Question 1

Existing Timesheets and Statuses

Accepted Answer

DRAFT timesheet exists in Xero and will be OVERWRITTEN if uploaded

If a draft timesheet already exists in Xero, this message is displayed to warn you that it will be overwritten.

APPROVED timesheet exists in Xero. Revert Timesheet to Draft status

If an approved timesheet exists in Xero the options depend on which country you are using Xero in:

Australia:

New Zealand/United Kingdom:

revert the timesheets as above for Australia; or
update your user settings to allow updates to approved timesheets

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/Ca3N0OCTQn/approved%20option.png (approved option)

Employee timesheet exists in Xero

If allowing your employees to enter their own timesheets through the Xero app it is not possible to update them when they are in a Requested or Rejected status. To resolve this you must either revert the timesheet to Draft in Xero or delete it from Xero before you will be able to upload it.

PROCESSED timesheet exists in Xero

A timesheet approved timesheet is on a posted pay run, then it is not possible to update it without first reverting the pay run to draft and then performing the steps for Approved timesheets above.

Question 2

Payroll Setup is Incomplete

Accepted Answer

In order to use Xero Payroll, you must set it up correctly. If the setup is incomplete, UpSheets will ask you to check your payroll settings and retry.

Check your Xero User

If you have updated the Xero user who was originally used to connect UpSheets, this may be the cause. If the user has changed permissions or details it may be necessary to try and reconnect to Xero again to refresh the connection. This must be done with a Xero user with Payroll/Projects access -Click here for instructions

If Using a Xero Demo Org

The most common scenario in which this occurs is when a new demo organisation is used. Payroll setup is complete, except for the final step of viewing the overview page. Xero has made this mandatory before you can use Payroll.

To resolve it - simply navigate to the Payroll> Overview page and wait for it to load and reconnect your organisation (or login to UpSheets again).

Payroll Setup Nav

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/UXDk1oB2VQ/setup1.png (Payroll Setup Nav)

Question 3

File Formats for Combined Timesheets, Leave and Adjustments in a single file (Australia)

Accepted Answer

UpSheets allows you to upload multiple different transaction types in a single file, so long as all of the required fields are included.

For more information on individual file formats see File Formats for Timesheets, Leave and Adjustments (Australia)

NOTE: All columns must be included in the file, even if their values are left blank. This is required to keep formats consistent and allow UpSheets to determine the type of transaction being uploaded automatically.

PLEASE NOTE - IN ALL OF THE EXAMPLES, YOU MAY USE A SINGLE 'FULL_NAME' FIELD INSTEAD OF 'FIRST_NAME/LAST_NAME'

Timesheet, Leave and Adjustment file Format - Combined

(Download Sample)

Timesheet and Adjustment file Format - Combined

(Download Sample)

Timesheet and Leave file Format - Combined

(Download Sample)

Leave and Adjustment file Format - Combined

(Download Sample)

PLEASE NOTE - IN ALL OF THE EXAMPLES, YOU MAY USE A SINGLE 'FULL_NAME' FIELD INSTEAD OF 'FIRST_NAME/LAST_NAME'

You may optionally provide a Start Time and End Time column instead of the Hours column

Question 4

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 5

Removing Breaks from Smart Formulas

Accepted Answer

Break Types

In addition to calculating hours from start and end times, Smart Formulas can also be configured to remove breaks automatically.

In order to remove breaks, a type column must be provided in the data that indicates which lines are treated as breaks.

By entering values in the Break Types field, Smart formulas will then remove breaks from any lines that include them (or part of the break). This includes hour based allowances, minimum engagement and start/end based shifts.

Setup

Break Types can have multiple values separated by a comma. Values are not case sensitive, so break will also match BREAK or Break, etc

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/A88tOcW4QP/break_types.png (break_types)

Importing Data

In order to calculate breaks, the data imported must include a column that can be mapped to Type that will be used to map breaks. The column does not require values for non break columns, but it does for breaks.

Example File:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/Nn0GgrmqaR/sample%20break%20file.png (sample break file)

Import File:

When importing the file, ensure the Type* column is mapped

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/QUqsNT0mBf/map%20break%20type.png (map break type)

Breaks are calculated and shown in the validated data:

Question 6

File Formats for Timesheets, Leave and Adjustments (NZ & UK)

Accepted Answer

Overview

UpSheets allows you to upload the following transactions to Xero:

Timesheets
Leave (Approved)
Adjustments (Payslips) NZ Only - not Available in UK
- Earnings
- Reimbursements
- Deductions
- Leave Accruals

Please note Adjustments/Payslips are not available for United Kingdom Xero organisations

File 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/all of the supported transaction types in the same file. You just need to provide correct data in appropriate columns and select them when uploading. See File Formats for Combined Timesheets, Leave and Adjustments in a Single File (NZ & UK) for examples.

Selecting Options

After connecting to Xero, select the appropriate options on the Import CSV File screen:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/Cy2IwNTK8g/9.png (9.png)

Notes on file formats

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.

PLEASE NOTE - IN ALL OF THE EXAMPLES, YOU MAY USE A SINGLE 'FULL_NAME' FIELD INSTEAD OF 'FIRST_NAME/LAST_NAME'

Timesheets

(Download Sample)

Leave

(Download Sample)

Adjustments

(Download Sample)

Rate and Hours for Adjustment Types

The fields values that required in an upload file depend on the type of adjustment being uploaded as described in the table below.

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

For example, the Hours column is required even when loading 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.

PLEASE NOTE - IN ALL OF THE EXAMPLES, YOU MAY USE A SINGLE 'FULL_NAME' FIELD INSTEAD OF 'FIRST_NAME/LAST_NAME'

You may optionally provide a Start Time and End Time column instead of the Hours column

For information on saving spreadsheets as CSV files see here

Question 7

Update Employee Earnings Rates from CSV File

Accepted Answer

Overview

A CSV file can be used to bulk update Ordinary Earnings Rates for Employees. This is useful for situations where you may be updating the base rates for multiple employees after an annual pay review or similar.

This functionality is currently only available for :

This function only updates the ordinary earnings rate for the employee and does not change any other settings (such as the number of hours or calculation type)

File Format

The file format required can contain any number of columns, but it must contain the following with the header row:

If the file has multiple columns for first_name, last_name they can be easily combined using a formula in Excel such as =CONCAT(A2," ",B2)

Download a sample file

Updating

The process works as follows:

Select the file and click Validate File.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/4gmeAow8Vn/update_er_file.png (update_er_file)

The validation results are displayed. If there are any errors, these records will not be loaded. To resolve them, update the file and repeat step 1.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/j0x2GOjMS3/resources/yvHKy6mX3G/update_er_validated.png (update_er_validated)

Once all records are validated OK, click Update Earnings Rates to update Xero.

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

Question 8

Can I upload an Excel or Google Sheets spreadsheet?

Accepted Answer

UpSheets can import CSV (Comma Separated Values) files only. Any file you can create or edit using common spreadsheet software can usually be saved in CSV format in just a few clicks.

To save a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet as CSV:

Choose File> Save As> Format: Comma Separated Values(.csv).
Enter a filename and Save the file.

To save a Google Sheets spreadsheet as CSV:

Choose File> Download as> Comma-separated Values(.csv, current sheet).
The file will be downloaded (named after file/sheet name ending in .csv).

The files can then be imported and uploaded to Xero by UpSheets.