File Formats for Timesheets, Leave and Payslips (Australia)

Overview

UpSheets allows you to upload the following transactions to Xero:

Timesheets
Leave (Approved)
Payslips
- Earnings
- Reimbursements
- Deductions
- Leave Accruals

Alternative Formats

This document describes the requirements with a single row for each employee/date/type/hours. A common alternative format contains multiple columns for each type (pay item/earnings rate). These can be imported directly by configuring your pay items.

You may include any or all of the supported transaction types in the same file. Provide correct data in the appropriate columns and select them when uploading. See File Formats for Combined Timesheets, Leave and Payslips in a single file (Australia) for examples.

Selecting Options

After connecting to Xero, select the appropriate options on the Import screen.

Notes on file format

Clicking the Download Sample button on the Import screen will download a file with your Xero data in it and is the easiest way to get started.
A header row is not required, but it will save you time as UpSheets matches the headings automatically where possible and saves you from selecting them individually.
The order of the columns in your file does not matter.
Extra columns will be ignored, but it is faster if they are removed.

Full name field

In all of the examples, you may use a single full_name column instead of first_name and last_name.

Timesheets

(Download Sample)

Heading	Description	Format	Notes
first_name	The first name of the employee.	Text	Required
last_name	The last name of the employee.	Text	Required
date	The date the employee worked.	Date	Required
hours	The number of hours the employee worked.	Number (max 2DP)	Required – you may optionally provide a Start Time and End Time column instead
type	The Earnings Rate for the hours worked. Must match the text of the Earnings Rate in Xero.	Text	Optional; if not in the file, a default or the employee default must be selected at import or by using multiple pay items.
tracking_code	The Tracking Code for the hours worked. Must match the text of the Tracking Code in Xero.	Text	Optional; if not in the file, a default must be selected at import.

Leave

(Download Sample)

Heading	Description	Format	Notes
first_name	The first name of the employee.	Text	Required
last_name	The last name of the employee.	Text	Required
date	The date the leave started.	Date	Required
end_date	The date the leave ended.	Date	Required
hours	The number of hours leave for the employee.	Number (max 2DP)	Required. You may optionally provide a Start Time and End Time column instead
type	The type of leave taken. Must match the text of the Leave Type in Xero.	Text	Required (or use multiple pay items).
description	A description of the leave taken.	Text	Required

Payslips

(Download Sample)

Heading	Description	Format	Notes
first_name	The first name of the employee.	Text	Required
last_name	The last name of the employee.	Text	Required
date	The transaction date. The specific date is not assigned in Xero, but it is used to allocate it to the correct period.	Date	Required
hours	The number of hours for the payslip.	Number (max 2DP)	Required – see below. You may optionally provide a Start Time and End Time column instead
type	The type of pay item. Must match the text of an active Pay Item defined in Xero.	Text	Required
calculation_type	The method used to calculate the total amount of the transaction.	Text	Required – see below
rate	The amount or rate of the transaction. The calculation type determines how this is used.	Number (max 2DP)	Required – see below
hours	The number of hours for the transaction. The calculation type determines how this is used.	Number (max 2DP)	Required – see below
description	A description of the reimbursement that will appear on the payslip. Used for reimbursements only.	Text	Optional

Calculation type, rate and hours for payslip types

The field values required in an upload file depend on the type of pay item being uploaded as described in the table below.

All pay item types use the same file format and ALL fields must be included in the file, even if left blank. This enables you to upload multiple pay item types in a single file and process them at once.

For example, the Hours column is required even when uploading a deduction or reimbursement but the value should be left blank as per the table below. Likewise, Earnings still require the Calculation Type column, even though the value would be left blank.

Type	Calculation Type	Rate	Hours
DEDUCTION	PRETAX	The percentage of Pre Tax earnings to be deducted. Value must be between 0 – 100	Leave blank
	POSTTAX	The percentage of Post Tax earnings to be deducted. Note: This will cause an upload to fail if used with a type that reduces super or tax liability. Value must be between 0 – 100	Leave blank
	FIXEDAMOUNT	The total amount to be deducted in dollars. Value must be greater than 0	Leave blank
REIMBURSEMENT	FIXEDAMOUNT	The total amount to be reimbursed in dollars	Leave blank
EARNINGS	LEAVE BLANK – The Calculation Type uses the Pay Item Type defined in Xero and does not require a value in the upload file.
	For types of Fixed Amount	The total amount in dollars	Leave blank
	For types of Rate per Unit OR Multiple	The rate per unit earnings OR LEAVE BLANK if a Rate Per Unit value is set in Xero.	The number of units worked
LEAVE ACCRUAL	FIXEDHOURS	Leave blank	The number of hours to be accrued.
	AUTO – The calculation will be made by Xero automatically based on payslip/employee data	Leave blank	Leave blank

Full name and Start/End Time options

In all of the examples, you may use a single full_name column instead of first_name and last_name. You may optionally provide a Start Time and End Time column instead of a single Hours column.

For information on saving spreadsheets as CSV files, see here.