Glossary
The following is a list of common terms used in ComVida Payroll along with a brief explanation of their meaning.
Adjustment
An adjustment is a revision to an automatic calculation (i.e. calculation that is not the direct result of a transaction entry e.g. CPP, EI, tax,...). An adjustment changes the amount of a pay calculation. Adjustments can be applied before the calculation, during the calculation, or after the calculation.
AM:PD
AM:PD is one of three calculations which can be defined for payroll items.
AM:YR
AM:YR is the year-to-date value of the AM:PD calculation.
Backup
A backup is a copy of user files. It can be restored to replace incorrect or damaged files in the event of human error or mechanical failure.
Business Number (RCT-No)
Business Number is the employer's Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Taxation number. It must be printed on all T4 forms. It can be entered in Payroll Settings.
Calculate Period
Calculate period (payroll register) can refer to:
1. the payroll processing which calculates all transactions and related payroll values (e.g. tax, CPP, EI, union dues, net pay, etc.) for an employee or
2. the detailed report which is generated for each employee when the calculate period process is run
CLAIM
The CLAIM field is a field in the payroll numbers in which the employee's personal exemption amount for income tax purposes is recorded. Note: if left blank, this field defaults to the basic personal exemption amount for the current tax year. The basic personal exemption amount stored for each blank CLAIM field is updated automatically when you install the tax table updates provided by ComVida.
Class
The Class field is used only if the employer qualifies for a reduced EI employer premium for employees covered by a wage loss replacement program. If the employer is processing the reduced rate and the regular rate, Class may be Q - qualified or U - Unqualified.
Contributor Report
All members of the pension plan established under the Pension (Municipal) Act administered by the Province of British Columbia Superannuation Commission are required to submit an annual Contributor Report.
Cursor
The cursor is a small on-screen marker provided by the system to indicate where the next character will appear when it is entered from the keyboard. The appearance of the cursor varies from computer to computer.
Cycles
A term applied to items to indicate when the item is to be calculated, e.g. each Pay Period, Month, Quarter, or Year.
Default
A default entry is a system generated entry used if none is specified by the user. The "default" entry will be extracted from an existing payroll record e.g. if Dept, Unit, Posn, CostCentre, Class are left blank in Transaction Register or Employee Transactions, the values stored in these fields in the employee master will be used when adding new transaction or adjustment records.
Detail - see Employee Amounts
Employee Amounts
Employee amounts is a storage place for the cumulative results of all calculations of the payroll item specified in the detail. Payroll items are not calculated for an employee unless a detail specifying the payroll item is attached to the employee.
Field
The term field is used to refer to a piece of information included in a block. An identifying label should always display to the left of the field. For example, the employee code appears in the Code field of the first block of the employee master screen.
Filter
A Payroll filter is a way for users to specify "type" criteria which records must meet in order to be selected for processing. It is a set of single character codes with user-defined labels that can be used as a "filter". Filters are used on employees, items, position codes, and departments, cost centres or units. For example: "A??-???-???-???" in the employee filter will only display employees with an "A" in the first character (which is normally "Process", and therefore shows all "A"ctive employees).
FTE
see Full Time Equivalent
Full Time Equivalent
Full time equivalent is a unit used to measure staffing levels. Full time equivalent can be defined by the user. It is usually 7.5 hours per day or 1950 hours per year.
HRDC
Human Resources Development Canada (www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca ). The agency that looks after employment issues.
HSCIS
Health Sector Compensation Information System is a funding and costs report completed by Health-care facilities and submitted to the Ministry of Health (in BC) for future funding.
IN:PD
IN:PD is one of three calculations which can be defined for payroll items.
IN:YR
IN:YR is the year-to-date value of the IN:PD calculation.
Initialize Period
Initialize Period is a process run to close off one pay period and initialize another.
Items
An items page is the definition of a payroll calculation. Formulas to calculate up to three different values related to a payroll item can be entered here as well as a range of attributes including; calculation frequency, EI and CPP insurability, T4 reporting and more.
Label
A label is a name assigned to a field.
Manual Cheque
The term manual cheque is used to refer to any cheque not issued through the Payroll system.
Payment Register
The payment register is a reporting listing the cheque and/or pay slip information.
Pension Adjustment
Pension Adjustment is the total savings in a year by or on behalf of an employee in RPPs of an employer. This amount must be reported in box 52 of employee T4 forms.
PL
PL is one of the three calculations that can be defined for payroll items.
Position Code
A position code is a code assigned to a particular job and rate of pay.
Qualified
A qualified employee is an employee who is eligible for a reduced employer EI premium.
Repeat Transaction
A repeat transaction is a payroll transaction that once it has been entered into the payroll system, will be re-created automatically at the beginning of all future pay periods until it is cleared by the user.
RRSP
Registered Retirement Savings Plan
Status
In Payroll, status refers to employee status. Possible entries are; F - Full time, P - Part-time, c -casual or other user defined value.
Superannuation
Superannuation, as the term is used in Payroll documentation, refers to the pension plan established under the Pension (Municipal) Act and administered by the Province of British Columbia Superannuation Commission.
Transaction
A transaction is a record of employee activity in the pay period. Transactions are the input used to calculate employee earnings.
Type Block
A type block is a block defined for most payroll records. It is made up of twelve type fields each of which may be assigned a value to designate the record one of a particular type.
Type Field
A type field is a field contained in a Payroll type block. Payroll records can be grouped by up to twelve types or by combinations of the twelve types. A type code is entered in one of twelve type fields in the type block of the record.
Unqualified
An unqualified employee is not eligible for a reduced employer EI premium.
Void Report
A void report is printed automatically when a cheque or a pay slip is voided. It reports cheque/slip information for user records or a reason the payment(s) could not be voided.