WiseWage Admin Manual

01 — Overview

Introduction

This manual explains the main WiseWage payroll workflows a client payroll administrator or HR/payroll operations user needs to set up payroll data, maintain employee records, run payroll, approve payroll, and review payroll outputs with confidence.

Where to find itWiseWage website › Help Centre › Admin manual

Steps

1
Use this manual as the browser-based operating reference for payroll administrators and payroll reviewers.
2
Follow the manual in sequence when setting up a new company payroll workspace.
3
Use the section navigation to jump directly to the workflow you need during payroll operations.
4
Treat this manual as product-behavior guidance, not a replacement for client-specific payroll policy.
5
Review the Reference sections before major uploads, first payroll runs, and month-end report reviews.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`manualScope`	required	Covers the main payroll path only: setup, employees, payroll, approval, reports, and review.
`salaryComponentsLabel`	required	The application navigation label is Salary Components.
`clientPolicy`	recommended	Keep company-specific rules beside this manual where the product requires policy judgment.

Supported behavior only

Do not assume hidden settings, future features, or client-specific payroll rules not visible in the current product.

Manual scope

Unrelated HR modules are excluded unless they directly affect payroll setup, eligibility, approval, or reporting.

Use section links

Each section updates the URL hash, so you can share direct links such as /manual#run-payroll.

Common Mistakes

Using the manual as a substitute for company payroll approval policy.
Skipping setup sections before importing employees.
Assuming a PDF download is required to train users.

Best Practices

Read Introduction and Setup Overview before the first company payroll setup.
Use the sidebar as a live checklist during payroll operations.
Share hash links for targeted training and issue resolution.

02 — Overview

Payroll Setup Overview

Payroll in WiseWage depends on a clear setup sequence: master data organizes employees, salary components define pay and deduction behavior, employee records hold payroll details, and payroll runs pull those records into approval and reporting.

Where to find itPayroll setup sequence

Steps

1
Create locations so employee work locations and location-scoped components have a controlled source.
2
Create departments so payroll preparation and reports can be filtered and grouped reliably.
3
Create grades to support internal employee level or band review.
4
Create salary components before assigning pay or deduction values to employees.
5
Add or import employees with department, grade, location, bank, pension, and salary component data.
6
Review employee assignments before the first payroll run.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`location`	required	Create before employee import when location filtering or scoped components matter.
`department`	recommended	Used heavily in payroll filtering, review, and reporting.
`salaryComponent`	required	Defines earnings, deductions, formula behavior, tax flags, and pension flags.
`employeeMasterData`	required	Controls staff identity, eligibility dates, bank details, pension, and component assignment.

Sequence matters

If master data and salary components are weak, payroll filters, tax behavior, pension treatment, and reports become unreliable.

Payroll run dependency

Payroll pulls selected employees, assigned components, eligibility dates, variable inputs, claims, loans, and advances.

First setup order

Locations, departments, grades, salary components, employees, then payroll eligibility review.

Common Mistakes

Importing employees before the company has stable departments and locations.
Creating salary components without reviewing tax and pension flags.
Running payroll before employee assignments are reviewed.

Best Practices

Keep master-data names consistent before the first import.
Review the component catalog with the payroll policy owner.
Use payroll eligibility checks before the deadline, not during final approval.

03 — Master data

Departments

Departments organize employees, support payroll preparation filters, and group selected payroll reports and approval reviews.

Where to find itHR › Departments

Steps

1
Open HR > Departments.
2
In the Add Department panel, enter the department name.
3
If required, choose a department head from the employee list.
4
Set the department status.
5
Click Add Department.
6
Review the saved department in the department list and confirm the employee count when employees are assigned.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`departmentName`	required	Department label used across employee records, payroll filters, and reporting.
`headOfDepartment`	optional	Selects a named employee as the department lead.
`status`	required	ACTIVE is available in workflows; INACTIVE is hidden from active usage patterns.

Duplicate handling

If you save the same normalized department name again, WiseWage saves the existing record rather than creating a duplicate.

Downstream usage

Departments become available for employee assignment, payroll preparation filters, and report filtering.

Naming convention

Use one convention, such as Finance, Operations, or Commercial, instead of mixed abbreviations.

Common Mistakes

Creating duplicate names with only spacing or capitalization differences.
Marking a department inactive before confirming no active workflow depends on it.
Assigning a head before the correct employee profile exists.

Best Practices

Use clear department names that match company reporting language.
Do not create departments just for temporary payroll groupings.
Use report filters rather than extra department names for one-off analysis.

04 — Master data

Grades

Grades provide a controlled internal level or banding structure for employees and can support employee setup, payroll grouping, and internal review.

Where to find itHR › Grades

Steps

1
Open HR > Grades.
2
Enter the grade name.
3
Click Add Grade.
4
Confirm the grade appears in the grade list.
5
Use the grade in employee setup or employee edits where the company tracks internal levels.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`gradeName`	required	Reusable internal level or band label.
`role`	optional	Use employee Role for job title; do not overload Grade with job titles.
`gradeDirectory`	recommended	Keep grade labels controlled and reusable.

Avoid near duplicates

Labels such as Manager, Mgr, and MGR create confusion in employee records and reporting.

Save behavior

Saving the same normalized grade name updates the existing entry instead of creating a duplicate.

Separate role and grade

Use Role for actual job title and Grade for internal level structure.

Common Mistakes

Using job titles as grades when Role already captures job title.
Creating too many near-duplicate grade labels.
Changing grade labels without reviewing affected employee records.

Best Practices

Keep grades short and standardized.
Use grades only when they support real review or reporting needs.
Review grade options before employee upload.

05 — Master data

Locations

Locations classify employees, support payroll reporting and filtering, and affect salary components that are scoped to a location.

Where to find itHR › Locations

Steps

1
Open HR > Locations.
2
Enter the location name.
3
Select the status.
4
Click Add Location.
5
Confirm the location appears in the location list.
6
Use the location during employee setup, employee edits, and report filtering.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`locationName`	required	Used in employee records, report filters, and component scope where applicable.
`status`	required	ACTIVE is available for assignment; INACTIVE is hidden from active workflows.
`componentScope`	recommended	Location-scoped percentage components only match employees assigned to that location.

Rename impact

If an existing location is renamed, WiseWage updates linked employee location assignments to the new name.

Duplicate handling

Saving the same normalized location name updates the existing record rather than creating a duplicate.

Source of truth

Use the location directory as the source of truth and avoid temporary labels like Lagos - Payroll Team.

Common Mistakes

Using temporary payroll group names as locations.
Forgetting location scope when a salary component does not apply to an employee.
Marking a location inactive before reviewing active employee assignments.

Best Practices

Create stable location labels before employee upload.
Use department or report filters for analysis rather than location clutter.
Review location scope when troubleshooting missing components.

06 — Master data

Salary Components

Salary components are the foundation of payroll calculation in WiseWage. They define what can be paid or deducted, how formula items work, and how taxable and pensionable treatment appears in payroll outputs.

Where to find itPayroll › Salary Components

Steps

1
Open Payroll > Salary Components.
2
Choose the component structure: Regular or Percentage, then Income or Deductible.
3
Enter the component name.
4
Complete the rules that appear for that component type.
5
Save the component.
6
After save, review whether it appears in Income Unit or Deductible Unit.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`componentType`	required	Regular uses employee-level amounts; Percentage calculates from selected source components.
`salaryType`	required	Income increases earnings; Deductible reduces pay or relief basis.
`componentName`	required	Line item label used in payroll logic, employee setup, reports, and templates.
`incomeCategory`	recommended	FIXED uses stored amount; VARIABLE uses uploaded usage x rate; TIME_TRACKING uses approved synced hours x rate.
`pensionableStatus`	recommended	Controls whether regular income is included in pensionable base.
`taxableStatus`	recommended	Controls whether regular income is included in taxable income and PAYE basis.
`componentSources`	optional	Used by percentage components as the formula base.

No exempt create flow

The current create flow does not allow end users to create Exempt salary components.

Time tracking limit

WiseWage allows only one time-tracking income component per company.

Small catalog

Keep the component catalog small, intentional, and recognizable to payroll reviewers.

Common Mistakes

Creating a percentage component before source components exist.
Marking a component taxable or pensionable incorrectly.
Using TIME_TRACKING when the component should not pull approved synced hours.
Expecting users to type percentage-component amounts directly on employee records.
Forgetting scope restrictions and then wondering why a component does not apply.

Best Practices

Use clear component names that make sense on journals, payslips, and upload templates.
Review tax and pension flags with the payroll policy owner before first use.
Create source components before formula components.

07 — Employees

Add Employees Manually

Manual employee creation is best when adding a small number of staff or when each employee record needs careful review before payroll starts.

Where to find itHR › Employees › Add Employee

Steps

1
Open HR > Employees.
2
Click Add Employee.
3
Complete Personal details, Pension details, Bank details, and Salary component.
4
Click Save.
5
Review the saved employee in the employee directory.
6
Confirm payroll-related fields before the employee is included in a run.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`staffId`	required	Unique staff identifier required by the current form.
`firstName`	required	Required employee identity field.
`lastName`	required	Required employee identity field.
`role`	required	Required employee role or job title.
`department`	recommended	Used in payroll filtering and reports.
`employmentDate`	recommended	Key payroll eligibility date.
`creationDate`	optional	Use only if the employee was added into WiseWage later than employment date.
`bankName`	recommended	Required for bank schedule output.

Creation date caution

Eligibility cannot start before the WiseWage creation month when creation date is entered.

Component amounts

Regular components need employee-level amounts; percentage components are calculated during payroll.

Use manual for exceptions

Use manual creation for low-volume onboarding and exception cases.

Common Mistakes

Entering WiseWage Creation Date for employees who should already be payroll-eligible.
Assigning a salary component but forgetting the amount for a regular component.
Expecting percentage components to accept manual amounts.

Best Practices

Use uploads when adding many staff.
Review state, pension, bank, and component fields before payroll.
Confirm department and location values exist in the company directory.

08 — Employees

Add Employees by Upload

Employee upload is the fastest way to onboard multiple employees into WiseWage and assign payroll-related fields in a controlled import.

Where to find itHR › Employees › Import Employees

Steps

1
Open HR > Employees.
2
Click Import Employees.
3
Download the employee import template.
4
Complete one row per employee.
5
Save the file as .csv.
6
Upload the file.
7
If required, turn on invite emails for newly imported employees.
8
Start the import and review success or row-level failure messages.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`staffId`	required	Employee unique identifier.
`role`	required	Employee role or job title.
`firstName / lastName`	required	Employee name fields; alternatively use fullName.
`employmentDate`	recommended	YYYY-MM-DD start date used in payroll eligibility.
`creationDate`	optional	YYYY-MM-DD date used to delay eligibility where appropriate.
`income:Component Name`	optional	Assigns income component using exact component name.
`deductible:Component Name`	optional	Assigns deductible component using exact component name.
`accountNumber`	recommended	Bank detail for payment schedule output.

Required headers

The upload requires staffId and role headers, plus an employee name using firstName + lastName or fullName.

Import behavior

WiseWage creates or updates employee records by staffId and synchronizes salary components against current setup.

Start small

Validate a small sample in WiseWage before relying on the full import for payroll.

Common Mistakes

Missing staffId header.
Missing role header.
Uploading a row without staffId, role, or employee name.
Using invalid file type instead of CSV.
Using component names that do not match current setup.

Best Practices

Use upload for initial migration and high-volume onboarding.
Validate the template in spreadsheet software before saving as CSV.
Review row-level messages after import.

09 — Employees

Edit Employees Manually

Manual editing is best for individual corrections, targeted payroll adjustments, salary component assignment changes, and status changes that require careful review.

Where to find itHR › Employees › Employee record

Steps

1
Open HR > Employees.
2
Open the employee record.
3
Use General Info, Income, Deductibles, Pensions, or Bank Details depending on the correction.
4
Update the relevant fields.
5
Save changes from the active tab.
6
Recheck payroll impact before running or approving payroll.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`generalInfo`	recommended	Staff ID, full name, email, location, department, role, grade, dates, and statutory details.
`income`	optional	Add, remove, or edit regular income component amounts.
`deductibles`	optional	Add, remove, or edit regular deductible component amounts.
`pensions`	recommended	Pension status, employee rate, employer rate, PFA name, and PFA number.
`bankDetails`	recommended	Bank name, account number, account name, account type, and BVN.
`departureRecord`	required	Inactive or Terminated status requires effective date, reason, and optional remarks.

Status changes affect payroll

Inactive or Terminated status and effective date affect future payroll eligibility and approval review.

Formula restrictions

Percentage components are formula-driven and not directly editable from the employee page.

Use for exceptions

Manual edit is best for one-off corrections and exceptions.

Common Mistakes

Updating status without understanding payroll eligibility effect.
Expecting percentage-component amounts to be editable.
Changing organization fields without rechecking component scope.

Best Practices

Use manual edit for exceptions and one-off corrections.
Use bulk update only when the same change must be applied at scale.
Review component scope after changing department or location.

10 — Employees

Edit Employees by Upload

The bulk update flow updates existing employees by staffId without recreating them one by one.

Where to find itHR › Employees › Manage Current Employees

Steps

1
Open Manage Current Employees.
2
Choose the template type.
3
Download the template for the currently filtered employee directory page.
4
Update the rows you need.
5
Save the file as .csv.
6
Upload the file.
7
Start the import.
8
Review success and error messages.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`staffId`	required	Required for every update row; this flow only updates existing employees.
`generalDetailsTemplate`	optional	Broad employee master data, pension, and bank fields.
`incomeOnlyTemplate`	optional	Income component columns only.
`deductiblesOnlyTemplate`	optional	Deductible component columns only.
`cleardata`	optional	Removes a saved general-detail value or clears an uploaded income/deductible component.
`blankCell`	recommended	Keeps the current value.

Template scope

The downloaded template is generated for employees shown on the current directory page. Apply filters and navigate to the correct page first.

Latest row wins

If the same staffId appears more than once, the latest row wins.

Use narrow templates

Income only and Deductibles only templates are safer when maintaining payroll values.

Common Mistakes

Using the General details template for a payroll-value-only change.
Uploading a staffId that does not exist.
Mixing unrelated field changes into one upload close to payroll.

Best Practices

Use the narrowest template possible.
Review the affected page and filters before downloading.
Keep evidence of uploaded update files for payroll audit support.

11 — Payroll

Run Payroll

Running payroll prepares a WiseWage payroll output for a selected period and selected employees. The prepared run becomes the basis for approval and reporting.

Where to find itPayroll › Payroll

DRAFTAUTHORIZEDAPPROVEDPAIDREJECTED

Steps

1
Open Payroll > Payroll.
2
Select department, month, year, and week setting if applicable.
3
Review the staff table.
4
Select the employees you want to include.
5
Use the status filter or Select all in filter where needed.
6
For selected staff, tick Include Claims, Include Loans, and Include Advances only where required.
7
Click Run Payroll.
8
If WiseWage detects variable components, complete the variable usage step.
9
Review the Draft payroll run before authorization.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`department`	optional	All Departments or a specific department.
`month`	required	Payroll month.
`year`	required	Payroll year.
`week`	optional	Only available when weekly payroll reporting is enabled.
`includeClaims`	optional	Include approved claims only where required.
`includeLoans`	optional	Include approved loans only where required.
`includeAdvances`	optional	Include approved advances only where required.

Eligibility blockers

Inactive or terminated employees without an effective date are blocked from payroll eligibility until completed.

Employee inclusion

Employees remain selectable through their departure month and are excluded after that month.

Review before run

Review the staff table carefully before clicking Run Payroll.

Common Mistakes

Wrong employment date or WiseWage creation date.
Employee not selected.
Component amount missing or outdated.
Variable usage not uploaded or defaulted to zero.
Claim, loan, or advance inclusion box not selected.
Approved synced hours not available for time-tracking payroll.

Best Practices

Confirm master data, component assignment, dates, and leavers before the run.
Use payroll eligibility checks before the payroll deadline.
Review draft output before authorization.

12 — Payroll

Variable Components

Variable component payroll handles run-sensitive inputs such as usage-based values, variable deductibles, formula components, and time-tracking-linked earnings.

Where to find itPayroll › Payroll › Variable usage modal

Steps

1
Start payroll preparation from the main payroll page.
2
If the variable usage modal appears, click Download Template.
3
Open the CSV template.
4
Enter values using staffId, income:Component Name, and deductible:Component Name.
5
Save the file as .csv.
6
Upload the file.
7
Click Prepare Payroll.
8
If no variable values are needed, click Prepare with 0 Usage.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`staffId`	required	Required row identifier in the variable usage template.
`income:Component Name`	optional	Run-specific income usage or value input.
`deductible:Component Name`	optional	Run-specific deductible usage or value input.
`blankUsage`	optional	Blank or missing usage values are treated as 0.
`timeTrackingHours`	recommended	Pulled automatically from approved synced hours and excluded from the CSV.

Zero behavior

Selected eligible staff remain in the payroll run even if their variable row is blank.

Formula-driven items

Percentage and formula components are still calculated by payroll; time-tracking pulls approved synced hours automatically.

Reconcile before approval

Confirm expected staff had variable entries and review unusually large or zero values.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to upload the variable file and assuming values will appear automatically.
Entering values for the wrong staff ID.
Treating a blank value as an error instead of deliberate zero.
Forgetting that time-tracking hours are not entered in the CSV.

Best Practices

Prepare variable files before payroll day.
Review same-month inactive or terminated employees for proration-related variable inputs.
Compare variable ledger output before authorization.

13 — Payroll

Approval Workflow

The approval workflow controls payroll review, authorization, final approval, payment marking, rejection, request changes, and rollback handling.

Where to find itPayroll › Payroll › Prepared run

DRAFTAUTHORIZEDAPPROVEDPAIDREJECTED

Steps

1
Open the draft payroll run.
2
Review the run summary, totals, and exception counts.
3
Download the review reports your company requires before approval.
4
Tick I confirm I have reviewed this payroll run.
5
Click Authorize.
6
Open the authorized run and review again if required.
7
Click Final Approve.
8
In the approval confirmation modal, tick I understand this action locks editing.
9
Confirm approval.
10
After payment is completed externally, click Mark as Paid.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`payrollOfficer`	recommended	Creates the draft payroll run.
`financeAuthorizer`	recommended	Authorizes the run.
`finalApprover`	recommended	Performs final approval.
`reviewCheckbox`	required	Must be ticked before authorization.
`approvalConfirmation`	required	Required because final approval locks editing.
`rejectComment`	required	Reject and request-changes actions require a comment.

Lock and freeze

Approved payroll runs cannot be rejected. Paid payroll runs cannot be edited.

Departure warnings

WiseWage performs additional review when employees have inactive or terminated records.

Review before authorization

Download the reports your company requires before approving the run.

Common Mistakes

Trying to final approve before authorization.
Skipping the review checkbox.
Rejecting or requesting changes without a clear comment.
Ignoring proration statuses such as MISMATCH or NOT CONFIGURED.

Best Practices

Review summary, totals, exception counts, and required reports before authorization.
Use comments to preserve the reason for rejection or changes.
Mark as paid only after payment is completed externally.

14 — Reports

Download Reports

The payroll reports area provides payroll review outputs, payment outputs, statutory views, exception reports, and combined workbook exports.

Where to find itPayroll › Payroll Reports

Steps

1
Open Payroll > Payroll Reports.
2
Select the payroll period or payroll run.
3
Apply department, location, or other filters where the report supports them.
4
Choose the report needed for the review stage.
5
View in-app reports where available or download the output.
6
Review the downloaded file before forwarding it.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`Multi-Sheet Report`	optional	Combines selected payroll reports into one workbook.
`Payroll Journal - CFS`	recommended	Primary payroll journal review before authorization.
`General Ledger`	recommended	Accounting review by department, location, or state.
`Variable Ledger`	recommended	Review variable component impact.
`Bank Schedule`	recommended	Payment-ready bank output.
`PAYE Tax Computation`	recommended	PAYE computation view before filing or approval.
`Terminated Employees Report`	optional	Review terminated and inactive output context.

Export precaution

Confirm correct period, location, and department filters before sharing a file.

Report stages

Before authorization use journals, ledgers, and variable ledger; before payment use bank schedule and payslip review.

Month-end pack

For reconciliation, keep payroll journal, general ledger, pension contribution, PAYE report, and YTD output.

Common Mistakes

Downloading a report for the wrong period.
Sharing a file without reviewing filters.
Using a payment report before final payroll review is complete.

Best Practices

Review downloaded files before forwarding to finance, management, or external reviewers.
Use exception reports for investigation.
Keep report outputs with payroll approval evidence.

15 — Reports

Reviewing Reports

A payroll reviewer must confirm the payroll run is complete, accurate, explainable, and ready for approval or payment, not merely download files.

Where to find itPayroll › Payroll Reports and prepared run

Steps

1
Review the run summary on the payroll approval page.
2
Download the payroll journal and general ledger.
3
Review payslips and PAYE computation.
4
Review bank schedule if the run is moving to payment.
5
Review variable and exception reports.
6
Compare key totals against prior payroll periods.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`grossToNet`	required	Confirm total earnings less deductions and tax equals net pay.
`netPayToBankSchedule`	recommended	Confirm bank schedule reflects approved payment population.
`taxViewToPayeReport`	recommended	Confirm tax computation and state PAYE output are consistent.
`employeeCount`	recommended	Compare against previous payroll, new joiners, and leavers.
`variableMovement`	recommended	Investigate unusually large variable movements.

Do not review one report only

Payroll approval requires reconciling totals across journals, payslips, tax views, and bank output.

Period-over-period checks

Compare employee count, net pay, tax, leavers, new joiners, bank changes, and deductions.

Explainability

A payroll run is ready when large movements and exceptions can be explained.

Common Mistakes

Reviewing only net pay and ignoring tax or deduction movement.
Skipping variable and exception reports.
Ignoring new joiners and leavers in period-over-period review.

Best Practices

Use the same report order each payroll cycle.
Document explanations for large changes.
Retain review notes with approval evidence.

16 — Next Payroll Period

Terminated Employees

Terminated and inactive employee records should be reviewed before the next payroll period so leavers are either excluded from future payroll, included correctly for final pay, or reviewed against proration warnings before approval.

Where to find itHR › Employees › Terminated/Inactive Employees

Steps

1
Open HR > Employees, then open Terminated/Inactive Employees.
2
Review employees marked inactive or terminated since the last payroll period.
3
Confirm each employee has the correct departure status, effective date, reason, and remarks.
4
Check whether the employee should be excluded from the next payroll period or included only for same-month final pay.
5
Confirm the preferred proration variable component is still correct for the company.
6
Review salary components, claims, loans, advances, leave treatment, and deductions before preparing the next run.
7
Keep termination notes and final-pay decisions with the payroll review evidence.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`employeeStatus`	required	Inactive or Terminated status controls leaver review and future payroll eligibility.
`effectiveDate`	required	The departure date used to decide whether the employee remains eligible for a payroll period.
`terminationReason`	required	Explains why the employee was marked inactive or terminated.
`remarks`	recommended	Adds audit context for payroll reviewers and future HR review.
`prorationComponent`	recommended	Company preference used when WiseWage compares final-period values for leavers.
`finalPayDecision`	recommended	Internal decision on whether the employee is excluded, included for final pay, or held for correction.

Do not leave effective date blank

An inactive or terminated employee without an effective date can block payroll eligibility until the departure record is completed.

Departure month treatment

Employees can remain selectable through their departure month, but should be excluded after that month unless a correction is required.

Review before payroll starts

Leaver review should happen before the next payroll period is prepared, not during final approval.

Common Mistakes

Marking an employee terminated without an effective date.
Forgetting to review final salary components, claims, loans, advances, or leave treatment.
Ignoring same-month departure warnings during payroll approval.
Changing proration preferences without confirming payroll policy.

Best Practices

Review terminated and inactive records immediately after payroll close.
Document final-pay decisions before the next payroll run.
Confirm the proration component before preparing payroll with leavers.
Keep termination notes complete for audit review.

17 — Next Payroll Period

Payroll Eligibility

Payroll eligibility review confirms which employees should be included or excluded in the next payroll period based on employment dates, WiseWage creation date, departure records, setup completeness, and selected payroll period.

Where to find itPayroll › Payroll Eligibility

Steps

1
Open Payroll > Payroll Eligibility before preparing the next payroll run.
2
Select the payroll period being reviewed.
3
Review eligible, excluded, inactive, terminated, and setup-warning counts.
4
Open employee records for staff who are missing unexpectedly.
5
Check employment date, WiseWage creation date, department, location, salary components, pension, and bank details.
6
Review inactive or terminated employees against their effective dates and final-pay decisions.
7
Correct setup issues before running payroll.
8
Repeat the eligibility review after major uploads or employee status changes.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`employmentDate`	required	Employee start date used in payroll eligibility checks.
`creationDate`	optional	WiseWage creation date can delay eligibility where the employee was added later.
`selectedPeriod`	required	The month, year, and week setting being reviewed.
`departureStatus`	recommended	Inactive or terminated status and effective date affect inclusion.
`salaryComponents`	required	Employees need assigned components with valid amounts where applicable.
`bankAndPensionReadiness`	recommended	Bank and pension details should be reviewed before payroll approval.

Eligibility is period-specific

An employee can be eligible in one month and excluded in the next because of employment dates, creation date, or departure date.

Selection still matters

Payroll eligibility explains who can be included, but the payroll table selection controls who is actually included in the run.

Review after uploads

Run eligibility checks after employee imports, bulk edits, salary component changes, or leaver updates.

Common Mistakes

Waiting until approval to find missing employees.
Using WiseWage creation date when the employee should be eligible from employment month.
Forgetting that component scope can depend on department or location.
Assuming selected employees are eligible without checking dates and status.

Best Practices

Run eligibility review before payroll preparation.
Resolve missing employee issues before uploading variable usage.
Check leavers and same-month terminations before authorizing payroll.
Recheck eligibility after large employee or component updates.

18 — Reference

Troubleshooting

Most payroll issues trace back to upload format, missing employee eligibility data, component assignment, component scope, or approval state requirements.

Where to find itReference › Troubleshooting

Steps

1
For upload issues, confirm the file is saved as .csv and uses the WiseWage template.
2
For missing headers, re-download the template and avoid renaming required headers.
3
For row failures, review the row-level message and correct the source file.
4
For missing employees in payroll, check employment date, WiseWage creation date, departure status, effective date, and selection state.
5
For missing salary components, confirm the component exists and is assigned to the employee.
6
For approval blockers, confirm authorization state, review checkbox, comments, and conflicts.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`csvFormat`	required	Uploads must be saved as .csv.
`requiredHeaders`	required	Use WiseWage templates and do not rename required headers.
`eligibilityDates`	recommended	Employment date and optional creation date affect payroll inclusion.
`departureEffectiveDate`	required	Required when status is inactive or terminated.
`componentAssignment`	recommended	Employee must have the component assigned and match any scope restrictions.
`approvalComment`	required	Reject or request changes requires a comment.

Payroll conflicts

Resolve approved payroll conflicts for the same staff and period before rerunning payroll.

Missing components

Check component existence, employee assignment, and department or location scope.

Troubleshoot from source data

Start with the employee record and component setup before rerunning payroll.

Common Mistakes

Uploading files in the wrong format.
Renaming template headers.
Checking payroll after approval instead of before running.
Ignoring component scope restrictions.

Best Practices

Keep original templates and uploaded files for audit support.
Use row-level errors to correct the source file.
Review eligibility and component assignment before payroll cut-off.

19 — Reference

Best Practices

A stable WiseWage payroll process follows a repeatable order: maintain master data, update employees, review eligibility, prepare variable inputs, run payroll, review reports, approve, pay, and archive evidence.

Where to find itReference › Best Practices

Steps

1
Maintain master data.
2
Maintain salary components.
3
Add or update employees.
4
Review payroll eligibility.
5
Prepare variable inputs.
6
Run payroll.
7
Review journals, ledgers, payslips, and tax outputs.
8
Authorize and final approve.
9
Mark as paid after external payment is complete.
10
Archive working files and review notes.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`prePayrollChecklist`	required	Departments, grades, locations, components, new joiners, leavers, bank, pension, and variable files.
`postPayrollChecklist`	recommended	Journal, general ledger, PAYE, payslips, bank schedule, and approval comments.
`dataGovernance`	recommended	Keep master-data names consistent and retain evidence.
`uploadEvidence`	recommended	Keep evidence of uploaded files and exported reports for audit support.

Cut-off discipline

Do not use uploads casually close to payroll cut-off without review.

Pre-payroll checks

Confirm leavers have effective dates and reasons before payroll is prepared.

Repeatable review

Use the same review order every month to make exceptions easier to spot.

Common Mistakes

Combining unrelated changes into one payroll-period upload.
Running payroll before leavers and bank details are reviewed.
Failing to archive exported reports and review notes.

Best Practices

Keep master-data names consistent.
Review salary components and tax treatment before first use.
Archive working files, exports, and approval notes after payroll.

20 — Reference

Glossary

This reference defines key payroll terms and lifecycle statuses used across WiseWage setup, payroll preparation, approval, reports, and templates.

Where to find itReference › Glossary

DRAFTAUTHORIZEDAPPROVEDPAIDREJECTED

Steps

1
Use the glossary to align payroll, HR, finance, and reviewer language.
2
Check status definitions when explaining where a payroll run is in the lifecycle.
3
Use upload and template notes to choose the right import flow.
4
Refer to component terms when reviewing formula, fixed, variable, time-tracking, or deductible behavior.

Field Reference

Field name	Status	Notes
`department`	recommended	Employee grouping used for assignment, payroll filtering, and reporting.
`grade`	optional	Internal level or band label.
`location`	recommended	Employee work location used in filters, reports, and component scope.
`salaryComponent`	required	Payroll earning or deduction definition.
`fixed`	recommended	Paid from a stored employee amount.
`variable`	optional	Depends on run-time usage or value inputs.
`timeTracking`	optional	Uses approved synced hours.
`percentageComponent`	optional	Calculated as a percentage of selected source components.
`deductionSelection`	recommended	Determines whether a deduction appears on payslip, tax computation, or both.

Use the right upload flow

Employee onboarding uses Import Employees; existing employee updates use Manage Current Employees.

Variable payroll template

Variable payroll usage uses the payroll variable import modal during payroll preparation.

Template source

Salary component value uploads should always start from the downloaded WiseWage template for that component.

Common Mistakes

Using onboarding import when trying to update existing employees only.
Mixing fixed, variable, and percentage component behavior.
Treating DRAFT, AUTHORIZED, APPROVED, PAID, and REJECTED as interchangeable states.

Best Practices

Use glossary terms consistently in payroll review notes.
Confirm the payroll status before taking an approval or payment action.
Choose the narrowest template or upload flow for the task.