish.

8. Assignment End Dates.

Make sure to add an end date on assignments to keep time entry clean. A clean time entry prevents the wrong employee from being paid, the wrong assignment from being used, and typically means the system loads quicker.

9. A/R Statement Reports.

When you run A/R Statement reports directly from the customer profile reports tab, this excludes other customers and makes it easy to send statements and collection follow-ups.

10. Transaction History.

When you go to Pay History > Transaction History, you can see everything on one screen, including time entered, checks, invoice number and more.

11. Gross Up Calculator.

Use the gross up calculator for bonus pay. For example, it’s Christmas time and you want to pay your staff $100 bonuses. This means you want the net amount to be $100, not the gross amount. All your employees have elected for different withholding amounts. The gross up calculator will create timecards for the employee, then you enter the desired net amount. The gross up calculator will determine what the gross needs to be based on $100 net amount for that employee.

These are just a few quick life hacks from our team of experts at Lone Oak Payroll to help you with your weekly payroll processing routine. If you have any questions about our team’s tips or if you’re looking for payroll processing services for your staffing agency, please contact us today for more information or helpful suggestions!