Additional Checks are used when an employer wants to pay a second check in addition to the employee’s regular payroll check. Examples of when we might use the additional check option would be for bonus or commission checks.
Creating Additional Check Resources:
- Check out the Manual Check Guide
- See Individual Time Entry
Types of Additional Checks
Additional Checks are alternative check types. The types below are available by default. Your Payroll Support Team can create customized check types upon request as well.
Additional Check: Most common for inputting hours/dollars for the employee. It provides a normal Gross to Net Pay calculation with all regular deductions and taxes taken. It does not automatically include salary or auto-hourly earnings.
Additional Check - Gross-Up: Calculates the Gross Wages needed when a specific Net Pay amount is entered. The Heartland system will determine the tax liabilities for this calculation.
Additional Check - No Deductions: Calculates like the Additional Check type but without any recurring deductions being withheld from the employee.
Do not use these types: Adjustment, 3rd Party Sick, or Void Check options. These are used internally for specific scenarios.
Navigating to the Additional Check section
Payroll → Time Entry → Individual Time Entry tab
There are two navigation paths to access the additional check section. Select the Individual Time Entry tab in the Time Entry menu. Or you can select the ITE icon within the Time Entry Grid tab to navigate directly to that employee.
An alternative path would be Payroll → Time Entry → Time Entry Grid tab → ITE Column, Paper Icon.
Adding an Additional Check
Payroll → Time Entry → Individual Time Entry tab → Add Check button
Select the blue Add Check button to begin.
A new window will populate. The first screen will contain a single dropdown to select a Check Type. Once you have made the selection, additional fields will appear below.
For our Additional Check example, we need to provide an additional check to our employee for a Bonus of $500.00. We want this check to be separate from the employee's regular paycheck.
See the Check Types and their descriptions at the beginning of this article to determine which check applies to the scenario. For our example, we are using Additional Check, as we want all deductions and taxes to calculate as normal.
When a check type has been selected, the window will expand with additional options and overrides. Continue to the next section to review each available field.
Additional Check Options
Payroll → Time Entry → Individual Time Entry → Add Check button
We have divided the override selections into two parts for a better visual. We recommend leaving the fields blank unless you know which valid override might apply to the check. Contact your Payroll Support Team to discuss any override fields.
Check Type: Select Additional Check, which calculates with all deductions.
Pay Frequency: (optional) Override the Pay Frequency for tax calculation purposes. For example, you can override the Pay Frequency if the employee’s default pay frequency is Weekly, but their commission check should be taxed Monthly.
Res Geocode: (optional) Override the employee’s residence location. The Geocode has an impact on the taxation of the check.
School District: (optional) Override the school district on this check for local taxes.
Reciprocity: (optional) Override the state reciprocity, if applicable.
Work Location: (optional) Override the work location. If you have more than one location for your employees to work out of, you can override the location your employee works in. The work location affects the taxation of the check.
Pay Group: (optional) Override the employee's default pay group. If your account has more than one group of employees to pay on separate transactions, you may need to override the Pay Group for a specific check.
Force Supplemental: (optional) If you need to use the supplemental federal tax rate, toggle this to Yes. Contact your Payroll Support Team with questions.
Check Stub Message: (optional) Add a check stub message to this single check. There is a character limit of 75.
Direct Deposit Options: You can block one or more (if applicable) of an employee’s direct deposit accounts. If all accounts are blocked, the payment will produce a paper check.
If you create a manual check, you must block all direct deposits. [See Manual Check Guide].
Save.
Individual Time Entry
Payroll → Time Entry → Individual Time Entry → Additional Check line
Once the Additional Check has been saved, you will now see two Employee Checks that can have payroll data entered into them. Select the appropriate check line item to view and enter data for that check. The check you are working on will have a blue/purple hue.
Scroll down to the grid, where you will see your default Template. This section is where you enter the payroll data. There will be no Save button; the information saves as you navigate to the next cell in the grid.
Following our example, we entered $500.00 in the Bonus Dollars column.
If the Earning or Deduction you need is not visible on the screen, select the Change Template link above the Individual Time Entry grid. [See Time Entry Templates] for further details related to your Templates.
The additional check has now been created, and no further actions are needed if this check will be processed on the next scheduled payroll run. You can continue to the next employee once all payroll data has been entered.
You can view the individual employee’s check details by returning to the Employee Checks section, selecting the proper check line, and then selecting the Eye icon under Actions. This will pull up a preview of the additional check.
(Continue in Reviewing the Additional Check & Payroll Reports)