RELEASE NOTES

Release Number:   2020.01.03 (Year.Quarter.Month)

Development Periods: 18th February to 23rd March 2020

Release Closed:   23rd March 2020

NOTE:  The numeric ID that is used to identify each item is of no significance to the client and is for the use of HRplus Software personnel only.

NEW AND IMPROVED

18th February to 23rd March 2020

Home

HR1211 Scheduled Work

Privileges were added to allow Self-Service Employees to view the screen.

• Home>>My Pay Items>>HRplus Time>>Scheduled Work
  

System Configurations

HR1357 Position Import

The limit on the number of records that can be imported was removed.

• System Configurations>> System Configurations>>Company Import>>Positions
  

Personnel

HR1161 Salary Changes

An update was applied to resolve the issue where Salary Changes were duplicated.

• Personnel>>Transactions>>Salary Changes
  

HR685 NHIP Number

The screen was modified so that the NHIP Number can be successfully added in Employee Profile.

• Personnel>>Personnel>>Employees>>[Search for Employee]>>[Toggle Additional Details]>>Statutory
  

Leave

HR1275 Leave Types

The Accumulate Unused Leave radio button’s default was changed to Yes.

• Benefits>>Leave>>Leave Setup>>Leave Types
  

HR889 Recalculate Leave Balances

The Cannot convert 0 to a date error message is no longer being displayed.

• Benefits>>Leave>>Leave Transactions>>Recalculate Leave Balances
  

HR1337 Maternity Leave

A new leave screen, Leave-Maternity Links, was added to Leave Setup.

• Benefits>>Leave>>Leave Setup>>Leave-Maternity Links
  

1. Company Code:  the company for which the link applies.
   
2. Pay Group:  the pay group for which the link applies.
   
3. Leave Code:  the leave code representing maternity leave which has to be paid.
   
4. Earn Code:  the payroll earning code under which the maternity leave pay will be made.
   
5. Regular Adjusted Earning Code:  the payroll earning code under which the REG pay adjustment will be made.  This code cannot be the same as the Earn Code (in (4)) and cannot be the same as the REG code.
   
6. Payment Rules:  the breakdown of the days and how they have to be paid.
   

1. Limit Full Pay To … Days:  the <no. of days> days will be paid at Full Pay (multiplied by 1).
   
2. Apply First Factor of…To…Days:  the next <no. of days> days will be paid at <factor> (e.g. 1.2 times multiplied by full pay).
   
3. Apply 2nd Factor of … To …Days:  next <no. of days> days will be paid at <factor> (e.g. 1.2 times multiplied by full pay).
   
4. Apply 3rd Factor of … To …Days:  next <no. of days> days will be paid at <factor> (e.g. 1.2 times multiplied by full pay).
   

7. Status:  ACTIVE…Inactive:  indicates whether the link is active or not.
   

NOTE:  The Maternity Leave Link only applies to Salaried Employees.  The salaries can be in any type of pay group:  weekly, fortnightly, bi-monthly or monthly.

Calculation:

The calculation uses set up flags from the ‘Salary Change Flags’ (Personnel>>Transactions>>Salary Change Flags) screen.  The ‘Prorate Using’ flag is used and the ‘Salaried Employees Paid in’ flag is used:

Example

Maternity Leave Start Date:   January 1, 2020

Number of Maternity Leave Days: 98 Calendar Days 

Pay Group: Monthly

Monthly Salary: $5000.00

Maternity Leave Policy:   First 30 days is paid at full pay and the remaining 68 days is paid at half pay

In the month of January 2020 the employee uses 31 calendar days of maternity leave.

• If the Prorate Using flag is set to use Calendar Days.  Therefore, the total number of days for which the employee has to be paid is 31:  30 days at full pay and 1 day at half pay.
  

So the calculation is:

(30/31 x 5000 ) + (1/31 x 5000 x 0.5) = 4838.71 + 80.65 = $4919.36.

• If the Prorate Using flag is set to use Week Days, then the week days of the cycle are used to prorate.  There are 23 week days in January 2020.  
  

However, full pay takes us to January 30, and therefore the calculation becomes 

(22/23 x 5000) + (1/23 x 5000 x 0.5) = 4782.61+ 108.70 = $4891.31.

A dollar value is always generated for Maternity Leave Pay and REG Maternity Adjustment even if the salaried employee is paid by units.  The difference is that the cycle units is prorated (using the same formula) but the dollar value is paid.

The same logic applies with the following cycles of the year until the maternity leave days are exhausted.  Note that it is the employee’s pay rate that is prorated and NOT the employee’s REG.

• The Maternity Leave Pay will be generated in a cycle change under the defined Earning Code named above.  
  

Entry Id	Entry Description	Item Id	Item Description	Employee Id	Employee Name	Entry Type	Amount	CCentre/ Other	Alternate Rate	Batch No
T	TIMESHEETS	MAT	Maternity Leave	1009	Nadia Smith	T Total Amount	4891.31	N/A	0.00	01

• A cycle change will also be generated with the negative amount of the maternity pay under the REG Maternity Adjustment earning code.
  

Entry Id	Entry Description	Item Id	Item Description	Employee Id	Employee Name	Entry Type	Amount	CCentre/ Other	Alternate Rate	Batch No
T	TIMESHEETS	ADJREG	Reg Mat Adj	1009	Nadia Smith	T Total Amount	-4891.31	N/A	0.00	01

The Employee Pay Slip, on the Earnings side will display:

Regular Pay 5000.00

Maternity Pay 4891.31

REG Mat. Adjustment -4891.31

Therefore, the system adjusts down the employee’s Regular pay by the REG Maternity Adjustment to get the following:

5000 - 4891.31 = 108.69.

And the Maternity Pay is 4891.31

So the net of the REG and REG Maternity Adjustment and Maternity Pay make up the whole REG = 108.69 + 4891.31 = 5000.00

In so doing, when the Maternity Leave is over, the REG continues uninterrupted and the Maternity Leave and REG Maternity Adjustment will fall off as usual each cycle.

HR1401 Time-Off Date Returned

The issue, where the date returned would not be calculated accurately when taking time off, was resolved.  Date Returned now determines whether the employee should return to work the next day or same day by checking whether or not the employee is on shift (also considers split shift).  If the employee is not on shift, the application assumes that the day ends at 4:00 PM.

• Benefits>>Leave>>Leave Transactions>>Leave Taken
  

Appraisals

HHV5-1457 Appraisal Form

The form was modified so that the Competency Description cannot be edited when the appraisal form is generated.  This ensures that the integrity of the data remains intact.

• Talent Management>>Appraisals>>Performance Review>>[select Company]>>[expand record]
  

Goals

HV5-1458 Bulk Upload of Goals

A new template to Import Goals was created.  It was added on the Company Division, Department, Section and Employee Goals screens.  The Goals Template.xls file is available for download via the Goals Template folder.

• Talent Management>>Company Goals>>Goal Grid:
  

HRplus Time

Geofencing

HR1347 Geofence Logs

Users are now able to see employee proximity to a geofence when the latitude or longitude is clicked in Geofence Logs.

• HRplus Time>>Geofencing>>Geofence Logs:
  

HRplus Time Kiosk

HR1351 Online Punches

The application was modified so that online punches are successfully submitted and there is no stalling.

POWERpay Payroll

HR1007 TD4 2019 (Trinidad and Tobago)

The BIR Approval Reference Number was implemented in the TD4 2019.

• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Tax/N.I.S./H.S. Data>>(Laser) Print TD4 from Edit File
  
• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Tax/N.I.S./H.S. Data>>(Laser) Print TD4 from Edit File (Consolidated by Company)
  
• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Tax/N.I.S./H.S. Data>>(Laser) Print TD4 from Import
  
• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Tax/N.I.S./H.S. Data>>(Laser) Print TD4 from Payroll
  
• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Tax/N.I.S./H.S. Data>>(Laser) Print TD4 from Edit File (Severance Pay):
  

HR1397 Payslip Bulk

This import allows users to import files of their old pay slips by naming convention of the files being imported.  For example:  importing the zip file, LOU2U_LMTH_2019_03.zip, as shown in the screenshot below, would import 2 pay slips for the years and cycles specified by the name of the file.  The naming convention of the zip file is Comp Code_Pay Group_Pay Year_Pay Cycle and the naming convention of the pay slip files inside is Pay Year_Pay Cycle_Badge Number.

• Employee Self Service>>My Pay Items>>My Pay Slip>>Self Service Pay Slips
  
• Company Import>>Import Self Service Pay Slips
  

HR813 Multi-Currency Pay Slip – Email

The ability to (1) email the report, and (2) encrypt the password, was added.

• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Pay Slips>>Multi Currency Pay Slip
  
• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Register Reports>>Cycle Pay Register
  

Jamaica

HR839 Bank Download

The Sagicor Jamaica Bank Download was created.

Setup Instructions 

1. Create a Mapping Table for Head Offices and enter mapped values for all head offices.
   
2. Create a Mapping Table for Payees and enter mapped values for all payees 
   

• POWERpay>>Maintenance>>Downloads/Uploads>>Mapping Tables: 
  

Bank Download Setup screen

1. Link Company to Sagicor Bank Jamaica.
   
2. Set BankFld1 = Mapping table code for Head Office codes.
   
3. Set BankFld2 = Mapping table code for Branches/Payee. 
   

• POWERpay>>Maintenance>>Downloads/Uploads>>Bank Download Setup
  
• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Payment Reports>>Sagicor Jamaica Bank Download
  

The Sagicor Jamaica Bank Download was also fixed for archived pre-out of cycles.

POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Payment Reports>>Sagicor Jamaica Bank Download>>Archived:

HR1153 ACH File

The following modifications were made:  (1) the option to select multiple pay groups was added; and (2) the headers were corrected:  C – Transaction Sign; P – Transaction Type.

• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Payment Reports>>Sagicor Jamaica Bank Download
  

Grenada

HR1313 ACH

The Republic Bank Grenada ACH was created and the Bank Download setup was updated to include Republic Bank Grenada information.

Setup Instructions 

3. Create a Mapping Table for Head Offices and enter mapped values for all head offices.
   
4. Create a Mapping Table for Payees and enter mapped values for all payees 
   

• POWERpay>>Maintenance>>Downloads/Uploads>>Mapping Tables: 
  

Bank Download Setup screen

4. Link Company to Republic Bank Grenada/RBLGD.
   
5. Set BankFld1 = Mapping table code for Head Office codes.
   

• POWERpay>>Maintenance>>Downloads/Uploads>>Bank Download Setup
  
• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Payment Reports>>Grenada Republic Bank Download
  

Guyana

HR723 N.I.S. Return

The Insurable Earnings Cap was changed to 280,000 for 2020.  

• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Guyana Statutory Reports>>N.I.S. Return
  

St. Lucia

HR1311 Use Tax Allowance Breakdown

A new field, Project NIS, was added to the screen to facilitate the PAYE calculations.

• POWERpay>>Maintenance>>Statutory Deductions>>Use Tax Allowance Breakdown:
  

HR733 TD5

The following improvements were made:

1. The Tax Codes of F Fortnightly and W Weekly pay groups are being displayed correctly.
   
2. The vertical lines were removed.
   
3. The employee multi-select is working correctly.
   

• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>St. Lucia Statutory Reports>>Print TD5 from Edit File.
  
• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>St. Lucia Statutory Reports>>Print TD5 from Edit File (Consolidated by Company).
  
• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>St. Lucia Statutory Reports>>Print TD5 from Payroll.
  
• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>St. Lucia Statutory Reports>>Print TD5 from Payroll (Consolidated by Company).
  

BUG FIXES

18th February to 23rd March 2020

Home

HR1139 Inaccurate Timezone Offset

The issue, where a client’s time was in the wrong timezone, was fixed – the timezone was corrected to UTC-3 from UTC-4.

• HRplus Everywhere>>CURRENT TIME
  

Security

HR1163 Company Access

The screen was modified so that granting access to all companies is working successfully.

• Security>>Security>>User Administration>>[expand row]>>Company Access
  

Colombia

HR983 Reset Password

Fixed error "Xbasic Module not found: hre_security" when attempting to reset password after the email with reset link was received.

Personnel

HR655 Employees by Company

The error “Report could not be created” when trying to print in Excel® or Word® was fixed. 

• Personnel>>Personnel>>Reports>>Orgstructure Lists>>Employees by Company
  

Leave

HR889 Recalculate Leave Balances

The error “Cannot convert 0 to a date” is no longer being displayed and leave balances are being recalculated successfully and accurately:

• Benefits>>Leave>>Leave Transactions>>Recalculate Leave Balances
  

POWERpay Payroll

HR1421 Earning Types

The screen was modified so that when the Taxable field in an Earning Type record was changed to either Yes or No, the change will only be reflected for that one (1) record, and not for all the other earning type records as was previously occurring.

• POWERpay>>Payroll Setup>>Earnings>>Earning Types
  

HR1447 Multi-Currency Pay Slip – Foreign only

A radio button to print Foreign only was added to the Currency Option. 

• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Pay Slips>>Multi Currency Pay Slip
  
• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Register Reports>>Cycle Pay Register
  

HR1195 Edit Statutory Info

The Variable Type Mismatch error was fixed so that statutory information can now be successfully edited.

• POWERpay>>Year End Close>>Statutories>>Edit Statutory Info
  
• POWERpay>>Year End Close>>Statutories>>Edit Statutory Info Consolidated by Company:
  

HR1197 NCB Bank Download – Funds Direct

The report was fixed so that the headers are no longer being duplicated.

• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Payment Reports>>NCB Bank Download – Funds Direct
  

HRplus Time

HR1129 Shifts

The screen was fixed so that Lunch Range From/To times can successfully be entered when Use Lunch Range is Yes.

• HRplus Time>>Schedules>>Shift Parameters>>Shifts:
  

HR1251 Missing Punches

The report was fixed so that error messages are no longer being displayed and the report is being generated successfully.

• User Self Service>>Timekeeper>>Reports>>Timekeeper Reports>>Missing Punches:
  

HRplus Reports

HR1159 Incorrect Dates on Reports

When location access is denied, reports that were fixed to show the time based on the user’s location would normally show Trinidad and Tobago time.  However, in such cases where location access is denied, the reports were not showing Trinidad and Tobago time.  This issue was fixed.

BUG FIXES DUE TO NEW RELEASE OF ALPHA

A new release of the Alpha Anywhere® Application Server for IIS that was needed to overcome the change in the way Google Chrome® handled cookies, early this year, introduced bugs which caused several reports/screens/functions to ‘break’ in the HRplus Everywhere application.  These faults were fixed as follows.

18th February to 23rd March 2020

System Configurations

HR1147 Leave Workflow Setup Error

The screen was modified so that users can now successfully select the "Role Name" and "Auto Escalate Action" radio buttons.

• System Configurations>> System Configurations>>Workflow>>Workflow Definitions>>[expand row]>>Workflow Stages>>New Stage
  

Goals Management

HR1287 Goal Wizards

HR1325

HR1417

The wizard was modified so that (1) users can successfully navigate to the next pane and (2) goals are created successfully.

• Self Service>>Manager>>Talent>>Goals Management>>Goal Wizards
  
• Self Service>>Dept. Administrators>>Goal Wizards
  

POWERpay Payroll

Turks and Caicos

HR1145 Statutory Reports Fixes

The following modifications were made:  (1) “Error Code:  0” was fixed so that the report can be generated successfully and, (2) the NIS Number is now being displayed on the report.

• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Turks and Caicos Statutory>>National Insurance (NIS007) Form
  

HR1093 NHIP Download

The following modifications were made:  (1) “Error Code:  0” was fixed and (2)  “Error Generating Data for NHIP Download report” is no longer being displayed.  The report is generating successfully. 

• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Turks and Caicos Statutory Reports>>NHIP Download:
  

HRplus Time

HR1291 Employee Transfer

The wizard was fixed so that users can successfully navigate to the next pane.

• HRplus Time>>Schedules>>Scheduling>>Employee Transfer
  

HR1403 Employee On/Off Days

The input field mismatch was fixed on the following screens:

• HRplus Time>>Schedules>>Scheduling>>Shifts>>General Shifts Setup>>Schedule Selected Employees
  
• HRplus Time>>Schedules>>Scheduling>>Shifts>>General Shifts Setup>>Schedule Selected Employees From Previous Ships
  
• HRplus Time>>Schedules>>Scheduling>>Employee Transfer
  
• Self Service>>Timekeeper>>Scheduling>>Shifts>>General Shifts Setup>>Schedule Selected Employees From Previous Shifts
  

The wizard was fixed so that users can successfully navigate to the next pane.

• HRplus Time>>Schedules>>Scheduling>>Shifts>>General Shifts Setup>>Schedule Employee Wizard
  
• HRplus Time>>Schedules>>Scheduling>>Employee Transfer
  
• Self Service>>Timekeeper>>Scheduling>>Employee Transfer
  

HRplus Reports

Multiple HRplus reports were fixed so that no errors are being displayed and the reports are generating successfully.  These reports were fixed under the following Item Numbers and some of the categories of reports that were fixed are listed below:

HR1301 N.I.B. Download

• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Tax/N.I.S./H.S. Data>>N.I.B. Download – Fixed Width File Format
  

HR1305 NACHA Download

• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Payment Reports>>Scotia NACHA Download
  

HR935

• Benefits>>Leave>>Reports>>Leave Reports>>Taken by Type
  
• Benefits>>Leave>>Reports>>Leave Reports>>Leave Types
  
• Benefits>>Leave>>Reports>>Leave Reports>>Negative Leave Balances
  
• Benefits>>Leave>>Reports>>Benefits Reports>>List of Benefit Types
  
• User Self Service>>Timekeeper>>Reports>>Timekeeper Reports>>Employee Timecard with Overtime
  
• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Barbados Statutory Reports>>Barbados Insurable Earnings
  

Barbados

HR1343 TD5

The Error parsing json at offset 4 was fixed so that the reports are generating successfully.

• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Barbados Statutory Reports>>Print TD5 from Payroll
  
• POWERpay>>Payroll Reports>>Payroll Reports>>Barbados Statutory Reports>>Print TD5 from Register (from Edit File)