Importing Data into a Pay Cycle
This FYI discusses the procedures for creating a fixed length ASCII file containing payroll information, which can be imported into Escape via the import earnings process in the Escape Payroll Module. This process allows the user to import data into a pay cycle that otherwise would have to be manually entered such as:
- Manual adjustments
- Retro pay
- W2 corrections
- Cancels/voids/reissues
- Additional names that are not assigned to a pay cycle
NOTE: Please contact Escape Customer Care for help in preparing the import file and importing the file into Escape.
Fields Available For Import
Many payroll fields are available for import into Escape. The source file must be fixed length ASCII, with a carriage return at the end of each record. The following table lists all fields available for import, with the field names, pictures, and sizes.
| Field Description | Type | Data |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security Number (with or without dashes) | INTEGER | n11 |
| Add-On Code | STRING | s8 |
| Description | STRING | s30 |
| Effective Date | DATE | d1B |
| Earnings Amount | REAL | n6.2- |
| Rate 1 Amount | REAL | n6.2- |
| Rate 2 Amount | REAL | n6.2- |
| Units | REAL | n5.2- |
| Lock Pay Rate | REAL | n6.2- |
| Retirement Plan | STRING | s4 |
| Retirement Status, (STRS) | INTEGER | s1 |
| Retirement Rate | REAL | n6.2- |
| Retirement Pay Code | INTEGER | n2 |
| Retirement Contribution Code | INTEGER | n2 |
| Assignment, (PERS) | INTEGER | n2 |
| Work Schedule, (PERS) | INTEGER | n3 |
| Begin Date | DATE | d1B |
| End Date | DATE | d1B |
Import Procedures
Below are the steps to import a file into payroll:
Step 1 - Build a list of social security numbers with an add-on code
- Using Excel, Word, or some other software, create an ASCII fixed length record file. For instance, in Excel, create a column for social security number and a column for Add-on code.
- Make the column for social security number 11 wide and the column for Add-on code 8 wide. In each row of the social security column, add the social security number of the person you wish to add to the pay cycle/period. Enter a valid add-on code for each social security number. The social security number and add-on code are required fields and must contain valid data; however, the add-on code does not have to be used once the import is complete.
- Specify a path and file name, then change the file type to a space delimited text file. Excel will add an extension of .prn for this file type.
Step 2 - Create a pay cycle record, if one does not already exist
A user can import to ANY pay cycle; however, it may be desirable to create a new pay cycle.
Add a pay cycle record from the main menu, if it does not already exist. For example, a pay cycle for a retro can be named RETR, a cancel pay cycle can be CANC, etc. The pay cyle can be given any four (4) character name that you choose. Enter the appropriate pay day for the period you currently want to process.
Step 3 - Compute the pay cycle/period, if it has not been done already
If the pay cycle is just for manual adjustments, no names will be on the list, but the compute process will initialize the files for the pay cycle/period. A way to tell if you have already built empty pay cycle/period files is to select the Import Earnings menu option from the empty list. If you have not generated empty files, the software will tell you to compute the pay cycle/period. If you have, the software will continue with the import process.
If it is a regular pay cycle, names will appear on the list after compute. Names appear on the pay cycle/period list when either an effective pay cycle record or add-on referencing this pay cycle exist in the person's payroll setup. At this point, additional names can be imported to the pay cycle.
Step 4 - Complete the layout of the file
- Select Import Earnings from the menu bar. Select Import File from the Select pull down menu.
Enter the complete path and name of your file in the Import File pop up box. (Example: C:\test.prn). Next, Press F3 to bring up the import field layout dialogue box. Follow the instructions in the box to layout the data to import.
A sample layout to import a SS# and an add-on record is shown below.
Step 5 - Press F3 when you have finished with the layout
A question comes up: "Are you sure you want to import this file?" Enter Y. If a previous data file had been loaded to the import list, another question will appear: "Would you like to clear the current screen list before importing?" The answer to this depends on whether you want to clear data previously placed on the import list (EPILST screen NOT the actual payroll EPDLST screen) and start over or if you want to just add to the list.
If the names on the EPILST screen have already been imported into the payroll, then you may not need them. In this case, answer yes to clear the EPILST list before loading this file.
Step 6 - Press Any Key to Continue
After you answer step 5, you will see "Press Any Key to Continue".
Also note, if there were any bad SS#s in the file, it will report that on the screen, as well. This will appear right below where it says press any key to continue. Bad SS#'s are dropped and not loaded on the import list.
Step 7 - Press ESC to get back to the EPILST screen
The names will be on the EPILST screen if the layout is correct.
Step 8 - Clean up the list on the EPILST screen
Names on the EPILST screen can be deleted if you don't want them to import into the pay cycle. The software puts a "d" by the deleted records. There should be a menu choice to delete a record.
Step 9 - Press F3 to copy the import list into the pay cycle
- You will be prompted, "Would you like to copy these adjustments into the payroll? Enter Y.
- You may be prompted, "Currently there are payroll detail records, Want to clear them first?" Enter N to this unless you want to clear all adjustments already entered on the pay cycle/period before copying in these import records. Please use caution when answering this question!
Step 10 - Compute the pay cycle list
This is the FIRST thing you need to do once the import list has been copied into the pay cycle/period. Adjustments can be entered after the compute process is completed.