What are Time File Imports?
Time File Imports allow organizations to import time and pay records into a payroll batch. They are commonly used when organizations are using a third-party time and attendance system and need to import their employee's time punches into Empeon Workforce. However, Time File Imports can also be used for other payroll data, such as importing bonus or commission amounts instead of manually entering them in Pay Entry.
Time File Imports can also be used to process retroactive adjustments for pay and deduction errors. For example, if a health insurance deduction was mistakenly applied to a large group of employees in a previous payroll, a Payroll Administrator can use a Time File Import in the current payroll to correct the error. By including the same Deduction Codes with negative amounts, the import will effectively reimburse employees for the incorrect deductions from the prior payroll.
Time File Imports offer a flexible solution for importing large volumes of pay records. Due to the customization involved, be sure to review the Import File requirements outlined in the next section.
Import File Requirements
All import files, whether exported from a third-party time and attendance system or created by a Payroll Administrator, must meet the following requirements:
- Only CSV files - All Time Files must be a comma-delimited (CSV) file. If using an Excel Workbook (XLSX), be sure to convert it to a CSV file format prior to importing.
- Numerical Values - Values of any kind must be entered as simple numbers. Make sure that the columns associated with values on the CSV spreadsheet is in General or Number format in Excel.
- Hours in Decimal Format - Any recorded hours on the time file must be entered in decimal format. For example, the value entered for an employee who worked 8 hours and 30 minutes should be "8.5".
- Minimum Required Fields - All Time Files must include the Employee Identifier, DET Code, and depending on the pay recording method, either the Hours and Rates associated with the Earning Code or the Amount.
- Time Stamps & Dates for Punches - When importing time punches, such as clock-in and clock-out times, it is important to include both the date and time stamp. If the date is not recorded and only the time stamp is provided, the system will automatically use the current date of the import as the date for each punch record. Additionally, time stamps must be recorded in military time using a digital clock format. See below:
- Pay Per Line - Empeon Workforce only supports import files where each pay entry is recorded on a separate line. Each line must include dedicated columns mapped to the corresponding data, such as DET Code, Hours, Rates, Amounts, and/or Cost Centers. Time File exports where Earning/Pay Codes that are separated by column are not supported.
For instructions on how to configure a Time File, please refer to Empeon's article Time File Import Configuration.
For instructions on how to import a Time File, please refer to Empeon's article Importing Time Files.