Payroll Transactions encompass the steps and processes involved in compensating employees, including calculating earnings, applying deductions, and distributing net pay. Payroll transactions are essential for ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time, while also meeting legal obligations for reporting and deductions.
In this tutorial, you will learn how to enter payroll transactions where confidentiality is required, and where confidentially is not required.
Navigation: Main Menu > Accounting > Ledger.
Table of Contents
This process is to enter the payroll expenses in your accounting records. It assumes you will receive a summary sheet from the Payroll Department. You can enter as much or as little detail as you wish. Below are two examples:
Entering information in summary format:
Account: Salaries: Admin
Description: Admin Salaries for November
Amount: Debit R10 000.00
Account: Salaries: Production
Description: Production Salaries for November
Amount: Debit R20 000.00
Account: Salaries: Directors
Description: Directors' Salaries for November
Amount: Debit R20 000.00
Account: Pension Fund
Description: November Contribution to Pension Fund
Amount: Debit R2 500.00
Account: UIF Expense
Description: Company Contribution to UIF
Amount: Debit R500.00
Account: Payroll Liabilities
Description: November Salaries
Amount: Credit R53 000.00
Entering information in detail:
Account: Salaries: Admin
Description: Sally's Salary
Amount: Debit R7 850.00
Account: Salaries: Admin
Description: Sally's UIF
Amount: Debit R80.00
Account: Salaries: Admin
Description: Sally's PAYE
Amount: Debit R70.00
Account: Expenses Pension: Admin
Description: Sally's Pension Company Contribution
Amount: Debit R100.00
Account: Expenses UIF: Admin
Description: Sally's Company Contribution
Amount: Debit R80.00
Account: Payroll Liabilities
Description: Sally's Total Cost to Company
Amount: Credit R8 180.00
Steps
Navigate to Main Menu > Accounting > Ledger.
Select New (button) > Select Payroll Expenses - (PR-EXP).
Enter the appropriate Date and Period.
Navigate to Expenses (bar) > Select the appropriate Account.
Enter the Amount and select No VAT.
Enter a Reference and Note.
Click Add Item (button) to add another line (a new line will open below the previous transaction for you to add in another entry).
Select the Expense Account to Debit and fill in the Amount (leave the VAT as zero).
Repeat Step 7 as often as needed.
Change the Status to Complete.
Click Save (button).
Note: For more flexibility, Payroll Expenses can also be entered as a General Journal.
This process is to capture the cheques or EFT payments made to staff and other departments.
In summary format:
Account: Payroll Liabilities
Description: Payments to Staff
Amount: debit R44 500.00
Account: Payroll Liabilities
Description: Payment to Pension Fund
Amount: debit R2 500.00
Account: Payroll Liabilities
Description: Payment to SARS (Tax Authorities) for PAYE
Amount: debit R5 000.00
Account: Payroll Liabilities
Description: Payment to SARS for UIF
Amount: debit R1 000.00
Account: Bank Account
Description: November Payments
Amount: credit R53 000.00
Entering information in detail:
Account: Payroll Liabilities
Description: Sally's Salary
Amount: debit R7 850.00
Account: Payroll Liabilities
Description: Payment to SARS for Sally's UIF
Amount: debit R160.00
Account: Payroll Liabilities
Description: Payment to SARS for Sally's PAYE
Amount: debit R70.00
Account: Payroll Liabilities
Description: Payment to Pension Fund Company
Amount: debit R100.00
Account: Bank Account
Description: Total Payments for Sally
Amount: credit R8 180.00
Steps
Navigate to Main Menu > Accounting > Ledger.
Click the arrow on the New (button) > Payroll Payments - (PR-PMT).
Enter the appropriate Date and Period.
Navigate to Bank (bar) > Select the appropriate Bank.
Enter the Amount that was paid.
Enter a Reference and Note.
Click Add Item (button) to add another line (a new line will open below the previous transaction for you to add in another entry).
Select the Bank Account to Credit and fill in the Amount (leave the VAT as zero).
Repeat Step 7 as often as needed.
Change the Status to Complete.
Click Save (button).
Note: Payroll Payments can also be captured when doing a Bank Import.