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Entering Direct Retro Funding Distribution in HRS

Overview

This process is used for employees that have been paid the correct amount but have been paid by the wrong funding source(s). A Direct Retro Funding Distribution process is performed to correct their funding distribution. These transactions are commonly referred to as "Direct Retros." On the Madison campus, these are often called "Salary Cost Transfers."

This process will not update funding for future payrolls. To affect future payroll funding, funding for the employee/job needs to be updated using the HRS Budget Funding Data Entry page. See Adding or Changing Appointment Level Funding for Employee's Salary Expense in HRS.

All adjustments (Direct Retros) will be made to Earnings and the effects will flow through to Fringe (Deductions and Taxes) proportionately. In other words, Fringe will follow the Earnings when processing a Direct Retro. Adjustments that would have tax implications will be performed via the Paycheck Adjustment process and be performed by the Service Center.

Process Considerations:

  • There are two HRS pages that can be accessed to view Direct Retros:
    • Review Retro Distribution Page
      HRS Security Role Required: FI Campus Direct Retro VW
    • Direct Retro Distribution Page
      HRS Security Role Required: FI Campus Direct Retro Approvr; FI Campus Direct Retro Entry; or FI RSP Approval Direct Retro
    • Funding and Direct Retro Security by Campus in HRS
  • Direct Retros are processed every business day at approximately 2:00pm, with the following exceptions:
    • DRs are not processed the business day after a final payroll calc
    • DRs are not processed the 2nd to last business day of the month (applies to UWMSN only)
      • It is the responsibility of UWMSN to ensure no DRs are in Ready for Batch Processing status on this day
    • DRs are not processed on the last business day of the month
  • Starting in Fiscal Year 2023, with an exception for ARG, paychecks for now inactive Pay Groups can no longer be corrected with a Direct Retro in HRS. Journal entries must be made in SFS instead. See Pay Group Descriptions in HRS for lists of active and inactive Pay Groups in HRS.
    • Will no longer be able to correct ARG paychecks with a Direct Retro in HRS starting Fiscal Year 2024. Journal entries must be made in SFS instead.
  • If multiple Direct Retros are needed for a specific Employee ID, Employee Record and pay period combination, they cannot be processed to the same Posting Pay End Date; both entries cannot be made during the same pay period.
    • If this happens, it will likely result in the second Direct Retro being removed from processing by the UWSS Service Operations
  • If an employee has multiple Employee Records, and a Direct Retro is needed for the same pay period on one or more Empl Rcd:
    • If originally paid on the separate paychecks, a DR must be created for each Empl Rcd and processed on separate days; they can be processed to the same Posting Pay End Date
    • If originally paid on the same paycheck, a DR must be created for each Empl Rcd and processed on separate days; they cannot be processed to the same Posting Pay End Date
  • You will only be able to select payrolls for employees that have been fully processed through HRS and posted in SFS (Shared Financial System).
  • Direct Retros can not be completed on reversed checks.  Those with authorized access can validate whether a check has been reversed on the following page in HRS:
    Payroll for North America > Payroll Processing USA > Produce Payroll > Review Paycheck
  • Information needed to process: Employee ID, Employee Record, affected pay period(s), correct funding data.
You may click on the links below to navigate directly to a section:

Instructions

Process Direct Retro Distribution

HRS Navigation:

  • Payroll for North America > Payroll Distribution > Commitment Accounting USA > Direct Retro Distribution
    or
  • from the Finance WorkCenter, found at: Payroll for North America > Payroll Distribution > Commitment Accounting USA > UW Finance WorkCenter
warning sign Before adding a new Direct Retro for an employee, first verify whether one has already been created.
  • To search for an existing Direct Retro,
    • Enter a business unit on the Find Existing Value tab or click the Advanced Search hyperlink to enter additional search criteria.
      NOTE: if you have the Direct Retro ID on the advanced search list, there is no need to enter other criteria
        NOTE: To see previously processed Direct Retros, click the box Include Completed
    • Click Search
      • If you receive the message No matching values were found, this means no Direct Retro Funding Distribution exists for the information entered in your search criteria.
      • If multiple records are returned, click the desired record.
  1. Click the Add a New Value tab
  2. Click the Add Payment button
    (Direct Retro ID displays as NEW; system will automatically assign Direct Retro number DRXXXXXXXX)

    Direct Retro New Entry
  3. Enter the employee's Business Unit in the Bus Unit field (found on Work Location tab of Job Data record)
  4. Enter a date range for the paycheck you are processing the direct retro for
    • Enter a Begin Date that is before or equal to the earnings end date of the payroll you will be creating the direct retro for
    • The End Date will automatically be populated based on the last payroll processed through to the SFS General Ledger
  5. Enter the Employee ID and tab out of field
  6. Enter the Empl Rcd# and tab out of field
    warning sign  Search button will not display until Business Unit, Employee ID, and Empl Rcd# are populated and user has tabbed out of the fields
  7. Click the Search button.

    Direct Retro Entry

  8. A Payroll Data grid will display at the bottom of the screen with payrolls that are available for direct retro processing
  9. Select the box next to the payroll that you want to perform the direct retro for
    • Notice payroll 2016BW01B in screen shot below where Direct Retro has already been completed.  For the steps to review previously entered Direct Retros, see below
    • You may receive an error message if a Direct Retro is already in process for the selected payroll
    • Paychecks with a negative Earnings amount have been reversed. Direct Retros cannot be completed on reversed paychecks. If the check was reissued with the same funding, complete a Direct Retro on the re-issued check instead.
  10. Click Save
  11. A Run button will appear; click Run

    Direct Retro Selection

The Retro Distribution Transaction page will appear after processing is complete

  • NOTE: this may take a minute
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Updating New Funding Data on Retro Distribution Transaction Page

  • Funding distribution will be displayed with 'Old Data' that was originally used to fund the employee paycheck for the selected payroll. A grid with 'New Data' funding distribution rows will also appear and is editable for entry of new funding values for this employee.
  • You may make several types of updates to the New Data section:
    • You can delete a row to reduce the number of funding sources
      • NOTE: Do not delete if row is the only row with a particular Earn Code (Earnings Code)
    • You may add additional rows to increase the number of funding sources or to break-out funding based on Earn Code. To add a row for a specific Earn Code, click the + on an existing row with the same Earn Code
    • You may change values on funding rows, except for Empl Record, Earn Code, appointing department, Position and Job Code
  • You MAY NOT change the total of the distribution funding rows. The 'New Data' total must equal the 'Old Data' total in order to save or submit the Direct Retro.
  • The Direct Retro Funding Distribution page is driven by SFS accounting periods during a fiscal year. SFS Accounting Periods are from the first calendar day to the last calendar day of a given month. Because University of Wisconsin fiscal years begin on July 1, Accounting Period 1 is the month of July, Accounting Period 2 is August, and so on. Accounting Period 12 is June. If an HRS pay period covers two Accounting Periods (months), the Direct Retro page will display separate funding rows for each period.
  1. Enter 'New Data' funding information. (Values from 'Old Data' section are replicated in 'New Data' section as a starting point)
    • GL Business Unit: User can edit field, but will be limited to their own business unit unless they have security for cross-business unit entry. In most cases funding entry for cross-business unit Direct Retros must be done by the Service Center.
    • Fund (e.g., 144)
    • DeptID (e.g., 576847): 6-digit funding department number; does NOT have alpha character
    • Program code (e.g., 7)
    • Project (e.g., PRJJR13): Project field implies employee is funded by grants; if this field is populated 'Project End Date' will display
    • Project End Date: view-only
    • Account: Change if necessary (rarely changed)
    • Earnings: Enter the amount of earnings that you want distributed to this particular funding line
    • Dist Pct: This only appears if it is a zero-dollar earnings payroll (rare); total distribution must equal 1.0, not 100; please see the Zero-Dollar Earnings section below for explanation
  2. Click Calculate Distribution button
    NOTE: This step will confirm the funding information the user has entered is valid and that the total payment amount has not changed.

    Warning sign If the Total for the 'New Data' funding being entered does not equal the Total for the 'Old Data', you will receive an error message and will not be able to save the page. Correct the entered amounts as necessary so the Old and New totals match. If you have entered any invalid funding values, the funding line will be highlighted in red and an error message will appear. Make appropriate corrections and click Calculate Distribution again. Once errors are resolved, click Save.

    Direct Retro New Data
  3. If you receive other error messages, click on the Earnings Messages, Deduction Messages and Tax Messages tabs to review.
    • If errors appear it could mean that someone else is entering a direct retro for this employee as well.
    • Navigate back to the Direct Retro Pay without saving and you should see data appearing.
    • If the error message is message number 600, you must delete the duplicate direct retro entry (see below); otherwise contact the service center
      • Click on the Retro Distribute Earnings tab
      • Click the Delete button in the top right. You will be taken back to the Process Direct Retro Distribution page.
      • Click Delete again.
    • If you encounter error messages that prevent you from finalizing the Direct Retro (other than the errors mentioned above), and you've reviewed each message tab and still need assistance, contact your Affinity Group.

      DR Error Messages
  4. After clicking 'Calculate Distribution,' a drop-down Distribution Status box will appear. Set status to Ready for Batch Processing or Ready for Supervisor Approval (based on user security). All Direct Retros set to "Ready for Batch Processing" will be picked up in the nightly batch process and be sent to SFS Financials and posted to the General Ledger.
    warningAny errors on the Earnings Messages, Deductions Messages and Tax Messages tabs will prevent the status from being changed to "Ready for Batch Processing."
    • Select "Return to Processing" from the Distribution Status.
    • Follow step 3 above.

      DR Errors Ready for Batch
  5. Enter any necessary comments in Requester Comments text box. (Optional)
  6. Click Save.

    Update Funding Data steps 4-6
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Zero-Dollar Earnings

  • A Direct Retro may be needed on a zero-dollar earnings payroll to change the funding source for employer paid deductions; when entering the New Data Dist Pct on the Retro Distribute Earnings tab, the total must equal 1.0, rather than 100
Zero Earnings Correct Dist Pct Entry
  • When Dist Pct is entered with a total equaling 1.0, the Deduction totals split correctly
Zero Earnings Correct Dist Pct Entry Deduction Totals
  • If the Dist Pct is entered incorrectly...
Zero Dollar Incorrect Dist Pct Entry
  • ...then the Deduction totals are inflated
Zero Earnings Incorrect Dist Pct Entry Deduction Totals
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Custom Process Exceptions

Direct Retros for Employees on Work Study

  • User will enter funding values in New Data grid that reflect funding distribution, INCLUDING Fund 145 entries (federally-funded work study) and SFS account 1781, depending on type of work study applicable.

Direct Retros on Fringe Exceptions

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Viewing through the Review Retro Distribution Page

On this page, you can search for a Direct Retro using the process states of Complete, Delete, Editing, Initiated. When the status of the Direct Retro is Complete you can view the old data and new data of the employee's funding combination code for earnings, deductions, and taxes.

HRS Navigation:

  1. Payroll for North America > Payroll Distribution > Commitment Accounting USA > Review Retro Distribution
    or
  2. From the Finance WorkCenter found at Payroll for North America > Payroll Distribution > Commitment Accounting USA > UW Finance WorkCenter.
    For more information about the WorkCenter, see KB Setting Up a WorkCenter in HRS.
  3. In the Review Retro Distribution screen, the Find an Existing Value tab displays searchable fields
    • Run Control ID: enter all or part of the unique Direct Retro ID number that begins with DR000, if known. (e.g., DR00000048893).
      • NOTE: For UW-Madison, the unique Direct Retro ID number displays on the Posting tab of the Cost Transfer web tool when the Status of the salary cost transfer is Completed.

        Salary Cost Transfer entered
    • Last Operator to Update: enter the 8-digit Employee ID of the person who most recently updated the Direct Retro record in HRS, if known (e.g., 00314331). Otherwise, leave blank.
    • Creation Date: enter the date the Direct Retro was created in HRS, if known (e.g., 10/15/2019). Otherwise, you can select the between parameter and enter a beginning date and ending date range.
    • Date of pay: enter the Pay Period End Date when the updated funding information for the employee's salary expense was posted in HRS, if known.
      NOTE: To locate Pay Period End Dates, refer to the online  UW Payroll Calendar.
    • Transaction Source: select from the list of available choices (e.g., Direct Access Changes), or leave blank.
    • Process State: select from the list of available choices (e.g., Complete), or leave blank.
    • Process Date: enter the date the Direct Retro was processed in HRS, if known.  Otherwise, you can select the between parameter and enter a beginning date and ending date range.

      Review Retro Distribution
  4. Click Search
    • If you receive the message, No matching values were found, this means no Direct Retro Funding Distribution exists for the information entered in your search criteria.
    • If multiple records are returned, click the desired record.
    • You will be taken to the "Retro Distribution Earning" tab.
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Deleting Direct Retro

HRS Navigation:
  1. Payroll for North America > Payroll Distribution > Commitment Accounting USA > Direct Retro Distribution
    or
    From the Finance WorkCenter found at Payroll for North America > Payroll Distribution > Commitment Accounting USA > UW Finance WorkCenter.
    For more information about the WorkCenter, see KB Setting Up a WorkCenter in HRS .
  2. Enter the Direct Retro number, or use the search feature.
  3. Select the Direct Retro with a status of Not Started, In Process, Pending Approval, or Ready for Batch.
  4. If you are taken to the Process Direct Retro Distribution page click the Delete button in the upper right corner.
  5. If you are taken to the Retro Distribution Earnings Page, click the Delete button in the upper right corner.
    • If status was Pending Approval or Ready for Batch, you must first change back to Return to Processing; it will switch to In Process and then allow deletion.
    • After deleting on the Retro Distribution Earnings Page, you will then be taken back to the Process Direct Retro Distributions page, click the Delete button in the upper right corner.
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Additional Resources

Related KBs:

Related Links:

Get Help

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KeywordsDirect Retro Funding Distribution SCT salary cost transfer FN Finance DR journal gl general ledger project fund program deptid   Doc ID16415
OwnerJessica R.GroupUW–Shared Services
Created2011-01-04 20:00:00Updated2024-05-14 11:48:39
SitesUW–Shared Services
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