Remote payroll setup and overview

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For live payroll processing only

With the remote payroll feature, you can send payroll schedules, unprinted checks, payroll check stubs, and W-2 information to NetClient CS and Employee Self-Service portals.

Note: There is a monthly fee associated with using the remote payroll feature. For details, contact your CS Sales representative.

The Remote Payroll feature is available to firms that are licensed for:

  • Accounting CS Payroll
  • NetFirm CS
  • NetClient CS

How does remote payroll differ from Client Access and remote check printing?

You can also view the setup and processing steps that are required for remote payroll via the following workflows.

Setting remote payroll options for the client (Firm)

When setting up remote payroll entry clients, you will need to make or modify some settings in the Payroll Information tab of the Setup > Clients screen.

  1. Choose Setup > Clients and click the Payroll Information tab (if it is not currently open).
  2. Optional: If your client will be using remote payroll for the majority of their payroll schedules, you can save setup time by choosing the Import option in the Default Time Entry Method section and selecting Remote payroll entry from the Source field.
  3. Click the Ellipsis Ellipsis button button in the Payroll Schedules section to open the  Payroll Schedules dialog, then add or edit the specific payroll schedule.

    Note: All clients should have at least one payroll schedule set up, but for remote payroll entry clients, this is particularly important. Only clients with a valid payroll schedule will display in the Manage NetClient CS screen, which is used to upload payroll information to the portal.

  4. In the Time Entry Method section, click the Import option and then select  Remote Payroll Entry from the drop-down list.

    Note: This step is essential to let the application know that this is a remote payroll entry client. If this method is selected and the client has a valid pay schedule selected, this client will be displayed in the Manage NetClient CS screen when it is time to process remote payroll.

  5. For remote check printing clients only. In the Default Check Output section of the Payroll Information tab, choose the Remote check printing option, and mark the Payroll checks and Send to FileCabinet CS checkboxes, if appropriate.

Setting up remote payroll for the employee (Firm)

Each employee should have at least one payroll schedule selected. Only employees with valid payroll schedules will be included when the remote payroll information is uploaded to the client's portal. 

  1. Choose Setup > Employees and click the Main tab (if it is not currently open).
  2. In the Payroll Schedules section, select the appropriate payroll schedule.

There are a few things which will prevent an employee from being included in a remote payroll timesheet:

  • Setting up the employee  after the time sheet was uploaded in Manage NetClient CS.
  • Entering an employee's hire date to be after the payroll check date.
  • Entering an inactive date (if applicable) that is dated before the next payroll check date.
  • Choosing a different payroll schedule in employee setup than was uploaded in Manage NetClient CS.

Only one timesheet can be on the client's portal at a time. If your client has multiple payroll schedules that use remote time entry, only the most recently uploaded timesheet will be available.

The remote Payroll schedule won't appear in the Manage NetClient screen until it has been assigned to the employees.

Uploading client and employee information to the portal (Firm)

In this step, you specify which information should be sent to the portal.

  1. Open the Actions > Manage NetClient CS screen. The screen displays the clients that meet the following criteria.
    • The client has one or more valid payroll schedules set up with the Import time entry method and Remote payroll entry as the source.
    • A payroll schedule using the Import - Remote payroll entry time entry and source is set up on at least one of the client's employees.
  2. Mark the checkboxes for the client payroll information that you want to upload. You can click the plus signs next to the clients to display individual employee information records.
  3. Enter any payroll notes you want to send with the payroll information in the Notes to client column.
  4. When the payroll information is selected for upload, click the Upload button to send the information to the portal. You can view the status of the payroll in the Status column. Status messages are defined in the following section.

Notes

  • Only one payroll schedule at a time can be on the client's portal. If your client has multiple payroll schedules that use remote time entry, upload the timesheet that needs to be completed first. When the client enters the time and completes the payroll, that timesheet must be imported back to into Accounting CS, at which time the next timesheet becomes available for upload. If you upload a timesheet to the portal and then immediately upload a second timesheet, the first timesheet will be overwritten
  • If your client does not appear in Actions > Manage NetClient CS, review Client Not Available For Selection Manage NetClient CS.

Modifying a NetClient CS user's access to remote payroll (Firm)

To complete the setup process, you will need to update the permissions on the client portal to enable one or more of the client's staff to complete payroll time entry.

Viewing the timesheet upload status within the Manage NetClient CS screen (Firm)

The status of the current payroll is displayed in the Manage NetClient CS screen. The status messages are defined here.

  • Pending upload: At this time nothing has been pushed. This is the status that displays before a new timesheet is uploaded.
  • Uploaded - Queued: The timesheet has been pushed, but the client has not yet received the information on their portlets.
  • Uploaded - Unchanged: The timesheet has been pushed up to the portal. At this time the client has not changed anything.
  • Uploaded - Changed: The client has entered time but has not yet completed it.
  • Pending Download: The client has completed and approved the time. It is ready to import via the Actions > Enter Batch Payroll Checks screen.

Setting up the client portal (Firm)

  1. In your internet browser, navigate to www.netlinksolution.com.
  2. Click the Admin tab at the top left. You will see this tab only if you have Administrator privileges on your NetStaff CS Portal. Show me.
    Admin tab
  3. Click Users under NetClient CS.
  4. In the NetClient CS Users pane, click the Add button if this is a new portal. (See Adding NetStaff CS user portals for further instructions) If the client already has a portal, skip to the next step.
  5. Highlight the client's login name.
  6. Within the Permissions section, click the green Enable button for ($) Remote Payroll & Check Printing (ACS).

    Note: This option is not available until at least one payroll schedule has been uploaded from Accounting CS.

  7. In the Remote Payroll & Check Printing Permissions dialog, mark the checkboxes for each client that this login should access, and, as appropriate for each client, mark the checkboxes for Remote Check Printing and/or Remote data entry. You may optionally mark the Payroll Administrator checkbox to designate this NetClient user as the Payroll Administrator. Other NetClient Users with permissions to this client may enter payroll, but only the Payroll Administrator is able to click the Payroll Complete button and submit the payroll information to the firm.   Show me.
    NetStaffCS permissions
  8. Click Enter to save the changes.

Entering time (Client or Employee)

With Remote payroll, there are two possible processes for entering and completing payroll timesheets on the NetClient Portal.

Either the client or the employee enters 

  • The client enters payroll and completes the payroll. In this process, the client performs this step when the payroll schedule information is uploaded. In the Enter Time screen, the client can enter time and any necessary notes prior to completing time entry.  
  • The employee enters payroll. In this process, you must mark the Enable employee time entry checkbox in the Payroll Schedules dialog for clients using Employee Self Service. The employees can then enter their hours via My Time Entry within Employee Self Service and then click the Complete button.  The timesheet is sent to the supervisor/manager at the Client’s office, who will review and approve the time. The supervisor/manager can edit time sheets in their NetClient CS portal and then approve them by clicking the Approve Time button.

The payroll information is not exported to Accounting CS until the client's payroll processor completes time entry.

Completing time entry (Client)

In either time entry process, the client must complete the payroll by clicking the Complete Payroll button. This sends the timesheets to Accounting CS, where they will be imported via the Actions > Enter Batch Payroll Checks screen.

When payroll entry is complete, the application sends a confirmation email to the staff members assigned to the roles specified in the Remote Payroll Time Entry Options dialog. If no staff roles have been assigned there, or if those staff members have no email addresses entered, the confirmation email is sent to the designated NetFirm CS Portal Administrator.

Note: Email Notifications selections are available in the Remote Payroll Time Entry Options dialog once emails are entered for the Client and Staff setup; along with a designation of Primary, Backup, or Reviewer in the Main tab of the Setup > Clients screen.

Go to Setup > Clients > Payroll Information TAB, click the Ellipsis button for Payroll Schedules and update the Payroll schedule: Show me

Adding new employees or updating existing employees via the NetClient CS portal (Client)

The client's appointed processor can add employees or edit existing employee information from the NetClient CS portal.

Modifying existing employee information

You can modify the following information in the Detail tab of the Enter Time pane.

  • Employee pay rate

You can modify the following information in the Employees pane.

  • Employee address
  • Phone number
  • Work locations (If they exist in Accounting CS). You can add locations and select an associated department – unless the employee is restricted to the options specified in the payroll schedule.

When the client updates employee information in NetClient CS, you will be prompted to update that information in the Employees screen when you download payroll information to Accounting CS.

Note that if you change the address information, the application verifies that the address information is valid. (For example, the application will verify that the city exists in the selected state, that the ZIP code is valid for the city, and so forth.) It is important to fill in all address fields with accurate information because Accounting CS uses this information to determine the applicable taxes. If the application finds that any of the information is not valid, it will revert the address to the previous valid address, and you will be prompted to correct the address information in the employee record.

Adding new employee records

The processor can add new employees in the Employees pane. However, only the information listed below can be added or modified via NetClient CS. All other employee information must be added or modified within Accounting CS.

  • EIN/SSN
  • Employee name - First, Middle, Last, Suffix
  • Employee street address, City, State, ZIP, County, Country
  • School District, Municipality (if applicable for the city, state, ZIP, and county)
  • Email
  • Phone
  • Work Location - locations can be added for new employees but cannot be modified for existing employees via NetClient CS.
  • Date of birth
  • Marital status
  • Date of hire - Hire date can be added for new employees but cannot be modified for existing employees via NetClient CS.
  • Last raise date
  • Gender
  • Race
  • Inactive date
  • Filing status
  • Total allowances
  • Additional or Fixed amount or percentage
  • Nonresident alien
  • Federal tax exempt
  • New hire FICA credit
  • State Additional or Fixed amount or percentage
  • Nonresident exemption certificate
  • State tax exempt

The new and updated employee information appears in the Remote Payroll Entry Import dialog when a payroll batch is processed in the Actions > Enter Batch Payroll Checks screen in Accounting CS.  Show me.

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Updating information via Employee Self-Service in My W4 Information (Employee)

Employees can modify the following information.

  • Name (first, last, middle initial, suffix)
  • Email address
  • Federal W-4 information (filing status, number of allowances, nonresident alien status, federal tax-exempt status, additional or fixed amount or percentage, EIC status, etc.)
  • State W-4 information for each applicable state (filing status, number of allowances, additional or fixed amount or percentage, etc.)

If the client is using Employee Self-Service exclusively, the updated employee’s information appears as a data sharing dialog when you open the Setup > Employees screen in Accounting CS. You can cancel the employee update(s) by marking the Reject checkbox.  Show me.

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If the client is using Remote Payroll as well as Employee Self Service, the employee’s information can be updated in the Setup > Employees screen in Accounting CS before timesheets are retrieved, or in the Actions > Enter Batch Payroll Checks screen when the timesheets are imported.

Entering batch payroll for remote payroll entry clients (Firm)

  1. In Accounting CS, choose Actions > Enter Batch Payroll Checks.
  2. In the Enter Batch Payroll Checks screen, select the client from the client selection field at the top-right corner of the screen.
  3. Choose the payroll schedule for which you want to create checks.
  4. The Remote Payroll Entry Import window displays.
    • Updated Employees tab. If the client made any changes to employee records, those changes are displayed in this tab.
      • Click the plus + sign next to any employee to see details about the changes that were made and mark or clear the checkboxes to accept or reject any of the changes. 
      • If a pay rate is selected, the employee's current check and employee record will be updated. If unselected, the employee's current check will be updated and their employee record will remain unchanged.
      • Any Notes entered by the client will appear on the Notes tab. If the client did not enter any notes there will not be a Notes tab. Click the Print button to print a report of the information form all tabs in the dialog. Notes cannot be printed once the Continue button is clicked.
    • Added Employees tab. If the client added new employees, those employees are displayed in this tab.
      • Click the plus + sign next to any employee to see the details of the employee record.
      • Mark or clear the checkboxes to accept or reject the new employee record.
      • Before you can accept any new employee records, you must enter an Employee ID. Show me.
        addID
    • Remote Entry Detail tab. Use this tab to review details about the payroll data entered by the client.
    • Notes tab. Use this tab to review any general or employee-specific notes entered by the client.  
  5. Make any necessary changes to the payroll information for the employees on either the Rapid or Detail tab and then click the Enter Batch button create the payroll checks. 

Adding new employees to the current batch

When you add new employee IDs via the Added Employees tab, those employees are not included in the current batch payroll entry session. If necessary, you can use the following process before clicking the Enter Batch button to include those new employees in the batch. 

  1. In the Actions > Enter Batch Payroll Checks screen, click the Suspend Batch button.
  2. In the Setup > Employees screen, make the appropriate selections for the employee in the Payroll Items tab and save the information.
  3. Return to the Enter Batch Payroll Checks screen and select the payroll schedule. Click Yes when you are prompted to refresh the suspended batch using the latest employee information.
  4. Clear the DNP checkbox for the employee, and enter their hours.
  5. Click the Enter Batch button.

Printing payroll checks for remote payroll clients (Firm)

  1. Choose File > Print Checks.
  2. In the Payroll Checks tab of the Print Checks screen, payroll check information displays for all unprinted checks, including those for remote payroll entry. Mark the checkbox for the client or checkboxes for individual employees and then click the Print Selected button.
  3. Make the appropriate printing option selections in the Print dialog and then click the OK button to print the checks.

    Note: If remote check printing is enabled for the client, the application sends the checks directly to the client's portal without displaying the Print dialog.

  4. You will be prompted with a Did call checks print successfully? dialog, where you can choose yes or no. Click the OK button to print the checks and send them to your client’s portal. If you selected FileCabinet when setting up your remote payroll entry client, the FileCabinet dialog will appear.

Re-uploading a remote time entry payroll schedule (Firm)

If the client accidentally completed the payroll before it was finished or a change on the current timesheet needs to be reflected in time entry, the timesheet can be pushed to the portal again.

  1. Open the Setup > Clients screen, click the Payroll Information tab, and click Edit.
  2. Click the Ellipsis Ellipsis button button next in the Payroll Schedules section.
  3. In the Payroll Schedules dialog, you need the status of the current set of check dates to display as Not Processed. If the status is Completed, select Not processed from the drop-down menu in the Status column.
  4. Click Enter to save the changes and then click Done. Click Enter again in the Clients screen.
  5. Choose Actions > Manage NetClient CS.
  6. Mark the checkbox next to the client record and then click the Upload button. This will overwrite the information on the client's portal and reopen the current pay dates.

See also

NetClient CS mobile app

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