Process Script

The primary purpose of this option is to create payroll databases and test data. Using a script you can create a database with pay groups, add employees, calculate pay and open pay periods. A script can create a new payroll database, setup employees and create a number of pays that can then be used to generate and validate reports.

Each line of the script starts with a keyword:

new, edit or delete followed by an object name and then a list of parameters to create or change an object. For example 'new payroll filename=testscript.mdb, companyname=Test Script, countrycode=UK' will create a new UK payroll database with the specified file name.
calculate followed by pay will create a pay for one employee. For example, 'calculate pay payeecode=ss, new payslipitem payitemcode=ord, units=30' will create a pay for employee with payee code SS, and add an ordinary pay item for 30 hours.
open followed by period will open the next pay period. If you do not specify a specific pay date and period end, it will open the next pay period after the current period specified by the pay group record.

Any text starting // is taken to be a comment and ignored. If a line ends with _ (underscore), the following line is taken to be a continuation of the current line. If the tab character is encountered in a line it is converted to a single space.

An example script: new payroll filename=testscript.mdb, companyname=Test Script, countrycode=UK, _ new paygroup paygroup=Weekly, frequencytext=weekly, paydate=20-oct-2009, periodend=20-oct-2009 new payee firstname=Jane, lastname=Smith, payeecode=ss, sex=F, startdate=13-oct-2009, _ birthdate=20-mar-1967, paymethodtext=cash, taxfileno=SC112233D, taxcode=645L, _ new payeerate effectivedate=13-oct-2009, hourlyrate1=25.5, annualsalary=53040, _ new standardpay payitemcode=smp, startdate=10-nov-2009, effectivedate=10-nov-2009, effectivedate2=10-nov-2009, _ new payeeleave leavetype=annual, entitlement=160, accrualbasisint=1, anniversarydate=10-nov-2010, _ new payeeleave leavetype=sick, entitlement=40, accrualbasisint=1, anniversarydate=10-nov-2010 calculate pay payeecode=ss, new payslipitem payitemcode=ord, units=30 open period // wk2 pay date 27 Oct open period open period open period // wk5

In the example, a UK payroll database is created with a weekly pay group and one employee. 5 weeks pays are created. The first 4 having just a single ordinary pay item, and the last one having a statutory maternity pay item which fails to calculate because the employee has not yet been employed for the minimum period.