Can I use the payroll upload module retrospectively for my payroll transactions?
The answer to this question is dependent on whether payroll transactions from previous months have been reconciled.
Paid but not yet reconciled payroll transactions
If you have paid but not yet reconciled payroll transactions from previous months, then there is no problem uploading the payroll data for those months within the Payroll Upload module.
Note: Don't forget that once you have created payroll transactions, you will need to process these retrospectively through the process flow within ExpensePlus (receipts/approvals/payments) for them to appear on the right-hand table of the bank reconciliation screen.
Paid and already reconciled payroll transactions
If you have paid AND reconciled payroll transactions from previous months, then before uploading payroll for those months within the Payroll Upload Module, you need to first unmatch the payroll transactions that have already been reconciled.
Important: Be careful only to unmatch bank transactions (do not delete them!)
Next, you will need to delete these from the right-hand table of the bank reconciliation screen, before then uploading the payroll data for those months within the Payroll Upload module. The step-by-step guide below covers the steps needed in detail, and we highly recommend you follow them carefully to avoid issues.
Recommendation: We'd recommend only doing these steps if you feel confident. Whilst there is some benefit to having all your payroll transactions for your latest financial year uploaded to the payroll upload module within ExpensePlus, typically this is only worth doing if it means unmatching and re-reconciling 1-2 months.
Step 1: Unmatch previous payroll transactions
Note: Payroll transactions include:
- Salary payments
- Payments to HMRC
- Payments to your pension provider (where processed through your payroll software)
Within the bank statement screen, carefully unmatch all payroll transactions for your prior months. Be careful to include any payments that were paid in arrears and fell in the following month.
You can see more about unmatching transactions here.
Step 2: Delete the previously made payments from the match transactions screen
On the match transactions screen for the bank account from which you pay your payroll transactions, delete out all payroll transactions that are still showing on the right-hand table. To do this, click the edit button to the right of each payment, and select Delete Payment.
You can see further instructions here.
Step 3: Within the Payroll Upload module, set the start date of your first pay period
Note: if you have already set the first payroll period and now want to adjust this, you need to send a message to our support team who can do this for you.
You should set the start date of your first pay period to be the start of the first payroll period for which you want to use the Payroll Upload module (this may be the first day of your financial year).
Step 4: Import and create payroll transactions for the month
This process is the same for every month, so upload the statements for all prior months. You can see how to do this on this video.
Step 5: Move the payments which have been created through the ExpensePlus process flow
Here are the steps you need to take:
- Receipt upload & check (not applicable for salary payments)
- Approvals (if applicable)
- Payments - you need to mark these as paid on ExpensePlus to get them to the point of bank matching
Warning: if you are doing this retrospectively, we recommend you disable email notifications to payees otherwise they will get an email from ExpensePlus regarding these payments which were actually made in previous months.
Step 6: Reconcile your payments with your bank statement
As you would for expense payments, you can now reconcile your payments with your bank transactions (which were unmatched in step 1).
Note: it's perfectly normal to be left with your last HMRC and Pension payments showing on the right-hand table of the match transactions screen as the payments might go out for these the month after.
To help you better understand the Payroll module as a whole, please visit the module overview page.