Managing Automated Allowances with Smart Formulas

Some awards have allowances that are applied automatically when a file is validated (minimum engagement, laundry allowances etc.)

When Assigning Smart Formulas

By default, any automated allowances are enabled when assigning a smart formula to employees.

To disable all automated allowances so that they are not created when validating a file, turn the Use Automatic Allowances switch off. This will set all such allowances being assigned to manual.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/0lvdTgAhOz/auto_allowance_setting.png (auto_allowance_setting)

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/VYNklaqoTk/auto_allowance_setting_off.png (auto_allowance_setting_off)

After Assigning Smart Formulas

After assigning smart formulas, Automated Allowances can optionally be enabled/disabled for each employee by selecting the award line, clicking Edit and editing Apply Automatically and clicking Update to save the changes.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/bHkCgudvwm/smart_formula_auto_allowance.png (smart_formula_auto_allowance)

Question 2

Missing Xero Smart Formulas

Accepted Answer

In order for Smart Formulas to be imported into UpSheets from Xero the pay item in Xero must:

Match the format described here;
Be assigned to the pay template of an active employee; and
Be valid for timesheets.

The easiest way to check if a pay item is valid for timesheets is to add a new timesheet in Xero (Payroll> Timesheets> Add Timesheet) and check that it is available in the dropdown.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/AmR1nN5Vqi/timesheet%20dropdown.png (timesheet dropdown)

If they are not visible it is usually because they are not active, or because they are set up as an allowance. Allowances may be uploaded as timesheets if they:

Have a Rate Type = Multiple; or
Have a Rate Type = Rate per unit and Type of units = hours
Have a Rate Type = Rate per unit and Type of units = The same time unit used for the Ordinary Earnings Type of the Employee (Days/Weeks etc)

See here for more information

Question 3

Multiple Adjustment Types/Earnings Rates in Xero with the same name

Accepted Answer

This error is shown if you have more than one Pay Item set up in Xero with the same name.

To resolve this, update the pay items (under Payroll Settings> Pay Items> Earnings) to either:

have a different name; or
make the duplicate items inactive so there is only a single active one that matches the file

Once your changes are saved in Xero, you can click Revalidate in UpSheets to validate your file and the error should no longer appear.