Understanding PPS Payroll Transactions on the TDR and DPE Reports

1. Attempted posting to an Invalid chartstring

Fails PeopleSoft combo edit when the payroll journal is edited at month-end.
Routed to payroll suspense account.

No

Yes

• Temporarily cleared from the payroll suspense account to a valid account the following month by the Central Payroll
• Department processes a Payroll Expense Transfer (PET) to fully correct the original payroll expense
• Department works with HR to correct the employee’s distributions to avoid continued issues with future payroll expense

The typical timeline to clear a payroll expense charged to an invalid chartstring takes ~2 months:

• The original expense is charged to an invalid chartstring in July. At July month-end expense posts to DPE, but the invalid chartstring fails PeopleSoft combo edit and is suspended/ routed to a payroll suspense account. Hence, the invalid chartstring does not post to the GL and does not display on the Transaction Detail Report (TDR).
• Error is reviewed and an alternate chartstring is identified with the help of the department or HR (response time varies).
• In August, Central Payroll transfers the suspended payroll to the alternate chartstring via financial journal.
• Meanwhile, the Department works with HR to correct employee distributions so future expenses are not erroneously charged. The department also processes a PET to move the original expenses to a valid chartstring.
• In September, credits from the PET attempt to post to the invalid chartstring but fail combo edit again and are routed to the payroll suspense account. Central Payroll transfers the credits to the alternate chartstring provided by the department or HR.
• The erroneous payroll washes under the alternate chartstring and debits from the PET place the expenses on the correct chartstring. All errors are now corrected and resolved, and the payroll is corrected in all related systems.

1. Payroll expenses created by Central Payroll via financial journal rather than the payroll system

Cannot be processed through payroll system or payroll system is unable to identify a fund source to charge for the expense. Posts directly to the ledger.

Yes

No

• Cannot be “corrected”; different values will exist between the GL and DPE

• Benefit expenses for which PPS could not locate a chartstring. These expenses are charged to a default payroll suspense chartstring until they can be cleared by the central office. Situations that create this issue:
  • WOS employees are assigned a BELI code allowing them to enroll in benefits.
  • Employees whose distribution lines and appointment end, but whose separation is not processed timely in the system to end their insurance.
  • Employees on extended leave whose distribution lines fall off the EDB.
• Intercampus and multi-location appointments where UCSF is the host campus. The employee will not be in our payroll system; instead we will be billed by the home campus and will clear the expense through a financial journal to the chartstring provided by the department.
• Death benefits are paid to the employee’s beneficiaries. Final earnings will be processed through the payroll system; however, the 1-month gap will be processed through Accounts Payable.
• Salary and benefit accruals for financial reporting purposes, including biweekly payroll accruals.