The purpose of this document is to provide a foundation for discussion, decisions, and definition of your system during the Discovery Sessions. This document defines the current Payroll business practices of the Client along with ideas for the forthcoming implementation. Please complete this to the best of your ability. If a question does not apply to the Client mark that question as N/A (Not Applicable). If you can’t get an answer for a question, mark that question as N/R (Needs Researching). If the question has already been answered through the Client’s internal business process review, please refer to that document. Provide a due date for submission.
Responding Contact
Department
Question and Answers
Payroll Data In Legacy
1. What is your current payroll system?
2. How many years’ worth of payroll data is there in your current system?
a.) How many employees?
b.) How many pay periods worth?
3. Do you process payroll for both active employees and retirees? If so, are they processed in their own company?
4. How many companies, departments, locations, work/tax locations, company City /County /local taxes are currently processed. Please list in detail.
5. How clean is the legacy database? Is there duplicate payroll data, inactive payroll data, etc?
6. Provide a file layout of the legacy database(s) with field names, formats and sizes.
7. Please provide lists/query reports of the following data that you have in your current system:
a.) Active earnings codes/pay codes
b.) Deduction codes/ids
8. How much history of payroll data, would the Clients need to retain in Peoplesoft? Can the data be archived as flat files and accessed by queries?
9. How do you group your employees for payroll? Are pay groups utilized for processing the payroll? Please describe all groups and any eligibility requirements for an employee to be in that group.
10. How are contract and temporary employees paid? Please describe in detail.
11. Do you have employees whose pay workdays are not equal to pay periods? An example might be true contract pay employees?
12. Do you group earnings codes so that only certain earnings are available to certain groups of employees? Please describe in detail any groupings.
13. How do you accumulate earnings or deductions for other processing?
a.) Do you have special accumulators for determining 457 earnings? Please list all special accumulators and the earnings / deductions that affect the accumulator.
b.) Do you have special pay processing/accumulators for Retirement, 403 (b), 415 etc?
14. How many different check and advice forms are currently being used? Please describe or attach a voided sample. Indicate if the form is pre-printed.
15. How many shifts are currently processed in the system? Please attach any shift schedules and explain in detail.
16. Are any tables shared between the legacy payroll systems?
17. Are payroll changes audited? If yes, explain the process.
18. Please provide copies of current procedures, process flows, forms, and system manuals.
Payroll Administration & Processing
1. Who has overall responsibility for managing the payroll process?
2. What are your pay frequencies?
3. Please describe your pay period begin and end dates for each pay frequency.
4. How are your Check Dates relative to your Pay Period End dates?
5. What is your current payroll processing schedule?
a.) Time entry cut off?
b.) Payroll processed?
c.) Checks printed?
d.) Checks distributed?
6. How many employees are:
a.) Post-paid?
b.) Paid in advance?
c.) Current paid?
7. How far in advance do you build your pay calendars?
8. How are pay-sheets created and calculated? Does payroll launch these processes online? Are they automatically launched through batch processes? If the latter – what batch process scheduler do you use?
9. Do you create off-cycle or manual checks for ad hoc payments? How many on average would be produced in a pay period? What is the manual check process?
10. How many banks and accounts are used to process payroll checks and payroll related payments?
11. Is direct deposit offered for payroll checks to all employees? If so, is prenotification required and how many days does it take for the bank to pre-note?
12. How are direct deposits transmitted, (flat file, software, internet)?
13. Is there a limit to the number of direct deposits per employee?
14. May an employee participate in direct deposit and also receive some of their pay in a physical check?
15. How are checks and advices distributed to employees?
a.) By work location?
b.) By department?
16. Provide a list of paid holidays offered to the employees. Are any employees offered a different holiday schedule? Who determines the holidays? How are they published?
17. Please explain in detail holiday pay processing for all employees.
18. Are all employees – both full and part-time employees – eligible for all holidays?
19. Are floating holidays provided to the employees? How are floating holidays assigned? Are all employees both full and part-time eligible for floating holidays?
20. Are savings bonds available to employees through payroll deductions?
a.) Can employees purchase more than one bond per pay period?
b.) Can employees deduct for different bonds by pay period?
c.) Where are the savings bond balances maintained?
d.) What form of transmittal is used to process savings bonds?
21. Do all payrolls contain both salaried and hourly employees?
22. How are exempt employees maintained?
23. Describe your time collection process for the following types of employees:
a.) Salaried exempt
b.) Exception hourly
c.) Hourly non-exempt
d.) Contractual
e.) Other
24. Do hourly employees report time on a daily basis or do they summarize their time?
25. Describe the approval process for timesheets.
26. How are final checks processed? Are they part of the current payroll cycle or are they processed manually? Describe the process.
27. How do your current systems interface with your bank?
28. Describe your check reconciliation processes.
29. How does the Payroll system interact with Human Resources and Benefits?
30. Do the systems currently share information? Is there duplication of data because the systems do not share data?
31. What third party systems does the current Payroll system interface with? (Savings Bonds, retirement funds, outsourced benefits, etc) Is the data to other systems inbound or outbound?
32. Are payroll vendors paid from the payroll system or Accounts Payable?
33. Describe your check printing process.
34. Describe your check reprint process.
35. Describe your paycheck reversal/adjustment process.
36. How are garnishments, child support, court orders, etc, processed? How are garnishments paid? Please describe in detail the garnishment process.
37. Are company fees deducted for employee garnishments?
38. Please provide a list of all garnishment vendors.
39. How are balances tracked, reconciled, maintained and adjusted? Please explain with reference to:
a.) Earnings Balances
b.) Check Balances
c.) Deduction Balances
d.) Tax Balances
e.) Garnishment Balances
f.) Accumulator Balances
40. Is there a need of balances other than calendar year?
41. Do you adhere to FLSA rules? If so, which earnings are included as:
a.) Regular
b.) Overtime
c.) Excluded from FLSA calculation?
Earnings and Deductions Processing
1. Are all earnings eligible for Retro Pay processing? If not, please list what earnings are not eligible.
2. How is Retro Pay determined? What is the process to pay?
3. Are all earnings subject to the same tax methods such as annualized or do you have some earnings that are based on supplemental tax rates?
4. Are there any earnings that are considered memo earnings that are calculated but not paid to the employee such as vehicle valuations?
5. Are all earnings subject to Federal Withholding, FICA, City /County Withholding, and Federal Unemployment Taxes? Please list all that are not subject.
6. What earnings, if any, require special calculations? Are there any earnings that are based off other earnings? Please explain the special calculations.
7. What earnings have an effect on leave accruals? Please list all earnings and describe in detail their effect on leave balances.
8. How do you handle sick payments (in house and third party)?
9. Describe the process flow for sick leave donations.
10. Describe your process for maintaining additional pay (recurring earnings)?
11. What is your process for balancing the additional pay (recurring earnings)?
12. Describe your process of handling one-time payments.
13. Are there any data entry issues that require timekeepers not to be able to select certain earnings?
14. What types of general (non-benefit) deductions do you have?
15. Do you allow partial deductions or arrears?
16. Are there times when only certain deductions are taken? Please describe your deduction schedule.
17. Describe your process of handling one time deduction overrides.
18. Are employer deductions taken at the same time the related employee deductions are taken?
19. Are medical/dental/LTD/Life Insurance deducted every pay period on the employer’s side?
20. Are there any deductions that are employer related only?
21. Are there any deductions that require any special calculations? If so, please provide the calculation requirements. For example, imputed income calculations for life insurance premiums and employer paid automobiles?
22. Describe the process for paying step up pay.
23. Does the City /County retain any percentages on fees?
Payroll and Human Resources Data
1. Are employees assigned a job code?
2. Are employees assigned to a position? Is the position within a job code?
3. Provide compensation rate tables. Discuss when these rates will change in the future. Do union contracts determine future pay rates?
4. How do you handle pay rate changes in the middle of a pay period? Do you use proration? If so, how is it calculated?
5. Are gross-up paychecks processed in the current legacy payroll system?
6. Do you have a process to calculate “what if” scenarios? Please describe the process in detail.
7. How often do you pay bonuses? Pay Rise? Who processes these payments? HR or Payroll? How is information fed to Payroll?
Accounting
1. Please describe in detail your current General Ledger interface process.
2. What determines your posting period, check or period end date?
3. Describe your payroll accrual process?
Tax Administration
1. In what City /County s and localities does your organization pay taxes?
2. Are City /County and private disability plans being used in the current system?
3. Do you have self-funded alternatives to City /County Unemployment Insurance and City /County Disability Insurance? Do you offer a Voluntary Disability Insurance plan?
4. Are fiscal and calendar year to date tax totals required?
5. Are any tax reciprocities being used in the current payroll system?
6. Do you have special requirements for Taxable Gross Definitions, where taxability for specific earnings and deduction codes are treated differently for the City /County and local level?
7. Provide the City /County and local tax formulas that are used in the current legacy payroll system. Is marital status used in determining City /County tax?
8. Does the current payroll system offer employees additional tax withholding amounts? Federal, City /County and local taxes?
9. Do any employees work in multiple City /County s? Describe how taxes are withheld for the employee.
10. How are new hires W-4 information entered into the system? How is this information maintained? What is the process to change W-4 information?
11. Do you produce W-2 and W-2c’s internally or is this function outsourced? Please describe in detail the W-2 and the W-2c process.
12. Are non W-2 personnel paid through the payroll system?
13. Do you file local, City /County and federal taxes? Are tax payments made internally or externally? What is the quarterly process? What is the yearly process? Please describe each in detail.
Payroll Reports and Inquiries
1. List and provide samples of the reports generated from the payroll system
2. What other reports do IT or other departments produce for payroll?
3. What on-line inquires are presently used?
4. Are there additional informational requirements not being currently met?
5. What are the current interfaces into your payroll systems in addition to those listed previously? Out of your payroll systems? Please list in detail.
6. What would you like to eliminate and/or change in the current Payroll process? Please be specific.
Policies and Procedures
Please provide any policies and procedure manuals and desk references currently being used by the Payroll Department.
Labor and Employee Relations
1. Define the following:
Number of bargaining units.
Number of unions.
Length of contracts and contract end dates
2. Describe how the Client tracks disciplinary offenses in the current HR system.
3. Define any and all disciplinary offenses.
4. Define the steps taken during the disciplinary action process.
5. Define any and all workforce grievances that are part of the current process.
6. Where are employee grievances maintained?
7. Define the standard course of action / steps to follow for each grievance. Training and Licensing
1. Where are the client’s training courses, programs and licensing currently maintained?
2. Are training classes offered by the Client?
• How many courses are currently being offered?
• Please provide a listing of codes.
3. Are instructors also employees?
4. Is the Client using vendors for training?
5. Please define all the programs currently offered.
6. How is the training program budgeted?
7. How are training costs tracked?
8. How are the training programs offered to employees?
9. Define the criteria needed for an employee to attend training. Workforce Development
1. Where are employees’ competencies and accomplishments tracked?
2. Define the employee review process.
3. Define the competencies that are currently maintained.
4. Define the accomplishments that are currently maintained.
5. Define the guidelines for evaluating competencies and accomplishments.
6. Does the Client use any type of alpha or numeric codes in ranking an employee’s competency? (If so, please define any and all codes) Reports/Inquiries
Please define in detail the reports produced for the following:
• HR
• Position Management
• Compensation
• Labor and Employee Relations
• Training and Licensing process
• Workforce Development
• Please define any reports that may be generated that were not addressed above.
Interfaces
Please define the interfaces used for the following:
• HR
• Position Management
• Compensation
• Labor and Employee Relations
• Training and Licensing process
• Workforce Development
• Please define any reports that may be generated that were not addressed above. Elimination / Changes
1. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current HR process?
2. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current Position Management process?
3. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current Compensation process?
4. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current Labor and Employee Relations process?
5. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current Recruitment and Applicant Tracking process?
6. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current Training and Licensing process?
7. What would you like to eliminate and/or change within the current Workforce Development process?
Policies and Procedures
Please provide any policies and procedure manuals and desk references currently being used by the HR department.
Question and Answers Workforce Administration
1. Describe the organizational structure for the organization for which you are working. The fundamental organizational structure will help determine the Business Units, SetID’s, Depatments, and other configuration fundamentals.
2. How are departments defined? Are they currently identified in a system with codes? If so, can the client provide a list of codes and descriptions. Is this something that could be configured in a new way to optimize the system foundation?
3. How many Employer Identification Numbers are used throughout the Organization? Are they Automatically generated?
4. Define your current HRMS system (s): How Many? Based on what Operating System? Relational or Legacy?
5. Describe a work location as defined by the organization.
• Provide the number of work locations throughout the organization.
• Provide a list of all the work locations throughout the Organization.
6. Define the following employee types and the number of employees in each type:
• Full-time employees.
• Part-time employees.
• Seasonal employees.
• Temporary employees.
• Non-employees.
• Contractors.
• Define any other employee types that were not previously referenced.
7. Describe the current process used throughout the organization to hire an employee. (Attach any manuals or reference procedures if applicable).
• If this process is administered differently for certain employees; (Please detail the process and the employee group / type as defined in the above question).
8. Describe how employees are identified within your current HR system. (By social security number, assigned employee id).
• If by employee id, is this number system generated?
• Is this standard practice throughout the organization??
9. Describe the current process used throughout the Organization to terminate an employment?
• Is this standard practice throughout the organization?
10. Describe how employee changes are processed; e.g., pay rate changes, promotions, suspensions.
• Is this standard practice throughout the organization?
11. Describe how leaves of absences and returns are processed.
12. Describe in detail how other leaves are processed.
13. List and describe personnel actions available in the current system.
14. Describe the approval process for personnel actions.
Position Control
1. Describe how the organization identifies positions within the current HR system. (Numeric, alpha-numeric). Is the process centralized or decentralized?
2. Define the different statuses for a position. (Frozen, proposed and approved).
3. Are positions numbers re-used when the employee leaves or is a new position re-created?
4. Describe how positions are funded. (Is funding done at the department or position level).
5. Does the organization use commitment accounting?
6. Describe in detail as to how the organization currently organizes jobs?
7. Are Job Codes used throughout the organization?
8. Please attach or provide a list of all the Job Codes currently used.
9. Are all employees assigned a position?
10. Do you have multiple head count in a single job?
11. How does the organization currently use FTE’s?
12. Does the organization have multiple headcount in a given job/position?
13. Is job sharing currently practiced or allowed?
14. Do you have employees with multiple jobs?
15. Does the organization currently allow job sharing?
Compensation
1. Define your current salary plan structure.
2. Define the number of salary plans
3. Describe how salary plans are maintained.
4. Describe the process to create a new salary plan.
5. Define the different Salary Grades and Steps.
6. Describe how employees are moved to the next step within a salary plan.
7. Define the components that make up an employee’s salary.
8. Define the following employee types:
a. Number of hourly employees:
b. Number of salaried employee:
9. Define the percentage for each group.
10. Describe the criteria used for grouping employees.
11. Does the organization have contract pay?
12. Describe how contracts are defined?
13. Describe the varying frequencies and payment terms in detail.
14. Describe the process for any mass salary increase.
What are the questions you might ask when starting a 9.1 implementation for Core HR? Everyone has a questionaire stuffed away somewhere that was used in a former project. Some of us have several. In the next few posts, I will provide some of the initial questions I use when trying to get some high level information from my clients. Please feel free to comment and add your ideas as that is what makes this site valuable. Contributions that are longer than comments may be submitted for consideration. Though these questions are pertinent to a PeopleSoft Implementation, many could be used for other applications as well.
What might be some of the over arching questions that must be asked at the beginning of an implementation and what are some of the things you want your project team thinking about as they start on their adventure into implementation? Certainly a knowledge of the organizational structure is critical to understanding how the system might support the organization. Also, this is a time for looking hard at the organizational structure to envision where changes might make it more effective or integrated.
In terms of process your team members must have the ability to conceptualize and verbalize what they envision as the future state. Who will be doing what in the new process, what are the roles going to look like as the organization moves into the future? Where are the boundaries in the process? Is there a boundary between recruitment and workforce administration? Are they different systems which would require an interface? Where do processes begin and end?
What are the pre and post conditions? For example, after a termination there are actions that must be taken such as Cobra communication. This would be a post condition of the termination process.
Finally what are the business rules that must be followed in the process and are there any government regulations that will impact the way the process is implemented?
Wow, that seems like a lot of information and yet it is only a small part of the information that you must gather during project initiation.
What might be some Points of Discussion that you want your team to consider?
Investigate their pain points in the current process and how they might want to change that going forward? On every project there are pain points in the process such as dual data entry, manual processes, hand delivery rather than electronic. I am sure you can add to this list.
Are there points in the process that could be eliminated? Would automated workflow improve the efficiency of the process? If so, how and where would workflow be critical?
Are there manual processes that you would like to have supported by the system? Again, analyzing the process often uncovers areas that are still being especially where there are hand offs in the process or boundaries to cross.
Finally, what changes are most frightening in the organization? Uncover the areas of fear and trepidation and communicate the value of the new system. Enlist change agents to carry the positive message forward to the entire organization. Where are the pockets of resistance most apparent?
These are just a few of the overarching questions and concerns at the beginning of an implementation. In future blogs, discussion will center on the questions you might use in your initial questionaires.
The requirements are in place but often not well understood. The project is ready to go and it is necessary to gather information for the blueprint. Who has a template for a Blueprint? Seems they are all quite different and each application has many versions. There are Blueprint’s that are completed in Excel and those that become incredibly long, profuse documents. Personally, the excel works for me because it seems to be more efficient.
Gathering information for the Blueprint requires reviewing all the requirements. Just as you draw up blueprints for building a house, it is necessary to draw up blueprints for an implementation. Who will manage the project, who will design, build, and ensure requirements are being met? Much as you look at building construction with its myriad sub-contractors, you can translate that approach to building an implementation.
Questionnaires help to gather information to help understand what will be built, the timing and how the process will work at a high level. The implementation that is the 9.1 PeopleSoft implementation is using questionnaires for Core HR, Benefits/Ben Admin, Payroll, Time and Labor to establish some fundamental information that will be used not only in the blueprint, but also in the process as it is drilled down, the design, the build, the testing, the training and in the quality assurance to ensure the requirements are met.
Finding the questionnaires and adding information is much more difficult than a visit to google search. Questionnaires become specific to an organization where you are working. Is the project in a commercial, public sector, or education sector? Currently I am seeking a questionnaire template for Pension so any help that anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated. If you are in need of questionnaires, leave a comment and we can exchange some information.
Continuing to read the Cluetrain Manifesto and finding great insight into organizations. A big clue that is mentioned is that top down organizations are dysfunctional and counterproductive. Look at the organization you are working in and determine if it is an organization where communication is open or controlled. “Do not contact that person”, “don’t send that email”, “never call anyone that is higher in the food chain “….dysfunction at its finest. People throughout the organization top to bottom often have very valuable information and much more valuable than the “control freaks”. Remember too that listening is a very important communication tool as is assimilation.
Putting down the Cluetrain and listening to the morning news brought forth another enlightening concept. A camel is a horse that was developed by committee. Any team has to have a leader and if everyone is the leader you will have a beautiful Camel. This does not mean the leader has to be “Controlling” because that is NOT true leadership. They do have to lead the team in the direction of the results expected and provide guidance and direction while listening to suggestions. It is so easy to put together a group that goes off in every direction believing that each of them are the “in charge” person. If you are building a Camel…look around and find a leader, or be one!
W. Clement Stone said “Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.” Courage, truth, the right thing and living your life with integrity. Are we doing this in our business and professional lives as we struggle with a difficult market. Are you still as responsive to your clients? Are you still meeting obligations to employees or applicants with integrity?
Many consultants express frustration with sending resumes that seem to go into a black hole and they never get a response. It is important that recruiters understand that even with many, many applicants, it is important to respond to them whether the response is positive or negative.
Employers may have made promises they find impossible to keep when finances aren’t available to meet bonus or salary increases. Integrity is either meeting those obligations or communicating with the employees to ensure they remain confident in the integrity of the company executives. Often this is not the case and the employee is left wondering and waiting for promises to be kept. The longer they wait the less confidence they have in the company or executives and begin to look for other opportunities. Given the market conditions, it is still very costly to replace good employees who contribute to the success of a corporation.
Integrity involves honesty and trust. You must work together as a team and reward team members for their work. Do not reward manipulative behaviors or those individuals who are political in assuming credit. Finally, respect each other and always be honest with yourself. Do you meet obligations? Achieve results? Give credit to others? Meet commitments? Respond and communicate? You will find answers to Integrity in a down market in the answers to those questions. A friend on facebook wrote: “always check (and review) your motives and expectations. If they’re from love and caring, then it’s all good. If they’re from self-interest, it’ll blow up in your face…every time.” Be sure your motives are based on Integrity.
Federal Computer week outlined the Must-Have features for top-flight government websites. The six included:
1. Transparency
2. Collaboration
3. Searchability
4. Engagement
5. Archiving
6. Better Services
Some of the sites they recognized as being on target were Health and Human Services Department, Utah, and the U.S. Postal Service.
It is an article worth reading to use in vetting your website.
Let’s define the various groups the will make up the project. For example, how many functional teams will be used? What will the technical team look like? Who will be on the steering committee? This is a good time for an activity. Use an organization chart format and define what your project organization will look like. Think about the client and the consultant team members and the line of decision making or issue resolution.
Some of the other team members to consider would be:
·Operations
·HR
·Purchasing
·IS/IT
· Management
·Development
·Materials
·Quality
·Finance
·PMO
·Consulting Project Manager
·Consultants/Functional/Technical
Let’s consider some of the Roles and Responsibilities that may be identified for your team. Remember every client has different requirements for their particular industry. Consider each of these as you facilitate the workshop but don’t make assumptions that all will be included or necessary.
Divide your team into working groups and have them work on the following activity:
·Identify and document the key project roles that will participate in the implementation or upgrade for both the customer and consultant team.
·Annotate each role with a short functional description.
·Identify who has already been selected for the role.
How this activity works:
·Review the roles for the project and use as the standard roles that may be included in the methodology that is being used by your client. If the client doesn’t have a methodology, it is up to you to present some options.
·In defining project roles consider:
§What roles are actually needed for this project?
§What departments or units should supply the resources?
·Identify key users, or positions, that will not be on the project team but will be needed or will have significant responsibilities affecting the project. (Subject matter experts)
·Using the first-cut organization chart from the Project Organization activity make a chart of roles, which includes specific persons who will assume those roles and associated responsibilities.
Next we will define some roles and what responsibilities might be for those roles.
Planning is so critical for a project and what makes a project successful is in the way you approach the first few weeks. I have conducted these strategy and implementation workshops in a week but the work of the team goes well beyond that. The first few weeks, however, are what can determine success or failure for a project. So far we have discussed how important it is to get a project right the first time, the importance of scope, and organizational impact or change. Another important factor that needs to be addressed in the first week is how you will handle issues that arise during the project and what the process will be for resolving those issues.
If you are working with a standard implementation methodology there is probably a process for issue resolution. If not, develop a database, excel spreadsheet or similar method for tracking issues. It is important that you establish what an acceptable time frame is for resolution and what will be done if the issues are not resolved in a timely manner. What are the roles involved in the resolution process, who identifies, who assigns, who tracks, how high up in the organization will you have to go to find a solution, and finally who determines if an issue is closed.
Issues should be addressed on a weekly basis at meetings. If critical you might have a process in place to identify them on your project website, or even use twitter to get information out to your team in a timely fashion.
Of course, there is a deliverable that would be associated with this part of the workshop which would be a template for tracking issues.
So we have now addressed one more small part of what would happen in Day 2 of your implementation/upgrade workshop.
Looking forward to any additions you might provide via comments.
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