1. Keep up to date with Laws and Regulations– In Dynamics GP2010, go to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Maintenance > US Payroll Updates > Check for Tax Updates.  Select either the Automatic or the Manual method.  The process will add the latest tax rate table or notify you that the table is up to date.  Once your tax table is up to date, check Dynamics GP CustomerSource to verify you have the latest tax code update.  Keeping Dynamics GP at the latest Service Pack ensures you have the latest tax code programming as well as fixing other issues the service pack addresses.  To check your version of Dynamics GP, go to Help > About Microsoft Dynamics GP and compare the Version information to the latest information available at CustomerSource.  To check the date of Last Tax Update, Last Tax Code Update and Last Modification  (last manual modification since the last tax update was installed) go to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > System >  Payroll Tax. 
2. Make your Form 941 deposits on time – Use the Reminder/Task feature on the homepage to set up task deadlines.  Give yourself enough time to beat the deadlines and get those Form 941 payments in on time.
3. Classify Employees Correctly – Use the Employee Class field to identify Exempt versus Non-exempt employees.  If you already use the Employee Class for other purposes, use one of the user defined fields to track the employee classification.
4. Report Fringe Benefits – Set up Benefit codes to track benefits that are can be considered taxable income.
5. Ensure Social Security Numbers are correct– Use the Social Security Verification Service (SSNVS) (tinyurl.com/29ftfv).  This service matches SSN to employee name.  Up to ten SSNs can be entered manually or use the file upload method to check up to 250,000 SSNs.  Using SmartList you can generate a list of SSNs for the upload method.
6. Process garnishments correctly – When setting up a garnishment deduction, make sure the Deduction Type is set to Garnishment, and then the Garnishment Category can be selected.  Once set up, you can use the Deduction Sequence window to prioritize the deductions.  Deduction sequences can be adjusted on an employee basis.
7. Check your numbers– Even with automatic updates, it’s always a good idea to spot check the tax rates.  The IRS Circular E can be downloaded from (tinyurl.com/2lan6).  To compare the tax rates in Dynamics GP, go to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > System > Payroll Tax.  The federal taxes are listed under the Tax Code FED.  Also check the recent changes in the FICA rates, Tax Code EFICS for the Employer FICA/Social Security and tax Code FICAS for the Employee FICA/Social Security.  They should be 6.2% and 4.2% respectively.

RSM McGladrey consultants are Microsoft Certified Business Management Solution Specialist for Microsoft Dynamics GP Payroll.  Our payroll and human resources systems implementations average from 500 – 2500 employees.  We understand the challenges with payroll implementations and have an implementation methodology with proven results.

RSM McGladrey helped regional staffing company streamlines payroll processand reporting through an implementation of Microsoft Dynamics GP.  With 48 full-time employees, 1480 active paid hires, and seven offices throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, this company turned to RSM McGladrey for an integrated Payroll and Human Resource Management Solutions.   

 Claude Frymark, McGladrey – Microsoft Dynamics Specialist for Microsoft Dynamics GP Payroll

by RS McGladrey, a New York City Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

7 Tips to Preventing Payroll Errors is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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1. Secondary Status Code Field
   There is a new field for tracking a secondary status code for active and inactive employees to provide more detail regarding leave.  An active employee might be on probation, awaiting grant assignment, or between school terms.  You could also use this as an additional reporting field to show whether an employee has exempt status. 
2. W-2 Reporting Flexibility
   You can designate as many as four different locations on the W-2 forms for where the same amounts will be printed for some Pay Codes, Benefit Codes, and Deduction Codes.
3. Fiscal Year Tracking for Payroll
   You can track Fiscal year values for payroll expenses rather than just calendar year for budgeting and reporting purposes.  You can also set both fiscal and calendar year limits for Benefits and Deductions.
4. Simultaneous Pay Runs
   For organizations that have multiple payroll clerks who conduct separate pay runs for different departments or business units, they each can get through a build check process and validate transactions for errors and warnings. 
5. Payroll Posting Edit List
   There is a Posting Edit List available to review the effect on the general ledger prior to printing and posting payroll.  This is helpful if you add a new department or payroll code and you want to make sure you have all of the posting accounts set up properly.
6. Reprint Paystubs
   There is the ability to reprint paystubs and earnings statements! You can even print multiple checks at a time.
7. Improved Garnishments Management
   If multiple garnishments are levied against an employee, you can now deduct the garnishments in a specified order until reaching the limits. For more information on this feature, please see our blog post Payroll Garnishment Management Made Easy in Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010

To learn more about how Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 can help you automate your Human Resources and Payroll processes contact The Resource Group.

by Donna Church, The Resource Group – Seattle, Washington Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

7 Great New Features in Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 for Human Resources and Payroll! is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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The following are some of the payroll and HR modules worth considering:

• Payroll extensions – This free download for GP 2010 allows the user to “automate routine tasks and extend availability of all employee data”.  It includes calculating blended overtime rates, automatic creation of payables, and many other features.
•  Advanced Payroll – These modules are designed to solve unique payroll issues within an organization, with industry-specific streamline processes.  Features include: pay policy management, employee cost allocation, advanced labor reporting, and more.
•  PTO Manager – The Paid Time Off (PTO) module allows you to manage complex vacation and sick time policies with automated ease.
•  Certification, Licensing, and Training – For industries that require any type of licensing or training, this module allows you to keep track of completion dates, expiration dates, and more.
•  Benefit Self Service – With Benefit Self Service, you can implement a full online benefits enrollment program for your employees.  The module works in conjunction with Microsoft SharePoint Server and Microsoft Business Portal to create a web-based benefits enrollment solution.

With the modules you need installed within Microsoft Dynamics GP, you can have a completely streamlined, scalable ERP solution that addresses business needs for HR, Payroll, and beyond, delivering the results you need without the paperwork or the headache that usually follows.

By ERP Software Blog Editors, Find a Local Microsoft Dynamics ERP Expert

5 Top Human Resources (HR) and Payroll Functions in Microsoft Dynamics GP is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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Microsoft Dynamics GP Payroll is designed to help organizations address these challenges and control costs.  You will also find new modules for managing specialized requirements and for multiple companies with comprehensive reports and automatic downloads for updated tax tables.

Payroll in Microsoft Dynamics GP enable users to collect deductions in arrears, create payables vouchers during the payroll process, and use blended overtime rates to meet overtime rules. All these capabilities can help increase productivity and efficiency for payroll processes and provide your organization with increased tracking and reporting capabilities.  It also does fun and simple things like allowing you to re-print a pay stub or earnings statement at any time by simply checking a box.  

When shopping for Payroll solutions it is imperative to understand the software is engineered to address most of the above-mentioned areas.  However it would be comical to ignore the fact that little things do happen when processing payroll (outside of your software and your control) that can create stressful situations at times.  We at DFC like to call these “hiccups”.

Not only does your software need to help minimize these situations but it’s key to have an experienced Microsoft GP Partner to back up during these times also.  If you have a situation with Microsoft Dynamics GP and your network environment when you are posting payroll and your network “hiccups” causing a bad pay run to happen, who do you turn to?  What can you do to minimize the damages when something does interrupt your payroll?

Even though these aren’t too common occurrences, instances can happen unfortunately.  Depending on the point in time when the hiccup happened during the payroll processing, it is going to be one of two things.

1. A fairly easy fix when you call your Microsoft Partner, or DFC Consultants for assistance

OR

2.  It is going to be a data clean up activity that is usually neither easy or fast.

Ready for a quick but money saving Payroll Tip?  DFC payroll expert Terry Borchardt suggests one of the best ways to protect yourself is to make a backup of the Company just before printing your checks.  

Make a backup of your database by going into Microsoft Dynamics GP >> Maintenance >> Backup.  NOTE:  You must be logged into Microsoft Dynamics GP as the system administrator (sa) to perform the backup.  Depending on your server, a backup could take as little as 10 minutes or up to a half hour.  Preventative maintenance like this could save you 1 to 6 hours of support time which could equate to hundreds of dollars in potential support fees.

Terry says with this backup available, if something goes wrong during the printing and posting processes, you can easily go back and restore the company and system databases to what they were before the hiccup occurred.  Why not take this extra step, to save time and money in the future.

Since 1989, DFC has worked with clients in a variety of industries, with specialized focus on manufacturing, Tribal, non-profit, social services, distribution, and professional services. If you are looking for the most experienced Microsoft Dynamics GP partner in the Midwest for sales, implementation, integration, customization, training, and customer support, contact DFC Consultants at 800-277-5561. Email us or call if you’d like to set up free business review. 

DFC Consultants specialize in Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft CRM and Tribal Housing solutions.

by DFC Consultants, North Dakota Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

Reduce The Time (And Money) Involved In Fixing Payroll ‘Hiccups’ in Microsoft Dynamics GP With One Quick Step is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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To answer this question we must first define data migration and understand the tasks involved.

Data migration is the process of transferring current and historical data from one or more legacy systems to a new, more efficient and more effective system. The tasks involved typically include data extraction, data cleansing, data mapping, data loading and data validation, hereafter referred to as EXTRACT>CLEAN>MAP>LOAD>VALIDATE.

A typical payroll implementation project will require that the EXTRACT>CLEAN>MAP>LOAD>VALIDATE process be executed multiple times, often 3 to 4 times.  At minimum, there will be two legacy data migration cycles: one during the Build & Validate phase and one during the Deploy phase. The latter occurs after the latest payroll processing cycle in the old system and before the first payroll cycle in the new system. This final data migration cycle is designed to provide a final synchronization of the new payroll system to the legacy system and often must happen within a one or two week window.

Now, back to the question of why this data migration process can be a major project bottleneck and source of budget overruns and schedule extensions.  The answer can be summed in two words – dirty data.  More specifically, the data cleansing tasks often are not automated, or even documented, and therefore not easily repeatable.  Each successive  EXTRACT>CLEAN>MAP>LOAD>VALIDATE cycle wastes time and money re-cleaning data, usually manually, which were cleaned, usually manually, in the previous cycle.  This rework usually means that the final data load cannot be accomplished in the window available between the last payroll cycle in the old system and the first payroll cycle in the new system resulting in the duplication of efforts to maintain, or synchronize, the two systems.

How can you avoid the dirty data trap?

1. Don’t rely on your implementation partner to clean your legacy data if you don’t have to. You and your expert staff are aware of dirty data in your legacy system before you even decided to implement a new payroll system.  Establish an in-house team of IT and Payroll experts to clean and correct the data in the legacy system before the implementation project begins.
2. If you do not have the capability or bandwidth to clean the legacy data in-house, tell your implementation partner upfront, during the Initiate or Discovery phase of the project. Be prepared to accept additional cost and time during the early phases of the project for your implementation partner to work with your IT and Payroll staff to develop a programmatic system to clean and map your data. This is the classic example of “pay me now, or pay me later.”  If you don’t spend the time and money up-front, you will spend it on the back-end in the form of rework, budget overruns, and schedule slippages. The back-end costs are even higher because they include project team frustration and loss of project momentum.  If you go live with dirty data you risk alienating employees and possibly even incur additional financial liability.
3. Be prepared to allocate sufficient staff resources to ensure a comprehensive validation of the migrated data. Remember, the accuracy of your data is always your responsibility.  Take the data migration task seriously and don’t assume it is a minor effort.

In conclusion, your implementation partner should be able to guide you through these important project tasks and help you avoid the dirty data trap. At McGladrey, we offer a proven implementation methodology for business systems and a track record of successful payroll project implementations.  Our consultants are Microsoft Certified Business Management Solution Specialists for Microsoft Dynamics GP Payroll and have experience developing and deploying automated data migration techniques.

By:  David Funk, McGladrey – Microsoft Dynamics Certified Payroll Implementation Partner - New York Metro Microsoft Dynamics Partner

Look for future blogs from David Funk on the following Payroll Implementation topics:

• Prepare your staff
• Standardize pay policies
• Develop a realistic schedule
• Synchronize integrated systems

Three Tips for Avoiding the Dirty Data Trap is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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So, let me get to my point. InterDyn – Remington Consulting can help free your human resources staff from the drudgery of performing routine administrative tasks by allowing them to focus on more strategic objectives through the deployment of  Dynamics GP Human Resources.  Dynamics GP Human Resources and HR Self Service Suite make it easy for your employees to update their own records, via secure web environment, including the following functionality:

• self-service functionality for managers and employees
• employee pay history inquiries
• benefits enrollment and status
• employee profile review and updates
• and skills and training information

The HRM Self Service Suite enables healthcare organizations to empower managers and employees and reduce administrative costs.  All the above information is tightly integrated with Microsoft Dynamics GP Payroll that includes all the functionality you would expect.  Microsoft Dynamics GP Payroll delivers the features, control and security needed to manage sensitive payroll information required by Assisted Living Organizations. Direct deposit processing can streamline salary disbursement, reducing costs and enhancing security. The Payroll module also offers seamless integration with Human Resources, unlimited pay types, automatic calculation of shift differentials, unlimited deductions and benefits, on-screen inquiries, drill-down capabilities, unlimited pay history and automatic tax updates.

As you can see, Microsoft Dynamics GP helps healthcare providers manage the extremely complex HR and Payroll requirements that healthcare organizations face.  Dynamics GP can make it easier for your organization to attract and retain talented, motivated employees with tools that make it easier to record, store and access employee information. 

In my next post we will go a little deeper into the pro’s and con’s of the HRM Employee Self Service.

By InterDyn – Remington Consulting, Nevada Microsoft Dynamics Gold Certified GP Partner

Conquer Complex Human Resources And Payroll Challenges And Focus On More Strategic Objectives With Dynamics GP is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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