Question 1

Uploading multiple timesheets for the same employee / date / earnings rate / tracking code?

Accepted Answer

Duplicate Timesheet Lines

A timesheet line is considered a duplicate if it has the same Employee, Date and Earnings Rate (and optionally Tracking Code) as another line in your upload file.

How these lines are treated when uploading depends on the option selected in your user settings.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/7pjhViYKvc/dupes_option.png (dupes_option)

When this setting is changed it will apply immediately to the next performed by your user.

Each option is described in detail below:

First Line Only (Default Behaviour)

Each row in your upload file should be unique between the employee, date and optionally earnings rate and tracking code if you are using them.

If you have a duplicate, the first row in the file will be uploaded, but the duplicate(s) will be marked as errors and ignored.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/1IRoIQw32J/first%20line.png (first line)

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/g12H4DOwUH/first_line%20timesheet.png (first_line timesheet)

Individual Lines

Each line in your file will be loaded even if there is a duplicate. You will end up with multiple rows for the same Earnings/Tracking Code for the employee.

For example, if there are two lines for John Smith on 1-Jan-2018 for 1 hour and 4 hours, two lines will be created in Xero for John Smith on 1-Jan-2018 for 1 hour and 4 hours.

You will receive a warning at validation to indicate the lines will be loaded individually.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/nS4HlBhXiB/individual.png (individual)

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/fLAwcJk2qi/individual%20timesheet.png (individual timesheet)

Summarise Lines

The total hours for all duplicate records will be calculated and uploaded as a single timesheet line in Xero.

For example, if there are two lines for John Smith on 1-Jan-2018 for 1 hour and 4 hours, a single line will be created in Xero for John Smith on 1-Jan-2018 for 5 hours.

You will still receive a warning to indicate the totals will be summarised.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/DPavF2CdLo/summarise.png (summarise)

Question 2

How do Earnings Rates / Types / Pay Items work in UpSheets?

Accepted Answer

UpSheets uses the Pay Items set up in Xero when uploading data so that Xero can determine the correct rate to use. This is generally contained in the Type field of your upload file.

If the Type in your file matches the name in Xero exactly, (e.g. 'Ordinary Hours', 'Overtime', etc) it will pass validation automatically. If not, a validation error will be given and you are given the option to edit it or create a mapping which will then automatically map the values going forward.

The following options may be used when importing a file into UpSheets:

Include the Type in your file. This requires a column to be present in your file containing the Type (it is recommended this column is named type so it is identified autmatically). If used, every line must have a valid value in this column.
Use the default Earnings Rate set for each Employee. This does not require a type column to be present in the file, but it does require all Employees to have a default Earnings Rate set for them in Xero.
Select a default Earnings Rate. This does not require a type column to be present in the file and will apply the selected Earnings Rate to all records. This does not require an Earnings Rate column to be present in the file or set up against your employees.
Use Smart Formulas Smart Formulas allow you to set rules to determine which Types should be used when. When used, a Type field is not required in your file, but rules must first be set up and start/end times are required - learn more.

Question 3

Connecting UpSheets and Xero

Accepted Answer

UpSheets requires a connection to Xero to validate and upload your data.

Connecting to a Xero Organisation

Clicking the Connect to Xero Button after logging in to Upsheets;
Clicking the Manage link and then clicking Add Organisation; or
Having an Administrator Add the Organisation to your user (see Adding/Removing Users from Your Xero Organisation).

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/PEtJZ0f67B/1.png (1.png)

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/dQo7G5tiE6/2.png (2.png)

After clicking Connect/Add Organisation you will be redirected to Xero where you will need to login and Allow access to an Organisation.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/yI0MLEMVGd/select%20xero%20org.png (select xero org)

You will then be redirected back to UpSheets

After connecting, you will see your connection status (also visible at the top right of each screen).

To manage your connection(s), you can click the Manage link at any time - see Managing your connection with Xero (and how to disconnect).

Question 4

Timesheet Date Formats

Accepted Answer

Dates can be imported to UpSheets in a number of formats. If there is an issue, you may see one of the following errors:

Invalid Date - Check your CSV file or try changing the date format checkbox on the Validate Data Page

If you see this error UpSheets has been unable to understand the provided date format. If your dates are in a US format (mm/dd/yyyy) you can select the US Date Format (m/d/y)? option on the validate screen.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/2OshXF9uFL/us_date_format.png (us_date_format)

End Date must be equal to or greater than Date

If the end_date is provided, it must be the same as or after the date field for each line. To resolve this, correct the end date in the file.

Date can not be before the employee start date

Data cannot be uploaded for a date earlier than the start date for the employee. To resolve this, either update the date in the file to be after the start date of the employee or alter the employee start date in Xero to be earlier than the date in the file.

Date must be on or after the current Draft Pay Run / Date must be on or after the Start Date of the current Pay Period

The date in your file must not be in the past, it must be after the start of the current draft pay run. If you need to load data for a prior period, this may be possible by creating an Unscheduled Pay Run in Xero. Because only one draft pay run can exist at a time for each calendar, the Unscheduled pay run will be treated as current and it will be possible to upload data for it.

The Timesheet period has not started yet

In NZ/UK data cannot be loaded until the pay period has started.

Date is after the current Draft Pay Run (Info Only)

This is a warning that the data being loaded is after the end of the current Draft Pay Run. This is for information only and will not prevent data being uploaded.

Date after the current Pay Period (Info Only)

This is a warning that the data being loaded is after the end of the current pay period. This is for information only and will not prevent data being uploaded.

Question 5

Adding/Removing Users from Your Xero Organisation

Accepted Answer

If you have added your Xero organisation via the Connect/Add Organisation, you are able to administer the access of other users.

Adding a User

To Add a User, click Manage, or select Organisations from the drop-down menu.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/ph7Pd6uWRM/15.png (15.png)

Click Manage on the Organisation you wish to manage.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/qo3cxPiXNB/17.png (17.png)

Select Add User, enter an email address and then click Add User.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/P7xuZXkm4C/18.png (18.png)

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/hkwbWMKka3/19.png (19.png)

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

Restricting User Access

User access can be restricted to specific employees along with the ability to create pay runs and approve timesheets - click here for more details.

Removing a User

To Remove a user, click the Remove button and click OK to confirm your choice. If you wish to add the user again, you can do so using the above process.

Question 6

Uploading files with multiple columns with hours and earnings rates

Accepted Answer

Background

In order to upload data to Xero using multiple earnings rates, the upload file must have a different line for each one. Sometimes the data extracted from another system will have a column for each type, rather than multiple rows.

We need data like this:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/mcdZFMTVhJ/row%20data.png (row data)

But data sometimes looks like this:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/Yqg5Yvad6Q/column%20data.png (column data)

Getting your data in the right format

There are a couple of options to get your data into a usable format:

Using Excel to transpose your Data

If you need any help with getting your data into shape contact us for some help or advice.

Question 7

Uploading Allowances to Payslips

Accepted Answer

This article is intended for Australian Xero users as the setup and features are specific to that region. NZ allowances can be uploaded as usual using Adjustments. UK users can not currently upload Adjustments until it is enabled by Xero (why?).

The way Allowances are uploaded using UpSheets depends on how they are set up as Pay Items in Xero.

Allowances can be uploaded to an employee payslips using the Adjustment option.

Allowances may also 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)

There is no right or wrong way - it depends what makes sense for your business/process. If your pay items are defined in a way to use Timesheets and you don't currently upload payslip Adjustments, then it is likely to be easier to upload them as timesheet.

Pay Item Setup

Below are the various ways Allowance Pay items can be set up in Xero:

Download a sample CSV file

Fixed Amount

A fixed allowance allows you to upload a fixed dollar amount to the payslip for an employee.The upload file must contain the following columns/values:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/WcCu1A8nX7/payItem1.png (Fixed Amount Allowance Setup)

Rate per Unit

A rate per unit allowance allows you to upload a rate and a unit to the payslip for an employee.The upload file must contain the following columns/values:

Rate Per Unit Allowance Setup

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/kILL7ZuFaF/payItem2.png (Rate Per Unit Allowance Setup)

Rate per Unit (Preset)

A rate per unit allowance allows you to upload the number of units to the payslip for an employee when the rate is set against the Pay Item in Xero.The upload file must contain the following columns/values:

Rate Per Unit Preset Allowance Setup

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/qEcFmL8JA6/payItem3.png (Rate Per Unit Preset Allowance Setup)

Multiple

Multiple Allowances allow you to upload the number of units that are a multiple of the ordinary earnings rate for each employee. These must be uploaded as timesheet lines or a validation will likely occur on the payslip adjustment upload.

Multiple Preset Allowance Setup

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/HeYmhhnPpO/payItem4.png (Multiple Preset Allowance Setup)

Upload/Validation

The Adjustment option is required to upload to a payslip and the payslip must already exist

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/ij2xafWfG6/Adjustment1.png (Adjustment1)

When validated, the above formats will appear as below:

Validated

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/Ctkmg9u8g9/Validated.png (Validated)

Payslip

Upon upload to the payslip in Xero, the adjustments will appear as below:

Question 8

Overwriting Existing Xero Payslip Adjustments

Accepted Answer

Default Behaviour

The default behaviour when uploading payslip adjustments to Xero is to overwrite all existing adjustments on the payslip, so whatever you load will be all that exists for any given category (other than earnings created from timesheets and system generated lines such as tax).

For example, if you are uploading earnings, then any existing earnings will be overwritten, but the remainder of the payslip remains. So if you load 'Ordinary Hours' you will also overwrite any 'Overtime Hours' or 'Allowances' etc that aren't loaded via an approved timesheet.

For example - loading an Ordinary Hours line (10 Hours x $100)
Payslip Before

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/sfSLSr3HJ6/adj_before.png (adj_before)

Payslip After

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/jRfYQXq5A1/adj_default.png (adj_default)

Alternative Behaviour

It is possible to modify this in your user settings so that only the specific types you are uploading will be overwritten. To do so, select the option below and revalidate your file:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/AnA8dKFAip/Dont%20Overwrite%20Payslip%20Setting.png (Dont Overwrite Payslip Setting)

By changing this setting, if you load 'Ordinary Hours' you will only overwrite existing 'Ordinary Hours', not any 'Overtime Hours' or 'Allowances' etc (or any other categories such as reimbursements deductions etc).

For example - loading an Ordinary Hours line (10 Hours x $100)

Payslip Before

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/sfSLSr3HJ6/adj_before.png (adj_before)

Payslip After