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Table of Contents: Article IndexPrintable Version

Applies to versions: 1.5



Custom Payroll Export Settings



The TimeIPS Custom Payroll Export allows users to define the characteristics and contents of the file including the file extension, number of columns, field delimiter, line terminator, and data output. Using the IPSCPX Customizable Payroll Export module (included in the IPSEPI Extended Payroll Integration module), the defined file can be generated then imported in your payroll application. .

Security Level Required: Payroll Administrator

Using the left pane Main Menu, click on: Administration » Payroll and Reports » Payroll Export


Before you export:

  • Obtain the file layout requirements, including the field level detail, that your payroll application will import. You can obtain this information from your payroll application’s help documentation or support resources. This document should specify the data fields (columns of information) to be included in the file generated from TimeIPS.
  • EXAMPLE A: Landon Payroll Application provided the following file layout requirements:
    Name Description Data Type Required? Example
    File # Unique number that identifies employee Numeric Y 46228
    Emp Name Employee’s Name Text N Jones Mark
    Payroll Date Payroll Period End Date Date (YYYYMMDD) Y 20070420
    Emp Division Division (Location) Code employee is assigned to Text N 557
    Reg Hrs Regular labor hours worked Numeric Y 40
    O/T Hrs Labor hours worked; paid at 1.5 times normal rate Numeric N 3.48
    Sick Hrs Sick hours used Numeric N 8
    Vacation Hrs Vacation hours used Numeric N 8
    Holiday Hrs Holiday hours paid Numeric N 8

  • Map the available TimeIPS fields to each required field included in the file layout.
  • EXAMPLE A2: TimeIPS contains several employee fields that can store a unique identifier as the "File #" including the employee's "ID/Badge Number," "Alternate Employee Number," or "SSN." In this example, we will enter the Landon Payroll Application's Employee "File #" as the TimeIPS "Alternate Employee Number." The “Emp Division” field is not a default field in TimeIPS. However, there are a number of employee fields that can store the data and be mapped as the “Emp Division.” In this example, we will enter the employee’s "Division Code" in TimeIPS’s "Department" field. The "File #" will be mapped to the "Alternate Employee Number" and the "Division Code" will be mapped to the TimeIPS’s "Employee Department" field in your custom payroll export preset’s Column tab.
    Name Description Data Type Required? TimeIPS Field Example
    File # Unique number that identifies employee Numeric Y Alternate Employee Number 46228
    Emp Name Employee’s Name Text N Employee's Name (Last, First Mid) Jones, Mark
    Payroll Date Payroll Period End Date Date (YYYYMMDD) Y Enter Payroll End Date 20070420
    Emp Division Division Code (Location) employee is assigned to Text N Employee's Department 557 (code for North Branch)
    Reg Hrs Regular labor hours worked Numeric Y Calculated by TimeIPS 40
    O/T Hrs Labor hours worked; paid at 1.5 times normal rate Numeric N Calculated by TimeIPS 3.48
    Sick Hrs Sick hours used Numeric N TimeIPS Benefit Hours 8
    Vacation Hrs Vacation hours used Numeric N TimeIPS Benefit Hours 8
    Holiday Hrs Holiday hours paid Numeric N TimeIPS Benefit Hours 8

  • Once you have the file format you wish TimeIPS to generate, you are ready to build your custom preset.


  1. After selecting your export contents (date range, employees and export format), click on the Continue to Step 2 --> button.

  2. The first time you run a payroll export, you will be asked to provide a "preset", or template, for your export.
    • Click on the Add Preset button to configure your payroll preset.
    • You can import customer export settings that have already been created in TimeIPS by clicking on the Browse button.
    • If you already have a defined preset you wish to use, select the preset name from the Export Settings pull-down, then skip to Step 4.


  3. The preset window will appear.
  4. NOTE: A Preset is a saved list of settings that are used each time a payroll file is generated. If your settings change from one group of employees to another, you may create multiple presets and select the preset that applies for the group you are exporting at the time.

    The General Tab



    The General tab defines information about the format of the file. The field level detail will be specified in the Columns tab.

    The Custom Payroll Export General Tab
    • Check Include column headers if the first row of data contains headers.
    • TIP: Most payroll applications that import delimited files (such as comma, tab, or special character delimiters) can include column headers and will ignore the first row. This allows you to preview the file with the label for each field identified in the first row before importing the file into your payroll application. You can preview the generated file in a spreadsheet application (for delimited files) or word processing application (for fixed length files).

    • The Line Terminator defines the end of a row (line) of data in the file. The CR/LF (Carriage return/Line Feed) is the most common as it is used by Microsoft Operating Systems by default. If you are unsure, select your operating system (Windows, Macintosh, or Unix).
    • A Field Delimiter separates each piece of data in the file. A CSV (Comma Separated Value) file uses a comma. A tab separated file uses a tab. A fixed length file does not use a Field Delimiter.
    • The Text Wrapper indicates the type of quotations, if any, to use for identifying text output.
    • If the file includes dates, select the Date Format to use.
    • If the file includes times, select the Time Format to use.
    • The File extension defines the file type and may associate the generated file with an application. A Comma Separated Value file’s extension is "CSV." A fixed length file is generally “txt.” If your payroll application does not specify the file extension, use “CSV” for files using a Field Delimiter of a comma (,) and “TXT” for any other file type.


    The Pay Codes Tab



    The Pay Codes tab associates each type of earnings or pay with a specific name or code for identification in your payroll application.

    EXAMPLE: In the screen shot above, standardtime hours will be designated with code 1, overtime with code 2, and so forth. In that way, all hours can be included in a single column with a specific code (or name, such as "Hourly" and "Overtime") identifier.

    NOTE: The Landon Payroll Application file requirements from example A separate each pay type into its own column. Therefore, the pay codes will not be used.


    The Preamble Tab



    The Preamble tab defines file heading rows that include summary data about the file. Unless preamble records are specified in the file layout requirements provided by your payroll application, leave the default value of “Do Not Use”.

    NOTE: Most payroll applications do not require a preamble.


    The Columns tab



    The Columns tab defines the number of columns, the format for each column, and the data contained in each.

    The Custom Payroll Export General Tab

    • The Number of Columns defines the number of data fields included in the export.
    • If you wish to add more blank columns:

      • Enter the new Number of Columns.
      • Click on Save Settings.
      • Edit your preset again and the new columns will be available.
      EXAMPLE: The default preset selected includes 6 columns. The payroll file layout requires 3 additional fields at the end. Therefore, adjust the "Number of Columns" to 9, "Save Settings," and edit your preset again.

      If you wish to delete an existing column:

      • Enter the column number(s) in the the Delete Column(s) field.
      • Click on Save Settings.
      • Edit your preset again and the columns will be deleted.
      NOTE: You do not need to adjust the # of columns as TimeIPS will automatically adjust them based on the duplicated/deleted columns entered.

      If you wish to move a column:

      • Click and hold on the drag and drop icon    .

      • Now drag the column to where you want it to show up in the custom export.

      • Release your mouse button.
      or

      • Click on the move icon   .

      • This will move the column up one spot or down one spot depending on the direction of the arrow.

      If you wish to insert a single blank column:

      • Click and hold on the drag and drop icon    .

      • This will insert a new column directly below the column you chose the icon from .

      If you wish to duplicate a single column:

      • Click on the duplicate icon    .

      • This will duplicate the column directly below the column you chose the icon from .

    • The Header defines the name of the column. If "Include Column Headers" is checked on the General tab, the first row of the generated file will contain Column Headers, otherwise, the first row will be the first data record/row.
    • Pad Character defines the character to use in order to pad fixed length fields. Generally, fields are padded with a “0” or a space. For space padding, type a space in the Pad Character field.
    • Length defines the maximum length of a field. Fixed length fields will be truncated or padded to the defined Length. Delimited fields will be truncated to the Length.
    • Align defines how data is aligned in a fixed length field.
    • EXAMPLE: The Employee name “Thomas-Jones, Michael Anthony” will be output based on the column settings as indicated in the table below. Do note that text fields are generally padded with spaces. "x" is used in this example to provide a better visual explanation of the available settings:
      Length Pad Align Output
      20 x Left Thomas-Jones, Michae
      20 x Right nes, Michael Anthony
      40 x Left Thomas-Jones, Michael Anthonyxxxxxxxxxxx
      40 x Right xxxxxxxxxxxThomas-Jones, Michael Anthony

    • The Data field defines the contents of the column – the TimeIPS field to output in this column.
    • The Default data will be used if the selected "Data" field is blank.

    • EXAMPLE: Job Code is mapped into a column. If employee’s do not specific a job code when clocking in, their time should be billed to the job code 1511. The "Data" field should be mapped to the "Job Code" and the "Default" should be "1511."

    • If Total is checked, the data will be summarized for each record of matching information.

    • EXAMPLE: Below is the column data for a file without totals:
      Record # Employee Name Date Job Code Reg Hrs O/T Hrs
      1 Jones Mark 2007-06-04 84005 3 0
      2 Jones Mark 2007-06-04 84005 1 0
      3 Jones Mark 2007-06-04 37121 4 0
      4 Jones Mark 2007-06-05 84005 3.5 .5

      EXAMPLE: Below is the same column data for a file with Total selected for the Reg Hrs field. Note that the Regular hours were totaled from the first and second records because the employee name, date, and job code were the same. The third row was not totaled because the job code was unique, and the fourth record was not totaled because the date was unique.
      Record # Employee Name Date Job Code Reg Hrs O/T Hrs
      1 Jones, Mark 2007-06-04 84005 4 0
      3 Jones, Mark 2007-06-04 37121 4 0
      4 Jones, Mark 2007-06-05 84005 3.5 .5


    The Footer Tab



    • The Footer tab defines file footer rows that include summary data about the file. Unless Footer records are specified in the file layout requirements provided by your payroll application, leave the default value of “Do Not Use”.
    • NOTE: Most payroll applications do not require a footer.

    The Subtotals Tab



    • The Subtotals tab allows you to create subtotal in the custom pay export.
      • Type in the the number of subtotals you would like in the Number of Subtotal Triggers: field





    • The Subtotal Triggers defines what information will have a subtotal.
      • Trigger on changes in column is used to specify when each subtotal row should be inserted.
      • Summary Name* is inserted as a new column at the end of the subtotal row. You can use advance formatting or it can be any value you would like. ( Example: If you are subtotaling total hours worked for a pay period, you could call it Worked Time.)
      • Column tells you the name of the column in the custom payroll export.
      • Mode allows you to choose a function for each column.
        • Sum sums the information in the column by the defined trigger.
        • Mean is the arithmetic average of a set of values,
        • Median is the number separating the higher half of a sample from the lower half.
        • Mode is the element that occurs most often.
        • Min is the minimum number in the range.
        • Max is the Maximum number in the range.
        • Count counts the number of values in a range.
        • Distinct counts the number of unique values in a range.
        • Format* allows you to us advance formating.


  5. Once your preset has been configured, click on Save Settings to save, or Cancel to exit without saving.
  6. (Optional) Enter a descriptive Comment to assist in differentiating past and future payroll runs.

    NOTE: If you decide not to calculate time for your payroll export at this time, click on "<-- Back to Step 1"
  7. Once you are ready to calculate payroll, click on the Continue to Step 3 --> button. TimeIPS will calculate your payroll and generate the custom export file based on the settings in the selected Preset.

  8. Once payroll has been calculated, your screen will refresh back to Step 1 and you will see your pending export at the bottom of the screen. Click on Mark Paid to examine your export file and/or to export the file into your payroll application.


  9. NOTE: TimeIPS locks the selected payroll events from editing while the payroll is in Pending status. This prevents employees from adjusting time events that are being processed for payroll.

  10. Click on the file name link (custom-payroll-Jun-03-2007-1184357952.csv in the example below) to view the contents of the export in a spreadsheet application such as Excel or OpenOffice Calc. Once you have confirmed that the contents have exported correctly, click on Yes, the export was accepted to import the file into your payroll software, or click the <-- Cancel button to return to Step 1.


  11. NOTE: Once your transactions have been payrolled, TimeIPS will lock the time events from future edits.

  12. When your payroll has been successfully imported into your payroll software, the screen will refresh and you will see that the "Mark Paid" status has changed to Payrolled.

  13. NOTE: As you continue to export payroll, TimeIPS will maintain a list of all of your payroll exports. The latest export will always be at the top of this list.

    • To review the contents and settings of any payroll export, click on the corresponding link under "Export Comment". Your Payroll Export Details will be displayed.



    See Also:
    Payroll Export (TimeIPS Version 1.5) (1.5)
    Advanced Formatting for Custom Payroll (TimeIPS Version 1.5) (1.5, 1.6, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 1.11, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2)

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TimeIPS is protected by one or more patents. Patent No. US 7,114.684 B2.