Ascentis Payroll News - Q3 2009

COMING SOON - Online Payroll Calendar Wizard

One of the primary enhancements with the release of Ascentis Payroll 3.0 is the addition of an online payroll calendar Wizard within the existing calendar feature. This new option will start being rolled out in September. This new Wizard will support the ability to schedule payroll events for the year and include information such as check dates, period begin and end dates, whether each payroll should include a time off accrual or not, and more.

Once the payroll events are scheduled in the online calendar, you should see an immediate benefit when processing payroll. Rather than entering that information every time you do payroll, you will be able to select the payroll from a drop down menu. Once the payroll is selected much of the information will then be filled in from the calendar.

You will retain the ability to process off-cycle payrolls for adjustments and such, even if they have not been previously scheduled in the online calendar.

With the use of the online payroll calendar, there is no further need to complete a paper calendar each year. Additional benefits include a calendar event list that will display on the main Employee screen and will remind you of upcoming events in the calendar. In addition, enabling the online calendar makes the payroll process more intuitive. The system will display warnings and reminders specifically related to the information - or “rules” - populated in the calendar.

If you have any questions, contact your client support representative.

COBRA Continuation Coverage Assistance - Under ARRA

New programs which enable you to utilize the COBRA subsidy were installed in the payroll system back in early June. The COBRA subsidy entries will be processed using a memo code for the amount of the credit for each eligible employee.

The credit may be entered with your regular payroll and used to offset the tax liabilities for that payroll, or you may save your credits and enter with the last payroll of the quarter. Please contact your client support representative regarding setting up a memo code, making applicable changes to your GL and getting started.

Save Time: Set Up an Import or Download Path

Do you download reports from Payroll? Do you import files to Payroll? Did you know you can set up a path for the system to take when locating your import files or locating the folder you want to save downloaded reports to? By setting up an import or download path, the system will automatically navigate to the correct location. This will save you a lot of time and mouse clicks.

To set up path preferences for both imports and downloads, go to Utilities and click on the Preferences button and then on the Paths tab. From there you will be able to setup a preferred path for both downloads and uploads.

Standard Report Spotlight: Filter on the Run Number

Did you know that each payroll has a unique number assigned to it? This unique number is called a “run number." Knowing run numbers can be helpful when writing custom reports through InstaWriter. By filtering on the run number you can run custom reports faster and more accurately.

To see the run numbers for your payrolls, run the standard report titled “List Update Run Numbers.” This report can be run from the main Reports screen under the Reference topic. When you select this report you will be prompted to enter the period begin date and end date for the payrolls you want to see run numbers for.

New Report Formatting Software

Ascentis Payroll has implemented new report formatting software. Changes include a more compact title bar and the absence of shading in the body of the report. This will reduce the amount of toner required to print reports.

The current page and total count-of-pages also appears in the upper left, and the typeface used in the body of the report is larger. Ascentis will be implementing further changes to bring the Acrobat PDF format in-line with the printed versions. We hope to have this released in the first half of 2010.

Payroll Tax News

CALIFORNIA

The Franchise Tax Board is going to be making changes to the withholding tax tables by increasing them 10%. Therefore, your employees should expect to have additional CA state taxes deducted from their paychecks with the new tables. In addition the withholding rate for supplemental wages will increase to 6.6% and the withholding rate for stock options and bonus payments will increase to 10.23%. These changes are to be effective for payments after Nov. 1, 2009. Click here to read more about it.

NEW YORK

The Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District has enacted a new tax called the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax. It is imposed on certain employers and self-employed individuals engaged in business within the transportation district. The effective date of this new tax is March 1, 2009. The first payment to the agency is scheduled for on or before Nov. 2, 2009. Click here to read more about it.

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