1. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
25 % More!

2. Presenter Landon Russell Controller, The Money Box
Landon Russell is not an accountant, he just plays one at work. He has worked for The Money Box, a Texas-based company providing check cashing and related financial services, for over 28 years. He oversees the accounting and payroll departments as the company Controller (that sounds important, but it is just him and his assistant). His experience with Dynamics-GP goes all the way back to 1996.

3. Session Objective Get more out of the HR/Payroll modules
Have a few “I didn’t know I could do that” moments
Become better at processing payroll

4. Agenda
Lots of tips and tricks
Some demonstrations

5. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
“Don’t be a Dynamics Zombie” by Mark Polino
Novice
Advanced Beginner
Competent
Proficient
Expert

6. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
“Don’t be a Dynamics Zombie” by Mark Polino Take a look at this blog post from Mark Polino: Which learning stage category do you fit into? We want all Dynamics GP users to get to the Proficient or Expert levels. GPUG Summit and Convergence are just one way to help us get to these higher levels. Check out some of the other resources listed in the blog to advance your knowledge of Dynamics GP.
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7. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
What are HR and Payroll like?
Husband Wife

8. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
What happens when HR and Payroll don’t communicate?
One of our employees showed a 401(k) deduction of $30.00
Our company matches the 401(k) deduction dollar for dollar up to 10%
The employees’ match (benefit) showed zero dollars

9. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
SmartList / SmartList Builder / SRS Reports – payroll and HR can make good use of these tools
Find menu (Ctrl-F) – search for text in a report
Show Details icon – more details on payroll entry screen

10. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
SmartList / SmartList Builder / SRS Reports – payroll and HR can make good use of these tools
Use SmartList / SmartList Builder for quick and easy reporting. SRS Reports can be used for more difficult reporting needs. For a good reference for Tables, Fields and Windows, go to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Resource Descriptions. Mark Polino offers an Excel spreadsheet listing table and field references at his website: Click on the Downloads tab and you will be taken to a page with a bunch of things to download. Scroll down to the Reference section and pick the document for your version of GP.
Common tables used for payroll/HR reporting: - Payroll Master (UPR_MSTR / UPR00100) - Payroll Transaction History (UPR_Transaction_HIST / UPR30300) - Payroll Deduction Master (UPR_MSTR_Deduction / UPR00500) - Payroll Benefit Master (UPR_MSTR_Benefit / UPR00600) - Payroll Check History (UPR_Check_HIST / UPR30100)
Find menu (Ctrl-F) – search for text in a report
When printing a report to the screen, choose Find > Find (or Ctrl-F) to search for text in the report. This is handy when looking for warnings in the Calculate Checks Report.
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11. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Show Details icon – more details on payroll entry screen
Clicking on the Show Details icon (double arrow) on the Payroll Transaction Entry screen brings up a more detailed payroll input screen. The “In Addition to Salary” checkbox can be used to pay vacation pay (above the normal pay amount).
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12. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks

13. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Customize the home page
NoPrintDialogs=TRUE (add to dex.ini to no longer show print dialog window)

14. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Customize the home page
The Quick Links section of the home page can be customized with links to windows, web pages or external programs. On the Quick Links bar, click on the Change Details icon (pencil) to bring up the Quick Links Details window. Choose one of the options under the Add button. Most of the options to add windows, web pages or external programs are easy to setup. Dividers can be added by choosing Web page, giving a name for the divider (or just a divider) and typing anything in the address field. The new link (or divider) will be placed in the list and can be moved up or down. The home page will need to be refreshed for the changes to show up.
NoPrintDialogs=TRUE (add to dex.ini to no longer show print dialog window)
This tip keeps the print dialogs from displaying before each report. The dex.ini is a text file and is located in the following directory for GP 2010: Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics\GP2010\Data.
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15. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Employee Extra Fields window and Employee User Defined window – store additional information
Note icon on the Employee Maintenance screen – free-form note field to store even more information

16. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Employee Extra Fields window and Employee User Defined window – store additional information
Multiple windows to store extra payroll and HR data. Data types can include Dates, Numeric, Alpha/Numeric and Currency. Customized checkboxes can also be setup. - Employee Extra Fields: Access – from the Employee Maintenance screen, click on the Human Resources button, then click on the Extra Fields button. Setup – Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > Human Resources > Extra Fields > Employee. Data can be used in SmartList and SRS reports. - Employee User Defined: Access – from the Employee Maintenance screen, click on the Go To icon > Human Resources > User Defined. Setup – Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > Human Resources > Employee User Defined. Data can be used in SmartList and SRS reports.
Note icon on the Employee Maintenance screen – free-form note field to store even more information
Use the Notes field to store any kind of miscellaneous information for employees. Data is stored in the ST03900 table and can be used in SmartList and SRS reports (Product: MS Dynamics GP, Series: Company, Table: Record Notes Master)
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17. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Payroll Mass Transaction Entry – allows for the same entry across multiple employees, classes, departments, etc
Manual Check Entry – Do you know how to use it?
Right-click (to Remove From List)

18. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Payroll Mass Transaction Entry – allows for the same entry across multiple employees, classes, departments, etc
Access the entry screen by going to Transactions > Payroll > Mass Entry. Transactions can be entered for Pay Codes, Deductions and Benefits. The range of entries includes Employees, Positions, Classes and Departments. As an example, an entry can be made giving all full-time employees 8 hours of holiday pay, without having to key in individual transactions for each employee.
Manual Check Entry – Do you know how to use it?
Access the entry screen by going to Transactions > Payroll > Manual Checks. Allows for recording of a Manual Check, an Adjustment transaction (net zero) or a Beginning Balances transaction (does not update Bank Rec or General Ledger information). The Beginning Balances entry can be used for transactions that only need to update payroll, such as disability payments from a third-party.
Right-click (to Remove From List)
Delete mis-typed Employee ID’s (also works in other parts of Dynamics GP). Also take a look at the AutoComplete Setup, located on the User Preferences screen.
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19. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
PSTL (Professional Services Tools Library) – use Employee Modifier ($) to change Employee ID
Payroll Checklists – setup payroll procedures

20. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
PSTL (Professional Services Tools Library) – use Employee Modifier ($) to change Employee ID
Lots of “extras” available from Microsoft in the Professional Services Tools Library. Read more on CustomerSource ( Includes two tools for the payroll series.
Payroll Checklists – setup payroll procedures
Use the Payroll Checklists feature to setup various payroll procedures (daily, monthly, yearly, etc.). External tasks (Word, Excel, etc.) and macros can be included in the checklists. Access and Setup – Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Routines > Payroll > Checklists.
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21. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Human Resources Preferences window – LOTS of options, including Employee Filters
Change the Organizational Display – view by Code or Description
Retroactive Pay Management – easy way to add retro payments

22. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Human Resources Preferences window – LOTS of options, including Employee Filters
The HR Preferences screen contains lots of options that may be relevant for your company. The Employee Filters option can be used to restrict access by Division or Department. The screen is accessed by going to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > System > Human Resources Preferences.
Change the Organizational Display – view by Code or Description
The organizational display (Division, Department, Position, etc.) can be changed, by individual user, to show the Description or the Code. Access by going to Microsoft Dynamics GP > User Preferences, click on the HR button, choose Code or Description under Organizational Display.
Retroactive Pay Management – easy way to add retro payments
Retroactive payments can be easily added through this screen. Pick the retro pay period and choose from the various options (Employee ID, Class ID, etc.). Select an amount or percent adjustment and a code to pay, then choose the Insert For Retro button. Preview the transaction(s) to be created, then choose the Create Retro button to assign the payments to a batch. The transaction screen is accessed by going to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Utilities > Payroll > Retroactive Pay Management.
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23. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Internet Information window – store misc “internet” related information, possibly employee pictures
EmpLookup=X (change the sort order – 2 for Last Name, 3 for First Name, 4 for SSN)

24. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Internet Information window – store misc “internet” related information, possibly employee pictures
From the Employee Maintenance screen, click on the Internet button (the italic i on the Address ID line). Various Internet-related information can be stored (the defaults include , home page, image, etc.). A couple of examples include storing an employee picture in the Image field or attaching a scanned document, relevant to the employee, in one of the User Defined fields. The descriptions on this screen can be edited by going to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > Company > Company and click on the Internet User Defined button.
EmpLookup=X (change the sort order – 2 for Last Name, 3 for First Name, 4 for SSN)
This tip allows you to change the sort order in the employee lookup window of the Employee Maintenance screen (the default is by Employee ID). See tip #5 for more info about the dex.ini file.
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25. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Advanced Lookups – add more ways to sort on the Additional Sorts menu
Numerous ways to sort on the employee lookup window
Clearing the payroll work tables – KB851664, with a Fix it wizard

26. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Advanced Lookups – add more ways to sort on the Additional Sorts menu
Even more ways to enhance sorting on the Additional Sorts menu when looking up employees from the Employee Maintenance screen. Access by going to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > Company > Advanced Lookups and choose Employees from Lookup Name dropdown menu. Four additional sorting options can be added and the description can be edited.
Numerous ways to sort on the employee lookup window
There are lots of additional ways to sort on the employee lookup window by choosing the dropdown View arrow. - Exclude Inactive Employees (instead of showing All Employees) - Restricted List (or choosing the binoculars icon) brings up a search window - Favorites searches by SmartList Favorites - Set as Default View makes the current view the default
Clearing the payroll work tables – KB851664, with a Fix it wizard
When something goes wrong with payroll processing, sometimes it’s best to start from scratch (sort-of). If an error is received related to a batch in payroll, the payroll work tables may not have been cleared. This KnowledgeBase article gives details about how to clear the tables. There is also a Fix it wizard that will handle clearing the work tables for you.
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27. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
– numerous payroll-related calculators
Attend the GPUG HR/Payroll SIG (Special Interest Group) monthly webinars

28. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
– numerous payroll-related calculators
Website contains several payroll-related calculators (gross-up, 401(k), bonus, hourly, salary, etc.)
Attend the GPUG HR/Payroll SIG (Special Interest Group) monthly webinars
GPUG hosts monthly HR/Payroll SIG webinars. Learn from Microsoft representatives, as well as other Dynamics GP users. It’s a great way to ask questions and learn from other GP HR and payroll users.
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29. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
SSNVS (Social Security Number Verification Service) – verify SS numbers with Social Security Administration
AccuWage software – free software from the SSA to check W-2 data

30. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
SSNVS (Social Security Number Verification Service) – verify SS numbers with Social Security Administration
The Social Security Administration has created an online tool to verify names and Social Security numbers. There are two verification options – verify up to 10 names and SSNs online, or upload a file containing up to 250,000 names and SSNs. The website is:
AccuWage software – free software from the SSA to check W-2 data
The SSA has created a software program that will check W-2 reports for correctness, before the files get sent to SSA. For more information, check out their website:
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31. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Make friends with Terry Heley and check out her posts on the Dynamics GP Support blog

32. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Make friends with Terry Heley!
Terry is the most knowledgeable person at Microsoft for HR and payroll related questions. She leads the monthly HR/Payroll SIG webinars for GPUG. Get to know her (at GPUG Summit and Convergence) so you can hit her up with questions and problems about your payroll processing and HR issues. In addition to helping the users of Dynamics GP, she genuinely wants to hear from the users, as well.
Check out the Dynamics GP Support Blog at Use the search tool to find articles related to HR and payroll.
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33. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Bonus Tip!
“Welcome to Dynamics” startup sound – place GPSSystemStart.wav in the Windows folder

34. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Bonus Tip! “Welcome to Dynamics” startup sound – place GPSSystemStart.wav in the Windows folder This one has nothing to do with HR/Payroll, I just stuck it in here to be fun. If you’ve been using Dynamics GP for a long time, you may remember the “Welcome to Dynamics” startup sound. Just place this wav file in your Windows folder and Dynamics GP will greet you each time it starts up. You can use any wav file, as long as it has the same name. The sound can be found at the following blog post:
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35. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
More HR/Payroll sessions: Microsoft Dynamics GP Payroll & HR Toolbox 4:45 pm What to Do When Something Goes Wrong with HR & Payroll 9 am Ask Your Peers: HR & Payroll 11 am & 3 pm 50 Tips in 50 Minutes: HR & Payroll 5 pm & 1:30 pm

36. 20 HR and Payroll Tips and Tricks
Q & A

37. Contact Info
Landon Russell