1. Overview
This user guide will discuss how to setup and use the Accruals module in eTime Xpress. The Accruals module allows you to configure complex formulas to automatically calculate accrual balances such as holiday, sick time and other entitlements.
An unlimited amount of formulas can be created to accrue amounts based on shifts (accrual rates) and/or time off (accrual deductions) information maintained in eTime Xpress. Both Accrual Rates and Accrual Deductions can be created at the Branch and Employee levels in eTime Xpress.
2. Branch Accruals
When an accrual is created at the Branch level, the accrual by default will be applied to all employees being scheduled at the branch. If a Branch Rate or Branch Deduction does not apply to an employee, you can disable the calculation for that employee (see Employee Accruals).
From the Main Menu of eTime Xpress, click Configuration > Company/Branch > Branch Tab > Branch Settings > Branch Accruals (requires a user with Administrator rights). The Branch Accruals screen should appear as shown in the figure below.
Branch Accruals with Annotations
Annotation | Description |
(1) Accrual Records | Displays the accrual types applicable to the branch. |
(2) Setup Tab | Displays accrual type information. |
(3) Branch Rates Tab | Displays branch rate calculations (see Appendix I). |
(4) Branch Deductions Tab | Displays branch deduction calculations (see Appendix II). |
2.1. Accrual Types
Accrual Types are the separate accrual balances to be tracked within eTime Xpress (i.e. vacation, sick, holiday).
To add an Accrual Type:
From the Branch Accruals screen, click the Setup tab.
Click the add button (
) on the Tool Bar - the fields in the Setup tab should become active.
Assign the Accrual Code, Description and Status (Active).
Click the Save button (
) to save the Accrual Type.
2.2. Branch Rates
Branch Rates are shift based formulas used to calculate an Accrual Type.
To add a Branch Rate:
From the Accrual Types browser in the Branch Accruals screen, select the Accrual Type to which you want to define a Branch Rate.
Click the Branch Rates tab.
Click the add button (
) on the Tool Bar - the fields in the Setup tab under the Branch Rates tab should become active.
Configure the Branch Rate calculation (see Appendix I).
Click the Save button (
) to save the Branch Rate.
Repeat as necessary if the Accrual Type requires multiple Branch Rate formulas.
2.3. Branch Deductions
Branch Deductions are time off based formulas used to calculate an Accrual Type.
To add a Branch Deduction:
From the Accrual Types browser in the Branch Accruals screen, select the Accrual Type to which you want to define a Branch Deduction.
Click the Branch Deductions tab.
Click the add button (
) on the Tool Bar - the fields in the Setup tab under the Branch Deductions tab should become active.
Configure the Branch Deduction calculation (see Appendix II).
Click the Save button (
) to save the Branch Deduction.
Repeat as necessary if the Accrual Type requires multiple Branch Deduction formulas.
3. Employee Accruals
Employee Accruals displays the Accrual Type balances for each employee. It also allows you to customize accrual calculations for individual employees by defining employee specific formulas or disabling any Branch Rates or Deductions that do not apply.
If your accrual calculations are applied equally to all employees, only Branch Accruals are required to be configured (i.e. Employee Rates and Employee Deductions are not required).
From the Main Menu of eTime Xpress, click Employees > Employee Accruals. The Employee Accruals screen should appear as shown in the figure below.
Employee Accruals with Annotations
Annotation | Description |
(1) Accrual Types | Displays the cumulative balance of each accrual type (Employee Rates + Branch Rates – Employee Deduction – Branch Deductions). Note: Accrual Types are created from the Branch Accruals screen. |
(2) Employee Rates Tab | Displays employee rate calculations (see Appendix I). |
(3) Employee Deductions Tab | Displays employee deduction calculations (see Appendix II). |
(4) Branch Rates Tab | Displays branch rate calculations (see Appendix I). Note: Branch Rates are created from the Branch Accruals screen. |
(5) Branch Deductions Tab | Displays branch deduction calculations (see Appendix II). Note: Branch Deductions are created from the Branch Accruals screen. |
(6) Transaction List | Displays log of roll forwards performed for an accrual type. |
3.1. Employee Rates
Employee Rates are shift based formulas specific to an employee used to calculate an Accrual Type.
To add an Employee Rate:
From the Accrual Types browser in the Employee Accruals screen, select the Accrual Type to which you want to define an Employee Rate.
Click the Employee Rates tab.
Click the add button (
) on the Tool Bar - the fields in the Setup tab under the Employee Rates tab should become active.
Configure the Employee Rate calculation (see Appendix I).
Click the Save button (
) to save the Employee Rate.
Repeat if the employee requires multiple Employee Rate formulas.
3.2. Employee Deductions
Employee Deductions are time off based formulas specific to an employee used to calculate an Accrual Type.
To add an Employee Deduction:
From the Accrual Types browser in the Employee Accruals screen, select the Accrual Type to which you want to define an Employee Deduction.
Click the Employee Deductions tab.
Click the add button (
) on the Tool Bar - the fields in the Setup tab under the Employee Deductions tab should become active.
Configure the Employee Deduction calculation (see Appendix II).
Click the Save button (
) to save the Employee Deduction.
Repeat if the employee requires multiple Employee Deduction formulas.
3.3. Branch Rates
Branch Rates are shift based formulas used to calculate an Accrual Type. Branch Rates are created from the Branch Accrual screen and by default are applied to all employees when calculating accrual balances. If a Branch Rate does not apply to an employee, you may disable one or all rate calculations.
To disable a Branch Rate calculation for an employee:
From the Accrual Types browser in the Employee Accruals screen, select the Accrual Type for which you want to disable a Branch Rate.
Click the Branch Rates tab.
Select the Branch Rate calculation to be disabled and double-click on the record (Apply value should display 'No'). To re-enable a Branch Rate, double-click on the record (Apply value should display 'Yes').
3.4. Branch Deductions
Branch Deductions are time off based formulas used to calculate an Accrual Type. Branch Deductions are created from the Branch Accrual screen and by default are applied to all employees when calculating accrual balances. If a Branch Deduction does not apply to an employee, you may disable one or all deduction calculations.
To disable a Branch Deduction calculation for an employee:
From the Accrual Types browser in the Employee Accruals screen, select the Accrual Type for which you want to disable a Branch Deduction.
Click the Branch Deductions tab.
Select the Branch Deduction calculation to be disabled and double-click on the record (Apply value should display 'No'). To re-enable a Branch Deduction, double-click on the record (Apply value should display 'Yes').
3.5. Applying Accruals
Accrual balances are not calculated until a 'Roll Forward' process is run. The Roll Forward process applies the configured Branch/Employee rate and deduction accrual formulas over a specified date range. For example, you may choose to run your accruals from the first to the last day of each month.
From the Employee Accruals screen, click the Roll Forward button from the Tool Bar. The Accrual Roll Forward dialog box should appear as shown in the figure below (note: the Accrual Roll Forward process can also be run from Time & Attendance > Tools > Accrual Roll Forward).
Accrual Roll Forward
To run an Accrual Roll Forward:
From the Accrual Roll Forward dialog box, click the Roll Forward tab.
Specify the date range to apply the configured accrual calculations.
Important: If you have created accrual types that are dependant on the hours calculated over a period (i.e. calculations with a Period sum rule), please ensure that you specify the correct date range when running the Roll Forward.
Specify the accrual type which you want to calculate (enter '*' for All).
Specify the applicable employee filters including Employee, Pay Cycle, Department, Position and Employee Type (enter '*' for All).
Click the Apply button to start the Roll Forward process. You may review the history of Roll Forward transactions by clicking the Log tab.
To undo an Accrual Roll Forward:
From the Accrual Roll Forward dialog box, click the Log tab.
Select the Roll Forward process you want to undo.
Click the Undo button to start the Undo Roll Forward process.
Appendix I - Accrual Rates
This appendix discusses how to create an Accrual Rate in eTime Xpress. Accrual Rates are calculations based on shift hours and can be configured to apply to all shifts or a subset of shifts of an employee. Common applications includes include calculating vacation time, holiday entitlement and sick time based on the shift hours of an employee.
The process of configuring an Accrual Rate is same whether you are creating a Branch Accrual Rate or an Employee Accrual Rate.
I.1. Rate Setup
The Setup tab manages the description and rate information for the accrual rate. The contents of the Setup tab are shown in the figure below.
Accrual Rate Setup Tab
Item | Description |
ID | Specify the ID code of the accrual rate. |
Description | Specify the description of the accrual rate (i.e. sick time, vacation etc.) |
Rate | Specify the accrual rate. |
Rate Type | Specify the accrual multiplier. |
Effective | Specify effective date of accrual rate. The accrual rate will be applied only to shifts dated on or after the effective date. |
Expiry | Specify the expiry date of the accrual rate. The accrual rate will be applied only to shifts dated on or before the expiry date. If the rate has no expiry, leave the field blank. |
I.2. Shift Filters
The Shift Filters tab defines the subset of shifts to which the accrual rate should be applied. The contents of the Shift Filters tab are shown in the figure below.
Accrual Rate Shift Filters Tab
Item | Description |
Customer | Specify the Customer ID of the shifts to which the accrual rate should be applied. |
Site | Specify the Site ID of the shifts to which the accrual rate should be applied. |
Service | Specify the Service ID of the shifts to which the accrual rate should be applied. |
Shift Status | Select the Shift Status of the shifts to which the accrual rate should be applied (i.e. All, Scheduled, Worked, Locked) |
Day Selectors | Specify the days of the week of the shifts to which the accrual rate should be applied. |
I.3. Hours Filters
The Hour Filters tab defines the hour thresholds of the shifts to which the accrual rate should be applied. The contents of the Hour Filters tab are shown in the figure below.
Accrual Rate Hour Filters Tab
Item | Description |
Hours Type | Specify the type of hours to which the accrual rate should be applied. |
Total | Select the shift hours sum rule. Hours will be totaled based on the sum rule and applied against the defined threshold hours condition. If Period, the shift hours of all matching shifts will be summed over the roll forward period. If Shift, the hours summed per shift. |
Hours | Select the threshold hours condition.If Over, applies accrual rate to hours over the specified threshold. |
Over/Under | Specify the threshold hours amount. |
I.4. Conditional Rules
The Conditional Rules tab displays additional rules that can be applied when calculating the Accrual Rate.
Conditional Rules Tab
To add a rule:
From the Conditional Rule tab, click the Add Rule button.
The Select Conditional Rule should appear. Select the applicable Conditional Rule.
The configuration screen for the Conditional Rule should appear. Specify the conditional rule settings (see Appendix III).
Appendix II – Accrual Deductions
This appendix discusses how to create an Accrual Deduction in eTime Xpress. Accrual Deductions are calculations based on time off debit amounts and can be configured to apply to all time off records or a subset of time off records of an employee. Common applications includes include calculating vacation and sick time used by an employee.
The process of configuring an Accrual Deduction is same whether you are creating a Branch Accrual Deduction or an Employee Accrual Deduction.
II.1. Deduction Setup
The Setup tab defines the subset of time off records to which the accrual deduction should be applied. The contents of the Setup tab are shown in the figure below.
Item | Description |
Time Off | Specify Time Off Type of the time off records to which the accrual deduction should be applied. |
Status | Specify Time Off Status of the time off records to which the accrual deduction should be applied. |
Effective | Specify effective date of accrual deduction. The accrual deduction will be applied only to time off records dated on or after the effective date. |
Expiry | Specify the expiry date of the accrual deduction. The accrual deduction will be applied only to time off records dated on or before the expiry date. If the deduction has no expiry, leave the field blank. |
II.2. Conditional Rules
The Conditional Rules tab displays additional rules to be applied when calculating the Accrual Deduction.
Conditional Rules Tab
To add a rule:
From the Conditional Rule tab, click the Add Rule button.
The Select Conditional Rule should appear. Select the applicable Conditional Rule.
The configuration screen for the Conditional Rule should appear. Specify the conditional rule settings (see Appendix III).
Appendix III – Conditional Rule Setup
This appendix discusses how to setup conditional rules found in the accruals module of eTime Xpress.
III.1. Total Hours Over Date Range
The Conditional Rule 'Total Hours Over Date Range' validates the accrual calculation against the total hours calculated on a day or over a date range. This rule is applicable when calculating entitlements on the basis of previously worked shift hours. For example, some labor jurisdictions base an employee's holiday entitlement according to the hours worked over the 15 days prior to the holiday (i.e. statutory or holiday not worked entitlement).
Conditional Rule Setup
Item | Description |
Sum Hours By | Select the hours rule.If Both, sums the applicable shift hours and time off hours over the date range. |
Hours Filters | Description |
From | Specify the From date. The conditional rule sums hours/debit amounts for shifts/time off records dated on or after the From date. |
To | Specify the To date. The conditional rule sums hours/debit amounts for shifts/time off records dated on or before the To date. |
Hours | Specify the threshold hours condition.If Over, applies accrual rate to hours over the specified threshold. |
Day Selectors | Specify the days of the week of the records to which the conditional rule should be applied. |
Shift Filters | Description |
Customer | Specify the Customer ID of the shifts to which the conditional rule should be applied. |
Site | Specify the Site ID of the shifts to which the conditional rule should be applied. |
Service | Specify the Service ID of the shifts to which the conditional rule should be applied. |
Shift Status | Select the Shift Status of the shifts to which the conditional rule should be applied (i.e. All, Scheduled, Worked, Locked) |
Time Off Filters | Description |
Time Off | Specify Time Off Type of the time off records to which the conditional rule should be applied. |
Status | Specify Time Off Status of the time off records to which the conditional rule should be applied. |