Table of Contents

Reconcile posted payroll runs with financial and cost accounting

After posting, check the transfer of a payroll run by using the General Ledger Log and Cost Accounting Log. Reconcile debit and credit, and trace differences to the account, dimension, employee, or salary type.

Prerequisites

  • The payroll run has the status Posted.
  • You know the posting date and financial period.
  • You have access to the posted financial and cost accounting entries.
  • Posting groups, the posting matrix, and dimensions are documented.

Create the General Ledger Log

  1. Open Payrolls and switch to the posted runs.
  2. Select the run that you want to reconcile.
  3. Choose Print > General Ledger Log.
  4. Check Payroll No. and Settlement Date.
  5. Under Layout, select:
    • Account
    • Dimension
    • Employee
    • Salary Type
  6. If needed, enter an Employee Filter.
  7. Decide whether to include Time Balance Provision.
  8. If needed, export the report to Excel.

Start with the Account layout. Then use Dimension, Employee, or Salary Type to narrow down a difference.

For information about the origin and offsetting entry of these amounts, see Set up provisions for vacation and time balances.

Create the Cost Accounting Log

If you use cost accounting:

  1. On the same payroll run, choose Print > Cost Accounting Log.
  2. Check Payroll No. and Settlement Date.
  3. Select With Details if you need the cost types for each posting component.
  4. Check debit, credit, and the total for each cost type.

Reconcile totals

Check in this order:

  1. Debit and credit in the General Ledger Log.
  2. The grand total against the posted financial entries.
  3. Accounts and offsetting accounts against the posting matrix.
  4. Dimension totals against cost centers and cost accounting.
  5. Cost accounting debit and credit against the posted cost entries.
  6. Unusual amounts against the salary type and employee layouts.
Wichtig

Use the same payroll number for all comparison lists. The settlement date describes the payroll run, while the posting date determines the financial period.

Narrow down the source of an error

Observation Check
Incorrect general-ledger account Account No. and Bal. Account No. on the salary type or in the posting matrix for the posting group
Missing account assignment The salary type in use, employee posting group, and matrix line
Incorrect cost type Debit Cost Type No. and Credit Cost Type No.
Incorrect cost center or cost object Dimension matrix, employee dimensions, and journal dimensions
Difference for individual employees only Employee layout, salary entries, and posted employee dimensions
Difference for individual salary types only Salary type layout and account assignment of the salary type

If needed, choose Dimensions on the salary entry to check the employee dimensions stored for the run.

Warnung

Don't subsequently change a posted payroll run. Define a coordinated correction process in payroll and financial accounting for any errors that you identify.

Document the reconciliation

Document:

  • the payroll number;
  • the settlement and posting dates;
  • financial and cost accounting totals;
  • layouts and filters used;
  • explained differences;
  • required correction entries;
  • the people who checked and approved the reconciliation.

Good to know

  • You run comparison lists with different payroll numbers or use the settlement date instead of the posting date—financial accounting and payroll appear not to match.
  • You subsequently “correct” posted payroll runs—corrections must be coordinated between payroll and financial accounting.
  • You post again before narrowing down the difference by account, dimension, employee, and salary type—you create additional differences.

See also